Marty Makeover: History, Why Now, and Next Steps

^{Kayla May, Staff Writer}

As many of you hopefully saw in your emails, our Mascot, Marty, is getting a makeover. The Belltower was able to sit down with Nate Peters, the Vice President of the Office of Marketing and Communications, to discuss the details of this makeover.

First, it is important to know the why of it all. Why is Marty so important to Saint Martin’s community? What value does Marty bring to the campus? He answered by giving a brief history lesson and explaining the significance Marty has to our university’s culture.

The university’s namesake is Saint Martin of Tours, originally a soldier in the Roman army. A legend is told of Martin coming up upon a shivering beggar in the cold; he split his cloak in two to share his warmth with the beggar. In a dream, Martin received a vision where the beggar revealed himself as Jesus Christ. This experience is what inspired him to leave the army, pursue his faith, and become a monk, teacher, and, eventually, bishop in the Catholic Church.

He dedicated his life to helping others. A life full of actions that reflect the Benedictine values of hospitality, community living, and respect for persons, values we still uphold and practice at the university today.

Peters explained that when they were going through a rebranding for athletics in 2019, they used focus groups and surveys within the community to determine their new mascot. Ultimately, the community wanted to keep Marty as the remaining mascot.

Peters articulated that the history of having a Roman soldier as our mascot is a direct nod to our Catholic tradition and heritage of what Saint Martin’s is all about. He elaborates by stating, “that right there is big piece of why Marty is such an important piece of Saint Martin’s. Because again, it’s a nod to our history.”

Marty the Saint has significant meaning to the university, which is exactly why they are going through with this makeover. When asked why the marketing department decided to do a makeover now, Peters’ first question was, “Have you seen Marty?”, and then preceded to describe how the costume is practically falling apart at the seams.

Marty is a symbol of pride and school spirit and represents our school’s namesake and history, which is why he should look presentable and put together. “The number one reason why we’re moving forward is because this mascot costume just can’t keep up,” Peters told me.

The survey is just the first step in revamping Marty’s look. The survey was sent out to 8,600 people, including students, staff, faculty, and alumni, and has already gotten 350 responses as of this weekend. It is short, with only four questions, and its main goals are to A) get people excited about getting a new Marty costume and B) start asking people what kind of mascot “vibes” they want Marty to have.

This makeover is more than just giving Marty a facelift. “As we’re looking to energize our campus community, energize our students, get our alumni back on campus and really try to get people together and recognize and be proud of the Saint Martin’s University brand, one way to do that is through a mascot,” Peters explained.

The ultimate goal is to engage Marty and the community more and make his presence more prominent on campus. They are looking to get two different Marty costumes, one for athletic-focused events and the other for PR/media events and photo-ops.

Peters wanted to emphasize that although they want to make everyone happy and pleased with the new mascot look, “it’s hard to appeal to everybody.” He goes on to express, “our team is working hard to work with the majority and make sure that everyone has input, and everyone is heard, and then we make decisions based on what the community wants.”

Moving forward, the marketing department is planning on doing a second survey, hopefully before commencement and finals week, and hopes to have a new costume in hand by the time the ’23-’24 school year begins in late August.

Black History Month on Campus

_{^{Bri Lopez, Editor}}

As Black History Month comes to an end, what better way to celebrate and gain more understanding than from our fellow students here on campus? This month has been full of learning opportunities and events, such as the Black entertainment night on the 23^rd of the month. With that being said, as we close off the month, a couple of people are hitting the spotlight this week, and they are none other than Quinci Flowers and Alisha (Ali) Saucedo. Both are very strong females of the black community here on campus, who have been recommended by their peers. They have played huge roles in leadership positions, Quinci being the president of BSU here on campus as well as being a part of the track team, and Ali being the Vice President of our new Women of Color Allegiance club as well as also being a part of the track team. 

