The Runner 9-23-2020

California State University, Bakersfield

therunneronline.com September 23, 2020

Vol. 46, No. 3

President announces new ethnic studies as grad rate improves

By Katrina Singleton News Editor CSU Bakersfield’s President Lynnette Zelezny, along with a panel of CSUB administration, held an open forum on Wednesday, Sep 16.

CSUB along with the rest of the entire CSU system will be implementing a new area to lower division general education with the label “Area F.” Area F will include the new ethnic studies requirement that has been added to the CSU curriculum. This new requirement, known as AB-1460, was signed into law by Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

All universities in the CSU system will need to provide courses for this area.

CSUB is currently working on building a new task force to help create a proposal of guidelines to present to the university’s academic senate that will tie

A screenshot of CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny speaking at her open forum on Sept. 16.

into the learning outcomes for Area F. According to Vernon Harper, Vice President of Academic Affairs, CSUB are also working on building an Ethnic Studies department for the CSUB campus and hopes it will be officially established by the December deadlines.

“We already have two ethnic studies courses on

the books, and I have been working with the faculty in order to ensure that we have enough sources and enough bandwidth in order for all students to begin taking that course beginning in the next academic year,” Harper said.

The Ethnic Studies current task force has written a proposal for the development of this new aca-

demic department according to Harper and needs to be looked over by the academic senate for approval.

“It is the academic senate that must weigh in on the creation of any academic department; the faculty must agree, so that process will be undertaken over this academic year,” Harper said.

In regard to the gradua-

tion initiative, also known as GI2025, there has been an increase in graduation rates in both 4-year graduations; 6-year first time freshman and 2-year; 4-year transfer graduates.

“You can see that our 4-year transfer graduation rate we expect to hit our 2025 goal early; about four years early, about 70-75% this year which is our tar-

get,” Harper said.

With the graphs provided by Harper, it is predicted that the GI2025 set in place for transfer student at CSUB will be met four years earlier than expected.

It is also recorded that the graduation rates for first time freshman, both 4-year and 6-year, are at all time high with a 4% increase in the 2019-2020 academic year.

Harper also discussed the most important initiatives for the 2020-2021 academic year. CSUB will be working on a virtual engagement initiative which will focus on a cross-divisional effort to create an engaging virtual environment for incoming students.

CSUB will also be receiving a grant from the Office of the Chancellor that will be put towards a free consultation on advising practices later this semester.

See Gen Ed p. 2

Graduated athletes return for final season

By Matt Lavelle Assistant Sports Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on the sports that many love.

Because of this, many of CSU Bakersfield’s senior athletes lost their final college season. All types of athletes have been affected, with the spring sports taking the biggest hit being cut mid-season.

CSUB has given its senior student-athletes the

option to return for the senior season that they lost due to the pandemic.

“Should a student athlete want to come back, we want to give them that opportunity,” said Ziggy Siegfried, the Athletic Director at CSUB. “The school made it clear to both the senior athletes as well as the coaches of their sports that every student would be given the opportunity to return, with the only need to be met being

each coach had to fit the returning players into their already existing budgets.

Anyone who wanted to come back was able to do so.”

The student-athletes still need to meet certain requirements to be eligible to play their sport, according to Siegfried.

“They would need to be full time in undergraduate… or what most of them did, they graduated and enrolled in a masters pro-

gram,” Sigfried said. “To be eligible at the NCAA level you have to meet basically what they call progress towards a degree or a minimum number of hours in undergraduate or masters, twelve units for undergraduate and six for masters.”

Because CSUB moved up in the divisional ranking, the student athletes must now meet the requirements of the NCAA. “It is looking like about

twelve to thirteen seniors that will return,” Siegfried added.

Baseball and softball are the only sports that would be limited for returning student-athletes.

“Baseball is allowed 35 student athletes on its roster by NCAA rules, they are the only sport that is limited, the NCAA allows the seniors who return to not count in that number,” Siegfried said.

With these restrictions in

place, not every graduate decided to return to finish their final season.

