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November 7, 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
Issue 213.12
Overcrowding from local high schools has students concerned
Erron Franklin Copy Editor Cal State LA is home to several different colleges, in addition to the two California Distinguished High Schools that are housed on campus. There has been a lot of speculation and concern about the amount of space that is available for tuition paying college students. One of the two high school campuses on Cal State LA property is Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). “Founded in 1985, the tuition-free public school is run by the Los Angeles County Office of Education in partnership with and on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles,” as stated on the school website. LACHSA is home to 600 high school students. The other school is Stern Mass High School (STEM) which, “is a free, public charter school collaboration between
Alliance College-Ready Public Schools and California State University, Los Angeles. Our charter was granted by the Los Angeles Unified School District,” as written on the school’s recruitment brochure. STEM is also home to 600 high school students.
After a gradual flow of increased enrollment over recent years, space around campus has become especially limited. Some college students on Cal State LA’s campus feel as though the campus is more crowded than in years past, which is straining the University’s study and dining space and attribute it to high school student’s presence on campus. Other students say there is more than enough space. “Cal State LA isn’t overcrowded, I just think the parking doesn’t accommodate the people that go here,” said Christian Francisco, a sophomore Kinesiology Major. “The campus is big enough for all the students here,” he added. (Continued on Page 3)
Photo courtesy of Emilio Flores
Latino Poll findings show how L.A. voters will vote this election
So far, according to the poll findings, 73 percent of Latinos favored Hillary Clinton, 16 percent favored Donald Trump, 8 percent will vote for neither, and 3 percent did not know. Top issues that concerned Latinos are immigration reform, unemployment, jobs, economy, race-related issues and discrimination.
Marrian Zhou Managing Editor This year’s election, 1,632,000 Latinos registered as voters in Los Angeles County, making up 32% of the entire registered voters pool. A new poll was conducted by the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs and polling group Latino Decisions on Thursday, November 3, at Cal State LA’s downtown campus. Comprehensive poll findings were presented and discussed by Dr. Adrian D. Pantoja, a Senior Analyst at Latino Decisions, Dr. Matt A. Baretto, Co- Founder and Managing Partner at Latino
Photo by Marrian Zhou
Decisions, and Dr. Raphael J. Sonenshein, Executive Director of Pat Brown Institute at Cal State LA. Surveys were conducted in both English and Spanish, through phone calls, landlines, and emails, and with a sample size of 15,000 Latinos. According to Dr. Pantoja, 71 percent of Latinos were very certain that they will vote and 16 percent said they will probably vote. And based on the numbers shown, the Latino population’s voting choices would be very significant to the possible outcomes of this election.
About three quarters of Latinos felt that this year’s election was more important than the 2012 election, according to Dr. Pantoja. Although sometimes enthusiasm could be mistaken as importance, he was certain about the results, “Enthusiasm is a positive effect in political psychology, I don’t know if people are looking at this election quite positively, with all the negativity… I don’t think it’s excitement, [I thought] how about importance, and that’s why [we put the question on the poll].” Fifty-six percent of Latinos expressed that they are willing to be taxed more, for more services. 53 percent supported Proposition 64—legalizing Marijuana, and 62 percent favored Proposition 58— non-English languages allowed in public education. In addition, 71 percent of Latinos supported Measure M, which is meant to accelerate rail construction and build new rail lines; enhance local, regional, and express bus service; and improve system connectivity. Generation gaps certainly played a part in the differentiation (Continued on Page 3)
OPINION
NEWS
Page 2 -- Cal
State LA welcomes the President of NBC for insightful visit
More Inside! ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Page 4 -- A face and a soul, or a name and a number?
Page 11 --
“Latina” enraptures audience with hilarious and moving performance
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November 7, 2016
University Times
NEWS
Cal State LA welcomes the President of NBC for insightful visit
NBC President Steve Carlston and Account Executive Ricky Jefferson give insight reaching the top of their careers. Marcela Valdivia Staff Reporter
On Tuesday, ASI Representatives for the College of Arts and Letters welcomed NBC President Steve Carlston and Account Executive Ricky Jefferson to share their successful journeys in the competitive entertainment industry. President William A. Covino had the honor and privilege of greeting Steve Carlston and Ricky Jefferson at the Golden Eagle Ballroom. The partnership Cal State LA maintains with NBC opens doors to these events on campus where students can learn more about their careers with the stories behind industry leaders. “Our industry executives here tonight are folks that really exemplify the kind of success that you are looking ahead to in your future and certainly they exemplify the kind of great partnerships that we have with the entertainment and media industry,” said William A. Covino. Carlston opened his talk by stressing the importance behind the word ‘humble.’ He explained that humble means the willingness to accept the fact that one does not know it all. For Steve Carlston, being humble is the greatest compliment he could possibly receive and represents an important virtue of his life that helps him grow into a better person. “If you are humble enough to realize that each of you are deep, rich, dark soil and that you are always willing to learn it will change your life tremendously,” said Carlston. His 40-year journey towards becoming President of NBC is an adventure of multiple steps. According to Carlston, the key is to take step by step every single process of the journey to avoid burning out quickly. The importance is not to speed during the race, but to aim towards a direction in reaching your goals in an effective manner. “You have to build upon what
you are doing and not race to where you are going, but have a plan to where you need to go,” said Carlston.
He encouraged students to aspire to be better than what they think they are in order to reach higher goals. Steve Carlston touched upon the importance of passion because when a person loves something so much they are willing to suffer for it. Optimism plays an essential part in life because a positive mentality every day is life changing. “When I come here I am inspired, I'm inspired because of the youth that is in this room and the dreams and the hope and the vision,” said Carlston. The other speaker, Ricky Jefferson, began his career in radio in 1999 at KYSR 98.7 FM and later moved to KNX 1070 AM. He worked in the radio industry for eleven years and slowly worked his way up to sales manager. In 2011, he moved to NBC to start a prosperous career as account executive. After spending fifteen years in radio, Jefferson decided it was time to move to television. He called a list of approximately twenty businesses in the television industry simply to make an appointment and learn more about the business. This allowed him to talk with professionals and understand the business. In those informational appointments, he started taking his résumé and business executives referred him to other businesses. After twelve months of dedication and consistency, he finally got a job in the television industry. “If you want to get into this business you have to be willing to start at the ground level and work your way up,” said Jefferson. NBC Account Executive Ricky Jefferson enjoys sharing his experiences to people who are interested in reaching the entertainment industry. The key to making it into the industry is personality because it could potentially create a significant difference in the extremely competitive entertainment industry. “It is extremely difficult to get into the world of TV, radio, and broadcasting in general, but once you are in you have a chance to stay in that business for a very long time and it is a very rewarding system,” said Jefferson.
Another key component of the entertainment industry is building relationships by establishing a mentor in order to move onto the next levels of a career. Jefferson recommends that a mentor should
be someone who has years of experience in the entertainment industry to help one build a successful path and lessen the number of mistakes along the journey.
ferson shed light on significant aspects throughout their careers so students could gain an understanding the possibilities of succeeding in the entertainment industry.
