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What is BYUHSA? BYUHSA is an acronym for Brigham Young University-Hawaii Service Association. The organization’s specific role is to serve the students and student organizations. BYUHSA has gone through a major reorganization in the past year to help us condense and focus on developing a closer ear to the students and the presidencies of Student Associations (formerly called clubs or chapters) on campus. Previous BYUHSA Presidencies have been organized with one President and two Executive Vice Presidents who oversaw 12 additional Area Vice Presidents. These representatives oversaw most student activities, and community service projects as well as student Associations and Student Advisory Council (SAC).What is BYUHSA today? BYUHSA is now organized into three areas and has a President and two Vice Presidents. The idea is move all of student activities and community service projects to more specialized teams within our department, and focus the Presidency on student leadership, students concerns and the Associations that have been developed on campus. Here are the three areas that are under BYUHSA:The first area is leadership development which is handled by the President Marc Gardner. The role of the President is to provide strong leadership for the BYUHSA teams and leadership development opportunities for the student body, especially through engagement with SAC and Associations. The President facilitates meetings and presents to students, departments and University Administration.The second area of focus is Student Advisory Council which is managed by the Vice President Sery Kuma Kone and the Student Advisory Council Team. They are the research, recommendation, and education arm of BYUHSA and they will look into unresolved concerns of any student and student related issues on campus. The feedback form is accessed at: http://student.byuh.edu/byuhsa/ under the SAC button.The third area of focus is the Student Association Presidencies who work with the Vice President Blake Va’aulu on creating positive activities within Associations. These student Associations were once called clubs on campus; there are 41 Associations, with 2,450 members signed up this semester. During the 2014 Fall Semester, there were 117 funded activities and many more weekly activities held by the Associations. This is a place for all students to connect with other students in meaningful ways.What happened to the other areas before the reorganization? Within our department of Student Leadership, Activities, and Service (SLAS) is BYUHSA, the Student Events Team, the HUB, the Service Center, the iLead group, the Aloha Center Front Desk, New Student Orientation and our wonderful Media Team focus on providing excellent and focused service in these areas. With all of the changes that have happened at BYUHSA, we would love for you to visit us in the SLAS office in the Aloha Center (Room 131) and get involved!

The 57th annual Grammy performers and hosts used their vast platform and sent multiple political messages while on stage. “This past year has been chalk full of tragedy, incredible loss, and even a rising of a very important movement. It seemed appropriate for these prominent artists to put in their two cents, “commented Barbara Harris, a junior from California majoring in hospitality and tourism management. Common, a prominent hip-hop and R&B artist, accompanied by John Legend, a full orchestra, and a choir, performed “Glory” juxtaposed with clips from the award winning movie, Selma. Common spoke on the increase in racial tensions spread across America and ended the beautiful composition with the eyes Eric Garner, a black man choked to death by a NYPD officer, on the big screens behind himself and the choir. Erin Kach, a junior history major from Utah said, “I loved the performance, it was something unlike anything that has been produced on a Grammy stage. That’s artistry.”Sam Smith was nominated for five awards, and won four of them, including; record of the year, song of the year, best new artist, and best pop vocal album. “I thought it was very entertaining and Sam Smith deserved all of his awards,” said Kelsee Webb, a freshman majoring in biomedical science from California, “I really like him.”Pharrell Williams, though he performed his hit single, “Happy,” added a small hint of social justice awareness to his Grammy performance. All of Williams’ backup dancers wore black hoodies with the hoods up to commemorate Trayvon Martin’s tragic death and even held their hands up as if submitting to a police officer with a gun. Throughout the whole night, various Grammy hosts and newscasters sprinkled in statements branded by recent political movements, Prince being one of them. When he announced the album of the year, Prince framed the announcement by saying, “Like books and black lives, albums still matter.”“The gravity of this statement is so immense. Prince snuck it in, giving absolutely no time for negative rebuttal. He seized the opportunity to remind the larger audience of the importance of the fight against racial inequalities,” remarked Morgan Jaupri, a sophomore communications major from New York. Beck walked away with the prestigious award of album of the year. Others nominated in this category included Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Pharrell Williams. Kanye West also made a reenactment of the time when he took the microphone from Taylor Swift at the MTV Music Video Awards in 2009. However, this time he made a joke of the situation and did not denounce Beck in any way during their acceptance of album of the year. Student Anna Nelson, a junior majoring in international cultural studies from Utah, said, “I agree with Kanye, I think Beyoncé should have won album of the year.”To watch the Grammy’s recaps and or specific aforementioned performances, visit grammy.com for full coverage. Uploaded by Feb. 19, 2015.

