California State University, Bakersfield
December 4, 2019
Vol. 45, No. 8
Plagiarism creates problems on campus
Jessica Wright Asst News Editor According to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, there were 90 Academic dishonesty reports, 64 of which were for plagiarism, in the 2019 spring semester. These totals include incidents in the extended university, Antelope Valley, and CSU Bakersfield student count. “There is a due process, and we make sure the student’s rights are protected, consistent, and equitable,” Rubicelia Alvarez, director of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities said. Alvarez states that she believes the increase is due in part to the increase in faculty knowledge of policy and campus population increase, but not because students are completely unethical. “The burden of proof comes from the reporting entity […] faculty decides what the grade repercussions are, most often resulting in a zero or F grade,” Alvarez said. Plagiarism, Alvarez says, is very broad, and what one professor may mark as plagiarism may not get marked in another class. Each case of academic dishonesty is taken into account on a case by case basis and is not based on previous incidents, because they may have happened under different circumstances. Depending on those circumstances, expulsion is possible, but that is not always the outcome. Alvarez also emphasizes that
the most important thing is that an educational moment is created for the student during the resolution process. Students express themselves about knowing the dishonesty of other students and how that effects their stress and frustration levels. “I know someone who used to get paid to write papers for people, but I never have. It’s annoying because I do all this work, but they get the same benefits. I know academic writing is difficult, so I understand, but it’s frustrating,” Kyra McCormack, senior and sociology major, said. “I’m upset by it [plagiarism] because I have to use up my time to do an assignment but they just get to copy. Just don’t plagia-
rize,” Moises Lara, freshmen and business major, said. Faculty also spoke about the increase of plagiarism they’ve seen in their classrooms. “In a semester on average I send around 10 people for plagiarism, but that is from a total of 352 [students],” Pamela Knight, lecturer in geology, said. “It makes me sad because a lot of students don’t realize that it shows, then it’s a lot of work for me and paperwork to turn them in to student rights […] The biggest thing is they wait until the last minute and get panicked. I don’t believe anyone sets out to plagiarize,” Knight said. Knight spoke about the plagiarism-checker programs, Safe Assign and Turnitin, that she uses in
her courses. Both programs give percentages of related work to other sources. Safe Assign allows professors to see what percentage relates to other sources and in what way. For example, Knight mentioned that she could see whether a paper related to another student’s paper, a given source from coursework, or the internet, by a certain percentage. The program, like Turnitin, also highlights the problematic sections of the assignment. Department Chair of the Management and Marketing Department and associate professor of management John Tarjan suggests streamlining the academic integrity policy and an overhaul of the implementation and record keeping of the consequences
sic professor at CSUB, said. According to Haney, the Bakersfield Youth Symphony event was the only event that was disrupted by the damage. All events since have proceeded on schedule using backup equipment. A meeting was held on Nov. 21 with Mandy Rees, the music department chair, Haney, Paula Bray and Justin Berhow with university facilities, and Daniel Tapia, the ASI director of arts and humanities to discuss the remaining repairs needed. According to Bray, the structural repairs are complete. “Altogether, [the structural repairs totaled] less than $1,200. The major cost will be the repair/ replacement of the theatre equipment,” Bray said. The control room equipment, which includes the main projector and the control board for sound and lighting, will be the most expensive setback for the
theatre. “We expect this to run into multiple thousands of dollars,” Haney said. The music and theatre departments are currently working with the administration to resolve funding issues associated with replacing the equipment, according to Haney. According to Tapia, if funding for repairs comes from departments within the School of Arts and Humanities, it is the students who will suffer. Tapia is advocating for the administration to cover the cost of not only the repairs, but needed renovations to the theatre as well. “The impact the loss of funds will have, will impact our ability to send A&H students to professional development opportunities. Departments may have to find their own way to raise funds for their clubs and organizations if the administration does not assist us in this issue,” Tapia said.
According to Tapia, the Doré Theatre is pivotal to the community as a performance venue and a gathering place for all of Kern County. Overall costs for the repairs and replacement of equipment are still being estimated, and Tapia feels that the theatre is outdated and in need of a “full restoration.” “The [water] lines were getting old and gave in. The [administration] have not seen how the Doré Theatre lacks in space, equipment, and how it is not up to par with other theaters in the CSU [system] in regards to quality,” Tapia said. Tapia is working towards having a meeting with CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny, Vice President of Student Affairs Thomas Wallace, and their staff in order to advocate for the administration to finance a full restoration of the Doré Theatre.
