Representative Sara Gelser at Linn-Benton Community College

On Tuesday, Oct. 28 Representative Sara Gelser spoke on the Linn-Benton Community College campus. Invited by the Student Leadership Council to talk of her future plans for Oregon, attending students had opportunity to ask her questions.

Fifty students gathered in the Forum as Rep. Gelser spoke about current projects in her elected District 16, Corvallis and Philomath. She is currently running for U.S. Senate District 8 against Senator Betsy Close (R) elected in 2012. District 8 would expand Gelser's scope to include Albany.

Both Senator Close and Representative Gelser were invited to LBCC by SLC for a candidate debate. However, Close did not acknowledge the request.

"We're positive she saw a copy of [our invitation] but she did not respond," said Jon Crenshaw, Oregon Student Foundation.

Gelser on the other hand happily obliged. After her visit on Tuesday she took to her Facebook page.

"Senate District 8 includes tens of thousands of student voters, so I was honored to accept an invitation to participate in a candidate forum at Linn-Benton Community College today. It was a little lonely being the only candidate to attend, but I enjoyed the great discussion with students about working families, college affordability, and equality. Thank you, LBCC and OSA for hosting a great forum!"

Adelaine Carter, SLC president, and Melissa Jeffers, staffer of The Commuter, were mediators fielding prepared questions for Rep. Gelser. Questions included her stance on higher education, cost of tuition, current midterm election ballot measures, and student safety.

"I really would like to see the cost of tuition not just to freeze but to decrease," said Gelser.

Gelser has already impacted child abuse laws and victims of abuse laws in the state of Oregon, a focal point of her campaign. She discussed her intention to bring awareness to sexual assaults on campuses.

"I think we need to talk a lot more about not only assault but the stigma in reporting assault. Men and women are sexually assaulted on campuses." She continued, "Rape is rape and there's no excuse for it."

There was much discussion about Measure 88, making four-year driver licenses available for those that cannot prove legal presence in the state. Rep. Gelser addressed her concerns about hate and racial stereotyping. 

"My opponent has run an ad that is very offensive calling 'them' illegal. No human being is illegal."

A student in the audience asked for her stance on Measure 91, legalization of marijuana.

"I think that the voters are likely to pass Measure 91 in the fall," adding, "I respect the voters but also want to make sure we are keeping drugs out of the hands of kids and minors, and making sure no intoxicants are used when driving."

Another student asked her thoughts on Measure 92, the labeling of GMO foodstuffs.

"We all have a right to know what we are buying. Consumers want to know what they are putting in their bodies."

In response to a question about Measure 89, equal rights for women, Rep. Gelser explained that across the state on average women are paid less than men. As Co-Chair for Oregon's Women Health and Wellness Alliance, equality is on her radar.

"I get an email everyday with a personal story of how things effect them."

When asked specifically if Rep. Gelser supported local Measure 22-130, the $34 million bond for LBCC, she responded with conviction.

"I absolutely support the bond."

Of her two degrees, she earned her Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from OSU. Rep. Gelser currently lives with her family in Corvallis. A past member of the Corvallis School Board and Parent Educator and LBCC, she has been in legislation since 2005.

Cultural Comparison of Native Netsilik and Chipewyan Tribes

Both living on tundra, the Netsilik and Chipewyan people shared two staple food sources in their diet; caribou and fish. They also shared the use of moss and berries during less plentiful times. Both groups, in desperate times, would result to cannibalism.

Women played an important role for food, clothing and shelter. In both Netsilik and Chipewyan societies the women prepared, transformed and cooked the food in which the men hunted. They were responsible for the process of scraping, sewing and softening caribou hides. Sewing was generally with bone needles.

Both cultures wore outfits made from caribou skins. Both relied on the use of snowshoes for most of the year made from wood or antlers, depending on solids available. Bags, containers and tents were made from caribou in both cultures. Come summer, both were living in tents using caribou skins.

When hunting caribou both communities shared a similar practice. They set up hunting operations at river crossings of the herds. Men hidden along the river's edge would wait with their canoe or kayak and launch to enclose them as they crossed, spearing trapped animals. The women and children in both groups were helpful during this hunt. They would stand on the banks and scare the caribou back into the water in an effort to get as many animals trapped as possible.

