Ser ving the students of the Univers i t y of Hawai ‘i at Manoa s ince 1922

Friday

VOL. 100 | ISSUE 106 WWW.KALEO.ORG

February 24, 2006

InsideNews 2 Features 3, 7Editorials 4, 5Comics 6Sports 8

Know what to look for in a good

mechanicFeatures | Page 3

Rainbow Wahine seniors play their last home game

Sports | Page 8

COURTESY PHOTO • Shawn BarneS

Students in a Samoan classroom do research for school projects during Shawn Barnes’ time as a teaching volunteer for the Peace Corps from 2001-2003.

UHM student’s work enriches SamoaOrganizationgives students

job skills

By Kristen CianoKa Leo Contributing Writer

When Shawn Barnes heard his graduate office threw out used computers, it gave him an idea. As a former computer teacher in Samoa, he thought he could send unwanted computers to villages in Samoa. In 2004, the University of Hawai‘i graduate student did just that and created the non-profit organization Aloha Computers for Education in Samoa. Barnes taught math and science at Ulimasao College on the island of Savaii as a Peace Corps volunteer. He eventually became the computer teacher as well, after five computers were donated to his school. “We got the computers up and running and the kids loved them,” Barnes said. “They were really psyched. Kids were coming to school early and staying late to use the computers.” The children use the comput-ers to learn technological concepts unattainable in pre-modern villag-es. For example, Microsoft is writ-

ten in English, posing a teaching challenge in a school in which students speak Samoan and don’t have equivalent concepts for ideas such as “file” or “save.” “I used analogies from their culture that students were famil-iar with to teach computers,” Barnes said. Barnes explained “file” and “save” to his students by using a funeral mat analogy. In Samoa, finely woven mats are exchanged as signs of condolence at funer-als. People pass their mats along

to the grieving family. “It’s like your mats,” Barnes said. “You roll them up and put them under your bed until the next time you need them. Well, saving a file is the same thing.” Barnes left the Peace Corps and came to Hawai‘i to study archeology at UHM. He heard from someone at his office that they threw out 10 computers to make room for new ones and thought, “Those computers are worth their weight in gold to Samoan schools.”

“I originally started collecting one or two computers and asking friends who were going to Samoa to bring a PC with them,” Barnes said. Eventually, ACES had ship-ping and storage space donated, making it possible for 80 comput-ers to reach Samoa last year. “Most of the schools don’t have phones or cable, so there wouldn’t be internet, but students will learn typing, word process-ing and Excel,” Barnes said. He

See SAMOA, page 2

NewsBriefsCareer service organizations offer video series CareerBuilder.com and Experience, Inc., companies that provide career services to college graduates and students, are offering a series of video interviews, avail-able online, that give students an in-depth look at various careers. The “Defining Moments” program is a year-long endeavor that will bring together students and leaders in business fields through virtual job shadowing. The students will interview the businesspeople in the series. “We want to give college stu-dents an inside look at their dream jobs by providing the opportunity to interview accomplished, rec-ognized professionals who have achieved excellence in similar career fields,” said Jennifer Floren, founder & CEO of Experience, Inc., in a press release. Students who would like to participate in the program can submit video applications stat-ing why they should be select-ed to interview their career role models to www.experience.com. The video interviews can also be viewed at this Web site. “Receiving first-hand advice from successful, driven profes-

sionals can have a significant impact on students’ careers. Together with Experience, we are giving students a unique oppor-tunity to tap into the wisdom and expertise of leaders in a variety of fields, so they can make more informed career decisions,” said Richard Castellini, vice presi-dent of consumer marketing for CareerBuilder.com, in a press release.

Kennedy Theatre looking for a line-up Budding directors have until Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m. to submit proposals for the Fall 2006 Late Night Season at the Department of Theatre and Dance Office. Proposals can be either theatre, dance or performance pieces. Forms can be picked up at Kennedy Theatre. Proposals must fulfill criteria related to length and technical requirements. Preference is given to students from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. For more information, call 956-2591.

Early registration for journalism convention The Asian American

Journalist Association will hold its 18th annual convention June 21-24 at the Sheraton Waikīkī. Those interested can register at http://www.aaja.org. The deadline is March 3. The convention will include workshops featuring leaders and experts in the field of journalism, interactive sessions, a public town hall on Native Hawaiian issues and a media access workshop that will help local non-profit organizations get their issues into the news. The AAJA is a non-profit organization for Asian and Pacific Islander journalists. It current-ly has over 2,000 members and “promotes fair and accurate news coverage, develops managers in the media industry and encour-ages young people to consider journalism as a career,” according to a news release. “There were very few Asian and Pacific Islander faces in news-rooms across the country in 1981 [when the AAJA was founded],” said Esther Wu, a columnist and national president of the AAJA. “Throughout the years, journal-ists from Hawai‘i ... have been pioneers, role models and leaders in our organization.”

Chorus looking for singers The Na Leo Lani Chorus is searching for female singers, ages 16 and older, for its summer show, Dog Gone Daze. Those interested can visit St. Francis School in Mānoa on any Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to http://www.sweetadelineshawaii.org or call 944-3373.

