SPORTS | SEASON REVIEW
see PAGE 7
STUDENT LIFE | College Myths Some myths students really want to know. see PAGE 5
Monday, November 2, 2015 • www.usustatesman.com • (435)797-1742 • Free single copy Salaries of Utah State Professors
gender
$90,000 GRAPHIC BY Chloe Woodhouse
Wage
$97,500
$82,500 $75,000 $67,500
gap women
$60,000 $52,500 $45,000 2003 + 2004
men
2004 + 2005
2005 + 2006
2006 + 2007
2007 + 2008
2008 + 2009
2009 + 2010
2010 + 2011
2011 + 2012
2012 + 2013
2013 + 2014
Gap grows smaller, men still outnumber women By Brenna Kelly COPY EDITOR
Since 2003, the salary gap between male and female professors has decreased by 34 percent. However, the ratio of male to female professors still hangs low at 11:2. Where the average male professor is currently making more than $97,000 annually, female professors are making about $87,000. While the gap is still around $10,000, it’s much smaller than the near $15,000 in 2003. Lenaye Harris, an adjunct professor in finance, said salary dis-
crepancies usually have an explanation. A lot of factors go into what professors earn, including work experience, which department professors teach in, education and previous experience. “The hard things is to disentangle all that information — after we’ve taken into account those things, looking to see if there is a difference,” Harris said. Some years the state legislature allocates for merit raises — in those years, performance does affect salary. Brad Hall heads the Languages, Philosophy and Communication Studies Department, but he also works as a professor.
He said the legislature allocates merit raises often enough that it makes a difference for faculty members. Areas of expertise and the national norms for salaries in particular subject areas also influence salaries. Hall said sadly some disciplines with a greater number of females also traditionally pay lower salaries. “We have many excellent female faculty. In our department we had one promoted last year to full professor, and there are more going up for promotion this year,” Hall said. “This gap changes slowly, in part because it takes some time
before someone can go up for promotions.” Years of service affects both promotions and salary, and — where men have historically been hired more than women — more male employees have had opportunities for promotions. This year, there are 184 male professors and 35 female professors employed at Utah State, meaning women account for 16 percent of professorships. “I’m hoping that the distance in the numbers will change, but I’m not surprised by that,” Hall said. “This gap is disappointing, more than surprising.” In other areas, the difference be-
tween male and female faculty members is much smaller. Women account for 36 percent of associate professors, 44 percent of assistant professors, 58 percent of instructors, (although it should be noted that there are only 31 instructors on campus) and 45 percent of lecturers. “I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction and I expect us to continue moving in the direction that will close this gap,” Hall said. — brennakelly818@gmail.com @bckelly8
Cache Valley community voices opinion on CVTD fare policy By Shanie Howard WRITER
The Cache Valley Transit District held its first-ever public hearing on Oct. 28 to discuss the possibility of changing their zero-fare policy to charge a fare for the Logan community members riding city buses. In the meeting over 45 Cache Valley community members spoke to the CVTD Board, most against the fare. Alex L., claiming to be a representative for the Cache Valley Spanish community, expressed how much he loved paying taxes, especially when he knew it was going to help pay for the bus system. Only three community members were in favor of the CVTD charging a fare. “Shielding people in this community from economic decisions is not helpful to anyone,” said Brian Simpson, a community member in favor of charging a fare. Simpson’s opinion, however, was one of the less popular ones in the room as representatives for the blind community, disabled community and mentally ill community, as well as Utah State University students, USU professors, Mountain Crest High School students, Logan High School students, the Spanish community and the elderly all spoke in favor of the zero-fare policy. Several of these community members went as far as to beg the board to not change the policy so that family members and friends could continue traveling through Cache Valley. Other community members went on to point out how good the bus system is for the environment. Almost a dozen members of USU’s Student Organization for Society and Natural Resources, or SOSNR, showed up to speak in favor of the zero-fare policy. see CVTD page
2
PHOTO BY Kyle Todecheene
KAPPA DELTA RAISES NEARLY $4,000 FOR CHARITY By Amy Reid SENIOR WRITER
Kappa Delta wrapped up Shamrock Week with a 5K run on campus on Saturday. Shamrock N’Run is part of the series of philanthropic events in Shamrock Week held by Kappa Delta. Before the day of the 5K, the sorority had already raised nearly $4,000, in part because of the dodgeball tournament on Tuesday and Thursday’s service auction, said Kate Leach, the vice president of community service for Kappa Delta. “I’m so excited,” Leach said. “I think we’re doing amazing and the community is really showing a big support for us this year.” Twenty percent of the proceeds from this week go to Kappa Delta’s national
philanthropy, Prevent Child Abuse America. The remaining 80 percent will go to The Family Place in Logan. “This is our way of showing what we do to the community and also allowing the community to give back,” said Ashley Lindberg, the vice president of public relations for Kappa Delta. In addition to donations, the event raises awareness for child abuse and prevention. “People that are on campus that aren’t participating, they see it and they ask questions, and that’s how it all starts — people asking questions,” said Holly Macriss, a parent who ran the race. One hundred and forty-four signed up, and although some were there for the charity, others were just excited about running. “If there is a 5K and I have time, I’m
going to do it,” said Daniel Shurtleff, a junior majoring in finance and the winner of the race. “It’s my hobby.” But these runners were still excited about what Shamrock N’Run supports. “It’s a good reason to come out and support a good cause,” said Jordan Reid, a junior majoring in political science. After the total amount is calculated, some of the women will hand-deliver the check to The Family Place, which it can use to fund its classes and workshops. “It is such a heartwarming feeling because it truly goes above and beyond for them,” Leach said. “It’s nice to see the direct effect of that.” reid.al73@gmail.com @alreid000
NEWS
PAGE 2
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
LOGAN POLICE BLOTTER a violation of the retail theft statute, and asked to return the cart to FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 the business. •The complainant called to report •The complainant called to report his truck was stolen. In speaksomeone in the area of 600 E and ing to the complainant, I learned 500 N were revving the engine to the truck was stolen form a USU their car. Officers arrived to find parking lot off of 1000 N and 800 E. the neighborhood The complainant was instructed to quiet. call the USUPD to file his report. •Officers responded to a citizen SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 assist near 1100 S 100 W. The •Police contacted three individcomplainant reported a social uals pushing a shopping cart off media post stating people should the premises of the business that show up at 21:00 hours in masks owned the cart. The individuals and storm a retail store. Officers were warned that doing so was stood by without incident.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1
•Report of pumpkins being smashed in the area of 1600 E 1600 N. It is unknown who is responsible. •The complainant called to report someone in the area of 600 E and 500 N were revving the engine to their car. Officers arrived to find the neighborhood quiet. •Officers responded to a citizen assist near 1100 S 100 W. The complainant reported a social media post stating people should show up at 21:00 hours in masks
Contact Logan Police at 716-9300 for non-emergencies. EMERGENCY NUMBER: 911 and storm a retail store. Officers stood by without incident. •Report of a noise problem in the area of 1500 North 500 West. The complainant stated there was a loud party in the area. The home owner allowed officers to enter the residence which resulted in several minors being arrested for minor in possession of alcohol.
NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST DISCUSSES CONTEMPORARY ISSUES By Kayla Swenson WRITER
Sherman Alexie bent down on the stage at the Caine Performance Hall, looked into the audience’s eyes and said, “I love being an indian, driving a ‘legacy.’ When people ask me what model it is I always say, ‘It’s a 1492.’” Alexie, a Native American poet, novelist and filmmaker, kept students and teachers laughing as he lead them through the life and struggles of a contemporary Native American. “He is a master of irony,” said Pat Ganff, an English professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Whenever he says something funny, he is usually being philosophical as well.” CHaSS asked Alexie months ago to give a Tanner Talk for the university, in hopes that he would be able to inspire Native American students to live up to their potential. Stacie Denetsosie, a member of the Native American Student Council, said she loved Alexie’s performance and greatly appreciates his books. “He writes about Native American issues and what the contemporary Native American has to deal with — straddling the line between being assimilated into a generally white culture and trying to retain that tradition,” Denetsosie said. Denetsosie said it is a challenge trying to decide how she will maintain her culture and worries that her children will grow up with
PHOTO COURTESY OF Andrew McAllister
even less influence from their Navajo heritage. She liked how Alexie addressed that struggle. Alexie focused his lecture around the recent death of his mother, who lived her whole life on the reservation. He talked about his relationship with his family and how the best thing his family gave him was freedom to leave the reservation and get an education. “I hoped that the Native American students could see that education is a solution to a lot
The President invites nominations for the 22 nd Annual
USU DIVERSITY AWARDS Award recipients will be announced and will receive recognition by President Albrecht at an appropriate forum during the academic year
Award Categories:
Award Criteria:
One individual or organization from each of the following categories will be recognized for furthering the principles and values of affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity:
1. Models behavior that promotes diversity. 2. Nourishes acceptance of individual differences. 3. Strives to enhance academic, employment, or community relations among people who are different. 4. Integrates diversity concepts and values into academic curriculum, management functions, or community service. 5. Develops methods for increasing and valuing diversity among students, faculty, staff, or local businesses/associations. 6. Maximizes opportunities to achieve diversity. 7. Has not received the award in the past 5 years.
• • • • •
Student Faculty Administrator Staff Community Member
Nomination Guidelines: • •
Write a nomination letter (recommended not more than 2 pages) addressing the six criteria stated above. Please include contact information for both the nominee & nominator. Nomination letter must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 by letter, fax, e-mail or in person. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office Utah State University 1475 Old Main Hill Old Main, Room 161 Logan, UT 84322-1475 Telephone: (435) 797-1266 Fax: (435) 797-0291 Email: [carolyn.baker@usu.edu] This call for nominations is available in large print, audio, and braille format upon request. Please contact the AA/EO Office at 797-1266 for further information.
of things,” said Judson Finley, an assistant professor of anthropology. “The only way that we can improve our status is through education and I think that that is why the kids are here.” Through his humor and irony, Alexie left the audience inspired to embrace change and accept their culture as a part of who they are. “Sherman shows that Native Americans can make it in the contemporary world and they have things to say,” Denetsosie said. “We are
more than just a stereotypical image of old plains indians. We are lawyers, artists and inspirers.” To end his lecture Alexie addressed the importance of always being willing to adjust and conform to change. “I’m always, always, always relearning how to be human again,” Alexie said. — kayla1swenson@gmail.com
CVTD
from PAGE 1 “The Cache Valley Bus System is a way to connect a lot of different demographics,” Diego Mendiola, a member of SOSNR said to the board. USU students weren’t alone during the meeting, either, as professors showed up to the hearing to express their support for the zero-fare policy. “The bus benefits the entire community by reducing pollution and congestion the road,” said Amy Odum, a professor in the department of psychology at USU. After an hour, the board ended the hearing and announced that they would come to an official decision in their next meet-
ing on Nov. 13, which would be open to the public, as well. “I am highly impressed with the attendance, interest and comments tonight. We heard a broad spectrum of the community,” said Roger Jones, Vice Chairman of the CVTD Board, after the hearing. Ron Natali echoed his fellow board member’s statement, saying “It’s informative to hear from the public because we cannot make decisions like this in a vacuum.” — shaniehoward214@gmail.com
CORRECTION In our article that ran on Thursday Oct. 29 about USUSA discussing new dress standards for the Aggie Recreation Center to open on Nov. 19. However, the headline of the article was misleading. In the discussion in Executive Council, no vote was made for the dress standards, and what was discussed was not solely about modesty, but mostly focusing on the hygiene and health for recreation center users, much like many recreation centers everywhere.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
NEWS
PAGE 3
NATION & WORLD
WHITE HOUSE TO SEND SPECIAL FORCES INTO SYRIA By Lesley Clark and Hannah Allam MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is deploying a small contingent of special operations forces into northeastern Syria to help local opposition groups beat back the Islamic State, despite President Barack Obama’s repeated declarations that he would not put “boots on the ground” in the war-ravaged country. The White House dismissed suggestions Friday that the decision represents “mission creep,” saying that the forces — fewer than 50 — will not be combat troops but will intensify ongoing efforts to “train, advise and assist” local forces. “The mission has not changed,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. “We are intensifying it; we’re ramping up the support that we are providing to those local forces. But the mission of our men and women on the ground has not changed.” MCT campus photo But coming one week after an American The Kurdish Peshmerga base on the outskirts of the tiny contested hamlet of Sultan Abdullah, about 35 miles from the Kurdish capital of Irbil, comes under constant attack from Islamic special operator was killed in a Kurd- State militants that are less than 1,000 yards away. (Mitchell Prothero/McClatchy/TNS) ish-led raid in Iraq, the decision raised a gion, the Syrian regime still has forces in two though a potentially useful one.” increase troop deployment levels to more host of questions, from what authority the cities, as well as an airport in Qamishli, The deployment of special operators, he than 3,500 service members and undertake U.S. is relying on to send troops into Syria to which recently was closed down for civilian said, at least puts some “skin in the game” to approximately 7,000 airstrikes in Iraq and which groups the U.S. is helping and how use and turned over to the Syrian military. help persuade regional powers to pony up Syria at a cost of over $4.75 billion or $11 the action will be perceived by the U.S.’s Moving from Iraq to the YPG-held towns of ground forces, but it’s not a major develop- million a day,” Kaine said. Turkish allies, who are opposed to the Syrian Tal Abyad and Kobani would likely require ment on its own. He called on Obama to deliver a strategy Kurdish militia that has been the primary any U.S. troops to drive through a governOn the left, Peace Action, which calls itself that addresses not only the jihadist threat but ally in Syria against the Islamic State. ment-controlled traffic circle in Qamishli. the nation’s largest peace group, also panned also the regime of Syrian President Bashar The White House refused to say with whom It was not clear whether the U.S. govern- the move, saying the administration should Assad, criticizing the current policy as adthe special operations forces will be working, ment would ensure that there was no acci- instead ramp up diplomatic and humanitari- dressing only “half the problem.” but the Kurdish YPG militia, with the help dental exchange of fire between the U.S. an efforts. He also took aim at the failure of Congress of U.S. air power, has pushed the Islamic forces and Turkey, which said this week that “We should know by now that the first law to issue a new authorization for the use of State from as much as 6,800 square miles of its forces have bombed YPG units trying to of military conflicts is escalation,” said military force. northern Syria. The biggest Syrian Arab mi- cross the Euphrates River. Turkey views the spokesman Jon Rainwater. “That’s why send“We are now one year, two months, and 23 litia in the Raqqa region, the Raqqa Revolu- YPG as an affiliate of the Kurdish Workers ing these troops into battle should trouble all days into an unauthorized and executive war. tionaries, has not been contacted by the U.S. Party, or PKK, which has waged a three-de- Americans. With the ‘no boots on the It is time for Congress to do its most solemn military and has not received any military cade-long insurgency for greater autonomy ground’ promise broken, there’s no telling job — to debate and declare war,” Kaine said. aid, a spokesman said. for the 20 percent of Turkey’s population how many U.S. troops will ultimately be sent The White House said it has the legal auTurkey views the YPG’s stated ambition of that is Kurdish. to Iraq and Syria.” thority to deploy the troops under the authocreating a contiguous Kurdish-run entity in Turkey has warned of dire consequences if Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., issued a tersely rization that Congress granted a week after northern Syria, which it calls Rojava, as a any U.S. arms or other supplies intended for worded statement pointing to an evolution the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. That acthreat to its own security. the YPG end up in PKK hands. in the Obama administration’s military fight tion gave the president the authority “to use The arrival of U.S. special operations forces Frederic C. Hof, a former State Depart- against the Islamic State since 15 months all necessary and appropriate force against in northern Syria carries risks of confronta- ment special adviser for the transition in ago, when the president authorized “two nar- those nations, organizations, or persons he tions — with the Islamic State, which will Syria and now a senior fellow at the Atlantic row operations in Iraq” — one to protect determines planned, authorized, committed, immediately fix on them as a high-value tar- Council’s Rafik Hariri Center, said deploy- American personnel in Kurdistan and the or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on get, as well as the governments of Syria and ing a handful of U.S. special operations forc- other to save civilians trapped on Mount September 11, 2001.” Turkey. es to Syria would “not change this situation Sinjar. The Islamic State’s ties to those attacks are While the YPG effectively controls the re- significantly. It is a Band-Aid of sorts, al“Since then, we have seen the United States uncertain.
