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Clinching the W: Men’s soccer team scores two early goals, beats Houston Baptist 2-1. Page 6
Oct. 30, 2013
California State University, Bakersfield
CSUB’s retention rates are lowest in university system Vol. 39, No. 6
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By Steven Barker Managing Editor
California State University, Bakersfield’s firstand second-year retention rates are the lowest in the California State University system. According to a nine-year report released by the CSU system in 2011, CSUB’s retention rates have been steadily declining. While CSUB’s first and second-year retention rates were 78.5 and 66.4 percent respectively in 2002, the rates have since fallen by 7.2 and 8 percent. The rates now rank below the CSU system-wide average (83.9 and 74.8 percent for first-and second-year retention rates) by 12.6 and 16.4 percent. Only three other universities – CSU East Bay, Northridge and San Luis Obispo – experienced percentage decreases in their rates during that time. CSUB’s percentage drops equal that of the other universities combined. Dr. Horace Mitchell, president of CSUB, addressed the effects that budget cuts have had on the university. The combination of a lack of state
Editor’s Note: This is the second installment of By the Numbers, a news series comparing CSUB’s statistical rankings to other CSU campuses.
funding and the inability to hire new faculty (and replace retired faculty members) has restricted CSUB’s ability to expand its academic programs, thus retaining more students, Mitchell said. “In some instances, when we have not had particular programs, then students come here for two years and then they leave to go to those programs, like engineering,” Mitchell said. Mitchell also attributed the trend, in part, to the students’ economic circumstances. “What we found was, there was a high percentage of students who stop-out,” Mitchell said. “That is, they enroll and they stop-out to work or do family things or earn more money, and then they come back.” [See RETENTION, Page 3]
Global Medical Brigade returns from Ghana
Photo courtesy of Archna Patel
Two Ghanaians perform a dance called the ‘alchaida,’ a traditional dance in Ghanese culture.
By Michael Wafford News Editor
The warm African shores of Ghana welcomed more than 30 California State University, Bakersfield students during the summer where they set up clinics to bring the magic of medicine to an impoverished village. The Global Medical Brigade is a CSUB club where students, a combination of medical and non-medical students, annually visit another country with a group of four American medical professionals and offer medical aid to the native people. This year the club traveled to Cape Coast, Ghana, to aid the Narkwai people and treat them for maladies ranging from back pain to malaria. During the 7,397-mile 16-hour flight to the Cape Coast, the students couldn’t rest. They were too excited to see the faces of their village. Laura Castro, vice president of the GMB, said, “It’s a big community compared to others [in Ghana.]” As they entered the village the differences between home and Ghana became apparent during the walk through the village while
Casey Webb/The Runner
Livingston spotlights prominent architect in Walter Presents series
CSUB’s first- and second-year retention rates have fallen to a system-wide low since 2004.
Photo courtesy of Archna Patel
By Elizabeth Cortez Staff Writer
the Central Valley, an area with one of the highest unemployment rates in California and the The Walter Presents series, nation.” held by California State With $3.24 billion in federal University, Bakersfield in the grants, the Senate Bill 1029 Walter Stiern Library, hosted a approved by the state legislapresentation by Archivist Chris ture in July 2012 added $2.61 Livingston on Oct. 23 on archi- billion. tect Charles Biggar’s historic Nevertheless, Bakersfield resbuildings and the building of idents do not approve of taking Kern County. Livingston advo- down Biggar’s buildings. The cated keeping the character of attendees of the presentation Kern County, in the Dezember agreed about the need for the IT Reading Room. building at Bakersfield High As part of the presentation, School to be preserved. Livingston, a Stiern Library Jaslyn Woolfolk, a graduate of Archivist and BHS and CSUB of graduate studies liberal “It’s important CSUB with major, does not bachelor’s and that we preserve approve of taking master’s degree our buildings down the IT in history, prebuilding. sented the story because each “I think the presof how city has their entation was realBiggar’s archily cool. I never own historic tecture designs new so much hisb e n e f i t e d buildings and it tory and I think Bakersfield. that was the adds to its “It’s imporcoolest part of tant that we character. These coming. Because preserve our buildings by I went to BHS [I buildings can see] there is Biggar and because each some type of city has their other architects value to how own historic add to the great the characbuildings and it ter is,” Woolfolk adds to its char- ambiance of said. acter. These Kern County.” Another attenbuildings by dant of the presChris Livingston Biggar and entation, also a other architects former BHS stuadd to the ambiance of Kern dent and current CSUB student, County,” said Livingston. Maria Morales advocates for However, not all agree on the BHS building to be kept in keeping the architectural char- place. “I was in the buildings acter of the town. According to everyday. Every building that the California High-Speed Rail he mentioned impacted me. For authority website, “The $1.5 to example, the IT building in the $2 billion design-build contract [See ARCHITECT, Page 3] will bring thousands of jobs to
Campus groups host Night of Culture promoting Latin culture By Ryan Barrera Senior Staff Writer
With lack of cultural events promoting Latin American culture on campus, the Advisory Board for Spanish at California State University, Bakersfield and M.E.Ch.A held an event on Saturday to do just that. The event was called Night of Culture and the night was filled with traditional food, clothing and dances, from Mexico, Peru and Guatemala.
