Online only

Great Pacific Band stuns crowd of Western students

westernfrontonline.net

Viking Jam

Champs welcome new season, page 8

Friday October 19, 2012

The Western Front

Winner of five 2011 SPJ Awards

A masterpiece for your feet, page 12

Shoe Art

Leaving behind man's best friend, page 13

Pets

One in five U.S. adults now religiously unaffiliated

A question of faith

WWU econ. center closes due to cutbacks

By Mason Cheung On Wednesday, Western announced its Center for Economic Vitality would be closing by the end of the year. The cutback is due to a loss of funding from state and local governmental agencies, said Brian Burton, dean of the College for Business and Economics. Focusing on exportrelated counseling and market research, the center has been offering specialists for small businesses in Whatcom County at no cost since 2008, Burton said. Issues these businesses face involve keeping their businesses running and finding ways to grow. Burton said the center will have helped as many as 300 different businesses this year alone. Acting director James McCafferty is one of six staff members at the center who will lose their jobs at the end of the year. McCafferty said they are still determined to continue providing the same work for the community until then.
SEE

Volume 161 Issue 7

Compass 2 Campus will bring 900 fifth graders from Skagit and Whatcom counties to Western on Tuesday. The students are visiting to see firsthand what university and campus life is like. The tour marks the fourth year since Compass 2 Campus was initiated.

Mt. Baker Theatre will host their 13th annual film festival at 6 p.m. Attendees can checkout their new selection of winter sports clips from international and local filmers on Oct. 25. Tickets cost $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

Chaplain of the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry, Father Joseph Altenhofen, celebrates communion during mass at the Newman Center, Thursday. One in five adults older than 30 do not have any religious affiliations, according to a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center. Photo by Nick Gonzales

By Elena Edington The number of Americans who do not identify with any religion, commonly referred to as nones, is on the rise. One in five U.S. adults older than 30 and 1 in 3 adults younger than 30 are now

religiously unaffiliated, the highest percentage ever, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. In 2007, the center found 15.3 percent of American adults, when asked about their current religion, described themselves as

atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular. The number of unaffiliated respondents has climbed steadily over the years and now resides at almost 20 percent.
SEE

The Western Libertarians and the None of the Above club will be showing the third-party presidential debate from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, in Academic West 305. The groups want to inform students that they have alternative voting options to the two major political parties. Food will be provided.

FAITH, PAGE

CEV, PAGE

Q&A with travel guru Rick Steves

By Annika Wolters Author and travel guru Rick Steves made his way to Western's Arntzen Hall on Tuesday to preach the importance of voting in favor of Initiative 502. Steves has spent about one-third of every year travelling through Europe since 1973. While venturing across the globe, Steves said he viewed American society from afar, and compared laws in the United States with those from European countries. This particular initiative concerning the legalization and regulation of marijuana, Steves said, must be passed. When his talk was over and the people cleared out, with autographed travel brochures clutched in hand, Steves and the Western Front sat in the giant, empty lecture hall and discussed his life.

Eliminating single-use bottles

Number of water bottles filled using refilling stations, as of Oct. 18, 2012
Wade King Rec Center 37,345
Arntzen 13,145

Old Main

12,041

Last spring, Western students passed an initiative that would ban the sale of all singleuse water bottles from Western's campus. The Associated Students has installed water bottle refilling stations to help students ease into the transition. The AS is working to install another station inside the Wilson Library by spring 2013.

SEE

STEVES, PAGE

It takes 3 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of water bottles

Illustration by Annie Gaines Source: Carolyn Bowie

October 27 is Make a Difference Day, a national holiday that lets citizens give back to their communities. Residents of Bellingham's York neighborhood conduct an annual cleanup of Franklin Park on this day. Volunteers start their day with a free breakfast at 9 a.m. at Bellingham High School.

2 | News

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

Cops Box
Bellingham Police
Oct. 16 An individual who used to live at a home now rented by another person, returned to the property today, let out the chickens and left rambling notes. If the individual is located, the tenant requested they be trespassed from the property. Oct. 18 An individual on the 2200 block of Michigan Street called police and reported that he fell for a Nigerian scam and sent his computer to an unknown person in this country without getting paid for the computer.
Compiled by Sarah Aitchison

By Alex Peterson With ballots being mailed to voters this week, candidates for Governor of Washington Jay Inslee (D) and Rob McKenna (R) sparred over issues including education, taxes and transportation Tuesday night in the final debate before the Nov. 6 election. Going into the debate, Inslee had a 3-point lead over McKenna at 47-44 percent, according to SurveyUSA, well within the 4.3 percent margin of error. Following the debate, support stayed the same, according to a KCTS 9 poll that showed Inslee leading 47.9-44.7 percent, but of likely voters, McKenna gained on Inslee, trailing 47.1-46.3 percent. Moderator: How will you provide money for schools if the economy does not bounce back in the next two years? Inslee again said he would look into healthcare reform in the state and reducing inflation, but reiterated his faith that jobs will come. He said his activity with Boeing, Microsoft, apple growers and clean energy gave him the experience to be the job creator that would bring in revenue to finance education. McKenna cited the economic forecasts, which predict a 7-percent increase in state revenue in the next two years, which he said would be over $2 billion in new revenue. McKenna said there could be up to $11 billion in new revenue over the next eight-year period, but said the key was prioritizing education, which he said the previous 20 years of administrations did not do. Moderator: What will you do as governor to limit college tuition increases? The [Washington state] legislature has tried to mask the effect of those deep cuts [to higher education funding] by dramatically raising tuition, McKenna said. He said he would prioritize the $11 billion of new tax revenue over the next eight years to education by sending two-thirds of that money to public schools and universities. Inslee moved away from the subject and said he would start with the economy, creating jobs and healthcare reform. He said the loss in state revenue was responsible for the rising cost of tuition. Moderator: What have you done to safeguard a womans right to choose and womens right to emergency contraceptives? Inslee said McKenna had not voiced support for womens health access, but McKenna pointed out he had, in fact, stated his support at the last debate. McKenna said he supports the laws that provide women access to insurance and emergency contraceptives. McKenna also said he supported the legislation to require pharmacies to carry emergency contraceptives. When Inslee responded by accusing McKenna of being against health insurance covering a womans right to choose, McKenna looked shocked and retorted that he is against jeopardizing rights and that Washington state has laws in place to protect those rights.

Western Front Highlights of the final governors debate

Senior softball player Melissa Becker practices "getting big" on the ball on Monday at Fairhaven Fields. Becker said "getting big" on the ball is swinging hard but still practicing correct form by using your hips. The Western softball team plays Saturday at University of Washington in Seattle for an exhibition game. Their season starts Feb. 1 against BYU Hawaii in Hilo, Hawaii. Photo by Nick Gonzales

The

Winner of five Society of Professional Journalist awards Western Washington University Communications Facility 251 Bellingham, WA 98225
Editor-in-Chief Sarah Aitchison Managing Editor James Kozanitis News Editors Mike Lydon Daniel Pickard Features Editors Ana Karen Perez Guzman Brooke Warren Sports Editor Alex Bigelow Opinion Editor Joella Ortega Photo Editor Laura Going Online Editor Mike Gore Copy Editors Jules Guay-Binion Taryn Knudsvig Jessica Pain Illustrator Annie Gaines Cartoonist Owen Whitcomb Editorial Department Newsroom: 360-650-3162 Communications Facility 222 Letters to the editor: westernfrontonline@gmail.com Press releases: wfpress.release@gmail.com Faculty Adviser Jack Keith, Jack.Keith@wwu.edu Advertising Department 360-650-3160 Skip Gibson, advertising manager Alethea Macomber, business manager

Find the complete recap online at westernfrontonline.net

Corrections
A photo in last issue's center spread was mislabeled. The person identified as Kyle Weems is Blake J. Kinnear. In the story entitled "Academic honesty debate continues" it was suggested that students could give feedback on the issue at the next Faculty Senate meeting; however, there is no public comment portion of the Faculty Senate meetings and the issue may not be discussed at the next meeting.
The Western Front strives for accuracy and will correct errors of fact promptly and courteously. Please notify us of any factual errors at westernfrontonline@gmail.com.