An art piece depicting Barbara Johns famous quote “It seemed like reaching for the moon”

When asked about the things that she has learned about herself as a young woman of color, Quinci responded as such; “From being a 1st-year freshman to a 4th-year senior, I have noticed how much I bring to the table. To be transparent, I was initially intimidated as a freshman and struggled to figure out how to bring positive change to campus. I learned to use my voice in my 4 years at Saint Martin’s. After 2020 and the Black Lives Matter protests, I felt even more of an urge to start to bring change to SMUs campus. I learned that I am more than just Quinci. I am a voice and leader for women of color in stem majors and for young students of color whose opinions and frustration were never heard or considered. I learned that I am powerful.” Wise words from the queen herself on how she has changed and what has led her to become who she is now and who she will be in the future. 

Following behind, Ali responds with her role models and who has opened her eyes a little more to what life brings to the table by sharing, “My biggest role model has been my mom and my best friends Cher and Tory. They have demonstrated what it’s like to be self-less and empathetic and compassionate, even in the face of the biggest challenges. They have also reminded me of the importance of building memories and relationships amongst social justice and service lifestyle we’ve committed ourselves to.” A lot of times, parents are our biggest role models and so are the people we choose to surround ourselves with, there is a saying “you are what you eat” the same thing applies to friends and the people you hang around you tend to adopt the attitudes both good and bad from the people around you and Ali has chosen to adapt to the good and take with her the lessons she has learned and is still learning from those around her. 

Of course, we had to ask the BSU president what it’s like being an exec. to begin with. That is something that a lot of people want to do but don’t for various reasons. However, Quinci decided to take that leap of faith, and this is what she said about being SMU’s BSU president; “Being BSU President first of all has been such an honor. To be able to serve the black population of men and women on this campus has taught me that I am doing something bigger than just a club. I am leading a future community that will be here over the next successful years at SMU long after I am gone. Being BSU president has allowed me to make so many more cherished connections and memories with people of all backgrounds. Also being the president of an all-female-directed board has brought me so much pride and joy.”  It takes a lot to carry a torch, like being the president of a club, especially one that becomes a safe space for people to go and be their most authentic selves. 

When the two were asked about any advice that could possibly be given to any student here at SMU, this is what they said; “I would say that for one, do not be afraid to join clubs, go to events that interest you, and make connections.”(Q.F), “If you are a member of the Saint Martin’s struggling to find yourself, I encourage you to take a leap faith”(A.S), and  “Fighting against injustice still remains a crucial part of our social climate. Your voice matters and will always matter, you’d be surprised what can happen!” (Q.F). 

Saint Martin’s University’s Vision for the Future

^{Caleb Sharp, Student Writer}

This past Fall, the newly appointed President Jennifer Bonds-Raacke went on a school-wide listening tour as part of her strategic plan to guide Saint Martin’s University for the next three years. The listening tour consisted of a series of meetings with faculty, students, and monks to assess and address various concerns related to on-campus operations, such as funding and barriers to student success, among other things. After countless meetings with these interest groups, President Bonds-Raacke and her staff carefully curated a list of common themes mentioned during the listening tour and presented her findings to a group of faculty and staff on January 18th. 

President Bonds-Raacke opened her presentation by emphasizing SMU’s unique identity as an intersectional blend of Catholic Benedictine values and liberal arts traditions. She makes the point that centering the school’s curriculum around these two ideologies benefits students and faculty alike. 

_{Photo Credit: Caleb Sharp}

After establishing what she considers the core of SMU’s identity, President Bonds-Raacke dives head-first into transparently relaying issues and concerns raised by faculty and students during her listening tour. 

She first talks about issues related to the lack of equitable compensation, which has led to difficulties in retaining and hiring new faculty members. “We say that we’re Catholic Benedictine; that we value everyone, that we see God in everyone, that we treat everyone’s work with dignity. [In spite of this] we have employees who can’t afford the health insurance for their families that we offer. Or, up until the Spring semester, we weren’t reimbursing for travel at the federal rate of reimbursement.” President Bonds-Raacke defers to SMU’s adherence to its Catholic Benedictine values of treating everyone’s work with dignity, which involves being equitably compensated for that work. 

