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May 23, 2016
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C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y, L O S A N G E L E S
University slapped with lawsuit over Shapiro event
viewpoints not approved by the administration without fear of violence.”
Pablo De La Hoya Web Editor Photo Courtesy | Her Campus
Parking prices picks pockets, increase in parking permits Jacqueline Quiroz Contributor
Things will be shaking up this fall semester for students at Cal State LA, and it’s not the quarter to semester conversion. Parking Services announced the $165 Fall Semester 2016 parking pass; a jump from the $100 quarterly passes. Valarie Llerenas, 22, a Psychology graduate student, thinks the change will take some time to adapt. “I don’t like the new semester change, I’ve been used to quarter systems and everything that came with it,” Llerenas said. “I’m definitely not ready for that fee.” Parking on campus has been a constant struggle to most students evidenced by online commentary by the University’s social media accounts. Resulting in an underused off-site campus parking Continues on page 4
Ben Shapiro and Young America’s Foundation, along with students from our campus local chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), filed a federal lawsuit against Cal State LA President William Covino, administrators and two professors. The lawsuit derives from President Covino’s initial cancellation of the event, and the occurrences leading up to guest spokesman Ben Shapiro’s “When Diversity Becomes A Problem” on February 25 in the University-Student Union (U-SU) Theater. Shapiro’s original speech was to speak out against trigger warnings, microaggressions, Black Lives Matter and safe spaces. However, the speech turned to calling out Cal State LA officials and students for their actions, as revealed in the live streaming of the event. YAF sued the University under the grounds of violating their first and fourteenth amendment rights with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom. AFD is a non-profit law firm committed to the fight for the freedom of faith. Prior to the event, President Covino offered to hold a panel with other speakers to promote diversity. After comments from Shapiro stating that the event would commence without his consent, President Covino retracted the cancellation. Protesters blocked entry to the U-SU Theater, where Shapiro was set
YAF released a statement regarding the lawsuit detailing the reasons for the lawsuit, “Young America’s Foundation filed a lawsuit against California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) for censoring Cal State LA Young Americans for Freedom’s (YAF) February 25 lecture featuring Ben Shapiro.”
to speak to attendees who wished to listen to his lecture. Amongst those named in the lawsuit are Pan-African Studies Professor Melina Abdullah and Sociology Professor Robert Weide for alleged prior threats promoting the cancellation of the event. Chief of Police Rick Wall was originally named in the lawsuit, but was later dropped once the official lawsuit was announced in a press conference on Thursday, May 19. The official lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court Central Dis-
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LA ONDA:ESTUDIANTES TENDRÁN LA OPORTUNIDAD DE DORMIR EN ESTE CAMPUS
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Legendary Cheryl Miller to coach Golden Eagles women’s basketball Taylor Preza
The Golden Eagles Athletic department has announced Cheryl Miller as the new head coach of the women’s basketball program at Cal State LA on Friday, May 20.
Previously as head coach at Langston University in Oklaho-
| Photo Courtesy Dailywire.com
trict of California.
Shapiro’s thoughts on what occurred on the day of the event may have influenced Chief Wall’s exclusion from the lawsuit. In an interview with Nick Kangadis, Shapiro states, “The police did their best under the orders from the administration, but they were clearly given orders by the administration not to clear entrances so that people could attend the lecture without threat of physical violence.” Shapiro also provided the reasoning for the lawsuit, “We’re legitimately attempting to enforce the rights of students to hear alternative
PRESIDENT COVINO'S STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS PG 2 explained how he was attracted to the AD position because of the challenge and locale. “Nothing personal, but if you don’t win and you can’t recruit, we have to go and find people that can,” he said. Garrett who also hired Miller at USC insists she will elevate Cal State LA athletics.
Production Manager
Cheryl Miller, sibling of retired Pacers’ professional basketball player Reggie Miller, has lead a stellar career as a player and coach. She led two national titles in 1983 and 1984 and had been named NCAA Tournament MVP twice.
Issue 212.09
“I’ve known Cheryl as a player, coach and general manager for more than 20 years. She is a world-class talent,” Garrett said. “I came to Cal State LA to win national championships, and Cheryl has done just that. She knows how to get us to where we intend to go.” ma, she had led the Lions to a number eighteen National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ranking in two seasons. In Oklahoma, Miller was hired by Cal State LA’s Executive Director
| Photo courtesy Cal State LA Athletics
of Athletics, Mike Garrett, who had previously directed athletics there. Earlier last year, as the new Athletic Director (AD), Garrett
President William A. Covino shared the same thoughts. “Cheryl embodies the kind of athlete and human being who will lead our students to successful futures beyond what they’ve imagined,” Covino said.
ADF Senior Counsel David Hacker said, “The defendants’ actions violated numerous university policies, as well as state and local laws.” Furthermore detailing the exact rights that were declined “our clients’ fundamental rights to free speech, due process, and equal protection of law.” The University Times contacted Cal State LA Director of Communications, Robert Lopez, who had no comment on the matter, and no official statement has been released by the University, as of yet, in regards to the lawsuit. In an attempt to contact the parties named in the lawsuit, there was no response regarding the matter.
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With a clear purpose in mind for the future, this will not be Miller’s first time stepping foot on Cal State LA’s court. As a teenager, Miller would spend summers in the U.S. Olympic development program that was held at the Cal State LA gym. “Graduating and developing women of inspiration and substance is my goal. Cal State LA is the perfect place for that mission," she said. “The first college I played at, literally, was Cal State LA. I’m glad to be back.” In addition to Miller’s achievements, she helped guide the 1984 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal and was honored in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She had also served as USC’s head coach, leading the Trojans to the NCAA tournament for two seasons before embarking on her career as a TV reporter and analyst.
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University Times
May 23, 2016
NEWS
Covino delivers State of the University Address Ani Nalbandian Staff Reporter
Covino addresses parking, infrastructure, and reorganization of campus units. President Covino outlined issues concerning students and faculty on Tuesday, May 17 during his State of the University Address in the Golden Eagle Ballroom. Beginning this upcoming fall semester, Cal State LA will become the largest CSU by population size since increasing student enrollment from 27,600 in fall 2015 to 28,400 students in fall 2016. According to the Cal State LA online Factoids page, last year there was an increase of approximately 5,250 students after the 2013-14 school year. The major increase will come from transfer students with an increase of 600 students as compared with the increase in first time freshman, which will total 150 students. Parking will continue to be a problem in the coming year, considering no additional parking will be added to our campus. Although President Covino did say there would be 200 free parking permits offered to students and faculty for the off-campus lot, located 15 minutes away via
tram. A new Dean of the Library was announced, and Carlos Rodriguez, a lifelong experienced employee of university libraries, has been appointed as the new savior. President Covino’s confidence in Mr. Rodriguez is evident, in hopes he will be able to improve the ailing conditions of the library caused by the April 2015 flood. The administration will also be hiring, and is currently looking for, a new Vice Provost for Diversity and Engaged Learning who will focus on initiatives to create a more inclusive environment on our campus. In addition there will be an increase of 50 new faculty members spread across all disciplines in order to accommodate the increase in students and demand for classes. In addition to faculty, Cal State LA will also be home to new counselors to shorten waiting times for students attempting to improve their inner well-being. However, Covino did not specify exactly how many additional counselors there would be on top of the four existing counselors. Although funding has not matched to comparable sized CSU campuses, Cal State LA will still be receiving certain grants for specific projects and for the campus as a whole. A onetime 25 million dollar grant has been presented to Cal State LA, pending an agreement by the Board of Trustees to increase graduation rates.
