ScholarWorks @ SeattleU (Seattle University)

Burquest, George

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
1-24-2024 
2024-01-24 Burst Pipe Forces Murphy Residents to Relocate 
George Burquest 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Burquest, George, "2024-01-24 Burst Pipe Forces Murphy Residents to Relocate" (2024). The Spectator 
Online. 1161. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1161 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • January 24, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/burst-pipe-forces-
murphy-residents-to-relocate/
Burst Pipe Forces Murphy
Residents to Relocate
George Burquest, Staff Reporter
Burst Pipe Forces
Murphy Residents to
Relocate
You can also listen to this article using the audio player above.
Brown and brackish, videos of gushing water filling up a stairwell in the Murphy Apartments left many viewers shocked Jan. 15. The
water, which came from a burst sprinkler pipe, reached a height of 18 inches in the stairwell where the flooding started, and three
inches in the rest of the Hopkins building’s first floor. 10 students had to be evacuated from their dorms, while the laundry room and
Murphy lounge were shut down. 
Currently, Seattle University facilities and maintenance staff are working on drying out the first floor of Hopkins and performing
necessary demolition to the affected drywall. Rich Cota, the director of maintenance and operations for facilities, noted that all of
the carpet will be replaced while new drywall and insulation will be put in. 
“We are looking at drying to be done this week, then other processes can start. In total it will probably be two to three more weeks
before the lounge, laundry room and first floor dorms are accessible again,” Cota said. 
Abdullah El-sherbeeny
Burst Pipe Forces Murphy Residents to Relocate – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/burst-pipe-forces-murphy-reside...
1 of 4 9/13/24, 3:16 PM
Cota was thankful that the door to the stairwell was
closed, meaning the water could not spread as quickly.
The flooding occurred as a direct result of the frigid
temperatures that came during the “Seattle Freeze,” the
week before Jan. 15. The Murphy Apartments were one
of many places across Seattle that were reported to have
seen flooding as a result of the cold. 
“Seattle fire crews have responded to more than 175
calls for pipe bursts from Friday to Monday, a
spokesperson confirmed,” KOMO News reported in an
article highlighting the Seattle University flooding. 
Rob Schwartz, the associate vice president for facilities
and campus services, gave a brief description of what
caused the flooding to occur, noting that while the
sprinkler heads outside of the buildings were without water and therefore did not freeze, the pipes inside behaved differently. 
“When the water froze, it expanded, broke the pipe, and then when the temperature dropped, the flooding started,” Schwartz said. 
Despite initial reports that the water may have been sewage, largely due to its dubious appearance in videos spread across social
media, Seattle U was quick to shut down those theories. 
“The sprinkler water is discolored because it sits in the pipe until it is
activated. The flooding came from the main water line for the
building. Another thing that made it look like sewage is that it ran
down a wall that had insulation in it, and washed insulation out into
the stairwell, making it look brown and like it had ‘floaties’ in it,” Cota
clarified. 
 Focusing on those who were directly affected by the flooding, the ten
students who were living on the first floor of Hopkins have been
moved into emergency housing. Meanwhile, all Murphy residents
have been given access to both Campion and Chardin Hall to do their
laundry. 
Tim Albert, associate director of Housing and Residence Life, said
that Seattle U’s first priority was helping students exit the building
before assessing where to house those who were, and remain, displaced. 
“At the Murphy Apartments, we don’t have a lot of empty rooms sitting around. But, fortunately, there were some recent vacancies
and the custodial staff were able to work very efficiently to make the rooms clean and able to be moved into,” Albert said.
Albert went on to clarify that not every student has been granted an exact equivalency to their prior room. In regards to any
damage that may have been done to residents’ personal belongings as a result of the flooding, Albert stated that students should be
paying for renters insurance in the event that something like this happens.
As of Jan. 19, students have not made any reports to the university about damaged items.
Recounting the events of the day, as well as what followed, Harrison Bissonette, a fourth-year international studies major, who lived
in one of the rooms affected by the flooding, is grateful for the job being done by Seattle U. 
The flooding started around 10 a.m., when Bissonette woke up to fire alarms going off in the building. 
“When I opened the door it was wet on the ground, but there was no standing water yet,” Bissonette recalled. 
Upon returning to his room to retrieve bedding later that day, Bissonette saw a watermark on his laundry basket indicating that
several inches of water had risen.
Zam Ortega
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2 of 4 9/13/24, 3:16 PM
“In my room specifically, I luckily didn’t have anything I cared about that got damaged,” Bissonette said. 
He was impressed by the school’s quick action, indicating that between the time he evacuated and walked by an hour later, no
standing water was visible through the windows outside, and staff were inside clearing out what they could. 
Housing called Bissonette later in the day, informing him that he could pick up a temporary card and key to go to a new room. The
next day, he was aided in transporting his personal belongings to the emergency room, which he will use as his new apartment for
the rest of the school year.
While Bissonette’s potential catastrophe was dealt with effectively,
not all flooding that has occurred on campus during the 2023-24
school year has been given the same care and attention. 
Eliza Blythe, a second-year environmental studies major, has had to
change rooms in Chardin Hall three times this academic year—the
most recent as a result of her room flooding on two separate
occasions.  
“The first time we moved was because our four person suite was
too small. Then, what we didn’t know was that the room we were
moving into was open because of flooding,” Blythe said. 
“Originally, they had informed us that this building is older and so
the plumbing is messed up. But what ended up happening is, all of
the plumbing was connected and our room was at the end of ten
other plumbing systems… so if anyone in another room flushed something other than toilet paper, our room would flood.”
And flood it did: twice. Luckily, each time, either Blythe or one of her roommates were there to help clear things off of the floor. The
biggest issue Blythe has with how the situation was handled comes in terms of accountability. To Blythe’s knowledge, there has
been no additional work done to address the problems in her prior room, aside from an email to Chardin residents re-emphasizing
what can and cannot be flushed down the toilets. 
According to Blythe, the responsibility is split between the students who flush unauthorized items down the toilet, as well as the
school, for failing to effectively address a plumbing issue allowing multiple floods in the same dorm room in just a few weeks. 
Thankfully, according to Schwartz, the recent flooding of the Murphy apartments has shone a light on preventative measures that
can be taken.
“Once we got the wall opened up, we saw that there are chances to better seal where the pipe enters the wall as well as the
potential to improve insulation,” Schwartz said. 
The Murphy Apartments are a great example of older infrastructure… not that any students need a reminder of the dull yellow color
they donned just a few years ago.
Kim Thompson, senior director of Disability Services, noted how many of the buildings on campus today are the same ones from
when she attended Seattle U in the late 1980s. 
“Housing did as thoughtful a job re-rooming people with needs as at any time in my history,” Thompson said. 
Despite reportedly efficient responses to the flooding in the Murphy Apartments, Thompson alludes to other issues with the state
of facilities at Seattle U. For example, students living in Xavier Hall have complained about the elevator being out of service for
months, while other halls like Campion and Bellarmine have faced similar problems. 
In regard to elevators on campus, Disabilities Services and the university are there to help find a solution, even if an inelegant one. 
“For students with accessibility limitations, it would be great to be able to shut down buildings during the summer to replace some
of the faulty systems, but the university is simply not in a financial situation to do so,” Thompson said. 
The flooding in the Murphy Apartments offers a valuable opportunity for reflection. According to certain students and staff, the
Abdullah El-sherbeeny
Burst Pipe Forces Murphy Residents to Relocate – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/burst-pipe-forces-murphy-reside...
3 of 4 9/13/24, 3:16 PM
situation, while catastrophic, has been handled effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, the flooding gives the chance for updates
and improvements to facilities and accessibility to streamline the student experience.
Burst Pipe Forces Murphy Residents to Relocate – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/burst-pipe-forces-murphy-reside...
4 of 4 9/13/24, 3:16 PM


