Utah Statesman The
Utah State University • Logan, Utah
Chocolate festival raises funds for Planned Parenthood
Aggies hope to continue winning streak against Colorado State page 5
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Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014
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Sustainability club needs 1,000 lbs of plastic bags 4By Manda Perkins staff writer
Nick Carpenter photo STUDENTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY are collecting plastic grocery bags to recycle into a bench for the campus.
Accounting students offer free tax assistance
It takes 1,000 years for a single plastic grocery bag to biodegrade, according to the Students for Sustainability Club, which is why they’re taking action on campus by facilitating the Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge. Not only can students get rid of the cache of grocery bags under their kitchen sinks, but their effort could help USU receive a new
bench made from recycled materials. Trex, a composite decking company that sponsors the competition for college and university campuses around the country, will donate the bench if USU can collect 1,000 pounds by Earth Day, which is April 22. “Currently the university doesn’t have the facilities to recycle those bags at the recycling center,” said Alexi Lamm, USU’s sustainability coordinator. “So people needed to take those bags back
to the grocery stores, which do accept them, or they were throwing them away, or reusing them in their home. This provided another option for people who have those bags around to recycle them.” Each area of on-campus housing has a bin, including the Living Learning Center Building A, Merrill Hall, the Lundstrom Student Center and others. A bin is also placed at the campus recycling center, located near Parking and Transportation Services.
President signs ag bill
4By Lindsey Snyder staff writer
USU’s international accounting society, Beta Alpha Psi, is hosting volunteer income tax assistance workshops Feb. 4 to April 1. The workshops will be held Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. in the George S. Eccles Business Building room B120. This tax season has one big change for students, according to Beta Alpha Psi adviser Bonnie Villarreal. The American Opportunities Credit is a chance for students to file and get some financial reimbursement for education expenses. Villarreal said this year’s scholarship and grant funding for Spring 2014 was applied in December 2013. She said this has added an extra semester of scholarships and grants for students while counting roughly three semesters of tuition on statements. “A lot of students are eligible for the credit, but the statement may make it look like it’s not,” Villarreal said. “Without the help of a volunteer, students might miss out on something they could get.” “VITA offers a variety of different benefits to students, but the most appealing of these benefits is the fact that it’s free,” said Jesse Hamilton, VITA president. Beta Alpha Psi’s workshop has trained volunteers who can help students match up their statements and make sure they know what they’re filing. “We complete 600 returns a year and generate over $8,000 in tax returns for students,” Villarreal said. VITA may be run by volunteers, but they still have ways to ensure quality. “As a quality control mechanism, every return goes through the review process which entails an experienced tax preparer thoroughly reviewing the work of the previous preparer to ensure quality and accuracy,” Hamilton said. There are also other options for students who can’t make it to a VITA workshop or who don’t want to wait in line. Students can gain access through Beta Alpha Psi to a website where they can file their federal and state taxes for free. To gain access, students would need to stop by the workshop or email Beta Alpha Psi. International students can also receive help at the VITA workshop from volunteers trained for international taxes. Villarreal said they have helped more than 200 foreign students from more than 23 different countries in the past. – lsnyder94@gmail.com
Club president Jacoby Knight said student participation thus far has been more than anticipated. About 60 pounds of grocery bags have already been sent to be recycled. “We were actually surprised,” Knight said. “In December, when no one was up here, we collected about 25 pounds, which is pretty good. It filled my whole car.”
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Officers claim they fulfilled 2013 election platforms 4By Danielle Manley assistant news editor
Kylie Haslam photos THE CAINE DAIRY TEACHING AND RESEARCH CENTER is one of many agricultural operations in the valley that will be affected by the farm subsidies bill.
Extra funding in the bill will support ag research, make cuts to food stamps program 4By David Berg staff writer
President Barack Obama signed a bill into law that increases subsidies for agriculture on Feb. 7 at Michigan State University. The bill has a proposed budget of approximately of $1 trillion. It also cuts spending in the Food Stamp program by $8.7 billion. Part of the funding will go to land grant institutions, such as USU. “This funding supports research, teaching and outreach, which in turn supports students, especially those working on funded projects,” said Kynda Curtis, associate professor of applied economics. According to Title VII of the bill, there will be several funding opportunities for research and development in agricultural fields. The bill authorizes a new and competitive grants program for animal health and disease research. It also includes a mandatory $100 million in organic agriculture research and $400 million in specialty crop research. In addition to increased research funding, the bill will provide funding for farmers. The bill expands crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade. Also, subsidies were created for when prices drop for crops such as rice, soybeans and peanuts. The exact changes that will impact Cache County’s agricultural businesses will be made clear within the upcoming week, said Bruce Lundquist, local manager of the USDA
Farm Service Agency. The bill first passed through the House of Representatives on Jan. 29 with a vote of 251-166. The vote amongst Utah representatives was 3-1. Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah’s 1st District — the district Logan is in — voted yes. A preliminary vote was held in the Senate on Feb. 3 after a failed filibuster attempt. The final vote was held
Mike Lee
Utah senator
“
The farm bill Congress just passed Tuesday is a monument to Washington dysfunction ...