The Laie YSA First Stake Valentine’s Day dance blew it out of the park this year with its combination of good music and food. To attempt to accommodate students who got off work late, the dance began at 10 p.m. and ran until 1 a.m., allowing more students to enjoy the festivities.“The music has been pretty good, so it’s been a great night,” said Maclaine Day, freshman majoring in international cultural studies from Montana. The Aloha Center ballroom hosted a plethora of party games to keep energy up, hamburgers fresh off the grill, as well as a snacks. Alan Akina, 2nd counselor in the YSA 1st Stake Presidency, explained, “All the boys get blue tickets and all the girls get pink tickets. And to go eat in that food booth, you need a ticket for every food item. The only problem is all the boys need to have pink tickets and all the girls need blue tickets, and the only way to get that is for boys and girls to dance with each other.”Kale Anitema, a junior majoring in history form Maui, said, “There have been less and less dances, but when there is, it’s popping.” Anitema continued, “I would like to see the lights on, more chairs, and boys formally asking girls to dance.”Tonga Sablan, a junior majoring in communications from Seattle, Wash., echoed the sentiment on dances in the light when he said, “They are a perfect opportunity for students… to come from all over the world and share the universal language of dance.” Colorado freshman and accounting major, Simon Johansen said, “It’s a rarity to have such a solid mix here at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. The music stayed consistently on point throughout the whole night.” When asked about logistics of the dance, Rose Ram, a professor at BYUH who also happened to be manning the desserts, rebutted the question and asked, “Is that why you came over here? To interview me? Oh no, I’m going to find you a nice boy to dance with. Look, these ones coming up behind you look like they’d be perfect. Choose one!”For more information on upcoming dances, look on your ward’s bulletin, or the Student Activities board. Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015.

Facebook profiles can now be passed down from generation to generation. According to the Associated Press, the 1.4 billion users now have the opportunity to delegate someone as their “legacy contact,” who is responsible to respond to posts on the deceased’s page, accept/decline new friend requests, and also update both profile and cover picture on their behalf.AP also reported before the legacy contact can officially take over, proof of death has to be shown; for instance, an obituary. The legacy contact is not the only option for a person’s account after they pass. Users also have the option to have the account deleted. When notified about this interesting addition to Facebook, Bethany James, a freshman majoring in biology from New Zealand, said, “I just think it is really weird, I don’t see the sense in carrying it on.”However, disagreeing with James, Hannah Naylor, a freshman majoring in international cultural studies from Iowa, said, “I don’t think it’s that weird because I have already thought about who is going to take over my Facebook while I am on my mission. I think it’s a way to honor that person; I think this can be a good thing.”As explained by AP, assigning this legacy contact can be done in a few simple steps. After clicking on the upside-down triangle on the top right corner of the page opens the settings menu, users then select “security.” Here, users in the United States have the option to select and edit their legacy contact.BYU-Hawaii students seem to have mixed opinions on the newest addition to Facebook. Luis Arredondo, a sophomore majoring in political science from Mexico, said, “I think people are so dominated by social media that it is crazy people who would take the time to be in charge of another person’s Facebook.”Not everyone believes the addition to the social network is a “dumb idea,” as Arredondo stated. According to AP, Facebook Product Manager Vanessa Callison-Burch said there has been “hundreds of thousands” of requests to do something like this.Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015.