Seeing the lack of culture at CSUB and the decline of Spanish majors, the newly formed Advisory Board for Spanish at CSUB partnered with M.E.Ch.A to put together Night of Culture to encourage students to major in Spanish as well as other languages and also showcase Latin American culture. Carlo Stresino, chairperson on the Advisory Board for Spanish at CSUB, is working with Dr. Nuño to bring awareness to the
CSUB junior Archna Patel warmly greets children in Ghana.
modern language department after viewing a decline in Spanish majors at CSUB. “We’re trying to bring more importance to the modern language department and attract more students to the department so they enroll. We’re trying to change our perspective in the department, instead of focusing more on language, were focusing more on culture,” said Stresino. The event held true to that as men and women wore the tradi-
tional Mexican, Peruvian and Guatemalan garb and performed Folklorico dances native to their country. Folklorico is a traditional term for Latin American dances that highlight local folk culture with ballet characteristics. “I think it’s really nice that they do these events to preserve the culture,” said Norma Uribe, a high school student, who participated in the Folklorico dancing. [See CULTURE, Page 4]
Juana Martinez/The Runner
Performers dance to an energetic beat of one of Peru's cultural music at CSUB on Oct. 26, 2013.
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Opinion
Volume XXXIX, Issue 6
THE RUNNER The Runner California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 Telephone 661.654.2165 Fax 661.654.6905 E-mail runner@csub.edu therunneronline.com
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robin Gracia Robin.gracia88@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Steven Barker SBarker220@gmail.com NEWS EDITOR Michael Wafford OPINION EDITOR Cache Cantrell FEATURES EDITOR Athena Skapinakis SPORTS EDITOR Nathan Sanchez PHOTO EDITOR Rebecca Grant WEB EDITOR Casey Webb BUSINESS MANAGER Brandon Mann BUSINESS TEAM Daysi Meza, Kassie Mullican, Brian Willhite ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu
newsroomstaff COPY CHIEF Melissa Taylor
WRITERS Monica Martinez, Selene Sorto, Ryan Barrera, Jacquelyn Russo, Myra Maldonado, Andrew Rivera, Selene Sorto, Shelby Parker, Jessica Martinez, Alexander Ripepi, David Aliaga, Josh Bennett, Sandy Ornelas, Bailey Torres, Elizabeth Cortez, Esteban Lopez, Josh Lofy PHOTOGRAPHERS Elyse Rivas, Tara Baraceros, Abi Khan, Juana Martinez
ABOUT The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published weekly, in conjunction with the Department of Communications at California State University, Bakersfield. The Runner believes all advertising to be correct but cannot guarantee its accuracy or be responsible for its outcome. ADVERTISING For information about placing an ad in The Runner, go to therunneronline.com/category/advertising/. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to the editor to runner@csub.edu. All letters must be signed and verified for publication and should be no more than 300 words in length. Letters may be edited for clarity and length. DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in the Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Department of Communications. Each quarter’s student staff determines content/advertising choices, with advice only from the adviser. Content creation and selection are all made by student editors. The staff of the Runner reserves the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which many be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless. The Runner does not accept tobacco-related advertising. COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Department of Communications at California State University, Bakersfield.
Country artist Vince Gill pays tribute to Bakersfield Sound at Crystal Palace Oct. 30, 2013
By Shelby Parker Staff Writer
Vince Gill, Grammy and Country Music Association award winner, brought Nashville to Bakersfield on Oct. 25. Along with him was special guest and steel guitar player, Paul Franklin. Back in July, Gill and Franklin released “Bakersfield,” which is a tribute to the famous Bakersfield Sound, covering songs from Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Gill had personal reasons for wanting to record this album. “I love [Buck Owens and Merle Haggard],” said Gill in an interview with Bakersfield Life Magazine. “They have always been my two favorites, so it made sense that we weren’t just doing something that we thought was a lark. Their music was so ingrained in our childhood. I think we were just trying to interpret what we learned from them and say ‘thank you’ to them and honor them.” KUZZ radio announcers Toni Marie and Brett Michaels introduced Gill, saying the event was the biggest since the unveiling of the bronze statues at Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace. Soon after introduction, the lights dimmed and Gill took center stage. He started off with one of the songs from earlier in his career, “One More Last Chance.” He was dressed in a black button down shirt with embroidered flowers. He brought charisma into
Shelby Parker/The Runner
Vince Gill honors Merle Haggard and Buck Owens at the Crystal Palace on Oct. 25.
the music he played, taking the audience back to country music’s earliest roots, throwing in a little bluegrass, soulful ballads and a few Owens and Haggard classics. “There’s a lot of great history in this town, and that has not gone unnoticed,” said Gill. He then went on to play several of his original hits throughout the night, including, “I Still Believe In You,” “I Never Knew Lonely,” and “Whenever You Come Around.” Just before the intermission, Mayor Harvey Hall walked on stage with several wooden boxes. He then declared that Gill and Franklin would now have the keys to Bakersfield. Gill seemed genuinely touched at the gesture, as he is now an honorary local of the city. He said he has always felt a kinship to this
part of California. Being that he’s from Oklahoma, it reminds him of home. Gill had previously told The Bakersfield
“Thereʼs a lot of great history in this town, and that has not gone unnoticed.”