Steve Carlston and Ricky JefPhoto by Marcela Valdivia
November 7, 2016
(Continued from Page 1) The University Times has learned that some LACHSA students do eat in the food court on the first floor of the Golden Eagle building. During the peak lunch hours, usually around 11 AM to 1PM, Cal State LA students have expressed concern that the food court has been more crowded than ever before. “Gosh, whenever I get out my class I see all these kids sitting around, spread out in the [food] court. First I have to wait in a big line where these theatre high school kids fool around and then look for somewhere to sit, which seems to be impossible,” said third-year student Xannie Domingo. Romero Guzman, a fifth-year Communications student said, “I’ve been here for a while now and lately there’s been so many long lines for everything. The basement area of the Library use to be so quiet and empty and now it’s crowded with people.” He goes on, “I know they put more tables outside to study and work, but what’s the point when these high school students just take ‘em.” However, Robert Lopez, Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations, in an email to the University Times, insisted, “The Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School students eat on their roof and are not in the food court during lunch. There are about 600 LACHSA students, some of whom are in the food
court during their lunch breaks and some of whom are not.” A Space Needs Assessment is being conducted through Academic Affairs’ Resources Planning and Management Office. Academic Affairs is working in conjunction with, “Rickes Associates, a higher education space planning and programming firm, to conduct a comprehensive space needs assessment,” as stated on the Planning and Management’s website. It is unclear if this assessment will have any impact on reducing traffic on campus or free up space to ease campus crowding, however, it will address use of space designated for academics. According to Academic Affairs, “this space needs assessment will help identify how current Academic Affairs space is currently being used and where changes are needed to better fit the evolving needs of our units. This will entail identifying underused or inappropriately used spaces, areas of fragmentation that would benefit from co-location and/or reorganization, and areas in which redesign and renovation may lead to improved utilization,” as stated on Planning and Management’s website The University Times reached out to the Office of Enrollment but did not get a response. The University Times also reached out to Bob Figueroa of the Office of Resource Planning and Management but were unable to get a response or comment for the story.
3 NEWS
University Times
(Continued from Page 1) of concerns in Latino community. The younger generations (age 18-34) were more interested in immigration reform while the older generations (age 50-64) in economics. Most millennials get their news from the internet, such as Facebook and Twitter. However, the main media source for political content among Latinos is still television. Younger generations also had a more positive attitude towards making abortion always legal. Birthplace contributed to the poll findings as well. Latinos who were U.S. born had more concern towards immigration, while the ones who were foreign born cared slightly more about discrimination. However, the interesting fact was, 65 percent of foreign born reported experiencing no discrimination, while 46 percent of U.S. born could say the same. Education was another factor in the research. In regards to experiencing discrimination, the more educated the participants are, the more they agreed that they have experienced discrimination. One of the possible interpretations was, advanced education allowed Latinos to mingle with people outside the Latino community and thus, more chance of exposure to discrimination.
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The poll findings were significant in regards to predicting election outcomes and understanding the ever emerging communities and their attitudes toward politics. In addition, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs will continue their research and service. It is a nonpartisan, applied public policy center founded by friends of the California’s 32nd Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown in 1980.
The institute dedicates to “the quest for social justice, equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement and the improvement of the quality of life for all Californians,” according to the institute’s website. It has been a part of Cal State LA since 1987, now operating with the purpose of “Unleashing the Power of Participation.” With election day coming up Tuesday, vote wisely, citizens.
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November 7, 2016
University Times
NEWS
Halloween was all treats for Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center
Cal State LA’s department of Public Safety hosts 3rd Halloween Trick or Treat event J. Aaron Delgado Photo Editor
“Trick or Treat” was what kids from the Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center said to staff from Cal State LA’s department of Public Safety on Halloween this year. Donned in their costumes in the early morning of October 31, the children were safely transported to the side of campus where they were in for a special treat filled with fun activities and candy to kick off their day.
only as far as the library, so they thought it would be a great idea for the daycare children to meet Cal State LA’s police and the department’s personnel while trick or treating. “We want to foster a sense of confidence and safety for the children visiting a police department,” Gachupin said. “When they enter our building, they are greeted with friendly police and parking officers, along with administrative staff. It is important
to us that they feel safe in our presence.”
Though the Public Safety building has moved from the south point of the main hallway, the department managed to keep the annual tradition going by escorting the children in a school bus while being escorted by Cal state LA’s police patrol across campus. The Department of Public Safety always welcomes and is excited to see the kids trick or treat in their costumes every year.
“The excitement from the children, dressed in their favorite costumes and having our employees dress up and give them treats is priceless!” Gachupin said “We decorate the office doors and hallways to give the children a feeling they are walking through a maze.” The annual Halloween event was a total success with staff members reporting to duty in cos-
tume, such as current Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety Richard Wall interacting with the children as Sheriff Woody from Disney’s Toy Story series. Other employees dressed as Donald Duck, a member from The Incredibles, a clown, and even the Dark Knight himself, Batman. Gachupin intends to organize and invite the children of the Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center every Halloween to offer great treats.
Walking through the decorated halls, children walked from office to office to trick or treat by receiving candy from staff members. Along with candy, the children also received police badge stickers, pens, crayons, and coloring books. The event started in 2007 as a result of a conversation between Carmen Gachupin, director of parking and transportation services, and former Chief Gregory King when the Public Safety building was located where La Kretz Hall is currently residing. They often saw daycare children taking tours on campus, but
Photo by Richard Wall
5 NEWS
University Times
November 7, 2016
UN I V E R S I T Y T IMES
Editor-in-Chief Gerardo Amezquita Managing Editor Marrian Zhou
Production Manager Carlos Gomez
Web Editors Carlos Gomez Linda Anguiano Copy Editors Ricky Rodas Erron Franklin Business/ Advertising Manager Jim Munson
Ani Nalbandian Anthony Karambelas Janice Peregrina Marcela Valdivia Mimi Li Interns Kyle Frizol Sylvia Valdez Emmanuel Maresca Contributors Cristian Velez Katelin Petersen Alejandro Ortega Marl Bower Matt Lopez Alina Ogle
Photographers Emilio Flores Joseph Delgado Advertising Assistant Richard Wall Alicia Moss Social Media Correspondent Faculty Adviser Matthew Gonzalez Suzanne Regan Photo Editor Joseph Delgado
Distributors Jackie Quiroz Xavier Jones Staff Reporters
Journalism 3910 TA Robert Ellsworth
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Para La Onda:
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ECCO among the elite in semifinals of the Inaugural Mayor’s Cup
Cristian Velez Contributor
The Entrepreneurial Collegiate Consulting Organization (ECCO) is a small club made up of dedicated and passionate students with the goal to help students in the field of entrepreneurship gain experience. ECCO is founded on 4 pillars: inspire, educate, collaborate, and launch. ECCO collaborates with experts in the field and invite professionals to guest speak. Past speakers included Alumni Jim Cooper, owner of StartUp DTLA. Along with Ryan Prust, co-founder of Rhubarb studios and Andy Rosillo, co-founder of Indie Desk. ECCO President, Oscar Aguayo, and ECCO Alumni Advisor, Elianne Rodriguez, give much credit to their faculty advisor, Barney Santos, for the progression of ECCO. Oscar and Elianne have been instrumental in the development of ECCO. This summer they created Fast Track for ECCO. Fast Track is an accelerated program. It is six weeks of workshops with each workshop highlighting a different component in developing an idea. They designed this program using their schooling and outside resources. President Oscar Aguayo said, “It’s all about developing an entrepreneur mindset.” ECCO can assist members in equipping tools to help creativity. From Oscar and Elianne’s Fast Track Program to first-hand experience. Vice President of Operations, Alex Lam, is new to the club but has much experience. Alex has been running his own clothing company, Care Free Society, for about four years. Whether you have little or no experience, ECCO welcomes all members. Alumni Advisor, Elianne Rodriguez, graduated last spring with a Business Administration degree with a focus in Human Resources. Elianne’s hope is that ECCO will help members better understand entrepreneurship and instill adaptability. “It’s 100% about being resourceful. It’s good to understand your weaknesses and focus on your strengths,” said Rodriguez. Competing is the way ECCO validates meaning to their club. “When you’re learning in school, it’s important to be able to exercise your knowledge,” said Oscar Aguayo. ECCO takes pride in their competitive nature, and competition is what drives them to grow. Currently, ECCO is competing in The Mayor’s Cup. The Inaugural Mayor’s Cup is produced by Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City of Los Angeles. They city of L.A. invites all college students and faculty members from L.A. County colleges and universities to enter The Mayor’s Cup to improve life in L.A. by solving some of the city’s civic challenges.