”
Feb. 4 and passed with a vote of 68-32. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, voted yes, while Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, voted no. “The farm bill Congress just passed Tuesday is a monument to Washington dysfunction, and an insult to taxpayers, consumers and citizens,” Lee said in a statement on Feb. 5 called “The Farm Bill vs. America.” Many proponents of the bill applauded its bipartisan effort. In his statement, Lee agreed it was a combined effort, but one that was formed
to benefit special interest groups and to hurt the American people. Lee is not alone in his misgivings on the bill. Those who voted nay were from both the Republican and Democratic parties. One of the main points of discord was in regard to the changes made to the food stamp program. Some called for more varied changes. Others were against the $8.7 billion that will now be cut from the program. According to Gina Cornia, executive director of Utahns Against Hunger, the food stamp program in Utah will see very little change. Most citizens using the program will have no interruption in their service. “Although Utah’s program won’t see a change, we’re disappointed that the House and Senate agreed to any sort of cut,” Cornia said. Cornia said there may be some in the student population that would be affected by the change. For traditional students, they will be able to maintain their status as long as they meet the participation requirements, including working an average of 20 hours per week. For students categorized as “employment in training,” such as students earning a technical degree, there will be changes to the service they receive from the food stamp program. Students with children are exempt from the changes that will occur now that the bill has been signed. – david.berg@aggiemail.usu.edu
Student elections for the 2014-15 academic year are around the corner, and current officers are ref lecting on campaign promises made nearly a year ago. “I think there’s a dual responsibility in fulfilling the platform and also holding them accountable and investigating their p l a t f o r m s ,” said Trent Morrison, last year’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences academic senator and current marketing intern for Student Services. Thomas Rogers, Programming vice president, campaigned with a platform based on planning events appealing to “Aggies across all walks of life.” “I think we’ve done a very good job in thinking differently,” he said. Rogers said he organized a country concert for the first week of school and an electronic concert for the Howl. He’s planning on bringing a different genre of music for the end of year bash. Doug Fiefia holds a highly criticized position — student body president. He’s the driving force behind many of the actions and ideas of the entire USU/SA Executive Council. Other positions are criticized by different groups — including Athletics vice president, Student Advocate vice president and Programming vice president. Although he pledged four goals, Fiefia led his campaign based on the idea of student body officers being transparent and working with students. He promised to “create opportunities for students now and in the future to improve their education by bridging the gap between the students body, ASUSU (now USU/SA) and the administration.” “It would be interesting to hear what students say,” he said. “Overall, we have bridged that gap and built that relationship, but is it perfect? No.” Fiefia said his number one accomplishment, myVoice, addresses the platform. The Internet-based suggestion box allows students to voice concerns to student involvement officers. The idea developed when Fiefia was a frustrated student looking for an answer. He said sometimes even student leaders didn’t know how to respond. jSee PROMISES, Page 2
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In brief Campus & Community
The Police Blotter Friday, Jan. 31
Phishy emails, hackers strike USU accounts
• A student reported to USU Police that she was being harassed by her ex-boyfriend’s mother. Officers are investigating.
About 3,200 USU email accounts received a phish message Feb. 6 that will likely be more sophisticated in the future, according to university officials. In an email to the message recipients, Bob Bayn of the USU IT security team said phishers obtained login credentials and got access to change direct deposit information of three USU accounts. The phishy email had the subject line “Email account on file,” appeared to be from graduateschool@usu and had a link that went to a form with the Old Main logo, asking for an email address and passcode. “We all need to be ‘Internet skeptics’ and learn about the ‘skeptical hover technique and ‘how to read a web address,’” the email stated. For more information on how to catch these emails in the future, visit it.usu.edu.
• USU Police responded to the Living Learning Center on an alcohol offense. A resident assistant approached an individual with a bottle of beer and he ran away. Police found the 22-yearold male in the Aggie Terrace. He did not live on campus and isn’t a student. Police warned him not to bring alcohol on campus.
LGBT anti-discrimination protesters arrested in SLC The Utah Highway Patrol arrested thirteen pro LGBT anti-discrimination bill protesters who were blocking a Utah Senate committee meeting Monday afternoon. Utah lawmakers put a moratorium on hearing bills that have to do with LGBT issues until Utah’s appeal to overturn a judge’s decision striking down anti-gay marriage laws went through. Senate Bill 100, which prevents housing and employment descrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals at the state level, is a bill that basically gets tabled every year by legislators. Sen. Steve Urquart, R-St. George, is the bill’s sponsor. Protesters refused offers to discuss the bill in private, saying they would rather be arrested than leave without a commitment for it to be heard. “Because of these wonderful folks, the discussion is back on the table. … The powers that be are just going to have to recognize that gay people are not just going to go back in the closet and be quiet anymore,” said Sen. Jim Debakis, D-Salt Lake City.
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, Feb. 11, 2014
Saturday, Feb. 1 • USU Police contacted a student in the Living Learning Center consuming alcohol. The 19-year-old student was cited for minor in possession of alcohol. • USU Police contacted individuals in a car at 750 N. 800 East. The female occupants were under the age of 21 and consuming alcohol, except the driver. They came from a party at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house.
Promises From Page 1 Instead of receiving an automated response for an organization on campus or a department head hearing the same complaint again, an answer to the student’s question comes from an assigned officer. He said student leaders addressing those concerns means more in a response. “There’s something different about being in the trenches and finding out those concerns,” Fiefia said. Fiefia also asks each officer to report at executive council meetings on the following subjects: completion of office hours and TSC info booth hours, which club meeting they attended and the number of myVoice concerns they’d responded to. The goal is 100 percent availability during office hours, one club meeting a month and 10 myVoice responses. “Having the officers out more amongst the students is the biggest thing for the branding, changing the mentality of ‘We’re here in our offices and you can come visit us when you want to,’ going out and finding the concerns ourselves,” he said. Similar to Fiefia, Morrison said students
Contact USU Police at 797-1939 for non-emergencies. Anonymous reporting line: 797-5000 EMERGENCY NUMBER: 911
• USU Police received a report of a possible sexual assault of a child at the USU vs. New Mexico basketball game. Police are investigating. Sunday, Feb. 2 • An individual reported to USU Police that he received several text messages regarding a possible illegal drug transaction in another county in Utah. The law enforcement agency in the area was notified of the concern. Monday, Feb. 3 • USU Police are investigating a lewdness incident that took place in a classroom. • USU Police responded to the George Nelson Fieldhouse because a student refused to leave. The individual was asked to leave based on rule violations. Because he failed to cooperate, officers arrested him for trespassing. Tuesday, Feb. 4 • A USU Facilities truck hit the parking gate
In the Know Pick up Thursday’s issue to learn about this year’s USU/SA candidates need to hold officers accountable. “There’s responsibility on both ends,” Morrison said. “I think there’s responsibility on students to look into what the student association’s doing. They have a huge budget that comes from student fees. There’s responsibility for us as students to look into it and not just let them do what they’re doing ... There’s also responsibility on the student body officers who are trying to fulfill those platforms.” Student Advocate VP Daryn Frischknecht promised to “represent the student needs and assist individuals when conflicts or concerns arise and represent those concerns to the state Legislature.” The state Legislature is currently meeting and ends its session in March. Another initiative she is pursuing is a possible tobacco-free campus. She’s been pursuing the initiative since her time in office but hasn’t measured student interest in the issue yet because a campus-wide survey has not been administered.
