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Show UVU REVIEW A4 NEWS MARCH 3, 2014 The Contra Transnational Issues • TO1100.5177, the HT - Trafficking weapons • IMU, and of drugs and Respective Instability? - A failed Afghanistan 0.1 _ ALEX GEE/UVU REVIEW Dr. Kangas' lecture focused on key allies and resources Afghanistan can take advantage of to succeed in the future. U.S. expert on Afghanistan visits UVU Dr. Kangas lectured UVU students on the post2014 Afghanistan By Alex Gee Assistant News Editor @a I ex_gee5 GABI CAMPBELL/UVU REVIEW Team Rise (above) and Team Limitless (below) prepare for public debate. DEBATE ftm,e0 but we do need to present UVU in a way that's going to put our school on the map." Rise and Limitless showed their common ground by repeatedly reaching agreements throughout the debate. Candidates had similar viewpoints on topics such as inclusivity and the importance of leadership experience. Listeners tuned in to UVU Radio for a live broadcast of the debate, tweeting in questions for candidates in real-time. As candidates continued to acknowledge the similarities between teams, students were anxious to find out what the actual differences were between Rise and Limitless. "Not noticing any big differences in reading the platforms, what is the biggest difference between your teams?" student Danny Diaz asked via Twitter. Brklacich responded with the claim that team Rise differentiates itself through experience. With two members already serving for UVUSA's executive council, Brklacich believes Rise has the ability to 'get things done' through communication with the administration. Kent followed Brklacich by saying he believes team Limitless is capable through experience from a variety of positions. Kent acknowledged both teams are quali- fied, but he believes the diversity of leadership experience his team holds is a key factor in this election. Diversity and inclusion were stressed as candidates from team Limitless discussed event planning Paola Rondon, Limitless candidate for VP of student life, admitted that there should be be more events to accommodate nontraditional students. Rondon suggested that event planners could coordinate with the Wee Care Center so students with children could attend without having to worry about daycare. Rilee Archibald, Rise candidate running for the same position, argued that there are already events that accommodate nontraditional students. She noted that Breakfast with Santa and the Family Fun Fair are ways students with children can attend events as a family. Team Limitless faced critique from listeners when the topic of athletic event attendance was discussed. Both teams pledged to advocate for these events to help raise attendance, but some candidates were accused of lacking attendance themselves. "I have been to every athletic event this year. I have seen Kent a few times and Olivia was there once. Rise was always there, explain yourselves," student Kameron Dearing said via Twitter. Kent countered this claim by saying he had attended some athletic events, but that it's difficult to make it to every event because of school. Limitless candidate for VP of Academics Olivia Bowen also mentioned that their team has been attending other events, including multicultural events to represent diversity. Rise was also challenged when a student asked a question regarding the acceptance of friends into UVUSA after team Ignite was elected last year. Caleb Tippets, Rise candidate for executive VP, along with Brklacich are both members of team Ignite and are currently serving for UVUSA. "Was there favoritism? There might have been, I'm not saying there was," Brklacich said. "We are making the best decisions for UVU. Whether they are a friend or not, we make sure the right and most qualified person gets in [to UVUSA]." Rise advocated for the involvement of students in UVUSA and encouraged them to be active in policy changes. Limitless encouraged students to use social media and even texting the candidates themselves to be involved, stating that they will respond to students within 24 hours. With the impending election beginning Monday, candidates have no time to spare on their campaigns. Students can log on to UVLink and vote for their preferred team throughout elections week. The UVU Center for Constitutional Studies hosted a visit from Dr. Roger Kangas, a leading U.S. expert on Afghanistan and Central Asia. Kangas currently is the academic dean and professor of Central Asian studies at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. Kangas came to the school on February 25 and during his time at UVU he offered his insight on a number of political challenges, including a lecture on Post-2014 Afghanistan. In his lecture, Kangas gave an overview of the potential Afghanistan has but also struggles they will be facing for this year and the future. "There are dozens of countries contributing to Afghanistan currently," said. Kangas. "These countries are contributing security forces, humanitarian assistance forces, educational forces, `reconstructional' forces. Or let's be honest, constructional forces. We aren't rebuilding Afghanistan. We are building Afghanistan." Aid from allies and neighbors were things Kangas explained as being crucial to a successful future for Afghanistan. According to Kangas, Pakistan's support in particular, will be vital for Afghanistan and that Pakistan feels they need Afghanistan. "Pakistan has it's own security interests," said Kangas. "Would they like to con- trol Afghanistan? There is that discussion of course, sort of an elder brother/younger brother relationship. They see Afghanistan as their strategic depth [... If India were to ever attack Pakistan, Pakistani's believe they may need strategic depth to include Afghanistan to help survive as a nation." A key source of strength for Afghanistan's growth that Kangas cited is their ability to play a part in a modern-day `silk road' . Kangas explained that following the U.S.'s military action in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks, a military supply route in northern Afghanistan was developed. This supply route can now be used to keep Afghanistan better connected to its neighbors. "The optimistic idea is that this will some how keep Afghanistan tied to the rest of the world," said Kangas "So they're not going devolve into some chaotic realm. As we've been reading the news and watching the news over the last few days, we see that so much of this is contingent on our presence. This was always contingent on a small force of Western forces; U.S. European, I would say others as well." Kangas also cited Russia, China, and Iraq as being important factors for a prosperous Afghanistan in the future. After his lecture, Kangas took time to answer questions from members of the audience. One question asked to Kangas was what his ideal vision for Afghanistan is for over the next 10 years. In response to that question Kangas said he feels Afghanistan will likely be a poor country during that time, what he HOW DO YOU MEAURE UP? COME TO OUR FREE HEALTH RISK APPRAISALS AND FITNESS TESTING TO FIND OUT YOUR RESULTS! UTAH VALLEY vivintjobs.ebm Join our inside sales team. You'll earn a base salary plus commission and receive full benefits, including: wants to see is an Afghanistan that is not a threat to its neighbors and focusing on it's potential strengths like it's mining opportunities. "What you may see is an Afghanistan that is trying to develop with limited abilities to get raw materials out," said Kangas. Kangas has held a number of previous positions that highlight his experience and knowledge of foreign affairs on matters involving Afghanistan and Central Asia. Prior to his current occupation he served as a professor of Central Asian Studies at the George C Marshall Center for European Security in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Kangas has also served as the Central Asian Course Coordinator at the Foreign Service Institute for the U.S. Department of State, a research analyst on Central Asian affairs for the Open Media Research Institute, and has been an advisor for NATO and the International Security Assistance Force. UVU students working with the Office of International Affairs and Diplomacy, Department of History and Political Science, and the Center for Constitutional Studies organized the financial support, logistics, and other planning necessary for this visit from Kangas. The visit from Kangas is part of a push from the university to strengthen UVU's relationship with Central Asia. Other efforts for accomplishing a stronger tie with Central Asia include UVU recently hosting groups from Central Asia and holding exchange visits between UVU faculty and staff. UVU uNIVERs WELLNESS PROGRAMS Feeling. ••• •••• -LOCATED IN SC 221 -TWICE A MONTH -TAKES APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES TO COMPLETE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP VISIT: WWW.UVU.EDU/WELLNESSED Unhappy? Discouraged? Dissatisfied? ..120101. Paid time off 401k plan Health insurance Free health clinic On-site gym Free lunch Try our 6-week Keys to Happiness Program Provides resources to help achieve greater happiness in life! Go to hftp://www.uvu.edu/welinessed/ 888.967.5279 for more information or to register! |