In the initial round, only 106 submissions got accepted. Out of those 106, only 46 moved on to the next round. Twenty of the 46 submissions moved to the semifinals. From the 20, only 5 finalists will be chosen. Finalists will pitch to a panel of business and government leaders, including the Mayor, on December 8th. The Grand Prize Winner will receive $25,000 and the opportunity to work with City Hall for eight weeks to develop their idea. Oscar, Elianne, Alex and along with Senior Nutritional Science major and fellow ECCO member, Martin Tejeda, are representing ECCO and Cal State LA in The Mayor’s Cup. ECCO’s submission is Small Business Strong. Small Business Strong is a business that focuses on connecting small business owners to the city’s resources. What makes Small Business Strong stand out from similar competitors, is their mobility. Small Business Strong has a goal of acquiring a truck and turning it into a mobile resource center. Mobility is what will make Small Business Strong more efficient. Small Business Strong will create trust with its consumers and will ultimately help small businesses grow and thrive. They estimate making a profit of $18,000 the first year, which is impressive considering most small business end up struggling financially the first couple years. ECCO thanks their mentors, Jorge Nuño and Ryan Prust, for all the support during this grueling competition. Small Business Strong has taken ECCO all the way to the semifinals of The Mayor’s Cup. Oscar, Alex, Elianne, and Martin went to USC this past Wednesday for the semifinals. They were among the ranks of schools like USC, UCLA, LMU, and Trade Tech. Small Business Strong pitched their idea to a panel of judges. Now, they wait to find out if they have made it to the finals. Results will be revealed by Monday, November 7th. ECCO has found much success in past competitions. This past
February, ECCO competed in the 8 Hour Business Challenge, held at CSUF. The concept of the competition was to develop an idea from the ground up in eight hours. Over the eight hours, teams were tasked with developing their idea as much as they can and the competition culminates in an investor pitch to a group of judges. ECCO won Best Pitch, and placed Second overall. On October 22-23, Cal State LA hosted for the first-time BioHack, a project coordinated as a collaborative effort between LA BioSpace Incubator, Make in LA Hardware Accelerator and the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. BioHack provides an opportunity for student teams to brainstorm, design, build and test innovative biotechnological products with an emphasis in hardware. ECCO’s very own Alberto Perez was on the winning team, PT Squad. ECCO will be busy this upcoming month. They have their eyes set on The Mayor’s Cup, but until then they will be keeping busy. They are gearing up for Startup Weekend at LMU. Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event that provides networking, resources and incentives for individuals and teams to go from idea to launch. This month, ECCO will be part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. It will take place on November 1417, here on campus. Experts and leaders from all fields will come in and take questions. Panels will talk about the various fields entrepreneurs are involved in. Entrepreneurs exist in every field. ECCO is out gaining the actual experience employers are looking for. ECCO teaches how to apply what you’re learning and gain experience. This small organization is making huge waves. Current ECCO members look to make the University proud in The Mayor’s Cup. “We’re starting to make some noise and put a spotlight on Cal State LA,” said Alex Lam. Best of luck to Alex, Oscar, Elianne and Martin in The Mayor’s Cup. Photo by Cristian Velez
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University Times
November 7, 2016
ELECTION
Student voter’s guide on propositions that impact them What’s on the ballot? Five hot ballot measures that affect students.
Alejandro Ortega Contributor
Election day is now upon us and millions of Americans will make the trek to their local polling place, if they aren’t one of the 32 million who participated in early voting, and will finally cast their votes. There’s no denying that everyone’s focus will be on the presidential race between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump. However, there is a lot at stake here in our home state, especially for student voters. As in every election, many of the propositions that are on the ballot are typically overshadowed by the presidential race. Twenty-four-year-old Mark Gonzalez is one of few to admit that he has voted blindly on some of the issues in the past. “I am guilty of just marking down a random vote. It’s not that I didn't care, I was just not well informed with any of them,” stated the senior business major. Gonzalez is one of millions that are not fully educated about everything on the ballot. It’s important for young
voters to stay informed on the propositions that can have the biggest impact on themselves and their education. To help college students, the University Times has generated an easy-to-understand guide to the propositions that could possibly have the biggest effect on your future. Proposition 51: An initiative statute that will authorize $9 billion in general obligation bonds. This proposition will allow the state of California to sell these bonds in order to help fix deteriorating schools, upgrade classrooms, and provide job-training facilities for veterans and vocational education. Seven billion dollars will be used for K-12 public schools and $2 billion will be utilized for community colleges. “To me, this sounds like a great idea. I come from a high school that had a lot of structural damage. It’d be nice to finally see it all fixed,” said Adriana Dominguez, a 21-year-old psychology major. By voting ‘no,’ the state will be unable to use bonds for school funding. The opposition claims that the potential new law was created by “greedy developers” in order to exploit taxpayers for profit.