Plastic From Page 1 But students still have a long way to go, Lamm said. “Of course we don’t want to encourage people to take more from the store, but for anyone who has them sitting under their kitchen counter somewhere, or in a drawer, we can definitely use more,” she said. “I think we’re a little behind where we’d like to be in order to get the bench.” To convenience students living off campus, the club goes door-todoor to two apartment buildings a month, asking students for their bags. “We’ve noticed that this program is catered more to students that live on campus,” Knight said. “This just makes it easier for people and it gets the word out about what we’re doing as a club and what they can do to help us reach our goal.” The bin at the recycling center is another, perhaps more conve-
arm near the Natural Resource Building. Wednesday, Feb. 5 • USU Police responded to a traffic accident when a small car collided with a USU shuttle bus and struck a bus stop shelter. No injuries were reported. The bus drove away and the car was towed. The driver of the small car was warned for passing on the right. • USU responded to the Fieldhouse on a medical call. A student donated plasma earlier that day and fainted while working out. The person was checked out by medical staff and released and refused to go to the hospital. Thursday, Feb. 6 • Police responded to a criminal mischief case at Jones Hall. The suspect allegedly poured Listerine in her roommate’s fish tank to kill the fish. Police are working with the victim to determine if she wants to press charges.
4Compiled by Danielle Manley As with any other student concern, Morrison said students have the opportunity to give input directly to the officer. “There are opportunities to tell the said student body officers who are ‘wasting our money,’ or whatever you feel,” he said. “There’s a lot of opportunities instead of being apathetic or negative against it.” Frischknecht, who “promised to represent the student needs,” agreed with Morrison that parking and student fees are top priority issues for students. Frischknecht sits on the parking and transportation committee, and they’ve had one meeting so far this year. However, she said Emily Esplin, Executive VP, is in charge of the Student Fee Board. Morrison describes an equal balance between student investigation and fulfillment by the officer. “The student association has a lot of money that’s in their budget from student fees, and I absolutely 100 percent — 300 percent — agree that students should know where their student fees are going,” Morrison said. “And I think that’s something that’s really synonymous with student body officers. Nobody’s trying to hide anything.”
nient, option for off-campus residents. “I know some students drive up to the recycling center because they have a drop off area,” Lamm said. “But, if you’re up on campus anyway, there are drop-offs in most of the buildings.” Viviane Baji, a sophomore majoring in environmental economics and a member of Students for Sustainability, said the competition is a great way for students to learn about the club and get involved. Knight said the club only had three members last year, and has grown to about 14 or 15 this year. “I think we’re pretty excited because people finally know what to do with the plastic bags that just pile up over time,” Baji said. “People always have closets in their house chalked full of bags, so when we tell people what we’re doing, they run home and bring back piles and piles.” More importantly, Knight hopes the program will educate students to stop using plastic and switch to a more sustainable sys-
– daniellekmanley@gmail.com Twitter: @daniellekmanley
tem. “We’re kind of undercutting ourselves,” he said. “We’re telling people to recycle their bags, and we want them to recycle, but at the same time, we’re educating them not to use plastic bags. We want to have this plastic bag recycling program on campus for this year and maybe the year to come, but in the future, we’ll want to stop having it and have students use reusable bags.” Baji said she prefers to shop with reusable bags, and not just to reduce her “overall carbon footprint.” “I think it’s a lot more convenient,” she said. “You can pack a lot more into them than the plastic ones and they’re a lot sturdier; you don’t have to worry about them ripping open … It’s just a matter of remembering to bring them.” Reusable shopping bags should be the first choice when trying to be environmentally conscious in your shopping, Lamm said, but people usually end up with the plastic anyway. Using them as trash-can liners is better than sending them straight to the trash, she said, but people often end up with more than they actually need for reuse. “Plastic bags are made from oil, which is a non-renewable resource, so I feel like we want to use that resource as efficiently as possible,” Lamm said. “And using it on plastic bags that we’re throwing into the landfill probably isn’t the best. If you’re going to use the bags, which a lot of people do, then recycling them is a good idea because you don’t have to use the new virgin resources to create them again. If people are throwing them away instead of recycling, they take a long time to break down in the environment.” For more information on how to get involved with Students for Sustainability, visit sustainability. usu.edu.
– mandaperkins1921@gmail.com Twitter: @mandaofthenorth
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014 Page 3
A&EDiversions Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com
Philanthropic festival a sweet deal for guests
Planned Parenthood fundraises at local event 4By Katie Whitmore staff writer
Hundreds of community members gathered Saturday in the Four Seasons Conference Center in North Logan for the annual Valentine’s Chocolate Festival, a fundraiser for the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. At the charity event professional and amateur chocolatiers join together, donating their goods to raise money for PPAU and Cache
Valley’s local clinic. “It’s lighthearted competition, a festive fundraiser and a friendly celebration of good friends. It’s a fun way to support continuing access to quality health care in Cache Valley,” said Paige Helmick, a sophomore majoring in social studies. Helmick is a member of Voices for Planned Parenthood, or VOX, a club on campus which represents PPAU and strives to educate and provide assistance for students regarding their reproductive health. Similar chapters exist on other
‘The Lego Movie’ is simply amazing Christopher Campbell Film Critic 5/5 stars
If it were possible for a movie to drink five gallons of pure caffeine, I would say “The Lego Movie” did just that. It is a fast-paced, high-energy film set in a world made up entirely of Legos. This includes everything from houses and roads to fire and water. Whenever a machine explodes, it appears as a cluster of red and orange pieces. It was made through a mixture of stop-motion animation and CGI. The result is the most visually appealing animated feature since “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Watching the story unfold is like watching a child making it up while playing with toys. There is a point to this that becomes apparent in the end. While it is simple, it
is far from dumb. It is tightly written, the characters are well-developed and it strongly teaches that living life to its fullest involves being creative and true to oneself. Furthermore, it heavily implies that this creative individuality is how Legos should be used. The voice of Emmet, the main character, is “Parks and Recreation’s” Chris Pratt. There could not have been a better fit. In the NBC sitcom, he is Andy, a big goof who people do not take seriously. In “The Lego Movie,” no one — including him — thinks he will ever amount to anything. There is only one original idea he has ever had, and to everyone else it is a stupid one. However, it eventually proves useful. As the story progresses, he comes to realize what makes him unique and what his value is. Emmet becomes very useful in the resistance against Lord Business (Will Ferrell), an evil dictator who wants everything to stay the same. He gives everyone a set of instructions everyday telling them how to live their lives. His evil plan is to unleash the ultimate weapon called the “Kragle,” which ensures that no one does
jSee LEGOS, Page 4
college campuses in Utah, but members of the USU chapter have spent the last few weeks talking to community members and hanging fliers to advertise the event. At the event, community members paid $10 and were able to sample and vote on some of the area’s best chocolates. They also participated in the auctioning of the winning treats. Members of VOX served treats and collected donations. “It’s a fun way to get the community involved in a good cause
… and it’s a great feeling at the end of the night when they announce how much money we raised,” said Andrew Swensen, president of the club and a junior studying English. The organization raised around $20,000 and catered to around 400 people last year. “And there are even more this year,” said Colleen O’Neill, a member of the festival’s organizing committee. Patrons walked along to the jazzy
jSee FOOD, Page 4
Meghann Nixon photos
THE VALENTINE’S CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL allows guests to sample some of Cache Valley’s best treats.