The Western Front is published every Tuesday and Friday in the fall, winter and spring quarters, and once a week in the summer. The Western Front is the official newspaper of Western Washington University and is published by the Student Publications Council. It is mainly supported by advertising. Opinions and stories in the newspaper have no connection to advertising. News content is determined by student editors. Staff reporters are involved in a course in the department of journalism, but any student enrolled at Western may offer stories to the editors. Members of the Western community are entitled to a single free copy of each issue of The Western Front.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

News | 3

FAITH: Majority of Americans still find religion important

What Ive found is many students at Western do have strong faith commitments, Folk said. Trends in nation-wide religious affiliation There is a sizable number of students who either from 2007 to 2012 are unchurched, spiritual but not religious, or who have become either disaffected with religion or who are going through a process of question, which is age-appropriate because thats what happens when people hit the age of 18 to 20. Its a time of spiritual Unaffiliated Other faith exploration. The Pew Research Center attributes the Down Up Up increase of unaffiliated Americans to several 5% 4.3% 2% factors, including generational differences. Thirtytwo percent of adults under 30 have no religious affiliation, compared to the 9 percent who are 65 and Christian older. As time passes, people accumulate more knowledge, and they compare this to things Illustration by Annie Gaines they used to think were true, said Caitlyn Source: Pew Research Center Cecchetto, president of Freethinkers of WWU, a campus organization of non-religious students. Every generation is more liberal than the last. Wendy Britton, co-founder of Seattle Atheists, Each generation becomes more progressive, and a group that works to provide a community for atheists in the Northwest, said Americans occasionally that means progressing away from are looking less to religion because of the new certain religious thinking. knowledge modern-day science brings. Despite the downward trend of religious Science is slowly closing out the things we affiliation, some level of religious commitment has didnt understand, Britton said. In the dark ages remained constant over the years, according to the when we didnt understand something we just said, Pew study. Fifty-eight percent of Americans currently Thats magic. Now science and experiments are acknowledge that religion is very important in their proving and explaining how the world works, and lives; this is only 3 percent lower than five years that is slowly closing out religion. ago. This number is higher in the U.S. than in other countries such as France (13 percent). A new survey by the Pew Research Center, in Brady Bobbink, director of University conjunction with PBS, found many unaffiliated Christian Ministries at Western, said just because American adults are religious or spiritual on some some people are not affiliated with a large, specific level. Sixty-eight percent of them said they believe institutional religion does not necessarily mean in God, while 37 percent classify themselves as they do not believe. spiritual but not religious. Twenty-one percent In my generation, many people disaffiliated said they pray daily. with the denominations we grew up in and saw However, evidence shows a slow decline in value instead in affiliating with smaller local religious commitment. In 2003, 25 percent of U.S. groups, Bobbink said. It was never a matter of adults said they seldom or never attend religious disbelief. In fact, I gained faith. services. By 2012, this number rose to 29 percent.

Western students Josh Terry (left) Jordan Bennett (center) and Elizabeth Mitchell pray during mass Thursday at the Newman Center. Photo by Nick Gonzales CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

At Western, associate professor Holly Folk found a balance of religious and unaffiliated students on campus by giving a voluntary, informal survey to her classes over the past five years.

Gov. appoints new Western trustee

Gov. Gregoire has also reappointed executive Betti Fujikado to the Board of Trustees. Her term At the beginning of this month, Gov. Christine expired Sept. 30. Gregoire appointed Susan Sharpe, Western alumna While serving on the board, Sharpe will and executive director of the St. Lukes Foundation cover topics such as budget and student affairs, in Bellingham, to Westerns Board of Trustees. though she is mostly interested in providing good It is my hope that my experience as an alumni, stewardship of Westerns mission, Zoro said. a parent of Western graduate and my work in the A lot of it has to do with becoming more community in a variety of capacities will serve me educated about Western so were able to provide well in this new role as a trustee, Sharpe said in insights and thought, Zoro said. an email. Sharpe is also Peggy Zoro, currently serving I hope to provide a local perspective that chair of the Board on the board of the of Trustees, said Whatcom Alliance supports Western's leadership team and Sharpe was chosen for Healthcare fellow Trustees, and further the mission of because she has a Access, Northwest great track record of Economic Council promoting a high quality, affordable and being committed to and is a member accessible educational experience. the community. of the Bellingham She has Bay Rotary. Sharpe Susan Sharpe, newly appointed trustee expressed interest said these positions always in education, along with her in particular with dedication to the Western, Zoro said. Susan is respected in St. Lukes Foundation have prepared her for the Whatcom County and frankly, all over the state for position on the Board of Trustees. some of the work that she has done. I hope to provide a local perspective that Sharpes involvement in the St. Lukes supports Westerns leadership team and fellow Foundation is extensive. As executive director, Trustees and further the mission of promoting a Sharpe said the foundation works to strengthen high quality, affordable and accessible educational the health of the community through funding experience, Sharpe said. health-related projects and health professional Fujikado, who has served on the board scholarships. They work daily with community since 2009, is also the co-founder of the lawfirm leaders, nonprofit organizations and other funders Copacino+Fujikado, a Seattle advertising agency to identify ways to improve the health and wellthat has represented clients such as Taco Bell, being of the people who live in Whatcom County, the Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Children's Sharpe said. Hospital, accroding to their website. By Charmaine Riley

Susan Sharpe, newly appointed member of the Board of Trustees. Photo courtesy of Western's Office of Communications and Marketing

4 | News

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 What is it like to come back to your home region, after all of your travels? Oh there is sometimes a little culture shock in reverse because America is different, a different tempo. I enjoy being in Europe because Im out of the news cycle and everything, so I just like to be there, focused on Europe. Then when I get home I enjoy jumping back into things, but its nice to get a break from it. Also, I find I better understand my society when I can look at it from a distance. I can see it in high contrast. What kind of contrasts are you seeing between countries, other than marijuana laws? It is clear to me, when I get to Europe that America works too much. We work ourselves into an early grave and Europeans look at us and go, Whats the point? They just play more, they produce a little less than we do but they have more fun along the way. Where are you from exactly? Seattle. Oh, I heard it was Edmonds. It is Edmonds, I say Seattle when Im far away. This is not far away, so Ill say Edmonds. I have lived there all my life basically. I work there and I go to Europe three months out of the year. Every year for the last 30 years I've spent April and May in the Mediterranean area. I come home, June and July and August I spend in the alps. What is the purpose of your coming back to Washington? Right now I am travelling around the state with this I-502 tour. How long is this tour lasting? Seven days. Were going all over the state. What's your perception of Western so far? It was a pretty easy crowd. I've come here before, during parents week once I gave a whole talk on drug policy, about an hour. I come here about once a year. It was great, a packed house all these parents and the students. I thought it was kind of interesting they invited Rick Steves to talk about drug policy for parents weekend.