Vince Gill
Californian, “I think Bakersfield is a melting pot, just like Nashville has been. Owens and Haggard sound nothing alike. There wasn’t just a stamp: This is how Bakersfield sounds, bang. This is how Nashville sounds, bang.” When the show resumed, Gill returned with just a guitar and decided to get a little more personal.
He kept asking the crowd if they had anywhere to be, because he was in no rush to finish the show. He told stories of his brother, did impersonations of his dad and the words of wisdom he gave over the years, as well as sang the song he had written about him. Gill also had a chance to play the rest of the songs from the “Bakersfield” album, including “Together Again” by Owens and “The Fightin’ Side of Me” by Haggard. The crowd was bobbing along to the steel guitar and fiddles, the true heart of country music. Gill was one of my first influences of what country music truly is. My parents were big fans, and still are to this day, so his songs were always being played around our house or in the car when I was younger. This was my first time
seeing him live, and I couldn’t have imagined a better show. He sounds just like he does on his albums, if not better, and that’s what you always hope for in a live event. The night was more than just a concert. It was a time of storytelling through Gill’s heartbreaking melodies, and laughter from all the reenactments of his father and memories of his childhood. I appreciated his candidness; how open and honest he was about his family, the songs he had written, and how the greats, Owens and Haggard, had truly changed the sound of country music. Gill mentioned once again, “You’re lucky to live in a place where some of the best, the best, country music has ever been produced.” Though Gill didn’t have much production or the bells and whistles that a lot of artists have these days, it was easily one of the best concerts I’ve been to. Gill connected on a personal level with the audience, which is what I loved. He didn’t need anything else because his music spoke for itself. Not only is he known for his distinct tone (joking throughout the years that he sounds like a girl), but he’s also a phenomenal guitar player. Where there were no lyrics, the chords picked right up and filled in for the rest of the song. All night, it was easy to see the passion and love he had for his music, and that’s really what it all should be about.
Bakersfield largely unprepared for outbreak of the living dead By Josh Lofy Staff Writer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has had a plan of action posted on its website for a possible global outbreak since 2011. Californ ia State Univers ity, Bakersfield is unprepared for this potential massive disaster. This global event would be so devastating, it would be impossible to not notice the disease. Everyone walking around would be the walking dead. Yes, I am talking about the zombie apocalypse. For those of you not familiar with the zombie apocalypse, the CDC says that the disease is “...created by an infectious virus, which is passed on via bites and contact with bodily fluids.” The CDC also warns about possible radiation poisoning from downed satellites being a known cause for the disease. From here, those who are bitten are turned into the walking, and quite hungry, dead. Other campuses in California have already heeded the CDC’s warnings. For example, the University of California at Davis has added “Zombie Preparedness: 101” to its wall postings of the UCD Emergency Response Guide. On the response guide is a checklist for
materials to have prepared in case of the apocalypse. These items include many of the basics for any survival guide, such as keeping stores of water, medication, food, means of communication and having a prepared plan. You can find their zombie preparedness guide online, but CSUB does not have one. Davis has used their wiki site at daviswiki.org, a website full www.americablog.com of lo cal information CSUB needs an escape plan in case of a zombie apocalypse. and events run mostly by the active posters, to A plan such as this for Bakersfield would create a guide of action and escape for the greatly benefit our townspeople in case of entire town of Davis. such an outbreak. We would easily be able to This plan is no longer just a general plan of organize, come together as a community and preparedness, but one of what to do when you beat the crap out of the living dead. get caught anywhere in the city with zombies. I think, as a city, this is something we could This plan includes which places are safe, full do very well together. Also, having a wiki site of food, and good habitats for a post-zombie for our city or even our college would greatly apocalypse world. increase the amount of things we can do.
Mr. Lofy’s rant about the Planned Parenthood Project on campus is so bogged down with misinformation, I hardly know where to start. In the interest of brevity, I’ll just hit the highlights. Students for Life of America (SFLA), falsely identified as an “anti-women’s rights group,” is actually a pro-life nonprofit organization seeking to educate young adults on the realities of abortion. The recent display of 915 pink crosses represented the number of abortions Planned Parenthood (PP) performs at its clinics each day. That’s 333,964 per year, a ghastly number confirmed by PP’s annual report and one trivialized by Lofy. While SFLA gathered their information directly from PP’s annual report, Lofy gleaned his “facts” from Wikipedia and conversations with a PP volunteer – sources no legitimate newspaper would
quote. Some of the statements were so erroneous it’s unfair not to address them, especially for the women who might be facing a crisis pregnancy. No abortions are performed at the local PP clinic at this time. However the newer clinic was constructed for surgical abortions. Moreover, abortions ARE performed each week locally at another abortion clinic. As SFLA engaged CSUB students regarding PP, a stunning number of students had never heard of the abortion behemoth. Perhaps that many young people don’t think about abortion until a pregnancy. This is why information shared by SFLA is critical - it encourages people to consider their options. One option is the Bakersfield Pregnancy Center. The nonprofit does not perform abortions or
Letter to the editor: Article misinforms readers about anti-abortion group
arrange adoptions, and has no financial interest in a woman’s final decision. All services are free of charge. The agency’s staff believes women should make as informed a decision as possible. Mr. Lofy, if you’re serious about journalism, try some legitimate research. It’s the least you can do for the women you claim to care about. Signed, Marylee Shrider Executive Director, Right to Life Kern LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to the editor to runner@csub.edu. All letters must be signed and verified for publication and should be no more than 300 words. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.