Another recurring theme mentioned during the listening tour was that of open communication between the faculty community and the leadership of Saint Martin’s University. While SMU leadership and faculty have generally had an open line of communication in the past, President Bonds-Raacke addressed several instances of the leadership disregarding collaborative efforts put forth by faculty. 

“The University Budget Committee was one example [of closed communication]. Another example was the State of the University addresses. The community was invited together, they were given information, but they weren’t invited to give information back or collaborate or meaningfully work together to produce whatever that decision might be.”

After addressing concerns raised by faculty, President Bonds-Raacke shifted the discussion toward concerns raised by students. 

She says, “When students talk about what’s great about Saint Martin’s and what they love, it’s you guys. It’s their personal relationship with faculty and staff. However, our retention rates are not what they should be first to second year. And when we really look at the data by different groups, our students of color, our black males in particular, do not fare well in our system.” Despite positive relationships fostered between faculty and students, President Bonds-Raacke points out that many students, especially students of color, are dropping out of Saint Martin’s at an alarming rate. In order to better serve the needs of students, President Bonds-Raacke says, “Moving forward, we need to think about what we need to do as an institution to increase opportunities for our students to be successful.”  

President Bonds-Raacke’s emphasis on transparency, communication and community building is a promising sign of Saint Martin’s University’s bright future to come.  

Pacific Exhibition

Phoebe Young, Staff Writer

There is a vast array of wonderful clubs and organizations here at Saint Martin’s, one of them being the Pacific Islanders Club. The Pacific Islanders Club is an organization that aims to bring students from the Pacific Islands together and allow them to express and embrace their true identities. They also work to educate Saint Martin’s students about the culture and traditions of the Pacific Islands, as well as to share this culture with those who may not know about it or be a part of it. Furthermore, the Pacific Islanders club functions as an affinity space and motivates and encourages club members to strive for their fullest academic potential by providing them with the resources and assistance they need to achieve academic excellence.

The Pacific Islanders Club has put on a multitude of fun events in the past, such as; the Holiday Hangout that occurred at the beginning of December in 2021 dedicated to making gingerbread houses, eating Panda express, prizes and raffles; the Halloween Spooktacular that the club put on in October 2021 including a costume contest, food eating contest, game booths, prizes and more; the Pizza and Painting event held in October of 2021 for students to paint, study, hang out with one another and eat pizza; and many other exciting and inclusive events for students of all kinds at Saint Martin’s to participate in. 

This March, the Pacific Islanders Club is going to be putting on an event called the Pacific Exhibition. The event will occur in the Norman Worthington Conference Center (NWCC) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30. At this year’s Pacific Exhibition, the theme will be Stories of the Pacific. The Belltower spoke with club President Ligi Saolotoga, who told us that this theme was chosen with the intention of introducing people to stories and information about the Pacific they may not have known about before.

Saolotoga also went on to explain to me that the event will focus predominantly on displaying a collection of some of the incredible art that comes from the various Pacific Islands.

We chose this theme to showcase the different and unique stories of each Pacific Island that people may not have knowledge of. This event also mainly focuses on the showcasing of a mixture of dances and songs that originate from the different pacific islands.

President Ligi Saolotoga

The event will also be providing amazing Pacific Islander foods that you definitely do not want to miss out on. It is going to be an exciting event full of the beautiful culture of the Pacific Islands.

If you are interested in attending and experiencing the Pacific Exhibition in March, you can purchase a ticket later on. Spots are limited, so if you are planning on attending, be sure to get your ticket as soon as possible. Ticket sales will be advertised on the Pacific Islanders Club’s social media, so stay on the lookout and do not miss out on this wonderful event! You can keep up to date on this event and any others the club puts on by following the club’s Instagram, which is under the handle: @smu_pacificislandersclub. Make sure to stay updated and pay attention to the club’s posts so that you don’t miss out on the Pacific Exhibition or any of the other fabulous club events!

Athlete Spotlight: Noah Boyd

Eric Bell, Staff Writer

As the second semester is off and running, we have moved along into a new sports season! Spring seasons are gearing up and before they get completely underway, The Belltower decided to catch up with a student-athlete on the Saint Martin’s track and field team, Noah Boyd. 