USU students connect with past thru SCA
Nick Carpenter photo RILEY PARKINSON, right, studies in the Tanner Reading Room. Marissah York, left, is a student worker in the folklore section.
Special Collections and Archives provides chances to learn 4By Diego Mendiola staff writer
Special Collections and Archives is tucked away on the lower level of the Merrill-Cazier Library. Coming out of the elevators, it’s not hard to notice the wooden replica of the sculpture “Lion Lucerne” by David Hughes, an early 20th century carpentry professor at USU. The main entrance of the SCA leads to the Tanner Reading Room, where all who want to research and learn about the archives can come to study. This room offers a glimpse of the variety of items which can be found, such as the skull of Old Ephraim, a 9-foot-11-
inch grizzly bear, the last known to “It’s an incredible department have lived in Cache Valley. that not a lot of people know is The Hatch Room, furnished with here,” said Merrisah Yonk, a freshdark, Victorian carved wood, holds man studying business admina 15th century istration. iron faldistori“People need um, 18th cento know that Riley Parkinson tury portrait this is down senior in history paintings and here and English histothat these ry books. The documents room, referred are here to by some as for them. It the “Harry Potserves the ter room,” is students and home to a numthe general ber of other historical donations public.” for all to use and study. Only pen- Yonk also she wishes departcils are allowed in this room, and ments in the library would be more the items cannot be checked out. active in directing students and
you “It’sfindnotin astufftextbook. ”
public to the archives. Bradford Cole, the assistant dean for the SCA, works in the vaults where archives are preserved. At every turn there is a plethora of magazines, books and diaries. “It’s really good stuff because it makes things that occurred 150 years ago come alive,” said Riley Parkinson, a senior studying history. “It’s not stuff you find in a textbook. It’s great because it’s something that I can take and I can interpret from my own schooling about what was going on socially and politically.” By hosting history and English seminars for students, Cole spoke
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Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014
Humans of USU: Taylor Darger travels the world in dreams The Utah Statesman interviewed Taylor Darger, a junior in plant science from Herriman, Utah. US: You’re watering plants. TD: Yeah, this is my job. I’m the student, like, whatever that is. I work for the teaching greenhouse. It’s just a work study program. This is my first year here but my fourth year in school. US: Where were you before? TD: Snow College. US: What drew you to Utah State? TD: The plant science program; it’s the best in the west. US: What do you want to be when you grow up? TD: I want to be a farmer. I want to do organic agriculture, vegetable production, that kind of stuff. US: What’s the most extreme thing you’ve ever done? TD: I was floating down a river in Mexico. It was in August so the river was really muddy and dirty and stuff and we were floating down, and it was going pretty quick. I ended up getting lodged in a tree, and I was basically going to drown. It was pretty interesting. US: How did that experience change you? TD: It put things into perspective, and it made me want to do more extreme things and just experience life and get out there more. US: Did you have a childhood pet? TD: I don’t remember his name, but it was a frog. Well, a toad I guess, and I had him for a while and he peed everywhere, so he wasn’t the best pet. US: What is your favorite and least
favorite season? TD: Favorite season is definitely summer just because you can be outside and enjoy everything, and you don’t have to worry about all the extra clothing. Least favorite season is winter because of February. US: If you could send a secret message to someone on campus without using their name, what would you say? TD: I would tell them to have faith and keep moving forward. US: If you could relive one moment in history, what would it be and why? TD: The colonization of America, just to be able to see the natural environment as it was before Europeans and to see all the plants and animals and all that good stuff. US: If you could change history, would you? TD: I guess not right now. I would change the way we’re going to keep in mind future generations and to develop more sustainably and more locally instead of globally. US: What supernatural ability would you like to have? TD: Definitely teleportation to be able to see everything in the world before I die and just go anywhere I wanted to. US: Or you could just live forever? TD: That’s true, but that would be miserable. I want to die eventually. I think that’ll be fun. US: Would you ever like to read minds or hear thoughts? TD: No, I would not. That would be the worst just because I don’t want anybody ever hearing my thoughts. Sometimes they’re
Food From Page 3 beat of a live band as they sampled a variety of chocolates, cakes and other treats. “We are so excited that people would still come out despite the dreary weather,” said Peggy Nevber, a member of PPAU. “It’s so nice to see people having a great time, and who wouldn’t when chocolate is involved?” Volunteers stationed around the venue sold raffle tickets for items such as a designer chair, dinner for four at Le Nonne Ristorante Italiano and more. There was also a Valentine’s Day station where kids made cards.
US: What are you exceptionally good or bad at? TD: I’m good at reading and remembering things that I’ve learned. And playing piano, I guess that kind of comes naturally to me. I’m not good at interacting with people. I kind of interact with plants more.
US: Do you want to open a restaurant? TD: Yeah, I do. Well, I want my brother to open a restaurant. He’s a chef and I want it to be a little restuarant, nothing big, but just a local thing. I want to grow all the produce and everything.
US: Have you ever had a bad first date? TD: Not yet. They’ve been good. US: What’s your secret? TD: Do active things, stay active, go hiking, ride four-wheelers, be outside.
US: What’s your favorite book? TD: My favorite book by far is “The Book of Mormon,” I just really like that. I like the direction it gives me. I recently read a book called “Restoration Agriculture,” which is just awesome.
US: Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction? TD: Yep. When I was struggling for my life in a tree in Mexico in the river, my shorts slipped off down around my ankles. So I almost died without clothes on. US: Who saved you in that experience? TD: It was my cousin. A big, buff guy swam out and rescued me. US: What was the weirdest dream you had recently? TD: I have had some pretty crazy dreams. I did have one where I was, I don’t know if you know about them, where you’re awake? Like you know you’re dreaming? So I had that and I was flying over Africa, and I knew I was dreaming, but I was able to fly and see everything over Africa.
Mikayla Kapp photo TAYLOR DARGER, a junior majoring in plant science, sports a 4-month-old beard.
dream adventures? TD: Yeah, almost always. If I know I’m dreaming, then I’ll go for a fly somewhere. I’ll just soar over wherever I want to see.
