uaf sun star: sept 28, 2010
DESCRIPTION
UAF Sun Star Volume XXXTRANSCRIPT
The Sun StarVolume XXX Number 5
September 28, 2010
EDITOR IN CHIEFAndrew [email protected](907) 474-5078
LAYOUT EDITORHeather Bryant
COPY EDITORRebecca Coleman
CALENDAR EDITORTara Callear
[email protected](907) 474-6043
DISTRIBUTIONJeremia Schrock
AD MANAGERAlex Kinn
[email protected](907) 474-7540
ADVISORLynne Snifka
EDITORIAL OFFICES101G Wood Center
P.O. Box 756640Fairbanks, AK 99775Tel: (907) 474-6039
Ads Dept: (907) 474-7540Calendar: (907) 474-6043
Fax: (907) 474-5508
This Week’s Highlights2 In This IssueSeptember 28, 2010 The Sun Star
New
s B
rief
sN
ews
Per
spec
tive
sW
est R
idge
Rep
ort
Edi
tori
al
UAF enters the patent business, register to vote now, students protest tuition increase, UAF adds a new degree and the Navy awards UAF $47 mil-
lion for unmanned aircraft research. Plus this week’s crop of crime.
Embedding with the 3-2-1
Regents and Rogers listen to the students, Am-bassador Veliotes stresses the importance of
diplomacy
Run Forest Games, run!
3
4
10
19
12
UAF Athletics inducts 6 new Hall of Famers, plus hockey and volleyball
Tech support, getting your passport, watching your blood pressure and BASU is your Club of the
Week
Mind your own house ASUAF
8
14
16
Cam
pus
Spor
tsC
alen
dar
REPORTERSJeremia Schrock
Jamie HazlettAmber Sandlin
Ben DeeringDon Derosier
Daniel ThomanElika Roohi
Howard Ketter
CONTRIBUTORSKelsey GobroskiKaitlin Johnson
COLUMNISTSJamie HazlettJeremy Smith
PHOTOGRAPHERSJeremia Schrock
Jamie HazlettDillon Ball
Chelsea Jones
www.uafsunstar.com
The Sun Star’s mission is to provide a voice for the UAF
campus and be a written record where news, people’s
opinions, and events (whether extraordinary or ordinary) are expressed honestly and fairly.
Pol
itic
s
Professors talk climate change and dinosaurs in Alaska (65 million years ago…)
6
UAF student Abram Ortega plays with fire during the Starvation Gulch bonfires on Sept. 25, 2010.Nina Schwingham-mer / Sun Star.
All Starvation Gulch, all the time
Corrections: In an article in last week’s Sun Star (“UAF to launch satellite into final frontier”), there were a number of errors. The article stated that a core team of 12 graduate students were working on the project. There are actually seven graduate students on the team, ac-cording to Project Manager Wyatt Hurlbut. The project is volunteer-run, which may have been unclear in the article. Finally, the photo that accompanied the article indicated Sam Vanderwaal (rather than Andrew Paxson, as pictured) showing off a prototype on Aug. 14 (rather than Sept 14).
In the Club of the Week spotlight on the Mus-lim Student Association, a student’s name was incorrectly spelled as Abraham Adebiyi. The correct spelling is Ibrahim Adebiyi.
The Sun Star regrets the errors.
A &
E 20Nappy Roots draws a huge crowd
3News Briefs www.uafsunstar.com September 28, 2010
Compiled by Stephanie MartinSun Star Intern
Thursday, Sept. 16, 5:23 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18, 11:57 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18, 3:26 a.m.
News Briefs Compiled by Stephanie MartinSun Star Intern
Patent, trademark depository Now in Fairbanks
The University’s Geophysical Institute is
now home to Alaska’s only Patent and
Trademark Depository and it is located in
the Keith B. Mather Library. The Mather
Library now has the authority to receive,
store, and circulate U.S. patent and trade-
mark materials. Staff can also assist the
community in searching for existing pat-
ents and provide resources for registering
new trademarks. Additionally, patrons can
apply for patents.
Saturday, Sept. 18, 4:09 a.m.
Sunday, Sept. 19, 9:16 a.m.
Sunday, Sept. 19, 1:39 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 20, 8:00 a.m.
Voter registration deadline
UAF students from out of state may now
register to vote in Alaska. The deadline for
registering is Oct. 3. In order to register,
you must complete a voter registration ap-
plication. Applications are available online
at the Alaska Division of Elections website.
Or, you may register in person at a Division
of Elections office, through a voter registra-
tion agency, or at the DMV.
A traffic stop led to a Fairbanks driver’s ar-
rest Sept. 16. The driver was arrested for
a DUI and possession of Marijuana and a
pipe. Two rifles and a handgun were also
found in the vehicle, but not listed as stolen.
The individual was transported to court for
a search warrant to draw blood and then to
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. Afterward,
the driver took a trip to Fairbanks Correc-
tional Center. Suspects can fib, but blood
alcohol levels don’t.
A traffic stop for a moving violation result-
ed in the arrest of a 23-year-old female of
Fairbanks who was found to be on felony
probation. She was arrested for consuming
alcohol which violated her probation and
taken to Fairbanks Correctional Center for
booking. The driver of the vehicle was given
a warning for his expired license and driving
without headlights.
Alaska State Troopers requested assistance
with a knife-wielding male in a black
Carhartt coat and military pants. The sus-
pect was yelling at people to move their cars.
Officers contacted the suspect at Old U Park,
where he ditched the knife. A search of his
person revealed razor blades in his pockets.
A report of persons being loud and playing
games in the 24-hour study area surfaced
Sunday. The noise was keeping others from
concentrating. An officer responded to the
scene and found an individual packing a
backpack to leave. The individual was non-
affiliated with the university and trespassed
from all UAF property.
A possible hate crime occurred in the Harp-
er parking lot last Monday. A vehicle was
scratched from the driver’s side door to the
passenger door. Another employee also
noticed her vehicle had the word “HOMO”
scraped into the mud on the driver’s side
door.
A complainant reported being flagged down
by a visibly intoxicated native female stand-
ing in the middle of the road by the Student
Recreation Center. The female was wearing
a dark UAF hoodie and pink dangle earrings.
An officer contacted the individual behind
Stevens Hall. While intoxicated, she was not
incapacitated. The officer escorted her to
her dorm. The desk assistant indicated they
would escort her to her room.
A call to university police reported an indi-
vidual was raped in Lathrop Hall the night
before. The caller was advised to try and per-
suade victim to go to the hospital for medi-
cal safety, to talk to police and Residence
Life about the incident, and to preserve
evidence. Residence Life logs and video in-
dicate a possible suspect who is trespassed
from all UAF property. Follow up investi-
gation revealed two sexual assault victims.
Charges are pending.
Proposed tuition hike ignites pro-test
On Sept. 22 Students peacefully protested
the University of Alaska’s proposal to raise
tuition by more than 20 percent over the
next two school years. The rally occurred
outside the Wood Center at UAF. Students
held signs with slogans like “Don’t make me
pay more tuition,” “No tuition increase” and
“This is my protest sign.”
Tests of emergency communica-tion methods
The university conducted a test of the emer-
gency communication methods Wednes-
day, Sept. 22. The test included e-mail, tele-
phone, and loudspeaker announcements.
All announcements were clearly designated
as test messages. The emergency commu-
nication methods are periodically tested to
ensure that they are in working order in the
event of a real emergency.
$47 million awarded for unmanned aircraft studies
The United States Navy has awarded the
University of Alaska Fairbanks up to $47
million to test and evaluate payloads aboard
small, unmanned aircraft. Research will be
led by the UA Unmanned Aircraft Program,
which is part of the UAF Geophysical Insti-
tute. The tests will focus on evaluating how
the aircraft perform in harsh conditions.
Drafting degree approved
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Com-
munity and Technical College has been
approved to offer a new degree in drafting
technology. The degree will be an associate
of applied science and will include instruc-
tion in computer-aided drafting with build-
ing techniques and materials common to
the state. Courses will provide skills needed
in architectural, engineering, and construc-
tion fields.
Quake felt throughout Alaska--no damage
An earthquake was felt throughout the
state but no damages have been reported.
According to the Alaska Earthquake Infor-
mation Center, the quake registered at 5.4
magnitude. It occurred at 4:06 a.m. Sat-
urday Sept. 18. The tremor was felt in An-
chorage, Fairbanks, North Pole, and Denali
National Park.
In the Army now
Journalism students from UAF will be em-
bedding with the Stryker Brigade from Fort
Wainwright during training exercises. The
students will be writing about and photo-
graphing the exercises in the Yukon Train-
ing Area.