Both groups would stock up on meat during fall hunts to preserve for offseason meals. For most of the year, their prospective environments made preserving meat rather easy. Both groups dried meat, making food intake easier for travel and preservation.

The Netsilik and the Chipewyan also shared the use of using bone for hunting tools, specifically the fish hook. After carving the hook, both would attach it to caribou tendons or sinew. Both groups had to fish through ice at certain times of year, cutting a hole in the ice and dangling the hook waiting for a bite.

The Chipewyan did not hunt sea animals as the Netsilik did. Netsilik means "the people of the ringed seal" and when caribou migrated south, seals became the next best thing. Seals, unlike the caribou, do not migrate so by January when the sea had frozen over the Netsilik moved onto the ice to hunt. Seal skins were used largely as a resource for water resistant materials, clothing and shoes. Seals also provided oil for lamps, an invaluable possession in Netsilik culture.

While the Netsilik turned to seals, the Chipewyan turned to fishing. They were skilled in fishing and used tools to ensure catching to most fish possible to stock up for more trying times. They speared fish, used weirs that would trap them, and used gill nets set across rivers for mass fishing. In western Chipewyan bands fishing was more important than in the eastern bands.

A hunting technique developed by the Chipewyan that was not used by Netsilik was unattended hunting. The Chipewyan often used snares and deadfalls. This ability to hunt with unattended devices was less dangerous and time consuming, and burned less energy. The Netsilik would have to stand at seal holes for hours or days, while the Chipewyan would travel back to nets, snares and deadfalls to collect food with less effort.

The Chipewyan had a second style of hunting caribou that differed from the Netsilik. Women and children would hide in wooded areas funneling caribou from a wide space that got thinner, leading to eventual entrapment where men would spear and shoot them with arrows. When caribou were plentiful the Chipewyan were at times wasteful with the carcasses, taking only prized parts and leaving the rest. This was unlike the Netsilik who used all parts possible. A reason for this is attributed to the Chipewyan belief that the land owned them and that creation existed for them to eat.

They Netsilik considered sharing among the band an expectation. This was not the case with the Chipewyan that shared only within their household. Because of the use of unattended hunting devices, the Chipewyan had an advantage of requiring less people to hunt making small parties possible. The Netsilik, for example, needed a 15-man team to hunt seals, each expecting to get equal parts regardless of whose “hole” the seal was caught in.

The Netsilik, from the arctic, and the Chipewyan, from the subarctic, shared similar negative temperatures in the winter. They both adapted well to life in the snow. The weather for the Netsilik could reach -40 degrees while the Chipewyan could experience -60 degrees. Because of their harsh living environments, large animals and plants were limited.

Both cultures were nomadic and lived in small bands, identified by regional herds of caribou. The leaders of both groups were not born into their positions, they were voted into them. Leaders were defined by their skill in hunting - the most essential skill a man could have. The ability to identify good hunting areas and succeed in the hunt was how men proved themselves worthy of leading.

In both of their native environments caribou were their lifeline. They relied heavily on the movement of the herd, which was the main reason for their nomadic lifestyle. They preferred to hunt caribou in the fall when the herd was the healthiest and fattest, and had the most desirable fur. The caribou not only fed both groups during migration, but were the main source of clothing and contributed to a key resources for tools. Both cultures used caribou antlers and bones as a solid because much of their land lacked wood.

When comparing their two environments, the Netsilik got about 20 frost-free days a year in the arctic. Therefore their main source of a solid for building houses was snow, the igloo, as wood was sparse. The Chipewyan, on the other hand, got the benefit of short, hot summers up to 80 degrees. With more wood available, they used it to frame their dwellings wrapped in caribou skins.

Tools and weapons varied from the two cultures depending on what was available. For the Netsilik, their natural resource of soapstone was critical for making items such as cooking pots and lamps. The Chipewyan relied on their natural resource of copper for items like ice picks, arrows, spears, spoons, and axes. Comparatively, the Netsilik used the adz with stone blades and knives made with slate. The Netsilik used kayaks made from driftwood and antlers. The Chipewyan used skin-covered canoes.

There was a notable difference of the two cultures that impacted lifestyle surrounding the use of dogs.  The Chipewyan believed that their creator was half-dog. Because of this, they had supernatural associations with dogs and did not use them in society as the Netsilik did. The Netsilik relied heavily on dogs to help pull sleds, sniff out seal holes, corner polar bears and pull seal carcasses back to camps.