“The softball team had a player decline their option; with softball some of the seniors already had careers lined up, for instance, we had a catcher who we would’ve loved to returned who had it set up to already go into her career, and she didn’t want to put her career on hold,” Siegfried said.

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The Runner

September 23, 2020

Students get advice on self-care

By Chase Anderson Reporter As students find themselves struggling to maintain their health during social distancing, counselors and therapists from CSU Bakersfield’s campuses came together to discuss these pressing issues with students.

Karen Coy, councelor for the CSU Bakersfield Antelope Valley Counseling Center, Ruth Miles and Janet Millar, LMFTs for the CSUB Counseling Center held a Brown Bag Discussion on Emotional Wellness on Sept. 17.

The panel gave tips to help students stay mentally and emotionally well during social distancing.

The speakers utilized a poll taking feature with questions to open up the conversation about the attendee’s concerns. The counselors and therapists also utilized some exercises that can be done to bring

some immediate clarity when students find themselves becoming overwhelmed or anxious.

The first exercise was on mind Mindful Breathing where they had everyone place their left hand over their heart, and focus on their breathing.

Then while taking slow breaths in and out, students would place their right hand just below their stomach.

Students were then told to notice how they begin to settle.

“Breathing is great for your physiology, for your body to feel better…it is one of the foundations of your coping strategies to bring on wellness because you are controlling it,” Coy said.

This technique can be used by students in a time where they feel things are not in their control, according to the panelists.

Coy discussed the importance of meditation and

A screenshot of the slideshow shown at the Brown Bag Discussion held on Sept. 17.

mindfulness and how this activtiy can help students regain control of their lives.

“You can control, your breathing for example or how much water you drink in the day…if you tell yourself you’re going to drink four glasses of water in the day and you do that its uplifting to know

that you’ve at least accomplished that goal,” Coy said.

Coy mentioned the importance of meditation and mindfulness and how practicing these activties can help students regain control of their lives.

“Meditation is something that helps you come to awareness of where you

are to give you a sense of perspective,” Coy said.

“Mindfulness is the outcome of a meditative process, that you stay right here in the moment.”

The meeting concluded by providing information on the counseling center for students reach out if they find themselves in need of help or support.

The Counseling Center can be accessed by going to the Counseling Center website at csub.edu/counselingcenter or calling for an appointment at 661-654-3366 on Monday through Friday.

The Antelope Valley Counseling Center site can be accessed at csub.edu/av/ counseling.

Faculty urge students to build bridges

By Ray Dean Reporter

CSU Bakersfield’s Division of Equity, Inclusion, and Compliance within the Office of the President in partnership with the Associated Student’s Inc. hosted a panel discussion titled “The Importance of Intersectionality: Black Lives Matter, Latinx, Filipinos, LGBTQ+” on Sept. 17 as part of their Community Conversations series.

The three member panel consisted of CSUB professors, Arno Argueta, assistant professor of modern languages & literatures, Tracey Salisbury, assistant

professor of interdisciplinary studies, and Richard Zamora, assistant professor of psychology.

The broad discussion covered how intersectionality interacts with areas ranging from racial, ethnic, and gender identity to media representation and mental health, along with the fields of education and academia. The conversation began with the panelists defining intersectionality.

“Intersectionality [is] a critical perspective [that proposes] a person is not defined by a single identity, but how all their identities crisscross and add to a person’s perspective in

their world,” Zamora said intersectionality “is a place to understand and a lens to look at those who have been invisible in our community.”

Intersectionality is being overused, according to Salisbury. Salisbury agreed with Zamora and Argueta’s definition, but noted that UCLA and Columbia Law School professor Kimberlé Crenshaw who coined the term, was talking about the unseen in a legal and representative manner.

The discussion addressed the issue of simply talking about intersectionality and doing its work, along with the roles various members

of the community have.

“The problem with intersectionality and understanding intersectionality is understanding that it’s just identifying a problem and not addressing power, the inequity of power,” Salisbury said.