4 Politics The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010
Chancellor’s forum Small turnout, serious concerns
Don DerosierSun Star Reporter
On Sept. 21, Chancellor Brian Rogers gave
a presentation in the Wood Center multi-
level lounge to address student concerns re-
garding the proposed tuition increase going
before the UA Board of Regents. A handful of
concerned students showed up to the 2:30
forum.
The chancellor said was that there just
isn’t enough money coming from the state.
“Revenue sources are not increasing,” he
said. “It is either we raise revenues or reduce
services.”
The topics discussed included UAF’s re-
lation to other Universities and the rise of
needs-based financial aid. Rogers cited a
statistic showing a proposal of a 10 to 12
percent increase in tuition for the spring of
2012-13, up from the 4.8 percent increase in
the fall of 2008-09.
From the $32 million allocated from the
current tuition, $19.9 million went to schools
and colleges within UAF while the other $12
million went to services, faculty and other
student-related necessities.
A comparison of other universities’ tu-
ition and fees left UAF well below the na-
tional average in cost. The Chancellor briefly
commented that the university needs more
need-based financial aid rather than merit
based.
A crowd of UAF students and staff gather to hear Chancellor Brian Rogers discuss pro-posed tuition increases during a Sept. 21 forum in the Wood Center’s multi-level lounge. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star.
Chancellor Rogers speaks to UAF students in the Wood Center mutil level lounge on Sept. 21, 2010 about proposed tuition changes. Nina Schwinghammer / Sun Star.
5 www.uafsunstar.com News September 28, 2010
Members of the 3-21 Stryker Brigade launch white phosphorus rounds on a mock village across a valley in the Yukon Train-ing Area. Sept. 22, 2010. Heather Bryant / Sun Star.
Members of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry of the Stryker Brigade, load gear in prepara-tion for training exercises. Sept. 22, 2010. Heather Bryant / Sun Star.
Sergeant MatthewWood of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment of the Stryker Bri-gade, stands through the hatch of the command Stryker during a training exercise. Sept. 23, 2010. Heather Bryant/ Sun Star.
Andrew SheelerSun Star Reporter “No shit, there I was!” Every good army
story starts like that, said 2nd Lt. Adam Ro-
bitaille of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry
Regiment (3-21). Nearby, Stryker vehicles
equipped with mortars were busy blasting a
hillside roughly three miles away. The sol-
diers of the 3-21 call themselves the Gimlet,
which is a large drill designed to break rock.
Their motto of “Bore, brother, bore” speaks
not to breaking rock but breaking their en-
emies.
The 3-21’s classroom is the mountainous
Yukon Training Area south of Eielson Air
Force Base. Their curriculum includes haul-
ing 100 pounds of food, water, gear, armor,
ammunition and weaponry in frigid, windy
conditions as they test out the capabilities of
both themselves and the Strykers that carry
them. The final exam comes next year, when
they venture down to California for a large-
scale training exercise in anticipation of a
spring 2011 deployment to Afghanistan.
For Sgt. Matthew Wood, it’s all about mo-
tivation. Nicknamed “The Woodpecker” by
his comrades, Wood is quick to label his fel-
low soldiers as “motivated” or “lacking mo-
tivation.” Wood is attending Army Ranger
school this winter, and looks forward to
watching other would-be Rangers drop out.
“I thrive on the despair of others,” Wood
said.
Wood also thrives on barking orders and
delivering reprimands, such as when Spc.
Sean Sweeney, a UAA graduate who enlisted
to help pay his college bills, is a little too
School in session for Strykers
slow to open a gate and allow a Stryker car-
rying the battalion commander through.
Others in the 3-21 are a bit more stoic.
2nd Lt. Joshua Robinson is a tall, broad-
shouldered man with a quick smile. He
downplays his numerous accomplishments,
including graduating from West Point with
degrees in International Relations and
Arabic and successfully completing the gru-
eling Army Ranger training. Robinson ma-
jored in Arabic with the intent of using it in
Iraq. With the focus of the U.S. military now
on Afghanistan, Robinson is confident that
his language skills will help him learn the lo-
cal languages, including Farsi and Pashtun.
The 3-21 will be in the Yukon Training Area
for a few weeks. During that time they will
engage in numerous live-fire and combined
arms exercises designed to hone their abili-
ties and better prepare them for the harsh
challenges of the coming months.
6 The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010 Politics
On ‘Day of Peace,’ Ambassador Veliotes stresses importance of diplomacyAmber SandlinSun Star Reporter
The Alaska World Affairs Council brought
former ambassador Nicholas Veliotes up to
share his experience with Alaska on Tues-
day, Sept. 21. “When you speak to him, you
have no idea this man spent 31 years in for-
eign affairs” said Dr. Michael Sfraga, Direc-
tor for the UA Geography program and Vice
Chancellor of students. “Some of it sounds
cliché, but we are a global community; what
happens in the Middle East effects us! It
happens instantly!”
Veliotes spoke on becoming a global com-
munity. The former ambassador said
Americans need to realize they are living
with the world, that all are connected in
some way. Students in Fairbanks rarely get
to learn the “art of diplomacy,” Sfraga said.
Diplomacy by definition is negotiation
between nations. For an ambassador liv-
ing between or in a country of conflict, this
is not an easy task. “When I accepted my
nomination for Egypt, I knew it would be my
last stop,” Veliotes said. “I was very tired and
had good family reasons not to move, and I
wanted to do something else.”
After serving in the U.S. Army from 1946 to
1948, he attended the University of Califor-
nia at Berkeley and was awarded both
Nicholas Veliotes, the former ambassador to Egypt, talked about American diplomacy and U.S. foriegn policy on Sept. 21, 2010 in the Wood Center ballroom. Nina Schwinghammer/Sun Star.
a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree. It was
there that he met and married his wife, Pa-
tricia Nolan.
Veliotes received his commission in the
Foreign Service of the United States in 1955
and served in a variety of posts in Vientiane,
New Delhi, Rome, Naples, Tel Aviv, Jordan,
and Egypt until his retirement from the For-
eign Service in April, 1986.
Veliotes is a member of the Middle East
Institute, the Council on Foreign Relation
and the Veterans of Foreign Wars and serves
on the boards of both America-Mideast
Educational and Training Services and the
American Academy of Diplomacy.
“He’s just an amazing resource about the
Middle East,” said Donna Anger, Senior As-
sociate Director of the Office of Internation-
al Programs. “He has a lot of information
about international students that can help
us understand students from the Middle
East, same with sending students to possible
programs in Egypt, Jordan, Qatari, Turkey,
and the United Arab Emirates.” The inter-
national programs office hopes to expand
its department and spoke highly of Veliotes
during their lunch on Tuesday.
“The goal of the founding fathers was lim-
ited, not effective, government,” Veliotes
said. “Checks and balances among three
branches has led to a constant debate over
interpretation across the board. Confusion
has been the constant factor also in foreign
affairs.” In 2008, Veliotes spoke at the Project
on Middle East Democracy in Washington,
DC and said that Americans need to be care-
ful not to have “Michelangelo Syndrome.”
Veliotes defines Michelangelo Syndrome as
America’s tendency to sculpt U.S. Democ-
racy onto others, disrespecting cultural and
indigenous differences. Veliotes said that it
is important for Americans to not believe
that inside every foreigner is an “American
fighting to emerge.”
Sept. 21 was the International Day of
Peace. This day provides an opportunity for
individuals, organizations and nations to
create practical acts of peace on a shared
date. It was established by a United Nations
resolution in 1981 to coincide with the open-
ing of the General Assembly. The date gave
added emphasis to Veliotes’ message of
diplomacy.
7 www.uafsunstar.com September 28, 2010Politics
The hike stops here
Kaitlin JohnsonSun Star Reporter
Former UA president Mark Hamilton had
advised the BOR to revise previously ap-
proved tuition increases for FY 2012 from 5
to 10 percent for lower division classes. He
also recommended that the Board approve
raising tuition an additional 10 to 12 percent
for FY 2013.
The Coalition’s counter proposal elimi-
nated the 2012 increase and reduced the
2013 increase to 7 percent.
Peter Finn, Coalition president, argued
that by adding to previously approved in-
creases, the Board was essentially under-
mining a contract it had entered into with
students.
“The Board does not want to abandon the
tradition of trust it has with students,” said
Finn, a UAA senior.
While acknowledging the university’s
need to increase revenue, UAA senior Ryan
Buchholdt, explained that a model of 7 per-
cent increases for FY 2013 was on par with
the University’s previous trend of increases
indeed a breach of the students trust.