Water damage at Doré Theatre causes financial woes By Sam Underwood Editor-in-Chief
Between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, a water line in the CSU Bakersfield Doré Theatre sprung a leak above the control booth causing structural damage, as well as damage to the control equipment located in the booth. A source of funding to repair and replace equipment, as well as make renovations, has become a topic of discussion. The incident forced CSUB to reschedule one community event. “Due to the damage to the building and control booth, we had to reschedule a concert by the Bakersfield Youth Symphony, a group with whom we have enjoyed a longstanding relationship. Several divisions of the university responded promptly, and the theatre staff did a heroic job to put backup equipment in place” Joel Haney, associate mu-
within it. “We need to make faculty more aware of policy and to have department chairs be more supportive,” Tarjan said. “It is an issue that I don’t think we are addressing sufficiently […] Three reasons to do this is to educate, uphold values of academic integrity, and fairness,” Tarjan said. According to Tarjan, a consistent and streamlined policy is just the first step to helping the campus with this issue. Implementing educational opportunities for both students and faculty members when they first come to CSUB is key. He said this could be accomplished with a more comprehensive first year seminar, foundational courses, and faculty orientations, as well as other ideas. “Someone’s ideas are something that they own, so stealing those ideas are like stealing their property. By and large, students are honest and want to learn, and I’m not concerned about their being a large amount of plagiarism here [CSUB],” Steven Frye English Department Chair, said.
02 NEWS
Waitlists Addressed
03
FEATURES
Homelessness Increases
06
OPINION
OK Boomer
07 SPORTS
Women’s Basketball
News
2
The Runner
December 4, 2019
Provost responds to student complaints about waitlists By Audrey Tobola-Escaño Reporter On Oct. 28, psychology students at CSU Bakersfield were surprised to find themselves either on the waiting list for psychology classes, or that the classes were already closed. They launched a petition to address the availability of upper division classes and brought it to the attention of Vernon B. Harper Jr., interim provost and vice president of academic affairs. According to Harper, there were too many students on the waiting list, so the university had to do something. He started interacting with Anne Duran, chair of the psychology department, and Tanya Boone-Holladay, interim dean, to understand the basis of the problem. It turns out that the psychology department had numerous departures of faculty in the last cycle. “The university decided to increase their acceptance rate, with no regard to increase the number of faculty to teach students,” Leanna Harp, a senior majoring in psychology said. “It made me angry and panic that I might not be able to take the classes I needed when I was already set to graduate next spring.” Since Harper learned about the struggle 2 ½ weeks ago, he started working with Duran and Boone-Holladay to open more sections. At the time
of this printing, according to Harper, they were already able to create three to four new sections of classes in the upper division. They were also able to move some classes around to create more seats. Harper says that students should expect the new sections to open up within two weeks. “We are trying to get the [additional sections] created so we can hire the additional faculty members. To my understanding, they also want to provide some more sections to currently existing faculty members, and we work through all of that,” Harper said. Even though America Bustos, a psychology major, will be a junior next semester, because she is still a sophomore now, she doesn’t have priority to register in classes. At the time of the interview, she was able to take only one elective psychology course for spring semester. “I was a little frustrated and stressed because I had already done almost all my general education. I had already finished those, so there was, like, nothing else I could do. I felt like I would be wasting my time here because there are no psychology classes that were open,” Bustos said. She added that she was upset at the university at first. “Because I couldn’t enroll in my classes that I wanted. Because if I enroll in classes that I am not excited for or that I’m not interested in, I’m not going to do well. I’m not going
to be excited,” Bustos said. Harp feels the same about her enrollment. She needs to take specific psychology classes, but only one was being offered, so she had to take it. “It's not a subject I'm particularly interested in, but since the other options weren't available, I didn't really have a choice,” Harp said. She also pointed to another issue in the registration process. “Many of the upper division psychology classes also count as upper division general education courses, so students that aren't psychology majors or minors can take those classes. But I think psychology students should get priority registration for those classes.” When asked if the university could have avoided this situation, Harper said “Sure.” He was also unable to tell to The Runner how many students are currently on the waiting list or unable to enroll in psychology classes because they were already closed. Harper wants these students to know that he’s available to speak with them at anytime. “I want to thank all of the psychology students for their patience. I received a lot of emails from the psychology students, and I’ve been in a lot of dialogue with them. I really enjoyed these interactions, and if they have any questions they can always reach out to me or come directly to the office,” Harper said.