Deadline approaching for public service award nominations Monday, Feb. 27, 2006 is the deadline to nominate friends, family and co-workers who are involved in volunteering or com-munity work for the 2006 Jefferson Awards for Public Service. Five nominees will be chosen as recipients and will be acknowl-edged in a ceremony in early March. One will join representa-tives at the national Jefferson Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in June. Nominations can be submit-ted online at http://honoluluad-vertiser.com, by fax to 525-8198, by mail to The Jefferson Awards, c/o The Honolulu Advertiser, 605 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96813 or in person at the front desk of The Honolulu Advertiser’s office.

CampusBeatCompiled by Michelle White

Tuesday, Feb. 14

11:49 a.m. — A man was taken to the University of Hawai‘i Health Center after he was involved in a moped accident in front of Henke Hall.

3:26 p.m. — A moped crashed on East-West Road near Burns Hall.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

1:35 a.m. — Two women needed assistance getting off the roof of Hale Noelani. Residents in another room helped them get down. One of the women declined help for an injury.

7:10 a.m. — A custodian reported that someone stole toilet paper from a bathroom at St. Johns Hall.

10:39 p.m. — A car hit a moped in front of Hale Aloha ‘Ilima. The car fled the scene.

Wednesday, Feb. 16

12:14 p.m. — A student report-ed that someone damaged her red Mazda while it was parked in the parking structure.

12:24 p.m. — Staff at Hale Noelani found drug paraphernalia in a room.

Thursday, Feb. 17

2:23 a.m. — Someone was throw-ing beer bottles from Hale Wainani. Campus Security found broken bot-tles on the road.

8:33 a.m. — A woman was stuck in an elevator at Moore Hall.

10:46 a.m. — A woman’s red moped was stolen off-campus. It had a UHM parking permit.

Friday, Feb. 18

4:52 p.m. — A guard at the lower-campus gate reported that he was being harassed by a man in a green van. The man needed to pick up a friend but did not have $3. He was advised to have money next time.

Monday, Feb. 20

2:00 a.m. — An anonymous caller reported that two men and a woman were throwing bottles near the Hale Wainani parking lot.

11:52 a.m. — A caller reported people throwing eggs from Hale Mokihana. The caller thought it might be coming from the 3rd – 6th floors.

12:22 a.m. — A man at Wa‘ahila faculty housing reported that someone broke into his car and stole the battery.

9:39 p.m. — Campus Security found a student working on two bikes. He had paperwork but it was unreadable.

newSPage 2 | Friday, February 24, 2006

Ka Leo o hawai‘i

Editor: Blaine Tolentino Associate Editor: Robert Shikina | (808) 956-3221 | news@kaleo.org

added that computers are integrat-ed into the school curriculum in the city, but that many of the students from Samoan villages haven’t even seen computers before. Barnes said that Samoan vil-lage students commonly move to New Zealand or Apia, Samoa’s capital, to find employment and send money back to their families. One of Barnes’ former students, for instance, has a job in Apia as a secretary. She told Barnes that she got the job because of the computer skills that she learned in his class. “My goal is to have kids see computers and know what they are,” Barnes said. “The kids that go to New Zealand or into the city will at least have some understand-ing of how to do that and not shy away from them or be afraid of them because they can use Excel and type Word documents.” Even the kids who remain

SAMOA: ACES prepares students for future jobs

From page 1

in the village will benefit from computer experience because, according to Barnes, computers will become a part of village life during this generation’s lifespan. “If you ask any Peace Corps volunteer, they’ll say they got back much more than they gave. I just want to stay connected and do what I can to help,” Barnes said. In addition to donating comput-ers to schools, ACES is currently working with Samoans involved in

non-government organizations and Peace Corps volunteers to create a sustainable computer education sys-tem in Samoa by building commu-nity centers and homework centers equipped with computers. ACES would like to make another computer shipment to Samoa as soon as pos-sible. They need laptops and Pentium 3 or higher desktops. To make a tax deductible donation, contact Barnes through ACES’s Web site at http://www.aces-samoa.org.

Events CalendarCompiled by Alice Kim

Free Events

“Equal Opportunity? Effects of Tuition Hikes on Access to Higher Education,” a panel discussion, will be held today at Campus Center, room 308 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Panelists will include Linda Johnsrud, vice president for academic planning and poli-cy, professor Jonathan Okamura, ethnic studies department, and Rep. Lyla Berg, higher educa-tion committee.

Dr. Minelle Mahtani will pres-ent the talk “Hyphen-Nation: What Does it Mean to be ‘Mixed Race’ in a Multicultural Society?” today from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Campus Center, room 308. This talk examines the ways “mixed race” women in multicultural soci-eties contemplate their own identity in relationship to the national iden-tity in North America. For more information, call Dean Alegado at 956-6915 or e-mail alegado@hawaii.edu.

