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

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”

UASWhalesongDecember 5, 2016December 12, 2016Leave a comment

Features

Mixed

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

For five years in a row, University of Alaska Southeast has chosen a book for the One Campus, One Book (OCOB) program. This year is no exception, and the selected title for 2016-17 is Mixed: Multiracial College Students Tell Their Life Stories. The book features twelve essays from Dartmouth college students who identify as multiracial, and delves into their life experiences, exploring the concept of identity. Attendees of New-Student orientation were provided a copy of the book with the goal of creating a common reading experience among incoming students. If students were not able to pick up one of the complementary copies of the book, the entirety of it is available online. Professors were encouraged to incorporate the book into their learning plans, helping students to further investigate the theme: Negotiating Identity in America. Continue reading “Mixed”

UASWhalesongNovember 25, 2016November 22, 2016Leave a comment

News

University of Alaska Copes with Another Year of Cuts

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

At their November 10 meeting, The University of Alaska Board of Regents (BOR) approved a tuition hike of 5 percent and solidified their budget request for the 2018 fiscal year. Their plan accounts for a decrease in state funding over the next 10 years and relies on a surge of enrollment based on projections saying 65 percent of jobs in Alaska will require some postsecondary education by 2025, a 28 percent increase from today’s 37 percent. They are currently in the second phase of a 3-phase plan for restructuring entitled “Strategic Pathways,” which seeks to review and consolidate programs within the university system. Continue reading “University of Alaska Copes with Another Year of Cuts”

UASWhalesongNovember 24, 2016November 22, 2016Leave a comment

Campus Life, News

UAS Hosts Spoken Word Poet and Rapper G Yamazawa

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

Award-winning spoken word poet and rapper, George “G” Yamazawa has spent the majority of 2016 hopping between college campuses. Last month, he made pit stops in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and California before taking the stage at UAS on Saturday, October 22. Continue reading “UAS Hosts Spoken Word Poet and Rapper G Yamazawa”

UASWhalesongNovember 9, 2016Leave a comment

Campus Life, News

Halloween at UAS

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

Students glowed under black light at the Student Activities Board’s (SAB) annual Halloween Dance at UAS on Friday, October 28. The dance lasted from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a brief break early in the evening after the fog machines caused the fire alarm to sound. Attendees filed outside while the DJ, student Axel Gillam, played tunes such as Sean Kingston’s, “Fire Burning on the Dance Floor,” and Pitbull’s, “Fireball.” After the Fire Department cleared the space, it was back to the dance floor for the crowd. Two large-scale, paper trees decorated the Student Activities Center (SAC), and a floor to ceiling, florescent skeleton hung at the back of the room.

Continue reading “Halloween at UAS”

UASWhalesongNovember 7, 2016November 15, 2016Leave a comment

News

UAS Power and Privilege Symposium

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

On November 9, the UAS campus will see its first Power and Privilege Symposium, a conference aimed at encouraging UAS and Juneau community members to speak and learn about issues relating to race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, religion, body size, ability, mental illness, class, and their intersectionalities. The Symposium will consist of keynote speeches and breakout sessions with experts as well as presentations from UAS students. Continue reading “UAS Power and Privilege Symposium”

UASWhalesongOctober 27, 2016October 24, 2016Leave a comment

News

Matisyahu Returns To Alaska For Juneau Concert

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

Matisyahu, the Grammy nominated musician known for his unique, musical blend of beatboxing, reggae, and rock, performed at Centennial Hall in Juneau last Friday, September 23rd. The concert did not mark his first time in Alaska, having done a tour in 2007 that ran through Anchorage and Fairbanks. This time around, Matisyahu played an acoustic set for the sold out crowd, filled to the brim with improvised moments. Continue reading “Matisyahu Returns To Alaska For Juneau Concert”

UASWhalesongOctober 18, 2016October 13, 2016Leave a comment

News

Social Media Plays Instrumental Role in the First Presidential Debate

BY KASEY CHEN
Staff Writer, UAS Whalesong

The first presidential debate took place on Monday, September 26, and reactions were decidedly mixed. Viewership was higher than ever before, with 80.9 million Americans tuning in, the highest numbers since the 1980 debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. This year more than ever, Americans chose to make their opinions heard via social media outlets including Twitter and Facebook. 17.1 million debate-related twitter interactions from 2.7 million different people was the final count this year, blowing the 2012 number of 10.3 million out of the water. Continue reading “Social Media Plays Instrumental Role in the First Presidential Debate”

UASWhalesongOctober 14, 2016October 13, 2016Leave a comment

News

The Green Dot etc. Initiative Urges UAS Students to Cut Down on Violence

BY KASEY CHEN
For the UAS Whalesong

The Green Dot etc. Initiative, a program that seeks to cut down on power-based violence, made an appearance at University of Alaska Southeast on Sunday, Sept. 18, for its inaugural round of Bystander Training. Their aim was to better equip those involved with the ability to understand and react as bystanders to situations pertaining to domestic violence, sexual abuse, and stalking. Students from universities around the country participated, and connected via intermittent live streaming of photos throughout the day. Continue reading “The Green Dot etc. Initiative Urges UAS Students to Cut Down on Violence”