Sustaining life with a "survival of the fittest" mentality resulted in both groups having a history of infanticide, specifically of females. Women in both societies played the role of preparing meals, however they did not hunt the meals. Therefore, if resources were low and food was scarce families would make the decision to allow their infant girls to die. Although, the dangers of hunting left a higher mortality rate in males thus leaving well-balanced communities of men and women.

The Magic Barrel: A Reading to Fight Hunger

Hundreds of community members gathered at the historic Whiteside Theatre in downtown Corvallis Friday night. Taking a stand against hunger, all $6,000 collected was donated to Linn Benton Food Share, providing an estimated 82,000 pounds of food.

Twenty-one years ago faculty of OSU started "A Reading to Fight Hunger," and each year it continues to grow. This year, nine accomplished writers took the stage and sampled their works. The OSU Center for Humanities continued their support by paying for the use of space.

As supporters flooded the theatre, The Sideways Portal Sandbox jammed on stage filling the room with smooth jazz. The half dozen musicians with brass, percussion, guitars, and lots of talent created ambiance with a slow, seductive pulse. 

Gregg Kleiner, event organizer, welcomed attendees settling into the low-lit theatre.

"This is really cool! Wow twenty-one years, it's because of you coming out to help the hungry among us."

Selections were nonfiction, fiction, essays, and poetry. 

"It's a nice way for people to get a sample of different kinds of writing," said Alison Clement, LBCC English instructor and steering committee member for the event.

Local bookstore Grass Roots was a sponsor of the event. Owner Jack Woolcott displayed books from the night's artists. Each was available for an autograph when purchased. 

"We're contributing 100 percent of proceeds to the event. It's a labor of love," said Wolcott.

"We've already had someone pay more than the book costs to donate," added Claire Meints, Grass Roots event coordinator.

All readers that took the stage live in Oregon. Most were local, the furthest came from Ashland. Each had a unique style and got seven minutes to share their words. Poet laureates Peter Sears and Lawson Inada were two of them.

John Daniel, master of ceremonies, has six published nonfiction books and three Oregon Book Awards. He engaged the audience with humor and hope. 

"We're here tonight because no child in Linn County or Benton County or any county should have to eat paste."

The event coincided with National Food Day, Oct. 24, and prepared food was donated for listeners. The "magic barrel," a shrunken wooden vessel like that which stores wine, sat prominently in the reception area. Donations were added in exchange for a bite to eat.

Greg Little, owner of Squirrel's Tavern, worked a booth for thirsty patrons. He donated beer for purchase, giving all sales to Linn Benton Food Share. Wine was donated by First Alternative Natural Foods and hard cider was donated by local cider house 2 Towns.

With the many businesses and community members that came together to share food and drink, many more will be thankful for their generosity as the holidays approach and their stomachs are empty.

The vibe of the night was warm and soft, loving and embracing.

Readers took the stage behind a large podium adorned with oversized pumpkins and live, leafy plants. The lamp shades on nearby tables gave the comfort of a living room. The prominent red brick wall behind them showed its 90 years of use, adding to the theater's rustic Italian architecture.

Artists were as diverse as the crowd. 

The youngest to stand behind the podium were in their 30s, while others in their 70s. Onlookers were a blend of students, hipsters and professors, white-haired with walkers, couples snuggled on dates, and notably, even a lady dressed in traditional velvet renaissance attire.

Nick Dybek read his compelling fiction of a fisherman on a crabbing boat in Alaska. Tangled in a crab pot as it's thrown overboard, the imagery he presented of the fisherman was masterful. His description of freezing veins, loss of breath, fear of the abyss, flashes of the afterlife, and his eventual rescue left listeners with dropped jaws.

Barbara Drake shared her nonfiction story about the varied finds one makes in the rural countryside. Quite the wordsmith, she compared scat to, "apple pie filling, but definitely not sauce." Her creative and humorous narration sent the crowd into bursts of laughter.

Fiction author Jon Raymond read a semi foul-mouthed, sort of cynical, but absolutely hilarious tale of a middle aged lady underwhelmed in her life-sucking office cubicle. His book was just sold last week, and he expressed his excitement reading it for the first time in his community. 