STEVES: Comes home on a mission

Rick Steves is the author of 30 books. Since 1973, Steves has spent 120 days a year in Europe. Today he employs 80 people at his Europe Through The Backdoor headquarters where he's produced more than 50 guidebooks on European travel.
Source: Ricksteves.com

Rick Steves

Photo courtsey of Ricksteves.com

CEV: Employees search for new careers

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 McCafferty said he has worked at the center since 2008. The staff was told the center would close at the end of the year due to the uncertainty of future funding and the desire for Western to allocate resources for the communitys best interest. McCafferty said he is exploring his options for his next career. The center is primarily funded by state and local governmental agencies, Burton said. During the economic downturn in recent years funders have had to make basic decisions about what they were going to fund, Burton said. When you get to a point where people have decided that given the cuts that had to be made, and given the decisions that had to be made, this was not an essential service to fund, Burton said about the center. Over the summer, Burton said he had discussions with people involved with economic development about where they needed to focus their efforts and if they needed to be involved with it at all. It was pretty clear that longterm stable funding sources for what the Center for Economic Vitality was doing was going to be very difficult to find, Burton said. If you dont have funding for an organization, that organization simply cannot go on. Originally a part of the Small Business Development Center at Western, in 2008 the decision was made to offer services in export and research related counseling to small businesses in Whatcom County, Burton said. To give this, the Small Business Development Center was rebranded as the Center for Economic Vitality. They began offering specialists to help small businesses, governmental agencies and economic development agencies with export assistance and market research. Then in June 2011, the state stopped funding the market research branch of the center, leaving the export counseling as an offer to small businesses. Since then, the center has offered the research projects at a fee. Burton said Westerns human resources staff will be working with McCafferty and the five other staff members at the center to help them find a new job. Burton said he thinks there will be no diminishment in Westerns capacity to offer service to small businesses in Whatcom County. Westerns current Small Business Development Center will continue to offer a variety of services to small businesses including export assistance and other counseling, Burton said. Going forward, Burton said, We are going to be going full speed and we are going to be looking to maintain funding for our counseling capacity for the county.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

News | 5

More people 18 years or older using smartphones, tablets

By Maggie Wright Half of adults in the United States now have mobile access to the Internet via smartphones or tablets, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center and The Economist Group, an organization that examines international business and world affairs. The number of adults in the U.S. using tablets have doubled to 22 percent in the past year, according to the study. Forty-four percent own a smartphone. Western freshman Mara Baldwin uses her smartphone regularly all day, every day, she said. She uses her iPhone to stay connected to current events, listen to music and stay in touch with friends and family. If I get lost, I can use the GPS, or I can FaceTime my mom, she said. I love my smartphone. Smartphone users are up from 35 percent in May 2011. The study credits new lower-priced phones and tablets for the expansion in mobile Internet users. Western junior Thayne Yazzie, a technology assistant at the Student Technology Center, said his iPhone gives him constant access to information and allows him to stay in contact with friends and professors. I think it can be very useful, but its a doubleedged sword, he said. It might be devastating, or it might be just as beautiful. Not all young adults are dependent on mobile Internet. Western sophomore Jeremy Thompson has used the same flip phone for the past five years, and doesnt feel smartphones or tablets are necessary for him. it has pros and cons. Ira Hyman, a Western psychology professor, studied inattentional blindness in people who walk across campus with cell phones or music players. As part of a study he conducted, a clown on a unicycle was put in Red Square. Only 25 percent of cell phone users questioned reported having seen it. [People on cell phones] were slower, they changed directions and were weaving more frequently, and were less likely to acknowledge other people around them, Hyman said. This was not the case with students who were listening to music, walking in pairs or walking alone. When people are on their phone, while performing other tasks, they dont function as well as they could if they were focused on one thing, Hyman said. They dont see things going on right in front of them, he said. Hyman is unsure about the future of communication through electronic media because of how much we lose by not communicating face-toface, such as understanding sarcasm and tone. While Hyman said ability to pull up information quickly is an asset, he decided against getting a smartphone because he doesnt want to be available all the time. Thompson, Baldwin and Hyman all said peoples reliance on smartphones and tablets has hindered their interpersonal relationships, despite their many social uses. Yeah, were more connected, but sometimes theres not that face-to-face aspect of human interaction, Thompson said.

Half of all adults going mobile

Western freshman Tegan Harris checks his iPhone between classes. There are a multitude of applications available to smartphone-users that can help organize a busy college life. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

Ten years ago, none of this stuff existed, Thompson said. He said he finds the progression of instant social communication fascinating, but thinks

6 | News

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

Westerns new formula racecar

Rules now require vehicles to run fully electric
The Formula team is using Microryza, a crowdsourcing website, to get funding for their projects, Jones said. Jones said in the Northwest, electric cars have a big place because of the lower cost to operate them. In other regions, theyll probably come up with different solutions but here in the Northwest I think the electric car is definitely a viable alternative, Jones said. Nicholas Conroy is a junior at Western and is studying electrical engineering technology. He is also in charge of the electric engine systems research and development for the car this year. Conroy said electric vehicles are the future of transportation. A lithium-ion battery pack costs about $1,000 per kilowatt -hour and the team needs a four to fivehour kilowatt battery pack for the competition and an extra battery pack for testing, Conroy said. People can give however much they want but the minimum goal is $8,000. This goal has to be reached otherwise no money will be received, Conroy said. My research is about a lowcost electric powertrain, Conroy said. So what that means is a way of having a car powered by an electric motor and a set of batteries that doesnt cost an arm and a leg. However, it hasnt been easy to learn how to do everything it takes By Haley Cross For the first time ever Westerns automotive engineering team will build a racecar that will run entirely on electric power. It will be a single-seater, open cockpit formula-style and the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) plans to enter it in a competition this June. The competition, designed by SAE International, allows students to have the opportunity to design, and construct the small-scale racecar. Eric Leonhardt, the faculty adviser for the Western Formula team and the head of the Vehicle Research Institute said this year s competition would be different than years past because of the new requirements. This is the first year the Society of Automotive Engineers is holding an electric version of the contest in the United States, its been done in Europe but it hasnt been done here yet, Leonhardt said. We think its a good time for Western to be involved in that first competition. The Western Formula SAE team, which is part of the Vehicle Research Institute, is housed in the Ross Engineering Technology building and is an academic club. Chris Jones is a Western senior and the team leader of the Formula SAE team this year. He and his teammates see the competition as an opportunity to gain valuable experience at a young age, which can apply later on in the future. The purpose of the event is to educate students about the vehicles, Leonhardt said. [Its] a way to get engineering schools to produce graduates who can be useful to industry, especially the automotive industry and increasingly now the aerospace industry. to make electric vehicles and just about everything Conroy has done with electric cars hes had to teach himself. Electric vehicles and battery technology are not really taught at Western in the electronics course, Conroy said. Im hoping the knowledge I gain through doing this project can be passed forward to new people who come on the team, new people who come to Western and possibly even start up a few new classes too. During the actual events, various sponsors of the competition provide awards for achievements such as: best use of E-85 ethanol fuel, innovative use of electronics, ability to be recycled, crash-worthiness, analytical approach to design and overall dynamic performance, Conroy said. Weve won several technical achievements. The first car we entered into a competition, Viking 22, had one really big innovation, Conroy said. It had a cableactuated, four-wheel steering system and as far as I know its the only formula car thats ever used a system like that. Not only have they won several achievements but also with their electric vehicle, they could be helping make a more sustainable future in transportation, Leonhardt said. I think were going to need to have a large portion of our cars be electric, Leonhardt said. Whats exciting about it is that it can help us reduce our dependence on imported oil and itll help us use that oil for other things and itll help us reduce our global warming potential of our transportation system and it makes us less sensitive to geopolitical events. In previous years, using combustion engines, Western has had mixed results in the competition. They got sixth place in California in 2009 and eleventh place in Detroit in 2010. However, last year they placed 27th in California due to suspension failure during the endurance event, which cost them. The Formula SAE competition for the teams electric car will be held June 19 through 22 of next year in Lincoln, Neb.