TD: I like to make hash browns and breakfast burritos, that type of stuff; lots of sauteing. I cook a lot with onions and garlic and pepper and stuff like that.
US: Do you often dream lucidly? TD: It does happen a lot to me.
US: Where is your favorite place to eat in Logan? TD: My apartment. I like to cook a lot. I’m vegetarian so I do a lot of my own cooking, and I think I’m a pretty good cook. I am one of the best cooks ever, to me.
US: Skim or whole milk? TD: Raw whole milk. Definitely get it from a local producer if you can. Tastes 100 times better, and I’m not worried about weight or anything right now.
US: Have you gone on a lot of
US: What’s your specialty?
“I love the great feeling of community and the sense of accomplishment I feel working with such dedicated volunteers,” O’Neill said. “The committee is particularly excited about the growing involvement of students from VOX in the Chocolate Festival.” According to the Logan Planned Parenthood Advisory Board, the “task seemed daunting (at first). We wanted to raise money for the clinic, but we also wanted to do something fun that would reflect favorably on Planned Parenthood.” The festival has helped raise money for the Cache Valley Clinic since 1987. “My favorite part about the festival is the opportunity to come out and sxupport Planned Parenthood,” said Joy Brisighella, a patron of the festival since 2000. “It’s a great cause.”
been on? TD: I did the Mount Timpanogos. That was a really cool hike. We went all the way to the very top. We went the back way that crosses the mountain several times. Just an awesome view; it’s beautiful up there.
pretty crazy. So just keep those to themselves.
– katie.whitmore@aggiemail.usu.edu
US: You said you like to hike. What’s the coolest hike you’ve
Special From Page 3 about the value of introducing students to primary sources and first-person accounts that can provide insight and aid research. Cole gave the example of letters written by a 17-yearold boy, Robert Ridgway, in 1869 to his parents. “You can feel the emotion between the lines. That drew me in,” Parkinson said of a diary from 1890 that he was studying for a research project. “I think it’s invaluable. To me, it brings the past alive.”
Legos From Page 3 anything unpredictable ever again. This potentially dark concept is done with surprising lightheartedness. That is because everyone under the villain’s rule is always positive, excited and happy all the time. The problem with the way these characters live is that their individuality is stifled. They are not able to express themselves or explore their creativity. They live their days ignorant of the fact that their lives could be so much better. Though some of the jokes fall flat, a lot of them are very witty. They are often situational and come from the characters being who they are. Some of the most hilarious moments involve DC Comics superheroes like Batman, Superman and the Green Lantern. This film is one of the funniest
US: What is it about? TD: It’s about using perennial agriculture, so nuts and fruit trees and different things like that all integrated to be able to restore the landscape instead of doing monocropping farming. It’s just a lot more beneficial for the wildlife and the plant species and the pollinators and all that stuff. US: Tell us about the beard. TD: My beard is four months old. I grow it out of principle. I think that if you can grow one, you have to grow one, and I definitely encourage everyone who can to grow one. I love it. US: Is there something you’d like to tell everyone? TD: Grow plants and respect the environment, because it’s what sustains us. And plants are wonderful anyway.
Cole said recently the SCA has been collecting cookbooks, some dating back to 1545. They discuss boiling up different animal parts as part of recipes and relating it to religious practices. Black and white photographs of beat generation poets are currently on display at the Nora Eccles Harrison Art Museum as part of an exhibit by the SCA as well as a recording of Allen Ginsberg’s first complete reading of the poem “Howl.” From beat generation poetry to 16th century cookbooks to a giant bear skull, the SCA provides a wide variety of resources for students.
– diego.mendiola.93@gmail.com
parodies of Gotham City’s hero. He is portrayed as an overly confident jerk who always throws his personal problems in people’s faces. I give this movie five out of five stars. It will one day join the ranks as one of the great animated classics. It is definitely worth seeing at full price in theatres. Words cannot give it justice. In order to understand why it is so good, it needs to be seen. Content: Rated PG. There are some mild innuendos that will go over children’s heads. The only language is comprised of words like “gosh” and “dang.”
– Christopher Campbell is a fellow Aggie film buff who has written reviews for several publications. He has been involved in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) and Psi-Chi. He is currently majoring in psychology and minoring in Portuguese. Send any comments or feedback to topherwriter@gmail.com, and check out his blog at criticalchristopher.blogspot.com.
JAZZ NIGHT at the
Sky CLub
TO BENEFIT THE LARRY SMITH JAZZ SCHOLARSHIP FOR USU JAZZ STUDENTS LOGAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 710 North 1500 East
$10 Student Night on Thursday February 13 at 7PM
DESSERT & DANCE LESSONS STARTING AT 6PM Feb. 14 & 15, 2014 at 7PM Tickets $50 | Senior Rate $45 RECEPTION at 6PM | DINNER at 7PM
CCA Box Office 435-797-8022
TuesdaySports Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014 Page 5
Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com
Total
Sochi Medal Count
VII VII VII V
Men’s Basketball
Gold
III III II II
Bronze
Silver
I II IV III
III II I -
NBA
Aggies put winning streak on line Ads taking over ?
Professional sports leagues utilize advertising space in new ways
4By Jeff Dahdah assistant sports editor
The Utah State men’s basketball team is riding their first conference win streak of the season. The Aggies defeated Nevada and Boise State at home in the Spectrum last week, and will look to continue their momentum on Tuesday against Colorado State. However, this time, they will attempt to do so on the road. The Aggies have yet to win a road game against a Mountain West opponent this season, collecting five losses in opposing conference opponent’s stadiums. However, the recent win streak may affect the team’s chances going into Fort Collins. “I think just a lot of confidence, which is something we needed to build, and I think we’re back,” said sophomore forward Kyle Davis on the effects of the win streak on the team. “We’ll have a great day of practice Monday. We’ll get there get a good day’s rest, have a good shoot around and try to go from there.” The Aggies have only won one game outside the state of Utah, a Nov. 16 victory against UC Santa Barbara in California in the Aggies’ third game of the season. “It’s always tough to win a game on the road in college basketball, especially against the league with the teams that we have,” said senior guard Preston Medlin. “Colorado State is a good team. We’ve got to focus in and know our game plan.” The game will also be Aggie head coach Stew Morrill’s first
4By Logan Jones staff writer
Kylee Larsen photo Freshman guard marcel davis takes on a Boise State defender in the Aggies win over the Broncos on Saturday
game in Fort Collins since he was head coach of CSU. He left the Rams to coach the Aggies in 1998. “I’ve been back plenty of times to visit children and grandchildren, but this is the first time going back with the team,” Morrill said about going back to Fort Collins. “I’ve tried to avoid that all the years since I’ve been gone from both Montana and Colorado State. It’s not something you really want to do, but it’s going to be an annual deal at this point, for sure.”