Proposition 55: The proposition extends the temporary personal income tax increases enacted in 2012 by 12 years on earnings over $250,000, with revenues allocated to K–12 schools, community colleges, and, in certain years, healthcare. “I can understand why many would oppose the extension. Nobody wants higher taxes. But if it’s going to help education statewide, the increase is worth it,” said Alex Diaz, a 22-year-old Child Development major. By voting ‘yes,’ income tax will continue to increase on high-income taxpayers through 2030, instead of the initial cut off year in 2018. The majority of the opposition for Prop. 55 comes from wealthier Californians. Voters supported higher taxes in 2012 because Governor Brown had originally stated that this was going to be a temporary increase. Proposition 56: A cigarette tax to fund health care, tobacco use prevention, research, and law enforcement. “Anything to help people from smoking is a good thing, I think I’ll be voting yes on this,” said Gabriela Martinez, a 20-year-old Art major. By voting ‘yes,’ this proposition will increase cigarette tax by
$2.00 per pack, with an equivalent increase on tobacco products and e-cigarettes that contain nicotine. Many supporters state that tobacco-related health care costs taxpayers $3.5 billion annually, even if one doesn't smoke. This proposition would be considered a user fee—taxing tobacco to help pay for smoking prevention and healthcare—so smokers pay their fair share. On the other side of the debate, many believe that this proposition will only benefit the insurance companies and special interest groups. They claim that 56 will cheat schools out of $600 million a year and only 13% of the money will help smokers or will prevent kids from starting. Proposition 58: English proficiency initiative statute. The proposition will preserve the requirement that public schools ensure students obtain English language proficiency. By voting ‘yes’ on this measure, public schools could easily choose how to teach English learners, whether in English-only, bilingual, or other types of programs. Many who oppose 58 believe that it will eliminate parental rights to an English-language education for their children. They claim that by only teaching English exclusively in schools, immigrant children are excelling
with the language and are being accepted to universities at a higher rate. Proposition 64: Legalization of marijuana. Under state law, medical and recreational use of marijuana would become legal for adults over the age of 21. The state would regulate non-medical marijuana businesses and tax the growing and selling of medical and recreational marijuana. Most of the revenue from such taxes would support youth programs, environmental protection, and law enforcement. “It’s about time marijuana became legal here in California. The money that will come from the taxes that will help improve our state,” said Matthew Quiroz, a 23-year-old Criminal Justice major. Critics of the bill claim that Proposition 64 purposely omits DUI standard to keep marijuana–impaired drivers off our highways. It clearly promotes marijuana use to children all over the state. Overall, be sure to know the pros and cons of what you are voting for since there are many more propositions on the ballot that need your attention. It’s important that we all get educated on the issues and go out and vote.
Voters left to determine the lesser of two evils Reluctance of Cal State LA’s political paradigm Kyle Frizol Intern Whether you like it or not, on November 8th, one candidate will be chosen to be our president for the next four years. This person, chosen by each and every one of us, will represent not only our country’s interests, but the interests and prosperity of the entire free world. They will decide which policies are accepted, where our political assets will be allocated, and even the effectiveness of our economy as a whole. With each of these truly critical decisions at the hands of the president, it'd be fair to assume that we’ve narrowed down our candidates, finding the absolute best of the best, to get the job done. But have we really, or are we simply forced to choose the lesser of two evils? Regardless of our feelings, the reality of the situation is sinking
in deep in the stitching of our political fabric. Will you choose the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, or will you vote the GOP’s very own Donald Trump? The gravity of the decision is still transparent to some, but others find themselves consumed by the passion of ensuring their country’s relevance as we all step into the future.
This is the first election of our generation that has truly split two parties so far apart. But even then, that's not describing the full picture. Donald Trump, the man behind the plethora of tweets and past scandals, is a candidate that has alienated himself from his own party, and yet still holds the GOP nomination. Sit back for a moment and take that in.
Here at Cal State LA, students of all backgrounds, races, and beliefs encounter each other every day, even if those encounters are in the form of small nuances such as small talk in the library. It's fair to say that the commentary on campus is anything but dull and unanimous.
Going deeper, the only other candidate with any chance of winning is Hillary Clinton, the woman behind the infamous email scandals that threaten to expose her treasonous behavior and careless abandonment of security. Throughout the last eighteen months, she has been investigated by the FBI, fallen ill to pneumonia, and has just succumb to another FBI investigation, this time a result of new emails found on the server of Huma Abedin, wife of Anthony Weiner and her vice chairwoman of her 2016 campaign. These emails, which are still under investigation, have the potential to derail her entire campaign and land her in prison for her remaining days.
Take the many different clubs and organizations we have on campus, for example. Each organization has its own core values, mission statement, and goals that unanimously represent the entire body. However, when delving beyond the single union of the club, each individual holds personal beliefs and values that they weigh in their own accord.
After this grand debriefing, where does the country stand? That question will be answered this Tuesday. Until then, it may be a bit easier to gauge the opinions of Cal State LA’s very own students and faculty. Computer Science, Business, and English professors alike displayed the same sense of astonishment that the American political system provided two of the most controversial and high-risk candidates. Furthermore, many didn't even want their name attached to their beliefs, as they felt that their opinions of these candidates would jeopardize their own reputation. If a professor is so cautious as to speak of the most important event of the next four years and even beyond that, then what does that say about social situation of our cumulative beliefs? In these classes where the professor’s spoke their opinions on the election, students were given ample reassurance to say how they truly feel. Overwhelmingly, the general consensus was that the presidential election was a
race of two evils, and the voter had the task of choosing who'd hurt the country the least. Rather than displaying any sign of confidence in the future alongside the chosen president, the students felt they knew enough of each candidate’s history that they could safely project the immediate future, which was dark. With everything described above in mind, the task of exercising each of our democratic rights seems less of a privilege this season, but one of reluctant responsibility. If we don't vote, then the guilt of remaining silent will easily outweigh that of losing. In an election season widely regarded as a loss on all fronts, the focus of statewide and even district elections has increased. Though the 2016 election season feels like a new take on reality television, the seriousness and graveness of the future sits in the back of each of our minds, uncertainty the clear culprit. More than ever, the power of the voter can decide the direction this great nation takes.
November 7, 2016
University Times
ELECTION
7
Repeal or reform? The fate of the death penalty lies in voters hands Prop. 62 and 66 weigh down on students minds
Katelin Petersen Contributor
Election day, Nov. 8, is here and the voter’s ballot is filled with much more than checking the names, Trump or Clinton. There are numerous propositions to consider, and how your vote can make a difference. “I am voting, but I am voting because of all the propositions and senators. Who becomes President is out of my hands, but my voice can count in other ways,” says senior Laura Liu, TVF major. The Death Penalty has been a topic amongst Americans since the 1970s. California, one of the 31 states that allow the death penalty, is again voting on the issue in the 2016 election. Since 2015, there have been 746 offenders committed to death row, but only thirteen have been executed since 1978. The last execution was over ten years ago. Proposition 62 would abolish the death penalty in the state of California and give criminals a lifetime sentence without the possibility of parole. Prop. 66, the opposing proposition, would
keep the death penalty, but speed up the execution process. If both propositions pass, then the proposition with the most votes will be the winner. If both propositions fail to pass, then California’s death penalty system will remain unchanged.
lion dollars, speeding up executions seems rather expensive.
“I believe the state is wasting money on death row inmates. I get that it costs a ton of money for each execution, but most these inmates are on death row a good twenty years or more before anything happens. As a state we're paying for these twenty years he or she sits on top of the execution itself. From a financial standpoint, we are wasting money,” expressed junior business major Tim Jueng.
Professors, like Yanez Ruiz, encourage students to vote, in addition to constantly educating them about how their voice matters. Another Professor, Cynthia Wang, in the Communications
“It’s extremely important that students participate in their democracy by voting,” said Professor Yanez Ruiz, a Political Science instructor on campus.