Top: Western junior Nicholas Conroy labels dead batteries preparing to make a fully electric car, Wednesday in the Technology Building. Conroy is a member of the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers on campus. Photo by Rachel Howland Bottom: Western junior Nicholas Conroy describes how old projects for the Formula SAE Team were different. This year, Western will produce a fully electric car. Photo by Rachel Howland

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

News | 7

Shopping Sheet deciphers college cost

Western may take hints from new Obama model
By Maggie Wright Families will now find it easier to figure out how much they will have to pay out-of-pocket after financial aid and scholarships thanks to a new model of financial aid award letters called the Shopping Sheet. It will offer vital information about median debt levels for the school and allows recipients to compare prices between schools in detail, according to the official blog of the U.S. Department of Education. In July, the Obama administration released this model and will standardize the format and information included in financial aid award letters. It includes a breakdown of average costs for a full year at a particular school, loan default rates, loan and work-study options, grants, scholarships and potential monthly payments. Westerns Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Clara Capron, chose not to adopt the Shopping Sheet at Western because she said the award letters Western provides already do a good job of providing consumer information. However, Capron plans to modify the current format and said the Shopping Sheet may be an improvement for students who dont clearly provide adequate financial information. Were preparing to add additional information to our award letter format, typical amount that students borrow, loan default rate, graduation rate, to provide all of the information included on the Shopping Sheet by the end of the quarter, Capron said in an email. While net price-calculators, an online device that offers customized approximations of college costs based on standardized inputs such as family size and savings have been required on websites for almost all colleges in the U.S. since October 2011, they are often buried and difficult to find and use, according to a press release from the Institute for College Access and Success. It can be very frustrating to not know where your money is going, Western junior Emily Anguiano said. Western freshman Haley Douglas said it has been difficult at times for her to get financial aid. Im just going in and out, in and out of the financial aid office trying to get help. It would be really nice to have

Keely Flege (left) and Alex Ferrel help a Western student with FAFSA paperwork on Thursday, March 8 in the Financial Aid Office. The Obama administration has proposed a new Shopping Sheet to provide clearer information to students about the cost of education. Photo by Laura Going

it all organized, Douglas said. The Shopping Sheet is voluntary for colleges to participate in, according to an open letter to college presidents by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. In order to meet our national goal of producing the highest proportion of college graduates by the end of this decade, we must make it easier for

parents and students to finance their college education and to understand their financial obligations. It starts with transparency, said Duncan in a letter to college presidents. It is unclear at this time whether the Shopping Sheet will be tailored for each particular student and their projected degree, or if each school will offer a generic version.

8|

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

Spo
2 6 th
Dunkers steal show
By Alex Peterson Westerns mens dunk contest was the main event during a night dedicated to showcasing talent and adding some flair. The 26th Annual Viking Jam is the kick-off to Western's basketball season. During the event, the men's and women's basketball teams had intrasquad scrimmages, as well as dunk and three-point competitions. This year offered a unique experience, as the men's basketball team celebrated its 2011-12 national championship. During the dunk contest, participants from Westerns mens basketball team were given two minutes to complete two dunks Wednesday at Sam Carver Gym. Freshman Dana Abe started the first round with a 360-degree Statue of Liberty dunk off an alley-oop by freshman guard Jimmy Keum. Abes

V ik

in

Junior forward Austin Bragg throws down during the slam-dunk contest at Viking Jam Wednesday night. Despite a crowd-pleasing effort, Bragg fell short and lost to dunk champion Rico Wilkins. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

second was a windmill dunk. H Keums outstretched hand Last year's dunk cham brought electricity to th alley-ooped to himself. it the Dallas Disaster. H 360-degree slam, titled the Junior Austin Bragg s alley-oop to himself and fin slam, but his second dunk Junior Richard Woodworth of the backboard to Bragg, two-handed slam. I had a few (dunks) For the most part it was m Sophomore Anye Turn

Senior guard Trishi Williams attacks the basket in the annual Viking Jam scrimmage match Wednesday in Sam Carver Gym. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

Senior guard John Allen gives a pep talk to his squad before their blue vs. white scrimmage during Viking Jam Wednesday night. Allen is one of many returning starters ready to defend their Division II National championship title. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

Men show off high-flying offense in team scrimmage

By Alex Peterson A squad divided takes the court. Western's men's basketball team was showered with cheers and applause from the crowd when it hit the court for its annual blue vs. white scrimmage. Smiles all around, Vikings decided it was time to put on a show for fans Wednesday night during its intrasquad scrimmage at the 26th Annual Viking Jam. And what a show they put on. The men came out quick, flying up and down the floor in a scrimmage ruled by flashy moves and big shots. Rico Wilkins stole the ball on a lazy pass and finished with a big dunk, showing his jumping ability and teasing the crowd before the dunk contest. Im ready to get [the season] started, Wilkins said. Senior guard John Allen hit players with perfect passes, showing why he earned the nickname, "The Wizard." Robert Oliver showed his defensive prowess by stealing a pass and running it down court for the finishing slam, displaying his

eagerness to start the season. Transfer student Austin Bragg showed off his skillset by collecting a steal, and freshman Dana Abe, Jimmy Keum, Jeffrey Parker and Joey Schreiber also had some playing time. Weve got a really good group of guys, Bragg said. Im really excited about this year.

orts
A nn

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

l ua

|9

ng Jam

dunk He took the ball out of d for the dunk. mpion, senior Rico Wilkins, he competition when he The announcer deemed He followed it up with a "Dallas Dime." seconded Wilkins with an nished off with a windmill was the true showstopper. passed the ball off the side who grabbed the ball for a

planned out, Bragg said. made up on the spot. ner, Keum and freshman

Jeffrey Parker also participated in the first round. Turner, Bragg and Wilkins advanced to the final round. Bragg threw down an electrifying between-thelegs dunk on his third attempt in the finals, raising the stakes for Turner and Wilkins. Turner attempted a couple behind-the-back passes to himself, but couldnt get his dunks to fall. He settled for a simple windmill dunk. The barely 6-foot Wilkins was the one everyone was waiting for. Last year's dunk champion had the crowd on the edge of its seat when he passed the ball off the wall behind the basket to himself, but he failed in his first three attempts. Taking a deep breath, Wilkins passed the ball off the wall and finished with a windmill jam to take home the 2012 Viking Jam Slam Dunk crown with a perfect score. I tried [the winning dunk] my freshman year and I couldnt make it, Wilkins said. I thought Id try it again, and it worked out, finally.