runner staff Volume 45, Issue 8
The Runner California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-654-2165 runner@csub.edu ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sam Underwood sunderwood6@csub.edu PHOTO EDITOR Sergio Hernandez shernandez94@csub.edu PODCAST EDITOR Eric Dean edean@csub.edu DESIGN DIRECTOR Marsalh Musaad mmusaad1@csub.edu ASST. DESIGN DIRECTOR Alex Torres atorres33@csub.edu SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Damian Lopez dlopez57@csub.edu NEWS EDITOR Alexandra Chapa-Kunz achapa2@csub.edu ASST NEWS EDITOR Jessica Wright jwright26@csub.edu FEATURES EDITOR Lauren Hill lhill17@csub.edu OPINIONS EDITOR Cecilia Torres ctorres32@csub.edu SPORTS EDITOR Elisa Fuentes efuentes18@csub.edu COPY CHIEF Amy Pachla apachla@csub.edu COPY EDITOR Isis Gallardo igallardo@csub.edu MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Ace Harrison aharrison5@csub.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Sydney Cullen scullen@csub.edu DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Alejandra Medina amedina54@csub.edu MARKETING & SALES REP Salestina Mayers Dennise Martinez Maraea Smith
Silvia Lopez Medero REPORTERS Ashley Balcaceres Alexis Garcia Katie Goree Briana Gutierrez Carlos Hernandez Sofia Martinez Karin Patino Andrea Rabago Angie Saavedra Audrey Tobola Escano Dustin Tompkins Maria Isabel Hernandez Vega WRITERS Justin Edler Davis Jovana Esinoza Abony Sosa Cecilia Torres Becca Romo PHOTOGRAPHERS Tony C. Hernandez II Ruuna Morisawa Stephani Williams Mari Woodmansee PODCASTERS Luciano Amorsolo Caitlyn Gallegos Julian Adame Posada Briana Lopez Maria Verduzco LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send letters to therunner.online@ gmail.com. All letters must be signed, verified, and be no more than 300 words in length. Letters may be edited for clarity and length. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES The Runner currently has openings for print, social media, website, and podcast advertising. If interested, please contact Sydney Cullen, business manager, to schedule an appointment. ABOUT US The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published biweekly, in conjunction with the Communications Department at California State University, Bakersfield. DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Communications Department. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless. COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Communications Department at California State University, Bakersfield.
The Runner
Features
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December 4, 2019
Homeless crisis in Kern County keeps growing By Ashley Balcaceres Feature Writer A recent report by the Kern County Homeless Collaborative showed that the homeless population in the county has increased by 50% since last year. Being homeless is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “(of a person) without a home, and therefore typically living on the streets.” According to Shawn Morrissey, the director of Advocacy and Community Engagement for Union Station Homeless Services based in Pasadena, CA, everyone he has talked to wants a home. Not everyone wants to live on the streets. They want a safe and comfortable place to rest and have their own place to put their things. CSU Bakersfield held a panel discussion, “Homeless in Bakersfield: A Community Conversation,” on Nov. 21 to talk about the ongoing crisis of homelessness in Kern County. The three speakers on the panel were Louis Gill, executive director of the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter, Dorothy Edwards, enrichment services coordinator for Housing Works of California, and Shawn Morrissey. The event began at 6 p.m. in the Dezember Room of the Walter Stiern Library. The panel was moderated by Chris Ballard, the director of compliance in
Photo contributed by Norma Hernandez
On Nov. 21, 2019, California State University, Bakersfield held the Homeless in Bakersfield: A Community Conversation inside the Dezember Reading room.