Department, is spending her upcoming Tuesday evening with her class watching the election. “Promise me you’ll all go vote,” Wang said as she dismissed her students last Tuesday night. A recent poll as of Oct. 28 showed that 38 percent of California residents support Prop. 62, while 49 percent are opposed. The small percentage in-between are still undecided. The California Republican Party opposes the initiative whereas the Democratic
Party is in full support. “I’m excited to see how this election turns out and Prop. 62 and 66 are definitely ones I’m interested in seeing the outcomes of,” Gabby Gonzales, sophomore, said. For more information on all the eighteen propositions please visit, https://ballotpedia.org/California_2016_ballot_propositions Photo courtesy of nydailynews.com
Jueng was not shocked when he was told that since 1978, Californian taxpayers have spent four billion dollars on capital punishment. Due to the state of California and its voters looking into the economic impact of the propositions, it is predicted that the passing of Prop. 62 would cost a significant amount of money to change the law and provide new sentencing to death row prisoners, but in the long run, it could save the state money. As for the passing of Prop 66, it is still unknown how much money it would cost to speed up an execution. If thirteen executions were close to four bil-
Weeding out misconceptions of legalized marijuana, or Prop. 64 Recreational legal pot pushers may have you believe this is the hail mary of legislation, but that’s not the case. Gerardo Amezquita Editor-in-Chief Alas we are far from the paranoia days of ‘Reefer Madness,’ on the November 8 ballot California residents will vote on Proposition 64, or the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative. With a “yes” vote, supporters legalize recreational use of marijuana for persons under 21 years or older and establish certain sales and cultivation taxes, similar to the selling and regulation of alcohol. Individuals can possess, transport and use an ounce of marijuana on their person at a time. The taxes generated for the sale of marijuana will go to drug research, treatment, and enforcement, health and safety grants addressing marijuana, youth programs, and preventing environmental damage from illegal marijuana production.
However, marijuana has been federally classified as a Schedule I drug, next to heroin, ecstasy and other non-medical and high potential for abuse drugs, so doesn’t this conflict with federal law? Yes, but the Obama administration has issued a non-enforcement policy attitude after states like Colorado legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Still, President Obama has three months in office, so his policy won’t matter for long. Both current Presidential Nominees Secretary Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have said they are in favor of the medical use of marijuana and respect state decision to legalize or not. A consistent argument for the legalization of marijuana is that there is constant imprisonment of young, mostly ethnic minorities, who get jail sentences. While statistics can’t lie, they can deceive. Imprisonment for marijuana possession is quite rare in the criminal justice system. Data from the Justice Department reports a similar pattern: in state and federal correctional facilities only three-tenths of 1 percent get state
imprisoned for marijuana possession alone and four one-hundredths of 1 percent in federal facilities, respectively. Marijuana possession arrests are a different story. According to the American Civil Liberties Union report, marijuana possession arrests in 2010 made up nearly half of total arrests in the United States. White and black usage of marijuana consumption is relatively equal, yet blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession. In some areas like Iowa, Washington D.C., Minnesota, and Illinois the racial disparity was 7.5 to 8.5 times greater. If Californians were to legalize marijuana the effects would only benefit white pot smokers. The Colorado Department of Public Safety released a report where black and Latino youth were being arrested for marijuana charges at higher rates than before the state’s legalization effort for marijuana. While legalization of pot efforts may seem like a social justice issue it is important to highlight that those pushing for
marijuana’s legalization only want to make money. The L.A. Weekly wrote an in-depth analysis whether cashing in on the legal pot industry would actually benefit the entrepreneurial spirit of minorities. Short answer is not really. After the legalization of marijuana, it would be much more expensive to join the marijuana business. One major problem would be that federally-regulated banks will refuse to give out loans because marijuana under the federal level is still illegal. Pot supporters trying to get into the pot industry usually make no mention of weed in their business names, but regular audits will reveal that revenue is tied to drug sales, essentially killing the business. Now marijuana legalization opponents may sit there somehow satisfied, but their common arguments also fall flat. Similar to the banking problem, the Federal Communication Commission is a federally-regulated agency, so any television and radio marketing will be prohibited. To cement opponents’ worries Prop. 64 has explicit
language restricting television and radio ads to avoid targeting of children. Current states where pot is legal are an example of how this practice is and remains in place. The public's fear-influenced argument of how marijuana attracts crime is not supported by any science. In 2012, a UCLA study reported medical marijuana dispensaries are not linked to crime. They controlled for neighborhood attributes and looked at violent and property crimes in 95 different areas of Sacramento. However, this is one puzzle piece in a long jigsaw, so more research needs to be done to establish a clearer picture. Other studies support similar conclusions like the 2011 think-tank RAND Corp. report. The only benefits to come by the passing of Prop. 64 is decriminalization of low level drug offenses, and with 58 percent of voters strongly favoring to pass the proposition, according to a USC Dornsife and Los Angeles Times poll, voters should be aware what they are voting for without the vocal and biased propaganda of either side.
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November 7, 2016
University Times
CAMPAÑA ELECTORAL Vote California: una herramienta clave para estas elecciones La aplicación que ayudará con el proceso electoral
DEPORTES Estados Unidos vs. México Los dos rivales disputarán su primer partido del hexagonal final Por Marcela Valdivia Ya se acerca el día tan esperado por una multitud de fanáticos del fútbol. Estados Unidos y México se enfrentarán en el primer partido del hexagonal final de la CONCACAF. Ambos equipos buscarán conseguir los primeros tres puntos para iniciar con el pie derecho su camino Mundial Rusia 2018. Por quinta vez, la selección mexicana de fútbol enfrentará a Estados Unidos en el estadio Mapfre. El territorio estadounidense ha resultado complicado para el equipo mexicano, porque en sus últimos cuatro enfrentamientos México han perdido 2-0 ante su máximo rival. Es por eso que la selección mexicana siente aún más presión por conseguir la victoria. “Es un partido en el cual las emociones estarán por el techo y debemos tener a nuestra afición respaldándonos y agregando su voz contra nuestro mayor rival,” dijo Jurgen Klinsmann, director técnico de le selección estadunidense. Entre
partidos
oficiales
y
partidos amistosos, Estados Unidos y México se han enfrentados 66 veces en toda su historia futbolera. Estados Unidos ha ganado 18 partidos, México 34 partidos y hay un total de 14 empates. El último encuentro entre estos rivales deportivos fue el 10 de octubre de 2015, en el Rose Bowl en Pasadena. La Selección Mexicana logró ganarle a Estados Unidos 3-2 en el partido de Copa Concacaf 2015. Estados Unidos con su estrella Michael Bradley y México con su goleador Javier "El Chicharito" Hernández buscarán conseguir los primeros tres puntos del hexagonal para sus respectivas selecciones.
