Seattle U Spectator

Seattle U Spectator The Spectator has been the official student newspaper of Seattle University since 1933.

Shane Martin has served as Seattle University’s provost since 2018. His educational career, spanning over forty years, b...
08/27/2026

Shane Martin has served as Seattle University’s provost since 2018. His educational career, spanning over forty years, began as a seventh grade teacher at a Catholic school. Prior to his time at Seattle U, Martin served as a faculty member and administrator for almost 25 years at Loyola Marymount University. 

Martin earned his Ph.D. in International and Intercultural Education at the University of Southern California. He has published multiple works on diverse and inclusive Catholic education, including “Cultural Diversity in Catholic Schools: Challenges and Opportunities for Catholic Educators” in 1996.

During Seattle U’s 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremony in June, a student unfurled a Palestinian flag as she approached Martin on stage for a photograph. Martin pulled the flag from the student and held it behind his back, preventing it from appearing in the official graduation photo, before leading the student firmly, with a hand on her arm, off stage. 

A video of the event, spliced with a clip from the benediction speech referring to the suffering of those in Palestine and Sudan, went quickly viral on social media as it was reposted by a variety of large Palestinian activist accounts and others, sparking heated backlash. 

Over two months after the original incident, Martin sat down with The Spectator to answer our questions and share his perspective on what occurred. 

(✍️) Dylan Berman
Click the link in our bio or story to read the full Q&A.
(📸) Sasha Volovnikov

“It’s a home opener, there’s going to be big emotions, so we gotta play with those emotions, but also relax when we need...
08/24/2026

“It’s a home opener, there’s going to be big emotions, so we gotta play with those emotions, but also relax when we need to relax,” Associate Head Coach Rich Schreiner said. “We were a little too hyped. I think once we calmed down… finding each other’s feet and having more fun, that’s when the goals started flowing.” 

One player that successfully played into that hype was fifth-year midfielder U’i Kaaihue. Kaaihue showed why she was named to the All-WCC Preseason team during this matchup, leading the Redhawks’ scoring efforts, tallying two goals of her own. The first came in the 58th minute, draining it into the top right corner of the goalpost from the left side of the field off a pass from Wilson. The second was the result of a perfectly placed corner kick that found the upper left corner of the net.

“This year we’ve really focused on the team chemistry, and it’s always been on. It was kind of finding that groove, where that relates and goes onto the field,” Kaaihue said about her mindset coming into the game. “I love the style of soccer that we’re playing right now so I’m really excited about this season.”

(✍️,📸) Diego Dumlao
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Rivera has been at the university for almost ten years, teaching courses such as Forensic Psychology, Juvenile Justice a...
07/10/2026

Rivera has been at the university for almost ten years, teaching courses such as Forensic Psychology, Juvenile Justice and Criminal Justice Organizations.

“Based off what I have been able to gather, the choice to not reappoint me or renew me for my position appears to allegedly reflect concerns about how I exercise my first amendment right and academic freedom,” Rivera said in an Instagram video.

In an official statement sent to The Spectator, the university declined to specifically address Rivera’s claims.

“Seattle University does not comment on individual personnel matters. Faculty appointment and renewal decisions are made through established academic and administrative processes. The university typically communicates the reasons for those decisions privately to the individuals involved,” the statement reads in full.

Rivera claims that she was informed in March that she would be needed as a full time professor in the upcoming academic year, which she says clashes with the official explanation provided to her by Seattle U. In a Criminal Justice Department draft semester schedule for the 27-28 academic year reviewed by The Spectator, Rivera is listed teaching a full course load.

“I know that our department is struggling to fill classes and was told that I was needed full-time teaching in the department rather than have my assistant dean role,” Rivera said.

(✍️) Dylan Berman
Click the link in our bio or story to read the full news article

Mast officially steps into the role of president on September 1st, marking the end of Father Steven Sundborg’s term as i...
06/28/2026

Mast officially steps into the role of president on September 1st, marking the end of Father Steven Sundborg’s term as interim president. Sundborg, who introduced Mast at the event, will be returning to his role as university chancellor next year. Mast arrives during a time of change at the university. Seattle U is shifting to semesters in 2027, soon beginning construction of its art museum, and has recently acquired Cornish college of the arts.

During her time at Fordham, Mast helped pioneer the Serving the City internship program for students. She also restructured the advising system to meet student needs. Mast’s tone was optimistic, celebrating the hard work of Seattle U staff in balancing a variety of initiatives.

“I actually want to stop and applaud you for a minute because I am really impressed with what you are doing,” Mast said. “Please know that I have been paying attention to that and I am really grateful because this is how we move our institutions forward in a world that keeps changing. Seattle University is not just catching up, Seattle University is moving ahead, and it is because of the work you are doing, so thank you.”

(✍️) Dylan Berman
Click the link in our story or bio to read the full news article
(📸) Roan Tierney

The Spectator was unable to locate a publicly available Seattle University policy specifically regulating the display of...
06/20/2026

The Spectator was unable to locate a publicly available Seattle University policy specifically regulating the display of flags during graduation, though the university says it maintains general guidelines on graduation displays.

In a statement sent to The Spectator, the university did not promise that Osman or faculty speaking out against Martin would be free from disciplinary action.

“Whenever questions or concerns arise, they are addressed through established university policies and procedures, guided by our commitment to fairness, respect, and the standards of accountability that apply across our community,” the statement reads.

The passionate response to the incident was further fueled by news that Osman is Muslim and adheres to a religious belief forbidding physical contact, including handshakes and hugs, between unrelated men and women. Osman said that she communicated this to Provost Martin on stage. Martin issued an apology saying that he did not hear her statement and had avoided touch with a dozen other graduates who had communicated to him their adherence to the same belief.