“Islands within Islands: Integrating Tectonics and Biogeography in Eastern New Guinea,” a zoology seminar, will take place this after-noon from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. John Plant Science Laboratory, room 011. For more information,

call Lynne at 956-8617 or e-mail logata@hawaii.edu.

“Protein Structural Adaptations to Extreme Environments,” a microbiology seminar, will take place from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Pacific Ocean Science & Technology building, room 127. For more information, call 956-8553 or e-mail uhnmicro@hawaii.edu.

“Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the Selling of American Empire,” a documentary film, will be shown tonight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Architecture Auditorium. For more informa-tion, call Kalawai‘a Moore at 944-7243, e-mail culture@hawaii.edu, or visit http://www2.hawaii.edu/~culture.

JackFish will perform tomorrow from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Sand Island R&B. This is an 18 and older event. For more information, e-mail nvsmusic@att.net.

The Hawai‘i Regional Ocean Sciences Bowl competition, coordi-nated by the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, will take place tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Marine Science Building. For more information, call Tara Hicks at 956-3151 or e-mail hickst@hawaii.edu.

COURTESY PHOTOS • Shawn BarneS

TOP: Students in a Samoan classroom where Barnes taught had to take tests by reading news-print in front of the class. There were neither books nor copy machines to supply the students.

BOTTOM: Barnes poses by a shipment of computers sent to Samoan classrooms last year. The shipment consisted of about 80 computers.

Writers WantedKa Leo O Hawai‘i has been publishing for 83 years. Senator Hiram Leong Fong, Honolulu Advertiser’s Ken Kobayashi, Star Bulletin’s Mary Vorsino, Representative Mark Takai, former KHON news director Jim McCoy,

Associated Press reporter Alexandre De Silva and Star Bulletin photographers Richard Walker and Jamm Aquino are all Ka Leo alumni. Become a part of our long line of success stories. Write for Ka Leo.

Fill out an application at the Ka Leo building across from the ground floor entrance of the bookstore or download it from

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FeaturesKa Leo o Hawai‘i

Friday, February 24, 2006 | Page 3Editor: Darlene Dela Cruz Associate Editor: Alyssa Navares | (808) 956-3222 | features@kaleo.org

By Justin SumidaKa Leo Staff Writer

I’m not thrilled when I’m told things like “We are sorry sir, we checked your wheel bearings and they are fine,” “We think you need to rebuild your transmission,” and, my personal favorite, “We can’t align your car, but for an addition-al $200 we can buy and install a kit that may or may not align it.” So what is up with all those diagnoses? Quite frankly, it’s the people I took my car to who are the problem. Untrained, unskilled, learning mechanics are out there, and unfortunately they often work on cars, including mine and yours. They often work at fast drive-in-and-drive-out places or large chain stores. It’s not that these people mean to do harm to you or your wallet — we hope — it’s just that they lack the needed skills, experi-ence and training to diagnose and repair a car properly. In my opinion, the best way to avoid these problems is to work on your car yourself. But for those of you who are not as eager to get your hands greasy and roll around in automotive sludge, I suggest you do the following to find a good mechanic:

Get informed before going to the shop The first thing I’d do is ask around. Independent automotive shops with older, more experienced mechanics are usually the best plac-

es to go to. These mechanics have more than likely been around the block a few times and are well aware of common problems and solutions. Friends and family can rec-ommend a mechanic. Automotive mechanic reviews available on Web sites such as Car Talk, found at http://www.cartalk.com, provide personal experiences and testimo-nies from actual customers.

Evaluate work before, during and after Once you find a potentially good mechanic, you’ll want to see what he or she can do. When you drop off your car, a good mechanic will ask about the prob-lem. He or she will ask where the noise or problem is coming from, what the symptoms are and how long they have been going on. Basically, you’ll feel like you’re being questioned by the FBI, but that’s exactly what you want. Good mechanics start off by understand-ing and knowing what the problem is. From there they can diagnose the problem and find a remedy. When your car is ready for pick-up, the problem should be corrected. Feel free to ask what was wrong and what was done to solve the problem even if the mechanic is busy. You’ll want more than, “I changed the timing belt.” Preferably, your mechanic will say something like “I changed the timing belt and since the tim-ing belt had to come off anyway,

Tips for finding a good mechanic

I changed the water pump, timing belt tensioner and camshaft and crankshaft oil seals.” All that may seem confusing, but it shows that the mechanic knows exactly what he or she is doing and how he or she did it. If you do your research on the Internet or an automotive repair manual, you’ll be able to understand what the mechanic did. Ethics play a vital role in the search for a good mechanic. Even the best mechanic will make a slip

of the wrench every now and then. He or she may leave a spark plug loose, forget to reconnect a hose or forget to reconnect a wire. But skill isn’t the only way to measure the quality of a mechanic — hon-esty and integrity also factor in. The mechanic must be willing to make up for the mistakes by being humble and completing the repair or honor his or her warran-ties. If the problem reoccurs, the mechanic should take the car back

and re-diagnose the problem. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell whether you’ve found an ethical mechanic or not. If you’re not aware of automotive terms and components or are clueless about any automotive subject, a mechanic can easily say that you need a new turbo hydrated flux capacitor, or some headlight fluid. If you ques-tion a diagnosis, take your car to another mechanic for a second or perhaps even a third opinion.

