Opinions

Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper is spearheading a plan to split California into six states. He has until July 18, 2014 to collect 807,615 signatures for a ballot initiative that could reach voters by November 2016. According to The Washington Times, “when you have a government that is this big, there are too many interests that the people who govern are trying to manage,” Draper said. “Those people are doing something that I think is just too much. You’re trying to do too much for everyone, and by doing...

By IDA DUNN-MOORE February is African American History Month across the United States, but here on campus it seems to be another month. It is hard to discern how many people know or care. The apathy and low awareness are not surprising. Puget Sound is a campus full of increasingly busy students, each with their own issues they find relevant. The Black Student Union, in association with other groups, is putting on two events in the last week of the month. Last Monday there was a Civil Rights Peace Poetry...

The University of Puget Sound has just become part of the American Honors Program. This program offers highly motivated and intelligent community college students the support and resources they will need to get into their dream college after two years. According to the website, americanhonors.org, the program’s curriculum “is designed to prepare students for junior- and senior-level coursework at the best colleges and universities in the country. At the conclusion of the 2-year program, students will earn an Associate’s degree with Honors and will have the opportunity to apply for...

Two pieces in an issue of Puget Sound’s Wetlands magazine caused controversy earlier this year: “Greek Life and Straight Supremacy” by C.J. Queirolo and “An Open Letter to Greek Life” by Philip Brenfleck. Both heavily criticized the Puget Sound Greek system based on the opinion that Greek life is a heteronormative, non-inclusive space inaccessible to those that do not conform. Many participants in Greek life, however—and some unaffiliated members of the campus community—would beg to differ. The Greek system at Puget Sound, which gave bids to new members on Jan....

Dear Puget Sound community,   I am writing this letter to provide some context for the displaying of the South African flag outside of the ASUPS office on the front side of Wheelock Student Center. We are displaying the flag to pay tribute to the passing of one of the worlds most influential and inspirational leaders, Nelson Mandela. The flag was first displayed on Tuesday, December 10, 2013, the first day of the memorial plans.   This particular flag is significant because it has an important history through ASUPS. The...

  In May, Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Krusinki, the U.S. Air Force’s head sexual assault prevention officer, was himself arrested for sexual assault. Drunk and stumbling across a parking lot, Krusinki grabbed a woman standing outside of a bar from behind. She confronted him  and punched him several times in the face. His crime is a shocking reminder of an issue that has been dismissed for too long. According to the Department of Defense’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, there were 3,374 reported sexual assaults in 2012, about a six...

As the new semester approaches, one concern for students is purchasing new textbooks. Different individuals swear by certain methods or websites that make buying these textbooks at least slightly more affordable. Despite all the ways one can try and save money on books, the Annual Survey of Colleges published by the College Board last year showed that on average students spend $1,200 on textbooks and supplies every year. That number increases to almost $1,250 for students who attend private colleges. The high cost of textbooks is likely to increase. Economics...