During his address, President Covino announced infrastructure funding for the summer but did not provide specifics. However a few months ago, in an interview with the Facilities, Planning and Construction department and Associate Vice President Jacobs, the department would be receiving funding to do a complete overhaul of the HVAC system campus-wide. The current system in place is at maximum functioning capacity and cannot adequately handle the heat during the summer months. Dr. Lisa Chavez answered a question from the audience regarding the status of updating infrastructure. She said Salazar Hall is currently being painted and light bulbs have been replaced, with the Fine Arts building being next on the list for similar updating. She continued stating “we have the authority to build, but do not have the money.” Total funding, Covino explained, will fall about 100 million dollars short of the Board of Trustees proposal; however this was also the case last year. An important goal for the administration will also be to make the school budget more transparent and readily available for anyone to see. Covino also announced that in April 2016, an agreement was signed between Cal State LA and Dr. Kevin and LiLi Xu to name a building in exchange for a massive donation of 10 million dollars. The building will
| Photo courtesy Cal State LA Office of Communications and Public Affairs
be named the Rong Xiang Xu Bio Science Innovation Center, in honor of Dr. Kevin Xu’s father. An audience member asked President Covino how the collective bargaining that took place this year will help with faculty salary increases. Covino explained that Cal State LA will be contributing to the salary increases and although there is no finalized budget, if current estimates stay the same, there will be an additional 1.5 million dollar allocation for salary increases. According to President Covino, there will also be a reorganization of campus units. For example, Academic Affairs will manage Student Enrollment Services, and Information Technology Services will be under Vice President Lisa Chavez’s department, the University’s Division of Administration and Finance. Just as well, Covino has put together a group of students, faculty and administration to discuss Information Technology Services in order to resolve pressing issues. Comments from faculty in the audience were glowing, with one faculty member standing and complimenting the plan
Pratt Professor explains race, fashion and social media Hector Aguilar Contributor
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Power blogging influential to change worldwide views. Minh-Ha T. Pahm aimed to answer the connection between social media, fashion and race with her recent seminar Asians Wear Clothes on the Internet: Race, Gender, and the Work of Personal Style Blogging. The seminar explained the meteoric rise of elite Asian fashion bloggers, and how their race and culture have influenced them within a historical context. Minh-Ha T. Pham is an Associate Professor at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She recently published a book identical with the name of the seminar. In the book, she delves into the world of Asian fashion blogging and how it stems from roots in gender and race. In the book, she highlights some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Susie Bubble and Bryanboy. Both of
| Photo Courtesy Hector Aguilar
whom belong to an elite group of Asian fashion bloggers who have made very comfortable livings from their fashion
blogging ventures. Susie Bubble, also known as Susanna Lau, is considered
and how it was inclusive of faculty.
In addition, the Downtown LA campus is reportedly “thriving” and has increased its student population and will continue to do so. They now offer 27 credit and non-credit courses, and beginning fall 2016 they will be adding a Bachelor completion program in psychology, liberal studies and more. Once President Covino finished with his address, the floor opened for questions from audience members. One faculty member wanted to bring up the Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center and its lack of funding, stating, “The center is too important for students and faculty, and more resources should be allocated to the center in order to accommodate all children who wish to attend.” Covino responded to the criticism by blaming ASI for lack of funding, citing a referendum passed in the 1990s that has been a contentious issue between ASI and Covino over the past year. Continuing, he is “hoping to work with new ASI leadership on getting more funding to center.”
3 NEWS
University Times
May 23, 2016
UN IIMVEESR S I T Y
Editor-in-Chief Gerardo Amezquita
T
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Managing Editor Marrian Zhou Production Manager Taylor Preza
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Contributors Marina Andalon Anthony Karambelas David Ochoa Joseph Delgado Jaqueline Quiroz Fred Zuniga Janice Peregrina Janette Marquez Daniel Esparza Matthew Gonzalez Hector Aquilar
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All opinions and letters in the University Times represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the UT or the university. Letters to the editor should include an address, telephone number and identification. Letters may be edited for grammar and length. University Times display and classified advertising should not be construed as the endorsement or investigation of commercial enterprises of ventures. University Times reserves the right to reject any advertising. University Times is published every Monday. Copyright 2016 University Times. All Rights Reserved. Cal State University, Los Angeles 5151 State University Dr. - KH C3098 LA, Ca, 90032 Office 323.343.4215 Advertising 323.343.4270
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Legalize sex for money? Hannah Jacobsen Staff Reporter
Author of Getting Screwed: Sex Workers and The Law tells the true tales of the sex trade. Sex workers operate outside the bounds of acceptability in U.S. society, walking the streets at the risk of violence and disease and working together at the risk of raids and jail time. Alison Bass, journalist and author of Getting Screwed: Sex Workers and The Law, came to Cal State LA’s University-Student Union (USU) theater on Monday, May 16 to present the story behind her book on sex work and the damage caused by criminalizing the occupation. “I honestly hadn’t given much thought to the largely hidden world of sex work until a student of mine came to me to go over a profile that she was writing for a class assignment,” Bass said. “She had chosen to write about a young activist who had helped defeat an ordinance that would’ve made it illegal for homeless people to panhandle on the streets of Northampton, a progressive but increasingly gentrified city in Western Massachusetts.” While Bass and her student were going over the assignment, she became fascinated by the fact that the student’s profile subject – an activist from a middle-class, Orthodox Jewish family – was also a sex worker. “This young woman seemed to defy every stereotype I had about prostitutes,” Bass said. “Jillian, that’s her work name, agreed to meet with me in one of those hip cafes that line Main Street Northampton’s. She arrived at the cafe a few minutes late, dressed entirely in black. A low cut black shirt, a long black skirt, and a black leather jacket adorned with the button ‘activist.’ I was immediately struck by how articulate and well-educated Jillian was. Although she had dropped out of college, she was widely read and had informed opinions
| Photo courtesy University-Student Union
on the psychiatric establishment, the socio-political structure of the United States, capitalism, you name it.” When they finally got around to the topic of Jillian’s sex work, Bass was further surprised by the nonchalance in her tone as she described the enjoyment and financial benefits involved, as if it were just like any other job: giving your body for a certain service and receiving compensation in return. “Jillian and I met several times, and she opened up my eyes to the reality of being a sex worker in the 21st century,” Bass said. “When I expressed an interest in writing about prostitution, she connected me with other sex workers around the country. The stories that Jillian and her compatriots told me clashed with the popular narrative of all prostitutes being drug-addicted, victimized women who are forced into the trade by abusive pimps or traffickers.” After hearing so many stories from sex workers that contradicted the mainstream notions of the trade, Bass began her research and discovered that respected scholars were making the same contradictory claims. “I was intrigued by how many studies by respected scholars also contradicted the conventional narrative and pointed to a very different story: laws criminalizing prostitution are not only largely ineffective in curbing the sex trade, but they create an atmosphere of exploitation of sex workers and violence against all women.” This body of research, and Bass herself, claims that these anti-prostitution laws simply make it more likely for sex workers to face harm from sexually transmitted diseases,
client violence, and police violence. The exploitation of sex workers is especially relevant to sex workers of color and LGBTQ individuals, who are particularly vulnerable under an atmosphere of criminalization. Bass is just one member of a network of individuals calling for a change in the way we view sex work. A sex worker in the UK, Toni Mac, recently gave a TED talk on the subject, calling for sex workers to be brought into the conversation surrounding the regulation of their trade. “Most of the people would tell you that selling sex is degrading; that no one would ever choose to do it; that it’s dangerous; women get abused and killed,” Mac said. “Maybe that sounds reasonable. It sounded reasonable to me until the closing months of 2009, when I was working two dead-end, minimum-wage jobs. Every month my wages would just replenish my overdraft. I decided sex for money was a better option. Now don’t get me wrong – I would have loved to won the lottery instead. But it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, and my rent needed paying.” Rather than criminalization or legalization with regulation, Mac calls for decriminalization and self-determination, for her job to be treated as just another way of making a living. “No doubt many of you work for a living,” Mac said. “Well, sex work is work too. Just like you, some of us like our jobs; some of us hate them. Ultimately, most of us have mixed feelings. But how we feel about our work isn’t the point. And how others feel about our work certainly isn’t. What’s important is that we have the right to work safely and on our own terms.”