COURTESY PHOTO • Metro

Understanding a mechanic’s work and ethics is key in finding the right person to work on your car.

Black History

M O N T Hf a c t s o f t h e d ay

By Elizabeth Daniels

• On this day in 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first black woman to receive a medical degree. She graduated from the New England Female Medical College.

• Bishop Daniel A. Payne, reform-er and educator of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was born on this day in 1811.

EditorialsKa lEo o Hawai‘i

Page 4 | Friday, February 24, 2006 Editor: Matt Tuohy Associate Editor: Michelle White | (808) 956-3214 | editorials@kaleo.org

Ka Leo O Hawai‘i is the campus newspaper of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. It is published by the Board of Publications four times a week except on holidays and during exam periods. Circulation is 14,000. Ka Leo is also published once a week during summer sessions with a circulation of 14,000. Ka Leo is funded by student fees and advertising. Its editorial content reflects only the views of its editors, writers, columnists and contributors, who are solely responsible for its content. No material that appears in Ka Leo may be reprinted or republished in any medium without permission. The first news-stand copy is free; for additional copies, please come to the Ka Leo Building. Subscription rates are $36 for one semester and $54 for one year.© 2006 Ka Leo O Hawai‘i

The Ka Leo BuildingUniversity of Hawai‘i at Manoa1755 Pope Road 31-DHonolulu, HI 96822

Newsroom: (808) 956-7043Advertising: (808) 956-7043Facsimile: (808) 956-9962E-mail: kaleo@kaleo.orgWeb site: www.kaleo.org

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISINGAdvertising Manager Ali Kagawa

Associate Editor in Chief Kimberly ShigeokaManaging Editor Marlo TingNews Editor Blaine TolentinoAssociate News Editor Robert ShikinaFeatures Editor Darlene Dela CruzAssociate Features Editor Alyssa NavaresComics Editor Joe GuintoVisual Editor Tanyah Tavorn

Editorials Editor Matt TuohyAssociate Editorials Editor Michelle White

Sports Editor Keane SantosAssociate Sports Editor Danielle Flud

Photo Editor Chris YeungChief Copy Editor Grant Chartrand

Associate Chief Copy Editor Jennifer Larson

Ka Leo O Hawai‘ithe voice of hawai‘i Editor in Chief Jay Chrisman

Win a $25 gift certificate to Brew Moon Restaurant & Microbrewery.

Let the campus know what you have experienced at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Oh yeah ... Oh no stories

What do you think about:• Classrooms• Campus bureaucracy• Sports • Food• Co-curricular activities• Housing• Campus parking

• MyUH/WebCT • Lectures out of the classroom• Or any other subject that concerns you

E-mail your experiences to polls@kaleo.org.

Stories must be factual, personal experiences. All UHM students, faculty and staff are eligible. Participants may submit more than one experience, but are only entered into the drawing once. Deadline next thursday, March 2.

By Cora Puliatch Ka Leo Contributing Writer

The “with us or against us” men-tality created by the two-party sys-tem leads to oversimplification of issues and divides our country and communities in ways that can only benefit the dominant political parties, not the people whom the politicians represent, nor the system in which the representatives function. The dual-party system vir-tually eliminates the possibility of truly diverse political representation because it maintains only two polari-ties, which in turn demand that the citizenry take sides and choose a party if anyone wants his or her vote to have a real impact. Given the consistent lack of significant choices, it is no surprise that voters tend to get lazy and support the same party year after year, griping all the way. The presidential elections are just one repeating example of the problem with this system; in the 2004 elec-tion, I felt obligated to vote for either the Republican or the Democrat or essentially throw my vote away. We desperately need more subtle spec-trums on ballots to avoid losing even more of the country to the hinterlands of apathy. The need for more middle ground is clear. The most effective place to start is close to home, working within the system since, short of a revolu-tion, the end of the two-party system is nowhere in sight. In Hawai‘i, vot-ers will soon have the opportunity to choose between a poster boy of Hawaii’s Democratic Party, incum-bent Sen. Daniel Akaka, and a more moderate Democrat, Rep. Ed Case. Although we will probably not escape from the dual-party system in our lifetimes, supporting non-tra-ditional delineations within existing parties is an important step toward a

more diversified political landscape. But when — not if — Hawaii’s Old Boy Network uses the same seniority and influence they tout as their greatest strength in the Capitol against the rising politicians at home, they undermine the very creative tension that is fundamental to the success of any collaborative process, democracy absolutely included. In a Jan. 29 Honolulu Star-Bulletin article, Case said he had been told that “this is not the way it is done.” This makes me uncom-fortable to see the stubborn face of the Old Boy Network. If I were Case, I would probably be feel-ing like a naughty little school boy being chastised for seeing his father doing something, well, naughty — like turning the viva-cious and exhilarating democracy of our nation’s founders into some-thing staid and predictable. But Case is, at 53, an expe-rienced politician with formidable agendas supporting federal fiscal responsibility, environmental con-servation and health care. He has