Glance at Republican candidate Donald Trump By Lily Wachtor WRITER
(OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS)
Editor’s note: This is the fourth part in a series in which we break down 2016 presidential candidates. DONALD TRUMP: Trump was born on June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York. Trump is a multibillion dollar real estate mogul, TV personality, author and now candidate for President of the United States. He started his career with a million dollar-loan from his father. FOREIGN POLICY: Trump said, “There has never been a greater enemy to Israel than Barack Obama.” Trump is highly critical of the Iran nuclear deal and would stop all negotiations immediately. Trump is criticized for an isolationist outlook on American foreign policy. He has expressed concerns that unless it effects the United States directly, it isn’t their problem. But, in the instance we have to act, he plans to make the U.S. military the strongest it’s ever been. Also, he is currently still figuring out the different pronunciations for Kurds and Quds. IMMIGRATION: Immigration has become a cornerstone of the Trump campaign. He lays out his policies and how they will be implemented in his immigration reform policy paper. He states that he wants Mexico to pay for additions to the wall built on the United States/Mexico border. He plans
to do this by increasing the prices of visas, border-crossing cards and the fees at ports of entry. Trump proposes we triple the number of immigration and customs enforcement officers. He also wants a mandatory return of all criminal aliens and to put an end to birthright citizenship. He believes it’s necessary to put American workers first and the U.S. government should put a hold on issuing new green cards to foreigners and make businesses hire unemployed American workers. ENVIRONMENT: Trump believes climate change is a hoax and it is a way to get more money out of tax payers. He strongly opposes wind turbines and personally tweeted, “It’s Friday. How many bald eagles did wind turbines kill today? They are an environmental & aesthetic disaster.” EDUCATION: Trump doesn’t support Common Core Standards and doesn’t want “Washington educating your children.” He thinks the Department of Education shouldn’t be completely abolished but should be “cut way, way, way down.” SOCIAL ISSUES: Trump stated that he favors traditional marriage between a man and a woman. He recognizes that the Supreme Court ruling is the law of the land. He is pro-abortion rights, stating that women should have the right to choose. — lilywachtor3@hotmail.com
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
PAGE 4
STUDENT LIFE
FILE PHOTO
STUDENT PARENTS TACKLE MULTIPLE COMMITMENTS By Whitney Howard WRITER
Being busy is common for college students. For students like Pam June, president of the Nontraditional Student Association at Utah State University, tacking the roles of wife and mother to her list of commitments takes “busy” to a new level. June originally attended college at 18, but had a hard time taking it seriously, she said. “I was away from home for the first time. There were a lot of distractions. I just had a lot of fun, and my grades showed it,” June said. When June’s oldest children were
two and four years old, she was accepted at Weber State University. However, due to being unable to find someone to watch her children, college was postponed. After working — “dead end job after dead end job” — June decided that, at her age, she needed a career. While previous attempts to attend college fell through, time provided June with insight. “I’m kind of glad I never got a degree earlier because I’d probably be going back to get another degree,” June said. “Now that I know what I want to do, I’ve just decided it was time.” June is currently a senior at Utah
State University studying community health. June now has six children, her two oldest being 24 and 22 years old. June took a class in Brigham City with her oldest daughter before she graduated and she is currently enrolled at USU with her 22-yearold. “I hardly ever see her because we’re in different majors, but it’s never been awkward,” June said. Suzanne Stout, vice president of the Nontraditional Student Association, said traditional-aged students are welcoming. “As far as young traditional age students go, I have never had any
problems,” said Stout, a junior in family, consumer and human development. “They’re been so friendly, so accepting.” Stout has four children between 7 and 16 years old. Both June and Stout agree that it’s a challenge to attend their children’s many extracurricular activities, like sports games or music concerts. “If I can’t be there, somebody — like my husband or my mom — can make it,” June said. “I have missed a lot of games, but I’ve also been to a lot of games.” For Stout, staying afloat means utilizing time. For example, she
brings flashcards to sports games and flips through them during slow times “You have little pockets, and you just know how much time you have,” Stout said. “I know I have this amount of time to do homework before the kids get home, or this amount of time before or after work.” Free time is scarce for both June and Stout. While Stout watches very little TV, June makes one exception — “Once Upon a Time.” “My extra stuff is going to my kids’ soccer games,” Stout said. “I see PARENTS page
8
New climbing wall for student use only
PHOTO BY Johnny Morris
(LEFT) ZACH HALL AND JAMES NEELEY, President and vice president of the Aggie Climbing Club, eagerly await the opening of the new rock wall in the Aggie Recreation Center. (RIGHT) MEMBERS OF THE AGGIE CLIMBING CLUB preparing to climb the Preston Pinnacle up Logan Canyon. By Michael Burnham WRITER
With winter coming fast, many rock climbing enthusiasts in Logan are looking forward to the completion of the Aggie Recreation Center, or ARC. And the more than 3,000 square-foot indoor climbing wall. Cole Blakely, an Aggie and avid climber, is excited about the wall, particularly for its accessibility. “I’m excited because I like how close it is to my classes,” Blakely said. “I like the idea that if I have 10 to 15 min and that’s it, then I can just run in there and knock out a route or two really fast and just get that little bit of exercise for the day. It’s convenient.” However Blakely said he still wishes Logan had a community rock climbing gym. “I think we need a gym,” he said. “The rock wall itself won’t be enough to satisfy the rock climbing community.” Dan Galliher, who is the retail shop coordinator at the Outdoor Recreation Program for Utah State University, will be in charge of the ARC wall once it’s completed. He also
voiced some concerns about the size of the new rock wall. “It’s not terribly huge so there will probably be some crowding issues in the beginning,” he said. “The capacity of the space is about 40 to 50 people, so we may have to control access, depending on how many people show up. But I don’t see us doing any time limit or anything like that.” Galliher said the wall in the ARC was never intended to satisfy the climbing community’s demands. “This was never meant to be a community wall,” said Dan Galliher. “It’s a student-only building. You have to be paying student fees to use this wall, so the public can’t come in and use it.” Galliher said regardless of the size, the quality of the wall will be impressive. Galliher also said the wall will be open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the week for open climbing for students with ID cards, but that is not the principal purpose of the wall. “It’s a teaching wall, mainly,” he said. “It’s gonna feed our trips. It will allow us to teach our trip leaders much more efficiently.” Chase Ellis, the director of Campus Recre-
ation at USU, said the wall will serve multiple purposes. “It’s a mixture of both a gym and a training facility,” Ellis said. “It’s taking the best of both worlds and combining them.” Ellis echoed Galliher’s comments and said that even though the wall has multiple purposes, it will be used primarily as a training ground for students. “One great thing about the climbing wall is that it is going to be a training facility,” Ellis said. “The goal is to get them climbing outside. This is ultimately going to encourage them to go out in the canyon and to take part in the ORP climbing trip and train them so that they feel confident when they do go outside that they can climb these areas because of what they’ve learned in these facilities and with our instructors.” In April this year the Rock Haus — Cache Valley’s sole climbing gym which begun in 2006 — closed its doors to the public. Since then, rumors have spread about the gym reopening, but there is no official word or plans set in place. Mike Sieverts, another Aggie climber said he would like to see another gym open in