Argueta noted part of that work is building bridges and working towards unity. Zamora added that part of the work is being aware of one’s own possible privilege.

Salisbury commented that marginalized groups need to be allowed to define themselves and that “we need to be allies and supportive in [their] discus-

sion and not make it harder.”

The panel discussion addressed the role of education and academia. The panel acknowledged the freedom they have to share their views and the support of CSUB, ASI, and president Zelezny. However, they expressed their feelings on how the university can do more.

Argueta acknowledged the move by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to add an ethnic studies requirement to all degrees in the CSU system, commenting that universities should have initiated it.

“That’s part of the initia-

tive that universities should have taken, that’s a necessary conversation. And not to water it down, not to say, ‘hey we only need to talk about how race impacts our field’. No, no, no.

Let’s talk about race in itself. Let’s talk about gender in itself,” Argueta said.

The panelists agreed this is only the beginning of the conversation and that more discussion and more work is left to be done among students and faculty.

“You need to be an active and involved student in your community. You need to stop pretending it doesn’t affect you,” Salisbury said.

Contd: New ethnic studies requirement added [Gen Ed cont from Page 1] riety of ways for students that need to be on campus, CSUB will also be workto self-screen themselves ing on a data-driven decifor COVID-19. sion-making initiative.

Erika Delamar, the AssoThis initiative will be ciate Director of Student more focused on rebuildHealth Services, went over ing CSUB’s data system to the COVID-19 screen tool prepare the correct data at that is accessible in three the right time in order to different formats. Students make the right decisions can use the CSUB mofor the campus and its stubile app by clicking the dents.

“COVID-19 Self ScreenCSUB is offering a vaing” icon and fill out the

information or by visiting CSUB’s website and filling out the screening assessment under the COVID-19 tab.

If those options do not work for students, they can also call CSUB’s health services to be screened over the phone.

Claudia Catota, CSUB’s Chief Diversity Officer, shed some insight into a new committee that will be

coming to CSUB’s campus.

At the moment the group’s name is “Campus Climate Committee,” but Catota stated that this name is subjected to be changed in the near future.

The intent for this groups is to steer the university’s work on building a campus community that embraces and encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion as it

relates to campus climate.

The groups work at the moment is two-fold: • Sending out a survey to faculty, staff, and students about the campus’s climate.

• Developing a diversity strategic to set concrete goals and measure progress which in turn creates accountability for the campus community.

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Features

The Runner

September 23, 2020

3

Allie Page shoots for the stars

Photo provided by Allie Page Light can be seen from the Andromeda Galaxy, producing rings of light.

Photo provided by Allie Page When the atmosphere is clear and the light pollution is low, landmarks and natural formations can be seen on the moon.

By Destinee Sims Features Editor Allie Page, a senior art and digital media major at CSU Bakersfield, has been studying astrophotography for four years. She explained how her fascination with space that began when she was only a child never faded.

“It was a special interest of mine when I was four or five, truly looking at the stars for the first time.

I was in a big space phase back then, and I never really grew out of that phase,” Page said.

This interest only continued to blossom with time, prompting Page to consider going to college and majoring in physics.

Although Page decided to study the arts instead as an undergraduate, she has applied to be study the sciences again as a graduate student. Paige said will study either astronomy or physics, depending on which program she gets accepted to.

“I started out at CSUB as an art major and then later switched to digital media.

While it’s a pretty big jump for me, it’s actually coming full circle. I actually applied to CSUB as a physics major, but I left it at the last minute since I didn’t want to be in a field that had to do that kind of math much,” Page said.

In the meantime, Page continues to study physics

and practice her astrophotography.

“Astrophotography is all about trial and error.

Unless you have a really high-quality mount that will allow you to view the area, it’s just luck,” Page explained.

Page reminds photographers pursuing astrophotography to remember that this can take time. She explains that the average nebula can take anywhere from 20 to 80 photographs to have enough data to create the detailed images.

Images of planets can take thousands of photos.