"This marriage of giving and literature is such a wonderful thing. I'm not a church-goer but it feels spiritual."

The evening was loaded with laughter, applause, punchlines, and puns intended. All in the name of helping those less fortunate.

Proposed Bond for LBCC: Is $34 Million Too Much?

Next month Linn and Benton county residents will be asked to cast their vote on Measure 22-130, requesting taxpayers to foot the bill for vast improvements to four campuses in the LBCC network.

Proposed plans to use the $34 million are expected to not only increase the number of students able to enroll in particular programs, but will also offer more courses in programs already in place.

The Benton Center is set to receive $8 million for expansion of parking and classroom space. The Advanced Transportation Technology Center (ATTC) will get $2 million for additional shop and classroom space, relocating the entire program. The Samaritan Health Systems Campus in Lebanon will aquire a $8.05 million building to accommodate lab and classroom for all healthcare occupations students.

With the transfer of healthcare and ATTC students, the Albany campus will get $12 million to renovate and modernize nearly 200,000 sq. ft. of previously occupied space.

Of the 20,000 enrolled students on all campuses in 2015/16, over 16,000 are Linn and Benton County residents.

The Student Leadership Council (SLC) and the Oregon Student Foundation (OSF) ran a campaign in 2014 with a goal to register 3,000 students to vote in preparation for the November midterm elections. After three terms of combined effort, they exceeded their goal registering over 4,000 students.

With emphasis on Measure 86 appearing on the Oregon ballot allowing the state a certain debt to provide funds to post secondary education students, and locally, Measure 22-130 to decide the fate of the proposed $34 million bond; LBCC student advocates raised awareness on the importance of young people voting.

This term 100 students were polled presenting the question: Is $34 million too much for LBCC to ask from the community? The level of information students had on the exact usage of the proposed bond varied, however nearly a quarter of those asked felt it was indeed too much.

"The taxes are already high for property tax payers, so I don't know if that's the best way to go about it," said student and homeowner Kelly Stoner.

If passed, the bond will not change the payments currently made by homeowners. As bond rates are now, it's designed to maintain the same rate per thousand at .18 cents. Taxpayers will contribute to the proposed $34 million bond until 2032.

Other students were on the fence considering what is already available at LBCC.

"It might be a little too much to ask, but it might be a worthwhile investment if we can open up the opportunity for more classes and the opportunity for people to get better jobs," said student Sarah Tunstill.

When healthcare occupations students and automotive students move from the Albany campus, the ability to refocus on growing programs to benefit the community can then be assessed.

"We've had a lot of backing from area businesses looking for trained employees, so it will give us space for some specific needs," said Dale Stowell, executive director of college advancement.

Other students didn't hesitate by saying the funds for improving education were a need and not a "want" for LBCC.

"This is probably one of the better schools I've been to and I've been impressed with the instructors and the quality of education," said student Jordan Clay. "It's really good for the community and I highly support the funding of education."

If the bond is passed, payments from taxpayers will not start until those from the bond passed in 2000 for $19 million have completed in 2016.

"It's structured so that payments never stack on top of each other, one is paid off and another begins," said Stowell.

The Birdhouse Project: Visual Art on LBCC Campus

The courtyard will soon be home to birdhouses.

This November, students will see the introduction of five hand-crafted poetry birdhouses that have each been transformed with artistic approaches of paint, ceramics, metal, or collage. Each will have a poem inscribed inside.

"This is a marriage of visual arts and poetry. We would hope the addition of artwork would really bring joy to people," said Victoria Fridley, AART chair.

The Arts and Aesthetics Resource Team (AART) is comprised of LBCC staff and faculty committed to promoting art and improving the aesthetics on campus. Working with the Corvallis Arts Center and the LBCC Foundation, Fridley, along with Chair of New Art M'Liss Runyon, succeeded in organizing the "poetry birdhouse" project on campus.

The Linn County Cultural Coalition, funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust, recently granted the college $2,800 fund the project.

Corvallis carpenter Tom Olson was commissioned to build the cedar birdhouses, each one unique and with a functioning door. Five local artists were selected to adorn the birdhouses. Five poems, one of which will be written by a LBCC poetry club member, will be added inside each house. Their metal poles were produced by the LBCC Welding Club.