Logan. “I think that there’s a big climbing community here,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see one come again in the next few years.” Blakely said a gym would do well in Logan if those in charge promoted it better. “I think they have the potential to do well,” he said. “I think they need to market more and get more of the beginners in there.” Sieverts said he’s not sure if another gym would do any better than the Rock Haus did while it was open. “The Rock Haus was pretty reasonably priced, as far as rock gyms go,” he said. Galliher said the facility will have two main walls, a rope wall of approximately 2,400 square feet, and a bouldering wall of around 1,000 square feet. He said the rope wall will have 13 sets of top anchors with about 3-4 routes for each set. He also said the routes will be color-coded. The bouldering wall will have roughly 40-50 bouldering problems. All the routes will be set by Galliher’s staff of eight or nine employees. — mikeburnham3@gmail.com @mikeburnham31
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
STUDENT LIFE
PAGE 5
PHOTO BY Landon Pozernik
BRADY SVEDIN MONITORS the pressure in an underground chamber near the business building, a process that keeps the pipes from freezing and bursting come winter. There are also tunnels running from the boiler building near the spectrum, heating buildings around campus.
College urban legends tested for accuracy By Hannah McDonald WRITER
College introduces students not only to new classes and challenges, but also to a wealth of local mythology. But some the legends could be true. THE MYTH: If a roommate dies during the school year, the surviving roommate will automatically receive a 4.0 GPA for the semester. THE VERDICT: Completely and unquestionably false. THE TRUTH: Variations of this tall tale have been circulating through college campuses since the mid-1970s. While Utah State University does offer counseling services for grieving students, no student is guaranteed an “A” if his or her roommate dies. In fact, not a single university in the country has such a rule. Contemporary folklorists are uncertain of the widespread legend’s origins. Other versions of the story say the surviving roommate must be the one to find the body or that the death must have been a suicide. In some variations, each survivor receives a 3.5 GPA if the deceased had multiple roommates. This myth is so pervasive that it inspired two 1998 movies: “Dead Man on Campus” and “Dead Man’s Curve.” Television shows
like “The Simpsons” and “CSI:NY” have used the legend as a a major plot line for some episodes. However in all real-life cases, the best most colleges can offer to distressed students is exceptional consideration that varies depending on the situation. THE MYTH: There is a huge underground tunnel system below campus. THE VERDICT: True — sort of. THE TRUTH: While students would be wrong in assuming that Utah State has a labyrinth of dungeons below the quad, it does have a system of utility tunnels designed to carry water and electricity to all of the buildings on campus. Constructed in 2002, the tunnels are about 1.6 miles long and 10 feet wide. Before the newer system was installed, Utah State used a coal boiler system that remained in place since the early 1900s. The installation of utility tunnels reduced the amount of carbon emissions by almost 84 percent in the first year of operation. Although university facilities operators frown on individuals attempting to explore the tunnels alone, truly interested students can request a guided tour. Kalee Tyson, an undeclared freshman, took one such tour with her fellow student ambassadors. “It was cool,” she said. “It was crazy to start
at one side of campus and then just go through a series of tunnels. They’re all lit, but you’re underground and you don’t know where you are—and end up at a totally different place on campus.” Tyson said that she entered near the stadium but exited in a bathroom in the Edith Bowen Laboratory School. “It was just weird to start on the lower side of campus, but then end up somewhere completely different the next time we were aboveground,” she said. THE MYTH: If your professor is late to class, you are entitled by school rules to leave early. Some variations say to wait at least 15 minutes for doctorate-holding professors and 10 minutes for lecturers and only five minutes for teachers’ assistants. THE VERDICT: False. THE TRUTH: Nowhere in Utah State’s policies does it say that an instructor’s tardiness means your class is canceled. Technically, a students could leave, but they wouldn’t be excused from any lectures or tests that happened during their absences. Ideally, students will be informed of any class cancellations long before class begins. If a student is checking the clock and notices they’ve sat through 10 or 15 minutes of class without an instructor, they might consider sending the professor a respectful email ask-
ing their whereabouts. Otherwise, students could review homework with classmates. The professor will likely be impressed students had the initiative to stay in class and find productive activities to pass the time. How these legends became legends: Randy Williams, an oral history specialist and the Fife Folklore Archives curator in the Merrill-Cazier Library, said urban legends take hold when they resonate emotionally with their audience. In the case of the dead roommate, Williams said the story responds to a fear of mortality and a need to know “what if ?” The rumor of the 4.0 GPA could be an add-on to reassure students that if an emergency were to happen, they would have people and things to support them. “The legends that students tell — that all people tell — have something to do with the situation they’re dealing with at that time,” Williams said. “Folklore is shaped by groups of people that have similar interests. So college is a great place for that. You don’t all know each other, but you’re all university students so it resonates with you.” — h.mickeyd@gmail.com @h_mickeyd
THE SAME JOBS, DIFFERENT STORY Christoper Campbell MOVIE CRITIC
s
MCT CAMPUS
Go see “Steve Jobs.” I say this because, as I chose my seat, I realized I was the only person there. I only paid $10, but it was a private screening. In fact, with no one around me to object, I took a selfie using the projector as a light source. But back to “Steve Jobs.” I went to the Wednesday 9:15 p.m. showing. It was not $5 Tuesday or new-movie Thursday. The theater probably had less total audience members than an English 1010 class. The fact that I was the only person in that auditorium reflects the numbers the film has been getting. According to Box Office Mojo, “Steve Jobs” came out on Oct. 23, but as of Thursday, it has made a little less than $12 million. That may sound like a lot of money to poor college students, but it was filmed on a $30 million budget. It has yet to make half its money back. One possible reason for its under-performance is a few smaller production companies released a similar film called “Jobs” two years ago. It starred Ashton Kutcher as the billionaire tech-pioneer. That film got a lot more hate than it should have received. It was not horrible, but it was sloppy. The difference between that film and this one
is like reading a Wikipedia article versus a biographical novel. The first movie touches on the major issues of his life, but it does not explain two of the most important events very well: Why did Steve Jobs lose his position at Apple, and how did he resolve the conflict he had with his daughter? “Steve Jobs” not only explains these issues — it focuses on them. The entire film is set at three major points in his life: One before he fails miserably, one a few years after that and one as he is about to gain a lot of success. It unapologetically portrays him as a flawed, egotistical man, who thinks he is right about everything. It shows how his character traits got him into trouble and ultimately how they got him out of it. It also shows how his attitude towards his daughter changed over time. I was not surprised that it would be a great movie. The people who made it are basically all-stars: Aaron Sorkin — who is known for a similar movie about Mark Zuckerberg, “The Social Network” — wrote the script. Danny Boyle — who made an entertaining feature-length film about a man stuck under a rock, “127 Hours” — directed it, and Michael Fassbender — young Magneto from the X-Men movies — plays the title character. These combined forces created a film that is engaging from beginning to end. There is no action in it. It is all dialogue that flows naturally, and although it is a little lengthy at over two hours, it feels short. — Christopher Campbell has been a senior at USU for as long as he can remember. He finally graduates in December in psychology and broadcast journalism with a minor in Portuguese. You can find him on Twitter @ChrisCampbell02 or send an e-mail to christophercampbell21@gmail.com.