Noah Boyd is a freshman on the team. Before he was a Saint, Noah attended Olympia high school where he played football, track, and was also a member of the basketball team. Way to go Noah!

Currently, Noah has found an event he is very passionate about, competing in the 400 hurdles. With being so busy, he was gracious enough to take some time to share a bit about his first year as a Saint. 

“It’s been pretty good”, said Boyd, “I’ve had decent grades as far as school goes and track has been pretty good.” Boyd then got into more about being a student-athlete here at Saint Martin’s. “Honestly, just everyone has been really friendly.” This is a common theme from students about being here. With such a small campus, everyone seems to know everyone, and the people seem to be able to develop pretty close connections here. Maybe it’s because people have a better chance of getting to know each other, but everyone is friendly and welcoming. As a lot of Saint Martin’s is comprised of student-athletes, many people here understand what each other are going through and respect the time and effort it takes to juggle school and sports. Even for people who don’t play sports here, the school does a good job at getting people involved, so much that many people do some sort of extracurricular activity.

“A lot of people on the track team have been very talkative and been really open to me,” Boyd said. It is awesome that freshmen especially feel like they have a place here, as we all know transitioning into college from high school can be very difficult. 

Teammates being communicative and open are important because they can help answer any questions new student-athletes on campus may have. These types of teammates can also help others feel comfortable just being themselves. People should feel all they need to be is themselves, and it is great if others can help them get there. This is a lesson to all of us, whether we are teammates or not, is to be able to appreciate people for who they are.

Finally, when I asked Boyd about what he is excited for in the future here, he replied with, “Competing, honestly.” That is a great answer, and an answer that resonates well with many student-athletes. I think I can speak for the majority of athletes on this one: we just want to play. It is truly a blessing to be able to play the sport we love at this level, and we are all truly grateful to be where we are today.

Boyd then goes on to say, “I’m a walk-on so I haven’t got to go to any meets yet, but I look forward to getting better and hopefully getting a scholarship soon.” That is a great mindset to have, and I am confident that his goal of getting better is what will help him going forward. I wish him all the best. Good luck Noah and enjoy your time here. 

Saint Martin’s University Track and Field/Cross Country logo

Via: Saint Martin’s XC/TF (@SMUSaints_XCTF) / Twitter

Club Interview: Pacific Islanders Club

Saint Martin’s is known to host many exciting events, organizations, and clubs. One of the clubs to get to know is the Pacific Islanders Club. The club members discuss the name of their club and the activities and events they do, “We are known as the Pacific Islanders Club or PAC-I for short. In our club, we host small events throughout the semester that consist of but are not limited to Movie Nights, Bingo Nights, Mental Health Nights, and many more. We’ve danced traditional dances, sang traditional songs, and spoke on issues occurring in the Pacific Islands during Multicultural Week, for clubs inviting us out to talk on certain topics pertaining to what’s going on in the Islands, and lastly collaborated with the KaPuso Club in the past for an event we called “Family Night” and will soon be hosting our solo event as well.” 

The club discusses the events that they participate in, “The Pacific Islanders Club is part of any and all events that we get invited to, currently we are working with the Hui O’ Hawai’i Club to perform at the Lu’au.” 

All of our campus clubs bring something unique to Saint Martin’s. The club members discuss what their club brings to Saint Martin’s “Our club brings diversity to Saint Martin’s University. We are a club that consists of members who’re from different parts of the Pacific, individuals that are representing their culture, families, and islands. Individuals who have different stories and cultures to share with the SMU Community.” The club members discuss reasons why students should join their club. “Although our club is called the “Pacific Islanders Club” or “Pac-I” for short, we’re honestly a melting pot of different ethnicities. Individuals from near and far have joined our club, people who identify as PI have joined our club, and people who don’t identify as PI have joined our club as well. We’re open and accepting to all and only wish for the best for those who’re here to make their mark and want anyone and everyone that joins to know that we care and we see how far you’ve come!” 