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Pratt
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Para La Onda: Jefa de Redacción:
Graciela López
Editores: Martha J. Orellana Jessica Magaña Gerente de publicidad: Martha J. Orellana Consejero de la Facultad:
Pablo Baler
to be the fashion blogger. Lau is credited with pioneering the idea of being able to be a fashion blogger as a viable career path. It began simply when she started posted photos of her outfits online, eventually evolving into an online empire. Not only does Lau run her own website, Style Bubble, but she has also held various editorial positions and several publications. Pham claims that bloggers such as Lau were able to cement themselves as blogging powerhouses because of their
cultural roots. Pham places these Asian fashion bloggers into what she sees as a “longer historical context of Asian fashion work.” She explains how these fashion bloggers have been indicative of cultural shifts. Views on issues such as race, gender, and sexuality have drastically changed over the last several decades, and these fashions blogs highlight this. Pham explains in the seminar that bloggers like these have revolutionized how we see and use social media. They are able to generate immense traffic to their websites, which generates interest from companies looking
to capture the attention of that traffic. Thanks to social media and the Internet, anyone can be a self-made business mogul. “Their (Asian fashion bloggers) high visibility in an economy in which attention is currency is what has made them ready examples of the postracism of the digital era,” Pham said. If you’re interested in an in depth look at these topics, pick up Minh-Ha T. Pham’s book Asians Wear Clothes on the Internet: Race, Gender, and the Work of Personal Style Blogging.
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University Times
May 23, 2016
NEWS
A Statement far from the ordinary Anthony Karambelas Contributor
Statement Magazine celebrates its 2016 Launch. Celebrating its 66th Annual Publication Launch on the May 19, Statement magazine’s 2016 staff, English faculty, and others gathered at the 3rd Floor Golden Eagle Ballroom to crack into the freshly printed pages of the 2016 Edition of Statement Magazine and hear staff members read their own work. Statement is an award-winning Cal State LA publication featuring poems, short stories, creative nonfiction, artwork and photography. As written on their website, “More importantly, the magazine is a space, a safe space not limited to just writers or the humanities. We welcome the thoughts and ideas of computer majors and mathematicians, the financially-savvy and the scientifically-driven, from engineers to entrepreneurs, we offer a place to express and share.” To introduce the Statement launch Dr. James Garrett, chair of the English department, quoted Walter Pater, an influential literary and art critic. “So I think that’s what we’re here to celebrate. Because here we are among those wisest children of the world who have chosen to remind us of the need to spend our interval in art and song.” According to Dr. Lauri Ramey, around September of last year the
Parking
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lot on Fremont Avenue. Increased price changes will also occur for this parking site. Prices are currently $50 for the quarter system resulting in $150 for the full academic year. For fall semester the price will be $82.50, double it for the both semesters for a total of $165—a $15 increase for off-site parking. Annually, the full cost of a parking permit for fall and spring semester will cost $330, a $30 increase to the annual quarterly rate. Cal State Long Beach has implemented the semester system for some time now and prices for
2016 Statement Magazine staff began meeting up weekly and sometimes more “to learn about, envision, plan, market, and implement all aspects of producing a professional quality magazine of literature and art.” Although all the works in Statement Magazine 2016 were deserving of praise, some were given special recognition. Dr. Peter McAllister awarded Dean’s Prizes to four pieces–two poems and two proses. The Dean’s Prize for Poetry was awarded to Katherine Pyne-Jaeger for her tremendous achievement, “Out from Galilee,” which she read to the audience. As Dr. Ramey pointed out, “Galilee” is a pantoum, an “extraordinarily difficult form” of poetry, which Pyne-Jaeger did absolute justice. Other recipients included Jacqlyn Cope for Dean’s Prize in Prose, Tim Stafford for Honorable Mention in Poetry, and Jacqueline “Jake” Kozak for Honorable Mention in Prose. In addition, to the Dean’s Prize, Cal State LA also awards and participates in the Academy of American Poets’ University and College Prize Program. To each university’s poetry
a semester is $123. Citing students as none too pleased that a larger school, with more students enrolled have to pay less. “I’ve been to Cal State Long Beach and it’s a lot bigger with more students enrolled, so why are we paying more than them. It doesn’t make any sense,” said Tamera Worthington, 31, a Social Work major. There is no confirmation on whether 4-hour and all-day parking rates will increase as well. To purchase your parking pass for summer and fall semester or for additional information visit the Parking Services website. Currently, the purchase of the fall semester permit is only available online.
| Photo by Yiheng Yu
| Photo by Anthony Karambelas
winner, the Academy issues a prize check in the amount of $100, a letter of congratulations, a year’s subscription to the newsletter and membership in the Academy of American Poets, announces the winner’s name in the Academy’s annual report, features their prize winning poem on the Academy’s website poets.org, highlights them in their magazine, American Poets, and offers them possible publication opportunities in the most prestigious national magazines. “In other words, it’s a tremendous start on a literary career,” said Dr. Raemy. At Cal State LA, the Academy of American Poets’ College and University prize is named in honor of Henri Coulette, a revered poet and Cal State LA English faculty member. The 2016 Henri Coulette Academy of American Poets Prize was awarded to Pyne-Jaeger, again, for her “Galilee.”
But literary art is not the only type accepted and featured by Statement magazine. Visual art – including paintings, photographs, and drawings – are also encouraged and make up a significant part of Statement. Lary Ellis, director of the Photo Cove, also presented awards to selected artwork submissions in the 2016 Statement. On June 4, these
| Photo by Yiheng Yu
awarded works will be exhibited at the Artisan Focus Gallery. Are you a writer or artist who wants a shot at publication in next year’s issue of Statement Magazine? If so, be sure to periodically check on Statement Magazine’s Facebook page for submission updates and their website for submission guidelines.
