Easterner

Eastern professor dies in kayaking accident

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A kayaking accident last Friday took the life of Dr. Anthony "Tony" Oertling, professor and chair of EWU's department of chemistry and biochemistry.

According to local news reports, Oertling and four others were floating on Idaho's St. Joe River near Marble Creek when the 54-year-old got out of his kayak to swim to shore after experiencing troubles with his craft.

Year in, year out

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

With news coverage spanning the course of the year, The Easterner's staff decided on the top 10 stories that affected the campus. Each story had its own impact on the EWU community, whether it be a massive snowfall, looming budget cuts or the election of the nation's first black president. While being diverse in their subject matter, they all either influenced or were influenced by Eastern Washington University, its campus and its students.

Faculty of the year: Lynn Briggs

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Dr. Lynn Briggs, dean of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), said one thing has consistently cut through the clouds of a gloomy budget year. "I have the pleasure of leaving these budget meetings and going to see what students and faculty are up to," she said. "It's like a balm to see what's going on out there. You think, 'Oh, OK, it's not that bad.'"

Student of the year: Matt Holmes

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The first day of winter quarter, EWU senior Matthew Holmes drove over to Olympia and set himself up in an apartment he'd found via Craigslist. Along with other members of the Washington Student Lobby (WSL), he would spend nearly 40 hours a week over the next three months fighting for student rights.

Appetite for literature

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Students were invited to bring their appetites, along with a love for literature last Wednesday as the Friends of the Library (FOL) held its annual Books2Eat contest in the JFK Library.

Books2Eat is a yearly event for which students, faculty, staff and community members create a completely edible creation with a literary theme.

Ending textbook tyranny

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

For students of the Social Change class at EWU, doing individual projects was not enough, so they decided to take a stand against the price of textbooks.

"This affects all of us," said Lilly Bourret, a senior in international affairs. "We need to re-examine the way we do textbooks here at Eastern.

Local to global

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In an attempt to enhance political attention and public action, the United Nation General Assembly established World Environment Day (WED) in hopes of stimulating environmental awareness.
In preparation for the event, students from the Government 402 class held an event titled "Local to Global: Environment, Complexity, Sustainability and Spokane" May 26.

Standpoint with James Eik and Chelsea Schilter

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

James Eik, incoming editor Tell me a little about yourself - how long have you been at Eastern and what brought you here? I grew up in Otis Orchards and have lived in Eastern Washington my entire life. I went to East Valley High School and was one of four editors out there in my senior year.

Police Beat: May 26 - May 30

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

5/26 - 12 a.m. Graffiti was found and reported by a custodian in the third floor men's bathroom stall in the JFK Library. According to the police report, the graffiti contained an anti-religious statement. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact them.

Cheney Farmer's Market

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Cheney Farmer's Market began May 29 and will carry on until Oct. 16 every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on First and College Streets.

The Cheney Farmer's Market offers locally grown products from area farmers.

Outdoor education

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

From May 27 to 29, 18 Eastern Washington University students in the department of education worked with children in the third to fifth grades from Arcadia Elementary School in Deer Park, holding the classes at Mix Park, which ran from 9 a.m to 3 p.m.

Roger Hauge, a professor of education at EWU who coordinated and planned the event, said it was something new for the department to try.

Sports sign-off: Mike

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Entering this, my third senior year at EWU, expectations for a diploma and a job finally seemed within my grasp. Looking to turn in my career-student status, I was eager, and completely ignorant of what lay ahead of me.

As an English, not journalism, major I found that writing for the school paper was not the cake-walk I had expected it to be.

Sports sign-off: Scott

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

I feel this was a great year for The Easterner and its sports section. In my seven years at EWU out of Honolulu, I never envisioned working for the school newspaper my senior year.

Working at The Easterner has taught me the essence of sports writing - it's not brainstorming and writing stories, it's the journey to getting the story completed.

Freshman heads to Fayetteville

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

After finishing in sixth place at the NCAA West Regional meet over the weekend, Michelle Coombs has advanced to the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships to be held June 10 through 13 in Fayetteville, Ark.

"Now you're throwing against the Big 10, the Big 12, the ACC, all those schools are here," said men's Head Coach Stan Kerr.

So long, suckers, but before I leave, let me say:

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In the spirit of barefaced pomposity, I'm going to use this, my last op-ed at The Easterner, to carry on a longstanding tradition. College paper editors have long exploited their transitory grip on a public forum to impart last words of wisdom and/or so-long-suckers sentiment before graduation.

The real issue at hand

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

As a college student, I appreciate that the university I attend respects my independence and choice-making skills enough to provide knowledge about so many issues, and about multiple sides of those issues. I'm grateful that I'm given the choice to receive health care from Rockwood Clinic just down the street from campus, or Planned Parenthood, a few blocks further.