the CSUB athletics department, and was hosted by the Kegley Institute of Ethics. The event consisted of an introduction of the speakers, 15 minutes for each speaker, and a question and answer session for the audience. The panel started with Ballard introducing the panelists and each one giving a brief speech. Each panelist had a story to tell to bring awareness to the homeless population crisis. The panelists explained that they want
De-stress at the SRC during Zen Zone By Angie Saavedra Reporter As the 2019 fall semester is coming to an end, finals are beginning to approach. Students who are looking for ways to de-stress during finals week can go to the Student Recreation Center, which will be offering an end of the semester Zen Zone event on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
“I have been attending the Zen Zone events for the past two years. It is a great way to focus on finals and focus on yourself.” Diana Hernandez, Buisness Major The Zen Zone has been taking place for the past four years. The event will be in the SRC SolarioRoom, and Group X will be held in the Sequoia or Mojave Studio. Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Leah Bank said, “There are typically about 100 students who attend the event throughout the day and utilize space for studying, relaxing, working on group projects, and de-stressing.” The Zen Zone gives students the opportunity to either get their minds off of school or a space for them to come and study for their upcoming finals. Bank also mentioned that the SRC will be offering snacks as well as activities such as coloring, games, yoga and stretching, and wellness wheel assess-
ments. She mentioned that the Group X schedule will run as normal for the day, with 30-minute abs, yoga, “butts and guts,” Zumba, kickboxing, cycling, and dance fusion. Cynthia Esparza, a junior in nursing, says she is open to the idea of attending the Zen Zone event, considering that it is her first semester back since having her son. “The Zen Zone sounds like a perfect place to derail myself from everything that is going on at home and zone out doing yoga,” said Esparza. Attending the Zen Zone is a great way to destress yourself from the outside world and focus on your needs for the time being. Diana Hernandez, a business major, says she can’t wait for the event. Hernandez said, “I have been attending the Zen Zone events for the past two years. It is a great way to focus on finals and focus on yourself.” For those who are interested and want further information about the event, they can find the event calendar on the SRC’s social media, or contact Leah Bank at lbank@csub.edu.
Zen Zone Event When: Tuesday Dec. 10, 2019 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Where:SRC SOLARIO Cost: Free
to show that the homeless population is not filled with dangerous people. It is filled with people who need help. To provide that help, the county relies on the Housing First model. According to the definition by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the Housing First model is a “homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, thus ending their homelessness and serving as a platform from which they can pursue
personal goals and improve their quality of life.” This is a model that has helped countless homeless individuals secure homes for themselves and improve their quality of life. Dorothy Edwards is an example, as she shares her story about her life as a homeless person, and how things had changed when Morrissey helped her find a home. “I just wanted someone to help me,” Edwards said. Gloria A. Johnson, a CSUB alumna, recently began her own housing project where she hopes to create various housing units for the homeless population. “My goal is to create affordable permanent housing at a lower price,” Johnson states. Johnson has numerous projects in the works as she strives to end homelessness in any way she can. This is a great boon for the homeless community, for even though there is a large amount of resources available, they are not unlimited. The various centers try to help as many people as they can, but they don’t always have the funding available. Too many people go without the help they need because there are not enough resources. “There is a solution to the homeless crisis. Just give them homes,” Gill said.
Features
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December 4, 2019
The Runner
CSUB graduates reflect on college experience By Maria Hernandez Reporter CSU Bakersfield students Omar Gonzalez and Mariella Navarette are two of the graduates who will be taking part in the Fall 2019 Commencement ceremony. Fall commencement will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019 at 7 p.m. at Mechanics Bank Arena (formerly Rabobank Arena). This is the first fall graduation ceremony at CSUB in ten years. “554 students [will be graduating this day],” Dina Ebeling, associate director of the Commencement Office, said. According to Ebeling, this ceremony is special for each student who is going to graduate, to their relatives, and to the campus faculty. “We want to make a special ceremony with the president conferring degrees,” said Ebeling. Every sacrifice has its reward, and on the day of the ceremony, students will have the opportunity to share their achievement and happiness with twelve members of their family or friends. Gonzalez is one of the students who will graduate that special day. Gonzalez came to the United States with his family in 2011, starting as an English Language Development student at Wasco High. Gonzalez learned English as his second language and continued his education up until graduating with a degree in computer science this year.
CSU Bakersifeld’s Spring commencement in May of 2019.