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News
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Many factors cause low retention rates
Oct. 30, 2013
[RETENTION, Page 1] differentiate between students that transfer and students that drop out, the results fail to account for student enrollment patterns, Mitchell said. Dr. Richard Collins, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, agreed that finances and non-academic circumstances are significant factors in students’ ability to continue their studies. “I suspect that this has largely to do with the economy and dramatically rising costs in education, especially those costs that a student has to pay, which have risen most dramatically,” Collins said in an email. “Those students who are unable to foot the bill will drop out, especially
Students improve health in Ghana
[BRIGADE, Page 1] meeting the people they had come to help. “It was pretty amazing, honestly. It was a culture shock,” Castro said. The children ran through the streets wearing torn shirts, oversized dresses, ragged underwear or nothing at all. Their feet became more caked with dust with every step. Castro said that she often carried crackers in her pocket, for snacking, and children would become ecstatic at the sight of them only to have their hopes crushed when she couldn’t share the savory treat with them because the villagers would fight over the food. When adults were surveyed about what they would like when the next GMB came, the vast majority asked for work, according to Castro. During their visit to Cape Coast, the volunteers managed to aid 938 people with medicine, dental work, and OBGYN checkups. To do this they set up a clinic a few miles outside the village where they diagnosed and treated people in a converted school building. They began their day at 7 a.m and by 11 a.m. the clinic was ready to treat patients until 6 p.m. While the doctors and nurses that accompanied them diagnosed and treated the problems, the students shadowed the pros to learn how the process worked. Just past the dentist’s office, the students and medical pro-
with the growing unavailability of certain types of financial aid.” However, Dr. Ron Radney, director of Financial Aid, disputes the idea that money is a predicting factor in student persistence. In his 2009 doctoral dissertation entitled “Predicting First-Time Freshman Persistence at CSUB: A New Model,” Radney tested 17 different variables, including gender, ethnicity and financial aid. The findings: “Neither ethnicity or household income were predictors of student persistence,” Radney wrote in an email. The three most significant factors, he discovered, were a student’s “high school GPA, CSUB first-year GPA and
CSUB first-year units.” A number of students were shocked by Radney’s results. For some, CSUB’s costs are the reason they cannot remain enrolled. “The pressure of classes, of going to school and grades and also working – none of that bothers me,” said Stephen Brown, a 20-year-old former student at CSUB. “Money is the main problem.” “Whether it’s three-figure debt or four-figure debt, I just don’t want to take on debt.” Brown has dropped out of CSUB twice. He plans on enrolling in courses for spring 2014. Rabeyia Anwar, another CSUB drop-out, agrees with
Courtesy of Archna Patel
Above: The Global Medical Brigade inside a converted classroom. Right: A collection of dental tools sit inside a basket.
fessionals taught public health classes which covered the basics of health care. With lessons on everything from what sources of water are safe to drink and how to brush teeth, the club members taught the villagers the fundamentals of health care. Castro and the GMB also helped show the Narkwai people proper eating habits. They emphasized that fried food, and especially the candy that the children loved to eat, should be eaten sparingly. The majority of those treated were women and children as most men fished during the day to earn money for their families at home, according to Castro. Even the simplest medicine such as ibuprofen resulted in gratitude from the villagers, according to Castro. As longnagging back pain subsided as the medicine took effect, men felt as if their lives were renewed. After closing the clinic in the setting sun, Castro and the others returned to their Ghanianhome to rest for the next day.
Courtesy of Archna Patel
A Ghanese child peaks out from behind a pole.
During their first night they were treated to a display of Narkwai culture as they watched the people of the village perform dances. The villagers also shared their cooking with the volunteers. The 16-hour flight back was a much quieter affair. The excitement had settled and feelings of both homesickness and a longing to stay in their Ghanian community, combined with the fatigue from the busy schedule, made for 35 seats filled with sleeping Bakersfieldians.A “I miss Africa,” Castro said. “I would love to go back.”
Brown. Having dropped out of CSUB in fall 2012, she, in part, attributes her inability to remain enrolled at CSUB to her difficulty paying tuition. “It was pretty big to me,” Anwar said. “I couldn’t work full time and pay for school.” Anwar, who now works as a photography assistant with C&B Photography, hopes to return to CSUB by no later than the 2015-2016 school year. While CSUB’s first and second-year retention rates were 78.5 and 66.4 percent respectively in 2002, the rates have since fallen by 7.2 and 8 percent. Despite students’ tuition concerns, Mitchell and Collins expect CSUB’s retention rates
to improve in the coming years. In addition to Gov. Jerry Brown’s June 2013 bill restoring $125 million in funding to the CSU system, Mitchell expects CSUB’s new engineering and agribusiness programs to bolster the school’s retention rates. “I think now that we have an engineering program – and we don’t have all of them, but we have the kinds that are needed in this community – you’re going to see many more students continuing to finish their engineering degree here,” Mitchell said. “That’s going to make a big difference for us.” Collins thinks CSUB’s improvement will come from the shift the university is mak-
ing in how it evaluates its teachers and teaching. “The emphasis in terms of measurement has often in the past been on what the professor taught rather than on what the student learned, and that is changing not just on this campus but across the nation,” Collins said. He also thinks Bakersfield’s need for skilled workers in agriculture and energy will boost CSUB’s appeal to students. “I think we are well positioned to thrive in the future,” Collins said. “Not only is Kern County full of potential for growth in agriculture and energy sectors, it is also a vital link between northern and southern California.”