“We’d already made a commitment to the
students and we felt strongly about sticking
to that commitment,” Compton said.
A decision about the FY 2013 increases
was tabled so that Board members had
more time to review the economic impacts
of all proposed models. The university is fac-
ing pressure from Juneau to become more
financially independent and if the money
is not raised with tuition hikes, it must be
found somewhere else.
“This isn’t just numbers. These are pro-
grams and people that need funding,”
Ripley said. “The money has to come from
somewhere.”
The Coalition must now prepare for the
upcoming November budget meeting. It
plans to be an active part of negotiating in-
creases with the administration, said Carva-
jal, for whom the tuition issue “is like a full
time job.”
“I’m really happy. It feels like a win,”
Carvajal said.
and could be absorbed more easily by stu-
dents.
The Board should be cognizant of the fact
that costs are increasing for students in ar-
eas aside from tuition, he said.
The counter proposal was a strong tactic
for two reasons, said Finn and Nicole Carva-
jal, ASUAF president. First, it demonstrated
the students desire to form strong working
relationships with the Board.
“It’s far more beneficial, far better, to have
a friendly relationship with the Board in-
stead of an adversarial one,” Finn said.
Second, the counterproposal encouraged
the Board to reexamine exactly how much
tuition needed to be raised instead of just
choosing a percentage.
“It’s a real important step,” Carvajal said.
“It encourages the Board of Regents to have
more discretion when it comes to raising tu-
ition and to look at exactly where money’s
going and coming from.”
Student Regent Ashton Compton said that
the Board members decided that revising
previously approved tuition hikes was
At their Sept. 24 meeting, the Board of Re-
gents (BOR) voted against additional tuition
increases for Fiscal Year 2012. A decision on
tuition raises for FY 2013 was deferred to
November.
The Board’s unanimous 9-0 decision
against the additional increases was influ-
enced largely by the joint efforts of the Co-
alition of Student Leaders.
“The times I’ve seen students address the
board, they’re often very organized and pro-
fessional. However, the bar got raised,” said
Kate Ripley, UA’s Public Affairs Director.
The BOR allotted 30 minutes to the Coali-
tion prior to public testimony. To maximize
its effectiveness the Coalition partnered
with student governments throughout the
UA system to present a unified front to the
board. The strongest aspect of the presenta-
tion was the counter proposal students pre-
sented, Ripley said.
Regents reconsider tuition increase
Personalities clash at tuition increase protestJeremia SchrockSun Star Reporter
On Wednesday, Sept. 22, the Associated
Students of the University of Alaska Fair-
banks (ASUAF) held a rally in protest against
the Board of Regents proposed tuition in-
creases. The increases would have substitut-
ed a 10 percent hike for the currently slated
5 percent increase for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012,
with an additional 10-12 percent increase
for FY 2013.
The ASUAF protest was scheduled less
than a week before the Regents meeting in
Juneau, but was done so in order to coincide
with planned protests on both UAA and UAS
campuses.
Spearheading the protest were several
ASUAF officials including Senator Ryan
Duffy, President Nicole Carvajal and Vice
President Mari Freitag. Both Carvajal and
Freitag later flew to Juneau where they gave
testimony alongside students from both
UAA and UAS.
Also in attendance at the protest, but
not in support of it, was Ashleigh Strange.
She held a counter-rally next to ASUAF’s.
Strange, who cited the university’s need to
be better funded in order to offer more di-
versified programs, was in support of the
proposed tuition increase.
At one point, Carvajal and Strange debat-
ed their stances openly among those gath-
ered. Carvajal felt that the university should
better manage their programs and services
before demanding more money from stu-
dents. Also in attendance (on the anti-
increase side) was House Representative
Scott Kawasaki, who felt that an increase in
tuition would not just hurt UAF, but the state
as a whole.
Shane Poindexter and Kris Larson protest next to ASUAF President Nicole Carvajal and ASUAF Vice President Mari Freitag during a Sept. 22, 2010 student protest against the Board of Regents tuition increase. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star.
Walter DiSarro holds an anti-tuition increase sign during an ASUAF spon-sored rally on Sept. 22, 2010. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star.
8 The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010 Sports
UAF adds 6 to 2010 Hall of FameDaniel ThomanSun Star Reporter
On Saturday Sept. 25, the UAF Athletics
Department held its third annual Hall of
Fame induction ceremony. This year marks
the biggest year in terms of numbers of in-
ductees, with 6 going in. The first two years
each had four inductees. The candidates
inducted this year were students from a va-
riety of sports and a pair of administrators
who have been instrumental in the develop-
ment of UAF athletics. This year’s inductees
into the Hall of Fame include Sigrid Aas,
John Gilmore, Mallory Larranaga, Melissa
Mulloy-Mecozzi, Harris Shelton, and Stuart
Watkins.
Sigrid Aas was on the UAF ski team and
was a five-time All-American for Nordic
skiing. When Bill McDonnell, her coach at
UAF, introduced her, he said that at times
he thought it funny that he had a “Norwe-
gian All-American” on his team. In her se-
nior year, Aas won first place in both events
at the NCAA Skiing Championships, The
5K freestyle and the 15K classic. She now
competes on the Norwegian national team,
described by McDonnell as the “most com-
petitive team in the world.”
Professor John Gilmore served as the
athletic director for UAF for 14 years, mak-
ing him the longest tenured athletic direc-
tor in UAF history. During that time he ex-
panded the athletic department, including
establishing women’s basketball team. The
average director only serves about five years
in the position. Gilmore was a professor of
physical education at UAF for 16 years.
Mallory Larranaga was a player on the
UAF volleyball team in the early 2000’s. In
2003, she was the first UAF Nanook vol-
leyball player to be an All-American. Lar-
ranaga has the most kills (a point scored by
a spike) in the history of the program and is
second in both digs (a diving block) and kills
in a single match. She is fifth in the Great
Northern Athletics Conference for kills and
points, and she has set the record for both
conference kills and points, being second in
overall games played.
Melissa Mulloy-Mecozzi has eight All-
Americans to her name, winning two for
each of her four years at UAF while she was
on the rifle team. She earned a spot on the
NCAA National Championship team for
three years and was UAF’s nominee for the
NCAA’s Woman of the Year award.
Mulloy-Mecozzi went on shoot at the 2000
Olympic games in Sydney, Australia, com-
ing in eighth overall. She later won the silver
medal at the 2004 Olympics.
Harris Shelton was UAF’s Vice Chancel-
lor of Student affairs for 18 years and was a
strong champion of UAF Athletics. Shelton
helped bring the Nanooks hockey to the
Carlson Center. He also brought the Nano-
oks into the Central Collegiate Hockey Asso-
ciation (CCHA), a division of the NCAA. Fi-
nally, Shelton advocated the creation of the
Student Recreation Center (SRC), including
going to Juneau to campaign for needed
funds when the bid went over estimate.
Stuart Watkins was described during the
ceremony as the “Godfather” of the UAF
Rifle Team. He was the first UAF Athlete to
win All-American honors in his freshman
year, and he would win them again every
year from that point onward. Watkins was a
national champion in both small and large
bore rifle in 1963. After his retirement from
shooting, he went on to take Dimond High
School in Anchorage to the state champion-
ship in 1996.
UAF Nanooks Adam Henderson and Justin Filzen squared off against each other in the Blue and Gold game at the Patty Center on Sept. 25, 2010. Nina Schwinghammer / Sun Star.
9 www.uafsunstar.com September 28, 2010Sports
Tough weekend for volleyball playersStephanie MartinSun Star Intern
The Nanooks competed last Thursday and
Saturday against the Western Washington
Vikings and the Simon Fraser University
Clan, respectively. Play began Thursday with
the Nanooks winning 25-21 against confer-
ence-leading Western Washington before
falling 3-1 to lose the match. Against Simon
Frasier, the team also won the first game but
was eventually defeated 3-2.
During Thursday night’s game against
Western Washington, Tereza Bendlova re-
ceived a match-high 19 kills.
The Nanooks trailed 10-17 before scor-
ing 6 points in a row and winning the first set
against the Vikings.
In the second set, the Nanooks started
out with the lead but eventually lost by three
points after a tough game. “We are playing a
good opponent with a lot of layers to them,”
said Amy Phelps, associate head coach. “We
stop them in one of the sets and they figure
out how to score. We just didn’t respond
well enough to compete with them.”
The Nanooks came out strong before
falling behind in the third set against the
Vikings. Head coach Phil Shoemaker called
a time out with the team down to try and
regroup. Unable to come back, the Vikings
won 25-17.
The final match was closely contested.
Players dove after every ball. The Vikings
edged past the Nanooks with a final score of
25-19.