Por Lissete Flores Este martes 8 de noviembre, se decidirá quien será el futuro presidente de los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, todavía hay muchos votantes que no saben cómo y a dónde tienen que ir a votar, tampoco cuáles son las proposiciones que encontrarán en las boletas electorales.
rápida y útil con información las proposiciones. Es importante recalcar que no se puede votar por medio de esta aplicación, pero si le facilitará a los californianos buscar
información clave que ayudará a aclarar dudas de una manera fácil. Vote California, está disponible de forma gratuita para iphones y para teléfonos con sistemas Android y se puede descargar de Apple Store y Google Play desde el celular.
Fotografía Crédito: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com
Es por eso, que la oficina del Secretario del Estado, Alex Padilla, junto con The Pew Charitable Trusts y los condados de California., anunciaron la semana pasada una aplicación para celulares que ayudará a encontrar información esencial sobre estas elecciones. Vote California, es una nueva herramienta con la que contarán los votantes californianos para adquirir información de forma rápida y fácil desde su teléfono celular. La aplicación cuenta con información parcial acerca de los candidatos presidenciales y sus propuestas. También por medio de la app se podrán ubicar las urnas más cercanas con sus respectivos horarios. Además, tiene una guía
¡La generación Z debe votar!
“Vemos una oportunidad en Columbus, de ir y competir al mismo nivel y mostrar que México puede tener un buen resultado fuera de casa,” expresó Juan Carlos Osorio, director técnico de la Selección Mexicana.
El voto de los jóvenes es crucial en estas elecciones presidenciales
Para los futboleros de hueso colorado, el tan esperado partido será el viernes, 11 de noviembre en el Estadio Mapfre en Columbus, Ohio. La transmisión en vivo del partido será a las 4:00PM por Univisión.
Mientras se aproximan las elecciones presidenciales este martes 8 de noviembre, expertos revelan la gran importancia de los votos de los jóvenes. Aquellos que nacieron en los 90s y al principio del siglo XXI, mejor conocidos como la generación Z.
Por Jessica Magaña
Este grupo se considera más grande que los “Baby Boomers” y los milenios. El año pasado, el censo de Estados Unidos informó que el 25% de la población de los Estados Unidos son menores de 20 años, de ese porcentaje, 35% son hispanos.
La mayoría de este grupo de personas suelen no votar debido a la falta de conocimiento del funcionamiento del proceso electoral. Algunos jóvenes no se deciden por ningún candidato y se abstienen de votar. Otros simplemente no se conectan con las propuestas de los candidatos en especial cuando no les favorecen. Felipe Estrada, estudiante de la secundaria Santeé en Los Ángeles, dijo “Yo no tenía muchas ganas porque pensé que era un papeleo largo…pero ya después lo hicimos por Internet y fue más rápido”. Agregó también que muchos de sus amigos no se registraron para votar debido a la falta de información. Otro nuevo votante admitió que solo
votó porque no quiere que gane el republicado Donald Trump. El Dr. Alfred Carlos, profesor de la Universidad Estatal de California, Long Beach(CSULB) declaró que las personas de la generación Z “sienten un futuro económico inseguro y nadie en los debates hablo de algún plan económico que ayude a jóvenes o a familias trabajadoras”. Carlos agregó que el voto de estos jóvenes es primordial en estas elecciones porque su voz representa los cambios que necesita este país. Él anima a este grupo de personas a que voten y ejerzan su poder como ciudadanos de este país.
Fotografía Crédito: www.bolsamania.com
Fotografía Crédito: http://www.playmakeronline.com
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9 OPINION
November 7, 2016
University Times
A face and a soul, or a name and a number? True story about life as a veteran Mark Bower Contributor
I am a United States Veteran, I served in the Army. I served my three years honorably. I was overseas for over a year serving my country dutifully, optimally, and expediently. I received my E-4 (Specialist) at 18 months, the quickest it could be received, via waiver. Ranks 0-4 in the Army are automatically progressed through, they’re the ranks prior to becoming a Sergeant. It usually takes two years to make it to Specialist without waiver. I am a hard pushing individual, a survivor, and someone who always fights for what I want, and most importantly for the needs of others - sometimes more so than myself. I am not a nameless or faceless veteran. I am not a piece of paperwork with letters and numbers that describe the essence of who I am; I am that essence which far too often is forgotten. Why am I writing this? I am writing this because I am made to feel like I am a nameless or faceless veteran. The "services"
COMPLETE A
that I've been told I would get and were for me, I've been lied to about since I joined the "greatest war machine on earth." Do better, be better, and what is yours should be. I was never correctly told about education. I found out that if you’ve been out of the Army for more than three years and are an out-of-state student, they do not cover tuition. I was told that education is 100% covered, health care is 100% covered. I have to be literally dying to get seen or I don't get seen at all. What I mean by this is that if I make an appointment, it is literally a month or more before I am able to be seen by a doctor. I should not fear going to a place that was supposedly built to help me. When I am sick, I have to tough it out, unless I want to go to the Emergency Room and wait all night. I should not have to ask "What are we fighting for?" or "why did I fight in the first place?" Due to unforeseen circumstances, during my first time living in Los Angeles I became homeless and was living in my car. I already had an Associate’s of Arts degree, but
REQUIRED COURSE
IN JUST
Cal State LA wouldn’t accept my math course, so I attended Pasadena City College to get that credit. Unfortunately, Pasadena City College had no housing or dorms. On top of that, since I already had received my Associate degree, they wouldn’t give me financial aid. Being that I had to pay for my tuition and I wasn’t getting financial aid, the housing money that I was allotted from my GI Bill would have to go towards my $3,000 tuition.
bottom of the list. I called over two hundred apartments, and even with the Volunteers of America backing me, nothing came to fruition. It came to the point of getting a storage unit so my things would be safe, and an L.A. Fitness membership so that I could shower. I’d met many great people before I lived in my car, but in Los Angeles, with the cost of living, and gentrification happening everywhere, there wasn’t a place for me.
A friend from New York moved to L.A. My cousin tagged me in his Facebook post, and that got us talking. He found me an apartment within three days of knowing about the situation. How does that happen? How does someone who doesn’t have the funds, or access to the sort of programs and influence that the Veteran’s Administration has, find me something that quick? The answer? That person actually cared.
I ended up contacting the Volunteers of America, an organization that’s supposed to help homeless Veterans find housing. During the time I was working with them, I was given many false leads on housing that had already been rented, or landlords that didn’t show up to appointments. On top of that, when they did find housing for me, the apartments weren’t in the best parts of Compton.
Instead of sweating to death in my car every day in the hot sun, living in my car made me really go after my dreams. I couldn’t sit there and mope. I’m a spoken word poet, and I went to four open mics a week so that I could socialize with like-minded people and hone my craft. I slept in the Home Depot in Burbank by my job so I could get there on time and so that I would be able to eat. After contacting the Chief of Police at Pasadena City College, I was allowed to sleep in the parking garage. I gave dispatch my license plate number and at least then, I was safe. I made it to all of my classes and got a 3.2 GPA. Regardless of the situation, good or bad, remember what you’re fighting for.