English

2024-01-24 Burst Pipe Forces Murphy Residents to Relocate

Platt, Chloe

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
1-24-2024 
2024-01-24 The Growing Pains of Moving Away and Returning 
Home Again 
Chloe Platt 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Platt, Chloe, "2024-01-24 The Growing Pains of Moving Away and Returning Home Again" (2024). The 
Spectator Online. 1166. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1166 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • January 24, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/the-growing-pains-of-
moving-away-and-returning-home-again/
The Growing Pains of Moving
Away and Returning Home Again
Chloe Platt, Editor-in-Chief
Watching from the sun-stained window of a slowly moving
car I see neatly painted houses fade into each other; aged
amber relenting to the subtle sweetness of powder blue. I
admire street signs and myrtle trees and antique stores
where I once bought presents for a lover, a friend. I note the
ways in which things have shifted: the park bench where I
professed my admiration now shaded by overgrown
blackberry bushes.
I see too, in the blur of a small town passing by, a young
woman. She is familiar to me in all the important ways, but
ultimately out of reach—fuzzy at the edges.
And as the car drives further and further away I know her
less and less. When the magnetic bounds of my small town no longer ricochet in the breadth of my body I say goodbye. To her, to this
little town, to all the landmarks of my youth.
I consider how strange it is, truly, the manner in which we are moved through life. To spend 18 years engraving my initials into the
corners of this town, and to leave them behind for another generation of uncertainty to mark over. To arrive in a new city, knowing
no one, knowing not even myself, and to look towards four years of starting over, rebuilding, existing. 
I am not special in this way, in making the decision to move somewhere new and figure everything out again. I struggle to believe I
am special in this feeling.
It isn’t that I loved my hometown, that I was happy there. It isn’t that any of us have a subconscious desire to stay where we are. At
least, I don’t believe it is. It is something about becoming a person in a place, only to become a somehow changed person in a new
place.
It is that sometimes I feel my identity is tied to certain places, and that they stay there once I leave. That I may come back and visit
them, but I may never be them again. 
We come to university. We decorate our dorms and apartments. We form friendships. We begin and end jobs. We take classes we
love and classes we hate. We change majors. We change minors. We fall in and out of love. We drink too much and sleep too little.
We sleep too much and drink too little. And all the while we are inevitably changing.
Every day the same person and yet entirely new. 
I return home on holidays, sometimes on long weekends, and within the confines of my small apartment I can feel the presence of a
Chloe Platt
The Growing Pains of Moving Away and Returning Home Again – The... https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/the-growing-pains-of-moving-...
1 of 2 9/13/24, 3:17 PM
younger self. Unresolved thoughts and feelings find their way back to me, having been forgotten in the vastness of my new city, my
new life. 
Days later I collect my belongings into a backpack and, a long drive later, remind myself of who I am now. Who I might be tomorrow.
And I must believe that my mind is a house, within which all the girls I have been scream and twirl and question. And I know that
they are with me always. And yet, there is something visceral about returning home, a setting where I am reminded of myself.
Maybe these are the years of moving away and returning home again. Of watching yourself fade away from the rear-view mirror. 
The years of growing pains. 
The Growing Pains of Moving Away and Returning Home Again – The... https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/24/the-growing-pains-of-moving-...
2 of 2 9/13/24, 3:17 PM