been representing Hawaii’s people since 1994. I get the feeling that he knows what he’s doing. Case has been accused of “making waves.” Maybe my ide-alistic college student petty coats are showing, but I didn’t know that making waves was actually a prob-lem in politics. The classic politician of my imagination starts out as the super-intelligent rabble rouser and eventu-ally becomes a conniving old man with fond dreams of his rabble rous-ing days, which help him to recog-nize that he needs to be replaced by a rising mover-and-shaker in order

to continue the cycle of change. In the same Star-Bulletin arti-cle, Akaka revealed that he is averse to a debate with Case. Engagement in public dialogue with valid oppo-nents is a facet of the democratic process that must not be so easily brushed aside. That Akaka apparent-ly wishes to avoid debate is another strong indication of political leth-argy induced by 29 uninterrupted years at the Capitol. Hawai‘i needs someone who is not afraid to make waves on behalf of our state, rather than someone who is afraid of the waves of real political diversity — the lifeblood of democracy — and who responds to healthy competition with snipes that the competition didn’t check in with the Good Old Boys first. While Case may be criticized for his occasional brazenness, I think that could be just the ticket to ruffle some important feathers in the Senate. To learn more about Case and Akaka, visit http://wwwc.house.gov/case and http://www.akaka.sen-ate.gov.

More options needed, stagnant politics harmful

Illustration by Casey Ishitani

Hawai‘i needs someone who is not afraid to make waves ...

Case’s challenge to Akaka is good

for Hawai‘i -Absolute zero achieved using Bilger 152 air conditioning.

-Your smile brought light to the world, Justin Truong. Rest In Peace.

-It would be great if this campus had enough ashtrays. It’d also be great if stu-dents wouldn’t use the few we have as trash cans.

-Do you feel strongly about most of the issues argued on this campus? ... Neither do I.

-To the lady passing out the anti-Bush stuff: Don’t even bother with me; you’re preaching to the choir.

-Is it me or has it gotten really boring around the dorms in the past 3 semesters? Must be the lack of under-aged drinking.

-The Campus Beat has to be the best news in the Ka Leo.

Got something hilarious that you would like to see written on the bathroom wall? Send it to thewall@kaleo.org.

EditorialsKa lEo o Hawai‘i

Editor: Matt Tuohy Associate Editor: Michelle White | (808) 956-3214 | editorials@kaleo.org Friday, February 24, 2006 | Page 5

Provided by KRT Campus

Staff EditorialDaily Collegian (Penn State)

(U-WIRE) UNIVERSIT Y PARK, Pa. — The hallmark of the Bush Administration has unques-tionably been the attempt to increase national security. That’s why it is so unnerving that President Bush is not publicly and vocally objecting to the sale of major port terminals in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia to a compa-ny that is controlled by the govern-ment of the United Arab Emirates. The issue at hand is not whether foreign groups should control U.S. ports. The UK-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company currently operates the ports. The issue is whether giving control to a busi-ness located in an unstable part of world like the Middle East is in the best interest of a country fighting a war on terror, backed by many in that part of the world.

White House officials were swift to point out that the UAE is an ally of the United States, while members of Congress responded with equal swiftness that two of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers were from the UAE. Members of the Democratic Party, like New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, aren’t the only ones posturing against this government-sanctioned deal between a UK-based company and the UAE-based business. Tennessee Republican and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said he would announce legislation put-ting a hold on the sale, saying the administration needs to fur-ther review the sale and implying the reason stemmed from national security concerns. The administration’s response to the bipartisan affront: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said nothing will change in port secu-rity, and the Coast Guard will con-tinue to manage port security with-out missing a step. Through this thinly veiled attempt at rubber-stamping the deal emerges a plain fact: The sale of six of the nation’s ports to a country in a part of world as unsta-ble as the Middle East places the U.S. in a compromising national security situation.

U.S. Ports: sale could compromise security

Two Sept. 11 hijakers from are

from the UAE

By Sarah FineArkansas Traveler (U. Arkansas)

Make sure you get in good with your teachers, because col-lege is all about subjective grading. Eventually it’s going to come down to whether you made an impression associable with intellectual curios-ity or visited with your instructor outside of class, and when that day comes, you have no room to com-plain about not getting the grade you wanted. Sound familiar? Of course it does. Just going to class works if there’s a straightfor-ward, come-to-class-and-you’ll-pass attendance policy. Simply being vis-ible in the classroom, though, is often inadequate for grading scales that hinge on one’s being vocal in the classroom. In those classes, students that don’t feel comfortable speaking up in class, or students that feel over-shadowed by sometimes over-vocal classmates, are often looked after by grading policies that divide points among areas that suit an assortment of social dispositions. But when talking a little in class, performing with some apti-tude on tests and homework, and writing a decent paper or two leave you hanging on the cusp of a grade that will break open your med school application, you’re stuck being sub-jected to subjective grading. If you’re a smart, advice-tak-ing student, you’re going to get into