“When I came to the United States, I pictured myself coming to the university and finishing a career, but I did not know that one day I was going to finish a career,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez took every opportunity the United States and CSUB offered him and never gave up. “My parents inspired me because they were always pushing me to do well in school so I could accomplish my goal,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez says his parents, siblings, and friends feel proud of him because he is the
Sergio Hernandez/The Runner
first one of his family to graduate from a university. “After I graduate, my goal is to find a company where I can create computer and phone applications,” Gonzalez said. “I would tell students who are trying to graduate to never give up and look for help if they need. All the effort that they are doing is going to pay off. There is no better investment than a good education. Finish your bachelor’s no matter what,” Gonzalez said. The ceremony is going to be a special moment for all the students who will be graduating, including Navarrete, who
transferred from Taft College in 2018 with her associate degree in child development. “My parents motivated me during this journey. They are the reason why I wake up each morning with the motivation and never giving up. They came to the United States for a better future and they want my brothers and I to have a better job than them. They don’t want us to be working in the fields and make less money and makes me want to do better in life and make them proud of myself,” said Child, Adolescent and Family Studies graduate Navarrete. “It was difficult to study and work at the same time. I work full time and I am a student full time, and one of the hardest things was making time to do homework and study,” Navarrete said. “I would tell students to never give up, because in the end everything will be worth it.” “After graduation, I want to go into the credentials program and also find myself a better job inside my career,” Navarrete said. In the 2019 Commencement, students will be on their way to accomplishing their goal of becoming professionals. Graduates are going to be able to start working in a place where they can be successful and an inspiration for others. For Gonzalez and Navarrete, their academic journey will be accomplished, and the next journey in their life will start. All students who are graduating are an inspiration and motivation for generations to come.
Women share stories of empowerment through religion By Lauren Hill Feature Editor When women come together in their differences to build one another up, that is where positive change occurs. This kind of reality came to light at the Women, Religion, and Empowerment Panel, an interfaith conversation and celebration held by the Common Grounds Club. The Women, Religion, and Empowerment Panel took place in the Stockdale Room on Nov. 18, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m. Sumaiya Oila, CSU Bakersfield student and president of the Common Grounds Club, opened the event and acknowledged Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Jonathan Young as the coordinator of the event. Five different religions were highlighted during this panel: Orthodox Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Eclectic Witchcraft, and Baha’i. The five women introduced themselves and shared what their religion means to them, and how it empowers them. Director of Chabad Bakersfield Esther Schlanger explained her identity as an Orthodox Jewish feminist. Schlanger said, “The two terms are not mutually exclusive, but they do not come without tension. [...] In Judaism, women are central to the tradition. My religion empowers me and provides both context and affirmation.” According to Schlanger, the only things out of reach for her gender were certain synagogue roles, and for her whole life she’s seen that as more of a relief than
missing out. Member of Chinmaya Mission in Bakersfield Sudha Bhatt spoke about how her religion, Hinduism, empowers her as a woman. Bhatt continued on to say that she believes it is just the soul that has come to Earth that matters, and gender is just a construct. “Women are the rulers of the world. Mother is the one who cares and watches. Mother is the one who inspires us,” Bhatt said. Nakisa Kiai, fourth year CSUB medical student, spoke about the Baha’i religion and how being part of a religion that sees men and women as equal in the sight of God has helped her to pursue a career in a predominately male profession. Fauzia Shah of the Islamic faith said, “My faith empowers me by starting with gratitude [...] my Creator loves me and everything He has created for us is out of love. That empowers me tremendously.” After the introductions, the panelists were given the chance to sit among the attendees to answer more questions. Katie Hanson, CSUB professor of religious studies and philosophy, explained her identity as an Eclectic Witch in the panel, but in further conversation with Hanson, she began to dive into how she got there. Hanson attended CSU Long Beach as a religious studies major while having a secular identity. “I always envied religious people. I loved to go to mass with friends. It’s not that I didn’t like institutional religion, I
Tony hernandez II/The Runner
CSUB medical student Nakisa Kiai and professor of religious studies Katy Hanson before the start of the Women, Religion, and Empowerment panel discussion hosted by Dr. Jonathan Young with Common Ground Club on Monday Nov. 18 in the Stockdale Room at CSUB.
just didn't relate to it.” According to Hanson, she began to find spirituality in witchcraft after the birth of her son, a political upheaval, and a feeling of helplessness that left her searching for something four years ago. “I’m a religious pluralist. I believe all paths to the divine are valid. For me, it is just as much a spiritual identity as it is a political identity.” Hanson has since been practicing her spirituality as an Eclectic Witch, and she explains social media as a factor in the growing movement of witchcraft, which she refers to as “The Witch Wave.”
“More and more women are identifying with witchcraft [...] and even things like (the Netflix series) AHS Coven are destigmatizing it.” According to Hanson, she often uses lunar practices, spell casting, and crystals in her craft. One of her favorite sources of lunar practices is Ezzie Spencer’s book, “Lunar Abundance.” This interfaith panel was a night of joy, inspiration, and cohesiveness that allowed for new ideas and conversations to take place.