PAGE 6
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Kelsie Lott
Tips: They’re more than gratuity By Miranda Lorenc SENIOR WRITER
The life of a server can be rewarding and stressful. Waiting on tables, chatting with customers and serving food to multiple tables at once is a demanding job at times, but it can also be fun. “I really enjoy being around people and helping people and making sure that they leave the restaurant happy,” said Kyle Draper, a senior in international business. “I don’t know, I like making people smile I guess. And I like food. I love being in a restaurant — the hustle and the bustle.” And at the end of the day, most servers go home with only what their customers decided to pay them. “Usually I get around 20 percent tips, which is what you want,” said Brittany Daniels, a senior in elementary education. “But there have been days where I’ve gone in and worked just as hard as I do any other day and come away with like $12 for a five-hour shift, and that sucks. That is the worst.” According to the United States Depart-
ment of Labor, the minimum wage for waiters and waitresses is $2.13 an hour. The primary source of income for servers come from the tips their customers leave them, which is usually between 15 and 20 percent of the cost of the meal. “It depends on the week day and the week night, but I usually never make less than $9 an hour and sometimes it’ll be as high as $13-14,” Draper said. Being paid in tips can act as a reflection of a waiter’s performance with their customers as well as provide motivation to make people happy, Draper said. Daniels agreed. “If I weren’t relying on the tips, then I might not care as much,” she said. Each customer takes about one hour to come in, order, eat their food, pay and leave, Daniels said, so she tries to think of each tip as what each table viewed her service was worth for that one hour. “Basically you’re not selling a product, you’re selling yourself, and what you get in return is like what people think you’re worth,” she said. “So if they don’t think you were worth
five bucks, they’re not going to give you five bucks. And feeling like you’re not even worth five dollars is not a good way to feel.” Those who do well in the service industry, Daniels said, are clean-cut, energetic, friendly and able to connect with the customers. “You can usually find something in common with almost every person that you serve, as long as you like as them a question, like ‘Hey what are you doing?’ or “What’s your name?’ You can usually find a connection,” said Tyrnee Nakano, a sophomore in business administration. Customers who help make that connection are friendly and can carry on a conversation are the fun ones, Nakano said. A good customer also understands that the waiter is human — not a drink-refilling robot — and waiters make mistakes. “You think the people just type in the order and the cooks make it and you bring it out,” Nakano said. “That’s not what happens at all. The waitresses are slicing lemons in the back, they’re doing parts of the cooking in the back. It’s a lot. It’s difficult.” Daniels suggests customers always tip the
server, even if the experience was unsatisfactory. “If your service was really that bad, go talk to the manager and say like, ‘Look, this happened and I was really dissatisfied with my meal. I was really dissatisfied with my experience here.’ That way, the manager can take that server aside and be like, ‘Look, this is what you need to work on,’” she said. Not everything is in the servers’ control, however, and problems that might arise might not always be the server’s fault, she said. The cooks might have made a mistake and the food came out wrong. “It’s really unfair to punish them for your bad experience when they’re not in control of everything,” Daniels said. “So I would say in that situation you should still pay the server the full amount, maybe not give her anything extra. But tip her a reasonable amount and then tell their manager that you were dissatisfied and that they should talk to that server and get them to change.” — miranda.lorenc@gmail.com @miranda_lorenc
STRANGERS NO MORE, ROOMMATE AGREEMENTS COME OUT By Miranda Lorenc SENIOR WRITER
When the fall semester at Utah State University started, Chandrelyn Kraczek, an undeclared freshmen, didn’t know who her roommates were. She found herself rooming with five other girls who were already friends before the school year started, she said. As the semester progressed, she and her roommates had grown close to the point where they can joke around
and be friends, she said. Now two months into the school year, where class schedules have been set and midterms have passed by, the strangers in the dorm room are not so strange anymore. “We get along pretty well,” said Landon Jensen, a student in biological engineering. “We all have similar interests and I think we’re just compatible in that way and we’re all kind of aware of what kind of needs to happen for things to work.” Jensen and his roommates
Lecture Series
share the responsibilities of paying for utilities, cleaning the apartment, and doing the dishes, he said. “We don’t have, like, a set up of chores or things that we’ve set apart,” Jensen said. “We just kind of pitch in when we can.” An important aspect of living with other people in the same apartment is being courteous of others, he said, and to realize what’s important to someone when it comes to their living environment and how it may differ compared to others. Sometimes, those differences between roommates can cause disagreements and conflict — such as cleaning the room or doing the dishes — which is the major source of conflict in his apartment, Jensen said. Kraczek said the best way to solve a disagreement is by talking it out. “If you have a problem, talk to the person ‘cause, like, beating around the bush never helped anything,” she said. A way to prevent disagreements can be to set guidelines for the apartment or form a roommate agreement. “If you’re not getting along with your roommates,” said Carson Manser, a freshman in
PHOTO BY Dane Rassmussen
computer science, “I recommend getting a written agreement so you have some kind of binding thing that you can all abide by and that will keep everyone in check.” Manser said he and his roommates adopted a “bring your own toilet paper” policy. This includes everything from shampoo to food and means that everyone in the apartment uses their own supplies instead of sharing or using someone else’s. “That came from the first week, that all the stuff that we had brought for everyone to use just kind of vanished,” he said, “and so we decided to use our own stuff so no one got mad about what they paid money for disappearing before they could use it.” Respecting boundaries and roommate’s belongings is an
implied rule that Kraczek’s apartment follows too, with a “don’t eat my food and I won’t eat your food” policy, Kraczek said. Setting down a written agreement can increase communication between roommates and clarify what needs to be done when and how, Jensen said. “I think we each have like different ideas of what is ideal in our living environment,” he said, “but we all have different upbringings and different ideas and different expectations and when those aren’t met and when it’s crunch time, it’s stressful. That could be just frustrating.” Manser agrees, and said that a roommate agreement can also help prevent time conflicts, especially when more than one person is try-
ing to get ready in the morning. “Writing out who’s going to shower at what time is important, so that whoever slept in that morning gives the right of way to whoever has that time slot,” he said. Whether implied or written, having a set of guidelines and rules within an apartment setting can help solve problems when they arise, Kraczek said. “See what they want,” Jensen said, “ ‘cause maybe you’re not going to be best friends, but maybe it’s more of a ‘I want to make sure that we’re on the same page of our living environment’ and stuff, and at least you can get along if you’re not best friends.” — miranda.lorenc@gmail.com
@miranda_lorenc
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
PAGE 7
SPORTS
EFFICIENT OFFENSE STEAMROLLS WYOMING
PHOTOS BY Annie Hall, Kyle Todecheene
(TOP) JAREN COLSTON-GREEN scores a touchdown against Wyoming. (BOTTOM LEFT) JAREN COLSTON-GREEN turns upfiled. (BOTTOM RIGHT) DEVANTE MAYS, runs the ball in the 58-27 win over Wyoming on Friday.