Western senior Rico Wilkins catches air during the slam-dunk contest at Viking Jam Wednesday night. Wilkins went on to win the competition with a set of impressive dunks that had the crowd on their feet. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

Ring ceremony celebrates last years national title

By Chelsea Murphy Amidst the fun and flair of the 26th Annual Viking Jam, a moment of pause overtook the event halfway through to celebrate last years national championship basketball team. Players watched as a table holding national championship ring boxes was carried to the center of the court. The men stood in a line near the table, anticipating the nights highlight the national championship ring ceremony. Each player in attendance was individually recognized, and cheers from the fans followed every name that was called. Smiles were on the faces of the players and coaches as they entered the court. I walked into the gym and there were already fans, said Richard Woodworth, mens basketball team guard. I turned to one of my teammates and said, man it feels good to be on the court again with the gym packed. It was really nice to have people cheer for us. Woodworth, guard Alfred Davis, guard Cameron Severson, forward Damien Fisher, guard Dane Thorpe, center Dan Young, guard Rico Wilkins, forward Paul Jones, center Chris Mitchell and guard John Allen will all receive rings for their contributions to last years national title. Team captain Rory Blanche, among a few other members of last years team were unable to attend the ceremony. Brad Jackson, coach of Western's men's basketball team for 27 years, was at the event and was recognized during the ceremony. In August, Jackson resigned

Senior guard Cameron Severson, senior forward Paul Jones and redshirt junior guard Richard Woodworth celebrate during the ring ceremony at Viking Jam. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

Former men's basketball head coach Brad Jackson came back to Western to handout National championship rings to his players at Viking Jam. Jackson has taken an assistant coaching position at the University of Washington. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe

from Western and announced his new position as assistant coach at the University of Washington. It was a difficult decision for me in a lot of ways, Jackson said. But, its a new opportunity and I am looking forward to it. Jackson was replaced by former assistant coach Tony Dominguez. I hoped that when I left he would be the next coach, Jackson said. He is a brilliant, young basketball mind. He will do an awesome job.

Dominguez has been part of the Western basketball program for 17 years and an assistant coach for the last two seasons. Jackson joined Dominguez and the mens team on the sideline after the ceremony to watch the slamdunk competition, and he stayed with the team until events of the night were finished. It was really fun to have Coach Jackson come up for the ceremony, Woodworth said. It meant a lot.

10 | Sports
Friday
Home Away
Cross Country Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships 10:30 a.m. Monmouth, Ore.

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

Saturday
Women's Men's Soccer Soccer Northwest Northwest Nazarene Nazarene 3 p.m. Noon Nampa, Idaho Nampa, Idaho Women's Volleyball Northwest Nazarene 7 p.m. Sam Carver Gym

Sunday
Men's Basketball Blue/White 3 p.m. Sam Carver Gym

Monday
Men's Golf Cal State Monterey Bay Seaside, Calif. Bayonet Golf Club

Tuesday
Men's Golf Cal State Monterey Bay Seaside, Calif. Bayonet Golf Club

Womens soccer keeps winning streak alive

By Joshua Hart Western's womens soccer team entered Thursdays meeting with Montana State-Billings riding a seven-game shutout streak, and Montana State couldnt stop its eighth. The Vikings (13-2) defeated Montana State (11-4) 2-0 Thursday in Billings, Mont. Arthurs 12th shutout of the season broke her own single-season record of 11 shut outs, which she set the last two seasons. She accounted for three saves in the victory. Shes the leader on the field whether or not she has to make those amazing saves or not, Western junior Brina Sych said. Arthurs leads all Division II goalkeepers with a 0.27 goals allowed per game this season. Western's Kim Cooper scored the first goal of the game with eight seconds left in the first half, beating the buzzer to put the Vikings up 1-0 heading into the half. The goal came off a corner kick and after bouncing around in the box, Cooper got a foot on it and finished it off. It was a really good way to end the half, Sych said. We needed that extra momentum. Western went up 2-0 after a strike from Sych beat Montana States goalkeeper in the 56th minute. I just took a couple touches and just ripped in front of the net, Sych said. The win keeps the 25-ranked Vikings atop the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference, and in position to move up in the national rankings. The Vikings face Northwest Nazarene Saturday in Nampa, Idaho.

Volleyball avenges only GNAC loss

By Alex Peterson The Vikings shirts read, Dig Pink, for breast cancer awareness, but at the end of the night, fans were celebrating a blue and white victory. The 14th ranked Western volleyball team (16-2, 9-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) defeated 21stranked Central Washington University (14-5, 8-2 GNAC) 25-19, 25-20 and 2518 to take sole possession of first place in the GNAC. Im not sure we saw the ranking, so much as we saw that it was Central, Western coach Diane Flick said. Its a big rivalry, theyre a great team. The Vikings controlled the first set after Central Washingtons Catie Fry went down with a leg injury. Western's Jennica McPherson slammed home an ace to put Western up 13-10, but the Wildcats clawed back to tie the first set at 13. Emily Cotter had two big digs as the Vikings went on another scoring run to take the lead 18-14. Central Washington was unable to make another comeback, and Western won the set 25-19. [Central Washington] had to play through some adversity, Flick said. "Which is really hard to do when youve gotten used to a lineup for a long time. The second set was a backand-forth affair that remained tied for much of the set. Outside hitter Marlayna Geary and Kayla Erickson had a big block to keep the set tied at three. Another ace from McPherson and a powerful kill from Thunder Geary kept the Vikings close with the set tied at 18. Western went on a fivepoint streak and the Wildcats failed to recover, giving another set to the Vikings, 25-20. Western jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third set, but the Wildcats made another comeback closing the score to a 9-6 Vikings lead. A stalemate followed, with neither team going on a commanding run. Two big kills from Erickson brought the Vikings ahead, 17-13. The match point was a battle as both teams had a couple big digs to keep the ball alive, but Western's Kelsey Moore was finally able to clinch

Western senior Marlayna Geary spikes the ball toward a pair of Central Washington University defenders at home in Sam Carver Gym Thursday night. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe.

the Western sweep with a kill. It makes us the only first team in the GNAC, Moore said. It feels like were where we are supposed to be.

Mens soccer falls in overtime

By Kamry Mcrae The Western men's soccer team lost to Montana State-Billings 2-1 Thursday in Billings, Mont. The loss pushes Western (5-72) to fifth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standingsone position below Montana State (8-4-1). Both times we played them this year, I thought we outplayed them, sophomore goalkeeper Keegan Rogers said. I think we defensively deserve the number four spot in the GNAC as of right now. The action began in the second period when Sujinda Dangvan scored Western's first goal on a penalty kick in the 86th minute, tying the score 1-1. It was Dangvans sixth goal of the season. Western maintained control of the ball for most of the game, but made a few mistakes defensively, Rogers said. Montana State broke the tie in overtime, handing Western its seventh loss of the season. I dont think that guy could hit that shot again if you gave him 100 chances, senior defenseman Bryan Hall said. It was impressive. Western outshot Montana State 16-11 in the game, and Rogers collected two saves and gave up two goals. Despite having a losing record, Western has still outscored its opponents 17-16 this season, although they have been outscored 12-7 in the second half. Senior defenseman Justin Moore thought they should have won. One of the things about soccer is that youve got to play your best for 90 minutes of the game and one slip and you can lose the game, Moore said.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