5 NEWS
University Times
May 23, 2016
CARE puts CAPS on suicide prevention Pablo De La Hoya Web Editor
Chief of Police Rick Wall helps spread the word of suicide prevention. The end of the school year is near and that is a huge relief. However, it also brings about a serious problem amongst college students. In an interview with Chief of Police Rick Wall, he explained the increased number of suicide attempts and campus shootings in the spring quarter. “Often students are near the end and suddenly realize that they are not going to pass a class and that’s hard to get through,” Wall said. Chief Wall explained there being four phases for someone to look out for amongst his or her peers. First, there is the ideation phase, which prompts up the initial thoughts of suicide. Secondly, there is a planning phase where the means are sought. Third, there is the acquisition phase and in this phase the items are acquired.
Lastly, there is the implemental phase, the phase Chief Wall hopes to keep everyone out of.
According to Chief Wall there are two key phases: the planning and the acquisition where there are signs of “leakage” – a term used to describe hints that are often given by someone planning to commit suicide. This is where Chief Wall hopes others will help in the efforts to prevent suicide on campuses. “Many students fear that they will lose their friendship or that their friend will get in trouble.” Coming forward may be difficult in fear of troubling their friends. There is also the fear of losing friendship if the person is angered for being reported. Chief Wall responds, “I always answer that it’s better that they be alive than to be angry at you.” Chief Wall explained that in the month of April two students were put in mental health holds. Along with that, there have been four new cases in the last ten days. “There was a situation with a student in one of our parking structures which we had to intervene on.” The state of California gives
authority to place someone on a 72 hour hold if they are deemed to be a danger to themselves, danger to others or are disabled to get food, shelter or clothing.
Often times the campus police will not respond in that matter but this situation was in implementation stage and it was crucial to intervene. Normally when a flag is raised it goes through a care team including Chief Wall, Dean of Students Jennifer Miller and Dr. Jonna Fries from the Health Center. Chief Wall assured that they are there to help as opposed to just getting someone into trouble. Jennifer Miller explained the services provided by the CARE team, “The CARE Team is a campus resource for students, faculty and staff who have concerns regarding alarming, problematic, and/or disruptive student behavior.” Miller explains that they meet on a bi-weekly basis to discuss various subjects to help students and assess the needs of those impacted. “The goal is to support students who may be in distress and/or whose behavior is of concern to others before they rise to crisis levels,” said Miller in an emailed
response. Dr. Fries, a counselor at the Health Center helps run Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), provides professional help to students’ personal growth and psychological wellness. Students face many struggles throughout their college career, some more than others. Homelessness across all campuses has increased and Chief Wall has seen the increase himself. However,
| Photo Courtesey
he wants to assure students “it’s okay to talk to us”, and that he along with other resources across campus are there to help students move past these struggles. For assistance or consultation please contact the Dean of Students Office at (323) 343-3103 or email DeanOfStudents@calstatela.edu.
Award-winning director Billy Woodberry returns to alma mater to premiere newest film Marina Andalon
out being famous or some Hollywood star.”
LA Rebellion filmmaker premieres jazz inspired documentary.
Cal State LA students described the 90-minute film as brilliant, entertaining, interesting, unique, and historic.
Contributor
Naim Reece, a double major in TVFM as well as Pan-African Studies, was honored to get to meet and speak with a revolutionary filmmaker who achieved massive amounts of success and notoriety without compromising his morals to work inside of the Hollywood system.
Award-winning filmmaker Billy Woodberry visited his alma mater, Cal State LA on Wednesday, May 18. Woodberry premiered to students and faculty members his long awaited film And When I Die I Won’t Stay Dead, his documentary about the jazz inspired poet Bob Kaufman, otherwise known as “American Rimbaud.” Before presenting his film, Woodberry said, “I am especially happy to be here at Cal State LA, to see you in the same seats that I once sat in. The foundation began here, the friendship, the lessons, the mentoring I had received, and it all began here.” Born in 1950, Woodberry is an established and well-recognized filmmaker. He was a leading figure in the L.A. Rebellion, otherwise known as the Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers, which refers to the new generation of young African and African-American Filmmakers who studied at the UCLA Film School back in the 1960’s to the 1980’s.
Many people attended the event held in King Hall Lecture hall, because he brought social and political issues to the screen. Television, Film and Media Studies (TVFM) Chair John Ramirez attended and was thrilled to have Billy Woodberry speak to students about the art of filmmaking.
screen his film. His film is only showing in specific areas, from Europe all the way back to Cal State LA,” Jabbaar said. “He went out of his way, which I am completely grateful for and I hope students enjoy talking with him.”
TVFM teamed up with the Pan-African Studies department, including Professor Aminah Bakeer Abdul Jabbaar, who teaches Ethnicity and Emotions in U.S. films.
The documentary presented the political activism of Kaufman, which led him to being investigated and harassed by the FBI. This harassment came in the form of multiple police arrests in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
“It is an honor to have a man such as Billy Woodberry come and
The film takes you along the journey through historic events of
| Photo courtesy filmfestamiens.org
the social and political history of the U.S. Woodberry has been showcased around the world, extending to places such as Vienna, Amiens International Film Festival, to the Human Rights Watch Film Festival and Museum of Modern Art just to name a few. Oscar Tenorio, sophomore majoring in Business said, “Although it was hard to follow, I still enjoyed the film and thought it was well put together. Informative and had interesting points. He taught me that people can create great work with-
“I thought the film did a great job of mirroring the chaos that was Bob Kaufman’s life,” Reece said. “I appreciated learning about a Black poet that was never given his due respect here in the U.S. until it was too late. I love the fact that his poetry was his form of protest and that fact that he lived his life by his own rules.” After the film, Woodberry was able to sit with students and talk with them and answer any questions they had. He left the students with a few words, “We got a lot of things going on now a days in colleges and universities. We are in a social movement and getting the reaction and the arousal of people. Seeking answers from war, and where our country is going. All of these aspects are initiatives founded by people who have different ideologies. That is what we need and continue to strive for and create art.”
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University Times
May 23, 2016
NEWS
New plan of execution for Student Veterans Association by president Fred Zuniga Contributor
New president, name, and plans for student veterans association. Father, entrepreneur, Navy veteran, and President of the new and improved Student Veterans Association (SVA) Thomas Lawson detailed a new plan of attack for the recently renamed club. Formerly known as the Student Veterans Organization, the new SVA is well underway to further their status as a club since its inception in 2014. Since taking the reigns as president last year, Lawson has been making decisions that will inevitably direct the club in a more organizational avenue. His first order of business as president was to organize last year’s Veterans Day ceremony where he showed his aptitude by not only laying hold of food trucks and other entertainment for the event, but also attaining the Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra
as a guest speaker. After kicking off his presidency with a big bang, Lawson intends to make sure the club grows in perpetuity after he graduates. “One of the big things was changing the name and just getting people into some board positions which is what I’ve been working on the last month,” Lawson said. “I want to try and get things setup so that when I leave, things are good to go and there’s actually a baton that’s passed instead of slowed down.” As far as the name change for the club, Lawson explains that aside from having a better ring to it, it also correlates the club better with the main organization— Student Veterans of America—that governs student veteran clubs across the nation. Lawson also plans to create an environment to entice more veterans to not only join the SVA but to be more involved within the club. A possible restraint, however, is the fact that Cal State LA is a commuter school; the campus has vets from not only Los Angeles but its surrounding counties as well. He hopes that student veterans will be more apt to taking on responsibilities to
| Photo courtesy calstatela.edu
be able to run the club and its events for years to come. “What I would like to see happen moving forward is to create a culture here where things are kind of expected,” Lawson said Tuesday during a Veterans Resource Center (VRC)/SVA cookout. “Like the Veterans Day ceremony, I’d like to see that in perpetuity when I leave I’d like to see that students are known for taking care of that ceremony and building other things like that.” As president of the SVA, Lawson has been veering the club in the way he thinks will be more beneficial to the student veterans and the association. He has put to-
gether a full set of board members, as well as recruited a faculty adviser, changed the constitution of the SVA, and implemented club meetings called “Muster Mondays” (muster is a military term used to gather up troops for battle, inspection, orders etc.) where every first and third Monday of the month they have their bi-monthly meeting. With the looming date of his graduation, Lawson hopes he can get his vision for the club up and running. For now, student veterans can get the information they need in those Muster Monday meetings or they can follow the VRC on Facebook, while the SVA sets up their other social media accounts.