By Thomas Sorenson SENIOR WRITER
Wyoming came into Friday’s game with only one win on the season and a defense giving up more than 30 points per game. Truth be told, the Cowboys never really had a chance. Utah State routed Wyoming 58-27 to remain atop the Mountain Division and in the driver’s seat for a shot at the Mountain West championship. “These guys practiced really well and prepared really well,” said head coach Matt Wells. “They got off the mat and came back to work.” It was an explosive performance by the USU offense as it racked up 592 yards, more than any game since 2012. “I’m proud of the offense,” Wells said. “That was a very good performance.”
“Very good” doesn’t really do justice to what the offense did, though. The Aggies picked up nearly a first down every play — averaging over nine yards for every snap — and didn’t punt until the last possession of the game. USU finished with 296 yards on the ground, the second most rushing yards they’ve had in a single game this season, and averaged an eye-popping 6.9 yards per carry. The offense also torched Wyoming through the air, completing 16-of-19 passes for 296 yards and averaging over 15 yards per completion. “The o-line did a really good job of opening up the holes and we did a good job of reading them,” said junior running back Devante Mays, who had a career-high 176 yards rushing in the game. The Aggies pounded Wyoming on the second drive, rushing for 51 yards on their way to
the go-ahead touchdown. Mays finished off the last 27 yards of the drive, gaining 13 yards, three yards and then slicing through the defense for the final 11 yards and the score. “The biggest thing is running the football and finding ways to let No. 32 [Mays] run,” Wells said. “He responded in a very positive way. He’s getting better each week and I’m proud of where he has come.” The first drive, though, was all about the passing game. On the first play of the game, sophomore quarterback Kent Myers threw a 35-yard pass to junior tight end Chris Copier. He then hit senior wide receiver Hunter Sharp up the sideline for a 23-yard gain and then two plays later connected with junior tight end Wyatt Houston for an eight-yard score less than three minutes into the game. It was the first time all season the Aggies
have scored on their first drive of the game. “We had some nice play-action stuff to take advantage of some looks that we wanted to throw it in,” Wells said. Myers finished the game 14-of-17 for 246 yards and three touchdowns, after starting the game with a perfect 10-for-10 passing. It was the second time in his career passing for over 200 yards, having set a career high with 260 yards against Fresno State on Oct. 10. Two Aggies scored their first career touchdowns when sophomore quarterback Damion Hobbs threw a 34-yard strike to sophomore receiver Jaren Colston-Green in the fourth quarter. — thomas.sorenson@aggiemail.usu.edu @tomcat340
Four takeways from USU vs Wyoming
Logan Jones TRAIL BLAZIN’
Utah State rebounded from its embarrassing San Diego loss by destroying Wyoming at home 58-27. The box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Though certainly there were several positives in this game, there remains some concerns that could grow into full-blown weaknesses if
not fixed by this week’s road matchup in New Mexico. Moala, you are missed It should go without saying that all Aggie injuries impact the team for the worse, but nose guard David Moala’s absence on the D-line has proven to be an extreme challenge for USU’s rush defense. Typically the crown jewel of Utah State’s squad, the run defense has taken a sharp downturn since Moala hurt his knee against Boise State. Wyoming totalled 270 yards on the ground Friday, led by running back Brian Hill and his tendency to break off huge chunks of yardage at a time. Hill accounted for 201 yards and a long touchdown run in this game — those things were simply unheard of early in the season with a fully healthy D-line. Moala isn’t the only one, either. Defensive
end Ricky Ali’ifua went down with a shoulder injury last week against the Aztecs, dealing USU’s pass rush a significant blow in the process. Aggie fans should hope for a speedy recovery to both of these defensive anchors, both because of their physicality on the field and simply out of concern for their health. Balance is best The Aggies managed exactly 296 yards on the ground and through the air. That’s amazing — I get about half a dozen emails with every statistic you could ever hope for after each football game, and I still have no clue if that has ever happened before. After a slow start to the season, USU’s offense has caught fire — San Diego game excluded — in large part due to this team finding the right balance between the pass and the run. Devantae Mays is still chugging toward a huge first season in an Aggie uniform, tallying
176 yards and two touchdowns on the ground Friday. Kent Myers added a rushing touchdown of his own, along with 48 yards rushing and 246 yards passing for the game. It’s a good sign when three different players combine for four receiving touchdowns thrown by two different quarterbacks. After being thrown off on the road, the offense recovered its groove Friday — and the scoreboard reflected it nicely. Hobbs can throw, too Speaking of two quarterbacks, Hobbs delivered the best play of the night on a night of several big offensive plays when he tossed a 34-yard touchdown bomb to Jaren ColstonGreen in the fourth quarter’s waning minutes. Hobbs placed it so perfectly, Colston-Green barely moved his arms to catch it, completely see TAKEAWAYS page
8
SPORTS
PAGE 8
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Soccer season ends early
WESLEY HAMBLIN STRUGGLES past Idaho State defenders in a 5-3 win at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field on Sept. 13. The Aggies finished their season 10-8-2 and 5-5-1 in Mountain West play. By Kalen Taylor SPORTS EDITOR
For the first time since at least the 20052006 season, Utah State women’s soccer won’t be playing in a post-season tournament. The Aggies battled to a 1-1 draw against the Boise State Broncos on Friday afternoon. Both UNLV and Colorado College won later that day to claim the final two spots — the fifth and sixth seeds — in the tournament. “This whole game came down to us needing to score,” said senior goalkeeper Jeannie
Woller after the game. “I know we wanted this win — it hurts we didn’t get it — but none of us can hold onto that. We did everything in our ability to fight to the end.” Utah State finished the season with a 10-82 record overall while recording a 5-5-1 record in MW play. “I thought we played a really good match,” said head coach Heather Cairns after the BSU game. “We probably deserved a second goal there, but it didn’t come. That’s the hardest part of soccer. In that respect it’s really disappointing.” USU outshot Boise State 22-13 in the
game, however, the Broncos struck first on a Kelsey Nicassio header in the 49th minute. Under thirty seconds later, the Aggies equalized as Jessica Brooksby found the back of the net off a Katie Flynn cross. “We came back after they scored on us,” Woller said. “It’s unfortunate but I’m proud. I’m always going to be proud ... I’m sad I can’t be a part of the teams in the coming years.” It was goal number 12 for Brooksby this season, but it wasn’t enough to get USU a win. “We thought it was there for the taking but
Aggie sportsmanship needs improvement things at the other team in an attempt to make them perform badly. Although these methods may occasionally be effective, they Road less make us seem crude and disretraveled spectful. Honestly, it’s embarrassing. As fans, we should have respect for the other team. I’m not saying don’t cheer; I’m just saying that as fans we should try to build the confidence of our own players. When we cheer for others it creates a positive energy, but when we Every time I attend one of Utah belittle others it just makes everyState’s sporting events, I am both one mad. shocked and repulsed by the way When it comes to sports, I’ve we behave as fans. Of course I been a player, a referee and a fan. want the Aggies to win, but that As a player, I know that sometime doesn’t mean yelling demeaning referees make calls that we don’t
Elise Wilding
tired of eating ramen? need real money?