Opinions
The Runner
December 4, 2019
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Magic of Christmas is about more than getting gifts Jovana Espinoza Opinion writer The semester is coming to a close, and the holidays are just around the corner. Although Christmas makes the top of my list of favorite holidays, just like most people, I do have a problem with the holiday. The meaning of Christmas has deviated from its true essence, and now it is another commercialized holiday that perpetuates a materialistic attitude. With Christmas being so deeply rooted in Christianity, not everybody in the United States celebrates it, and certain religions don’t even recognize it as a holiday. But it seems like even Christians who did celebrate it due to its connection to their religion have lost sight of its essence. According to the Pew Research Center,
“46% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious (rather than cultural) holiday. . . with Millennials less likely than other adults to say they celebrate Christmas in a religious way. A majority of U.S. adults (56%) also say religious aspects of Christmas are emphasized less in American society today than in the past, though relatively few are bothered by this trend.” Now, when people think of the December holidays, plastic trees with blinding lights and ornaments standing over a sea of presents is the visual that comes to mind. This is not people’s fault for associating the holidays with presents and money, but rather it is the advertisements and commercialization that has led people to think this way. “I love spending time with my family, but to
Illustration by Alex Torres/The Runner
some people, it’s all about the presents. It seems like this time of the year is the time to spend money. I mean, as soon as Halloween is over, Christmas decorations are already up,” Fredy Padilla, 24, a math major said. Many students can see that the holiday is materialistic, but this can also be felt, especially if the
Alcohol + Hazing = Deadly Mix Justin Edler Davis Opinion Writer Since the beginning of Oct. 2019, three college students have died with their deaths having some type of fraternity involvement. The most recent death was on Nov. 8, when Dylan Hernandez, 19, a freshman at San Diego State University (SDSU), died from accidental blunt force trauma. Hernandez fell from his top bunk bed and hit his head after returning from a Phi Gamma Delta fraternity event where he’d consumed what turned out to be a deadly amount of alcohol. As a result of Hernandez’ death, the SDSU police department opened an investigation, and Adela de la Torre, the university’s president, “suspended the Interfraternity Council and its 14 affiliated fraternity chapters,” according to Mihir Zaveri of the New York Times. A death related to fraternities, while unfortunate, is inevitable and continues a sixty-year trend. “A comprehensive, verified list of fraternity deaths does not exist. But at least nine fraternity members have died at California universities since 2000, according to news reports
and an unofficial database operated by Hank Nuwer,” writes Gary Robbins in his article titled “Death of San Diego State University student part of disturbing trend at nation’s fraternities.” The article also states that there has been at least one hazing-related death every year since 1959. The Interfraternity Council needs to practices what they preach and hold their members accountable like they say on their website. For a group of people who are supposed to serve as “trailblazers” and men with “true integrity, leadership and service,” they are not doing so. Hazing can only go so far, and the higher-ups of the fraternity need to put regulations in place so that this trend of deaths does not continue. As an athlete who has played both high school and college athletics, I understand that hazing is something that is, unfortunately, going to happen. Upperclassmen will always prank underclassmen, but there is a fine line between joking and bullying. Instead of making a member drink a deadly amount of alcohol at a party, have them get food for each member of the group. Something that is innocent, but shows that
they have to put the work in and pay their dues. Fraternities should not have this type of stigma. They should be known for their charitable efforts and their members having high grades. The stereotype for men in fraternities is that they have an attitude like they can do whatever they want with no consequences for their actions. If this mindset continues, the trend will continue for another 60 years. When students die under a fraternity’s watch, we cannot excuse it with the “that’s what college is all about” phrase anymore. There are rules for everything else on a college campus, so why not create a set of guidelines for the fraternities to follow to make them safer? As the enrollment numbers are expected to grow annually at CSUB, the school should be proactive in handling alcohol-related situations. According to the Clery Report, the amount of liquor law referrals increased from 12 in 2017 to 33 in 2018. With this number nearly tripling in one school year, along with more students coming to the school, there needs to be an initiative in place, so this campus doesn’t add to the death trend.