[ARCHITECT, Page 1] gym. I would be there every single day,” Morales said. “I think the IT building is very crucial to the whole plan of BHS. I think an argument can be made that the Bakersfield campus could qualify as a historic neighborhood, not just buildings within,” said Livingston. The historical importance of the IT building and many more buildings by him were presented in the lecture. Among Charles H. Biggar’s buildings are: the Kern County Chamber of Commerce, The Bakersfield Californian, the Fish Building, the Haberfelde Building, the
Kern County Library, the Bakersfield Fire Department Station, Kern General Hospital, and many more. Moreover, not only did Biggar provide the county with buildings for general public use, but he also contributed to the culture of the city. For instance, he was responsible for the First Baptist Church as well as the Woman’s Club of Bakersfield. In his presentation about Biggar’s architecture that highlighted the character of Bakersfield’s historic buildings, Livingston told a story of character that contrasts with the economic gains of the highspeed rail system.
Archivist promotes saving history
Wikipedia.org
The Bakersfield Californian building is one of many designed by architect Charles H. Biggar in Bakersfield.
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Latin culture on display
News
Oct. 30, 2013
Hospital president addresses humanism in science By Bailey Torres Staff Writer
Russell Judd, president of Dignity Health’s Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, led a book discussion on Rebecca Skloot’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” titled “Is there room for humans in science?” at California State University, Bakersfield. The purpose of the book discussion was to consider “the drive for the expansion of science, its impact on persons and raise the question of how to maintain a balance between the need for scientific advancement and humanism,” said Judd. The event, held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, was a part of the One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern project in conjunction with CSUB’s First-Year Experience program. Along with CSUB students, students from Independence High School and South High School attended the discussion. “They are not just cells. It is as if they have forgotten that HeLa was a person,” said a student from Independence High School. In “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” Robert Stevenson argues, “Scientists don’t like to think of HeLa cells as being little bits of Henrietta because it’s much easier to do science when you disassociate your materials from the people they come from.” Judd pointed out that scientists often have to choose between the negative and positive positions concerning their work.
Juana Martinez/The Runner
Russell V. Judd, president at Dignity Healthʼs Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, referenced chapter 2 from the book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot on Oct. 23 at the Student Union Multipurpose Room.
“They can focus on the loss or on the great work they are doing,” said Judd. Judd asked the audience to weigh the importance of humanism against the impor-
Judd initiated was about the polio vaccination. This vaccine was created and tested using HeLa cells. Thanks to the HeLa cells, the polio vaccine has eliminated polio from the west-
“I thought that humanism was more important, but the discussion helped me to see that both are important and necessary.”
Ana Hernandez, liberal arts major
tance of science. He defined humanism as “your worth and agency” and science as the “systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions.” Ana Hernandez, a senior liberal studies major at CSUB, said, “I thought that humanism was more important, but the discussion helped me to see that both are important and necessary.” Another distinctive discussion
ern hemisphere, according to www.historyofvaccines.org. Judd ended the discussion with a question about giving up one for many. Is it right to sacrifice the rights of one to save many? Millions of lives have been saved through the polio vaccine alone, not to mention all of the other ways HeLa cells have helped medicine. HeLa cells have been involved in cancer research and cloning, and are used in labs across America.
The discussion’s goal was to challenge the thoughts and beliefs of the audience, giving them the chance to voice their opinions in a non-threatening environment. Judd played the role of devil’s advocate, asking questions and making the audience think about their positions on the matter of humans verses science. By the end of the hour, the group had come to one consensus: there must be a balance between humans and science because one should never completely overshadow the other. For those interested in joining the discussion, CSUB is hosting two more events with the One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern project. A coffee talk will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. in the Runner Bookstore, and Rebecca Skloot, author of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” will be at CSUB in the Icardo Center on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.
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[CULTURE, Page 1] During the performances people in the attendance tried a Salvadorian quesadilla, which is very different from the melted cheese inside a tortilla many are used to. A Salvadorian quesadilla is more like a pound cake with similar ingredients. Tostadas with black beans, lettuce and cheese could also be purchased. Another item guests could try was a Guatemalan tamale, similar to Mexican tamales but wrapped in a banana leaf instead of a cornhusk. “They’re really interesting,” said Eric Garcia, president of M.E.Ch.A, when describing the last menu item: grasshoppers marinated in lemon, salt and
garlic and then fried. “They’re pretty good actually,” he said. The grasshoppers are a custom of Oaxaca, Mexico. Night of Culture is just the start of events to come to bring awareness to Latin American culture as well as the modern languages and literatures department. The department plans on bringing a week of free events starting Nov. 5 in the Dezember Leadership Development Center, room 407. “Our school lacks cultural events. The event is taking place in order to exhibit and promote Latin American culture,” said Garcia.