like, and it’s frustrating. As a referee, I also know that they are just doing the best they can to call the game fairly. And as fans, we can still express disappointment or frustration without being jerks about. Let’s face it, yelling at the refs or the other team that they’re “stupid” or they “suck” is just plain rude. So come on, Aggies. You can still have fun at sporting events without demeaning the refs or the other team. — Elise is a sophomore studying technical writing. She enjoys hanging out with her roomates, reading and sleeping. You can contact her at wieldan@gmail.com.
Work with us!
PHOTO BY Kyle Todecheene
we didn’t quite get it done,” Cairns said. “We feel like we played well enough to put another goal in the back of the net and just didn’t. It’s disappointing with so much on the line today.” For the top half of the MW teams the tournament kicks off in San Diego on Tuesday and finish up crowning a champion on Saturday. — kalen.s.taylor@gmail.com Twitter: @kalen_taylor
TAKEAWAYS from PAGE 7
losing his man in single-coverage for the score. You can hardly blame the defender for not recognizing a pass was incoming, up in the stands it looked like maybe the ball sailed wide out of bounds. The casual grab was the single most ideal placement for a pass you’ll see at Maverik this year, even if it did come after the game was basically put to bed. It’s all about the big plays Blocked punts are fun, as are defensive scores. The biggest takeaway from playing Wyoming might be that USU did exactly what it should do against bad teams — make big plays. To be honest, that’s what they should do against good teams, too. Maybe the opportunities don’t present themselves as often, but the fact remains every
football game comes down to who makes a handful of plays. Whether it’s Mays going for a long run, the defense coming up with a huge turnover or Myers working his magic under center, each game this year will ultimately be determined by the bigplay ability of this team. Fans saw it at its best against Boise, and perhaps at its worst in San Diego. Clearly it’s there, but consistency has proven to be USU’s biggest challenge this fall. There will be tougher opponents ahead that demand more of these game-deciding plays falling in USU’s favor. — Logan Jones is a junior majoring in journalism. Contact him at Logantjones@aggiemail.usu.edu or on Twitter @ Logantj.
PARENTS from PAGE 4
think that’s a big, huge thing, is you have to prioritize.” While social lives take the backseat, the Nontraditional Student Association, or NTSA, has monthly get-togethers where nontraditional students can share advice, ideas and company, June said. Another forum the NTSA provides is the USU Nontraditional Study Group on Facebook. Child Care Access Means Parents In School — or CCAMPIS — is a grant project that offers child care subsidies to those who qualify. “The grant also understands the stress of being a student and parent and offers resources such as free evening child care, newsletters and classes to help with financial, time management and other stresses that are a part of being a student parent,” said Konie Humphreys, an Aggie Care Coordinator.
The USU Center for Women and Gender provides scholarships, a free family lending library and brown bag therapy sessions, Humphreys said. Humphreys’ sister is a single mother of six children and a USU nursing student. They commonly discuss the stress that comes with being a mother and a student, Humphreys said. “If you stop before you reach the end goal of graduating then the hard work and stress isn’t worth as much, but if you can continue the forward motion and forge through the tunnel, the light will come,” Humphreys said. — whitney.howard@aggiemail.usu.edu @omgwhitshutup
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
OPINION
PAGE 9
GET CAUGHT READING
WHY I’M BRACING FOR THE 2016 ELECTION Logan Jones Trail Blazin’
The nation is a year away from a presidential election, which unfortunately means everything you know is going to be extra obnoxious for the next little while. Cable television will air campaign ads promising a 2016 with cancer-free bacon and free student loans. Facebook will devolve into a series of political arguments resembling a e particularly spirited YouTube comments
section. Tumblr — well, I don’t actually know what Tumblr will do since it’s kind of tough to imagine it being any more insufferable than it already is, but you get what I mean. For the next 12 months, it’s pretty much all bad. We’re so used to that, it’s become an overlooked cliche. Mainstream media fails spectacularly in some way — people like me criticize it, others go a level deeper and hate on those people criticizing the media, and ultimately everyone agrees to move on because we’re all sick of the story. For a specific example, check out the recent GOP debate. Republican candidates criticized CNBC for asking stupid questions, because I guess we’re all still pretending objectivity in today’s media is still a thing. A day later, this alleged scandal’s pendulum swung the other way as CNBC defended itself by asserting that candidates running for president should be able to handle stupid questions, which does sort of make sense. Then the media as a whole blew it up into something to talk about
throughout the 24-hour news cycle. After a week of this garbage, anyone still talking about the GOP debate sounded a lot like a paranoid uncle, and less like someone who might actually have some valid points. Here’s the thing — cliches only ever get to be cliches because there’s an ounce of truth to them. Just because people give the media an inordinate amount of criticism doesn’t mean at least some of it isn’t deserved. It’s important that we be able to criticize the media without it falling on deaf ears. When Troy Aikman broadcasts a Dallas Cowboys game, everyone just kind of rolls with the fact that he’s biased beyond what should ever be allowed on national television because it’s football. It’s entertainment. It’s annoying — sometimes borderline excruciating — but it’s still mostly harmless. But when Time Warner is revealed to be one of the Clinton campaign’s largest contributors — giving some credit to the idea that today’s media lands somewhere between liberal and
super-duper liberal — we tune it out just like we try to tune out Troy Aikman. That same amount of bias we find laughable in Sunday night sporting events exists in mainstream media, and people treat it the exact same way. Claiming the media is biased against your political views generally makes the people around you put you in a mental box labeled “kind of crazy about politics” and then be extra careful not to bring up the subject ever again. That reaction is understandable with all the nonsense noise that surrounds literally every aspect of politics, but it also means when a potentially significant critique of the way we get our news comes across the wire, nobody is going to be listening carefully enough to hear it.
