The Holidays: Exploring Our (Broken) Expectations

BY ADELLE LaBRECQUE
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

“…He was screaming at her. It was Christmas Day and they were standing in the bathroom—door wide open—fighting, while everyone was forced to listen from the living room, deciding whether or not to intervene. The children were crying, the adults were ready to cry—it was a nightmare. Talk about an awkward rest of the day together…Eeeek.” (Interview: Anonymous, November 27th, 2016).

Continue reading “The Holidays: Exploring Our (Broken) Expectations”

UASWhalesongDecember 16, 2016December 6, 2016Leave a comment

Letters to the Editor, Opinion

Thoughts on the Power and Privilege Symposium

BY SUHIEDY (SU) REYES
Peer Advisor & SAB Member
For the UAS Whalesong

As a current member of our Student Activities Board and a past Student Activities staff I was delighted to hear about the Power & Privilege Symposium coming to UAS. The Power & Privilege Symposium (P&P Symposium) was adapted to our UAS campus from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington and came to our campus by way of our Student Activities Board. As a board, we sent two students to our regional conference (National Association of Campus Activities- West) and through the education sessions there, one of our staff members Tara Olson and one of the students, Felix Thillet Jr. learned about this symposium from the Whitman College students themselves. Continue reading “Thoughts on the Power and Privilege Symposium”

UASWhalesongDecember 15, 2016December 12, 2016Leave a comment

Letters to the Editor, Opinion

Spotlight: UAS Electrician Shawn Eggers

BY HELEN EGGERS
For the UAS Whalesong

With autumn solstice long gone, the darkness deepens, shadows lengthen, flexing muscles. The summer brightness falters. In September, as brilliant leaves fall, light weakens. October stumbles into November, then in limps December. The diminished daylight is dismal if you happen to be fan of lightness. Like, who isn’t? Continue reading “Spotlight: UAS Electrician Shawn Eggers”

UASWhalesongDecember 14, 2016December 12, 2016Leave a comment

Features, Opinion

The Symposium Continued: Decolonizing the Curriculum

BY DR. ROBIN WALZ
Professor of History, Chair of Social Sciences
For the UAS Whalesong

Who speaks? Who’s heard? And how many voices are heard? In my work as a teaching professor, these are the questions I continually ask myself when making decisions about decolonizing the curriculum in my history courses. For me, it’s a work in progress – for nearly twenty years now at UAS, with another dozen years of teaching history at the secondary level and as a university instructor before that. How to decolonize my history courses? I don’t have authoritative answers, but I do have a few principles to follow. Continue reading “The Symposium Continued: Decolonizing the Curriculum”

UASWhalesongDecember 13, 2016December 15, 2016Leave a comment

A&E, Movie Review

Fantastic Beasts: An Okay First Installment in the Harry Potter Extended Universe

BY DYLYN PETERSON
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

I was nervous about Fantastic Beasts, to be honest. The book doesn’t strike me as particularly filmworthy. I didn’t like the last three Harry Potter films (Half-Blood Prince in particular), and they brought back the same director, David Yates, responsible for those movies. J.K. Rowling is also here in her first screenwriting capacity, which was also concerning, but I doubted she could bring bad dialogue tags into a script, so I stayed hopeful. Continue reading “Fantastic Beasts: An Okay First Installment in the Harry Potter Extended Universe”

UASWhalesongDecember 12, 2016December 6, 2016Leave a comment

News, Opinion

Future of UAS School of Education Uncertain

BY HOLLY FISHER
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

Although the UAS School of Education has grown into an efficient, prolific, and diverse school, the Board of Regents may be putting its administration on the chopping block in 2017 and giving the reins to UAF. Continue reading “Future of UAS School of Education Uncertain”

UASWhalesongDecember 9, 2016December 6, 2016Leave a comment

Features

A Time to Remember: The Christmas Truces

BY HOLLY FISHER
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

Few events of World War I are so iconic as the Christmas Truce of 1914. Countless books and articles detail it, songs were written to commemorate the events, and advertisement campaigns bring viewers to happy tears with its retelling. It is remembered as a symbol of mankind’s innate goodness and love for his fellow human, and is held up as a heartwarming moment of beauty amidst so much carnage and death. So many people know this legendary Christmas, but what happened afterwards? What did the brass think of this unprecedented event, and did it ever reoccur? The answers to those questions are sadly less heartening, even if they are marked with some rays of light. Continue reading “A Time to Remember: The Christmas Truces”

UASWhalesongDecember 8, 2016December 5, 2016Leave a comment

News

Incoming Alaska Legislative Leaders Focus on Fiscal Plan

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

After the formation of a new bipartisan majority caucus in Alaska’s House of Representatives, Rep. Bryce Edgmon of Dillingham was tapped to take the place of Republican Mike Chenault as Speaker of the House. Chenault has held the position since 2009, working with a republican led majority caucus. Democrats will take the places of Benjamin Nageak of Barrow and Bob Herron of Bethel, leaving three republicans and two independents left on the new Majority caucus, which consists of 22 members.

According to Edgmon, Alaska’s fiscal crisis will serve as a focus point for the caucus, and that the members of the new House Majority will work to address the fiscal crisis with the legislative agenda. Continue reading “Incoming Alaska Legislative Leaders Focus on Fiscal Plan”

UASWhalesongDecember 7, 2016December 5, 2016Leave a comment

A&E, Opinion, Play Review

Hold These Tears: A Review of Perseverance Theatre’s Hold These Truths

BY DYLYN PETERSON
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

I was a bit daunted by the prospect of attending a one-man play about the Japanese internment camps, expecting something equal parts depressing and heavy-handed. My anxiety was not lessened when I entered the theater, the stage adorned only by a desk, a coat rack, a number of wooden boxes in various sizes, and a large backdrop which looked like sun-cracked earth, stretching on for miles. Oof. It was going to be a long night. Continue reading “Hold These Tears: A Review of Perseverance Theatre’s Hold These Truths”

UASWhalesongDecember 6, 2016December 12, 2016Leave a comment

Campus Life, News

UAS Gives Time, Food, and Thanks

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

As November wrapped up at UAS, the campus joined together once again for the annual Community Thanksgiving event held in the Lakeside Grill. Tables adorned with autumn colors and leafy centerpieces were crowded with students, staff, and community members ready to join in the feast. Entry required guests to bring one canned food item for donation. Continue reading “UAS Gives Time, Food, and Thanks”