The PI club has an impact on all that join, and want to create a welcoming environment for those who join them, “Our club is important because it provides a safe place for those who’re far from their homes, who feel like they don’t have family out here in WA, and it’s open to anyone who enjoys hanging out and just having good vibes. We want to bring together the students of the Pacific Islands, provide a sense of “home” away from home, and educate and share our cultures and traditions. As well as being an educational space, the PI club hopes to serve as an affinity space – meaning that we push to not only create a safe environment but also encourage our club members to strive for academic excellence seeking help not only within the club and provide resources to better serve their needs. The club members add on “Shout Outs’ to those who had to leave their islands to come to the mainland to make their mark! Shout Outs to those who are the first in their family to come to college! And Shout Outs to all of those who are trying their best to make it in this huge world! We see ya’ll and wish you all the best!”

“Thank you and Fa’afetai tele lava!”

New Updated NCAA Covid-19 Guidelines

Eric Bell, Staff Writer

What do we do, or have to do now? With the start of the spring semester now upon us and in full swing, Saint Martin’s athletics are continuing or starting back up! As teams come back together for practice and competition, people are wondering how the rise of Covid-19 and the Omicron variant is coming into play and how things are being accounted for. We all need to continue to stay safe and protect ourselves and others through these unprecedented times. Right now, are all trying to figure out how to do so.

With the uncertainty surrounding the new developments of the pandemic, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) released updated Covid-19 guidelines to try to bring about some ease during these anxious months. Saint Martin’s University, along with all other NCAA-affiliated schools, has adopted these guidelines and have already begun implementing them throughout the athletic department. 

A large part of this update is that the NCAA has adjusted its definition of “fully vaccinated” individuals. Earlier in the pandemic, being “fully vaccinated” meant that individuals had either received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine series, or the Moderna vaccine series. The vaccine series for Pfizer and Moderna means that individuals have had both doses of the vaccine. With the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, individuals only need to get one dose, because it is different than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Per the NCAA’s update at ncaa.com, now to be “fully vaccinated”, individuals need to be either within two months of receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, five months of receiving the Pfizer vaccine series, or six months of receiving the Moderna vaccine series. In addition to this, if student-athletes have received the vaccine earlier than the described windows above, they must have received a booster vaccine to qualify as being “fully vaccinated.” Finally, student-athletes who are within 90 days of a Covid-19 infection qualify as equivalent to being “fully vaccinated” because they now have the antibodies and won’t get it again for a while.

The second major part to come out of the NCAA’s update is the change in quarantining and isolation periods for student-athletes who test positive for Covid-19. Earlier in the pandemic, the quarantine time for individuals who tested positive was ten days. Per the update, the quarantine time has been cut in half, down to five days as long as the student-athlete has no symptoms or their “symptoms are resolving.” After those five days, the NCAA suggests the individual masking around others for five more days, except during athletic activities which follow a negative test. 

As for isolation, fully vaccinated individuals who have come in close contact with someone who tests positive do not have to quarantine but are suggested by the NCAA to wear a mask when not participating in athletic activities. Unvaccinated individuals, on the other hand, should still quarantine for five days if they come in close contact with someone with Covid-19.

This is a systemic change, as before student-athletes did not need a booster vaccine to be considered “fully vaccinated”, and they only needed to have the regular doses. The other big change here is the quarantine period has been cut in half, allowing student-athletes to return to the field and the classroom earlier than before.

These new updates are important to follow because the NCAA is not creating guidelines on its own. It is following the guidelines which the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has laid out. The NCAA’s update is merely bringing these new guidelines to the world of college sports.

Although the guidelines have changed, the overall idea hasn’t: do what you can to keep you and others as safe as possible.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) logoVia:  NCAA (@NCAA) / Twitter

Professor Highlight: Ramon Luzarraga

Phoebe Young, Staff Writer 

Saint Martin’s has an abundance of amazing professors, one of them being Dr. Luzarraga, who teaches theology and religious studies here, and serves as the chair of the department. He loves traveling and meeting people, movies and live theater, going to baseball games, and attending SMU sporting events.  This is only Dr. Luzarraga’s second semester at Saint Martin’s, but he has been teaching for 19 years now. However, he did not always know he wanted to teach.