— Logan Jones is a junior majoring in journalism, because “being a hater” isn’t a major offered here at Utah State. Contact him at Logantjones@aggiemail.usu.edu or on Twitter @Logantj
Seeking out offense is ridiculous Katherine Lambert I’D TYPE THAT
I hope no one is offended by what I’m about to say. I’m offended by how many people say they are offended. It’s one thing to be offended when someone insults your core values. It’s another to be offended when someone insults a group you identify with. But it’s absolute ludicrousness to purposely seek out offenses for the sole purpose of elevating your social status. This is the worse kind of hypocrisy. Not only are you mostly likely not offended by the offense in question, but you are demeaning the values of others when you lie in their name for the silent applause of Facebook. This is truly offensive. Feigning offense in the name of others is not noble. It is not honorable. It’s sick, it’s twisted and, above all, it is a lie. Stop lying. Stop championing causes on social media that you don’t really believe in. Stop using others’ pain, or the perception of it, to gain electronic fame. It shows a sad lack of self-assurance to have such a constant need for others’ attention that you would seek out others’ pain and project it for your own gain. Worse, it takes away the validity of others’ pain. Educate yourself on the issue. Is it worth being offended about? If it is, do something to stop it. Don’t slap a self-righteous post on social media because everyone else seems to be getting attention for doing the same thing. — Katie Lambert is a senior in print journalism graduating in December. She enjoys reading, running outside and, on occasion, eating her weight in Swedish Fish. Email her at katie.l.lambert26@ gmail.com or message her on Twitter @klamb92.
Higher education has responsibility to address climate change Darren Bingham GO GREEN
Why do we go to college? I could be wrong, but students come to learn and become educated. As an institution of higher education, Utah State has an obligation to teach us how to think logically and provide us with an education that hasn’t been sold, bought or owned by anyone. We are not here to learn professor’s biases or institutionalized fallacies. We hope to obtain a greater understanding of the world around us. We do not live in a bubble or sealed vacuum. The world’s climate is rapidly changing due to excessive human activity. We know this to be true, and not acting upon these promptings will create global instability. No longer can universities and colleges sit idly by within their silos and let the world keep the mentality of business as usual. Faculty, students and staff must stand together and speak the truth even if it’s not convenient to do. As individuals blessed with the opportunity to
go to college, we have the responsibility to share our knowledge and remain neutral. With this said, I would like to talk about what I have been taught recently in my schooling. Since taking a natural resource statistics class, I have learned that with a lot of decision-making there is uncertainty and risk with every choice. In this class, we learned about the precautionary principle and its effect on decision-making. It basically implies that when catastrophic events are identified and scientific evaluation of the potential damage is not sufficiently certain, action to prevent these potentially adverse effects need to be addressed. In other words, if we don’t know the possible outcomes of a decision, we should be cautious and plan for the worst and prepare for the unknown. In addition, it is irrational to base decisions on best-case scenarios. We all know that things don’t always go the way we want or think. In nature, this happens far too often and we cannot expect nature to always be kind. When talking about climate change, we must be vigilant and aggressive on our adaptation policies. Our president, Stan Albrecht, has committed Utah State to become carbon neutral by 2050. This is a great first step in addressing the issues at hand. Now no one knows the true damage climate change will have on our world, but it may be great and we must be careful of what we do in the future. Per-
sonally, I don’t want to be caught with my pants down around my ankles when it comes to climate change. Fossil fuels and carbon polluting energy sources must be reevaluated and all externalities accessed. Based on the evidence and research, we humans make a huge impact on the earth. Those people who will be most affected by climate change are the poor and less fortunate among us. Many countries are on the front lines and have contributed little of the gases that produce atmospheric warming and cooling. As those privileged to gain an education, we have a moral obligation to help those who are most affected by our carbon-intensive lifestyle. We must break down the silos of education and help bring unity to this issue. Human-to-human generosity is what separates us from other species. This must lead the way in our fight against climate change. Because climate change affects everybody, that’s the reason why everyone should care. If you want to make a difference; Learn your ecological footprint. — Darren is a super-senior majoring in Environmental Studies. He wishes one day to work for large businesses as their sustainability consultant. Darren strives every day to improve the status quo. For further reading on this topic check out this article. Shoot him an email if you want to talk at darren.bingham@aggiemail.usu.edu or on Twitter @darrenbusu.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015
PAGE 10
BACKBURNER
9 1
4 1 2 5 3 3 8 1 3 6 4
6
2 4 5 6
The Board
1
4 5 1 7 3 2 6 8 8 7
© Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com
5
GET GETCAUGHT CAUGHTREADING READING
Jeffrey Dahdah
Annie Hall
managing editor
photo editor
———
———
Kylee Larsen
Colby May
managing editor
advertising manager
———
———
Mandy Morgan Ditto
Mckay Webb
news editor
represenative
———
advertising
———
Katie Lambert
Brenna Kelly
student life editor
copy editor
——— Kalen Taylor sports editor
——— Elise Wilding copy editor
———
To be featured in this section of the Statesman, make sure you are reading in print or online so one of our photographers can catch you.
Mikayla Higley design editor
GET IT DAILY AT
NEWS USUSTATESMAN.COM
CALENDAR | NOV. 2 - NOV. 7 ADD YOUR EVENT AT USUSTATESMAN.COM/EVENTS
MONDAY NOV 2 DAY OF THE DEAD
AFTER HOURS
THE ANTICS COMEDY IMPROV
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art
Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre
Free, 10:00 am
$5, 9:30
USU Taggart Student Center, 2nd floor SHAKESPEARE’S ‘A MIDSUMlounges Free, 11:00 am
SET GOAL. ACHIEVE. REPEAT. TSC 315A Free, 2:30 pm
MOVIE MONDAY-THE LEGO MOVIE North Logan City Library Free, 6:30 pm
WEDNESDAY NOV 4 SKINNY GUY HEALTHY GUT CONFERENCE
MER NIGHT’S DREAM’ Sky View High School
Bullen Center $79-$104. Materials included, 12:00 pm
THURSDAY NOV 5 ACCOUNTING CONFERENCE Eccles Conference Center at USU $275, 7:00 am
HACKUSTATE - UTAH’S FIRST INTERCOLLEGIATE HACKATHON
$5-$10. $5 for SV students w/ ID. $8 online; $10 at the door. Wheelchair accesible! Family: $24; 4-6 people, 7:00 pm Eccles Conference Center at USU USU SCIENCE WEEK: CHEMIS- Free, 12:00 am
TRY DEMO SHOW
NATIVITIES FROM AROUND Eccles Science Learning Center, Emert THE WORLD Auditorium, Room 130, on the USU Global Village Gifts campus Free, 7:00 pm
FRIDAY NOV 6
Eccles Conference Center Auditorium HACKUSTATE - UTAH’S FIRST INTERCOLLEGIATE HACKon the USU campus ATHON $11, 8:00 am
CERAMICS CLASSES
SATURDAY NOV 7
Eccles Conference Center at USU
Free, 10:00 am
PUMPKIN TOSS Elk Ridge Park Free, 11:00
3RD ANNUAL WE SALITE NIBLEY VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Free, 8:00 am
LDS Stake Center
MICHELLE BAKER- WATER AND PEOPLE: FRIENDS OR FOES?
Free, 7:00 pm
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
Eccles Science Learning Center, Emert Ellen Eccles Theater-Cache Valley CenAuditorium, Room 130, on the USU ter for the Arts $25-$39, 7:30 pm campus Free, 7:00 pm