She explains the equipment she uses wasn’t cheap either; her telescopes and accessories alone cost around a $1,000. However, she notes that newer mobile devices like the iPhone 11 are said to be able to take basic photos of the Milky Way. “Unless you want to take zoomed in photos of the nebulae like I do, you don’t really need a telescope anymore,” Page said.

The big differences between the photos taken by astrophotographers on professional cameras and those taken on cell phones comes down to data. When photographers like Page take numerous photos, they can then layer these images to create detailed final images.

“You keep taking enough pictures until you

Photo provided by Allie Page The reduction of blue light due to the current fires can create the appearance of an orange moon.

Photo provided by Allie Page Page is the current Director of Arts and Humanities for CSU Bakersfield’s Associated Students Inc.

can stack them together in Photoshop, or another program I used called Deep Sky Stacker. It’s free to use; you can get it on Windows or Mac,” Page said.

After compiling the photos to create the initial base image, photographers then run the images through their choice of editing software to make the images and those details more visible to the human eye.

“I use lightroom a lot for my astrophotography to fix the exposure and whatnot. The image that comes straight out of the camera is very bland, even from NASA. We don’t add to it, we just bring it out; we don’t add anything that isn’t there,” Page said.

Lately it has been nearly impossible for photographers to get quality space photos due to the high volume of smoke in the atmosphere.

Photographers are facing long-term difficulties obtaining the images. Fires rage across large patches of the West Coast. The smoke can make it nearly impossible to take visible photos, and when they do, the lack of blue light can cause everything to appear orange.

“The haze is so bad that you can barely see the brighter planets, let alone any of the stars. The orange air is actually how I got the cheddar moon picture using a special eye piece on my telescope,”

Page said.

Nature is not the only thing preventing her from taking undisturbed images.

Light pollution effects the visibility of the upper atmosphere, frequently making it harder to see the stars. This can destroy space photographs taken in places like metropolitan cities.

The inability to see stars can be frustrating for photographers like Page, as she enjoys being able to photograph and study the constellations. Page notes that there is always more to learn about the spiritual side of space, as there are different meanings in every culture.

“Astrology is a very cultural thing; each culture has their own tradition.

Each culture has its astronomy and astrology. In some cultures, they are one in the same; in other cultures, especially western cultures, they are completely different studies,” Page explained.

The cultural differences can lead to different names for constellations, such as the Big Dipper being called the Plough in Europe. Then each culture assigns their own scientific or spiritual merit to each star or planet.

Page has believes that there are typically more women than men studying the deeper spiritual meanings behind each aspect of space, but is unsure why

that is. Page said that she chooses to study astronomy and astrology both, opting to learn from what are repeatedly said to be the “pseudo-science” and the “proper science.”

“I believe there’s more to the stars than just what we can see. There’s a lot more to the cosmos than we know,” Page said, referencing the current limited knowledge of the universe.

The science community’s judgement isn’t just limited to the validity of astrology though, as Page says that it can be harder to be accepted as a woman. They can get even harsher when it comes to those that aren’t heterosexual or cisgender.

Page reluctantly admits that she has been scared to post her astrophotography on Reddit, as she is also active on multiple threads focused on the transgender community. After having witnessed the cruelty and judgement faced by those that have been open about their sexuality and gender, Page said she realized how important it is for everyone to keep fighting.

“I’m going to stay resilient, go into the field strong and make a statement,” Page said, “There’s a stereotype out there that space is a boy thing, but it’s a human thing.”

Opinions

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The Runner

September 23, 2020

Businesses should not reopen

By Jacqueline Gutierrez Assistant Opinions Editor For the past six months, the state government has highly encouraged people to stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19, but whenever case numbers decrease, local and state officials decide to reopen closed businesses, causing case numbers to rise again.

In theory, businesses could reopen safely, but

not everyone follows the COVID-19 guidelines, which include staying 6 feet apart and wearing a mask. And business owners and employees may not be able to monitor everyone because of staff shortages.

Until business owners, employees and clients are able to follow the CDC guidelines businesses should remain closed to keep the public safe.