"We really want to strengthen the sense of community here," said Fridley, "We have student clubs involved and that was very important."

Although the birdhouses may never house a bird, there will be resident writing journals in each. Designed to be interactive with students, a page from a journal can be used by those inspired to write in response to what they see or read.

"They can respond back with a note and then shut the door," said Runyon. “I would love to have people enjoy the houses in multiple ways.”

LBCC already has a plentiful and growing collection of art.

The birdhouse project is one piece of an overall effort to highlight art displayed on campus. This term, pamphlets were displayed around campus guiding an art walk where students can view the campus collection.

"It's not like we're going to finish this project and it's done—it’s the tip of the iceberg," said Runyon.

North Santiam Hall has been transformed by a donation from Bill and Jane Siebler who purchased artwork for LBCC from local artist Earl Newman. The creation of the mapped tour is part of AART's future aspirations to receive more grant money for expansion.

"We have a lot of concrete so I started thinking of a 10-year plan to work in the beauty, not only in, but outside the buildings," said Runyon.

The goal of selection includes both Albany and Corvallis artists and poets. The call for submissions will go out to both communities in the near future.

For inquires contact Victoria Fridley at fridlev@linnbenton.edu.

Hinduism: "Being" Brahman, Atman and Moksha

To be immanent something is inherent, inseparable, existing or operating within. Related to theories of the Devine, in this context, the word suggests that it can be found in the material world. Transcendent would be considered the opposite of immanent, something beyond the material world that exists outside of what’s considered a human experience. In relation to Devine, it may suggest that it sets itself apart from limitations of our world, beyond physical laws, and potentially beyond comprehension. While immanent suggests the Devine is always present and accessible in the material world, transcendent is a state of being where one is independent of limitations. It can be achieved through prayer, ritual or meditation.

The goal of classical Hinduism is to achieve Moksha, liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth (Samsara). The idea is that no matter the good you do in this life you will ultimately die. With any good you do there will always be bad, but hopefully your karma, or cosmic bank account, will help an individual achieve Moksha, even if over several lifetimes. Perfecting dharma during your lifetime (i.e. living a “correct” life though ethics, ritual, class and time period) will help make order in the universe possible. Comparing immanent and transcendent to the goals of Hinduism makes sense. Dharma is something you can achieve in the material world, immanent, because the concept is based on behaviors found in the material world. Moksha is something you may not achieve in one particular life therefore it can be transcendent. To quote Chandogya Upanishad, “All these creatures here, once they have emerged into Being do not know they have emerged into Being. Whatever they are in this world, whether tiger or lion, wolf or boar, worm or moth, gnat or fly, that they become again.”

Brahman is overall function of the universe and everything in it. Brahman gives life but is not a person. It didn’t necessarily create the universe but has all the wisdom of “god”. It cannot be exactly defined or have a specified beginning. Brahman can be described as “sat-cit-ananda” the highest reality (being, conscious, bliss). It transcends earthly being. Atman is more localized than Brahman and could be considered the essence of each human, or their soul. Atman is your true self. To quote Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, “He looked around, saw nothing but Himself. The first thing he said was, ‘It is I,’ hence I became His name. Therefore even now if you ask a man who he is, he first says, ‘It is I’, and gives what other name he has.” Realizing your “self” and how you connect with everything will help you evolve in your next life reincarnated, an important idea in Upanishad. Realizing your Atman leads to Brahman which leads to Moksha. Atman is immanent in this lifetime.

As it's written in Isa Upanishad, “Into deep darkness fall those who worship only the immanent in the body, and to greater darkness fall those who worship only transcendent spirit,” it is suggesting that you cannot have one without the other. You can’t simply worship your “self” if you don’t understand where your “self” came from, who it is, what it is, where it is going. You can’t worship Brahman if you don’t worship your “self”, as Atman leads to Brahman. They are symbiotic. For example, “Without knowledge, drops into a pit of darkness, as do those who only follow Knowledge without wise action.” This verse is comparing “knowledge” as Atman and “Knowledge” as Brahman. The action refers to the yogas, or religious disciplines you practice. The yogas you practice in your lifetime, “Overcomes even death and with this understanding reaches the level beyond time into immortality.” In the highest state of oneness there is no difference between you and god thus you cannot achieve without worshiping both.