Christmas spirit is noticeably different in other countries. “Christmas is not just about family, because friends can be your family, and it’s about having a good time with them. But we tend to overlook this, and it revolves around gifts. In Mexico it was food and game-oriented,” Mercy Romero, 19, a liber-
al studies major, said. Some people may argue that this materialistic outlook on the holidays is mostly attributed to children who are simply excited about receiving presents. Children are known to go through a “me” phase where instant gratification is what they seek. Because this is such a natural stage in life, it is often overlooked how the holidays can enhance and perpetuate this behavior. As personal finance author Trent Hamm writes in his article “Entitled Children, Christmas, and the Materialism Battle,” “I see children beginning to assign happiness to consumer goods – and that worries me. I convinced myself that my happiness was directly connected to what material items I had. I’d buy things and barely use them because
of the rush of owning that product, and I’d quickly buy into marketing plans of all kinds. In some ways, I still do.” “When I think of Christmas, it’s a time to get together with my family and open gifts, but people do get caught up with what they are going to get,” Paulette Zavala, 22, liberal studies major, said. Clearly, this association of gifts with happiness does not remain in our childhood, and it can be seen in individuals of all ages. Now that we are conscious of what this holiday has become, perhaps this year can be different. Not focusing so much on what we want others to give us and value the time we share with our loved ones is a great first step towards giving Christmas back its meaning.
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Opinions December 4, 2019
The Runner
OK Boomers, times are changing By Cecilia Torres Opinion Editor
“Okay boomer” is the millennial generation’s response to the constant blame thrown their way by the baby boomer generation. There are articles upon articles blaming millennials, people born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 23 to 38 in 2019) according to the Pew Research Center, for everything from the declining diamond industry to actually killing the American Dream. Young people in general have drawn harsh criticism from the elder generation for being too sensitive, lazy, complaining and, as they put it, wanting a participation trophy for all. Tired of constantly having to defend themselves from older people’s generalizations, millennials have stopped trying to explain how they are being judged unfairly and have instead opted to call out the narrow mindedness of the older generation through the use of the phrase ‘okay boomer.’ To no one’s surprise, baby boomers took offense to the retort. Radio host Bob Lonsberry, 60, even went so far as to call it the new n-word. “Boomer’ is the n-word of ageism. Being hip and flip does not make bigotry ok, nor is a derisive epithet acceptable because it is new,” Lonsberry wrote in a now deleted
tweet. While I completely disagree that the term ‘okay boomer’ is the new n-word, I do think there is a right and wrong way to use it. In the second part of his tweet, Lonsberry basically says that just because something is cool doesn’t mean that people should use it to shut down the conversation, That I agree with. My understanding of the phrase when it first gained popularity was that it was a way to express the exhaustion and frustration of young people when the older generation refused to accept that times were changing. “It’s a jab from the young to the old, a collective eye-roll at the out-of-touch judgements baby boomers pass on the tastes, values and lived experiences of millennials and Gen Zers,” Holly Scott wrote about the phrase in her article, “The problem with ‘okay boomer’.” Unfortunately, the meaning of the phrase is evolving, and not for the better. This change can be credited to the misuse of the phrase. It wasn’t long after ‘okay boomer’ became popular that it started being used as a way to shut down debates between groups from different generations. This is problematic because all it does is stop the exchange of information on issues when the different generation groups find themselves on opposite sides of the spectrum.
“I’m just worried that this whole ‘okay boomer’ thing is
an easy dismissal, and it’ll prevent people from actually engaging in a productive political conversation,” Evon Yao, a University of Michigan student, said on NPR’s podcast “Boomer: Apathy, Anger and a Viral Meme.” Regardless of how differently we view the world, we absolutely have to talk to each other and live with each other. Especially because the baby boomer generation is either the parents or grandparents of the millennial generation. “They’re called “echo boomers” because they are the genetic offspring and demo-
graphic echo of their parents, the baby boomers,” according to Rebecca Leung’s 2004 article “The Echo Boomers” for 60 Minutes. “… There are nearly 80 million of them, and they’re already having a huge impact on the entire segment of the economy. And as the population ages, they will become the next dominant generation of Americans.” As things stand right now, our lawmakers and other people in power are all still mostly older people who are considered baby boomers. Millennials and Gen Zers have to find a way to talk to the people in power, and ‘okay boomer’ won’t get you very far if you wish to see some change. Young people should be wary of using ‘okay boomer’ as a means to excuse their own lack of knowledge. All that does is make you seem ignorant and uneducated, which feeds into the ideas and generalizations the older generation has toward young people. Illustration by Marsalh Musaad/The Runner
RUNNER ON
THE STREET
What makes you want to say
“OK Boomer”? Interview and photos by Stephanie Williams Fernando Catalan Computer Engineering
Daniel Sanchez Psychology
“I demand to speak to your manager.”