USU defeated CSU in the Spectrum on Jan. 15 by a final score of 57-50. “It was just a good old fashion slug-fest,” Morrill said after that game. “It was a hard fought physical basketball game. Baskets were hard to come by out there.” The Aggies had a hard time stopping CSU’s J.J. Avila and Daniel Bejerano in that game, who combined for 41 of the team’s 50 points. In both of the last two games, senior center Jarred Shaw has
had a double-double with 17 points in each game. Sophomore power forward Kyle Davis has been right behind him, totaling 12 and 15 points respectively in the past two games. “All throughout practice this week, Jarred and I just recognized that we needed to have a presence down low,” Davis said after the Boise State game. “We’ve got great shooters in Preston and Spencer (Butterfield), but we can only help them by getting our game
jSee AGGIES, Page 6
This weekend, thousands of NBA fans will pass between two 20-foot-tall Smoothie King cups flanking the entrance of the formerly named New Orleans Arena. Once inside, they’ll watch some of the NBA’s best athletes perform in front of a backdrop of Smoothie King ads in this year’s All-Star Weekend, which runs Feb. 13-16. Smoothie King logos will appear on the building’s exterior, they will blanket the court and they’ll even show up on the scoreboard. All this because last Thursday, the New Orleans Pelicans announced a 10-year deal to rename their home arena the Smoothie King Center. The deal, part of team owner Tom Benson’s continued effort to re-brand the franchise, is just the latest example of major advertising in a league desperate for new sources of revenue. This past season, the NBA approved the sale of on-court advertisements in front of team benches and on the tops of backboards. These ads, though highly noticeable, are minor compared to the NBA’s larger aim: to tap into potentially hundreds of millions of dollars by selling ad space on jerseys. The plan to sell advertising patches on NBA jerseys has been discussed since 2009, when the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA signed a six-figure deal with identity theft prevention company Lifelock allowing the company to
plaster its logo across the front of Phoenix’s jerseys, directly above the numbers. In the past four years, half of the WNBA has followed suit. The WNBA, NASCAR and European soccer leagues are the only primary athletic organizations that currently display ads on uniforms. The NBA nearly joined that short list after approving jersey ad space for the current 20132014 season. However, the idea has
Fast Fact NBA jersey ad space was estimated to be worth $100 million in revenue per year. been delayed due to disagreements concerning how the spoils will be shared. Adam Silver, who replaced David Stern as NBA commissioner last Saturday, estimated last year that jersey ad space was worth $100 million per year. However, while some owners simply view this as an untapped gold mine of revenue, small-market owners are concerned the value of the sponsorships will be greater in large mar-
jSee ADS, Page 6
StatesmanSports
Page 6
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014
The top-10 worst mascots Aggies Logan Jones
Trail blazing
We’ve got a pretty awesome mascot here at Utah State. Big Blue isn’t wimpy, he’s easily identifiable, and perhaps most importantly, he entertains rather than annoys. Unfortunately, for every Big Blue-caliber mascot, there are several that fail on every level. Here are the 10 absolute worst. 10. The Tree, Stanford Cardinal — According to Stanford, it doesn’t have an official mascot, since “cardinal” in this sense refers to the color, not the bird. According to literally everyone else, Stanford’s mascot is the creepy wide-eyed no-armed tree that runs around looking like someone slapped together its costume from household items the night before the big game. 9. The Brooklyknight, Brooklyn Nets — You can see what the Nets were thinking here. They were thinking, “Gee, superheroes and comic books are so hot right now, and we’re all about being trendy; let’s make our mascot a masked vigilante.” Unfortunately for Brooklyn, its awful gimmicky creation more closely resembles a late ’90s “Power Rangers” villain than any sort of modern superhero. What would’ve been totally awesome several years ago just doesn’t seem to be working
for them now. How fitting. 8. Rocky, Toledo Rockets — Hey, speaking of the power rangers, that’s pretty much all Rocky is, except in the least cool way imaginable. Rocky is kind of wimpy, and wimpy doesn’t suit an astronaut all that well. It’s like Toledo was going for Buzz Lightyear, but instead they got some kid in space pajamas wearing a plush Daft Punk helmet. 7. Sammy the Slug, University of California Santa Cruz — I feel bad for UCSC. They make every “worst mascot” list ever made because there is nothing noble nor imposing about a banana slug. He sort of looks like an alien cousin to Shrek, but it’s really not even Sammy’s fault for being a bad mascot; he just doesn’t have a lot to work with. Sorry, fella. 6. Brutus, Ohio State Buckeyes — Brutus is among the most punchable mascots in all of sports. He’s just a student wearing a big stupid head. Yeah sure, that may sound like a description of every mascot ever, but you’d never walk up to Big Blue and tell him he looks “dopey,” right? Brutus is the mascot you want your own mascot to put in a headlock, then make one of the opposing team’s players come and rescue him after a timeout. 5. Blue, Indianapolis Colts — Blue is a great example of how not to do a horse mascot. The Denver Broncos proved that a horse can actually be awesome; Miles is among the best mascots in the NFL. Blue is the opposite. Blue is cartoonish enough to guest star on “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.” Yes, he’s probably more kid-friendly than Miles, but any time a Colts fan argues football with his buddies, that argument can be silenced with a swift reminder that the Colts’ mas-
cot is a pony. 4. Wenlock and Mandeville, 2012 London Olympics — Remember these guys? London put a whole lot of creative thought into what looked like two rejected Pokemon. 3. Otto, Syracuse Orange — The orange blob is doing something right this season, considering ‘Cuse basketball is 23-0 at the moment, but that doesn’t change the fact that everyone loves seeing Otto maimed by opposing mascots and athletes. Otto’s misfortune is the basis for some of the best “This is SportsCenter” commercials ever. 2. The Billiken, St. Louis Billikens — Nobody knows what a Billiken is. I guess it’s supposed to be some sort of good luck charm, but actually it resembles a big white wingless bat with googly eyes. What do St. Louis fans chant at games, I wonder? “Bil-li-kens, Bil-li-kens...” 1. Cosmo, BYU Cougars — Somehow BYU managed to take the cougar — a respectable mascot — and turn it into a wimpy cat in a onesie wearing a perpetual wince. Seriously, google image search “Cosmo BYU.” Does not every picture make it look like he’s in pain? They couldn’t even give him a cool name. I’d take Sammy the Slug in a fight over a cat named Cosmo. – Logan Jones is a sophomore studying journalism. The Billikens nearly cost him a March Madness bracket championship last year when they lost in the second round to No. 12-seeded Oregon. 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.