Frontline

Opinion | 11
letter to the editor

Opinions of the Editorial Board

Technology standard may become unfair to students

As technology moves forward, some people become more privileged with better access to knowledge. Others become alienated because of a lack of access. Though technology offers immediate information and an expanse of knowledge, it could also be detrimental to people who cannot afford it. In a time when technology is moving so quickly, some people get left behind. Half of United States adults have a mobile connection to the web through tablets and smartphones, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. In schools and companies, access to technology is becoming an expectation. While this editorial board supports the advance of technology, we don't want those who can't afford it to be left behind. Only half of the population can be expected to have the necessary resources. Students and workers who dont have the money to purchase tablets and other devices are unable to check their email every few minutes, but this is quickly becoming necessary for an individuals success in school and work. We as an editorial board support the use of increasing technological resources, though we dont find it fair that technology is standard in classes when there is an unequal amount of people able to access it. The solution would be for the institutions and companies requiring such to also provide. Woodring College of Education is an example. They proposed to bring Apple products into the curriculum. This past winter, Woodring requested grants to purchase iPads for the students to use. The reason for this was that future teachers needed to be educated in how to use modern technology. All departments and companies should create opportunities for students and employees to have access to the technology. If learning or working on an iPad is going to be standard, the technology shouldnt be expected but offered. Its important that no one gets forgotten. In the university and within society, we need to stop the growing gap between people with and people without technology. The editorial board is comprised of Editor-in-Chief Sarah Aitchison, Managing Editor James Kozanitis and Opinion Editor Joella Ortega.

More students not reason for high debt

This letter is in response to an article from Tuesday's issue of the Western Front, "Households with college debt double." Higher education isnt a simple supply-and-demand formula. The lack of reference to the last few years makes Professor Kriegs comments published in the Tuesday issue of the Front not just factually inaccurate, but completely ignores the work we do in the Associated Students to reverse the deleterious cuts to higher-education funding experienced by the state. More than $1 billion have been cut from higher education, and it is these cuts that are responsible for our tuition increases and corresponding debt, not a marginally increased campus population. The cost of education for a student has stayed steady for decades and adjusted for inflation, the issue is whos paying for it. More of the cost has been shifted onto students and their families, and we are struggling to keep up. Higher prices for higher education particularly affect first-generation students, low-income students and students of color. Student debt is a drain on the economy, reducing the purchasing power of students who must now spend years paying off their debt instead of buying goods to help our economy thrive. The best form of financial aid is low tuition, and to achieve that is to make sure the state is funding their responsibility. Our legislative liaison spends all of winter quarter down in Olympia fighting for students, and I go down as needed with interested students to testify and meet with legislators. Debt is a troubling issue, but an issue that has clear connections to whats decided in Olympia. If students are interested in keeping tuition low, we need to call, email and meet with our legislators. Our parents must do the same. I am sure students will take the opportunities to mobilize this year and fight for a better future for current students and those who follow after us, and the opportunities will be many. Those who are interested can email AS.Western.Votes@wwu.edu to start taking part in setting the direction of our future, and I can always be reached at asvp.gov@wwu. edu. Our future is ours, and we shouldnt let it be burdened by a cloud of debt. Patrick Stickney, vice president for Governmental Affairs.

Opinions from around campus

Viking Voices

What do you miss most about home when you're at school?

Compiled by Lauren Foote

"I miss hot meals every night. Now I actually have to make food myself." Anthony Cooper sophomore, undecided

"Having my own space and being able to be by myself and relax. Mostly just my own personal space." Logan Sims freshman, undeclared

"My family. Just hanging out and having dinners together, because we're close." Stephanie Gastaldi senior, sociology

Front Funnies

submissions Policy
The Western Front publishes submitted opinion items on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit for length, spelling, style and grammar. Submit letters to the editor, rants and raves, Hey Yous and guest columns, along with your name and title (such as Western sophomore) to westernfront.opinion@gmail.com. Anonymous letters or those containing hate speech will not be published. Word count limits Rants and raves, Hey Yous: 50 words; Letters to the editor: 250 words; Guest columns: 400 words

Cartoon by Owen Whitcomb

12 | Features

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

An everyday object becomes a canvas

By Lauren Foote Photos by Nick Gonzales A variety of warm colors, acutely detailed, resemble the sunlike Sublime band logo, take over a plain colored shoe. For Western sophomore Leona Oliveros, this is just one of the 20 or so colorful pairs of shoes she has painted to perfection to match its owners character. Her shoe art began her sophomore year of high school in Des Moines, Wash. She continues her shoe artwork at Western. Oliveros charges $25 for a pair if the customer provides the shoes. If not, she bills the shoe cost on top of the design rate. She uses her acrylic paints on canvas shoes such as Keds, Vans and Toms, but she said some customers just bring her the cheapest pair they can find. Oliveros shoe art journey began with a pair of Keds she found at Goodwill. They were her size and brand-new; a rare find in a thrift shop. The only problem was she thought the color was hideous and most likely the reason they ended up in the thrift shop. Instead of giving up, she took the pair home and created her first shoe art project, a remake of Van Goghs "Starry Night." Im kind of a thrift-store junkie, so if I find a pair of canvas shoes, Im like Im going to turn this into something else, Oliveros said. Oliveros makes shoe art for herself, friends and paying customers. She immediately gets started painting the canvas shoes when she gets a request. When she finishes, she ships them off to their owner. Some customers on her Facebook page, Leona's Painted Shoes, have shown concern about paint wearing-off the shoes, but Oliveros paints over the final product a few times with a water resistant topcoat to ensure the art remains after wearing. Oliveros and her roommate, Rebecca Wood, found a common interest in artist Salvador Dali, leading Wood to request Dalis artwork on her shoes. Oliveros painted a Persistence of Memory inspired design on Woods pair of shoes. Oliveros has learned promoting her artwork is tough, but she does do special orders for shoes through the Facebook page she created last year. Her shoe designs include anything from Dr. Seuss-themed shoes, to Pokmon, to mustaches anything the customer wants. Im at this point right now that even people Ive never met are asking me for orders through the Facebook and thats really exciting, Oliveros said. She considers herself new to the business process because she is still learning how to network. Oliveros said she hopes she will make the right connections and broaden awareness of her shoe art. It started off just for fun; its kind of my vice, Oliveros said. Its a stress relief for me to paint shoes, whether it be for money or not I just like it; its really fun for me. Oliveros' boyfriend Nick Wees has a personalized shoe done up with music notations. He described the shoe as very detailed and well done, painted up as a music sheet of John Coltranes Giant Steps. She is a very creative person in everything she does, Wees said. Shes an artist and she paints shoes but shes also a musician. She plays saxophone. Acrylic paintings on shoes are her specialty, but her artistic talents are not limited. She has created a wallet out of Kit Kat wrappers for Wees and an origami paper wallet for herself. She has also created ornaments; one is adorned with Anchorman Ron Burgandy. She has custom-painted a long board with Star Wars' R2D2, followed up by a Star Wars painting on a 24X21 inch canvas. She is a totally original person, in everything; the way she dresses, she thinks creatively and expresses herself, Wood said. Shes totally different from anyone else Ive ever met, in a good way.