Many people aren’t as lucky as me. Many veterans who get out of the service don’t have as great of a mental state. Some people have mental health problems and aren’t capable of pulling themselves out of such ruts. What happens to those people, what happens to the chronically homeless veterans? I’m just one of the people who got out of this, how many more people haven’t, and can’t, because of the current system that is in place. Nothing can be done by changing the people in certain departments. It’s a fundamental letdown of the veterans by the people who only have jobs because of them. It does not make any sense.
I ended up living in my car for three months. Out of the total the entire time I was staying in my car I would say that the amount of times that I didn’t have to stay in it was less than ten. I had absolutely no leads on apartments. If your credit score is under 650 your application gets pushed to the
Am I a face and a soul, or a name and a number?
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10
University Times
November 7, 2016
OPINION
Free speech zones limit my First amendment right Get in the zone to speak you mind Matt Lopez Contributor
Freedom of expression, it may sound familiar to you. It’s protected by the 1st amendment, which is the basis of our society. It ensures that there is an open platform for all citizens to express themselves, whether it is about religion, politics, or one of the many other things we as Americans regularly debate about. Such a fundamental right should never be challenged, right? Well, there are three words that seem to have students at college universities awry – Free Speech Zones. The phrase itself sounds like a slap in the face to our constitution. The existence of a “free speech zone” implies that outside of said zone, free speech is prohibited. In that case, there can be no “free speech zones” within America – America is the free speech zone! But alas, these free speech cages unfortunately do exist. They are areas set aside in public places for the purpose of political protesting. Their purpose is to protect the safety of those attending the political gathering and the safety of the protesters themselves, but critics, however, believe these zones to be Orwellian, insisting that authorities use them in a heavy-handed manner to censor protesters. Though these zones have been around since the 60’s during the Vietnam era, they have recently gained more attention, and
not in a good way. One of the biggest complaints is that these zones are set up too far away from the public eye. They typically are stationed about 50-150 feet away from the nearest building literally putting protesters out of sight and in turn making the protest or demonstration useless. But at schools where free speech zones are enforced, students are striking back. Recently, Cal Poly Pomona was sued after making a student stand 150 feet away from the nearest building in order to pass out pamphlets promoting vegan lifestyle. Citrus College was forced to change its free speech policy twice in order to extend its free speech zones, but not after paying over $100,000 in settlement fees. At the University of Colorado, students are pushing to make the whole campus a free speech zone after students who were canvassing for a U.S. Senate Candidate were forced to move to the lone free speech zone on campus, which was estimated to take up just 0.00002 percent of campus. So how about Cal State LA, does this campus have “free speech zones?” Shockingly yes. Probably the most notable one is by the Golden Eagle statue between the student store and library. Robert Lopez, the campus’s Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs, explained just how enforced these zones are. Robert pointed to the “Policy on Time, Place, and Manner of Free Expression” handbook found on Cal State LA’s website. The handbook defines two types of speaking areas, one which is the Public Forum, which includes the stage that is northeast of the
University-Student Union, the area extending outwards 5 feet from every side of the stage, and the walkway area from the statute of the Golden Eagle east of the Golden Eagle building to the southernmost end of the Street of the Art. The other type is the Limited Public Forum Areas, which include all outdoor areas on campus (i.e., areas not inside a building) with the exception of: public forum areas, athletic fields (including but not limited to the tennis courts and the swimming pool and deck), streets, street crosswalks, driveways, parking lots, the corporation yard, the area directly between Kennedy Library North and the Palmer Wing South, bridges between buildings, building balconies, building walls, building rooftops, Luckman amphitheater, areas directly adjacent to electrical transformers, generators and panels, and designated construction areas. According to the handbook, spontaneous events and demonstrations may not take place in the limited public forum areas, which makes up the majority of the school, but can take place in the public forum areas. Planned events and demonstrations, however are allowed in both settings, but a reservation is required. Basically, if you want to have a spontaneous peaceful protest by the Golden Eagle statue or stage, go ahead, but if you want to do that anywhere else, better have a permit…one of those free speech permits. However, this conclusion still didn’t feel right, why would anyone in the U.S. need a reservation to practice their 1st amendment right, and why would there 1st amendment
right be limited to a small space on campus? Well, it turns out that may just be a hallow rule. According to the California State University’s Hand Book of Free Speech Issues: “It used to be common to designate a ‘free speech zone’ on college campuses, where all free speech activities were to take place. While it is still possible to label certain areas as “free speech zones,” meaning that most free speech activities will occur there, courts have recognized that the ability to communicate some messages in a particular location can be significant to the message. Thus, having exclusive ‘free speech zones’ where all free speech activity must occur will not be sustained. A location may be symbolic to the protest, one where people habitually gather, one at which the particular audience the speaker seeks to reach is present or significant in some other way. It can be effective to designate an entire campus open to free speech, and except out only those locations where such activity would significantly interfere with and/ or disrupt university business -- e.g., immediately adjacent to classrooms, where teaching and learning would be disrupted, or narrow walkways or corridors, where the free flow of foot-traffic would be impeded.” Well now, that seems more reasonable, but just in case, maybe we should take the lead from Colorado University and the handbook quoted above and fight to make the entire campus a free speech zone.
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November 7, 2016
11 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT University Times
Let’s talk about sax, baby Saxophone music recital celebrates saxophone inventor Adolphe Sax Ricky Rodas Copy Editor On November 1, Cal State LA’s music department hosted Happy Birthday Adolphe Sax, a music recital in which the department’s saxophone players paid tribute to the beloved instrument’s inventor. Born November 6, 1814, in Dinant, Belgium, Sax patented his musical contraption in 1840. According to a TIME magazine article, however, the saxophone was not easily accepted by that era’s musicians. “It took decades—a century even, depending how you count—for Adolphe Sax’s invention to take its place in history,” TIME wrote. When the instrument was brought to the U.S., it found a loving home in the musical genre Jazz; this embrace, however, was not without consequence. “By the 1920s, it [the saxophone] was so closely associated with jazz that many classical purists dismissed it altogether.” Unlike the classical purists of yesterday, music professor Dr. Jeffrey Benedict and his students paid homage to Adolphe Sax by utilizing his invention to play a myriad of musical styles. From Latin to classical,
each player demonstrated a passion for the saxophone and dedication to playing every piece to the best of their ability. The performance was divided into 4 groups of 4, and each quartet played pieces selected for them by Dr. Benedict. One group, The Cal State LA Saxophone Quartet 1, played Lino Florenzo’s piece “Sudamerica”, and Eugene Bozza’s “Nuages”. Their musical offering was a testament to the global influence of the saxophone. The quartet was comprised of Soprano Sax player Jorge Amezcua, Alto Sax player Marrian Zhou, Tenor Sax player John Escutia, and Baritone Sax player Luis Caceres. “We rehearsed every week on Tuesday night from 6 to 7[PM], and these last few weeks we pulled up a little more [time] like twice or 3 times a week,” Jorge Amezcua, music education major, said. “We’ve done this piece two years ago, and to see it come this far from the last time we played it on the same stage, it’s really great to feel a sense of greater accomplishment for the group,” Josh Escutia, music education major, said. Dr. Benedict also performed with his Soprano sax alongside his group The Orion Saxophone Quartet, comprised of Alto Sax Player Adrian Williams, Tenor Sax player Ken Foerch, and Baritone Sax player Charlie Richard. Their quartet riveted the audience with their tremendous skills, effort-
Photo by Ricky Rodas
lessly playing through pieces composed by J.S Bach, Jean River, Charles Ruggiero, and Aram Khachaturian. At the end, every member of each of the 4 groups came back on stage to collectively perform the classic “Happy Birthday”, led by Conductor Dr. Luis Zuniga. After the show, Dr. Benedict spoke about putting the recital together and how well his students performed. “Well the students
did all the work, but I just had to sort of crack the whip. The purpose of this is to give them a sense of humiliation so they’ll rehearse and they grow as a result of it,” Dr. Benedict playfully said with a smile, showing pride in his students’ abilities. When asked what the saxophone meant to him, he answered, “It’s [the saxophone] been a major part of my life since I was young,” a simple sentence full of admiration and love for this storied instrument.