Coming off of Thursday night’s loss, the
Nanooks were poised to redeem themselves
against Simon Fraser, and the stands were
filled with fans waiting to watch. Marybeth
Wikander and Simone Chavous began the
match-up with kills. Feeding off Wikander’s
and Chavous’s momentum, the Nanooks
won the first set.
The second set of the night began with
the team down and unable to claw their way
back up. Nanook supporter, Erin Wilbur,
thought the team’s troubles were due to a
lack of communication, but thought they
would be able to “take the game back.” The
set ended in favor of Simon Fraser with a
score of 25-16.
In the third set, fans were kept on the
edge of their seat. Bendlova, Chavous, Wi-
kander, and Erica Gage all helped the team
in the close match up with kills. Even with
the help of all their teammates, the Nanooks
lost 23-25.
The fourth game brought a welcome
change for the Nanooks who led most of the
game. A final kill by Wikander carried the
team to victory.
With the Nanooks and Simon Fraser tied
with two games apiece, the fifth set would
determine the winner. Simon Fraser came
out strong and went on to lead throughout.
The Nanooks scrapped aggressively, hungry
for the win, but were defeated 15-11.Above: UAF’s #4 Marybeth Wikander and #15 Tereza Bendlova block a shot from SFU’s #17 Cheryl Wind-horst. Dillon Ball / Sun Star
Right: UAF’s #7 Simone Chavous and #4 Marybeth Wikander attempt to block a shot from SFU’s #17 Cheryl Windhorst. Dillon Ball / Sun Star
Campus10 The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010
UAF student Ben Shaw takes a hit at the car bash on Sept. 25, 2010. Nina Schwingham-mer/ Sun Star.
UAF’s chancellor Brian Rogers gets things started, as per tradition, with assistance from the UAF Fire Department at the 86th annual Starvation Gulch. Sept. 25, 2010. Dillon Ball/Sun Star.
Bonfires at Starvation Gulch, in Taku parking lot. September 25, 2010. Don Derosier/Sun Star.
The other side of the Gulch
Andrew SheelerSun Star Reporter
At a little past 10 p.m., Officer Clay Faris
rolls out of the UAF police department to be-
gin his patrol. It’s a Saturday night, and for
members of the UAF community, it’s Starva-
tion Gulch, a night of bonfires and entertain-
ment. For Faris, it’s another night of keeping
the peace. This year was Faris’ fourth Star-
vation Gulch, having started at the UAFPD
five years ago November. According to
Faris, Starvation Gulch has a mixed history
of criminal activity. Some years it’s quiet,
some years not so much. Faris recounted
one year, a few years back, when there had
been a large number of sexual assaults, all
involving the date rape drug Rohypnol, that
began around the time of Starvation Gulch.
With his shift starting at 10 p.m. and ending
at 8 a.m., Faris is the first responder to many
crimes taking place during the night of bon-
fires and drinking.
At about 10:30, Faris pulled in to the Taku
parking lot. The lot was filled with roaring
bonfires and crowds of onlookers as Faris
parked and wandered around. Several peo-
ple spotted Faris and hurriedly poured out
their bottles of liquid. Faris noticed them,
but let it pass. Discretion was needed, Faris
said. Minors who consume alcohol may
be violating the law, but the priority is with
those who draw attention. At 11:00 p.m.,
Faris catches one such individual. Along
with Lieutenant Kyle Carrington, also of the
UAFPD, Officer Faris took into custody a
young man, underage and clearly intoxicat-
ed. Faris learned that the man had an out-
standing arrest warrant for theft issued by
the Anchorage Police Department and may
have had multiple prior arrests for consum-
ing alcohol under the legal age limit (also
called Minor Consumption of Alcohol or
MCA). As multiple MCA arrests can trans-
late into a misdemeanor level offense, Offi-
cer Faris radioed in to find out if the suspect
had any priors. Faris was unable to verify
on the priors but nevertheless handed the
young man over to the Fairbanks
Correctional Center. After helping process
the extremely tipsy man and handing him
off to the prison guards, Faris was once more
on his way.
“Nights are the most fun shift,” Faris said.
He added that at night, he gets crimes that
give him “immediate gratification.” In other
words, crimes where he can catch the bad
guy and put him in jail right away. Crime
during the day, Faris said, tends to be more
“cerebral.” It often involves credit card or
check fraud or other lengthy, investigative
activities.
Faris hadn’t even made his way back to
the university before he made his next stop.
A red Silverado ran a red light at the inter-
section of Airport Way and Market Street
near KFC. The driver passed a field sobriety
test and Faris let him and his associates go.
But not before issuing a $160 ticket, making
it a very costly red light. Faris made another
stop on Sheep Creek Road; a blue Mini Coo-
per whose driver was suspected of being
under the influence of alcohol after crossing
a double yellow line while passing another
car. Once again the driver passed the test
and was sent on his way, although this driv-
er received just a warning.
By this time, the bonfires of Starvation
Gulch had all but waned and the crowds
had completely disbursed. Faris noted that
the evening’s stronger than usual winds had
likely helped the fires burn out more
Starvation Gulch as viewed by UAFPD
www.uafsunstar.com September 28, 2010Campus 11
Left: UAF students congregate around bon fires Saturday night as part of UAF’s Starvation Gulch Sept. 25, 2010. Dillon Ball/Sun Star.
quickly than in past years. The fires had
burned out, but Faris’ job was just beginning.
After returning to the police station briefly
to grab some more coffee, Faris resumed his
patrol. It didn’t take long for his hunt to see
fruition. As Faris was pulling out of the Cut-
ler Apartment Complex, where two weeks
ago several UAF basketball players had leapt
out of a third story window in an attempt to
escape him, a truck went speeding past him.
The truck was going well over the 10 MPH
speed limit and, as it turned to go down Yu-
kon toward the museum, its speed picked
up even more.
Once again, the red and blue lights were
flashing and Faris was in pursuit. The sus-
pect continued on for a significant amount
of time before finally pulling in to the park-
ing lot of the Akasofu Building. Along with
Officer Kathy Catron, Faris questioned the
driver, a young man heading home from the
festivities, on whether or not he had been
drinking. The man failed a field sobriety test,
blowing a .136 on the breathalizer test. He
was then arrested and Mirandized. When
the man was again tested at the UAF police
station, he was found to be at .140, nearly
twice the legal limit. Faris and the suspect
talked about cross-country skiing while they
sat in the interviewing room, with Faris fill-
ing out the arrest paperwork.
“You seem like a decent guy,” the suspect
said to Faris as the readied to leave the sta-
tion en route to Fairbanks Memorial Hospi-
tal for a blood test to verify the results.
“It’s nothing personal,” Faris said.
Right:A pile of pallets burns at Starvation Gulch Sept. 25, 2010. Don Derosier / Sun Star.
Chapin described examples of which plans
in the past can become starting points for
the future. On the community level, he con-
gratulated the southwestern village of New-
tok for their efforts to relocate their village
after river erosion. On the state level, he
West Ridge Report12 The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010
UAF scientist suggests interdisciplinary approach to climate change responseKelsey GobroskiSun Star Reporter
As villages around Alaska and across the
world are feeling present-day climate change
effects, a UAF ecologist suggested methods
for climate change adaptation planning on
the national and local levels. Terry Chapin’s
presentation on Sept. 21 was one of the pe-
riodic webinars hosted by The Alaska Center
for Climate Assessment & Policy (ACCAP).
ACCAP broadcasted the presentation from
the Denali Building on College Rd., and
more than 10 local professionals attended
in-person. State agencies and philanthropic
groups were among those who listened and
contributed by web.
Chapin is an ecologist working for the
Institute of Arctic Biology and the Bonan-
za Creek Long-Term Ecological Research
(LTER) program. He studies ecology and
succession, or the natural progression of
habitats and biological communities over
time, as well as the interactions of society
and the environment.
Chapin’s presentation provided an over-
view of climate trends - including compari-
sons over time between population, gross
domestic product, extinctions, and flood-
ing disasters - before he continued into the
realm of planning.
“It’s important to think about the oppor-
tunities we have in a changing climate rather
than focus on the bad things,” Chapin said
in an interview with APRN’s Lori Townsend.
Society needs to focus on “no-regrets op-
tions” in decision-making, he said. Chapin
suggested both mitigation and adaptation,
or trying to both diminish the effects of cli-
mate change as well as work with its conse-
quences.
“The United States has still not fully come
to grips with mitigation,” he said.
confident the policies are intuitive enough
that they will eventually enter legislation.