Cheerleaders bring new spirit to campus By Mayra Maldonado Staff Writer
It’s a new year for the CSUB cheerleaders, as they welcome the recently hired spirit coordinator, Arthur Smith. Smith is the newest addition to the athletics program. He comes from Purdue University, with 13 years of cheer experience. He plans on making wellrounded cheerleaders of the 14 women on the squad this year. “The commitment of being a part of the team requires practice on a weekly basis. The cheerleaders are required to be at practice three days a week from 6 a.m. [to 8 a.m.],” Smith said. They will be cheering this upcoming season for the men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams. The requirements to be a cheerleader are as follows: they must maintain good grades, be full-time students and have a faithful practice ethic in order to perform. “People ask the difference [between cheerleaders and dancers] all the time and the biggest difference is that the dance team has more of an entertainment purpose than cheering purpose. The job of the cheerleaders is to rally up the crowd at games,” Smith said. Aubrie De La Rosa, a liberal studies major, said, “I look forward to coming together as a team and the public should be ready for a more developed squad because of what Coach Smith has to offer our program.” De La Rosa has seven years of cheer experience and expects to learn a lot from Smith. Being a part of such a team takes a lot of dedication and is a huge time commitment. “Finding the time and managing it, working, going to school, and balancing 6 a.m. practices will be difficult, but I can do it,” said De La Rosa. This year’s program will entail several firsts, one is being that the cheerleaders will get to experience being a part of the Western Athletic Conference. Arlene Carrillo, a kinesiology major, said, “I look forward to traveling and being able to experience the WAC conference competitiveness. I’m excited for the season because ever since I was little I’ve liked to perform in front of audiences and now I get to do that while
Spirit Coordinator Alex Smith
going to school.” Some of the perks of being on the cheerleading squad include a partial scholarship and a sponsorship by Adidas. The sponsorship entails the following: practice shirts and shorts, warm-ups, shoes and bags. While traveling they will be provided transportation and food. According to Smith, “Being on the squad you don’t have to think about fundraising while being part of the team, on top of the school finances. Not having finances shouldn’t stop anyone from being on the team.” This year there will be several pre-game events on campus also known as pep rallies. They will be held prior to Thursday home games at the Icardo Center. They hope to rally and excite students for high game attendance. The cheerleaders will be doing community service this year including holding a cheer clinic for the Girl Scouts on Nov. 20. The Girl Scouts will be given a chance to earn a badge for their cheerleading endeavor at the clinic. The squad takes advantage of these opportunities to give back to the community by volunteering their time with these kinds of events. Another community event the cheerleaders will be doing will be attending the Veteran’s Day Parade. That night at the basketball game the cheer squad will be wearing a special shirt in honor of all the veterans. The game starts at 7 p.m. against UC Merced at the Icardo Center. Students with ID get in free. Smith said that they will also be selling shirts and that the proceeds from these shirts will benefit the Wounded Warriors, which assists soldiers who have been severely wounded in war.
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CSUB welcomes new professor from Greece
Oct. 30, 2013
By Jacquie Russo Staff Writer
California State University, Bakersfield has gained a new member of its physics and engineering department this quarter. The new assistant professor, Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis, 34, came to CSUB after working at Washington State University for nearly three years. At WSU, he was the postdoctoral research associate and co-project director. Before he worked at WSU, Ampatzidis lived and worked in his homeland of Greece. There, he worked as the adjunct assistant professor at Technological Educational Institute of Larisa. Ampatzidis published many research papers and presented at numerous conferences in several countries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in field crops and ecology. His second bachelor’s degree, as well as his master’s degree, is in hydraulics, soil science and agricultural engineering. All of Ampatzidis’ degrees, including his Ph.D. in automations in precision farming and traceability, were awarded from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This quarter, Ampatzidis is teaching Engineering 160 and 161. One of his students, freshman Apolinar Quintero, a pre-engineering major, said that Ampatzidis is “nice and always tells us [his class] what to expect.” Rami Hamdallah, an electrical engineering major and freshman, spoke about his professor and his class. Hamdallah said that Ampatzidis gives “really good advice” and “the most important thing for him is the teamwork.” A current class project which relies upon teamwork is the making of a device to help disabled people. This device will “prevent them from falling down,” said Hamdallah. Beyond teamwork, Ampatzidis’ hope for his students is to give them a first-rate learning and research experience and to give them internship opportunities. Ampatzidis said his favorite part of teaching is “being around young people” and “teaching them new things.” A big part of Ampatzidis’ career is research. One of his current
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Yiannis Ampatzidis, a new assistant professor at CSUB, is developing automatic data acquisition systems.
research projects is to develop automatic data acquisition systems. With this device, those in the agriculture community will be able to “get information from the field and post everything to the cloud,” said Ampatizidis. “All this information can be used to create maps, [and to] maybe use tables, figures,” he said. Ampatzidis has mentioned his research to his students and hopes that they will be able to gain new knowledge from that experience.