Illustration by Paige Atkison/The Runner

“If businesses do begin to reopen as cases begin to lower, some precautions that I hope business owners keep for a while is the use of masks because although the case numbers would go down, there is still a risk of catching COVID. I also hope they keep the number of people in the stores to a smaller amount...,” Jimmy Valdovinos, a junior at California State University,

Bakersfield said.

Kern County, as well as many other counties in California, are still considered widespread areas, which means more than 8% of COVID-19 tests taken are positive, according to the California COVID-19 website.

In Kern County, both essential and nonessential businesses are open with outdoor and capacity modifications.

In Bakersfield, I have seen many restaurants only offering outdoor dining, and I believe that can limit the spread of COVID-19, but since Kern County is still considered a widespread area, it is not the safest option.

Even if cases decrease businesses should not reopen because at the beginning of the shutdowns, case numbers went down but as soon as government officials decided to open up, case numbers rose again.

“I would recommend still implementing the same guidelines as the CDC suggests because I feel like it has kept our numbers down. Because looking back when businesses started to reopen again, everyone thought COVID-19 was over, and that’s why we had such high numbers than what we saw prior to businesses reopening...,” Chrisitan Rodriguez, a senior at CSUB, said.

The guidelines have made people feel safer. Looking back at life before the guidelines and shutdowns, it is uncomfortable how

close we would let complete strangers get to us at the stores, how we would gather in huge groups in such small spaces, and how we would not think much about when we got the common cold.

When I go to the supermarket or out to run errands, I see people violating multiple guidelines.

We are six months into a pandemic and I still see people wearing their mask incorrectly, not wearing a mask at all, removing their mask, standing closer than 6 feet, and going out and partying.

If people cannot comply with simple guidelines while most businesses are still closed and certain restrictions are still in place, why should we believe that they will follow the guidelines when businesses are open?

The Kern County population has shown that many of them are unwilling to keep each other safe by following the CDC guidelines. Until we can learn to prioritize our health nonessential businesses should remained closed.

College & COVID: Hangover with no cure

By Lischa Mears Opinions Writer In the midst of a pandemic, students are expected to simultaneously balance the rigorous demands of courses and their health. The combination of college and COVID-19 is collectively harming student’s mental health. We must acknowledge and prioritize the mental well-being of all students in order to lead them to a brighter future of both happiness and success.

Before the pandemic, students already carried excessive amounts of stress that diminished their mental health. According to the American College Health Association, “Over the past year, 87% of college students felt overwhelmed by all they had to do, 66% felt overwhelming anxiety, 56% felt things were hopeless and 13% seriously considered suicide.”

Following the occurrence of the pandemic, students faced a multitude of additional stressors that result-

ed from the drastic changes in both their educational and personal lives. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, “47% percent of those sheltering-in-place reported negative mental health effects resulting from worry or stress related to the coronavirus.”

This means students are now facing the dilemma of balancing their academic demands and their own safety from the virus. This sense of worry includes protecting family from contracting the virus.

According to the Healthy Minds Network and the American College Health Association, “64.4 percent [of students] say they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ concerned about a person they care about contracting COVID-19.”

In other words, students hold the responsibility of worrying for their own health and the equivalent well-being of family while meeting educational needs.

In adjusting to the new norms of virtual learning, students are deprived of

social interaction and engagement with peers.

Research has shown that social isolation is linked to poor mental and physical health.

This isolation from the outside world, and lack of engagement with other individuals, leaves students feeling a greater sense of loneliness than before the onset of the pandemic.

Students are also facing the conflict of income security as the pandemic has threatened the safety of countless jobs.

“Job loss is associated with increased depression, anxiety, distress, and low self-esteem; and may lead to higher rates of substance use disorder,” according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

In the same way students are expected to meet the deadline of an assignment in class, students are expected to meet all required school payments while combatting job loss in a pandemic.

Student mental health is consequently affected as

students become overwhelmed with balancing academic demands, financial responsibilities and personal health.