Climate change affects subsistence by
changing migration and habitat, said Sarah
Trainor, ACCAP coordinator and research
scientist. Many villages are more at risk for
coastal and river erosion. Part of this is due
to sea ice disappearance removing a barrier
between wind and waves. “If the sea ice is
not there, wind can build up from a farther
distance and create a bigger change [in wave
size],” Trainor said.
Trainor also spoke in Kotzebue two weeks
ago at a workshop provided by the Maniiliq
Association and Alaska Native Tribal Health
Consortium. ACCAP also visited Kotzebue
in 2007. The attendants expressed concern
for disease as southern insects move north
due to temperature rise and ecosystem
change, she said.
In 2007, ACCAP and a related organi-
zation, the Scenarios Network for Alaska
Planning (SNAP) were formed along with
the governor-advising Climate Change
Sub-Cabinet. According to a flyer, National
Oceanic Atmospheric Association-funded
ACCAP helps to develop “community plans
and climate adaptation strategies.”
Past webinar topics have included ocean
acidification and renewable energy. Most
of the interest in the webinars comes from
agencies, Chapin said, though some of the
public also show interest. A recording of
Chapin’s presentation is available on AC-
CAP’s website.
“There’s a real need for scientific informa-
tion at a high resolution,” said Brook Gam-
ble, ACCAP outreach coordinator. She is the
only full-time employee, but four principle
scientists and many university faculty mem-
bers also contribute to ACCAP.
Alaskans are moving toward an interdis-
ciplinary treatment of climate change, in-
cluding not only science but also economics
and culture, Chapin said. This combination
is necessary “to come up with solutions that
really work.”
As to whether mitigation or adaptation
should be the focus of research, “it’s really
clear that the both have to move forward ag-
gressively,” Chapin said.
There’s a real need for scientific information at a high resolution
-Brook Gamble“
”said New York brings climate change policy
into every agency. On the national level,
Australia and Bangladesh created adaptive
solutions for environmental problems.
In Alaska, the Interior Issues Council Cli-
mate Change Task Force released its “Pre-
liminary Vulnerability Assessment Report”
in January 2010 after review with ACCAP.
“The intent is that this would be advice to
the state government,” Chapin told APRN.
Although Chapin said he has not seen any
changes, he told APRN that he was
www.uafsunstar.com 13September 28, 2010West Ridge Report
Research Spotlight: When dinosaurs ruled the arctic
Jeremia SchrockSun Star Reporter
When it comes to finding polar dinosaurs,
there is no better place to look than Alaska,
said Patrick Druckenmiller, Curator of Earth
Sciences at the University of Alaska Mu-
seum of the North. With over 60,000 speci-
mens, the museum is currently home to the
largest collection of polar dinosaur fossils in
the world.
Druckenmiller and a team of university
students are dividing their time between
three separate projects, two of which con-
cern Alaska and the museum’s expansive
collection. One of those two Alaska-based
projects is centered on dinosaurs living on
the North Slope during the Late Cretaceous,
between 99 and 65 million years ago.
During that time, Alaska was geographi-
cally much farther north than it is now. The
area that makes up the North Slope cur-
rently sits at around 70 degrees north. Dur-
ing the Late Cretaceous, this same area sat
close to 85 degrees north, only five degrees
away from the North Pole. Despite Alaska’s
proximity to the pole, the North Slope was
heavily forested and, as Druckenmiller put
it, “teeming with dinosaurs.”
In order to figure out just what dinosaurs
Alaska has to offer, undergraduate Carrie
Yardley is currently working on putting to-
gether an online database of the museum’s
over 60,000 pieces. Yardley, who has worked
in the museum for several years, is acting as
a kind of student curator for Druckenmiller.
“I basically take the bones, enter them onto
the database, tag them, bar code them, and
put them into the collection,” she said. That
way, if a researcher from another institution
wants to know what the museum has, they
can go online and view the collection for
themselves. “This is the less glamorous side
of museum work, but it’s really important,”
she said.
When it comes to unraveling the second
question, Druckenmiller says that it’s im-
portant to “look at the fauna of Alaska and
to think of them as an ecosystem.” He went
on to explain that figuring out the sort of
dinosaurs that were not present in Alaska
is just as important as finding the ones that
were. Druckenmiller cited the state’s lack
of crocodiles and turtles as an example,
animals that were found almost everywhere
else during the Late Cretaceous. From their
no-show in Alaska’s fossil record, scientists
can determine that while Alaska was warm,
it wasn’t that warm.
For Druckenmiller, the final question to
be answered is the biggest: What can dino-
saur fossils tell us about how they survived
in a polar environment? To answer that, he
again returns to bone histology. Bones are
unique in that they record several aspects of
an animal’s physiology, such as how old the
animal was when it died, how it aged, if it
could fly, and whether it was warm- or cold-
blooded. All these things can, in Drucken-
miller’s words, “provide interesting clues to
survival mechanisms.”
Druckenmiller said that this information
is important for a variety of reasons. “Be-
cause we want to understand dinosaurs in
ways you’d want to understand animals
today,” Druckenmiller said. “How far will
the climate change in the next 1000 years?
There used to be forests on the North Slope!
It’s good to have perspectives of what has
happened and could happen again.”
Druckenmiller is waiting for his work to
be peer reviewed before discussing his ideas
on how dinosaurs survived in the prehistor-
ic arctic. However, Druckenmiller said, “The
best place in the world to answer [those
questions] is here.”
According to a paper recently published
by European scientists Gregory Price and
Elizabeth Nunn, the Late Cretaceous was
an exceptionally hot time in Earth’s history
with temperatures in the Arctic reaching
the high 60’s. As Druckenmiller pointed out,
in spite of the warmer temperatures Arctic
winters would still have been cold and dark.
So, what did polar dinosaurs do?
This mystery has led Druckenmiller to a
set of three fundamental questions. What
sorts of species of dinosaurs are found in
the Arctic? How did these dinosaurs interact
with their ecosystem? And what can their
fossils tell us about how they survived a po-
lar environment?
To answer the first question, Drucken-
miller is focusing primarily on teeth and
bone histology, the study of objects at the
cellular level. One dinosaur he’s found on
the North Slope is Saurornitholestes, an
animal he says is what we think of when we
think “velociraptor.” Prior to his discovery,
Saurornitholestes had only ever been found
as far north as Canada. About such finds,
Druckenmiller’s enthusiasm was hard to
mask. It’s amazing, he said. “You go ‘Whoa!’
I didn’t know that was going to be here!”
Patrick Druckenmiller points out the fossil remains of an Ichthyosaur front paddle. Sept. 22, 2010. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star.
Patrick Druckenmiller talks about the toothed snout of an Ichthyosaur during an inter-view in his office on Sept. 22, 2010. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star.
You go ‘Whoa! I didn’t know that was going to be here!’ -Druckenmiller“
”
Special Events
14 The Sun StarCalendar
Sharpen your skills and your axes; it’s time once again for the Farthest North Forest
Sports Festival. On Saturday, Oct. 2, burly lumberjacks (and lumberjills, if you will) from
UAF and the Fairbanks community are encouraged to participate in the spirit from a time
when crosscutting and logrolling were the basis of both survival and revival.
Worthy woodsmen and women will compete for the rugged individual status of “Bull and
Belle of the Woods”. Teamwork among groups of four to six will also be recognized. Events
such as a pulp-toss, axe-throw, logrolling, crosscutting and fire building will demonstrate
the muscle and precision that are characteristic of this romanticized culture.
During the heyday of the lumberjack, 1890-1940, the notion that timber supplies were in-
finite prevailed. Today, modern forestry practices and harvesting techniques have taught
us to manage this limited resource for sustainability.
Sponsored by the UAF Department of Forest Sciences and the Resource Management
Society, this event pays tribute to this progress.
At UAF, studies focus mainly on the boreal forest and developing environmentally sound
methods of producing sustainable, high yields of products such as toilet paper, copy pa-
per and newsprint.
Come at 10 a.m. to the Fairbanks Experiment Farm or 1 p.m. to Ballaine Lake and show
your appreciation! This is your chance to sport your favorite flannel and suspenders.
Dress warm. Hot beverages and a warming fire will be provided. For more information,
call 474-7084.
Annual UAF Festival Sees the Forest for the Trees
Tara CallearSun Star Calendar Editor
Lectures, Meetings & Training
Special Events
REDUCING MATH ANXIETY WORKSHOP
You + this workshop = success! This is one in a series of Student Success Workshops being offered by the UAF Academic Advis-ing Center. Please register at www.uaf.edu/advising/student/.
September 28, 2010
Lectures, Meetings & Training
Special Events
Sarah Pegemmaro and Tristan Freeman compete in the Forest Games Oct. 3, 2009. Jesse Hoff / Sun Star.
