By Andrew Sheeler

Sun Star Reporter

Friends, colleagues, and family of Erich Follman, UAF wildlife biology professor, celebrated his life the best way they knew how: with beer, barbecue and ribald stories.

More than 100 people gathered at the UAF Large Animal Research Station (LARS) on Saturday, August 7, to honor the life of Follman, who died July 26 following a heart attack.  As more and more people arrived, the picnic tables filled up with potluck food, the barbecue was grilling away, and the beer tent handed out free cups of Silver Gulch beer to the 21-and-older crowd.  Each cup of beer had a “The Far Side” comic strip pasted on the side.  Follman loved that comic, and would often incorporate it into his lectures, according to Jon Dehn, a UAF research associate professor and friend of Follman’s.  Jon Dehn’s wife, Lara, earned her doctorate under the guidance of Follman and now works in UAF’s School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences department.

“He was the best of us,” Lara Dehn said, tearing up a little.  A person would have an easier time butting heads with one of the nearby musk oxen than finding somebody who disagreed with that statement.  Ramona Scriber, who originally met Follman 12 years ago at the state virology lab, described him as a, “good man.  Quiet man.  It was a big loss.”  Tom Paragi, who works for the Department of Fish and Game, met Follman 25 years ago and credited him with working hard to get his students involved with the Alaska chapter of the Wildlife Society.  Don Ritter worked with Follman at the Institute of Arctic Biology (IAB) and called his relationship with Follman “purely honest.”  Don Hartbauer, also with IAB, described Follman as, “a special guy.  Good researcher.”

The tables that weren’t laden with picnic fare held photographs: Follman as a young boy sitting on Santa’s lap, Follman as a high school student, Follman throughout his career as a wildlife biologist.  A blown-up photo of Follman holding a whale ovary and smiling perfectly summed up the man.  Torsten Bentzen was one of Follman’s graduate students.  Unaware that the event was providing free, catered beer, Bentzen had brought a case to the memorial.  Bentzen was circumspect though.

“Erich wouldn’t want there to be a shortage of beer,” Bentzen said. Bentzen described a time at a San Diego convention when Follman was unable to order a beer at a restaurant because of a recent surgery.  When Bentzen ordered a beer, Follman joked that Bentzen had “passed the test.”

Follman’s research passion was the arctic fox, but he also worked extensively with marine mammals, including polar bears and whales.  As a professor and academic adviser, Follman dedicated himself to his students.  Craig George graduated with his Ph.D last winter, and Follman awarded him his degree in May. George said that what set Follman apart was dedication.

“There’s no way in hell I would’ve finished [my doctorate] with any other advisor,” George said.  Others at the memorial echoed that sentiment, saying that Follman cared deeply for his students and encouraged them to live balanced lives.

By Amber Sandlin

Sun Star Reporter

On July 1, students at campus computers were surprised to find out they were participating in an Alert Notification System test. The Alert Notification System is a software program operated by the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) and the UAF police department. The program was designed to alert students on campus to emergencies such as accidents, natural disasters or active shooters.

UAF recently integrated the program to include campus televisions and all campus computers. OIT support technician Josh Watts, a junior, said he had received a few frightened calls from students around campus saying their computers had frozen without warning and who didn’t realize they had to click on the screen to exit.

After the shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007, UAF began organizing a program called the Emergency Response System.  In the past three years, UAF emergency responders have added different forms of mass communication across campus in an effort to avoid chaos during a crisis. The July 1 test sent and received confirmation that over 350 students received their message in two minutes or less. However, students using Macintosh OS- or Linux-based computers connected to the University server did not receive the message. “We are currently attempting to produce a system wide communication emergency alert program,” said Randy Pommenville, UAF’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

According to the Chief of UAF police, Sean McGee, the Macintosh and Linux computers are connected to the University network differently than the Windows computers. Chief McGee said that the program is still very new and that the company that developed it, Alertus, hopes to have Mac and Linux users able to receive the alert by the fall semester. The Alertus company noticed the budget changes, and cuts in schools and university’s across the country and decided to donate the software to help university’s become more safe without taking hits to their budgets. Students can download the program to their personal computers to receive these alerts while on campus. OIT is currently testing to see if this program will send out alerts regardless of the location.