It was standing room only as family, friends, community members, surfers and artists filled Surfer the Bar at Turtle Bay Resort on Feb. 9, the date that marked the 10-year anniversary of the passing of legendary surf photographer and BYU-Hawaii alumnus Jon Mozo. The Mozo family shared their experiences and introduced the upcoming documentary “Transcend,” a tribute to their father, husband, and friend. Jon’s legacy lives through his photos and his family, who share their continued love for photography and the ocean with everyone around them. All four of Jon’s children talked about their relationship with their father. They recounted the cherished memories that still flood them with emotions of love and support. They also talked about how they had to adjust to living without a dad. The difficulties that come from losing someone and the continued support and presence they feel from him still today.His daughter Amber Mozo said, “Even if you just met him once, you feel so close to him. He is so talented and known for his photography, but he really was just the best dad. That is what matters more than anything else in the world. Family is the most important thing in this world.”Niki Mozo, Jon’s wife, explained the significance of one of her favorite photos called “A Higher Source.” The photo shows the sun beaming through the underside of a wave about to break. Niki said it was not only an amazing and challenging shot, but it was also very symbolic. She said, “During the past 10 years there have been storms and rough times, but I know the light will always return. This photo is symbolic of that.” Jon paved the way for surf photographers on the North Shore and around the world. Aaron Nelson, a BYUH alumnus from Hawaii, said, “For me, he is a legend, especially as he was one of the first to go out and shoot empty waves. You can see how that has taken off for a lot of people like Clark Little and others.” Marc Gardner, a senior in social work from Australia, said, “Jon is extremely inspiring. Just from his photos and legacy he left behind, you can feel the love and passion he had for the ocean and photography.”Jon performed in a time when equipment was different than the kind photographers use today. Gardner said, “He obviously shot in film and that is the next level. Even though it is 10 or 15 years later, his photographs are still just timeless. A lot of people can thank Jon for their success and careers in the water these days. He was one of the legends and still is today.”Nelson added, “Jon to me was a true artist. He knew how to compose a shot and he put life into each shot and that is what set Jon apart.” The documentary “Transcend” stemmed from a S.I.F.E, now called Enactus, project started by Nelson. “I was actually involved with S.I.F.E. when I was in school and the documentary ‘Transcend’ was my project for the S.I.F.E. program. I got the project started, and contacted Devin Graham to get him on board and got some things organized,” said Nelson. Graham, a well-known videographer, explained Mozo’s method: “He would paddle out there and take 24 or 36 pictures. Every picture he took had to count. That alone fascinates me so much: he had to fight for each shot.” He also said, “I was approached about making the film, and when they told me about Jon and what he did as a surf photographer, I felt a connection and wanted to be a part of it.” Nelson said, “The reason I thought it was necessary to do a documentary was because of the legacy that Jon left behind. We are in a world where surf photography is just saturated and with technology being the way it is you can snap a thousand photos in a day and then go home and just pick through them. But that is what sets Jon apart, he went out with a certain number of shots and had to know which shots will look best and how to position himself in the water.”Graham continued, “Seeing how Jon’s legacy has carried over to his family is inspirational. His kids have taken on his legacy and made it their own. Now they are passing on their legacy to others and it just keeps going generation to generation.” Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015.

From a young age, Political Science Professor Brian Houghton said he experienced the effects of terrorism firsthand. Those experiences triggered his desire to pursue a career in counter terrorism, a field in which he spent over 20 years. Houghton’s father was in the military, which brought teenaged Houghton and his family to live in Germany. During this time the radical left-wing terrorist group, the Red Army Faction, was just beginning raids through Germany. Houghton personally witnessed several Red Army Faction attacks while living there, and again when he returned to serve a full-time mission for the church. From that point, “I knew I was going to work in the field of counter terrorism. I was going to play a role in stopping these acts,” said Houghton.Reed Segura, a junior political science major from California, said, “Some professors speak of theories that others have tested. But with Dr. H., many of the theories he teaches his students have been explored and tested by himself in a setting outside academia. It’s fascinating when you learn from someone who has experienced, rather than philosophized. It gives validity to what they have to say.” Upon finishing his degree at BYU in international relations, he pursued a master’s degree from The G.W. University in International Affairs. Houghton sought out G. W. University because it had the most professors who specialized in political violence and terrorism. At the time, the field of counter terrorism was fairly new, and there was no emphasis for those wanting to study it, so Houghton and his professors created one. After completing his degree, Houghton worked as a research associate at the S.A.L.C. as a defense contractor. Houghton said, “My job was to work on futuristic war games for the Pentagon. It was a great job.” While there, Houghton predicted through his research how large U.S. forces would fight smaller insurgencies, which is what we see today. “That is something I am really proud of,” said Houghton. “We got it right. It was in the ‘90s before Iraq or 9/11 and we were able to predict how these wars would be fought. I was then able to work with other intelligence agencies in supporting policy changes to combat these smaller groups that the U.S. would be fighting.” He continued, “A lot of the things I see today are suggestions I brought up or talked about 20 years ago. It just takes the military a long time to make changes.”Houghton worked in numerous capacities during the last 20 years, including director of Research on the Oklahoma bombing site, co-founder of the Terrorism Research Center, and others. He still continues to travel the globe to give trainings for local law enforcement and military who are fighting terrorism in their home countries for the U.S. State Department. Houghton confessed that after 9/11, the rigors of travel were wearing on him. One day, “A friend told me of a one-year visiting professor job at BYUH and I took it. I had every intention of going back to the State Department, but after one year, I was hooked,” he said. “Working with the students here is addictive. That is why I stayed. There is just a good group of really talented young people.”Kamille Foster, freshman in political science from Idaho, said, “I think it’s awesome how he uses his real world experiences to teach us. He has firsthand knowledge of most of the things he teaches. It’s not like he reads what he teaches us. He’s done what he teaches us.”Houghton attributes his success to the extra things he did while he was in school and offers students some advice for a successful career: “You have to do something to differentiate yourselves. Do a meaningful internship; get a good job while you’re here. Join a club, start your own non-profit, just do things that will make you unique.”He continued, “Everyone will graduate from here with a degree, but what are you doing to make yourself special? Follow your passions. Get all the education you need for your desired field, then show how you are applying your education in the real world.” Houghton currently teaches an anti-terrorism class on campus and uses many of the same slides and techniques in his class as he does for his trainings with the State Department. Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015.