Features
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Holiday honors dead relatives By Selene Sorto Staff Writer
On Nov. 1 and 2, Dia De Los Muertos is celebrated. The Mexican holiday is commemorated by not only Mexican-American families, but also people of other cultures around the U.S. and Latin America. The annual tradition celebrates the life of passed loved ones. In Bakersfield, we have our very own growing tradition for Dia De Los Muertos: Altares de Familia, at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. The common belief is that grieving and sadness would insult the dead. It is better to embrace death as just another natural part of life and that life can instead be celebrated. Families visit the dead at cemeteries to decorate their loved ones’ resting places. They also bring their loved ones their favorite foods and drinks. During this festival, the dead are awakened to celebrate with the living with lively mariachi music and favorite activities. Throughout the earlier part of the two days, it’s usually a spirited event with laughter and reminiscence of fond memories of those that have departed. At twilight, it can be a bittersweet feeling when candles are lit all over the cemetery. Alexa Romero, a 19-year-old business administration sophomore at CSUB, had very traditional celebrations growing up. “Before I came to college, we used to go to this cemetery in LA, and they would have, like, a festival. If someone had someone that was buried there, we would go around their tomb and just bring out the good memories. It’s also really neat ‘cause you see the different ways others celebrate or the crafts they do.” For Yesenia Lara, a 21-year-old junior marketing major, her family does a little more than the accustomed traditions. Her father, Benigno Lara, directs a scary play at their church to educate the kids and community about the holiday. “He encourages people to bring gifts, food and flowers to the dead,” said Lara. Frequently, the foods and gifts will include sweets such as sugar skulls. It’s a way to sweeten the bitterness of death. Cristhian Soto, a 19-year-old freshman at Bakersfield College, remembers these sugar skulls and experiencing the festivities as a kid in Mexico. “We would buy the chocolate skulls; those were a tradition. Then, we would head to the cemetery, and I remember playing soccer with the kids while all the parents yelled at us for not doing what we were told,” said Soto. If you’d like to celebrate this day alongside others, the Bakersfield Museum of Art will be holding its fifth annual Altares de Familia on Nov. 2 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will be altars set up by local families, a traditional Aztec processional and blessing, live mariachi and Mexican folk dancing, Mexican cuisine, sugar skull decorating, face painting, crafts, calaveras and student altar competitions with cash prizes, Día de los Muertos merchandise and vendor booths. For $1 per person over six years of age, you can experience a culturally fulfilling and joyful event.
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Sports
ʼRunners move into 2nd place
Oct. 30, 2013
By beating both weekend opponents, the ʼRunners have sprinted into second place in the conference standings. By Josh Bennett Staff Writer
Photos by Abi Khan/The Runner
Top: Freshman midfielder Jonathan Colunga evades a defender to get to the goal. Right: Sophomore midfielder Christian Duarte sprints to the ball. Bottom: Junior midfielder Joe Masumiya takes a shot against Houston Baptist.
Womenʼs volleyball extends winning streak to six games By David Aliaga Staff Writer
The score was tied late in the set, 22-22, but two straight kills by senior outside hitter Debora Araujo, gave CSUB the 24-22 advantage. The CSUB volleyball team added another victoThe Vandals answered with a kill of their own, ry to their winning streak as they defeated the but Araujo sealed the deal by responding with University of Idaho on Saturday, Oct. 26 in the another kill for the ’Runners which resulted in a Icardo Center. The ’Runners entered the match 25-23 victory. with five consecutive wins and After losing a close opening an opportunity to move up in the “We just knew that set, the ’Runners’ showed great Western Athletic Conference team chemistry and arose victowe had to focus rious in the end. standings. With the momentum on their and we all worked “Coming out in the beginning side, Bakersfield rallied through we were a little rusty, but we just together as a team knew that we had to focus and the Vandals in four sets with a final score of 3-1. CSUB to push through we all worked together as a team improved to 15-9 overall, and 7- it.” to push through it,” said Sawyer 3 in WAC play. The victory also Kelsee Sawyer, on the team’s ability to step up moved the ’Runners to the third to the challenge. outsider hitter spot in the conference rankings. The ’Runners recorded a total Despite their hot winning of 61 kills, showing their ability streak, the ’Runners dropped the opening set in a to score. Of the 61 kills, 22 belonged to Araujo; close 25-23 scuffle as Idaho capitalized on poor who added 11 digs and 2 assists. Sawyer added 13 serving. kills while junior middle blocker Molly O’Hagan “In the first set we came out and we were serv- contributed with 12 kills. Mariah Alvidrez recording tough, but we were just missing it. We had ed a game high, 18 digs. some good tough serves that didn’t go our way, The ’Runners look to carry their team efforts on and once we got our serves under control it was a the road as they face conference opponents, lot more competitive,” said CSUB Head Coach Kansas City on Oct. 31 and Chicago State on Jolene Shepardson about the ’Runners’ slow start. Nov. 2. Idaho looked to continue their aggression in the second set with an early 5-3 advantage; however the energy shifted in Bakersfield’s favor after a Vandal’s service error. A kill by sophomore outside hitter, Kelsee Sawyer, added to the ’Runners’ a 9-7 lead. CSUB stayed consistently defensive as they held Idaho to .067 hitting. The ’Runners’ slowly pulled away late in the second resulting in a 25-17 win. The third set was no different for CSUB as their defensive strategy allowed only two lead changes and three ties which occurred early in the set. An Idaho service error gave CSUB a 4-3 lead as the ’Runners denied the Vandals’ attempts of regaining the lead. Although the ’Runners hit a low .188 in the set, The ’Runners also held Idaho to a low .176 hitting percentage which rewarded CSUB with another 25-17 triumph. Idaho made the ’Runners earn every point in the fourth set. The Vandals took an early 7-6 lead as Bakersfield struggled to find the energy to break away and end the match. CSUB hit a game low .163 in set 4 while Idaho hit .184 – their best hitting percentage of the Abi Khan/The Runner Setter Fernanda Gonçalves sets up middle night. Both teams battled in the fourth as they went blocker Molly OʼHagan for a kill against Idaho University on Saturday, Oct. 26. through 12 ties and 4 lead changes.