“I thought I would become a lawyer,” he told me. “However, Dr. Elizabeth Krauss, one of my philosophy professors at Fordham University, where I earned my undergraduate degree, invited me to take her doctoral seminar on the thought of the French philosopher Henri Bergson. Suddenly, I was with people almost twice my age and didn’t make a fool of myself. I got an A in the class. This led to other graduate courses in philosophy, which made me realize I had a strong interest in philosophy and theology. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to teach until I was given my first classes at Marquette University, where I earned my doctorate. There, I taught courses for traditional and non-traditional students. I enjoyed the work and received strong, positive feedback. That sealed what my vocation would be: a university professor.”

Dr. Luzarraga is originally from Philadelphia, where he actually had the opportunity to ring the Liberty Bell.

I did not get explicit permission to ring that bell. But, when the park ranger handed me the rubber mallet she used to ring the bell, I made the logical deduction and rang it for myself. It may now hold a hairline crack with my name on it!

Since then, he has been a bit of a rolling stone throughout his life.

“My father’s work took me and my family to New Orleans and New York City. My studies and my work as a professor took me to New York City, New Haven, Connecticut, Milwaukee, Dayton, Ohio, Phoenix, and now here.”

Since moving here, he has fallen in love with the pacific northwest.

“I moved here last May from Phoenix to take on the position I hold here at Saint Martin’s: Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Having lived in the desert for eight years, I now appreciate why Jesus Christ spent no more than 40 days at a time there. I love the Puget Sound area. It reminds me of my life on the East Coast, only the mountains here are more majestic and uniquely beautiful in every season and every time of day when I can see them.”

This is part of what he loves about Saint Martin’s as well.

“The setting is very beautiful. It is the most beautiful campus I have ever worked at!”

Although the beautiful setting is not the only thing he loves about our school.

“The abbey and its community, which I consider my parish for daily Mass or prayer, is decisively important for a Catholic university like ours. It distinguishes life and study here from other universities. Any university can teach you how to make a living. A Catholic university has the freedom and ability to teach you how to develop a life worth living.”

Although this is only Dr. Luzarraga’s second semester here, he’s already made some wonderful memories, one of his favorites being the Gala. 

“One of my students, Laia Currius, nominated me to be honored by our Women’s basketball team. It was a novel experience to run between two rows of cheerleaders and coaches being rah-rahed and high-fived. I am grateful for having received that honor so early in my time here.”

He also recalls fondly, “Meeting with the Saint Martin’s leadership, my department colleagues, and the leadership of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Diocese of Yakima, as we plan to build up this department and its programs in partnership with the Catholic Church in western and central Washington.”

When I asked Dr. Luzarraga what advice he would give to students, he passed on some advice he received in college.

“One of my professors at Fordham told me to ‘let college happen.’ It is important to plan ahead, but be open to being surprised. You may experience a class which opens up an entirely new horizon,” which he said is what happened to him. He also advised that, “If you are offered the opportunity to continue your education after Saint Martin’s, take it! And, always complete your degrees and other training, even if you are not sure how it will benefit you. We are, for better and for worse, a credential-driven society. Having credentials opens up opportunities.”

 Finally, Dr. Luzarraga left me with this:

“A University with an Abbey at its heart teaches the underappreciated skill, at least in our country at this time, of being quiet. Action is productive only if it is backed by sound theory. Discovering sound theory takes a great deal of quiet time to think, meditate, and pray about.”

Homecoming the Saint’s Way

Shy Yamasaki, Staff Writer

Homecoming is an important event at any point in your life, both during high school and in college. Whether it is your first or last, students need to have fun and celebrate spirit week. One may be asking, “why is homecoming so special?” It is the week to experience and participate in different events, leading to the pep rally and game. When experiencing homecoming week, one can have fun with their group of friends while participating in the various themes presented for each day. While some may think homecoming is overrated, it shows a united front with the school as they show school spirit. Students enjoy participating during homecoming week because it gives them time to relax and be one with everyone around them instead of always having their nose in a book. While academics continue to be necessary, participating in homecoming is when the community can come together and enjoy the smiles, laughs, and happiness around them. 