2024-01-24 The Growing Pains of Moving Away and Returning Home Again

Brijesh, Malavika

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
2-7-2024 
2024-02-07 Navigating News: The Rise of Political Posts on Social 
Media 
Malavika Brijesh 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Brijesh, Malavika, "2024-02-07 Navigating News: The Rise of Political Posts on Social Media" (2024). The 
Spectator Online. 1185. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1185 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
3/11/24, 11:56 AMNavigating News: The Rise of Political Posts on Social Media  – The Spectator
Page 1 of 2https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/07/navigating-news-the-rise-of-political-posts-on-social-media/?print=true
The Spectator • February 7, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/07/navigating-news-
the-rise-of-political-posts-on-social-media/
Navigating News: The Rise of
Political Posts on Social
Media 
Malavika Brijesh , Volunteer Reporter 
Swipe, like, repost: the three most common
commandments guiding the social media world. In an
era where information is spread quicker than the bat
of an eye, social media plays a big role in providing
content to users that they may otherwise not
intentionally indulge in. While it may be an effective
way to share interesting, entertaining or possibly
important information, the question arises:how
accurate is the news circulating on social media?
Particularly in the realm of politics, social media users
are increasingly developing new posts featuring the latest events. Are platforms like Instagram built on a foundation of
verified facts? Or do they risk the spread of misinformation?  
These days, especially for Gen Z, there is statistically less motivation to open the news app when the option of scrolling
through Instagram is at their fingertips. The increase in political Instagram accounts plays a factor in this, as they craft
each of their posts, polls and stories to be eye-catching. 
Accounts such as “impact” and “mattxiv” contain posts with colorful and unique designs, encouraging their viewers to
read their news. These types of accounts can attract a wide range of people because of their simplicity and accessibility.
The use of common ideology and well-known terms is also helpful for younger viewers to comprehend. 
However, these posts tend to carry bias and propaganda. Many accounts tend to stick to one political party, causing all
their news posts to include hidden opinions. This creates a gray area where information is being presented as factual,
but may not entirely be accurate. If one individual sees a post they find intriguing, they repost it for others to see, causing
a chain of reposts. It is rare that they invest time to conduct background research and determine its factual basis.  
Kay McHugh
3/11/24, 11:56 AMNavigating News: The Rise of Political Posts on Social Media  – The Spectator
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Sebastian Gomez, a first-year nursing major, doesn’t think social media accurately presents political news.  
“Depending on the context of the news, Instagram or any other media platforms can be a source of news, but not a
reliable source. Misinformation is common among those platforms, especially within today’s media,” Gomez said.  
Not only are there biased accounts, but the algorithm of social media platforms are designed to feed users with similar
content that they usually engage in. This means that if one person follows another user and likes multiple posts from
their account, they will continue getting featured posts from other accounts that hold similar views. This causes people
to consume content that is very one-sided and prevents the sharing of knowledge from diverse sources and
backgrounds.  
Dennis Young, adjunct instructor in political science at Seattle University, believes that social media algorithms don’t
allow people to engage with content outside of their beliefs unless they actively seek it out. Even then, it is difficult. 
“At a different point in my doctoral research, I was working on a project about social media usage by anti-deportation
activists. It was really hard to find those accounts. The algorithm would keep feeding me things that were more related
to some of the bigger platforms that I had followed,” Young said. “Consequently, that buried the lede on what I was
actually looking for, which was the social media accounts for these detained activists.”
One might ask then, how people should go about the intake of political news through social media. Should these
platforms stick to being a source of entertainment rather than information? 
Caitlin Carlson, an associate professor in the communication and media department, believes that viewers should
challenge themselves to determine if their sources are trustable.
“People need to think about their media diet the way they sometimes think about their nutritional diet. Some sources
are more unbiased or non-partisan than others. So, understanding whether the sources that you trust are partisan or
not, can help determine what exactly you are consuming in terms of media,” Carlson said. 
Social media’s influence on the field of politics is inevitable. In an age where content creation is increasingly becoming
popular, it is expected to have become apparent in the political field. However, the rapid consumption of political content
through social media raises concerns regarding reliability. While social media can be a platform that allows people to
follow current events, whether that should be one’s main source of information is uncertain. 


2024-02-07 Navigating News: The Rise of Political Posts on Social Media

El-Sherbeeny, Abdullah

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
2-14-2024 
2024-02-14 Exploring Perspectives on the Israel-Hamas Conflict 
Abdullah El-Sherbeeny 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
El-Sherbeeny, Abdullah, "2024-02-14 Exploring Perspectives on the Israel-Hamas Conflict" (2024). The 
Spectator Online. 1194. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1194 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
3/11/24, 11:51 AMExploring Perspectives on the Israel-Hamas Conflict – The Spectator
Page 1 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/14/exploring-perspectives-on-the-israel-hamas-conflict/?print=true
The Spectator • February 14, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/14/exploring-
perspectives-on-the-israel-hamas-conflict/
Exploring Perspectives on the
Israel-Hamas Conflict
Abdullah El-sherbeeny, Staff Reporter
To facilitate a supportive environment where
students and faculty alike can learn more about what
the Associated Press has titled the “Israel-Hamas
War,” the College of Arts & Science Deans’ Office has
organized teach-ins this winter quarter that is part of
a series they have called “Confronting Conflict: An
Educational Series on the Israel-Hamas War.” The
series has explored the history between Israel and
Palestine since 1948, antisemitism, as well as
religious history and extremism. 
The latest event was held Feb. 9 and included two
guest speakers, Lubna Alzaroo and Smadar Ben-
Natan. They led a panel that was called “Daily Life in Israel and Occupied Palestine Before October 7.”
Alzaroo is an English professor at the University of Washington (UW) whose teaching is focused on environmental
humanities. Raised in Hebron, Palestine, her early life in Palestine sparked her interest in environmental justice issues
and has significantly informed her career. Her research focuses on settler-colonial infrastructure, necropower, the
environment in the U.S. and Palestinian literature. 
Ben-Natan, a professor specializing in international law at UW with a focus on the intersection of criminal justice,
national security and human rights, was the second speaker at the event. Having lived in Israel, Ben-Natan shared the
experiences she and her family had living there before coming to the U.S., while sharing her perspective on the conflict
from that of an Israeli human rights lawyer.
In dialogue with one another, Alzaroo and Ben-Natan highlighted historical elements of the relationship between Israel
and Palestine as well as the challenges being navigated in the midst of the Israel-Hamas War. Alzaroo commented on the
importance of facilitating spaces to have such conversations. 
Adeline Ong
3/11/24, 11:51 AMExploring Perspectives on the Israel-Hamas Conflict – The Spectator
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“In educational settings, you don’t see as many universities investing their budgets to create extracurricular events that
deal with Palestine. It only happens when the mainstream media is talking about it… every day, there is violence in
Palestine. It’s not just one event,” Alzaroo said.
To provide context on a fraction of the tension between Israel and Palestine, Ben-Natan discussed the Oslo Accords. It
was a peace treaty signed in 1993 between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization
Negotiator Mahmoud Abbas. When the peace treaty fell in 2000, it caused significant division between Palestinians and
Israelis. Shortly after, the Israeli government began using extreme precautions against the occupied Palestinian
territories, such as building the wall between Israel and the occupied West Bank as well as strengthening its
checkpoints. 
Ben-Natan spoke about how this disruption caused many Palestinians who used to work in Israel to lose their jobs. Being
from Israel, Ben-Natan has observed first-hand what the relationship between Israel and Palestine looks like.
“I am from there, and I know very well and intimately the situations on the ground and the history. I care deeply about it.
We care about where we come from and where the places and the people we love are,” Ben-Natan said. 
One of the issues discussed by Alzaroo was the current living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza. According to Alzaroo,
Palestinians have to buy water from the Israelis, who control most, if not all, of the water sources throughout the West
Bank and Gaza. 
In addition to limited access to water, Alzaroo also highlighted how the border between Israel and Gaza is controlled
under stringent conditions. No Palestinian is allowed to leave Gaza without Israeli permission, and resources necessary
for survival have been prevented from crossing the borders into Gaza, including aid trucks from Egypt that carry fuel to
power hospital generators, ambulances and water pumps. 
The two-state or one-state solution was also talked about during the teach-in. According to an article from Vox, if they
lean to one state and merge Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, then Arab-Muslims would outnumber Israeli Jews,
potentially ending the Jewish state. Or, it would entail Israel annexing the West Bank, potentially leading to the
expulsion of Palestinians or the denial of their voting rights. Many reject that the latter is a reasonable option though. 
Ben-Natan talked about the reparations in the Western media on the topic of the two-state solution and how it’s
presented. 
“I think the discussion is very off. I think the two-state solution is not a viable solution anymore and not a desirable
solution, but there seems to be no consideration of other types of solutions,” Ben-Natan said. 
She added that she wishes for more alternatives to be proposed in the future. With the level of trauma and violence
being inflicted, Ben-Natan believes that the resolution should be with care.
 Onur Bakiner, an associate professor of political science at Seattle University, explained a bit about Western repression
in the conflict and its influence. 
“Understanding the everyday dynamics of conflict is important in another way: ordinary people’s ideas about political
conflict may influence armed actors’ ability and willingness to use violence – sometimes legitimizing such violence and
sometimes questioning it,” Bakiner wrote to The Spectator. 
3/11/24, 11:51 AMExploring Perspectives on the Israel-Hamas Conflict – The Spectator
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While conversations about the Israel-Hamas War can vary among people, Ben-Natan and Alzaroo helped to add more
depth by sharing their knowledge and assisting others in developing a more nuanced understanding of the topic. If one is
interested in learning more, the “Confronting Conflict” series will be holding another panel titled “Transitional Justice”
Feb. 29 with law school professor Jeremiah Chin. 