Left: Sophomore English major Leona Oliveros puts painter's tape on a pair of Ked shoes before painting them. "I like to imitate famous paintings and cartoons," Oliveros says. "It's what I like to do the most." Top right: Leona Oliveros says she painted her Altoids shoes during her senior year of high school. Bottom right: Leona Oliveros imitates Salvador Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" painting on a pair of her roommate's shoes. Oliveros says she charges $25 for a pair.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

Features | 13

Pets, students may get anxious when parting

By Charmaine Riley

arm summer air still lingered on the ground while the last boxes were crammed into the car that early September morning. After one last run through her bedroom, it was time for Tallis Loy, a newly admitted Western student, to leave for college and say goodbye to her loved ones. Before walking out the door, Loy bent down and gave her Great Dane, Strider, a hug. She knew it was going to be a long time before she saw her beloved dog again. When students head off to school every fall, they are not only leaving behind family and friends, but sometimes their precious pets. One of the most important things to remember when leaving a pet is to keep them informed by telling them about the upcoming changes, Angi Lenz, owner and lead trainer at Tails-A-Wagging in Bellingham, said in an email. Tell the dog what is going on. Yes, with human words. Although they cannot understand the words, they can understand tone and mental images when you speak, Lenz said. With two Bichons named Bear and Missy at home, freshman Jazzy Smith is adjusting to life without her pets. I really miss them, Smith said. But when I went home, they were just really chill and didnt seem like they missed me much. Students arent the only ones who may feel a heavy heart when apart from their cheerful companions. Junior Nathan Bakken lives in an apartment that doesnt allow pets. He wishes he could bring his two English Springer Spaniels to Western. While Bakken cant have his dogs with him at school, their reaction to his coming home is amusing, he said. When I go and sit down on the couch they jump on my lap and climb on my face, Bakken said. They are just very active and think theyre lap dogs. When pets are separated from someone they are attached to, they may have noticeable behavior changes, said Teresa Seeley, veterinary technician at Lacey Animal Clinic. She said changes include going into hiding, destroying things and decreased appetite, which are all signs of a pet having separation problems. If its the case of a student going off to college, its just the other family members spending more time with the pet, Seeley said. If it was strictly the college students pet then you need to find someone else in the family thats going to spend time with it. Lisa Hranek, a veterinary technician at South Bay Veterinary Hospital said there are also medical ways to help a pet cope. Pets with severe anxiety should be taken to the vet, but teaching them to be comfortable in a kennel also helps pets with anxiety when no one is home, Hranek said. Most of all, animals benefit our emotional state. Studies have shown that owning a pet lowers stress and anxiety, Hranek said. Adjusting to life in residence halls can be difficult for students because of the strict rules regarding animals, Loy said. All pets, except fish, are prohibited in the rooms, according to Westerns Residential Community Handbook. For Loy, the longing for home came when she found out her Great Dane passed away a few weeks ago. The hardest part was being away from

Western senior Tiffany Denchfield plays with her dog, Girl, Monday in the Communication Lawn. Denchfield says she and her boyfriend bought Girl last August. Photo by Rachel Howland

her family but she had to find a way to cope with the death, she said. I gave myself an hour or two to cry and Skype my family, Loy said. After I let it all out, I went with my roommate and I worked out, got something to eat, got some fresh air and I felt a lot better. For students who may experience a similar loss, Loy offered advice on how to get through a pets passing while away from home. Dealing with emotions by staying in touch with family

Places to buy a pet in Bellingham

Humane Society, Williamson Way Shelter:
3710 Williamson Way

Humane Society, Baker Creek Shelter:

1661 Baker Creek Place

189 East Bakerview Rd.

Petco:

4379 Meridian St.

Petsmart:

Clark Feed & Seed:

1326 Railroad Ave.

3036 Northwest Ave.

Exotic Aquaria:

and letting sadness happen is important for coping, Loy said. She also said it is essential to stay active by going out and doing something, instead of staying inside. Senior Tiffany Denchfield, who lives off campus, brings her dog, Girl, to campus when she studies. Denchfield said her pet makes her happy and helps her de-stress by giving her a reason to take a break from studying. I have to go out and play with her to help her get exercise, Denchfield said. Because pets are forbidden in the close confines of the residence halls and at many offcampus apartments, Western alumna Emily Wyss suggested volunteering. Wyss is currently the volunteer coordinator at the Whatcom Humane Society. She said there are plenty of volunteer opportunities for students at local shelters to connect with a furry friend. When I was in the dorms I remember missing my pets at home, Wyss said. It is great for students to get connected and stay connected to animals while at school. As the color of the leaves change on the trees, and most students look forward to a home-cooked, all-you-can-eat holiday meal many will look forward to reuniting with their family members whether they are on two legs or four. In the past, they were used for work and protection but now they have become part of peoples families, Hranek said.

14 | Features

Inches from the ground

Redesigning cars to ride as low as possible
By Samantha Thompson Photos by Austin Tyler Towe Two cars in a Starbucks parking lot display stickers fastened low on their windshields, emblazoned with messages such as Gangnam Style and Tailored Gang. Both cars are gray, like the pavement below or the overcast sky above. But what truly separates them from the rest of the cars in the parking lot is they both hover just inches above the asphalt, the bottom of the car nearly touching the road. Western students Kee May, Naveed Naficy and Julian Gossage have spent hours dismantling and redesigning these cars, bringing them lower and lower to the ground. The style is called slammed, but despite the speed implied in the name and the aerodynamic appearance of such low suspension, these cars are not for racing. For these Western students, its all about looks. Its just aesthetically something were interested in, its a hobby we like to put our time into, Naficy said. We just kind of want to get the message out that [slammed cars] are not out there to street race or cause trouble. Most of the drivers he sees or the people he meets at car shows are college-age, despite the finances and expertise required to slam a car, Naficy said. About $1,000 goes into the process, Naficy said, although theres a lot of preliminary work that leads up to that ride height, in addition to the extra price of any customizations or enhancements. Most of the slammed car drivers in Bellingham, about 60 to 70 he estimates, are still in their teens or early 20s. Some of these drivers have given the slammed car community a bad reputation because slamming cars isnt about flashiness or drag racing and is instead about the work put into them. Naficy said. There are two ways to achieve this low effect, May said. The first is called static, meaning the car cannot rise up or be lowered. The second method allows for more mobility. Some slammed cars can be lifted, creating a different riding experience where the driver can move up and down as they travel by pressing buttons on a controller. Both May and Gossage opted to have static cars, but they arent stopping there. You get addicted to going lower, [to] always adding something to your car, to starting a new project, Gossage said. Gossage wants to sell his slammed car and start again, although he said there isnt much of a market for slammed cars in Bellingham. They are seen more often on the streets of big cities, such as the metropolitans in Japan where the style originated, May said. That is one of the divides between

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front

Western student Julian Gossage's Acura TSX leaves little room for error, riding just barely off the ground. Common problems resulting from such extreme fitment are dented and cracked oil pans, ruined exhaust pipes and scraped bumpers.