7 NEWS
University Times
May 23, 2016
Obama releases transgender bathroom directive makes it mandatory to use the restroom that corresponds with the gender on your birth certificate.
Ani Nalbandian Staff Reporter
Anti-Trans bathroom laws cause controversy throughout the country. Transgender bathroom rights have been at the forefront of civil liberties debates and culminated to a head this week when the Obama Administration released an educational directive “Examples of Policies and Emerging Practices for Supporting Transgender Students.” The directive lets transgender students use the bathroom and locker room that corresponds with their gender identity. Many conservative states have come out against the guidance, with Texas in particular railing against Washington D.C. who can withhold federal funding if the directive is violated. The federal government can potentially withhold ten billion dollars in funding to which the Lieutenant Governor
The passage of the law was followed by national outcry, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) subsequently sent a letter to the Governor McCrory warning him of the federal civil rights laws being violated by HB2. McCrory had until May 9 to take action and suspend the law; instead he decided to stand his ground on a law that has lost the state millions of dollars in business investment from companies like Amazon.
of Texas Dan Patrick replied, “He can keep his 30 pieces of silver, and we will not yield to blackmail from the President of the United States.” The guidance does not impose any new laws, but instead clarifies existing laws under the U.S. Department of Education. Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 “protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial
| Photo by Joseph Delgado
assistance.”
The directive came after North Carolina announced its decision last week to sue the Department of Justice, the Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Vanita Gupta. Immediately, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of North Carolina. The decision came after the Governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory signed HB2, an anti-trans law that
Governor McCrory’s speech last Monday announced its decision to sue the DOJ over bathroom rights is reminiscent of George Wallace’s 1963 speech “Segregation Now, Segregation Forever.” McCrory’s decision may get him re-elected by his core following, but his name will become synonymous with the Wallace’s racist ideologies. Critics charge that anti-trans legislation is being passed because they want to send the LGBTQI community a message that they are not welcome.
Cal State LA is a progressive campus where group consensus is equality for all. Not only have students successfully lobbied for all-gender and gender-neutral bathrooms, but they have also become a voice for transgender and LGBTQI rights. As recent as November 2015 students were successful in changing the gender neutral bathroom sign on campus to a true gender-neutral symbol. California as a state has also been at the forefront of transgender bathroom rights. In 2013 a middle school transgender student sued the Arcadia Unified School District using Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. The transgender student was being restricted from using the boy’s restroom, which would correspond to his gender identification and instead was forced to use the nurse’s restroom, which caused bullying by fellow students. In this case, the student won in the federal courts, setting national precedent. The federal government, to uphold the educational directive set by Obama, may use the California ruling.
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May 23, 2016
LOCAL
¡Pijamada en Cal Sate LA! Todos están invitados a asistir este 25 de mayo
NACIONAL
Por Graciela López La Asociación del Estudiante de Trabajo Social (ASSW por sus siglas en inglés) junto con el Homeless Health Care Los Angeles organizará una pijamada este 25 y 26 de mayo en nuestro campus. El propósito de este evento es concientizar a los estudiantes de los problemas por los que pasan los indigentes (homeless). Mejor conocido como Box City, o Ciudad de Caja, el
evento planea también recaudar fondos para apoyar a individuos y a familias enteras que no tienen donde vivir en esta ciudad. Esa noche, los asistentes crearán una “ciudad de cajas” en la U-SU Plaza de Cal State LA para tener dónde pasar la noche. Esto es para recrear la situación en la que muchas personas se encuentran en la actualidad: no tener un hogar en dónde dormir. También podrán participar en actividades educativas y escuchar a oradores. Los estudiantes también pueden tomar liderazgo en el evento y educar a los demás acerca de un tema similar a la
indigencia. Algunos de estos temas podrían ser: las necesidades de los estudiantes, discapacidades físicas, adultos mayores, abuso de sustancias tóxicas y enfermedades mentales. El costo de la entrada es de 22 dólares y el boleto se puede adquirir en el sitio web www. assboxcity.eventbrite.com. Las organizaciones involucradas se proponen recaudar un total de 1,500 dólares. Para más información, pueden contactar a la ASSW al correo electrónico outreach.assw@ gmail.com o llamar al teléfono (909) 713-9004.
Niños indocumentados reciben Reconocimiento a los seguro médico en California Este es un mensaje graduados para el país Alfonso Gonzales, recién graduado de USC. Fotografía | Crédito: news.usc.edu
Un ejemplo de optimismo y perseverancia
Por Beatriz Cortez El año escolar está llegando a su fin y varios estudiantes estarán listos para graduarse y festejar sus logros. El poder concluir con éxito los estudios universitarios requiere de un gran esfuerzo. Para muchos, es muy difícil el combinar los estudios, el trabajo y hasta las responsabilidades como padres. Cada estudiante se esfuerza mucho para seguir con los estudios. Cada uno de ellos tiene una historia muy particular, como lo son la de Yuriana Aguilar, Alfonso Gonzales y Michael V. Vale la pena mencionar los logros de estos tres graduados porque son realmente admirables. Yuriana Aguilar es la primera indocumentada en recibir un doctorado de la Universidad de California en Merced. Se graduó con una especialización en Electrofisiología. Yuriana compartió su historia con Univisión y expresó que lo que vive ahora le sabe a triunfo. Esta muchacha de 26 años es un ejemplo para estudiantes indocumentados en California y el resto de Estados Unidos de que es posible ir a la escuela sin importar la situación en la que se
encuentren.
El caso de es Alfonso Gonzales es de igual manera muy admirable. Él no tuvo la oportunidad de terminar sus estudios por haber sido reclutado para ir a la segunda guerra mundial, pero después de más de medio siglo decidió regresar a la Universidad del Sur de California (USC) y graduarse. A sus 96 años, Alfonso se convirtió el estudiante de mayor edad en graduarse de esta institución y de obtener una licenciatura en historia de los Estados Unidos. Alfonso está dando un increíble ejemplo de optimismo a otras personas de edad avanzada en el mundo. Otro estudiante admirable es Michael V quien fuera intendente por casi una década en la Institución de Massachusetts. Éste decidió cambiar su oficio de custodio a estudiante. Por motivos personales, Michael tuvo que trabajar varios años es esa institución pero después de enterarse que los empleados recibían la colegiatura gratis decidió comenzar a estudiar y obtener una especialización en ingeniería mecánica. No cabe duda que no importa la situación, edad o circunstancia para seguir con las metas y estudios. Sin duda todo requiere esfuerzo, pero también todo lo que se obtiene con trabajo y dedicación tiene su recompensa.