2024-02-14 Exploring Perspectives on the Israel-Hamas Conflict

Lawrence, Bridget

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
2-14-2024 
2024-02-14 Transportation Services Implements Price Changes 
and Increases Monitoring 
Bridget Lawrence 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Lawrence, Bridget, "2024-02-14 Transportation Services Implements Price Changes and Increases 
Monitoring" (2024). The Spectator Online. 1200. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1200 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
3/11/24, 11:49 AMTransportation Services Implements Price Changes and Increases Monitoring – The Spectator
Page 1 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/14/transportation-services-implements-price-changes-and-increases-monitoring/?print=true
The Spectator • February 14, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/14/transportation-
services-implements-price-changes-and-increases-monitoring/
Transportation Services
Implements Price Changes
and Increases Monitoring
Bridget Lawrence, Staff Reporter
Parking
in the
city is, to
no
surprise,
an
expensive ordeal. Finding parking can be difficult as convenient spots are hard to find and, often, very limited. While
Seattle University offers parking in a variety of locations on its campus, Transportation and Parking Services have
recently raised parking rates, decreased the number of free parking days from 15 to 12 for employees and have begun to
crack down on those parking without a valid permit.
Students may want to be aware of this because with the stricter enforcement, it seems that more citations have been
written up for those parking invalidly. 
Adeline Ong
3/11/24, 11:49 AMTransportation Services Implements Price Changes and Increases Monitoring – The Spectator
Page 2 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/14/transportation-services-implements-price-changes-and-increases-monitoring/?print=true
“Parking enforcement moved out of the Department of Public Safety into Facilities and Campus Services. This move was
made to allow DPS to focus on supporting the needs of students and the safety of the campus rather than parking
enforcement,” a statement from Transportation read.
Due to the shift, that meant that the number of people available to enforce parking had become limited. According to
Transportation and Parking Services, the solution was to hire an outside company.
“Facilities and Campus Services, unlike DPS, did not have staff working evenings and weekends. Bringing in a contractor
for evening and weekend parking enforcement was a more cost-effective way to provide the enforcement that
previously had been provided by DPS,” a statement from Transportation read.
In addition to enforcement being more regularly carried out, daily and monthly parking prices have also been raised. As
of Jan. 1, the daily rate was increased to $12 and the monthly rate increased to $145. The monthly parking rate has not
been raised since 2019.
In a statement from Transportation and Parking Services, it was addressed why parking rates were raised this year.
“We review parking rates regularly and adjustments are considered based on changes in local parking rates. Our long-
term parking rates had remained steady since 2019 but local market rates changed,” a statement from Transportation
read.
Surveys that were  conducted found that the number of students driving alone to and from campus had increased while
the number of faculty and staff commuting alone “remains significant.” 
According to the data found, the utilization of public transportation has decreased. Transportation and Parking Services
would like to see students and faculty find alternative methods of traveling to campus.
“While market changes are a key consideration, other factors in the decision include our commitment to keeping rates
below market for students, faculty and staff, and by encouraging more environmentally-friendly commuting such as
subsidizing public transit options or significantly reduced rates for carpooling.”
Even though the parking at Seattle U remains below the market median rate of $225 per month and $18 per day,
commuter students are one of the populations that grapple with Seattle U parking prices.
Christine Sun, a first-year business major, is a commuter student. She’s from West Seattle and makes her commute three
times a week for class.
“I get dropped off and picked up. I would park if it was a more reasonable price, right now it’s just a waste of fuel to get
dropped off and picked up. I make twice the emissions I would if I just parked,” Sun said.
While the new parking rates were not approved through the Laudato Si’ Action Plan structure, the environmental
impact of private car usage remains a concern to those commuting and the Seattle U community. However, public
transportation may not be a realistic option for every student depending on where they live and the financial restrictions
of parking can make it harder for students to maintain their sustainability efforts.
Eamon Whalen-Barnett, a second-year finance major, also commutes but takes the bus to avoid paying for parking. The
bus is not his ideal type of transportation but the only mode of transportation he is able to afford.
“It’s really not flexible to take the bus to campus and it makes it hard to do things like clubs,” Whalen-Barnett said.
3/11/24, 11:49 AMTransportation Services Implements Price Changes and Increases Monitoring – The Spectator
Page 3 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/02/14/transportation-services-implements-price-changes-and-increases-monitoring/?print=true
Commuter students definitely don’t have it easy between being isolated from their peers and having to get to school,
which most students who live on campus don’t have to worry about. 
Both of them said that they spend around an hour and a half getting to school through their modes of transportation.
Students, faculty and those wanting to park on campus should be aware of the new changes that have been made. Make
sure to have a parking permit at all times or consider utilizing the existing subsidized transit passes offered through
Transportation and Parking Services.


