Trends in Modern Media

Why do we use Facebook? Are we seeking content or connections?

We use Facebook because it is a way of feeling connected to people, even if you are not. It is more of connections rather than content. Seeing all of the people on the news feed or wall makes people feel like they are connected with others even if they haven't spoken with that person. It makes you feel like you're keeping up your relationships with people when in actuality you are not.

Who/Whom

1. (Who/Whom) did you go to the game with? Whom

2. She’s the student (who/whom) writes the best articles. Who

3. (Who/Whom) did you vote for? Whom

4. (Who/Whom) failed the quiz? Who

5. We know (who/whom) pulled that prank. Who

6. We want to know on (who/whom) the prank was pulled. Whom

Best Lede

1. WSU student Miranda M Crowell, 21, runs her fingers anxiously through her hair and chews her bottom lip as she stands at Chevron, watching the total price of her gas purchase rise higher and higher.

News Feature

The end of freshman year at college is an emotional time for many. Saying good-bye to new friends for three months can be very difficult. For Amanda Strempel, she was saying good-bye to many people that she would never see again.

Like many students, Strempel entered college full of excitement for the possibilities that lay ahead of her.  Unfortunately for Strempel, she was entering higher education at one of the worst times in history.

Beginning in July 2009, WSU has passed a series of tuition increases to offset diminished state and federal funding.  Tuition for the 2009 to 2010 academic year increased 14 percent. It has increased another 14 percent since then.  For a student on financial aid, like Strempel, the tuition increase was too much.

“Because I didn’t have time for a job with my classes,” Strempel said, “I wasn’t able to get a loan on my own for the next year. My parents weren’t able to help me so I had no choice but to go home”

Strempel switched from the Pullman campus to the Distance Degree Program so she could live at home and still take classes without the expense of dorm or apartment life. Strempel was sad to be missing out on the college experience, but also frustrated.

“If I had known prior to enrolling for freshman year that tuition would increase this much,” said Strempel, “I would have done my first two years at a community college and then transferred to WSU to finish my degree.”

Due to the limitations on the number of credits distance degree students can take, Strempel is likely not going to graduate on time.

Rachel Harris is another student in a financial limbo due to increased tuition and decreased funding.

“Tuition keeps going up,” Harris said, “But I’m no longer receiving the grants that I used to get because the state has cut funding. I need to take summer classes to graduate on time but summer financial aid isn’t enough to include rent”

Harris lives with her sister who is on food stamps to help make ends meet.

“Having enough money for food is a constant worry,” Harris said. “We have to buy a lot of frozen or pre-made food because fresh food is too expensive, which is also unhealthy.”

Susan Chon is an out-of-state student from Hawaii, paying her way here through federal grants and the Cougar Academic Award.  The amount of aid through the Cougar Academic Award has decreased over the past two years.

“It’s hard because my father is the only one working full time,” Chon said. “My mom works part-time and my sister goes to the University of Hawaii so they’re trying to support us both.”

Students not on financial aid are also feeling the effects of increased tuition. Like many families, Tasha Totten’s parents were paying for her education but the increases have become too much.

“Paying for my tuition with the 14 percent increases both years is too much of a burden,” Totten said. “I plan on taking out loans in the fall to pay for what I hope is my last year.”

Similar to Totten’s situation, Harris’s only option for financial aid this fall is the Parent PLUS loan, but she is unsure if her family can afford it with the cost of attendance over $20,000.

The 28 percent tuition increase from 2009 to 2011 has been a major hardship to many students.  Unfortunately there is little improvement in site, with the likelihood of 13 percent increases in tuition for each of the next two academic years.

Although Harris is living in Pullman, she also feels like she is missing out on the college experience.

“When you don’t have a lot of money it’s really tough,” said Harris. “I can’t go out to eat, it makes some clubs difficult to join, and it’s embarrassing to ask for money. It’s hard to have the college experience when you can’t afford to do anything.”

Outline

1.      What happened?

a.       Tuition increases

b.      Financial Aid Reductions

2.      How it affects students

a.       Miss out on college experience

b.      Stressed/worried about money

c.       Have to borrow more money

d.      Have to take longer to graduate

3.      How it affects families

a.       Increased expenses on tuition/student loans

b.      Increased stress

Sources

Amanda Strempel
Amanda.strempel@wsu.edu

Rachel Harris
Pipstar15@hotmail.com

Susan Chon
susan.chon@wsu.edu

Tasha Totten

Tasha.totten@wsu.edu

Libel

1. “Megan Fox is a man!” Headline on Weekly World News Web site
No because everyone knows it's false, it doesn't hurt her career, and there is no actual malice.