some subjective action of your own, take note of your professor’s office hours, and start knocking on his or her door. Or, as this is 2006 and we’re all afraid of person-to-person contact, you’re going to write them an e-mail. E-mails that get written under those circumstances, from students panicked about a final grade, are just one of the often unwanted forms of student-teach-er communication that Jonathan D. Glater highlighted in his article “To: Professor@University.edu Subject: Why It’s All About Me,” published earlier this week in The New York Times. G l a t e r reports college students e-mail their profes-sors about a whole range of asinine things: one profes-sor was asked for her opinion on buying school supplies for a class. Another received requests for com-ments on papers from 10 students the day before the papers were due. Students are often completely dis-missive of authority in their elec-tronic communication and a lot of college professors are tired of it. I know this happens. My e-mail outbox proves it. And what’s more, I even contribute to the pres-sure that the professors cited in feeling ‘obligated’ to respond to students’ e-mails. That’s because every semes-ter, I’m that last student on eval-uation day, scribbling down how an instructor received my high-est praise because he was so accessible, or because she was so available. Meaning they responded con-siderately to my e-mails.

Meaning they even responded considerately to the dopey ones that I wrote in too familiar a tone to show respect. Meaning my evaluation is largely based on the relation I perceive between their thoughtful responses, often stored in my save-forever e-mail folder, and their capacity as an instructor. So that’s not fair. If professors feel pressured to respond to all my dopey e-mails, though, I’m going to want to see a detailed syllabus addendum on just how dopey my e-mails can get before they resent responding to

them. T h e way I figure it, with a few excep-tions, e-mail is inevitably less strain-ing, less t i m e - c o n -

suming, and even less annoying than slugging through an all-too-personal conversation face-to-face with a student who’s come by outside of the posted office hours and who won’t take anything like a hint to leave. Likewise, the thought of put-ting one of my instructors in that position is exactly what often keeps me out of their office and comfortably in their inbox, where many times I actually feel encour-aged to speak in familiar tones with my professors. Even with all these mixed signals, I’m still going to seek personal contact with professors that I respect. It’s probably going to be dopey on my part more than once, and I’m going to contin-ue to be grateful that professors don’t give out their instant mes-senger screen names.

Go to class and talk to professorsShowing up to

class isn'talways enough

... we're all afraid of person-to-person contact ...

ComiCs & CrosswordKa Leo o Hawai‘i

Comics Editor: Joe Guinto | (808) 956-7043 | comics@kaleo.orgPage 6 | Friday, February 24, 2006

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FeaturesKa Leo o Hawai‘i

Friday, February 24, 2006 | Page 7Editor: Darlene Dela Cruz Associate Editor: Alyssa Navares | (808) 956-3222 | features@kaleo.org

By Sabrina FavorsKa Leo Staff Writer

Last July, Brandt Payne joined the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Music Department as the associate director of bands and the director of the Rainbow Warrior Marching Band. He conducts the symphonic band and teaches conducting and marching band techniques. Payne grew up in a musical fam-ily in Iowa. His mother and uncle both teach music, so he had their influence from a young age. In first grade, he began playing the piano, an instrument he said he regretted quit-ting. In seventh grade he began play-ing trombone for the band. According to Payne, his mother forced him to bring his trombone home every day to practice, and the more time he spent with it, the more he enjoyed it. Music then led to experiences in which he met many people and made friends. When he attended the University of Iowa, he continued to practice with the trombone, acquiring a bachelor of music degree in trombone perfor-mance, and earned a teaching certi-fication. Then he received a master’s degree in trombone performance from Arizona State University. He attributes his huge interest in music to family and teachers. This handful of people placed expectations on him to do well and achieve above and beyond. Payne said it made him a better student, and feels it made him a better teacher as well. “Growing up, I had a lot of support from parents,” Payne said. “[Influential teachers] had such a big impact on me, I wanted to have that kind of impact.” Payne said that he has always wanted to be a teacher. He once considered walking away from that dream, but being a student teacher and getting his performance degree in graduate school inspired him. Payne acquired most of his expe-rience freelancing outside of school. He served in a municipal band one summer while he was an undergradu-ate, substituted for other musicians and played in a regional orchestra. He explained that school bands use educational approaches that allow members to improve their skills, in contrast with the “come in and get the job done” business settings of profes-sional bands and orchestras. After getting his masterʻs degree, he directed high school bands before serving as interim director at the University of Wyoming, filling in for a professor on sabbatical. Payne said that becoming a professor at a univer-sity was his goal. “This is a more challeng-ing, more inspiring environment for me,” he said. “I love college marching band.” He also loves col-