Recently, UAF emergency responders began working with a company called Nixle, which assists in sending secure text messages across networks from the local police departments, communities and schools. Executive Director of OIT User Services, Karl Kowalski encourages students to subscribe to at least one emergency alert notification.  The university police department has a link on their main website connecting to Nixle where students can opt in to be alerted to emergency events happening on campus.

Another form of communication the UAF police department uses to get out an alert is university cable television.  A message can be sent out that will appear on all campus televisions hooked up to the university cable network.  Additionally, blue emergency telephones have been installed throughout campus that automatically connect to UAF emergency dispatch. Loudspeakers have also been placed on the top of the Gruening building that can broadcast emergency alerts.

Richard Dawkins, addressing a packed house Thursday, July 15. Photo by Jeremia Schrock/Sun Star.

By Heather Bryant

Sun Star Reporter

Richard Dawkins, famous biologist, atheist and author made his visit to Alaska to speak at UAF, an event causing controversy long before it happened. The UAF Socratic Society invited Dawkins, who waived his speaking fee.  Dawkins’ airfare and accommodations were entirely paid for by the Richard Dawkins Foundation.

Dawkins has published many books and traveled extensively speaking about religion and science. He established the Richard Dawkins Foundation in order to encourage critical thinking, a concept he feels religion tries to repress.

The speech, scheduled at 7 p.m., had already drawn huge lines by 6 p.m. The evening started with an introduction by Eduardo Wilner, who spoke of Dawkins’ published books.

“The Selfish Gene was published in 1976, and sold over a million copies. Harry Potter and the Bible sold more, but both of those are works of fiction,” said Wilner.

Despite the controversy it was a friendly crowd, with many of Dawkins’ opinions and comments met by an audience nodding and laughing. The only sign of dissent was a table outside where Karl Sapp, of the Campus Bible Ministries, handed out a pamphlet titled “Destroying the Delusions.” Mike Sapp, also handing out the pamphlets, said that, “[they] believe the Bible cover to cover.”

The presentation “Is Religion Good for Nothing?” covered Dawkins’ theories of why religion is a natural phenomenon and how it occurs. His theories include how children are hard-wired to believe what they are told by those older than themselves, most usually their parents.

“Teaching children they are going to hell is one of the most disgusting types of child abuse I can imagine,” said Dawkins to the crowd, prompting a round of applause from the audience.

Even after the presentation ended, much of the crowd remained to watch the question-and-answer portion. At least twenty people lined up with questions; however, time ran out before all could be asked. Taking Dawkins’ lecture to heart, one questioner joked he was “unsure who to thank” that Dawkins decided to come to UAF.

For a presentation that seemed to generate much audience approval, not all were satisfied with the style of presentation.

“I appreciated his discussion, but I wish he was a little more angry about it, like he is in his writing. When he speaks in public, he’s a lot mellower and he doesn’t try to start fights. When he’s writing, he’ll piss off whoever he wants to, which is nice,” said attendee Grant Wright.

Marmian Grimes, public relations officer with UAF, estimated that 1,100 people attended the event either in the Davis Concert Hall or in overflow rooms in the Gruening building. Even with the extra rooms, people were still being turned away for lack of space. The event was also webcast, with around 200 hits to the site.

“We got here 25 minutes early and there was no room. So we headed over to Gruening. After they got the audio and visual up, I only caught about ten minutes of it,” said attendee David Spencer. “I am looking forward to getting a couple of books signed. I have the God Delusion and the Selfish Gene.”