Saint Martin’s has created great campus events for us this week. Thanks to the Campus Activity Board, or “CAB” as most know it to be, this week was full of fun. It started with Marty Monday: everyone was to wear their Saints gear to class and then head down to Harned Hall from 12 pm-2 pm for a “pick me up.” It was encouraged to post pictures on Instagram and tag @smucampuslife to let everyone see that swag. On Tuesday, you are welcome to participate in  Thankful Tuesday by posting a photo with friends in coordinated outfits and another chance to tag campus life and enter a raffle for that day. 

Everything looks better in white, and Saints could join campus life for White Out Wednesday on 2/2/22. This event allowed students to show their best angel outfits. Later that day, you could join CAB in Harned Hall from 3-5 pm to manifest goals by writing down your affirmations. Everyone loves the opportunity to stay comfy in their pajamas, so on Thursday it was pajama day where you could wear your PJs during class. Eventually, the fun had to end, so we wrapped up the weekdays on Fun Friday, your chance to dress to impress with another opportunity to be entered in the raffle for the day. 

We hope that you enjoyed the events leading up to the big game. It was a fantastic opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people. Make sure to post all of the memories you made and tag our campus life. The pep rally is scheduled from 4:30-5 pm.

Inslee Electric Car Mandate

Emmanuel Son, Staff Writer

Governor Jay Inslee has signed an executive order on November 3 that will require state-government cars to all be electric by 2035. The Kent Reporter reports that the order was announced in an international submission in Glasgow, Scotland, which focused on creating ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Executive branch agencies will be required to buy battery-powered cars to replace current passenger vehicles. Light-duty trucks will also be required to be replaced by electric vehicles. 40% of the existing fleet will be required to become electric by 2025, 75% by 2030, and 100% by 2035. In 2040, mid-heavy-duty vehicles will be all a zero-emission fleet.

A spokesperson for the governor, Tara Lee, states that in total, about 5,000 state vehicles will be a part of the new changes. Inslee has suggested that plug-in vehicles be available, if not battery models. These requirements will apply to 24 agencies in the executive branch, as well as State Patrol, Department of Transportation, Corrections, and Social and Health Services. These agencies will be required to come up with their plan on being able to comply with the new order. OPD reports that the first agencies transitioning to an all-electric form of transportation are the Liquor and Cannabis Board, the Office of Equity, and the Traffic Safety Commission.

The Governor is also leading a coalition of 68 different leaders across cities, states, and foreign municipalities that are trying to cut emissions in half by 2030 and to get net-zero by 2050. Inslee has declared this coalition the “super nationals,” reasoning that they are going to set the bar for many national governments on this issue.

According to the Kent Reporter, Inslee has admitted to this plan being costly. However, he argues that while the transition will be expensive at first, the plan overall will save the state money and will be a better impact on the environment. A spokesperson states that the legislature is working to obtain funding to supply the electric vehicles and charging stations to go with them. Inslee has declared his goal of all new vehicles being sold in Washington to be zero-emission by 2035. Inslee also mentions that funding will also come from the federal infrastructure bill, which will help put charging stations along Interstate-5 from Vancouver, British Columbia, to California.

OPB reports that Inslee has stated that he does plan on putting charging stations at shopping centers and schools, saying, “We want them in our shopping districts, so they’re available when you go shopping. We want them in our schools, so you can pull up and charge while you’re at school.” Governor Inslee mentions that he feels it is important for American families to have a charging station right at their homes. The governor charges his personal vehicle, a Chevy Bolt, from his basement. Charging stations are difficult to build around specific apartments or condos, saying that it is vital to develop a charging station that can be accessible and built for any environment. He also mentioned his support of the concept of new building construction projects generating no net increase by 2030. “Together with the rest of the leaders here, and those everywhere else today who are committed to this fight, we will lead the charge on de-carbonizing the transportation sector,” Inslee said in a statement.