lege football – the pride and pag-eantry of the games and the school spirit. He said that he had such a good time in college that he could see himself teaching at this level. Payne had never visited Hawai‘i before joining the UHM Music Department, but said that the islands held mystery and intrigue for him. He was also attracted by the reputa-tion of UHM’s band program. “I went in with hopeful expecta-tions. All have been met pleasantly,” he said. Payne points out that most of the students in the marching band are also in a concert band or one of the pep bands. Although they have the same broad musical goals, the two bands are very different in terms of structure. The marching band has 250 members who perform on a field. Payne said he feels like an athletic coach when teaching the marching band – he needs to be an inspiring leader and the environment is more intense. A concert band, on the other hand, only has about 60 members in a more controlled, artis-tic setting. The marching band tradition is a big part of college, Payne said, so he doesn’t plan on making any huge changes. He added that, as a new faculty member, he should recog-nize and maintain UHM traditions, respecting the established personal-ity and feel of this schoolʻs bands. “My experience here is great,” Payne said. “It’s an exhilarating environment to watch the ensemble perform, and it’s an exciting job and a lot of fun – my students make it that way. They’re the biggest, if not main, part.” Payne is working on building numbers in the marching band but he also takes moments to recognize when things are going well. The bands are continually improving and building on their successes. Payne said that one of the worse things one can do is think, “I have arrived.”

New band director keeping with tradition

By Darlene Dela CruzKa Leo Features Editor

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa biology student Yasmin Dar performs brain surgery on lab rats. Kristine Ito-Smith, a biol-ogy student like Dar, does can-cer research. These undergradu-ates are involved in the Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR programs, two undergraduate lab-oratory training programs provid-ed by UHM’s Pacific Biosciences Research Center. At a university touted for its graduate and faculty research, these students are showing that undergrads, too, can be major players in scientific projects. “I didn’t even know under-graduates could do research,” said Ito-Smith, of the MARC U*STAR program. “Now I know that it’s possible; that there are people who are willing to help you out.” Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR allow undergrads to do research projects with gradu-ate and faculty researchers. Both programs let undergrads interview upper-level researchers — the prin-cipal investigators of a research project — before choosing a project that fits their interest. When paired with the researchers of their choice, undergrads in both programs per-form lab duties more intensive than the typical menial undergrad tasks. Dar is currently a partici-pant in the Haumana Biomedical

program studying rats’ behav-ior in response to fear stimuli. According to Dar, her lab duties run from scoring rats’ behaviors on a TV screen to dissecting rat brains. “I started out as a dishwash-er, but my PI allowed me to observe and try new things when I was ready. He was very patient with my mistakes,” Dar said. She is now lab-certified and is more involved in the rat study, which she said may have human impli-cations in determining the effects of drugs on sufferers of post-trau-matic stress. While identical in premise, Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR differ in their require-ments. According to Kimberly Llanos, a data-tracking special-ist for the programs, Haumana is geared toward the undergrad untrained in research, while MARC U*STAR is for experi-enced students planning to pur-sue doctorate level research after graduation. Ultimately, both Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR aim to get undergraduates into graduate school. Through special classes that integrate scientific aspects of graduate work, research with training in presentation skills and curriculum vitae preparation, the programs seek to mold under-grads into competitive graduate candidates. Students also present their research at national science conferences, where they network

and collaborate with mainland researchers. All students receive supply funds and stipends. MARC U*STAR students also receive partial tuition payment. According to Dar, the big-gest benefit of the undergraduate research programs is that they allow students to “get their feet wet” in the biomedical sciences. “The programs give you an experience that undergraduates usually don’t have,” said Dar, who plans to graduate in the fall. “I got to explore different industries and be exposed to dif-ferent fields. I’m now looking at different options other than medi-cal school. Along with medical school, I’d like to do research on the side, too.” Through MARC U*STAR, Ito-Smith spent the summer doing research at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. She hopes to earn a graduate degree there after graduating from UHM this spring. “I never would have even known about graduate school if it weren’t for MARC U*STAR,” she said. “It’s made me much more competitive and much more confident that I can do it.” Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR have been at UHM since the 1970s. Both pro-grams are funded by the National Institute of Health. For more information, visit the Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR Web site at http://www.pbrc.hawaii.edu/haumana.

Undergraduates like Ritchie Mae Delara gain research experi-ence through the Haumana Biomedical and MARC U*STAR programs at UHM.

COURTESY PHOTO HauMana PrograM

UHM undergrads haveopportunity to do research

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SportSPage 8 | Friday, February 24, 2006 Editor: Keane Santos Associate Editor: Danielle Flud | (808) 956-3215 | sports@kaleo.org

Ka Leo o Hawai‘i

Defense keys Rainbow Wahine to victory

By Glendalyn JunioKa Leo Staff Writer

There is only one game left to be played on the Stan Sheriff Center’s court for four University of Hawai‘i seniors. Saturday night is the home regular-season finale as the UH women’s basketball team (16-8, 7-6) looks to honor seniors Brittney Aiwohi, Emily Helmly, Amy Sanders and Callie Spooner. As part of “Senior Night” festivities, the four seniors will be recognized following their match against the San Jose Spartans (11-13, 6-7). “We don’t want to get emotional before senior night,” said junior center Brittany Grice. “I think it’s a big one, just because it’s going to be their last game [at home].”