As a result of these stressors, students are experiencing depletions in academic performance.

According to the Healthy Minds Network and American College Health Association, “30.5% compared to 21.9% the prior fall-reported that their mental health negatively affected their academic performance.”

This means that both the coronavirus and various strains on mental health are negatively impacting the grades of students; thus, the mental health of students is further declined by the outcome of poor grades.

“Of the 41.8% of students who attempted to seek mental health care during the pandemic, 23.3% said it had been ‘much more difficult’ to access care,” according to the Healthy Minds Network and American College Health

Association.

To put it another way, the limitations of the pandemic have caused students to find greater difficulty in seeking the help they need.

The aforementioned statistics illustrate that students are carrying the weight of various stressors on their shoulders.

These stressors prevent students from reaching their academic potential and ultimately decline their performance.

It is imperative that both faculty and students acknowledge these statistics.

In doing so, students will gain the time they need to care and seek aid for their mental health.

This prioritization of mental health will encourage students to seek the help they need and, as a result, improve both mental health and academic performance.

Some may argue that college does not harm student mental health due to the educational distractions that courses provide for students.

However, college and the coronavirus are harming student mental health by demanding more than students can give.

As students are expected to dedicate their full attention to their studies, students are equally expected to survive a global pandemic.

In acknowledging the previous statistics, it is clear that college and the coronavirus are collectively harming student mental health.

If we prioritize the mental well-being of all students, they will reach both happiness and academic success.

Given the statistics, you are not alone. You do not have to face these challenges by yourself.

Although you may feel embarrassed or afraid to reach out, it is essential to know that there are counselors awaiting your call and will do so without judgement.

If you need help, call the CSUB Counseling Center today at (661) 654-3366.

Opinions

The Runner

5

Sept 23, 2020

The Oscars are not actually woke

By Jocelyn Sandusky Opinions Editor Just three years ago, I was a college student studying acting at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Not to toot my own horn, but I was talented. I thought I was going to be a star.

That dream came to a crashing halt when I realized I was not cut out for Hollywood.

I knew I could not handle the painful rejection that comes with the cutthroat side of the business. But I was not scared of not being good enough; I was afraid of not being a straight white male.

Opportunities for people like me are scarce in Hollywood. I am an LGBTQ+, Hispanic, fat woman. I could probably only read for the ethnically ambiguous sidekick or friend because I am not white, skinny, or attractive enough to be the lead.

I abandoned the thing I was most passionate about because the entertainment industry fails minority groups. Out of the 21 students in my cohort of classmates, only eight were of an ethnic minority.

I was not willing to risk my livelihood in the hopes that Hollywood would recognize that talent is not mutually exclusive with race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation.

On Sept. 8, the Academy

Awards took a step in the right direction when they announced new standards for best picture eligibility to promote diversity. It is a nice, commendable gesture, but it is such a tiny fraction of what they should have done to ensure that a diverse group of voices get an opportunity to share their stories with the world.

For a film to be eligible for best picture at the Oscars, it must employ underrepresented groups such as women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+, or people with disabilities in front of or behind the camera, according to the Oscars website.

Are we really applauding an organization for doing the absolute bare minimum?

If a movie studio cannot manage to hire at least one lead actor and six crew members from a minority group, then they do not deserve to be making a movie at all.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sets the bar incredibly low for studios, and they need to do more.

I appreciate that they are at least trying to incentivize studios to include more diversity in the development and production of their films, but studios, at least the ones that are making money, are already doing this.

According to UCLA’s

Senior Media Relations Representative Jessica Wolf, the film industry finally realizes that people pay to see themselves on screen.

“Although minorities were largely ignored for Academy Award nominations, films with diverse casts continued to resonate with increasingly diverse audiences, a fact emphasized by each new edition of the Hollywood Diversity Report,” Wolf wrote in a news story for UCLA newsroom website.

Representation on screen might be moving in the right direction, but we have to push for more. Diversity in front of the screen is not enough. Minority groups need to be the ones developing and backing projects to make them as resonating and powerful as possible.

