1. 5NEWS The Observer • March 13 - April 9, 2014
BY AARON KUNKLER
Staff Reporter
Elections for Central’s student Board of
Directors (BOD) will be held next quarter.
The Associated Students of Central
Washington University Board of Direc-
tors is Central’s student elected govern-
ment.
The officers serve as a liaison between
the students, faculty, community and the
state government in Olympia.
Every spring, elections are held, and all
positions are open to voting by the student
body. There are currently seven positions
open, and students are encouraged to not
only get involved and vote, but also to run
themselves and join in the campaign ef-
forts of other students.
Cassie DuBore, the current Vice Presi-
dent for Legislative Affairs, expressed her
enthusiasm about working in the student
BOD.
“You get the opportunity to work with
the administration, and that really gets
your foot in the door for other opportuni-
ties,” DuBore said.
DuBore said that she enjoys her work,
which gives her the opportunity to repre-
sent student interests in Olympia.
The position also entails putting on an
event every quarter, among various other
activities and programs. DuBore could
not say just yet whether she will run for re-
election, but she is enthusiastic about the
experience.
“I already have ideas for next year, for
whoever is implemented in this position,”
DuBore said.
Myles Glover, this year’s Elections Co-
ordinator, works for and with Bryan Elliot,
the current ASCWU president.
“This year, my plan is to get no one
running unopposed,” Glover said. “I want
every position to have a general election.”
There are two phases of the election
cycle; the first is the primaries, and the
second is the general election.
A primary election occurs when there
are three or more candidates who have
applied for a given position. The student
chooses which candidates they prefer. Af-
ter this, the elected candidates begin their
campaign for the general election, which
decides who will fill the ASCWU posi-
tions.
The primary will be held on April 23
from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Students can
either vote in person or online. The gen-
eral election will be held in the SURC on
May 8 and will be catered and sponsored
by various businesses, such as Pizza Colin
and Monster.
Cassie says that students should feel
free to inquire about running for any of
the positions.
“I would recommend come up to the
office and talk to one of the officers here,”
DuBore said. “Just come up here and ask
questions.”
Glover also expressed his willingness to
engage students who may be interested in
the elections.
“I’ll sit down with anyone,” Glover
said.
He also said that members are students
who love the school and are there to help
and represent their fellow students.
Glover said that all the officers are
committed to providing a quality experi-
ence to those attending Central.
“That’s what being an officer is all
about, really,” Glover said.
The ASCWU-BOD office is located in
the SURC, room 236.
Wanapum dam leak reveals bones
EXPOSED The shoreline was closed in several places last week, after sight-seers flocked to the newly revealed river bottom land.
JAMIE WINTER/OBSERVER
BY BARBARA LEWIS
Staff Reporter
Human remains have been found at the
Wanapum Dam last week in an archaeo-
logical find that state archaeologists are
still investigating.
“Any time human remains are found
along our shorelines we contact the county
coroner and local enforcement,” Thomas
Stredwick, public affairs director of the
Public Utilities Department (PUD), said.
The Wanapum Dam is down I-90, just
south of Vantage, about 35 miles east of
Ellensburg.
Since a crack has been discovered in
the dam, the Grant County PUD had to
lower the water level to reduce pressure in
order to fix the crack and lower the risk of
further damage. The resulting waterline is
lower than it has been in decades.
After the Wanapum Dam was lowered,
shorelines were exposed and just last week,
the PUD was notified that human remains
had been spotted.
The county coroner, an elected official
who investigates and determines accurate-
ly the manner and cause of death, did an
investigation on the forensic level to ensure
that the remains were not the result of a
crime scene.
After taking pictures of the remains for
records, the remains were sent to an ar-
chaeologist.
“Once we were out there, a few of the
bones had surfaced,” Craig Morrison,
Grant county coroner, said. “We dealt
with the bones that had surfaced.”
After the bones were determined ar-
chaeological in nature, they were sent to
the state’s department of archaeology and
preservation.
Central professor of archaeology, Mar-
na Carroll, noted that water could help
protect things archaeologically.
“There was little disruption of the
bones where they were,” Morrison said.
According to Carroll, the least amount
of disruption is optimal.
“The importance of the issue for an-
thropology students is basically respecting
the wishes to whomever they belong to,”
Carroll said.
Since protocol requires that authorities
be contacted, it is up to state officials to
determine how to respectfully handle the
situation.
Allison Brooks, state historic preserva-
tion officer, said they are trying to figure
out how to deal with the situation.
She said that one of the things they do
know so far is that they are Native Ameri-
can remains.
However, the state archaeologist is still
studying the remains, and they have not
found out any further information. They
noted that these things do not happen as
fast in real life as they do on television.
“Our state physical anthropologist is
still working with local tribes,” Brooks
said. “Of course coordinating with the
tribes on what they want to see happen.”
She said analysis has not been one of
their main concerns so far, because they
want to focus mainly on protecting the site
of the remains first.
Since shorelines were exposed after the
water level of the dam was lowered the
possibility of looting has heightened as cu-
riosity looms.
This is a real concern to local authori-
ties, because the shores are protected un-
der state law, mainly because of nearby
historical sites.
“State and federal laws really prohibit
the collection of artifacts found along our
shorelines,” Stredwick said.
BOD prepares
for upcoming
election period
BY EVAN PAPPAS
Assistant News Editor
Central has been approved for a $6,750
grant from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
to support a Central hosted Powwow.
Michelle Cyrus, Diversity Officer at
the Center for Diversity and Social Justice,
said that while the plans are still in prelimi-
nary stages, they are working to create an
event for all students to be able to get a feel
for some Native American cultures.
“It’s for all students to attend and expe-
rience the culture,” Cyrus said.
The Powwow is tentatively scheduled
for May 15 on the East Science Lawn.
Some of the events being planned include
musical and narrative performances.
“It will feature drummers, dancers, sto-
rytellers, arts and crafts, a friendship feast,
and Native American vendors,” Cyrus
said.
Apart from Cyrus, the planning com-
mittee consists of Michael Ogden, profes-
sor and director of film and video studies,
and Toni Culjak, director of the American
Indian Studies program.
The planning committee is still working
to solidify vendors and is meeting with dif-
ferent people from the west and east side.
“We have made contacts with some
folks at the Yakama nation; they have al-
ways been hospitible towards the univer-
sity,” Ogden said.
The planning commitee are also work-
ing on a name for the powwow. Currently
its being called a demonstation powwow
and friendship gathering.
Ogden said it is very important for stu-
dents to understand Central is on Yakama
ceded land.
“[We are] thinking of a name to brand
it and turn it into an annual event,” Cyrus
said. “We are doing what we can to make
it successful.”
Ogden said the committee is working
on finding a name in the Sahaptin lan-
guage that would fit the event.
“Acknowledge that this is Indian coun-
try and share in the rich cultural history,”
Ogden said.
Central plans to host powwow on campus