28Tuesday 29Wednesday
30Thursday
1:05 p.m.-1:55 p.m., 409 Gruening, FREE
TOASTMASTERS
Toastmasters is a mutually supportive and positive learning environment for devel-oping oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. Guests are welcome.
5:30-6:30 p.m., O’Neill Building Room 201, Free
TRADITIONS TUESDAYS
Wear your Nanook Traditions gear on Tues-days and be one of the lucky students to be spotted by the prize patrol and get free stuff! For more information, call 474-6029.
All day, UAF Campus
PUB TRIVIA
Teams of three or four will battle on a se-ries of short quizzes, with top scoring teams winning prizes. MC’ed by The Pub’s very own Donny C.
8:30 p.m., The UAF Pub, $5 per team
HEALTH FAIR
Good health is just as important as good grades. Student Health and Counseling will provide healthy snacks, great information, blood pressure checks and body fat analysis. For more details call 474-7043.
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., MBS, FREE
Featured Event
VOLUNTEER FAIR
Get involved by volunteering on campus or in the community. Representatives from lo-cal non-profits will answer questions, KSUA will DJ, and there will be FREE popcorn. For more information call 474-1170 or email [email protected].
12 p.m.-3 p.m., Wood Center
Visual Arts
MASTER OF FINE ARTS: CAN-DIDATES’ EXHIBITION
September 28 to October 1 mark the final days to view this exhibition. Includes Adam Ottavi-Schiesl and Ben Huff in Photogra-phy, Denis Keogh in Printmaking, Heidi Morel and John Smelter in Ceramics, Junko Yanagida in Native Arts, Kate Schroeder and Riva Sazama in Sculpture, and Mike Quinn in Drawing. For more information call 474-7530.
8 a.m.-5 p.m., UAF Art Gallery
IRON WILLIAMS: LIFE AND TIMES
Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, freelance writer, editor and public relations consul-tant, Ceaser M. Williams, is the first of a se-ries of three Snedden Guest Lectures being presented this fall. For additional informa-tion email [email protected] or call 474-7761.
7 p.m., Morris Thompson Center
HEALTH FAIR
Good health is just as important as good grades. Student Health and Counseling will provide healthy snacks, great information, blood pressure checks and body fat analysis. For more details call 474-7043.
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., MBS, FREE
SNOWMOBILE WORK MEETING
Get involved with an electric snowmobile and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Open to all students and snacks will be provided. For more information email [email protected].
2 p.m.-5 p.m., Duckering 231
RECYCLING KICK-OFF BARBEQUE
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mixed paper and cardboard at UAF! A barbeque for students, faculty and staff will kick off this new pro-gram. For more information contact the Of-fice of Sustainability at [email protected].
11:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Wood Center, FREE with Polar Express Card
Music & Dance
Lectures, Meetings & Training
Calendar
Music & Dance
Sports & Recreation
Special Events
www.uafsunstar.com 15September 28, 2010
Music & Dance
Sports & Recreation
Want to keep up with all the campus and local events?
Check out our online calendarat www.uafsunstar.com
where you can add events to your Google Calendar with just
a click!
1Friday
2Saturday
3Sunday
4Monday
Sports & Recreation
UAF TechFest 2010 is coming October 6-8th!
Grab your GPS and join in the fun BEFORE the
event begins! Win prizes and gain en-
try into a raffle at OIT’s GeoCache Scavenger Hunt.
Find coordinates online at
www.alaska.edu/oit/techfest2010
<http://www.alaska.edu/oit/techfest2010>
<http://www.whatever-oururlis.com/>
starting on September 27th. Happy hunting!
SUCCESSFUL TEST TAKING WORKSHOP
Make the grade with the help of the UAF Academic Advising Center. Please register at www.uaf.edu/advising/student/.
1:05 p.m.-1:55 p.m., 409 Gruening, FREE
MUSIC AT ONE
For more information about this weekly music recital email [email protected].
1-2 p.m., Davis Concert Hall, Free
UAF HOCKEY VS. WINDSOR
For more information call the UAF Ticket Office at 474-5977.
7 p.m., Patty Ice Rink
WINE TASTING
Come learn about the wines featured on the Pub’s own wine list and dazzle your friends with your knowledge of the varietals, vine-yards and wine makers. Quiz prizes will be awarded and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Seating is limited. For more information call 474-7766.
6 p.m., The Pub, $15 (in advance)
Lectures, Meetings & Training
MIDNIGHT SUN WRITER’S SERIES
Anthony Varallo will perform readings of his original short stories. He has published two collections, Out Loud, winner of the 2008 Drue Heinz Literature Prize, and This Day in History, winner of the 2005 John Simmons Short Fiction Award. For more information call 474-7231.
2:30 p.m., Wood Center Ballroom
NEW CUT ROAD
As the name suggests, this band’s rugged sound is straight out of Fairbanks. Playing classic folk and country covers from Bob Dylan to Credence Clearwater, this is a guar-anteed night of down-home entertainment. For more information call 474-7766.
9 p.m., The Pub (21+)
Special Events
RECORD EXPO
“Hot funk, cold punk, even if it’s old junk, it’s still rock and roll to me.” Billy Joel won’t be there but KSUA will be. Vendors will also be there buying, selling, and trading vinyl, cas-settes, CDs, as well as music memorabilia. Individuals interested in becoming vendors should contact Glenn at 699-9737.
5 p.m., Wood Center
2010 NORTHERNMOST FOREST SPORTS FESTIVAL
Timmm-berrr! Come test your lumberjack skills and learn about the boreal forest as well as the discipline of forestry at this 6th annual, all-day event sponsored by the De-partment of Forest Sciences and School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Scienc-es (SNRAS). Spectators are welcome. For more information email [email protected].
9 a.m., Agricultural Fields and at Ballaine Lake
NORTH STAR STRINGS
No auditions necessary and all skill levels are encouraged to attend; violins, violas, cellos are welcome. The orchestra plays light classics, pops, show tunes and fiddle music, just for fun. For more information call 479-6064, email [email protected].
10 a.m.-12 p.m., Fine Arts Com-plex, Music Room 301, FREE
P.U.B. LEAGUE
P.U.B. League or Pick Up Band League is a night of experimentation and improvisa-tion. Random, interested musicians are placed in groups of four or five and compete to see which pick-up band can bring it to-gether best. For more information call 474-7805.
9 p.m., The Pub
ESTER DOME EXPLORATION
Explore the beautiful, leaf-carpeted trails on Ester Dome. This is a gentle day hike along mostly rolling terrain. Transportation is included. For more information email [email protected] or call 474-6027.
9 a.m., Meet at OA, Wood Center, $14 Students/ $17 Faculty, Staff, Alumni
UAF SWIMMING: BLUE VS. GOLD
For more information call the UAF Ticket Office at 474-5977.
12 p.m., Patty Center
Music & Dance
ARCTIC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Presented by the Fairbanks Symphony Or-chestra, conducted by Eduard Zilberkant, with the Arctic Chamber Orchestra of Alas-ka ensemble, the event will feature Violinist, Olivier Fluchaire. For more information visit www.fairbankssymphony.org/.
4 p.m., Davis Concert Hall, $30
Sports & Recreation
TABLE TOP MOUNTAIN HIKE
Take a hike! This gentle three-mile loop across rolling terrain weaves up through a recovering burn area. Transportation is in-cluded. For more information call 474-6027 or email [email protected].
9 a.m., Meet at OA, Wood Center, $21 Students/ $25 Faculty, Staff, Alumni
LEARN TO SKATE
Classes run October 4th through December 16th, with beginning level classes Monday and Wednesday and advanced classes Tues-day and Thursday. For more information call 474-6888 or send an e-mail to [email protected].
10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Patty Ice Center, $75 for 20 sessions/ $8 per session
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Why watch the games in your dorm when you can find FREE popcorn, a BIG screen and comfy couches at the Wood Center Lounge? For more information contact SAO at www.uaf.edu/activity.
4:30 p.m., Wood Center Lounge, FREE
16 Perspectives The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010
Donna Patrick, ANPSpecial to the Sun Star
Club of the Week
Say “Ah”
Sponsored by UAF Center for Health and CounselingFor additional information, contact the
Center for Health and Counseling at 474-7043 or visit our Web site at www.uaf.edu/chc
Division of Student Services
Blood pressure
Q: What is Blood Pressure?
A: Blood pressure (BP) is the force cre-
ated as your heart pumps blood and moves
it through your blood vessels. A BP reading
measures this as it presses against the inside
walls of your arteries. High BP means that
your heart is working harder than it should.