“You will be hearing from my lawyers!”
Maya Perez Nursing
Stephanie Mejia Theatre Alumni
“Back in my day.”
“When are you going to have kids?”
Sports
The Runner
7
December 4, 2019
Women’s basketball surges past North Texas By Dustin Thompkins Sports Reporter The CSU Bakersfield women’s basketball team took on the University of North Texas basketball program on Tuesday, Nov. 26. It was the first of two games held in the Icardo Center that night, as the men’s basketball team played immediately after for a double-header. The women are undefeated at home and are looking to protect the home court with another victory against a tough Division I opponent. The ‘Runners got off to a great start by taking a 7-0 lead. Senior point guard Dalis Jones had a threepoint shot and a steal to propel the team to a 13-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. North Texas did not plan on giving up so easily, though. A two-point lead quickly turned into a sixpoint deficit as the ‘Run-
ners allowed eight unanswered points. They would eventually regain the lead behind a pair of clutch three-point shots from sophomore point guard Ashley Austin. The score at halftime was 25-23 in favor of CSUB. After halftime, the ‘Runners forced North Texas to use a timeout one minute into the half by scoring four unanswered points. Later in the quarter, redshirt sophomore guard Jasmin Dixon had arguably the best two plays of the game. She scored on a three-point shot, then stole the ball on the ensuing possession, driving down to get an extra two points. Those five unanswered points put the ‘Runners up 36-29 in the third quarter. They started the fourth quarter leading by 15 points and the team did not look back after that. They would go on to win by a decisive margin of 61-52. The women dominated
this game, as most of the last points for North Texas came after the game had long been decided. After the game, some of the players gave their reaction to the winning contest. Redshirt sophomore forward Jayden Eggleston felt that this was a good win for the team. “We came off a tough loss, so it’s good to come back in here and protect our home court. It sets the tone and gets us ready for (the rest) of our home games here,” Eggleston said. “I knew that we needed energy to get us going because we started off the game kind of slow. We started working as a team and getting everybody involved,” Dixon said, reflecting on the big play she made in the third quarter. Junior center Vanessa Austin had a ten-point performance on the night. She said that they had the mismatch on the inside. “At halftime when we came in,
Runner Spotlight: Shawn Stith By Elisa Fuentes Sports Editor The Runner’s spotlight this issue is on CSU Bakersfield men’s basketball player Shawn Stith. This season is his debut with the ‘Runners after transferring from Saddleback College. Stith was introduced to basketball by his older sister after tagging along to one of her practices. After being introduced, he found himself liking the sport and has since started training. “I started watching, and reading about it...We lived down the street from a high school, so I started going to the games, like, really started studying the game, ‘cause I really wanted to do this,” Stith said while explaining how he started getting into basketball. Stith does want to go professional after college and plans on playing for a while, but as of now, he’s focused on playing basketball for his team. “That’s my goal that I’ve been having all my life. As of right now, I’m a college basketball player, so I can’t really focus on that [going pro] right now. I got to really focus on helping my
team win, being present, and being a good college player,” Stith said about his plans for playing basketball. While his goal is to continue playing basketball, Stith’s life plan is to open his own practice for marriage counseling, sports psychology, and children’s psychology after he retires from basketball. He’s not only interested in it, but feels he’s also good at it. Along with the practice he wishes to open, he also wants to open a few restaurants before relaxing through his years after basketball.
Even though Stith’s schedule can be hectic with how busy he is with practice, weights, study halls, and classes, he enjoys cooking in his spare time and likes to whip himself up something, but cooking is not the only thing he does in the extra time he has. “If it’s not talking to my family and loved ones, it’s just catching up on my TV shows. There’s a lot of great TV shows out there and I’m falling behind, so other than that it’s just sleep,” Stith said while explaining how he finishes his day.
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner
Men’s basketball player, Shawn Stith, poses with a basketball on Nov. 21 in the Icardo Center.
Mari Woodmansee/The Runner
Women’s basketball players, Dalis Jones, and Miracle Saxon attempt to block their opponents and take the ball on Nov. 26 in the Icardo Center.
coach talked about if were going to win this game it’s going to be with the bigs. It was important for me to catch the ball and finish every chance I got,” Austin
said. With this win, the ‘Runners protect their undefeated home record this season. To be a part of the action, the next game is on
Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1:00 p.m. in the Icardo Center as the ‘Runners take on University of the Pacific.