2. “Up until the day he died, he was a brilliant writer. But the drugs made him a thief, a pimp and a liar,” said friend Karen Smith, who was with Johnson at the time of his death.
No because he's dead

3. “In my opinion, Kevin is a murdering rapist,” the prosecutor told the jury.
No, because it's opinion in a court of law

4. "In my opinion, he's a murdering rapist," the man said at the rally.
Yes, because it's provable therefore not an opinion

Mohyeldin Talk

Al-Jazeera correspondent Ahman Mohyeldin shared his experiences reporting on the Egyptian revolution to students at Washington State University.

Questions:
1. What was it like being captured?
2. After having been imprisoned, are you nervous about going out as a reporter again? Is this just a risk that reporters must learn to deal with?
3. Any advice for aspiring journalists? What skills does it take to be an international reporter?

Mohyeldin highlighted the importance of emerging social media technology for both journalism and the success of the revolutions taking place throughout the Middle East.  Rebels relied on social media websites like Twitter while the news stations utilized Twitter, Facebook, blogs and traditional formats to spread the news of events taking place in the Middle East.

"These are the first revolutions to be powered by information. People are aware of the rights that they are being denied and are more empowered because they know what is being denied."

"A lot of journalism is being in the right place at the right time with the skills to take advantage of it."

Trend Story

State cuts to higher education continue to impact the quality of education for students as the next round of budget cuts approaches.

Cuts to Washington State University’s budget over the last 18 months have totaled $136.7 million and administrators are expecting an additional reduction of $98 million or more for the 2011-2013 biennium budget currently being discussed in the Legislature.

The continuing state budget deficit is caused by the current financial crisis and less tax revenue than anticipated.  Decreasing state funding for higher education is one way to reduce the state budget deficit.

If the governor’s proposed reduction of $98 million is approved, the cumulative percent reduction in funds from July 2009 to present will be 49.6 percent, according to the Washington State University Budget Office.

In the last round of budget cuts, the Department of Theater and Dance was eliminated.  The program is slated to officially be removed July 1.

“I was already certified in my major,” said Katy Nuttman, a recent theater graduate. “So I was fortunate enough to finish my degree last May. A lot of my friends were not lucky enough and transferred to schools elsewhere in the state and country”

Depending on the extent of budget reductions, more students will face a similar situation as classes and programs are eliminated.

Since July 2009, 1,080 courses were removed from the university's catalog, 16 degrees or program options phased out, eight degrees consolidated or reduced, seven academic units consolidated, reduced or phased out, and three academic program areas eliminated. Ultimately, 517 jobs were eliminated, said WSU President Elson Floyd.

Since 2009, budget cuts have affected nearly every college and degree program at the university, according to the WSU Budget Office. The Distance Degree Program is one program affected by budget cuts.

“The number of classes being offered has gone down a lot,” said Amanda Strempel, a distance degree student. “You get e-mails around registration time telling you to register ASAP because there likely won’t be enough spots for everyone.”

In addition to fewer classes, many of the service centers across the state that assist with exam proctoring and tutoring have shut their doors, Strempel said.

The College of Education is inundated every year with students seeking certification and an increasingly small number of spots in the program.

“The education program is only accepting half of the applicants into the program,” said history major Nathan McClure. “After my group interview, they warned us that we might not get in and suggested that we apply to the master’s program through WSU if we don’t get in.”

Many students who don’t get in are forced to consider different programs or reapply multiple times to get into the program, drawing out their time at WSU, said McClure.

The number of sections for required classes has plagued students in nearly every department. 

“There is only one section for many of my classes,” said Rachel Harris, a kinesiology major, “which creates problems when multiple classes only start at certain times on certain days.”

Despite the budget cuts, Harris feels that WSU has still been able to provide a solid education.

“Though we have very little flexibility with our courses, and it may take a little longer, the staff is very good,” said Harris. “The students become familiar with each other and tend to know each professor personally. Though I do wish our program had more funding, I believe we have a very good staff that is making the best with what they can.”