2024-02-14 Transportation Services Implements Price Changes and Increases Monitoring

Rocha, Kevin

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
3-6-2024 
2024-03-06 It's Been A Long Quarter 
Kevin Rocha 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Rocha, Kevin, "2024-03-06 It's Been A Long Quarter" (2024). The Spectator Online. 1234. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1234 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
3/11/24, 11:40 AMIt’s Been A Long Quarter – The Spectator
Page 1 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/03/06/its-been-a-long-quarter/?print=true
The Spectator • March 6, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/03/06/its-been-a-long-
quarter/
It’s Been A Long Quarter
Kevin Rocha, Volunteer Reporter
Being less than a week away from finals, students
have a lot to say about how the winter quarter went.
Winter quarter is typically the toughest quarter for
students, mainly due to the  gray and wet weather.
The few daylight hours during the winter months do
not make it any easier. Some students find themselves
struggling with seasonal depression and the potential
lack of motivation can make some go on auto-pilot
mode. 
With that said, the winter quarter is almost over.
Keegan Santiago, a third-year English major, says that
their winter quarter was slow compared to the fall
quarter. He mentioned that the biggest reason why
the winter quarter has been so slow has been due to
the weather impacting his motivation and energy to
engage in his classes. 
“It’s out of the quarter’s control. Since the weather changes, more people are less bound to participate in school and
attend class,” Santiago said.
Santiago commented on the impacts of the weather on winter quarter attendance, which impacts  the culture on
campus.
Jean Simpson, a third-year English major, says that her winter quarter was quite stressful and a lot has transpired.
Despite feeling stressed, she has pushed through the tough moments, reminding herself that finals are just around the
corner. Simpson elaborated by explaining that the struggles faced during winter quarter aren’t specific to SU.
“I think this winter quarter was really stressful. Mostly because of my own doing, I would not blame the school or the
quarter system or anything of that sort. I do think that the quarter system is so straightforward.”
Zam Ortega
3/11/24, 11:40 AMIt’s Been A Long Quarter – The Spectator
Page 2 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/03/06/its-been-a-long-quarter/?print=true
Simpson also gave insight into how the quarter system produces an “all work no play” mentality for students. 
“There are not a lot of breaks. Not a lot of chances to take a rest and that kind of screws me up because it’s hard to keep
pushing and pushing,” Simpson said.
Simpson agrees with Santiago that the climate significantly impacts students’ mentality in regard to life on campus. 
“Bad weather and not really feeling like you’re up to your normal level of standard and self. It’s really difficult when
everything around you is kind of miserable”.
Simpson opened up about their feelings at the end of the quarter surrounding finals and preparing to end the winter
quarter. They commit to trying their best but acknowledge how draining the final days of the quarter can be. 
With the quarter system, the 11-week span can pass by a lot quicker than expected as students are covering more
material within a smaller time frame than semester schools. Santiago echoed this sentiment and highlighted that
everything can suddenly blend together which can feel as though it’s taking a toll.
“I lose track of how far into the quarter I am. I realized that finals week is next week not long ago. I did not realize that it
was coming up so fast. I kind of just lose track of where I am,” Santiago said. 
Alternatively, there are students who try their best to focus on the bright side of finals. 
Alec Willard-Herr, a third-year biology major, has a more positive view on the winter quarter. 
“This quarter has been a mixed bag. I think that because the winter quarter is so short, it feels like a lot of material for
classes is really cramped into a short time span. Every quarter is a good quarter in a sense. You have to look at it
positively even when there’s stuff working against you,” Willard-Herr said.
Willard-Herr expressed that the best part of finals during the quarter is being able to show what you have learned. He
went on to say that even with the stress and pressure of studying and taking exams it reminds him of the knowledge he’s
gained.
“I’m looking forward to the final projects because it allows me to show my professors what I have learned over the
quarter. It proves to me that I have gained this information,” Willard-Herr said.
He also commented on the weather’s impact on his studies and level of energy during the winter, noting that seasonal
depression can play a big role in people’s lives Yet, he encourages others to not feel discouraged by how that may impact
their academic performance in winter quarter. 
“My biggest suggestion in terms of going into winter quarter is that you’re going to be working a lot to meet the same
standards that you do in other quarters. Even if you are not performing as well as you like, that does not define you as a
person or your academic career” Willard-Herr said.  
As the long-awaited finals come to an end, the bleak weather and short days will soon be a thing of the past. Just
remember, the spring quarter ushers in a fresh start, presenting endless opportunities to embark on new exciting
adventures, revel in the sunny weather, and set new academic milestones. It’s time to seize the moment and make the
most of this season of renewal.
3/11/24, 11:40 AMIt’s Been A Long Quarter – The Spectator
Page 3 of 3https://seattlespectator.com/2024/03/06/its-been-a-long-quarter/?print=true