“Latina” enraptures audience with hilarious and moving performance Opening night of “Latina” sets production off to a great start Anthony Karambelas Contributor When was the last time you went to see a play? No excuses. Cal State LA offers quality, on-campus student theater all yearround. This fall, the Theater Department put on a production of “Latina,” directed by Professor Steven Rothman. The play, written by Milcha Sanchez-Scott, begins by following a Peruvian girl as she embarks on a dangerous trek across borders to the United States. There, the play showcases the lives of maids in the Don Felix Domestic Agency, highlighting the hardships of Latinas working in the industry. While deeply moving, the play also relieves audience members with the hilarious bilingual banter between Latina characters. Last Friday on opening night, the Cal State LA state playhouse was all laughs and tears, with an incredibly responsive audience that followed the actors through all the highs and lows of the story. All cast members performed brilliantly, each contributing equally to the overall quality of the performance. As a unit, the cast felt impressively close-knit and natural. Diana Cruz - playing the role of Sarita, the Agency receptionist - stood out as an extremely believable character, struggling with her Latina identity. While her initial denial of her Latina heritage made her a dislikeable character, the audience soon
grew to love the young woman as she realized the value in her background.
but also gave assurance that being Latina should never attempt to be hushed!”
Gloria Hernandez was exceptional in her portrayal of Lola, a dissatisfied maid with a strong sense of pride in her culture. Moses Israel, playing the part of Don Felix, or Sleazy Sanchez, lived up to his name, adding an extra layer of grease to his shady and despicable persona.
Daisy Villalobos mentioned how she related to the sacrifices of undocumented women, because they were similar to the struggles her mother had endured. “Latina” presents something for everyone. For those who prefer a bit of comedy to lighten the heart, “Latina provides jokes galore. For more heavy-hearted folk, “Latina” spreads harsh, but true realities regarding immigration and treatment of Latina maids.
The cultural clash between white women and Latinas in the play resulted in some hilarious moments, such as when the character of Mrs. Levine - a customer played by Tamara Hamming - tried to communicate with her one year of Spanish in high school. The audience erupted into laughter as she spoke the lines, “Excuse me, yo spanko los nino’s.” Among the many audience members on the premiere showing, the Cal State LA Speech and Debate Team were notable attendees. They were clearly in love with the performance. Jackson Spencer, Forensics coach, said, “I thought that the intricacies of the set and the metaphor behind the costume changes was amazing and the performances of each and every actor created a beautiful ensemble and I look forward to seeing more shows from the theater department.” Rashad Freeman, forensicator, was impressed with the way the play dealt with issues that unfortunately remain an issue in American society. “That being said my favorite part was when the led character entered the monologue about what name she should use, settling on Sarah Gomez. It showed not only the character transition in,
Yes, you read that right. “Latina” is funny, poignant, and educational at the same time. This is definitely not one to miss.
“Latina”
Where: State Playhouse, Cal State LA campus When: Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 6 at 1 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 9 and Thursday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10-$15 Information: call 323-343-4060 or email MTDevents@calstatela.edu. Running time: 2 hours Photo by Anthony Karambelas
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November 7, 2016
University Times
NEWS
Cal State LA lands two NASA grants pore formation in alloys during solidification as well as the formation of microstructures during alloy solidification.
When asked in what way this research will benefit aerospace and life on earth, Edhraghi stated, “High-strength materials are needed in various industries including aerospace, automobile, and power generation. Solidification is a very critical step of the materials manufacturing processes.” He added, “The results will be very useful for in space fabrication as well as manufacturing industries on earth.” While competing with all the big research institutions around the country, Cal State LA was awarded the two grants from NASA in a very competitive field, and illustrates how Cal State LA is on the forefront of science research.
The grants will allow the University to conduct materials science experiments Alina Ogle Contributor Cal State LA and NASA are joining forces to conduct materials science experiments with the International Space Station. The university was recently awarded two grants through NASA’s Physical Sciences Research program totaling $840,000 in funding, and by using simulation, will examine how materials solidify under different circumstances in space, with the absence of gravity, and
Photo courtesy of Dr. Mohsen Edhraghi
on earth where gravity is present. Leading the research as a principle investigator on one grant and a co-principal investigator for the other grant is Cal State LA mechanical engineering professor Dr. Mohsen Edhraghi. Both research projects will include researchers from the University of Akron and Cleveland State University, while the studies will utilize flight experimental data from the International Space Station. The microgravity condition in space gives scientists the opportunity to do experiments that are impossible to perform on earth, and the researchers will study the
“In one of the programs, only two proposals were funded; our proposal and one from Northwestern University which is ranked amongst the top five materials science programs in the world,” said Eshraghi. Adding, “This shows the level of quality and commitment at Cal State LA and our capability to compete with big schools to do top notch research.” It’s not just the university that is excited for the opportunity to work with NASA; it’s also the students. “I think it’s cool that Cal State LA, the college that I go to, got grants from NASA. I normally hear of bigger schools getting that type of recognition, so that’s awesome for the school,” said sophomore Sophia Delgado. It’s a fact that science research
has an impact on our everyday lives and that is not lost on senior Matt Jenkins who said, ”Science research in important and I think it’s good that Cal State LA was awarded grants to study things that could help us in the future on earth and out in space.”
Students should be excited about space research and these studies in particular because the outcomes of microgravity research in space has industrial, economic and social impacts on our everyday life. “The results of space research will be shared with industries to develop better products, processes and applications that can influence every one of us,” said Eshraghi. “This
pioneering research is leading to next generation commercial metallic components and crystals. NASA’s unique materials science program allows us to develop industrial and manufacturing processes which will result in making new materials with never seen before properties.” NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, houses the Physical Sciences Research Program. The program furthers fundamental research and applied research, which contributes to underlying space exploration technologies. Technologies that will further our journey to Mars, and Cal State LA is part of that.
The University Club Monday - Thursday Friday 11am - 2pm 11am - 2pm
King Coffee
Salazar Cafe
Monday - Friday 7:30am - 8pm
Monday - Friday 7:30am - 8pm
Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5pm
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fresh start?
winter session begins Janurary 3. spring semester begins february 22. enroll today at www.citruscollege.edu