Western Front - 2000 February 1

              pi.
TUESDAY, February 1,2000
Western Washington University Volume 111 Issue 7 Bellingham, Washington
From skiing
to Star Wars,
A.S. club fair
has variety
By Christian Knight
THE WESTERN FRONT
Democrats, jugglers, surfers
and peacekeepers are just a few
of the estimated 30 to 40 groups
that will exhibit their passions
at the Associated Students'
Clubs and Organizations Fair
from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday in the Viking Union
fifth floor coffee shop.
Activities Center coordinator
Lisa Rosenberg said the fair is
intended to encourage student
interest in Western's 110 clubs.
"The fair really reveals an
avenue for students to do what
they've always wanted to do,
but never had the opportunity,"
Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg said the fair also
encourages students to form
their own clubs.
The fair, which began in 1992,
generated enough interest and
requests from students and
clubs that it has returned for
eight consecutive years.
Twenty-eight of the 110 clubs
are recreationally based and
centered on anything from ski­ing
and fly-fishing to Jedi mar­tial
arts training.
Eleven religious groups com­pose
10 percent of Western's
clubs and special interest
accounts for 20 clubs.
"There is probably a club for
every niche of person on cam­pus,"
Rosenberg said.
More clubs are currently
forming.
"Last week alone we recog­nized
five new clubs," Amy
Finkbonner, vice president for
Student Activities, said.
Eighteen clubs formed fall
See CLUBS, page 3
Students donate time to mend Whatcom Falls
Volunteers from Western's L.E.A.D. program and Greenway help restore park
By Craig Kanaya
THE WESTERN FRONT
Sixty volunteers from
Learning Environment Action
Discovery and Greenway spent
two hours on Saturday making
sure last June's pipeline expk>
sion does not leave a permanent
scar on Whatcom Falls Park.
"Events like this have been a
way for the community to heal,"
said Emma Spenner, L.E.A.D.
co-director. "Restoration has
played a part in the community
healing."
L.E.A.D., a student-run orga­nization,
coordinates service-learning
projects on behalf of
community-based environmen-.
tal action.
"Service learning is taking
volunteering one step further,"
Spenner said. "The experience of
volunteering is integrated with
a student's degree. You gain and
give at the same time."
The volunteers filled in the
open space just above the stone
bridge waterfall viewpoint with
shrubs and groundcover. This
section of the forest has been
badly trampled in the past.
"Soil that is not covered will
wash away to clay or rock,"
L.E.A.D. project coordinator
Angela Smith/The Western Front
Emma Spenner, co-director of L.E.A.D, cuts blackberry brambles at Whatcom Falls Park.
Jason Darling said. "Only small
plants will be able to live there.
Without plants, there is not
much there to support life. It's-what
everything else feeds on."
Twelve L.E.A.D. volunteers
enjoyed the beauty of Whatcom
Falls Park and got their hands
dirty planting shrubs.
"It's a very rewarding experi­ence,"
said volunteer Nikole
Coleman. "The volunteers today
are improving the parks for the
whole community."
L.E.A.D. volunteers Spring
Deboer and Amber Pearson said
they believe volunteering has
See FALLS, page 4
Bicyclists take to the street to stop pollution
By Meghan Pattee
THE WESTERN FRONT
Critical Mass bicyclists
braved the cold and took to the
streets Friday night to bring
awareness to bicycle rights and
safety.
"It's hard to understand that
bikers do have rights when
they're individuals, but when
they are a full force it's easier to
remember," Seth Vidana said.
"When we are in a big flock peo­ple
say 'woah, we better watch
out.'"
According to its Web site,
titled "How to Make a Critical
Mass," Critical Mass is an
"unorganized coincidence" and a
way to bring people together in a
celebratory reclaiming of public
space, not protest.
Disorganization promotes
freedom and undercuts hierar­chy,
leaving people free to ride
for various reasons, according to
the site.
Some ride to promote bicycle
transportation to fight pollution,
while others seek the respect of
motorists and city planners.
It is a worldwide event, but
Friday was the first "coinci­dence"
of a Critical Mass in
Bellingham.
"The title has a lot of meaning
to (us) as individuals because we
are sort of threatened on the
road, but when we coalesce we
have a lot more power and con­sume
a whole lane," Western
Western taps outside resources
to help bolster campus security
DB.y, K'f.re.llI-l.yT rC' lui /dl Twiomr^tkh fnr a n ima l rocaarnh AXZoa+om
THE WESTERN FRONT
In the wake of the Oct. 24
Animal Liberation Front Miller
Hall break-in, Western officials
are seeking outside input on
strengthening the university's
security.
Ronald Kleinknecht, Western
dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences met with Susan Adler,
executive director of the
Washington Association for
Biomedical Research Friday to
discuss future security and
awareness issues.
Kleinknecht and Assistant
Chief of University Police Dave
Doughty are working with Adler
to review changes to the struc­tural
security and a campus
awareness of the Miller Hall
animal research faculties. .
Using WABR services and a
network of institutions targeted
for animal research, Western
can use outside resources to cre­ate
its own security program.
"They (WABR) bring in out­side
people like us to talk about
particular incidents," Doughty
said. "They meet one to two
times a year to discuss security
issues."
Through WABR, Doughty met
with representatives from the
Seattle Police, US Marshal's
office and FBI to brainstorm
security techniques.
The discussion with Doughty
and the other representatives
included the need to train and
have all staff assume responsi­bility
for the safety of their
workplace, Adler said.
"Everyone at the briefing was
resolute that security cannot be
considered just as (an) add-on,
but is integral to conducting
See SECURITY, page 4
student Ryan Qrth said. "We're
using a lot less resources in pro­pelling
ourselves down the road.
We want equal access."
The group began at the
Community Food Co-op and
ended at City Hall.
Riders sang songs and
hollered in efforts to raise
awareness for bicyclists.
"I want people to know that
there are bicycles in town, and a
See BIKERS, page 3
IN THIS ISSUE
Icyhot
After 13 games, Western's
ice hockey team remains
undefeated. Most recently,
the team crushed Northern
Arizona University 20-2 in
two games last weekend.
See story, page 9.
Slalom subculture
Last week­end's
Bank­ed
Slalom at
Mount Baker
is more than
just riding
down the
mountain.
See story, pages 6 and 7.