LBCC: To Vote or Not to Vote, That is the Question

There are seven universities and 17 community colleges in Oregon—that’s a lot of students.

This November, Oregonians will cast their votes on 2014 general election ballot measures. Since 1996 an average of 12 measures have appeared on the Oregon ballot, this year being below average with only seven.

Decisions will be made on judicial authorities and elections, immigration laws, civil rights, legalization of marijuana, and labeling of genetically modified foodstuffs (GMOs). Most important for students to pay attention to is Measure 86; amending the constitution to require legislation to create funds for Oregonians pursuing post-secondary education.

Additionally, on the Linn and Benton county ballots will be a decision of the proposed $34 million bond for LBCC (as discussed in last week’s edition) used for renovations and expansions of LBCC campuses and programs.

This month, over 100 LBCC students were asked if they will be casting their vote. Of those asked, 33 percent said they do not intend on voting.

Of those students not voting, 85 percent that said they will not be voting because "it doesn't affect me." The majority of the rest said they choose not to vote because they "don't know enough."

If Measure 86 is passed, the state will be allowed to create a certain debt with extended credit to college students, including those in technical, professional, and career training programs.

LBCC has nearly 100 programs to offer roughly 7,000 enrolled students.

A two-year program at LBCC costs the average state resident around $9,000, not including books and student fees. For many students cost matters and assistance to pay for school could make a difference between completion and withdrawal.

In 2015 tuition at LBCC will increase adding more financial responsibility on students. If Measure 86 does not pass, students will not have access to an exclusive fund set aside by the state to assist in the cost of tuition.

Here are a few responses from students and their reasons to vote or not to vote.

"I feel like as a member of community I should voice my opinion and be an active member."

- Brianna Anderson

"I believe in being politically active. Obviously how the country is now run is not my perfect ideal and the difference I can make is to do something."

- Anika Hall

" I haven't yet (voted) and it's kind of a scary thought. It's a big decision."

- Ethan Taylor

"I feel like voting is how I will make a difference in the world and most of the people in charge are stuck in the past."

- Jessica Drexler

"I joined the military and it's a right I joined to protect; freedom."

- Daniel Pace

"I'm not informed and if you're not informed you can't make a decision. The media presents to you whatever they want to. They twist things so you get lies anyways."

-Veronica Perez

"I feel like everyone has a right to vote and it's better to use that right."

-Ali Knox

"I've registered, I just haven't learned a lot and don't want to just blindly vote."

- Rachael Choquette

Free Money: Scholarships at LBCC

School can be expensive!

This Wednesday and Thursday is a free scholarship workshop for all students interested in money to help pay for school. No registration to the workshop is necessary. It will be held in the Calapooia Center room 203 from noon to 1 p.m. both days.

"Anyone can come, bring your lunch and stay as long as you want," said Sharon Wall of the financial aid office.

Wall, in a joint effort with the LBCC Foundation, is organizing the event to help guide students through the process of finding available scholarships, filling out applications, collecting required documents, and to caution of common preventable mistakes that can lead to a denied application.

"We hope to make a difference in the number of applications we receive," said Wall.

Students will get help with how to look in the scholarship database for one best suited for you, inform of where the money comes from, and to discuss conflicts scholarships may or may not have with preexisting financial aid.

The terms of the scholarships and those who qualify for them can vary. Some have age requirements, some require a certain declared major, some require you to reside in a particular county, or some may be based on future goals you outline in an essay.

The workshop will help you learn where to look for one you can claim. Each year scholarships go unclaimed, the money is there, you just need to find it.

This term, the deadline to turn in applications is Oct. 24 at 5 p.m.

At that point, a committee will look at potential applicants who submitted complete paperwork. The decision process will take roughly a month to hear back your results.

"The committee reads everything so neatness counts. You want your best presentation," said Wall.

If you are rewarded a scholarship you will be eligible to receive the money at the start of winter term.

Here are a few tips to prepare yourself for the application process.

If you are a recent high school graduate, you will need to provide a transcript to establish your GPA. It's also helpful to show involvement in any activities such as sports, student government, or community projects. They can benefit your eligibility.

Everyone should prepare two letters of recommendation. They should not be from a parent as it will result in a denied application. They need to be someone on a professional level such as a teacher, coach or employer.