CORRECTION: The article originally stated that Richard Dawkins’ air and hotel fare were paid for by the College of Liberal Arts.  This was inaccurate.  The article has been corrected and as editor I apologize for the mistake that I made.

By Molly Dischner

Sun Star Reporter

Monday night, former KUAC-er Libby Casey talked about her experiences in Washington D.C. as Alaska Public Radio Network’s Washington Correspondent in Schaible Auditorium.

Casey interspersed soundbites from people in the capital city with her own anecdotes about life there. Her talk was presented by Summer Sessions as part of their summer lecture series.

Life in the city, Casey said, was a whirlwind – especially at first. “It sometimes feels like a never ending episode of friends,” she said. The news business was also hectic. Days after Casey arrived in Washington, Ted Stevens was indicted. And when she made her first trip back to Alaska, Sarah Palin was tapped as John McCain’s running mate. (Casey was somewhere over the Midwest when the announcement was made.)

Because she was knowledgeable about Alaskan politics, Casey said she appeared on various TV shows to talk about Stevens, Palin and other Alaskan issues. Her first appearances were learning experiences, she said.

“When I look back at the footage, I look like a deer in headlights.”

Two years later, her opinion is no longer as coveted. “The networks don’t call so much anymore,” she said, adding that sometimes they’ll ask her about Palin family gossip. She usually turns those requests down. “I have nothing of substance to share,” she said.

Casey’s soundbites featured man-on-the-street style interviews as well as questions posed to Alaska’s delegation, other senators, and reporters based in Washington. She used them to articulate “Alaska: The View from Washington” as her lecture was titled.

In one clip, she asked someone what they thought of when she said Alaska. Her interviewee mentioned wildlife. “Do you think of Sarah Palin?” she asked. “No…she’s from there, right?” That clip was met with laughter and applause. Most of the other interviewees had heard of Palin. None knew who Sean Parnell is.

During the question-and-answer period, a UAF researcher asked how the university is perceived in Washington D.C. Casey said that people who were interested in research were aware of the university, but that overall, the arctic isn’t getting as much play in America as it is in other countries.

Jeffrey Cantor speaks to an audience at a community forum held at the CTC on June 25th. Photo by Jeremia Schrock/Sun Star

By Jeremia Schrock

Sun Star Reporter

The UAF Community & Technical College (CTC, formerly the Tanana Valley Campus) recently hosted a community forum with dean finalist Jeffrey Cantor. Cantor had the poise of an economist, the dress sense of a businessman and spoke with the knowledge and articulation of a scholar and a good-natured Brooklyn accent.

It also didn’t hurt that Cantor was a man with a message. “Who am I?” He asked the forum. “A community college educator.”

What is the difference between a community college educator and a university educator for Cantor? Everything.

Cantor sees the community college as a very different organization compared to a university campus. While universities act as “conservators of knowledge”, community colleges are “community driven organizations.” Cantor feels that the CTC is at a crucial point in it’s history, and that a movement is needed to lift the organization into its rightful place as Fairbanks’ first choice in preparing members of the community for both higher academia (UAF) and in the technical arts. “Every town needs a workforce,” Cantor said. “[I want CTC to be] that first choice to get a technical education.”

If selected as dean, Cantor intends to focus on several areas of the CTC, including recruitment and retention of students, especially Alaska Natives. Cantor also feels that several new programs, as part of the institution’s current five-year plan, should be introduced. Among these are adequate “technical preparation to bridge high school and college”, a tourism program, and “more specialized apprenticeships.”

Cantor is also aware of Alaska’s more rural nature and hopes to help “embellish online and hybrid (online/in-person) courses to help offset student transportation issues.”  He also hopes to save some programs that are struggling to fill classrooms by “co-mingling low enrollment sections so we don’t have to eliminate them.” Cantor intends to ensure that more students receive funding through federal community-based work grants.

When Cantor finished his introductory lecture, those in attendance began to ask questions. One community member asked what Cantor thought was the most important issue facing UAF? His response: “Money. The need for a better budget.”