2024-03-06 It\u27s Been A Long Quarter

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
4-3-2024 
2024-04-03 $300 Million Art Collection Gifted to Seattle University 
George Burquest 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Burquest, George, "2024-04-03 $300 Million Art Collection Gifted to Seattle University" (2024). The 
Spectator Online. 1238. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1238 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • April 3, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/300-million-art-collection-
gifted-to-seattle-university/
$300 Million Art Collection
Gifted to Seattle University
George Burquest, Staff Reporter
The product of a
decades long
relationship with
Dick and Seattle
University
alumna Betty
Hedreen (class
of ‘57), it was
recently
announced that
Seattle
University will be receiving the Hedreens’ collection of 200+ works of art, valued at over
$300 million, along with $25 million in seed money to create the Seattle University
Museum of Art. 
“This transformational gift is the largest gift of art ever made to a U.S. university and
largest single gift of any kind to a university in our state,” wrote President Peñalver, in a
letter on March 13, sharing news of the donation. 
Edgar Gonzalez, vice president of university advancement, noted that the hope is to
build the museum as quickly as possible, within the next three to five years, but that
additional fundraising will be required. In terms of location, the plans are not set in stone,
though the most likely place for the new construction is on 12th Ave., where the Pigott
parking lot currently exists.  
When asked about the university’s relationship with the Hedreens, Gonzalez shared that it has been long-standing and meaningful.
There are several pieces of art donated to the university by the Hedreens that are already part of campus—students may recall the
humanoid statue on the hill outside of the Pigott Pavilion, for example. 
While the art is not yet on campus and plans for the museum are yet to be determined, news covering the announcement of the gift
was featured above the fold in The Seattle Times. 
Stories of Seattle U have been scattered in different publishing throughout the years. According to Gonzalez, this is one of, if not the
only time, Seattle U has garnered front page media attention at the Times. 
“It sends a message that Seattle University is a place that is worthy of a gift of this size and this scope. It sends a signal to folks that
Seattle University is Seattle’s university,” Gonzalez said. 
Zam Ortega
A gift of the Hedreens, Fab Five Fred
by Francesco Clemente, hung on the
second floor of the Lemieux Library.
(Jordie Simpson)
$300 Million Art Collection Gifted to Seattle University – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/300-million-art-collection-gifted...
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In response to The Spectator’s inquiries about how this donation might serve to set Seattle U apart and further its educational
mission, President Peñalver wrote about the transformative nature of this gift. 
“Prominent universities with notable art collections include smaller, liberal arts institutions like Williams College, and large
research universities like Yale. A museum with a great collection enhances a university’s academic reputation by attracting and
retaining great faculty, enriching the educational experience for students, expanding and deepening interest from prospective
students and increasing visibility, awareness and familiarity of a university as a whole.”
As to why the collection is being donated to Seattle U, and not one of the major art museums in Seattle such as the Seattle Art
Museum (SAM) or the Frye, Richard Hedreen told the Seattle Times that, beyond wanting to honor his late wife’s alma mater, “‘I like
having the collection stay together. Because it says something about the collector.” And, he added, ‘I don’t like the idea of the art
being in storage.”
Ken Allan, an associate professor of art history at Seattle U, is excited by the educational and reputational opportunities offered by
the donation. “We are going to have a museum with the starting collection of a great city museum,” Allan said, who has had the
privilege to view the collection at the Hedreens’ home in years past, even taking a few of his classes there.  
“We have a collector who has been thinking about these pieces for decades, asking ‘what do we want to collect?’” Allan said, whilst
also noting how many of the pieces can be put in conversation with each other. “The collection being a unified thing will give it a
particular character that will allow curators and faculty to use it in productive ways.”
Notable artists whose works are part of the collection include Jacopo da Pontormo, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein, Berenice
Abbott, Andy Warhol, Cecily Brown and Rashid Johnson among many others. Spanning from the 15th century to 2022, the works
also vary in form as paintings, prints, sculptures and photography all make up the collection. 
While Seattle U already possesses several great works of art donated by the Hedreens, many of them are in the library, a space that
is great for casual viewing, though not particularly suited for teaching. 
Different from your typical art museum, a teaching museum is often at a university campus and has an educational department or
staff who liaise with the faculty and university programs to utilize the collection in a variety of ways, not just for art history classes.
“Teaching a UCOR about climate change, a lesson might include looking at Rasheed Johnson’s seascape works,” Allan said,
emphasizing the multifaceted opportunities presented by a teaching museum. “What a teaching museum and its curators do is think
about ways in which math, chemistry, or history classes can use the experience of going to this museum as a way to access content
differently.” 
Trung Pham, the chair of Visual Arts at Seattle U, hopes that the
museum will draw more attention to the school and the visual arts
program. Part of Seattle U’s draw has always been its prime
location, and Pham hopes that the addition of an on-campus art
museum will only add to that appeal, breaking down the potential
benefits of the teaching museum into three parts. 
“One: Students can see the works firsthand, learning art history or
cultural studies through physical interaction. Two: Scholars will
come and study, write, discuss and research this collection,
hopefully allowing for public lectures, both for students and the
larger community. Three: The space will not only show the entire
Hedreen collection, it will also have the potential for other art and
artists to be exhibited, including the work of students,” Pham
outlined.   
Pham was sure to mention that the announcement of the museum
coincides with plans to offer a revamped visual arts program in the
fall of 2024, titled, Art and Visual Culture Studies. 
This new program will merge art history and studio art into a single major, offering specific tracks within. For Pham, the hope is that
this new program will create a community among students, giving them a strong cohort to work with. 
Trung Pham, Department Chair and Art professor,
discussing the new wooden bear sculpture made by
students. (Jordie Simpson)
$300 Million Art Collection Gifted to Seattle University – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/300-million-art-collection-gifted...
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Jenikka Cruz, a second-year design major, plans on switching her major to the new program next year, and sees it going hand in hand
with the Hedreen donation, furthering Seattle U’s growth. 
“It helps the program and school evolve, and offers both future students and alumni a very important ability to network and be part
of a larger community of art,” Cruz said, referencing the gift and future museum. 
Nevertheless, she was still shocked when she heard the news that such a large donation was being gifted to the university. The
announcement of this monumentally valuable donation comes in the wake of recent announcements by the university that the
amount of full time credits students will be able to take is being reduced and tuition is increasing. 
Addressing this dichotomy, Gonzalez highlighted that, while the donation would be beneficial if it were accessible cash, the
donation exists separately from fundraising. 
“It’s important to note that it’s not a $300 million donation in cash, it’s art. We don’t have the ability to sell it to go buy books or fund
scholarships. It isn’t as simple as selling the art to pay for scholarships.” 
Viewing the gift as a net positive, Gonzalez mentioned how the reputation and momentum boost will help in conversations with
other alumni.  
“Seattle University is going to look different, and in that regard, people see it as a catalyst rather than an instance of ‘they have
enough,’” Gonzalez argued.  
Many current students will no longer be on campus for the opening of the Seattle University Art Museum, though the prospect
serves to both enhance the credibility of their alma mater, and provide an important space for people both inside and outside of the
Seattle U community in years to come. 
$300 Million Art Collection Gifted to Seattle University – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/300-million-art-collection-gifted...
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2024-04-03 $300 Million Art Collection Gifted to Seattle University