An iPhone rests against the front bumper of another local lowered car, a Subaru WRX. Though not nearly as low as some, less than half of the phone's length is all that separates this car from the road.

slammed cars and low-riders. At Western, the M.E.Ch.A. club hosts a car show every year, but their focus is on low-riders. Low-riders also rely on different methods to achieve their height. Naficy said slammed-car drivers are generally younger, but not only is it a different environment than slammed cars, low-riders generally use hydraulics or an air-bag system to drop the car, Naficy said. Bellingham has Tailored Gang for the slammed car scene. Tailored Gang is a group of guys who slam cars together and it is the name they gave themselves for when they go to car shows. Naficy said Tailored Gang is a way to present a unified, cohesive crew at car shows, but also a way for the guys and girls to advertise their work and share with the community. On Facebook, Tailored Gang has garnered more than 1,500 fans who can see photos of the groups work, watch videos of the cars on the road, or buy Tailored Gang Tee-shirts. Were just a group of friends who decided to put together a team, said Naficy. Were just a group of guys who have a similar interest, and this way were unified. Tailored Gang has a lot of supporters, but the response among their friends is mixed. Some people find the style pointless, and some people are impressed, but how their work is perceived is not what pushes these drivers to lower their cars, Kee-May said. The reward for the hours spent with their cars jacked up, tires off and the suspension pulled out is simply knowing they are able to slam cars and seeing how the ride looks when its done. The cars represent a level of dedication and responsibility that many people strive to emulate. Its just like a lifestyle, May said. Still, despite all the likes on Facebook and the commitment required to accomplish slamming, the cars still have dissenters. May and Gossage said people have yelled at them or given them thumbs down as they drive past because they dont like the cars. Even Gossages girlfriend has urged him to buy a truck and replace his car. Gossage has had problems with

the police too; he said cops have pulled him over about 10 times in the last year. Gossage said they will hassle him because his car is so low. These are minor problems compared to the limited routes available to slammed-car drivers in Bellingham. While tires usually hoist a car far enough off the ground to make even the most unpaved street navigable, slammed cars offer no such protection. Since the underside of the vehicle is so close to the ground, its more vulnerable to any dangers on the road, such as speed bumps, sewer caps, potholes and the C-lots here on campus. Also off-limits is Fred Meyers, most of High Street, Garden Street and Indian Street, May said. The roads are just too uneven, inclined or coarse, meaning slammed-car drivers have to carefully plan their routes and be prepared to walk if they want to protect the delicate mechanics beneath their car. Despite their limitations, the cars are still expensive. Gossage said his oil-pan was broken at least eight times while he was driving, and he has to spend money on replacing his oil every few weeks in addition to whatever he spends upgrading or reinventing the car. If you have money and youre willing to be patient and dedicate your money to your car, [then slammed cars are worth it,] Gossage said. If you dont have a job, if you dont have steady income, you probably shouldnt get one. Gossage and May learned most of the techniques online and now are able to completely disassemble and reconstruct their own cars. Passing these lessons on is something Gossage cannot and will not do Gossage said its something people have to do themselves to learn. Still, its a skill they encourage people to acquire, because building a slammed car is so much more gratifying than simply owning one. I wouldnt say [slamming cars is] for attention, because I dont really like when people know what car I drive, Gossage said. Its for my own satisfaction, like I built that.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, October 19, 2012

Education keeps pupils spry

Retirees explore new concepts, curb boredom

Features | 15

By Olivia Henry On a soggy Saturday morning, a group of students gathered for class. Loaded backpacks, drowsy eyes and clutched coffee cups were nowhere to be found. Instead, bright-eyed, silver-haired pupils bantered and made small talk, not a notebook or raised pen in sight. Dorothy Regal, 90, was downright chipper. She said she is glad to forfeit her weekends to education. Every day is a Saturday morning in our lives, she said. Regal is one of more than 400 students attending courses this fall through the Academy for Lifelong Learning, a continuing education program for retirees. Local volunteers, paired with Westerns Extended Education office, sponsor about 25 courses offered around Bellingham each semester. Administrative coordinator Alisyn Maggiora said the program draws senior citizens from Whatcom and Skagit counties as well as other surrounding regions. In this culture some people get so stuck in the rut of going to work every day. When they retire, people may find the abrupt change difficult because theyre not going, going, going anymore, Maggiora said. [Lifelong Learning] is a great thing to support because it allows people to keep their minds active.

Betti Jordan, 66, was downsized from her job after 35 years working in the mental health profession. Out of a job, she and her husband travel regularly from Oak Harbor to attend classes in Bellingham. Jordan admitted she gets a little bored. Im trying to find new people to meet and new things to do, she said. Radock said he feared boredom when he retired. To combat the postemployment blues, he and his wife moved to Bellingham in 2008 to be closer to the vitality and opportunity of a university campus. Radock, a math and science whiz during his college years, said he was finally able to indulge his interest in history through the academy. In history courses at least, Radock said older students have an edge on their college-age fellows. When I was taking a World War II class, one guy had worked on the Manhattan Project, Radock said, referring to the United States government program that developed the atomic bomb. Instructor Czopp said he had a similar experience last year when lecturing to retirees about the Civil Rights movement. He said almost all of his students, most born decades before the 1964 Civil Rights Act, would often share their experiences with race relations. You can see the origins of theories and concepts in their personal histories, Czopp said. Its different when you have lived 60-something years. Its different from being 18 and having lived in Seattle your whole life. There is one element of college these lifelong learners dont miss; Academy of Lifelong Learning courses are not graded. Eyeing Czopp as he prepared his text-heavy slides, Sharon White, a retired nurse, is relieved that, if nothing else, her age exempts her from quizzes and tests. Theres no pressure and you dont have to take notes, White said. Although she admitted she never took notes, even when she was in college.

The classroom

Extended Learning instructor Stan Claussen teaches his students about old-time radio drama Thursday in United Methodist Church. Claussen says radio drama has been his hobby for 35 years. Photo by Rachel Howland

Courses

Im always interested in how I can persuade people without a knockout fight, Weisberg said. Fall classes range from Czopps persuasion course to lessons on local lichen, the art of Japanese tea service and social media morays. Western alumna and media consultant Evelyn Turner hosts Friend Me, Tweet Me, Like Me, an introductory course on social networking. Its to help people understand why, when they call little Sarah, she doesnt pick up, but when they text her she responds right away,

Haberstroh, former psychotherapist, said she relishes the learning opportunities that expand her horizons. Its the most stimulating concept; being able to learn about things I never understood," Haberstroh said.

Students

I [do] things I never did in my former life.

My old age has been the best time of my life.

Dorothy Regal, 90, Academy for Lifelong Learning student

Regal and her friend Maggie Weisberg are fellow residents at Willows Bellingham Retirement Living. The two women braved the rain to attend Western professor Alex Czopps course Persuasion and Social Influence. Weisberg, 88, sported a large Obama button. Like many participants, she cited the Nov. 6 election as one of the reasons she took the class.

Maggiora said. Student Phyllis Haberstroh pursued classes on the natural environment rather than the digital one. She and two dozen other students crammed into a Garden Street church hall Monday for Weather or Not, a course on weather patterns. Pupils abandoned their chairs to gather around instructor Lloyd George as he simulated a cold front in a glass terrarium.

The academy registers more than 1,500 students a year for classes, board chairman Bill Radock said. Most are not returning to the classroom for lack of education in fact, Radock said a survey of members found between 50 and 60 percent already hold advanced degrees. Many students said continuing education allowed them to expand their knowledge after years of working a single career. Regal is a retired nurse and said it was the only career available to her when she graduated from high school in 1938, apart from teaching or secretarial work. After retiring, Regal became a poet. Her collection A Measure of Strength was published in August. My old age has been the best time of my life, Regal said. I [do] things I never did in my former life. Other students were less enthusiastic about retirement.

16 | Advertisement

Friday, October 19, 2012 | The Western Front