The world does not need a white male to write, direct, and produce a story of a Black woman.

The response to the new inclusion standards was split; the announcement received praise and backlash.

According to Forbes, actors Kirstie Alley and Dean Cain slammed the academy’s decision to implement such rules.

“The new RULES to qualify for ‘best picture’ are dictatorial…anti-artist…Hollywood you’re swinging so far left you’re bumping into your own [expletive],” Alley wrote in a since-deleted tweet,

Illustration by Paige Atkison/The Runner

according to Forbes.

Cain voiced his frustration and disdain for the new requirements on Twitter, asking if the Oscars will hand out participation awards to undeserving films to be politically correct.

To say that these requirements stifle creativity is ludicrous, and frankly, irresponsible. Stories worth telling come from a collaboration of diverse voices. Films that are not representative of the real world do not resonate

with audiences, and they are too self-important for their own good. Not welcoming diversity is to be closed-minded, and that world is incredibly dull and unimportant.

If the year’s best picture is a movie about a straight, able-bodied, white man, made by white men, then the human race needs to find another creative outlet.

The U.S. Census estimates that the majority of the American population will comprise of minorities by 2050. Minority groups

will soon overwhelm this country, and it is time for cinema to reflect what this country is instead of enforcing outdated societal norms.

Minorities deserve to be seen and heard. The media needs to hire them instead of drowning out their voices with what they think we want to see.

While I appreciate the academy’s pitiful gesture, I still would not give up the roof over my head to play someone’s thinly written friend, sister, or girlfriend.

Dutch Bros is worth every single penny

By Jacqueline Gutierrez Assistant Opinions Editor If you are in the mood for a flavorful tea or coffee, you should try Dutch Bros Coffee. On Friday, Sept. 11, Bakersfield opened its first Dutch Bros on Columbus street in the College Center.

Dutch Bros offers a wide variety of drinks, including cold brews, teas, smoothies, blue rebels, and lemonades.

Dutch Bros is not a dine-in coffee shop, but they do have two drive-thru stations and a walk-up station where one can order their drinks.

Before coming to Bakersfield, the closest Dutch Bros location was in Fresno. There have been many reviews saying that their coffee is good, but this may have just been another overpriced and overhyped coffeeshop, but it is always good to try something new and different.

But surprisingly the reviews were right.

The golden eagle cold brew, which is a

regular cold brew with a caramel drizzle and cream, is delicious. For some, the golden eagle may be a little too sweet, but it is a great blend of caramel, cream and coffee. The cream and caramel do not overpower the taste of coffee.

If you think that the golden eagle cold

brew may be too sweet for you or if you prefer your cold brew without caramel and cream there are other options on the menu that you can choose from.

Another flavorful drink is the peach tea with a green tea base. The peach tea at Dutch Bros has just the right amount of

Illustration by Paige Atkison/The Runner

sugar, and the taste of peach is not overpowered by sugar. If you do not like peach tea there are other teas on their menu that you can try.

Most coffee shops are overpriced, and their drink sizes are not reasonable at all. But at Dutch Bros, the medium sizes are 24 ounces, and they are a reasonable price.

Since it was the opening, they had staff members directing people where to go and how to follow the lines for the drive-thru.

Many people came to the opening of the coffee shop, and the staff remained helpful and friendly. The baristas made small talk and joked around while doing their job.

For the opening of the shop, the baristas were handing out Dutch Bros car air fresheners, that smell like vanilla and caramel, and stickers to the clients.

In the end, Dutch Bros is a coffeeshop where one can find a wide variety of flavorful drinks and a friendly staff.

6

Sports

The Runner

September 23, 2020

Former CSUB catcher graduates to minor leagues

By Ron Stapp Sports Editor

Becoming a professional baseball player wasn’t in the immediate plans when Jake Ortega first arrived on the CSU Bakersfield campus in the fall of 2015.

The 5-foot-10 and 145-pound middle infielder was more concerned about putting on weight and getting stronger in an effort to earn playing time for the Roadrunners.