It’s also a sign that your blood vessels are
being damaged. If left untreated, high BP
can lead to serious problems such as stroke,
blindness, heart attacks, kidney and heart
failure. High BP is often referred to as the
“Silent Killer” and can even cause death.
Q: What do the numbers mean when I
have my BP taken?
A: Two measurements are taken:
• Systolic BP is the top number which
measures the force while your heart pumps.
A normal healthy systolic BP is below 120.
• Diastolic BP is the bottom number
which measures the force between heart
beats. A normal healthy diastolic BP is be-
low 80.
Q: But I thought my BP was good if it is
below 140/90?
A: With the new guidelines BPs between
120/80 and 139/89 are now considered
Prehypertension. This new designation is
intended to identify those individuals in
whom early intervention by adoption of
healthy lifestyles could reduce BP, decrease
the rate of progression of BP to hypertensive
levels with age, or prevent hypertension en-
tirely.
Q: How can I tell if I’m falling prey to the
silent killer?
A: Since high BP rarely shows symp-
toms, the only way to know for sure is to
check your BP reading. If you haven’t had
it checked within the last year, come to the
Center for Health & Counseling and we can
check it for you.
Q: How can I bring my blood pressure
down?
A:
• Don’t smoke cigarettes or use any to-
bacco products.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of
vegetables and fruits and is low in fat.
• Limit how much sodium (salt) you eat.
Try to keep it to 2 gm sodium/day.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink.
• Limit how much caffeinated beverages
you consume.
• Try relaxation techniques.
If the above measures fail to decrease your
blood pressure you should see your health
care provider.
The Black Awareness Student Union
(BASU) is part cultural club, part commu-
nity service organization. Joe Hayes, the di-
rector of Alumni Relations, said, “It’s a great
environment to come and learn.”
This year, the club president Lauren Wi-
ley and her vice president Robert Kinnard
are attempting to bring BASU to its core val-
ues: academic excellence, community ser-
vice and outreach, cultural enrichment and
awareness and unity.
“The club is not just for black people…
it’s for all people,” said Jackie Alleyne-Mc-
Cants, associate director of financial aid and
alumna. The club reaches out to members of
the community, including Danielle Hetrick,
of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Pastor Fred
Wilson, of the First African Methodist Epis-
copal Church. Pastor Wilson said that BASU
is “here for support of the community.”
With Alaskans being quite a bit of distance
from the rest of the world, BASU works to
make sure they are informed of black his-
tory. “I think that it’s important that other
people know what BASU is and what black
culture means,” Vice President Kinnard
said.
“I think that UAF is such a diverse place
that learning about different cultures is im-
portant,” Hayes said.
BASU works to live up to their tenet of
unity. During the club’s dinner break, BASU
tried to break the ice with questions asking
everything from name and hometown to
favorite NFL team, food or hobbies. “I en-
courage people to get out there, everyone
has a story,” said Wiley, the club president.
“Make good choices.”
Ben DeeringSun Star Reporter
www.uafsunstar.com Perspectives 17September 28, 2010
Jeremy SmithSun Star Columnist
Jamie HazlettSun Star Columnist
Weekend Wanderlust
Hey, I’ve got a quick question... During an average day, I’m asked a lot of
questions. Almost all of them are tech orient-
ed, which is good because that’s something
that I know a fair bit about. I’m not some
kind of web wunderkind who understands
how the CSS3 codes proposed by the W3C
will speed up YouTube video rendering on a
mobile platform. I barely even know what I
just wrote. I do know that I have been build-
ing, fixing, troubleshooting and using com-
puters since the Apple IIc. Hosting a tech-
nology show on a local radio station for six
years has also helped me when it comes to
answering those tech questions with com-
puter talk that can actually be used.
Many people end up becoming the go-
to tech support for their organization or
friends. It probably begins innocently
enough: someone can’t open a .docx file.
You visit Google and learn that it’s the de-
fault save format for Word 2007 and 2010
documents. They were using Word 2003,
which has no idea what to do with that extra
x. A little more research turns over the rock
revealing the free converter from Micro-
soft, and they can now view and edit .docx
files with impunity. In-house tech support
is born! That’s slightly similar to how I got
started all those years ago. The biggest dif-
ference is that my origin story is so much
more embarrassing.
I bought my first computer from a mail-
order service in the back pages of Computer
Shopper, a magazine that once was as thick
as a phone book, stuffed with advertise-
ments hawking Pentium Pro processors and
gigantic 17-inch monitors. The computer
itself was a simple beige box with the non-
removable plastic front hot-glued to the
metal case. It was a decent system, but was
completely incapable of connecting to the
then speedy 33.6 Kbps Internet. After a week
of attempts and numerous calls to tech sup-
port, I finally paid for some on-site support.
After five minutes the tech was gone. Diag-
nosis? I had the same phone cable plugged
into both ports of the modem. “One of them
has to go to the phone jack in the wall or it
doesn’t dial out,” he said, stifling a laugh and
failing. “It has to go from the wall to your
computer or it won’t work. You can’t plug
the phone cable into itself!” It was an over-
sight, but a humiliating one.
That’s when I decided to learn all I could
about computers. I would never pay for tech
condescension again.
Now it’s your turn. Not to become the al-
pha geek, but to ask questions of one. Once
a month in this column, I’m planning to
answer tech questions that are sent in to
the Sun Star. Ask what free ways exist to edit
and save PDF files, if a Kindle DX will make
school life easier, or if a 3D Television is the
right way to spend your PFD. You can even
ask if you have the phone line plugged in
correctly. I won’t laugh because I’ve been
there.
Jeremy talks and takes on technology at gpfault.org.
Passport particulars
Passports: they aren’t just for globetrotters
anymore. U.S. citizens are required to pres-
ent a valid passport or passport card upon
entering the United States from any foreign
country, including Canada and Mexico.
The rules for where you can go without
your passport are simple – if it belongs to
the United States, you just need a valid gov-
ernment-issued ID. If, however, you have a
layover at an airport in another country, you
do have to provide a passport upon re-en-
tering the United States. The same is true for
cruise aficionados; if your ship stops outside
the United States, you’ll need a passport. If
you’re uncertain about the identification
requirements of your itinerary, contact the
company you are traveling with.
Many people are now sporting passport
cards, which carry much of the same infor-
mation as a passport but fit into your wallet
or purse. A passport card is good only if you
are traveling by sea or land, not if you are fly-
ing, and can be used only from certain des-
tinations. If you are staying in North Amer-
ica, you might find the passport card to be
a more efficient option, at $55 it rings up at
less than half the cost of a passport book.
The passport process is simple. The ap-
plication is available online, or you can pick
one up at the post office. Passport photos
can be taken at the Barnette Street post of-
fice as well. Passport applications are ac-
cepted here between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Monday through Friday. You will need to
provide the application fee and proof of your
identity and citizenship. Start the process
well before your trip, as normal processing
takes about 10 weeks. Expedited service is
available, but is more expensive. Passport
renewals can be done online, in person at
the post office, or via regular mail.
A passport is a travel essential and can
become a memento of your adventures
abroad. If you don’t have one yet, you may
want to consider getting one, even if there
are no specific travel plans in your imme-
diately future. Whenever you are abroad,
remember that there are U.S. embassies and
consulates available to help you. These are
your tax dollars at work. Use them and en-
joy your travels.
Opinion18 The Sun StarSeptember 28, 2010
The Sun Star welcomes reader commentary. Letters to the editor should be no more than 250 words in length. Please include the author’s full name and contact information (phone number, e-mail or address). E-mail your letters (preferred) to [email protected], fax them to 474-5508, or mail them to to PO Box 756640, Fairbanks, AK, 99775. All letters are subject to editing for brevity and grammar.
Letters to the EditorHave something to say? Say it here. The Sun Star welcomes reader commentary.Dear Editor,
In regards to the planned burning of the
Quran…
Though I grew up in an Islamic household
and have family ties to the Middle East, I
must emphasize that hate speech is still free
speech. The Quran is not off limits to physi-
cal destruction or critique. It is unfortunate
that some Muslims and non-Muslims fail to
understand that blasphemy is protected in
the Western world.
An American cartoonist that recently de-
picted Muhammad has apparently had to go
into hiding. In January of this year, a Dan-
ish cartoonist faced a murder attempt due
to his depiction of Muhammad. A German
academic that has published a controversial
assessment of the Quran utilizes the pseud-
onym “Christoph Luxenberg” because of the
potential repercussions. This is not a recent
phenomena; I point to the Salman Rushdie
Affair as evidence.