Guard Aiwohi, a fourth-year senior and tri-captain, has appeared in four games. In her first appearance against Campbell last Dec., she hit her career-high nine points on three 3-pointers in her 12 minutes of play in the second half. Also a tri-captain, guard Sanders has made herself one of the top players among the Rainbow Wahine. Averaging 12.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 2.8 apg, she leads the team in minutes played (36.3 mpg) and is co-leader in 3-point-ers made (27). Sanders is a two-time Western Athletic Conference player of the week. She has matched her season-high 20 points three times and reached her career-high of 27 points from the Louisiana Tech game last season. Also serving as a tri-captain, center Spooner averages 2.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg. She

started 13 of 16 games while recording her career-high seven rebounds and adding four points in the UH game against the University of Southern California. In the last meeting against the Spartans, the Rainbow Wahine were able to take their second straight road game against the Spartans in their 76-61 win. UH picked up their first win against San Jose in three years while also placing three Hawai‘i players in double-figures. Junior guard Janevia Taylor tied her career-high with 23 points. “It’s going to be an important game for us,” said head coach Jim Bolla. “I think if we can get the win on Saturday we’ll still probably be tied and I think it will come down to our last two games for both teams.”

With four regular season games left in the Rainbow Wahine conference schedule, UH moved into a tie for third in the WAC after over-coming an early double-digit deficit against the Idaho State Vandals in a 71-62 victory this past Wednesday night. Sanders added 16 points for the Rainbow Wahine while Grice scored a team-high 18 points against the Vandals. “We are tied for third,” Bolla said. “But they have the advantage if there’s a tie breaker because they beat Fresno.” Victorious in five of their last six games, the Rainbow Wahine hope to send their four seniors off as winners. They’ll get that chance as they face the San Jose Spartans on Senior Night Feb. 25. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

By Rebecca GallegosKa Leo Contributing Writer

Through teamwork and defensive adjustments, the University of Hawai‘i women’s basketball squad earned a 71-62 win over the University of Idaho on Wednesday night. After trailing 31-39 by half-time, the Rainbow Wahine adjust-ed in the second half by reinstat-

ing their man-to-man defense and capitalizing on Idaho’s offensive struggles. The ‘Bows used their efforts to convert turnovers into points and outscored the Vandals by 17 in the second half. “We feed off of our defense,” Bolla said after the game. “In the second half we did that really well. When we’re playing decent defense it gets us excited and we get a steal, a lay-up, a good pass.” The Rainbow Wahine exe-cuted a balanced offensive attack throughout the game as Amy Sanders registered 16 points and Tanya Smith added 14. Junior Brittany Grice, however, was the offensive spark in Hawaii’s second half resurgence. Returning from a week off while at home with her family,

Grice scored 13 of her 18 points in the second half and had eight rebounds to lead UH in an impor-tant team victory. “It was nice to come back from having a week off,” Grice said. “I got a lot of great passes, so I don’t really think I can attribute my scor-ing success to myself really.” The Vandals stuck with their starting lineup while only using one reserve, freshman guard MacKenzie Flynn, in the defeat. Leilani Mitchell and Emily Faurholt of Idaho, two of the top players in the WAC, scored 30 of the Vandal’s 62 points. However, Hawai‘i minimized their influence in the second half. The ‘Bows out-rebounded the Vandals 48-29, and after allow-ing 39 points in the first half held

Idaho scoreless for nearly 10 min-utes, only allowing six field goals to be converted in the entire half. Hawaii’s defense led to Idaho’s large decline in field goal percentage, from 44.4 percent in the first half to a mere 25 percent in the second, and an increase in turnovers as the Vandals finished with 15. The game was decided during a nine-minute stretch in the second half when the Rainbow Wahine exploded for a 20-2 run. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Dalia Solia capped a UH run that turned an 11-point deficit into a seven-point lead, 52-45, with 10 minutes remaining. The Rainbows expanded their lead to as many as 11 points late in the game, and handed the Vandals (8-16, 4-9) their eighth loss in the

last nine games and third straight road loss. “The coach just pumped us up,” said sophomore forward Tanya Smith. “We want all these games but sometimes we lose focus of what we need to do. At halftime he just put everything in perspective and got our minds back on track.” With the victory, the ‘Bows are now 16-8 overall and are tied for third place in the conference with Nevada at 7-6. Louisiana Tech and Fresno State are far ahead of the pack, at 12-1 and 11-2 respec-tively, in conference play. “It was a nice come-from-behind win, and I’m just proud of us for sticking together until the end,” Grice said of the team and the victory.

Defense keys Rainbow Wahine to victory

JULIAN YONG • Ka Leo o Hawai‘i

LEFTRainbow Wahine captain Amy Sanders drives past Idaho’s Karly Felton. Sanders ended the night with 16 points and will be one of four seniors playing her final home game on Saturday against San Jose State

ABOVEUniversity of Hawai‘i junior center Brittany Grice rises over Emily Faurholt for 2 points. Brittany scored a team high 18 points in Saturday’s game against Idaho.

Second half adjustments

improve play at both ends

Senior Night ahead for Rainbow Wahine