I don't have time for this: Summer

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

School is finally coming to an end and finals are upon us. While most students look forward to the day that they can shed their academic obligations and frolic about in the summertime heat, I dread it.

You see, once school ends and summer hits, it means a wave of new responsibilities.

Letter to the editor

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

As spring quarter is winding down students are thinking about what to plan for the summer.

For those unfortunate few, like me, summer quarter is on the agenda. Trying to schedule classes around working and those sunny afternoons at the lake can be near impossible.

Another Eminem album; not much different than the rest

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

That Mathers boy is gosh-darn foul mouthed and offensive. Actually, I think I'm over it. I'm done being surprised, which is a terrifying thought. Somewhere in "Relapse" between his impersonation of the late Christopher Reeves and the third (or was it the fourth?) reference to putting something up Kim Kardashian's butt, I just didn't feel the magic I used to.

Best People

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Most helpful student adviser Responses such as "nobody" or "the EWU catalogue" were most abundant in this category, but others gave props to those who've pointed them toward scholastic success. Dr. Chris Valeo, assistant professor of English, was one of three runners up.

Best Academics

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Best class you've attended this year EWU chose a variety of English courses as the best classes. Some of the top vote-getters included "Teaching English in Secondary Schools" with Stephen Hoyt, English "Introduction to Literature" with Liza Wilcox and "Evil and Supernatural American Literature" with Dr.

Best Sports

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Best sport offered at Eastern In an overwhelmingly one-sided race, football was crowned "Best Sport" at EWU, with both men's and women's basketball tied for second. Head Coach Beau Baldwin said of the award, "I think it's huge. It means a lot that we're a sport that students enjoy and care about so much.

Best Night Life

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Best music venue The Empyrean Coffee House located in Spokane brings a down-to-earth feel to the venue given part of the building is actually a functioning coffee house. The word Empyrean actually means "the highest reaches of heaven" and they sure are well on their way to it with their java.

Best Style

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Hottest band around Jacob Butcher can't really be considered a "band," as most of his compositions have up till now been one-man productions. But that's all about to change, says the EWU freshman. While he'll continue crafting his signature folk with acoustic guitar and wavering vocals, he said it will be in his "personal time.

Best Campus Life

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Best campus food Head Chef Dustin Crapper is pleased to hear that the Roost won the Best Campus Food category. There is a combination of aspects that sets the Roost apart from Baldy's and Tawanka. Besides having an out front kitchen where customers can watch their food being made, customers can also custom-order their food instead of being served whatever is being made in mass quantities.

The past year - through a student's view

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

As the 2008-09 academic year at Eastern Washington University draws to a close, the students and faculty at the university look back to which news stories and events were most present in their minds. Despite the myriad of incidents that took place over the course of 10 months, there were two topics that were at the forefront: budget cuts and layoffs.

Volleyball Hall of Famer reflects on Eagle family

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Kim Exner-Rosenbach played two years on the Canadian national volleyball team and joined three European pro leagues, but nothing, she said, compared to her Hall of Fame career at Eastern Washington University.

"The girls from Eastern and I still talk all the time about how no team in history will ever have what we had," said Rosenbach.

Mariners Weekly

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

With the school year winding down, the Mariners enter the second third of the year seven games back in the American League West. The month of May was rough for the team, ending up with 11 wins to 18 losses, bringing their current record to 24-28 (including the loss to Baltimore on Monday).

So long, seniors

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

As the year draws to a close, the class of 2009 anxiously awaits the turn of their tassels and the open gates of freedom.

"It's a little scary to think we won't have that safety net of going to school anymore," Kimberlee Orr, graduating senior, said, "We are moving into the real world.

We don't need no stinkin' permits!

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Quick, off the top of your head: if a government employee showed up at your house and told you that you needed a license to exercise your First Amendment rights, what would you say?

More specifically, if a government official arrived at your doorstep while you were practicing your religion and told you that you had to pay tens of thousands of dollars to be allowed to do it or you would be arrested.

1000mgs of WTF: A review of "Relapse"

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Whether it involves rapping exclusively about diamonds or cars or putting every vocal through an auto-tuner, rap music has a tendency to get into creative slumps. And one artist puts out a fresh idea, the whole year becomes a quest for every other artist to recreate that song.

EWU co-sponsors student conference

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A quarter's worth of hard work culminates June 4, 5 and 6 as communication students put on their first conference.

"The opportunity students have is unique because they are able to gain hands-on experience in helping to develop every aspect of an academic conference while earning academic credit," said Rachel Martire, a junior in the communication and interdisciplinary program.