(✍️) Dylan Berman and Tristan Scott
Click the link in our story or bio to read the full news article.
(📸) Sasha Volovnikov

Wilder wrote “Our Town” to require minimal props, scenery and set, using absence to draw attention to the smallest detai...
05/31/2026

Wilder wrote “Our Town” to require minimal props, scenery and set, using absence to draw attention to the smallest details of life and the fleeting nature of memories. The play’s minimalist style not only led this cast to become proficient in pantomiming, but made the Lee Center feel more spacious and exposed than ever before. Audience seating—typically tiered rows in front of a designated stage space—was made up of single rows of ground-level mismatched vintage wooden chairs gathered around five circular wooden platforms of varying sizes.

Black curtains that previously shaped the space were removed; all four walls were instead painted with earth-toned houses, train tracks and stables that make up a small town. Characters off-stage created sound effects for characters onstage—whether it be a full coop of clucking chickens, a disgruntled horse or humming crickets—that echoed through the open space.

“This show is about life, death and everything in between, and how it’s okay to let go, and how not everything is forever,” Lily Cibene-Ingram, assistant director, assistant stage manager and co-music director, said. “That really speaks to the building itself. When you’re watching this production, you will see every inch of [the Lee Center]. I love that, because it’s the last time you get to really look at every inch of that building.”

(✍️) Keagen Brooks-Torres
Click the link in our story or bio to read the full feature article
(📸) Sasha Volovnikov

This sentiment is central to why Impact! hosts these events. Shulga-Morskoy acknowledged the difficulty of finding trust...
05/21/2026

This sentiment is central to why Impact! hosts these events. Shulga-Morskoy acknowledged the difficulty of finding trustworthy organizations to work with in the creative industry.

“We live in a world that is kind of trying to rip you off constantly,” Shulga-Morsky said. “Most things or places that you go to are kind of scummy, and you have to constantly navigate this mental minefield of not getting scammed or not giving your money to a bad person, just to exist in society now.”

Along with the progressive nature of the tabling fee, artists are able to collect substantial revenue from the event. Ride found the previous Furswaps to be a major contributor to her finances during her recovery from an injury.

“I’m about to finally settle the debt that I was in,” Ride said. “I had some taxes over the last couple of years that I haven’t paid just because I was injured in 2024.”

(✍️, 📸) Matthew Mai (that’s me!)

According to Anderson, though, the real hero of Q***r Prom was the MOSAIC Center’s Graduate Program Coordinator Madi Ste...
05/20/2026

According to Anderson, though, the real hero of Q***r Prom was the MOSAIC Center’s Graduate Program Coordinator Madi Stephens. Stephens, who also ran last year’s Q***r Prom, did a great deal of work to ensure that the event was a success.

“Madi does everything. Madi is a genius–she’s done an amazing job,” Anderson said. “I need her to get every piece of flowers she deserves. She ran [Q***r Prom] like the Navy.”

For Stephens, this year’s Q***r Prom was more than just an event—it was actually part of her preparation to graduate with a Master’s of Fine Arts in arts leadership this spring. As Stephens’ time as a graduate student at Seattle U wraps up, this event will serve as a summary project for her thesis.

“My thesis is exploring how temporary spaces are essentially like sculptural installations because I’m a sculptor. I’m viewing this physical space as a sculptor and seeing how people interact with it,” Stephens said. “Seeing the visual and performance elements of [Q***r Prom], seeing it as a piece of art, is very exciting to me.”

(✍️) Kean Mathis
Click the link in our story or bio to read the full A&E article
(📸) Justin Hartshorn

Due to the limited budget, most actors’ costumes were sourced second-hand or from other people’s closets. Props were lar...
05/20/2026

Due to the limited budget, most actors’ costumes were sourced second-hand or from other people’s closets. Props were largely made at the Billodue Makerspace on campus or were donated.

Bhananker, who portrayed Morticia Addams, the matriarch of the family, channeled her own mother when performing.

“It’s funny because I feel like Morticia and I are pretty different. When I’m [playing Morticia] I kind of feel like my mom, because there’s scenes where she plays the exasperated, angry mother who’s just like, ‘No one in this family can do anything right!’” Bhananker said. “But I have a lot of fun playing her because she’s very moody and she doesn’t pull any punches.”

The director for this production was Fourth-year Film major Navy Williams. After playing Orin Scrivello, the sadistic dentist in last year’s Inigo musical, “Little Shop of Horrors,” she decided that she wanted to direct the following year’s musical.

(✍️) Julia Pilch
Click the link in our story or bio to read the full A&E article.
(📸) Roan Tierney

She outlined the widespread misconceptions regarding the medication. It isn’t simply an ‘abortion pill’ as it’s framed b...
05/20/2026

She outlined the widespread misconceptions regarding the medication. It isn’t simply an ‘abortion pill’ as it’s framed by legislators: it is used frequently and effectively in a variety of medical capacities. Carr stated that mifepristone was initially used in ulcer repair and other medical treatments unrelated to abortion.

She explained how state residents will face new obstacles in accessing mifepristone, even with Washington state’s stockpiling of the medication. Though the state is in support of reproductive rights, the ban will still have negative effects for some WA residents, like rural and other communities who may rely on telehealth for facilitating healthcare.

“Even if the drug itself is still physically available, the process of getting access to it is going to become more onerous,” Carr said.

The Dobbs decision was a result of President Trump’s appointment of three conservative judges in his first term, which solidified a conservative majority in the Supreme Court. The ramifications of this ruling span beyond the scope of abortions, as Roe v. Wade is deeply linked to legal understandings of personal privacy.

(✍️) Lucia Feeney
Click the link in our story or bio to read the full news article.
(📸) Netta Lee

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