When asked how the dropping gas prices has affected her, Lindsey Mulberg, a junior majoring in music percussion from Washington, said, “Definitely been able to go more places because it’s not five bucks a gallon anymore. It was like $2.65 at Costco.”With gas prices being the lowest they’ve been since 2009, reports AAA, people with cars have been able to afford gas to see more of the island. Students without cars, like twins Nicole and Kelly Nahoolewa from Texas, both seniors with majors in art, find it affects them less, although they have been able to notice the lower prices. “We noticed around Christmas time,” Kelly said. Les Harper, the BYU-Hawaii Sustainability coordinator from Canada, stated the lowered oil prices began when Saudi Arabia started to flood the market with oil in response to America’s budding independence and self-sufficiency due to the new technology of fracking. Fracking is what happens when the oil companies drill down into the ground, breaking up the shale so the oil can seep through. Harper explained that oil is extracted from the ground, but it costs extra money to attain it in this manner. “When oil’s at $100 a barrel, it costs maybe $80 a barrel to get it out of the ground, so there’s still money to be made,” Harper shared. When a well costs so much to get oil out of the ground, the crude oil price starts to go down, and certain wells are closed until only the cheapest ones are still going. Harper said, “As a consumer, it’s a wonderful thing, because air flights should be cheaper, your vehicles should be cheaper, anything made from oil should be cheaper, and eventually that will happen.”As Saudi Arabia was losing a valuable buyer in the United States, it decided to flood the market and drop the price. Even though Saudi Arabia is losing money, it knows it will come back, according to Harper. Despite the lower gas prices, producers in the United States are fighting even harder to sell their own crude oil overseas, according to Associated Press. Despite low prices, oil producers are confident that in the long run, there will be big profits from new markets. AP explained there is still enough U.S. oil to keep and export overseas.Little is known about how long gas prices will stay down, yet while they are down, people will take advantage of it. Harper added, “More people should be coming to Hawaii now.”Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015

BYU-Hawaii’s literary journal, the Kula Manu, is filled with stories, art, and poetry from students, faculty, and community members. Students and members of the community are given the opportunity to submit an art piece, photo, essay, short story, or poem. A prize is awarded to the two best submissions in each category, with $100 being awarded to first place and $50 to second. The Kula Manu allows for students to share what they love and help them connect more to the community. “It’s a way for people to be able to express themselves. I dance, and it is a form of expression. There are a lot of different ways to express yourself,” said Sinaiya Eskeets, a freshman from Nevada majoring in exercise and sports science.Joseph Plicka, the professor teaching Advanced Creative Writing (the class publishing the Kula Manu), has been in charge of the publication for three years. “It has been a record of what our students are writing, and photography and art. Its a wonderful thing to be a part of,” said Plicka. “And it’s the only place where students can display their work in the narrative arts.”Ever since the 1960s, the Kula Manu has published stories written by people from all over the world and are available to read in the library for decades to come. Being a diverse school, people from the United States, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands and more have contributed to the journal. “It’s not only a way to serve the students but also hopefully a way to bring the community together because a lot of what is written is born from people’s experiences living here,” added Plicka. Every year students sign up for a class, usually English 318R, to oversee, edit, lay out, and publish the literary journal, giving students a chance to have a hands-on experience with creating a publication. “The most exciting thing about working in the Kula Manu is collaborating with other students and seeing their ideas on various topics we bring up or are involved with,” shared Karina King, a senior in sculpting and ceramics from California, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Kula Manu. At the end of Winter Semester, a reception is scheduled to honor those whose entries where included in the publication and a copy of the Kula Manu is given to them. Afterward, free copies of the Kula Manu will be available to the public to share and learn more about ideas, things in the community, or outside experiences fellow peers share. Students can submit their work by emailing the Kula Manu at kulamanu2015@gmail.com.Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015.