As the Legislature continues debating the 2011-2013 budget, students, teachers and administrators must wait to see how the further reductions will manifest in their programs.  Floyd hopes that no additional programs will be eliminated and that the burden of tuition increases will lessen.  Nuttman hopes no future students will experience their program being cut like she did.

“Having an entire program cut is awful,” said Nuttman. “It's like having to watch your family slowly be taken away from you, and everything you've become comfortable and happy with just falls apart. What shocks me even more was the loud and clear message from the university that what I care most about in this world, theater, is not important.”

Pot busts in Pullman

The story does a good job of using statistics to illustrate the case, however it does little more than provide statistics.  The headline also doesn't make a lot of sense to me because most of the story is about how it does make sense that the number of arrests for marijuana possession in Pullman is higher than in some cities because of the large proportion of 18-23 year olds.

Katrina Photos

Photo 1- Woman Pushing Shopping Cart
- all of her possessions now fit into a single shopping cart
- situation so dire even attempting to evacuate the city on footj
- no cars on the road- no gas? roads too flooded? road closed?
- looks like only clothes and blankets- essentials for surviving?

Photo 2- Man With Cardboard Shoes
- shows complete loss- don't even have things needed for survival
- must make do with whatever available
- cardboard say's "keep moving"

Anecdotes and Evidence

1. The writer uses two student examples of students who aren't going to be able to graduate on time due to inability to get courses and too many requirements to complete the program in 4 years.
2. The writer talks about the trend of 4 year graduation rates decreasing since the 1960s and gives statistics for the percent of students graduating in 4 years from various universities in Washington.

Assignment

5 d. 1. Dropped 12.5 percent
       2. Median- $183,700  Increased 0.2% Statewide decline 2 percent
       3. Columbia county, 34 percent

4 b. 3. 6 murders in Whitman county since 1990
       4. 14 rapes last year
       5. 4 arrests for rape last year
       6. Because it's a crime that's hard to prove.
       7. 11 months
       8. 64 months. Because the crime was more severe.

Math

1. $7,885
2. 82.9%
3.Mean Salary= $67,500
Median Salary= $40,000
The median salary is more accurate
4. They're both right
5. a. 25% decrease
    b. 33%
6. 11%
7. Mean- $790,600
    Median- $207,000
8. 3
9. More likely to be assaulted in Pullman. 7.2 per 100,000 in Pullman. 2.5 per 100,000 in Spokane.
10. $150,000

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1172

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1256&year=2011

Peer Edits

1. The government controlled public messages to Arab countries in the past however social mediums can’t be controlled.
   The government controlled public messages to Arab countries in the past. However, social media can't be controlled.


2. The first nation to revolt against their government was Tunisia on January 14.
 The first nation to revolt against its government was Tunisia, on Jan. 14.


3. Founding dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and presentation speaker Dr. Lawrence Pintak described the beating of a man that had taped a illegal police activity.
  Founding Dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Dr. Lawrence Pintak described the beating of a man that had taped illegal police activity.
 

4. Cell-phone pictures of a Tunisian fruit vendor who lit himself on fire in protest of police seizing his fruit cart were broadcasted online, igniting conflict throughout Arab nations.
  Pictures of a Tunisian fruit vendor who lit himself on fire in protest of police seizing his cart were broadcast online, igniting conflict throughout Arab nations.

5. Reverend Jesse Jackson talked about lessons learned from the civil rights movement, if people became politically active than they could change government policy.
   The Rev. Jesse Jackson talked about lessons learned from the civil rights movement. If people were politically active then they could change government policy.

6. The 18 day revolution in Middle East was not an unplanned event, the oppressed lower class Arabs had been preparing for years, Pintak said.
   The 18-day revolution in the Middle East was not unplanned.  The oppressed lower-class Arabs had been preparing for years, Pintak said.

7. The Arab Government pulled the plug on the Internet in Jan. 
   The Arab government pulled the plug on the Internet in January.
 
8. “I loved the 90’s,” Smith said. She said the 1990’s resulted in more technological innovations that any decade in the 20th Century. 
   “I loved the 90s,” Smith said. She said the 1990s resulted in more technological innovations that any decade in the 20th century.