From Page 5
going, and that’s what we tried to do.” After the San Diego State loss, point guard Marcel Davis was held out of the following two games, both losses. However, he played in both games last week with new aggression and appears to be part of the Aggie game plan once again. “He’s been working his butt off every day in practice since he’s kind of been out of the rotation a little bit,” Butterfield said about Davis after the Nevada game. “He earned his way back into the rotation, and you could see tonight that he was ready to play, so that’s good to see.” Morrill thinks his team is in a good situation and primed for its first conference road win. “We’re in a good frame of mind right now, coming off a couple of wins. I think we’re excited to play, but we know it will be a big challenge playing them there,” Morrill said. “They are very good defensively on the boards and plenty capable offensively. It’s pretty much what you get every night out.” – dahdahjm@gmail.com Twitter: @dahdahusu
Ads From Page 6 kets, driving an even deeper wedge between big-market teams such as L.A. and New York, and teams that already suffer from major financial disadvantages such as Milwaukee and Charlotte. The NBA’s designs to incorporate advertisements into team uniforms isn’t necessarily the beginning of a trend that would span all four of the nation’s major sports. MLB commissioner Bud Selig told an ESPN radio show that baseball
Kylie Larsen photo Sophomore Forward Kyle Davis goes up for a layup in Utah State’s win over Boise State on Saturday.
wouldn’t follow suit even if the NBA moved forward with its jersey patches. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told The Detroit Free Press back in August 2012 that professional football was not actively considering the idea. Even the NHL has been silent on the issue, despite bringing in the least amount of revenue of the big four national sports leagues. Of course, if the NBA starts raking in millions of dollars, each of these leagues may rethink the possibility. Ads aren’t the only thing the league wants to change about team uniforms. Despite sleeved jerseys worn by 10 teams on Christmas
day 2013 receiving mixed reviews — including comments from LeBron James and the Heat — the league seems determined to make them a trend. The sleeved uniforms might be the latest NBA decision fans will just have to get used to. In addition to players wearing the sleeved jerseys throughout All-Star weekend, CSSNNW.com reports that beginning next season, all “heritage jerseys,” such as Portland’s Rip City uniforms will be sold to fans exclusively in sleeved form.
– logan.jones@aggiemail.usu,edu Twitter: @logantj
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014 Page 7
Opinions&More Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com
Does USU community want a smoke-free campus? Recently, a lot of opinmake their campuses Daryn ions have been brought smoke-free. In addition, Frischknecht to my attention regarding these changes have the discussion of USU been made while smokbecoming a smoke-free ing rates are at an all-time The campus — both for and low. I do not yet know USU/SA what is best for USU, but against the idea. While View everyone is entitled to his as the number of smokeor her own opinion, I am free campuses is increasin support of beginning to ing, and smoking rates discuss the smoking conare dropping, it is easy to see the American public cern on campus. Why? is realizing the harmful The students. While I do effect of tobacco smoke. not yet know what the My experiences at USU opinion is of the majority have led me to believe of students, I do know actions are being taken across the United the student voice is highly accepted and welcomed by the faculty and administraStates to decrease tobacco use. I am currently serving as the USU/ tion. Just because this seemingly controSA Student Advocate vice president. versial topic of smoking on campus has With this position, it is my responsibility been brought up doesn’t mean the stuto represent student concerns to local, dent involvement and influence should state and federal government, student be any different. If the students believe services, auxiliary services, student gov- smoking is a big enough concern on ernment and university administration. I campus to initiate change, I believe it is have received a wide variety of concerns my duty to initiate the changes students want. that have been brought to In the coming weeks, it my attention which have Daryn is my plan to send out a spanned from receiving Frischknecht survey to students and more university funding faculty members seekfrom the state governWhile I do not ment to providing more ing their opinions about microwaves on campus smoking on campus. This yet know what for student use. will give me the necesthe opinion is This academic year sary information to better alone, about 30 students, understand the trends of the majority all whom have concerns and opinions of tobacco of students, I with the smoking of touse on campus, and to find the best solution. bacco products on camdo know that Although I do not yet pus, have approached me; half of which have actions are being know what is best for USU, I believe it is in addressed the idea of taken across the the best interests of the USU becoming a smokestudents to conduct free campus. As student United States to research and explore advocate, it is my duty potential options. This to address the concerns decrease tobacco topic is being discussed and find solutions that are use. because the students brought to my attention, have a voice. Students, even if it includes conremember: Your voice troversial topics such as matters. Let it be heard. smoking on campus. According to the New York Times, adult If you have any comments or concerns cigarette use in the United States has de- about this issue, please contact me at creased significantly in the past decade. daryn.frischknecht@aggiemail.usu.edu. Smoking use went from 24.7 percent in – Daryn Frischknecht, a senior major1997 to 18 percent in 2012. As of January 2, 2014, there are 1,182 ing in marketing, serves as the USU/SA colleges and universities in the UnitStudent Advocate vice president. Follow Daryn on Twitter at @WhatBigRedSaid. ed States that have adopted policies to
“
”
Aggie students are too dumb to be trusted with voting power
• No anonymous letters will be published. Writers must sign all letters and include a phone number or e-mail address as well as a student identification
Candidates not at fault for running unopposed To the editor: In light of the recent comments made by Tavin Stucki in his column on Thursday Feb. 6, I would like to respond as a candidate called out for running for office unopposed. While the intentions may be well-meaning, it is incorrect for an influential member of the media to use said influence to coerce candidates who are unopposed into detracting from their own respective campaigns as a consequence for our ability to submit paperwork in a timely manner. It is not our fault that we are running unopposed. Therefore, we as candidates should not be held accountable for others’ failure to act and declare themselves as candidates. When I first ran last year, I was up against four other candidates. I firmly believe the fact that no one has challenged me this year is a testament to my ability to serve as a senator. While I welcome competition for a healthy election, it is preposterous to believe the responsibility lies with the candidates or their committees to essentially shoot themselves in the foot by introducing competition. On that point, I would like to introduce another problem. Albeit altruistic for the currently unopposed candidate to name equal and worthy competition, it would be harmful to the to the USU/SA elections the three following ways: 1. It is likely that it would put individuals who did not originally plan on running on the spot, possibly forcing them to run out of an obligation to social pressure and the opposing candidate’s campaign. 2. Dishonest alliances would form — e.g. the unopposed candidate names someone who understands that even if they win, they will relinquish the spot or purposefully disqualify themselves so the originally unopposed candidate will win. 3. The unopposed candidate will naturally select an individual who is not worthy competition. It must be remembered that while holding student office is a position of service to others, running for election is likely one of the most narcissistic activities one can subject themselves to; you spend all your time telling everyone about how awesome you are. Therefore, I once again insist that it is not the responsibility of the currently unopposed candidate to seek out compe-