But five years later, the Orange County native has exceeded his own expectations, all thanks to a transformation, of sorts, that helped him blossom into one of the best catchers in the school’s history.

The former Roadrunner backstop, who was selected by the New York Mets in the 28th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, is now preparing for his first full season of minor league baseball.

“It’s been a crazy ride so far,” Ortega said. “I didn’t have any (pro teams) looking at me in high school. I think people liked some of the tools I had, but I was really undersized. A lot of it is work ethic to get to this point. I just worked super hard and I owe a lot to the coaches at (CSUB).”

Although he only played shortstop in high school, except for a few scouting showcase events he signed up for to show off his versatility, Ortega was determined to earn playing time anywhere he could.

But with all four CSUB

infielders returning from the year before, Ortega decided catching might be his best opportunity.

He started working with first-year assistant Justin Roberts, who like Ortega, was at one time an undersized catcher and infielder in high school and college.

The two formed an immediate bond, with Roberts working to teach Ortega the finer points of catching.

From receiving the pitch and blocking balls in the dirt to eliminating unnecessary movement and breaking habits.

The two worked on it all, while at the same time working through the physical demands of being a college catcher.

“We based everything on growth, on how we improve daily rather than results,” Roberts said.

“Young athletes focus on what they do well and the results of everything and we just had to focus on how much better he was getting. And look where we can get to. And that was a good process in the two years that I had the pleasure of coaching him.”

It didn’t take long for the hard work to start paying dividends.

Ortega wound up starting 33 of the team’s 44 games his freshman season, finishing with the Roadrunners’ third-best batting average (.283) and 13 RBIs. It was the start of an impressive four-year career, and a first step in his journey to become a pro

Photo provided by CSUB Athletics

prospect.

The following year, Roberts last with the team before he took a position as an athletic director at nearby Stockdale High School, Ortega continued his growth despite suffering a UCL injury in the fall, hitting .322 in 30 starts.

“He was just relentless with his work ethic,” CSUB head baseball coach Jeremy Beard said. “He was always staying late and arriving early. And he showed a lot of ambition to be good. He was undersized, but he had excellent hand-eye coordination.

We thought he would get bigger, but when he was still small he really worked on his skill development

and really just grinding on his game.”

With his confidence beginning to flourish, Ortega suffered a setback the following season when he got sick in the fall and spent two weeks in San Joaquin Hospital with what doctors called a bad virus.

During the illness, Ortega lost 25 pounds, and it carried over into his junior season. With the loss in weight and strength, he struggled at the plate, hitting just .245.

But through the recovery process, Ortega continued to improve his skills behind the plate, and says he was able to take things to the next level with new assistant Ryan Cisterna.

“Cisterna came in my

junior year and he changed my entire career around, just from a catching standpoint, mental standpoint and handling a staff,” Ortega said. “I really saw myself grow in my junior year and in my senior year I really put everything together.

Following the season, Ortega was more determined together. He got his weight up to 170 pounds, hit his first college home run and led the team with a .326 average. A few month later, he was rewarded with a pro contract. He spent the next month bouncing back and forth between St. Lucie, Fla. and Brooklyn, N.Y., the Mets minor-league affiliates.

“Luckily Cisterna had

pro catching experience and he trained me on how it was going to be in pro ball,” Ortega said. “I owe him so much credit for that because I was able to walk in to pro ball, walk into a staff of pitchers and be able to pick it up right away, learning how to call a game in college and handle a staff was able to translate right into pro ball.”

Ortega was invited to spring training in February, but when the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold, he was sent home a few weeks later. Ortega is now looking forward to his first full season, which he hopes will come early in 2021.

He has found a group of other pro players to work out with near his home in the interim.

“It’s actually worked out,” Ortega said. “I’ve seen some improvement and I’ve been able to put on some more weight.

There’s talk about maybe opening things up to teams to have an instructional league, but there’s been no official announcement. I just have to keep working and be ready when I get the call.”

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