It appears that tension between the West
and Islam will not end anytime soon. This
is why it is essential that the United States
convey in its foreign policy that the acts of
private citizens do not collectively repre-
sent our nation. Does this not parallel the
response of many Muslims to terrorist at-
tacks?
This approach to foreign policy can be
applied to local incidents. One individual’s
plan to burn the Quran at the Starvation
Gulch event should not be interpreted as
being representative of the student body,
the university or the wider community. Free
speech must be upheld, and it concerns me
that a Facebook comment warranted con-
tacting the authorities.
Sincerely,
Ali Amhaz-Strickland
Dear Editor,
I am sorely disappointed in the account-
ability of Jeremia Schrock’s recent article
“’Cabin rap’ not for everyone” for many rea-
sons. The foremost being his lack to show
any attempt to make the article balanced
and as well as his apparent lack to print
more than one interview. Whatever hap-
pened to the guideline of having a minimum
of three interviews for an article? It seems to
me that Schrock found what he thought to
be a “neutral” comment by Stephanie Parsel
and decided one was good enough as it was
“balanced”. Are you kidding me? I do won-
der if it ever occurred to him to ask those
who where dancing what they thought of
the show, then contrast that with those who
where not, so on and so forth. I myself heard
a few people say they were drawn in by the
lyrics, that they just wanted to listen to what
was being delivered rather than dance. Per-
haps what separates The Phineas Gauge
from other rap groups is the fact there are in-
telligent messages being spoken as opposed
to the regular “drugs, money and bitches”
style that infests hip-hop.
In this particular case the Sun Star can go
ahead and claim to be the voice of the stu-
dent body, but I declare my body to have its
own voice and it is clearly not the voice you
reporters speak.
Sincerely,
Ryan Sanders
Dear Editor,
Last year when there was a rally against
the tuition hikes, I shouted at the protest-
ers that UAF needed the money. Someone
with a bullhorn shouted back that I was an
in-state student and I “didn’t understand.”
It’s true. I am an in-state student, but the tu-
ition is going up for me, too. I’m putting my-
self through this school by working during
the school year and for every break; I have
been since my freshman year.
I’m not overjoyed that I’m going to have
to pay more money to get my education, but
we can’t just continue to scrape by on bud-
get cuts alone.
If we continue cutting programs, this place
is going to look like it’s held together by duct
tape. If we want to have fully functioning
classrooms and state-of-the-art technology
to continue learning, we are going to have to
pay for those services. The FY 2012 budget
is available online at the Board of Regents
website. The repairs that they are propos-
ing will make this university a much better
place.
I don’t have anybody standing behind
me telling me what to think. This is just my
opinion as a student, working hard to make
sure that future generations of Alaskans can
continue to come here and get a quality
education. I understand that we don’t want
to pay, but if I want quality, I’ll pay quality.
That’s how the world works. Get used to it.
Sincerely,
Ashleigh Strange
X-MAS IN KONA HAWAII5 Star Luxury Condo
Dec 27- Jan 7, $125/night479-6810
LOST: black wal-let lost in the Police Station parking lot or Wood Center on
September 23rd. No questions asked. Reward offered.
Please call 479-0333.
Heal thyselfSudoku
19Editorial
xkcd
www.uafsunstar.com
Andrew SheelerEditor-in-ChiefUAF Sun Star
Coffee BreakSeptember 28, 2010
This week, ASUAF President Nicole Carva-
jal, members of the ASUAF Senate, and even
State Representative Scott Kawasaki led an
“all-black” protest to decry the Board of Re-
gents’ decision to raise tuition by as much
as 20 percent over the course of three years.
A day later, Carvajal and a small selection
of ASUAF senators and concerned UAF
students flew down to Juneau at ASUAF’s
expense to take that protest straight to the
Regents. The students gave, by all accounts,
a very solid argument against the tuition
increase and the Regents have appeared to
reconsider at least part of the planned in-
crease. Certainly the students at UAF owea debt of gratitude to those who went down to Juneau on their behalf. But don’t break your
arm patting yourself on the back. ASUAF, fiscal responsibility begins at home.
On Tuesday, Senate Bill (SB) 175-001, AKA the “morphsuits bill”, was passed out of com-
mittee and referred to a full vote by the ASUAF Senate. What is a morphsuit? If you’ve seen
somebody wearing a blue or gold full body suit recently, perhaps on your way through the
Wood Center or at a sporting event, you’ve seen a morphsuit. ASUAF Senator Arthur Mar-
tin sponsored the bill to purchase 10 of these suits, for a total of nearly $500. Cody Rogers
of the Student Activities Office offered to chip in for half the cost, leaving ASUAF on the
hook for $240. That might not seem like much money, but for the average UAF student that
money could’ve bought a semester’s worth of textbooks or paid for a year long parking de-
cal. That $240 comes out of the $35 student government fee that every student taking three
or more credits has to pay.
SB 175-001 was narrowly voted down at the Sunday, Sept. 26 meeting. A single vote kept
the bill from passing. Several senators were absent for this vote and it is difficult to tell if
their presence would’ve swung the vote in favor of the morphsuits. Something more read-
ily apparent is the willingness of some senators, in this case Arthur Martin, to spend money
on frivolous bills. In the same week that members of the ASUAF held a protest against the
irresponsible fiscal decisions of the Board of Regents, the student senate was on the verge
of making an irresponsible decision of their own.
I applaud the ASUAF for their hard work speaking out on behalf of the UAF student
body. But, I implore them to look within as well as without. Please don’t squander the
goodwill you’ve earned this week, ASUAF, by squandering student money on wasteful ex-
penditures.
Nappy Roots heats up FairbanksKaitlin JohnsonSun Star Contributor Nappy Roots was “in da building.” Well,
sort of.
Last Friday in Beluga Field, the Grammy
nominated rap quintet performed to a crowd
of over 1,100 people according to Cody Rog-
ers, Assistant Director of Student Activities
Assistant Director. The concert simultane-
ously kicked off the Starvation Gulch week-
end and concluded the group’s Pursuit of
Nappiness tour.
“I loved the energy,” said rapper Vito. “It
meant goals were set and goals were met.”
The outdoor concert was a frigid 20 de-
grees Fahrenheit. Concert-goers were bun-
dled up in hats, coats and blankets. They
downed complimentary hot chocolate and
danced to stay warm. But for the Georgia-
based Fish Scales, and Kentucky-based
Skinny Deville, B. Stille, Ron Clutch and
Vito, the atmosphere was hot.
“I was stripping out there,” Vito said. “The
cold don’t bother me when I’m playing for
the people.”
Increases of big names in Alaska are par-
tially due to efforts of people like Josh Silva,
aka Alaska Redd. Silva grew up in a rock
household but saw rap as his outlet for ex-
pression. He tries to promote hip hop and
rap in Alaska by attracting recognized per-
formers – like Snoop Dogg and Nappy Roots
– to the state.
“It’s breaking barriers,” Silva said. “We’re
getting people to accept this kind of mu-
sic that’s been big in the states but up here
we’re just 10 years behind.”
Silva, who opened the concert, said that
Nappy Roots was a good group for the col-
lege circuit because of their tight lyrics and
the hard-knock upbringing that seeps into
their music.
The event had a few glitches. Many thrifty
students dodged the five-dollar fee by sim-
ply standing at the outskirts of the fenced
barriers. Some students actually knocked
down a barrier while Silva was opening, but
security promptly righted it.
After a cable was unplugged, Nappy Roots
stopped performing for two minutes and left
the stage as support crew figured out how to
get power. The group returned to a chant of
“Nappy, Nappy.”
“It was like a shower in the summer,” Vito
said. “You just come back even hotter and
the crowd’s adrenaline’s running.”
During the piece they dimmed the lights
and tried to really connect with the envi-
ronment, Vito said. After all, Fairbanks is a
small town.
“It’s important to bond with and touch the
fans,” he said. “It was the perfect way to end
the Pursuit of Nappiness.”
It’s breaking barriers. We’re getting people to accept this kind of mu-sic that’s been big in the states but up here we’re just 10 years behind.
-Josh Silva aka Alaska Redd.
“
”Fish Scales at the Nappy Roots concert Sept. 24, 2010. Photo courtesy Caleb Kuntz.
The group engaged audience
members by inviting some of the
women on stage to dance.
“It’s important that the women get their
chance to shine,” Vito said. “It’s like a bridge
from regular girl to superstar.”
For high school senior, Chonnie Nava,
grinding on stage was the highlight of the
concert. “It was a big surprise. I finally got to
meet my star singer Nappy Roots,” she said.
For Nappy Roots, the concert’s most inti-
mate moment was singing “Small Town.”