MÚSICA
Monoplasma lanza su primer álbum: S.O.S. Se unen dos figuras muy reconocidas del rock en español Por Jessica Magaña
Monoplasma es un nuevo grupo de rock/pop alternativo que se formó por Víctor Monroy, vocalista y compositor del grupo Pastilla, y César López, conocido como el “Vampiro” y ex guitarrista de los grupos Jaguares y Maná. Este dúo
Por Karla Grajeda California comenzará el año fiscal con todos sus niños asegurados por Medi-Cal. El pasado lunes, 16 de mayo, el gobernador Jerry Brown pasó la ley SB4 que dará seguro médico estatal a todos los niños indocumentados en el estado. “Salud para Todos”, como se le ha llamado a la nueva ley que presentó el senador demócrata de Bell Gardens, Ricardo Lara, beneficiará a cerca de 170,000 menores indocumentados en el estado. Lara fue quien impulsó la propuesta. California tiene 117.5 mil millones de dólares para el año fiscal 2015-2016 que iniciará este 1 de julio. De ese fondo, se estarán usando 40 millones de dólares para proveer seguro médico para todos estos niños. Nuestro estado es un pionero está promoviendo su nuevo proyecto titulado S.O.S. En una entrevista con La Onda, el “Vampiro” contó cómo se conocieron los integrantes de esta banda en 1998 cuando ensayaban y grababan proyectos con otros grupos musicales. En ese entonces, Víctor estaba grabando su proyecto “Vox Electra” y César grababa el disco “Bajo el Azul de Tu Misterio” con Jaguares. César mencionó que quedó fascinado por el proyecto de Víctor y empezaron a trabajar juntos en otros proyectos musicales. El “Vampiro” también declaró que “Monoplasma nació de una forma poco convencional”. Al principio trabajaban juntos por gusto ya que
Ricardo Lara, senador demócrata de Bell Gardens. Fotografía | Crédito: La Opinión
en dar seguro médico completo a niños indocumentados. El presidente interino del senado californiano, Kevin De León, comentó que de esta manera se le envía el mensaje a todo el país que los inmigrantes son importantes. Washington, Illinois, Nueva York, y Massachusetts son estados que también invierten en la salud de niños sin importar su estatus migratorio en el país, pero no dan cobertura completa como lo hará California. Anteriormente,
estos
niños
comparten similitudes musicales muy marcadas pero después de tener treinta canciones compuestas por Víctor, decidieron seleccionar quince de las que ya estaban completas para lanzar su primer disco. Ambos trabajaron en la música para hacer este proyecto posible. Este dúo inició bajo la dirección de Rafa Sardina, un gran productor que ha trabajado con grandes estrellas como Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin y muchos otros. Otro productor que también los está apoyando es Alfonso Rodena. Entre los temas que se encuentran en su álbum se destacan el amor y el desamor. César dijo que su primer sencillo “Invasión” se trata de “un
solamente tenían Medi-Cal de emergencia. Al entrar en vigor esta ley, los niños serán incluidos en Medi-Cal regular. Para calificar a este programa, los menores tendrán que pertenecer a familias de 3 miembros que tengan ingresos menores de 50,000 dólares al año y que se ubiquen hasta en el 266% en nivel de pobreza. Las familias con niños indocumentados, solamente tienen que presentarse a una clínica de Medi-Cal y registrarse en el plan completo. rompimiento de una pareja y de cómo uno no tiene que ser negativo, sino pensar que hay todo un camino por andar en la vida”. Actualmente, Monoplasma se encuentra en una etapa promocional y está organizando eventos en México y Estados Unidos. Uno de los eventos más importantes en su agenda es el Chicago Ruido FEST el 9 de julio. Planean promover su banda en diferentes lugares como en bares, eventos, y en cualquier lugar que sea oportuno para darse a conocer. Para saber las fechas exactas de sus presentaciones pueden visitar sus páginas de redes sociales de Facebook y Twitter.
Contáctanos en nuestras nuevas cuentas de redes sociales :
UT
laonda.newspaper@gmail.com La Onda Cal State LA
laonda.calstatela
9 NEWS
May 23, 2016
University Times
Get Ready to Vote: The California Primary Election Hannah Jacobsen Staff Reporter
A panel of journalists, political scientists, and historians discuss the California Primaries and the Presidential Election. The Golden Eagle Ballrooms were filled to capacity Wednesday, May 18 to attend the American Community Program’s event “Get Ready to Vote: The California Primary Election.” Cal State LA history professor, Dr. Christopher Endy, moderated a panel consisting of Dr. Raphael Sonenshein, Dr. Taylor Dark, Madeline Brand, and Seema Meta. This panel of journalists, historians, and political science experts gathered to explain the workings of the California Primaries, the media’s role in spreading candidate awareness, and implications of certain candidates’ successes and failures in the Presidential primaries. In order to open the panel with a bit of background on what the California primary actually is, Dr. Taylor Dark, professor of political
science at Cal State LA, gave a brief introduction to the structure of California’s primary system. “There are basically two different kinds of systems in place,” Dr. Dark said. “One is the presidential preference primary, that’s where Democrats and Republicans select delegates to attend each party’s national convention. We’re also having another system in place, called the top-two system, which operates for all state and federal offices besides the presidency.” California will be taking part in the Presidential nominating process on June 7, with both Democratic and “Decline-to-state” voters allowed to vote in the Democratic primary while only Republicans can vote in the Republican primary. The top two primary system is open to all registered voters and serves to decide the two candidates in each open state and federal office who will move on to November’s general election. Many California voters are looking helplessly towards the Republican side of this nominating process, as Trump recently emerged as the sole victor prior to the Golden State casting its vote. Seema Mehta, a journalist for the L.A. Times, and Madeline Brand, host of KCRW’s Press Play, spoke together about the media’s role in electing Trump.
“I was on a panel last summer, and somebody asked me about Donald Trump,” Seema said. “I laughed and compared him to the flashy guy you date in high school, the one who pissed off your parents, stayed around for a bit of fun, but once you ended up getting serious and settling down, you ended up with somebody who’s more serious. I was completely wrong, as was the rest of the media, as were the rest of the campaigns, as were all the pundits. Why were we all so wrong?” Seema admitted while they were digging through other candidates’ records and questioning their qualifications, the media turned Trump into a laughable sideshow that did not properly expose his background, lack of qualifications, and extremely worrying viewpoints. “We never covered him seriously in the beginning, we treated him like a carnival side show,” Mehta said. “While we were digging into Jeb Bush’s records and Marco Rubio’s finances, we were covering Trump giving helicopter rides at the Iowa state fair.” Brand agreed, stating that this lax in the media has complemented Trump’s ability to create a particular image for his voters.