tition. What I do believe would be positive alternate solution would be for the individual clubs and organizations on campus to hold caucus meetings in order to select write-in candidates for the various unopposed positions. – Sam Wright
Alphi Chi took it a pie too far To the editor: As part of the Lyre fest on Feb. 6, 2014, the Alpha Chi Omega sorority were on campus selling food to raise money for domestic violence awareness. This is a great thing for a group of young women to be doing. Domestic violence is a scourge to our modern society, with the majority of victims going unreported. The problem I have with their fundraiser is the option to throw a pie in the face of one of the young women for a dollar. This is an act of physical violence, which happened repeatedly in the 20 minutes that I observed the proceedings. I asked the ladies why they would subject themselves to this, they said it was in good fun and it helped to raise money for their cause. Allow me to give you some quick facts about domestic violence. Women between the ages of 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk of non-fatal intimate violence. 85 percent of domestic violence victims are women. One in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime. The people who were pelting the ladies with pie were calling the ladies by name. Knowing that it caused physical discomfort based on the responses the ladies were giving to having just had dairy spread all over their faces, up their noses, and in their hair. I asked they guys that were paying to perform the acts of “violence” why they enjoyed doing it. “It’s fun, it’s what we do,” was a response I received from one of the men. Being a certified police officer in the state of Oklahoma, having worked several domestic violence cases; these types of activities are not OK. They are a precursor to behaviors that lead to actual domestic violence. Why give the message it is OK to physically put hands on another
person to raise money for any cause? Would the message not be better spread, teaching people about domestic violence instead of creating an opportunity to practice it? I think the organizers of this event were in poor taste in this instance; there are too many correlations between the activities they are trying to raise awareness for and what is involved in the actual activity. – Matt Williams
‘Blind Side’ speaker not so inspiring To the editor: Foremost, I would like to bring attention to a speaker who was brought to our campus; Collins Tuohy, who talked about her family’s story in the movie “The Blind Side.” There was an article in The Statesman about her “inspiring” message and the impact she brought to students. Truthfully though, there was little thought-provoking content being revealed behind the walls of her privileged household. Michael Oher was her only gateway to the audience. My question is, how was this inspiring to students? The take-away message was to value people around us, when in fact her own value was surly elevated by the means of my own student fees. How was this approved of, and who approved such a mediocre speaker to be publicized widely across campus? If we are an institution that fosters growth and original ideas, in what ways did she represent this or resonate this? A student’s comment and observation was that “color does not matter.” The perspective she gave on race is infuriating. There are differences between people and building a tolerance for these is important. However, her speech alluded to color being associated with value in a way that could be damaging to the work of other programs promoting difference in perspectives of race and gender. Is the school promoting diversification on our perspectives placed on people? If so, there are far more inspiring and qualified individuals to bring. – Rebeca Muniz
All But Dead • abdcomics.com
– Tavin Stucki is the editor in chief of The Utah Statesman. His articles have won awards and appeared in numerous news publications throughout Utah. Send any comments to statesmaneditor@aggiemail.usu.edu.
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
• All letters may be shortened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste, redundancy or volume of similar letters.
administration who can.” That’s true. How do you think the administration knows what students want? The thing is, if you don’t vote, then you don’t have much basis to complain when you don’t like something going on around campus. Everyone seems to like complaining, but very few actually care enough to actually do something about it, like vote. Approximately 10 percent of the student body voted for a presidential candidate in the 2013 ASUSU primary election. Approximately 5 percent of the student body voted for the leading candidate. Is that really winning an election? No one cares. My suggestion: Eliminate student government elections. We should transition to appointed positions only, chosen from a body of students who apply — that’s basically what’s happening anyway when candidates run unopposed.
The page
Letters to the editor
I’m going to be as frank Tavin Stucki as possible: If you’re a USU student and don’t care Hail about student to government the elections, Chief you’re an idiot. If you disagree with me, I’d love for you to explain yourself in a letter to the editor. USU Student Association elections aren’t like your typical high school president popularity contest. At the university level — at least here anyway — the student government deals with issues that actually matter. These elected officials make decisions concerning student fees that you, as students, pay every year. “USU/SA can’t actually make decisions,” you may say. “They can only suggest changes to the
Letters to the editor
Editorial Board: Lis Stewart Danielle Manley Eric Jungblut Mariah Noble Chelsea Hunter Curtis Lundstrom Jeff Dahdah Mikayla Kapp Meghann Nixon
Editor in Chief: Tavin Stucki
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• ‘Until the Violence Stops’ film screening, 7 p.m., TSC Auditorium • Traditions Week magician show, 7 p.m., TSC Ballroom • Swim lessons, 5-7:30 p.m., HPER pool • STE2M Center Inauguration, 4-6 p.m. • Mindfulness for student stress, 2-3 p.m., TSC 335 • Traditions Week sweatshirt swap, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., TSC Hub
50/40
Sunday Overcast
Thursday, Feb. 13
• The Vagina Monologues, 7:30 p.m., TSC Auditorium • Bad Poetry Night, 7-8:30 p.m., Ray B. West Building 214 • Traditions Week Miss USU, 7 p.m., TSC Ballroom • Student Research in the Institutional Repository, 12 p.m., Merrill-Cazier Library 208 • Financial planning for women, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m., Family Life Center
• The Vagina Monologues, 7:30 p.m., TSC Auditorium • Jazz Night, 7-9 p.m., Sky Club • Banff Mountain Film Festival, 7 p.m., TSC Ballroom • Making the most out of your sleep, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., TSC 310B • Getting it all done: how to get through midterms, 10-11 a.m., TSC 315A
www. utah statesman .com
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The Deep End • Tyson Cole
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Today is Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014. Today’s issue of The Utah Statesman is published especially for Felicia Marie, a sophomore majoring in math education from Roy, Utah.
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