Ali, Qasim

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
4-3-2024 
2024-04-03 Is Unionization the Future of College Athletics? 
Qasim Ali 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Ali, Qasim, "2024-04-03 Is Unionization the Future of College Athletics?" (2024). The Spectator Online. 
1242. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1242 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • April 3, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/is-unionization-the-future-of-
college-athletics/
Is Unionization the Future of
College Athletics?
Qasim Ali, Sports & Opinion Editor
The collegiate sports world has been in constant flux for the
past few years. From name, image and likeness (NIL) rules
changing completely, to the transfer portal controlling the
power dynamics across numerous sports, there has seldom
been a moment of calm for fans, players and administrators
alike as the NCAA’s model of amateurism continues to be
challenged. 
The latest development in that saga came from Dartmouth
College, which saw its men’s basketball program vote 13-2
in favor of joining their campus worker’s union March 5
after planning the move for months. The vote marked the first time an NCAA team has ever joined a union.
Dartmouth, a private institution, does not offer athletic scholarships to student-athletes—as a member of the Ivy League, they
aren’t allowed to. However, the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) Region 1 Director Laura Sacks ruled Feb. 5 that student-
athletes at Dartmouth are still compensated with things like apparel, academic support, etc., and are thus employees. After the
ruling, the team was free to unionize if they chose to.
Dartmouth Junior players Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil are representatives for Dartmouth Men’s Basketball and have been
involved with the unionization efforts. They released a statement explaining the significance of the move.
“It’s time for the age of amateurism to end,” the statement read. “Let’s work together to create a less exploitative business model for
college sports. Over the next few months, we will continue to talk to other athletes at Dartmouth and throughout the Ivy League
about forming unions and working together to advocate for athletes’ rights and well-being.”
The college responded with a statement of their own, refusing to recognize the team’s decision to unionize. As such, Dartmouth is
currently in the process of appealing the decision, as a lengthy legal process gets underway.
Kelli Rodriguez is the director of the master of legal studies and sports law program at Seattle University’s School of Law. Rodriguez
suggested that due to the novel nature of the situation, neither side has established a legal foothold.
“This isn’t a legal question so much,” Rodriguez said. “We as a culture are asking where we want to go. Student-athletes are very
much staking their claim in where they want us to go… this is a policy question.”
Eric Guerra, the senior associate athletic director for compliance and student-athlete services at Seattle U, suggested that
unionization would be a non-starter if athletes were heard more often. Guerra emphasized that the point of collegiate athletics has
historically been rooted in the “transformation” of student-athletes into professionals, thanks to the structure and aid provided by
athletics. 
Is Unionization the Future of College Athletics? – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/is-unionization-the-future-of-co...
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But with the transfer portal and NIL opportunities running free in a largely unregulated space, he warned that the NCAA is
becoming increasingly “transactional,” which is the antithesis of amateurism. And when an amateur sport becomes a business first,
the idea of unionization arises.
“If we turn it into this transactional free agency that’s based on ‘what can you produce for me right now…’ that’s a very concerning
place for college sport to be because we’ve lost our purpose,” Guerra said. “We’re sometimes so quick to create this new
transactional business model, that we’re not giving enough time and thought to ‘what are the tradeoffs, what are the implications?’”
Some of those implications could include teams dropping sports, academic advising and aid, etc. to make budgetary space for paying
players by the hour. Also, student-athletes could have their practice hours capped in the same manner employees have working
hour limits. Rodriguez clarified if student-athletes were to unionize, they would be required to negotiate their working hours with
their institution as a part of their collective bargaining agreement.
Jennifer Hoffman, an associate professor in the Center for Leadership in Athletics at the University of Washington, suggested there
is already a clear professionalization of collegiate athletics as currently constructed. Hoffman pointed out the reliance that
professional sports leagues and the Olympics alike have on collegiate sports as an incubator of sorts for their talent as a factor. 
Hoffman argued that a large reason for the uptick in legal cases around the employment status of student-athletes is largely due to
the few sports that provide a majority of the revenue in the NCAA, namely football and basketball, not receiving compensation for
their contributions. Instead, those proceeds are largely distributed to other sports and programs.
It’s a system Hoffman suggests needs changing.
“We have had a highly professionalized model for a really long time,” Hoffman said. “What we are moving toward is a reckoning over
an economic model that is really inconsistent with a lot of our campus values… I’m not one hundred percent convinced that these
legal solutions are going to actually solve the problems of our economic model.”
At any rate, these recent developments indicate a clear disconnect in how student-athletes are treated, and how varying viewpoints
believe they should be treated going forward. But for now, it seems the student-athletes themselves may have a stronger voice in
the conversation.
 
Is Unionization the Future of College Athletics? – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/03/is-unionization-the-future-of-co...
2 of 2 9/13/24, 3:53 PM


2024-04-03 Is Unionization the Future of College Athletics?

Stipkovits, Caleb

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
4-10-2024 
2024-04-10 All Eyes Were on the 2024 Final Four 
Caleb Stipkovits 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Stipkovits, Caleb, "2024-04-10 All Eyes Were on the 2024 Final Four" (2024). The Spectator Online. 1250. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1250 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • April 10, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/10/all-eyes-were-on-the-2024-
final-four/
All Eyes Were on the 2024 Final
Four
Caleb Stipkovits, Managing Editor
The three most-watched games in women’s college
basketball history. An unstoppable, 7’4” center leading his
team to the finals. A 38-win, undefeated season. These
were some of the highlights of the highly entertaining 2024
NCAA March Madness Tournaments.
In the end, the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the
Iowa Hawkeyes 87-75 to take home the women’s title April
7. The No. 1 overall seed Connecticut Huskies knocked off
the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 to repeat as men’s
champions April 8. 
Led by All-American center Kamilla Cardoso, the
Gamecocks cruised through the women’s tournament,
winning five of their six games by over 12 points. Facing off against Iowa and NCAA all-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark in the final,
South Carolina rode to victory to complete the 10th perfect season in women’s college basketball history. The championship
averaged 18.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever.
This is partially due to impressive performances from stars such as Clark, Cardoso, Louisiana State’s Angel Reese, Southern
California’s Juju Watkins and UConn’s Paige Bueckers. Ultimately, the excitement of the tournament led to the three most-watched
games in women’s college basketball history.
Second-year History and Political Science Major Owen Daryani watched one of those record-breaking games, Iowa’s 94-87 Elite 8
win over LSU.
“Part of it is the storyline, being a rematch of the championship game from last year, the personalities of the players,” Daryani said.
“Caitlin Clark is obviously amazing, LSU has Angel Reese, Hailey Van Lith, [and] Flau’jae [Johnson].”
The Hawkeyes played in all three of the record-setting games, in part thanks to Clark’s unique game. Besides the highly-viewed
matches with LSU and South Carolina, Iowa’s 71-69 comeback win over UConn in the Final Four also found the record books. The
contest averaged 14.2 million viewers, good for the second most-viewed women’s college basketball game of all time.
South Carolina made the women’s finals by defeating the North Carolina State Wolfpack 78-59 in the Final Four. In what was a
close game in the first half, the Gamecocks pulled away after halftime thanks to a 22-point performance from Cardoso. Their victory
in the championship game over Iowa marked their third national championship in eight years.
Although viewership for women’s basketball has improved, many fans feel that the quality of play has always been there.
Kim Nucum
All Eyes Were on the 2024 Final Four – The Spectator https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/10/all-eyes-were-on-the-2024-final...
1 of 2 9/13/24, 3:58 PM
“I see a lot of people talking about ‘Finally, women’s sports is being played at the level that [men’s sports] are,’ and I don’t think that’s
true,” Daryani said. “[They’ve] always been played at this level, it’s just a case of it being marketed properly… I don’t think it’s been
marketed properly [by sports media] until this point.”
Second-year Business Economics Major Chloe Lee believes that the NCAA tournament marks a general rise in popularity for
women’s sports.
“I have been so proud to see women in sports get the recognition we deserve,” Lee said. “I’ve been playing volleyball all my life and
the Nebraska’s women’s volleyball team just broke a record for attendance because they hosted a game in a football field… I also
saw [that] South Carolina and Iowa’s game broke [the] record for viewership.”
In the men’s bracket, UConn’s championship game victory marked their 12th consecutive tournament win by more than 13 points.
The Huskies’ dominance this tournament was historic, as their 23.3 average point-per-game margin of victory is the largest ever.
Despite losing the game, Men’s AP Player of the Year Zach Edey scored a whopping 37 points for Purdue, his highest total in the
tournament.
UConn reached the finals by defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 86-72. Riding a strong performance from guard Stephon Castle,
UConn ended Alabama’s remarkable March Madness run, in which they reached their first Final Four in school history.
Purdue rolled into the men’s final by defeating NC State’s men’s team 63-50 in the Final Four. The Boilermakers’ win ended the
Cinderella run of the Wolfpack, who tied the men’s record for the lowest seed to make the Final Four (11). Purdue’s lengthy
tournament run overcomes a tough loss in the first round last year.
Second-year Business Analytics Major Daniel Rios was sad to see NC State’s magical run come to an end.
“My favorite storyline this year has been NC State’s [tournament run],” Rios said. “Entering the ACC tournament, they… weren’t
even projected to make March Madness, then they went and won the ACC tournament against teams like Duke and UNC and
carried that into March Madness… It was really a really cool storyline and a fun team to follow.”
Other highlights of the tournament included Duke’s men’s team making the Elite 8, in part due to the performance of TikTok-famous
guard Jared McCain. With 2.7 million followers and several viral videos, McCain became an internet sensation throughout the
tournament. He wasn’t half bad on the court too, dropping over 30 points in two of Duke’s March Madness games. 
As the NCAA’s most popular offering, March Madness rarely disappoints. 2024 was no exception, as the gender gap in the sport’s
popularity seems to be disintegrating before our eyes. 
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2024-04-10 All Eyes Were on the 2024 Final Four