While the majority of those in attendance were either older community members or university employees, there was a small contingent of concerned students. Chief among them was Ashley Moore, the current Miss Teen Alaska-American Co-ed 2010. Her major concern was money. “I’m a student and I want a good representative who will use my tuition money well.”

One issue that was asked several times, but in various forms, was “Why are you here?” Some members, including Jake Poole, the Vice Chancellor of University Advancement, asked Cantor if felt he could handle Alaska’s remoteness and temperature extremes. “Well, it’s a place very different from where [he and his wife have] been and are currently. The programs (at the CTC) looked solid and my visit over the past two days has confirmed a strong faculty.” He went on to add that while Fairbanks lacks the beaches of Pensacola, FL, where he resided most recently, city-wise it felt very similar.

David Guttenberg, the state House of Representatives Minority Whip, was also in attendance and asked Cantor very bluntly, “We all have the same question. ‘Are you gonna stay?’” Cantor responded that while he intended to make his tenure at the CTC his last job before retirement, Cantor would stay well past the accomplishment of his five-year goals. He considered his post at CTC to be his “final opportunity.”

His final opportunity to do what? “To grow and maintain a two-year institution.”

When asked if he felt that the questions asked him during the forum were at all hostile, Cantor shook his head. “Not hostility,” he said. “Simply concern.”

By Molly Dischner

Sun Star Reporter

Funding for UAF’s proposed life sciences building is closer than ever before, but the university won’t know if it is a go until November.

On June 21, Gov. Sean Parnell signed a general obligation bond to support mostly education-related construction projects. If voters approve the bond on Nov. 2, UAF will have funding for a much-anticipated life sciences building.

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Fairbanks, said he thought the bonds would be approved, but that it would take some work educating people how important the buildings are. Fortunately, he said, communities all across the state have buildings at stake, making them more likely to support the measure.

“I think it stands a pretty good chance of passing,” he said.

If passed, the bond allocates $88,000,000 for UAF’s life sciences building and about $397,200,000 total for projects around the state, including a new sports facility at UAA.

The Life Sciences building would fill a need for research and teaching space that has been in limbo for almost a decade. UAF Public Information Officer Marmian Grimes said the need for such a space was identified in 2001. The building as it is currently proposed is a more recent design.

“We really need that building on the university campus,” Kelly said, adding that the lack of good labs was embarrassing.

Groups related to the university are in the planning phase for the education efforts that Kelly said would be needed.

Incoming ASUAF President Nicole Carvajal said that ASUAF will work with the Coalition of Student Leaders, a statewide entity, to advocate for the bond to pass.

The university itself can’t directly advocate for ballot measures because of state laws, said Kate Ripley, the university’s public affairs director.  But the University of Alaska Foundation has donated money to a group called the Alaska Education Alliance. The alliance will advocate for the measure this fall, although the details are still in the works. The Board of Regents also passed a motion in support of the bonds at their June meeting.

Funding for some of the proposed projects was a contentious issue long before the bill reached the floor. Kelly, an early supporter of the project, said bond-funding wasn’t ideal. “It wasn’t my first choice as a method of funding,” he said.

Kelly said he initially wanted general fund dollars spent on the building.

“Our first efforts were toward getting a significant start on it with state general fund funding,” Kelly said. But in the legislature, there was a preference to fund the building via general obligation bonds, Kelly said.

According to state records, once the bill proposing bond funding for both hit the floor, it took less than a month to pass through Alaska’s legislature. House Bill 424 was introduced to the house on April 7. On April 13, it was in the senate’s hands. By April 18, both bodies had approved a version they both agreed on.

In total, the bill would bond $207,000,000 for University of Alaska projects. The other university projects are the sports arena at UAA, student housing and a technical education center at Kenai Peninsula Community College, an art and learning center at UAA’s Mat-Su campus, and renovation at Prince William Sound Community College.