Legislative Money

We’ll start with initiatives, the process by which a group of Washington voters can propose a law. Let’s look at spending on initiatives in recent years. How much was spent in each of these years?
    2010: $60 million
    2009: $7 million
    2008: $9 million

 1. Under ‘Search the database,’ navigate to ‘Committees’ and then ‘Initiatives.’ 2011 is too young -- let’s look at spending in 2010.
    a. How much was been raised for initiatives in 2010? $61 million
    b. How much was spent? $60 million


2. We now have an alphabetical list of committees. That’s great if we know the name of the committee we’re interested in examining. But in this case, we don’t.

3. Each column header allows us to sort the data in different ways. For example, if we click on the ‘Spent,’ we can rank the committees by spending.

   a. Click on ‘Spent.’ (You’ll notice that it shows the money from lowest to highest. We’re interested in big money, so let’s click on the column header again to reorganize most to least.)
        I. Which committee has spent the most money this year? Stop the Food & Beverage Tax Hikes
        II. Which initiative is the committee opposing? CIT To Protect our Economic Future
        III. What would the initiative do? Stop food and beverage tax increases
        IV. How much have the supporters of this initiative raised? (Hint: Click the column header ‘Ballot’ to group by initiative.) $16 million
        V. Who won? Check Google. Stop Food and Beverage Tax Hikes
 c. Let’s look closer at the committee that outspent all others. Who funded it? To the left of the committee’s name, click on ‘Details.’
        I. Which individual group has contributed the single largest donation to this committee? American Beverage Association
        II. Where is this group based? DC
        III. When was the last donation from this group sent to Washington state?(Specifically, what’s the date?) 8/26/2010

IV. How many separate contributions did the group make to this committee? 9

V. In total, how much money did it send to the committee in August 2010? About 17 million

SB 5621

What would it do? Students who are 14 years of age as of the date of a school board election
are entitled to vote in the district election where they are enrolled.

Sponsored By: Senator White

Fiscal Note: Not available

Legislation

SB 5749:
1. Modifies the terms of the Washington advanced college tuition payment (GET) program for future purchasers.
2. 119,000
3. The definition of tuition and fees includes operating fees and building fees, but no longer includes services and activities (S&A) fees. Students will pay S&A fees at the time of enrollment.

HB 1325
1. Sponsors are Representatives Hunt, Dammeier, Darneille, Liias, Carlyle, Roberts, Jenkins, Orwall, Kenney, Hasegawa, McCoy, Fitzgibbon, Tharinger.
2. Summary:  Requires the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) to lead a
district reorganization initiative to streamline and provide efficiencies in the
operation of school districts and Educational Service Districts (ESDs).
Establishes a Statewide School District Reorganization Commission (Commission) if
the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds the WSSDA initiative has not resulted
in sufficient cost savings or efficiencies by January 1, 2014.
Directs the Commission to prepare a reorganization plan to result in no more than
150 school districts and a revised number and boundaries of the ESDs.
Requires the reorganization plan to be submitted by December 1, 2016 in the form of
proposed legislation.
Provides that the proposed legislation containing the list of districts and their
boundaries may be amended only by a two-thirds vote of each house of the
Legislature.
Provides for districts to appeal their reorganization to the Commission or submit an
alternative proposal that will achieve significant efficiencies and reductions in
operating costs.
3. 150
4. 62% pf districts enroll 2,000 or less students
5. $397,653

Politics: To Publish or Not to Publish

I wouldn't publish it because the story is coming from one person with an anonymous third-party source that I've never met or talked to. It could very well be a hoax to ruin this politician's campaign. I would need more evidence before publishing something that would have such a huge impact if it were true or even if it were false.

Homecoming Lede

Homecoming royalty will no longer be named at WSU due to lack of student interest, said Student Entertainment Board Programmer Karen M. Jones.

Speech Story

Anime and manga are playing a central role in Japan’s rebranding campaign, said Lucy Craft, CBS Japan correspondent in a presentation at WSU Friday.

Craft’s lecture focused on the economic ramifications of the popularity of anime and manga both in Japan and around the world as well as the history of the phenomenon.  

Anime is the name for a specific style of Japanese animation, characterized by its unique artistic design.  Manga is the Japanese word for “comics” and is descendent from Japanese woodblock prints, said Craft.