Alexander, Sean

Seattle University 
ScholarWorks @ SeattleU 
The Spectator Online Newspapers 
4-24-2024 
2024-04-24 Book of Styles Preserves Culture through Dance 
Competition 
Sean Alexander 
Seattle University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online 
Recommended Citation 
Alexander, Sean, "2024-04-24 Book of Styles Preserves Culture through Dance Competition" (2024). The 
Spectator Online. 1264. 
https://scholarworks.seattleu.edu/spectator-online/1264 
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at ScholarWorks @ SeattleU. It 
has been accepted for inclusion in The Spectator Online by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ 
SeattleU. 
The Spectator • April 24, 2024 • https://seattlespectator.com/2024/04/24/book-of-styles-preserving-
culture-through-dance-competition/
Book of Styles Preserves Culture
through Dance Competition
Sean Alexander, Director of Photography
The Book of
Styles
Northwest
qualifier for
the dance
style known
as
“popping”
electrified
audiences
at the
Octopus
Bar in
Wallingford
this past
week. 
Popping is a
style
originating
in the late 60s and early 70s that focuses on hitting the beat of the music through acute muscle control, giving the appearance of a
“popping” motion. But the dance isn’t fixed on this one aspect. There are many different styles and techniques including animation,
the robot, floating, fixed point, isolation and many others. 
Book of Styles started as an event on the East Coast in 2012. Hosted by Urban Artistry and Funk and Focus, the events revolve
around the preservation and education of street dance. The April 19 event in Wallingford featured a combination of these focuses
according to Ryan “Future” Webb, one of the judges and a member of Urban Artistry.
40 participants went toe-to-toe in the competition. In their dance, competitors showcase different techniques as presented to them
through the Book of Styles. This is, in part, a way to keep older styles of popping alive and to connect dancers to the past
practitioners of the art form. 
Before the competition date, dancers are informed of the popping style three to four months in advance. By requiring that
competitors know these different styles, it makes space for learning and preservation of the art form.
When judging the competitors, Webb pointed out a few things that can make a competitor successful. 
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“Who’s enjoying the music, who’s being spontaneous, who’s
expressing themself and showing who they are is the first priority,”
Webb said. “The second priority is, can you accomplish the task… I’m
not too strict on if it’s perfect.”
The Book of Styles finale will be held at Urban Artistry’s Soul Society
Festival in Washington D.C.—a week-long festival that includes club
nights, workshops, panel discussions, four dance contests, hip-hop,
house dance, open styles and the Book of Styles. 
People came from all over the U.S. to observe and compete, including
Urban Artistry member Christina Lim, who traveled all the way from
Maryland to spectate, compete and film the event.
“Dance has the creative outlet and the community connection, but also a connection with history and the cultures that these art
forms are based on,” Lim said. “I’m part of Urban Artistry in D.C., and we push values like cultural preservation and really caring for
the legacies of the people who came before us, especially people who started these art forms.”
According to both Lim and Webb, community is at the core of this. People support each other even in competition whether they are
friends, strangers or teammates. If someone gives it their all for the love of the art form, they are lifted up positively. 
One does not have to be a dancer to attend and be a part of the community though.
Sonja Chae, a member of the Air Force Reserves, attended out of wanting to support
the community and witness other people’s art. 
“You get to see what other people are into and the culture of dance,” Chae said. “I’m
not a dancer myself, but I can appreciate it and I think it’s cool because there are so
many different styles of dancing. It’s like an educational piece for me as well. I think
it’s just awesome that people come from all over the world, or even from different
parts of town to dance and connect with each other.”
Lim emphasized that regardless of experience, the appeal of dance is its sheer
accessibility.
“Think about music that you connect to and like the way that your body moves
naturally to that music. Whether it’s like your head moving back and forth or like
you’re nodding and just build from there,” Lim said. “It is about the music and the
connection to the culture, so expressing that joy and that love.”
The Washington D.C. finals will be hosted June 22, 2024, and will serve as a
showcase for Funk in Focus’s mission of cultural preservation and artistry. 
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