The bond would also fund other projects around the state including work on the state archives, construction of at three K-12 schools in rural areas, a fish and game research facility, and an aquatics center at Mt. Edgecumbe. The total for non-UA projects is about $190,200,000.

First the ballot measure must pass. Then comes the part Kelly is excited for.

“I really look forward to seeing the hard hats on the ground,” he said.

By Jeremia Schrock

Sun Star Reporter

As UAF’s MAYmester came to a close, a group of self-proclaimed concerned citizens met at the College Coffee House to discuss energy issues facing residents of Alaska’s interior. Those in attendance were primarily UAF students already involved in the environmental movement in one way or another. The coalition that grew out of that meeting has since come to be known as Interior Energy Issues (IEI).

Karlan Bachmann, a non-degree seeking student who also works for REDOIL, a Cordova-based grassroots initiative whose primary aim is halting environmental destruction on native lands, is also an organizer for the IEI. Bachmann, who worked with Google Rio Tinto founder Nanae Ito during this past spring semester, is also a member of the local activist band Good Daze, and stressed during the organization’s first meeting that the group is not just one of protest, but also of education. “Not just, ‘Oh, we hate BP.’ Even though most of you probably do,” Bachmann added jokingly.

Since the organization’s first meeting last month, they have held a street-corner information rally, a showing of the documentary “The True Cost of Oil,” and they have operated educational booths at both the Fairbanks Folk Festival and the Midnight Sun Festival.  The group is also currently holding a “Styrofoam drive” to encourage local restaurants to switch to a biodegradable product instead.

The organization also held a “Letter to the Editor Writing Party” on June 28th, which was directed at GVEA in order to show demand for cheaper, cleaner power for their homes.  Co-hosting the event with the IEI was UAF Beyond Coal president Christiana Wright and two community organizers of the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Amy Snider and Siri Simons.

Snider is also the IEI’s unofficial public relations officer and a UAF senior majoring in environmental policy and natural resource management. When asked about the number of environmental groups involved with the IEI, Snider wrote that, “there are many groups and volunteers involved. Working together. That is how we get things done.”

By Kelsey Gobroski

Sun Star Reporter

Friends, family, and colleagues stood on the lawn of West Ridge Plaza on June 25 to watch a tree dedication honoring the lives of two men involved in Alaskan forestry. About thirty people watched as a Siberian fir and white spruce were dedicated to Les Viereck, who died in 2008, and a birch to Bob Wheeler, who died in 2009. The Campus Landscape and Outdoor Art Committee already planned the plaza to be a “learning habitat” of different types of birch, said university planner Deb Horner.

Although Viereck and Wheeler both worked closely with trees, each worked in a different area of Alaskan forestry.

David Klein, a former UAF wildlife ecology professor, spoke about his connection to Viereck, from his graduate studies in biology and wildlife onward. Klein said that while he focused on wildlife, Viereck was more interested in habitat, vegetation, and glaciers and had authored the field guide “Alaska Trees and Shrubs.” Klein motioned to a tall silver birch in front of the O’Neill building, which was grown by Viereck from seed in 1963. A larch in front of Irving was also originally one of Viereck’s seedlings.

After the dedication, Klein spoke further about Viereck’s life. Viereck originally came to Alaska while in the Army.  Viereck was climbing Mt. McKinley when his friend fatally fell into a crevasse, pulling everyone with him. Fellow climber George Argus broke his hip, and Viereck, with another party member, descended the mountain to get help, which led to a rescue.
Viereck had a rocky relationship with the University of Alaska after writing a report with Professor Bill Pruitt, Klein said. The university, through the U.S. government’s “Project Chariot”, wanted to conduct nuclear bomb tests and excavation in culturally and environmentally important Cape Thomson. When Pruitt and Viereck gave a negative report on the project, the university fired and blacklisted them in academia, according to Klein. After the university changed presidents the two men received awards and honorary degrees, Klein said.  Their story is written in detail in Dan O’Neill’s novel “The Firecracker Boys.”