Both art forms, in their modern structure, originated after World War II and were influenced by Western animation and art.  During this time Osamu Tezuka immerged as the father of manga and anime.  Later Hayao Miyazaki rose to prominence and is responsible for much of the anime known in the Western world.  

Anime and manga have won fans from around the world.  Vincent van Gogh, the famed Dutch painter, was even a fan of early manga, said Craft.

“I was really surprised that van Gogh like manga so much,” said Kassandra Zwick, an Asian Studies major.

The epicenter for modern manga and anime is Akihabara, Japan, after its transformation from consumer electronics to cater to all things anime and manga.

“The city has become a nerd paradise,” said Craft.  “With the cosplay and manga shops and maid cafes, it has become a geek playground.”

For many of the students in attendance, Japan and Akihabara are must-see destinations.

“I’ve already planned on going to Japan,” said Kerri Simpkins, an Asian Studies major. “But now I have a destination in mind, I want to go to Akihabara. Japan or bust!”

Japan is hoping that the popularity of anime and manga in the west will continue to grow and spur their economy, especially through tourism.  Japan has become a cultural superpower, said Craft, and the effort to export its culture overseas is in full swing.

“Japan is involved in a ‘cool Japan’ promotion strategy,” said Craft. “Cool Japan will be the project for fixing the Japanese economy.”

Japan is currently budgeted to spend $200 million on the project in hopes that the concept will increase the number of tourists, students and businesses coming into Japan.  Manga is already sold in over 150 countries in many different languages, said Craft.

The project is inspired by Joseph Nye’s argument for soft political power, wherein countries use diplomacy and friendly relations to achieve political progress.  Additionally, Douglas McGray’s article entitled Japan’s Gross National Cool arguing for Japan’s cool factor as being a largely underestimated asset furthered governmental thought into the matter.

Additionally, it is seen as a way to save the Japanese economy as it is being outpaced by South Korea and Taiwan in consumer electronics production.  

While the government of Japan has gotten behind the movement, with many government agencies even adopting manga-styled mascots, many of Japan’s intellectuals are concerned about the movement.

Many Japanese scholars see the “cutification” that comes with anime and manga as a soulless void which arose out of the collapse of true Japanese culture after World War II, said Craft

.

Craft believes that the Japanese government has much more important things to consider than the world view of Japan as a cool nation because of anime and manga.

“Focusing on slashing greenhouse gasses, immigration reform and agriculture,” said Craft, “now that would be cool.”

Peer Edit Redux

We’re a team. Help out your peers. Correct the following sentences.

1. Washington State provided a subsidy of over $2000 for in state students.
The state of Washington provided a subsidy of more than $2,000 for in-state students.

2. “The 13.5 million is the tip of a larger iceberg,” Coordinator of Arts and Culture, Jerry McCollum, said.
"The $13.5 million is the tip of a larger iceberg," said Jerry McCollum, coordinator of Arts and Culture.



3. “What I know if the system is broken right now, we can’t live in a world with 14% tuition increases,” President Floyd said.
"What I know is the system is broken right now," said Floyd. "We can't live in a world with 14 percent tuition increases"

4. The Co-President’s announced a club to meet more people that are interested in hiking.
The presidents introduced a club to meet more people interested in hiking.

5. Williams said, “There are still new things to say with art music, it’s hard to stop and listen, but when you do it can be an extremely pleasant surprise.”
"There are still new things to say with art music," said Williams. "It's hard to stop and listen, but when you do, it can be an extremely pleasant surprise."

6. In Sept. 2010, the wine tasting endorsement will be available to stores, according to Jane Westman, Culinary Coordinator for Metropolitan Market.
The wine-tasting endorsement will be available to stores in September., said Jane Westman, culinary coordinator for Metropolitan Market.

7. He died from a massive heart attack in Sept. 1996.
He died of a massive heart attack in September 1996.

8. In fact, the club even has their own audio engineer.
The club has its own audio engineer.
 

9. When it blasted off, the shock of excitement from the noise of the cannon added to the emotion of the game.
The shock from the noise of the cannon added to the emotion of the game.


Shorten the following sentences.
 
1. It is evident that sleep becomes less of a priority for many students.
Sleep becomes less of a priority for many students.
 
2. In fact, there is a new workout routine that is sweeping the country.
A new workout routine is sweeping the country.