“When you look at the last election and you look at what doomed Mitt Romney, it was that 47 percent comment, where he basically said he’d write off 47 percent of the electorate, the Obama supporters, because they got free stuff,” Brand said. “That doomed him. The difference here, you have another billionaire with a huge mansion, but no one seems to care. I think it’s because he positions himself as a self-made man and people want to believe him.” This persona, Brand and Mehta noted, has allowed Trump to relate to a population who seems obviously out of his range: disgruntled lower and middle-class voters who have flocked to both Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders after falling bitterly out of love with the current political system. “This is present in Bernie Sanders supporters as well. When he talks about the system being corrupt and rigged and how the middle-class does not have a chance to get ahead anymore, people are identifying with that,” Mehta said. “I mean, the unemployment numbers say one thing, but then you talk to people who haven’t seen a raise in 10 years, who have been taken from working full-time to working part-time, and they are not feeling the economy getting better.”
As Brand and Mehta left the podium, Dr. Sonenshine – Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Relations – came up to tell the audience where voters factored into this complicated equation of politics and media. “You are living through unbelievably historic times in the United States, but no one has told you that yet,” Dr. Sonenshine said. “In 2008, Barack Obama was elected President, and everybody got pretty excited; it was a big deal. What Obama represented was a substantially different coalition, different from the coalition that elected Bill Clinton in 1992.” While support for Clinton’s presidency had come from largely white liberals, African-Americans, and moderate whites who enjoyed Clinton’s appeal, the support base for President Obama charted out a very different group of movers and shakers in the political voting field. “When Barack Obama was elected, it was a whole new story,” Dr. Sonenshine said. “He came in with a massive base of support from Latinos, a massive base of support from Asians, and overwhelming support from what has now become the largest generation in American history: the Millennial generation,
Continues on page 10
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May 23, 2016
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Sounds of Sunset connects arts with community services Joseph Delgado Contributor
Indie artists influence imagination during music and arts festival. The Sounds of Sunset Music & Arts Festival exposed students to numerous indie artists from across Los Angeles on Thursday, May 19. The festival promoted many local artists, the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) encouraged students to donate art supplies to distribute to Self Help Graphics & Art from East LA. Self Help Graphics & Art is an organization from East LA who motivates student imagination, and informs them about their charity to preserve art, as well promote the creation of Latino/Chicano artwork from Boyle Heights. Silk printing a design and activity that wowed many participants once they saw their design printed with warm red, yellow, and orange colors onto the sheet. The process involved drawing and cutting out a design of their own and was completed with unique designs, animal outlines, and
original creations. Miriam Hellmann, mural artist who works on projects in the TV show Workaholics, implemented live art, but made this activity interactive for students by allowing them to jump in and contribute to coloring an artsy California Republic flag. “The reason why I made giant crayons was to let people experience again to create art as a kid,” said Hellmann. “It kind of makes you feel like a kid again.” Hellman was one of the many artists that were contacted by Campus Involvement Coordinator Sydney Torres. “We wanted to see if we could bridge the gap between music and
| Photo by Joseph Delgado
entertainment and the Los Angeles community all while giving back,” Torres said. “It really started with the idea of connecting service with something really fun like a music and arts festival.” Disco Shrine, the dynamic duo band of vocalist Jessica Delijana and guitarist Tommy performed dancepop rhythms that utilized synth, pop, rhythmic guitar playing with strong vocals. “We both wanted to do pop and we just met at a very fortuitous time and ended up talking about the fact that we both wanted to do pop,” said Delijana. “[Tommy] sent me a track and I sent him back my idea for it and the rest is history.” Headlining the festival was Banta,
an Indie Pop-Rock band from Echo Park led by lead singer Sharaya. The band had a style composed of an organic harmony influenced by the distinct 70’s style of music. “A classic rock influence, that folk meets rock ‘n’ roll from the 70’s era like Topanga Canyon, Fleetwood Mac, and The Eagles,” Sharaya said. “No tracks or anything, it’s all organic.” Closing the show was NK Riot with the Silent Disco session. CSI provided wireless headphones to stu-
Vote
Continued from page 9
which is a major force in today’s politics.” However, the success of this election lacked its potential impact because these voters who flocked in to support the presidency stayed home when it came to voting for congress members in 2010 and 2014. “A lot of people say demography is destiny. With the Latino population over 50 million and Asian-Americans the fastest growing group in the country, with Millennials overwhelmingly supporting more liberal positions and growing in numbers, with women mobilizing in very large numbers and representing more voters than
dents to hear the music from the live performance. Those without headphones would only hear NK Riot’s singing. Many of the students danced to the electronic music that NK Riot orchestrated live with his guitar, talk box, and other musical equipment. By the end of the night, the festival encouraged several students to register for CSI’s community service trip with Self Help Graphics & Arts to drive the creation of art in the Latino/a and Chicano/a community of Boyle Heights that will be taking place on May 27.
men, we guessed that was about it,” Dr. Sonenshine said. “But demography is not destiny, demography is opportunity.” When Obama’s supporters did not create a long-sustaining movement, opposing forces in the Republican Party were able to take over much of the political system, painting themselves as the opposition to the change, which liberal-minded voters were attempting to enact. “Our system is based on forcing change all the way through; not just as a marathon, but as a marathon where people are jumping on you as you run,” Dr. Sonenshine said. The next opportunity for forcing this change will arrive on June 7, when the polls will be open between 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
May 23, 2016
11 ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS University Times
Rock of the (Dark) Ages
“Honestly, my first reaction is a mix of hesitation and anticipation,” Tolar said. “None of the new albums The Cure, Depeche Mode, or New Order have put out in the last decade have been stellar, but they’re never bad. You always hope they’re going to release something groundbreaking but it often feels like a shadow of the albums you know and love.”
Critical reception of new material from older artists has always been mixed, most likely due to the knowledge of what the bands used to be, as well as the cycling out of old members with new replacements. | Photo by Gaelle Beri
Janice Peregrina Contributor
The Cure debuts new songs on their U.S. Tour. The Cure, one of the most influential punk-alternative rock bands of the 80’s and 90’s, began their U.S. tour on May 10, with sold out Los Angeles dates set for May 22 and 23. On their tour starting date, the band surprised audiences with the live debut of two new songs “Step Into The Light” and “It Can Never Be The Same.” The Cure hasn’t released new material in eight years, so the excitement around these new releases among music critics and fans has been substantial, with speculation about the possible release of a new The Cure album. The Cure’s live shows have been chock full of songs spanning across their hefty discography of thirteen studio albums, and
even some deep cuts from various B-side, singles, and compilations.
of the newer stuff they’ve put out in the last few years.”
Due to the inclusion of such wide variety, the band’s shows have been quite lengthy. The band is notorious and lauded for this choice, which has not been exclusive to just this tour, but for their past ones as well. The Cure’s show at The Chelsea Theater in Las Vegas ran for just over three hours.
The Cure joins many seasoned bands this year that have released new material after a hiatus, including Radiohead, Weezer, She Wants Revenge, Red Hot Chili Peppers and New Order. However, fan reactions to this news are not always full of boundless excitement.
“A huge part of what we are takes place outside of The Cure, and when we’re ready to do [tour] again we do it. At the moment, everyone’s happy about doing it but this is like 33 years or something…we’re much nearer the end that we used to be, and there will come a point when it’s the last thing we do.” The band has not released any official news regarding the release of a new album. In the meantime, fans have been enjoying The Cure’s amazing live shows, which have been full of energy and sincerity.