Wheeler was a forestry specialist who worked closely with UAF after traveling internationally in affiliation with the University of Hawaii. He wrote the newsletters for Cooperative Extension, said Chris Maisch, a state forester in the Division of Forestry. He helped with university outreach by providing technical assistance. Once, just after a kidney transplant, Wheeler hiked for ten miles for his job. Wheeler was also involved with the “Fire Wise” program that teaches homeowners about wildfire safety, and worked with Kendra Calhoun in research at UAF’s experimental farm. Wheeler and Calhoun experimented with growing fruit trees in high tunnels.

Rich Seifert, an energy and housing specialist, also spoke at Wheeler’s memorial. The two men had offices across the hall from one another at the Cooperative Extension. Seifert and Wheeler often exchanged ideas, Seifert said, adding that, “it was a very stimulating relationship.”

At the memorial, the Yukon River Chapter of the Society of American Foresters presented the 2009 Forester of the Year award to Bob Wheeler’s widow, Beverly Wheeler.

Melissa Mitchell sings during her performance at the Wood Center Sunday night. Photo by Jeremia Schrock/Sun Star

By Jeremia Schrock

Sun Star Reporter

Seeing Melissa Mitchell and Friends play was a bit like being given a guided tour of New Age folk rock if the tour guides were Yoko Kanno, Deep Forest and Brandi Carlile.

Hours before the show was set to start, the threat of a thunderstorm forced Cody Rogers, the director of the Student Activities Organization (SAO), to move the gig to a less potentially rainy venue, the Wood Center multi-level lounge. The change, as it turned out, was for the best. The indoor setting allowed for a more relaxed environment for the listening audience.

The concert opened with a brief introduction by UAF Concert Board chairman Caleb Kuntz. Bedecked in his signature black leather, pork-pie hat and bare feet, Kuntz welcomed both the audience and the band to the Wood Center, stating that all three women in the band were “Pisces, so, you know, they’re going to be as feisty as ever.”

While this performance was the second of three installments in the Beluga Nights series, this was the fourth and final show of the band’s Triple Goddess Tour in Fairbanks. While the night prior had the band playing The Marlin, this show was going to be different. After hitting the bar scene, the band felt that playing for an audience instead of over a crowd was a welcome respite. “Why not do a quiet, intimate gig with our whiskey voices?” said Mitchell.

The band was surprisingly at ease on stage. In between songs they would talk to the audience and each other, laugh, and change instruments. Shawn Zuke, a mistress of the didgeridoo, guitar and flute, even invited an old friend on stage to accompany the band on violin. At one point, the band’s percussionist Kliff Hopson (of local group Gangly Moose) switched from a djembe (an African drum) to a zydeco tie, an instrument that is exactly as weird as it sounds. Hopson, considered by Mitchell to be “the heart of the band,” was unfazed accompanying the band on their Triple Goddess Tour.

Why?

“Because we’re all goddesses,” Mitchell explained. “Even Kliff. He’s my man goddess.”

When asked why he chose Melissa Mitchell and Friends, SAO coordinator Cody Rogers responded that in SAO’s summer series, “we wanted to showcase some really good talent that we have in the city and the state.” Most of the band is itself from in-state. Mitchell is from Anchorage. Zuke currently lives in Homer. Hopson lives off of College Road in Fairbanks. The only non-Alaskan in the bunch is Michelle McAfee, who is visiting the state from Oregon.

It was actually McAfee’s visit to the state that inspired Mitchell to go on tour. “I wanted to give Michelle the full breadth of Alaska. So, we did the trek!” McAfee herself was grateful for the trip, and told the audience during her show that “Alaska’s growing on me!” McAfee was also impressed by Fairbanks’ devotion to live performance.

“This town loves music. It makes me really want to give music to the people who enjoy it,” McAfee said.