game to bed,” said Head Coach Simon Tobin. Many ’Runner opportunities were halted, thanks to 12 offsides calls, while others were either from Scoring twice in the first half, the men’s soccer missed opportunities or from mistakes of their team started out hot, and was able to hold off own. Houston Baptist by a score of 2-1, Friday at the “We were playing good, we just need to finish main soccer field. The first goal came courtesy of the [opportunities] we had,” said Velasquez. midfielder Jonathan Colunga, the first of his colIn the second half, the ’Runners seemed to play legiate career. more conservatively, allowing the Huskies more “I got a pass from Christian [Duarte], and the chances in the box, which led to a HBU goal late first thing I thought was to just hit it. I just used in the second half. my toe and it went right into “Because we’re so young, the net, so I was happy,” said “A win is always the we’re still a little bit fragile,” Colunga. most important thing. I said Tobin. “When I mean The deciding goal was fragile, just mentally, we’re we played not ready to really go for the scored late into the first half thought midfielder David really well in the first jugular and put teams away by Velasquez. The win moved half, some nice stuff, yet.” them into a tie for second in HBU threatened with a couin the end it ple of shots and corner kicks the WAC standings as of but Friday. became more of a late in the game, but the The ’Runners held control ’Runner defense was able to for the first half of the game. grind-out victory.” hold them off and win. Head Coach Simon Tobin “A win is always the most Even with the two goals, the ’Runners had many other important thing. I thought we opportunities to capitalize off of sloppy play from played really well in the first half, some nice HBU. stuff, but in the end it became more of a grind-out The first goal came early in the first half when victory, but with a young team, you’ll take it howColunga found a hole in the struggling Huskie ever they come,” said Tobin. defense and scored to give the ’Runners the early On Sunday, the ’Runners defeated the confidence boost. Velasquez later scored off a University of Missouri, Kansas City 2-0, in the cross from forward Hugo Vinales in the second first ever matchup of the two schools. With goals half. by Vinales and Colunga, the victory gives the “Hugo [Vinales] just ran with it, he [saw] me ’Runners sole possession of second place in the behind the defender, so he passed it to me, I just WAC. took one touch and just smacked it [in the goal],” The ’Runners won three out of four home games said Velasquez. during their homestand, which helps their seeding “It was a team that we probably could have done for the upcoming WAC tournament which starts a little bit more damage against. I thought we on Nov. 14. The ’Runners will travel to Grand came out probably as well as we have this year in Canyon on Friday, Nov.1, and will play Air Force the first 40 minutes, and we should have put the on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Former CSUB basketball star looks to play abroad
As a Roadrunner, Stephon Carter electrified CSUB fans with his exciting style of play on the court. Now CSUBʼs all-time leading scorer is traveling overseas in order to fulfill his goal of playing professionally. By David Aliaga Staff Writer
The future looks bright for former California State University, Bakersfield basketball star Stephon Carter, as he departed from the country in early October with high hopes of pursing a professional basketball career in Israel. Carter’s days in California came to a close in October as he began to pursue his goal of playing basketball. He has yet to commit to a professional team overseas. His plans on playing professional basketball in a different country will be determined during his visit to Israel where he will meet with different teams to discuss his future. When asked if he knew any specifics on teams that were interested, Carter said that he had no idea what to expect but he will leave the country with high optimism. During his time as a ’Runner, the 6-foot-3-inch guard electrified the Bakersfield crowd with his vibrant style of play as he evolved into CSUB’s most dynamic player to ever step on the hardwood. With an average of almost 14 points and two steals per game for his career, Carter broke the all-time scoring and steals record in school history as he scored a total of 1,628 points and collected 238 steals throughout his four years of play. With great success under his belt, Carter should be more than optimistic as he heads to Israel with an impressive résumé. “I believe Stephon will bring a prolific scoring presence to his new team,” said Brandon Barnes, Carter’s former CSUB teammate and good friend. “He is a competitor and will make any team a winner.” Proven to be an elite basketball player, Stephon’s chances of continuing to pursue a basketball career seem very likely. Playing professional basketball in Israel is the first step towards Carter’s ultimate goal while he looks to further his career in hopes of one day taking it to the next level, the National Basketball Association.
From The Runner Archives
Former ʼRunner Stephon Carter looks to take his dynamic style of play overseas to Israel.
“He’s a big-time athlete and he has a high ceiling for getting better,” Barnes said. “With continuous work, he can play and make big money.” Carter has always dreamed of playing in the NBA, and his passion for the game is what drives him to never give up. At 22 years of age, the young athlete has a lot of time to reach his goal by working on improving his game even more. With self-determination and motivation, Carter said, “I’m gonna keep trying until they say I can’t make it anymore.” What if basketball does not work out for Carter? What other career plans does CSUB’s former star have in mind? When asked, the basketball lover said that he would like to pursue a career as an elementary school teacher and a basketball coach if his plan of playing professional basketball is unsuccessful.
Athlete of the Week
Senior outside hitter Debora Araujo was named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 21-27. Araujo averaged 5.50 points, 4.29 kills and 1.14 service aces per set, all WAC-bests for that week. Photo courtesy of Sports Information