The Chelsea show marked Tolar’s third time of seeing The Cure live. “They could have played a bit more from Seventeen Seconds or Pornography, but overall I had no complaints,” Tolar said. “I liked their new track, Step Into The Light. Definitely better than some
Ricky Rodas Contributor
Housing Services hosts annual Spring Madness Basketball Tournament.
Nestled in the heart of the Cal State LA dorms, attendees watched a competitive five-onfive match between dorm residents and members of the Cal State LA men’s basketball team, all the while munching on free Subway sandwiches and drinking
The Cure have been a functioning band since the 70’s, and have toured dozens of times over the years. Robert Smith, vocalist and front man of The Cure, contemplated this fact and the harsh realities of touring in a 2012 interview.
“The set list was incredibly solid. The show started off like the first three tracks from Disintegration, my all time favorite Cure album. It was actually a pretty Disintegration heavyset list overall which I was really happy about,” said Chris Tolar, an attendee at The Chelsea Theater.
Hoops and Hip-Hop
Housing services held a basketball tournament on Friday, May 20 and those in attendance were treated to a fun afternoon filled with vibrant action and captivating music.
Despite less than stellar reviews, The Cure still remains an amazing band among diehard fans and music critics. “The Cure has had a profound impact on my life,” Tolar said. “My mom and older sister always played them growing up, so I’ve been listening to them as long as I can remember. There’s been a Cure song for just about every possible relationship scenario I’ve been. All the feelings of want and romance and heartbreak and the various ways
you can break up. There’s just so much emotion behind every song, and you go back to those songs when you’re feeling those emotions.”
| Photo by Joseph Delgado
Jarritos soda pops.
and festive.
While the players hustled with urgency up and down the court, members of Power 106’s street team provided the soundtrack, enhancing the energy of an already riveting moment. Cal State LA alum and Power 106's DJ Sophenom consistently churned out jams that kept the vibe smooth
The men’s basketball team maintained a tight hold on the game, wowing the crowd with their cohesive playing style and their dynamic finishes. The Golden Eagles’ Andre Mcphail, standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall, made a statement by dunking twice.
The residents were not to be counted out however, as Bio Chem major Spencer Kwash proved that skill and dedication come in any size. Standing at about 5 feet 7 inches tall, Kwash easily maneuvered around players twice his size, dropping in three pointers and providing game saving assists for his teammates. Kwash remained humble about his performance, instead talking about one of his teammate’s good moments. “I missed a bunch of open shots but it was fun, we played as a team, and it was fun to have the actual guys out here,” Kwash said. “We played together on the break, and I passed it to Ant. And he dimed one out to the corner, and my boy hit a three; it was good team play.” The men’s basketball team swept the series by winning two out of the three games, yet both matches were highly contested; game one’s score was 21-17, while game two was 21-15. Abhishek Patel, a Computer
Science major and president of the Resident Housing Association was responsible for putting the event together. “We know a lot of athletes stay in the dorms, and basketball does brings a lot of people out, so we hosted this tournament,” Patel said. “We also brought out Public Safety and the Health Center to do their stuff, and we just contacted a bunch of people to try and make this a fun day.” Initially, Patel was unsure of how the event would go, but his team’s organizing proved to be successful. “At first it was a little difficult [putting the event together], like contacting Power [106], all the vendors like Jarritos and the jumper people, but otherwise it just went smoothly.” For more information on Housing services and their events, students can contact their office at (323) 343-6465.
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University Times
May 23, 2016
EVENT CALENDAR
MONDAY 23rd
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
TUESDAY 24th
Food for Thought: Decolonizing Your Diet 12 p.m.-1 p.m. U-SU Alhambra Room
Pan African Student Forum 9 a.m.-5 p.m. U-SU
Men of Color Success Network: Prepping for Finals Week 3:15 p.m.-4:15 p.m. U-SU Los Angeles Room
Educating the Excluded: What Led to the Mandate for Educational Opportunity at California State University 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Golden Eagle Ballroom
2015-2016 Graduate Student and Faculty Mentor Recognition Reception 4:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Golden Eagle Ballroom
Repositioning Biotech Arts: The Project of Art & Science – A Talk by Dr. María Antonia González Valerio 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m.
Animation Showcase 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. U-SU Theatre
THURSDAY 26th Cal State LA LGBTQ Pride Awards Ceremony 6:15 p.m.-8:15 p.m. U-SU Theatre Spring Dance Concert 7:30 p.m. State Playhouse
STARS: Design Your Graduation Cap 12 p.m.-1 p.m. U-SU Alhambra Room International Student Grad Celebration 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Golden Eagle Ballroom 9th Annual Pan-African Studies Forum ft. Dr. Angela Davis 7:30 p.m. Luckman Theatre
Golden Eagle Radio Talent Show 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. U-SU Plaza
Pool Palooza 6 p.m.-10 p.m. U-SU Basement
WEDNESDAY 25th
FRIDAY 27th Holy City Adrift: Thomas McGrath’s Los Angeles 8 a.m.-5 p.m. JFK Library Spring Dance Concert 7:30 p.m. State Playhouse
Jazz Combos Concert 7:30 p.m. Music Hall
SPORTS
University hires Division I experience to volleyball staff
to national runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2012. In 2009, the Trojans made their first NCCA appearance since 1991 and fell in a five-set heartbreak in the national championship game. Ferguson makes a transition from coaching the USC men into coaching the Cal State LA women’s volleyball team.
USC Bill Ferguson transitions into Cal State LA Athletics. Janette Marquez & Daniel Esparza
“These group of girls are eager to learn, I feel I can have a bigger impact as a teacher and help Randi with our team,” Ferguson said. “As a coach you are wired differently and need to focus on a little more tactically. With this team there is both, the higher level you go the less pure teaching there is. Going from the Division I men to the team here you get a lot of that.”
Contributors
Cal State LA’s women’s volleyball team welcomed Bill Ferguson to the coaching staff for the 2016-2017 season. Ferguson, who took the USC’s men’s volleyball team to three conference titles and three Final Four appearances in nine seasons, is a volunteer for the Cal State LA program and soon to be Assistant Coach in August. Randi Smart, head coach of women’s volleyball team, is thrilled to add Ferguson to the staff. “He comes with so much knowledge, so much experience and he’s a good man. The girls bought into him in the first moment, they love what he’s teaching them. His knowledge of the game, work ethic and demeanor are such a great fit for Cal State LA.” Ferguson has a good résumé that will be crucial for the Golden Eagle’s growth
| Photo Courtesy Cal State LA Athletics
into potentially winning the CCAA tournament and beyond. Ferguson was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2012, a season where he led the Trojans to a 26-7 record including an 18 game win streak and a trip to the NCAA tournament. The Trojans would lose their last game however, to University of California, Irvine.
Ferguson has been to the NCAA tournament a total of three times: two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular-season titles, and a MPSF Tournament crown. Most recently, the former USC coach led the Trojans to a 19-9 overall record in 2015 and his team finished the season ranked No. 8 in the country, in addition
Ferguson is one of the most successful coaches and club directors in the United States. He has coached boys and girls and men’s open clubs teams to thirteen USA Volleyball gold medals and has won more boy clubs national championships in the country. Ferguson was a volunteer last season for a Cal State LA program that went 19-11 last season and recorded its 19th straight winning season. Using this résumé, Ferguson hopes to take the Cal State LA women’s volleyball team to the next level.