DAILY FORTY-NINER EST
Vol. XCV, Issue 15
1949
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BEACH BLOCKS USC
Monday, December 11, 2023
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ON THE COVER NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State men's basketball junior forward Aboubacar Traore blocks a lay-up attempt by USC guard Boogie Ellis in their matchup inside the Galen Center. Traore finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds as the Beach took down the Trojans in overtime.
NEWS
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MAVERICK MARCELLANA / Daily Forty-Niner A bike rack sits next to the University Police Department. According to the Jeanne Cleary Report for CSULB, the most recurring crime on campus is bike theft.
UPD uses decoy bikes to fight bike theft
Assistants News Assistants
Arts & Life Assistants
Elizabeth Basile Acsah Lemma Anthony Orrico Linsey Towles Samantha Cortes Renzo Pocasangre
Cheyenne Elizarraras Maya-Claire Glenn Sports Assistants Matthew Coleman Alyssa De La Cruz Matthew Gomez Design Assistants Luis Castilla Nuelle Obaseki Copy Editor Assistants Stacey Chen Jaylyn Preslicka Nick Broadhead Photo Assistants Mark Siquig Marlon Villa Social Media Assistants Maher Basharahil Jahir Olvera Video Assistant Steven Matthews Opinions Assistants
Podcast Assistants
Julia Goldman Lei Madrigal
Business Advertising Manager Izzy Ahmed advertising@gobeach.media Creative Director Jennix Bien creative@gobeach.media Web & Technology Manager Leila Nuñez web@gobeach.media PR & Promotions Manager Nicollette Combre beach.pr@gobeach.media Distribution Manager Sofia Ingegno distribution@gobeach.media
Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Advertising & Business Adviser Jennifer Newton
Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space. Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily Forty-Niner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.
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BY MAVERICK MARCELLANA & CYNTHIA MAZARIEGOS Staff Writers
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he Long Beach State University Police Department (UPD) attempted to fight against campus bike theft through programs like the U-Locks and in 2023, resorted to decoy bikes. The UPD planted decoys around campus to lure in thieves and track them down to find where they keep stolen bikes. “Having your bike stolen may impact students, faculty and staff differently. If it is your only mode of transportation, it can be very stressful and a financial burden,” UPD Police Chief John Brockie said in an email. CSULB Crime Analyst Johnny Leyva said a total of 57 bikes were stolen from January to November. “When we look at our crime statistics, one of the very high crimes that occur the most are stolen bikes,” Brockie said. The UPD now offers free U-locks whenever a student registers their bike to the department, but it is on a first-come, first-served basis. The UPD can track the decoy bikes with GPS tracking built into the bikes. However, Brockie did not want to go into detail to prevent thieves from knowing any key information about the decoys. The UPD places the decoy bikes where higher concentrations of bike theft happen. “We made an arrest 50% of the time the decoy bikes were deployed,” Brockie said in an email. Brockie said individuals who have been caught have not been affiliated with CSULB in any way. Officers may know perpetrators occasionally because they are local unhoused people. According to UPD Lieutenant Carol Almaguer, the decoy bikes they rented belong to the Seal
Beach Police Department. They were used as a test run, but the UPD no longer has the funds to continue to use decoys. “The existing value of one bait bike is upwards of $3,200. We borrowed two bikes and Seal Beach wanted their equipment back so they were returned,” Almaguer said in an email. Some rentals have also come from the Long Beach Police Department. Brockie said the UPD has borrowed from different agencies so the decoys won’t look the same. First-year engineering major, Eron Ray, oftentimes rides his bike on campus and likes to keep it with him at all times. He claims to never leave it anywhere for more than four hours at most. Ray depends on his bike to stay on his budget since gas prices have been on the rise. “If somebody were to steal it, it’d be terrible,” Ray said. Ray says that it’s nice that the UPD is making any effort it can to reduce bike thefts on campus. He said there should be cameras on the bike locks, that way there’d be a good amount of criminals to catch. First-year 26-year-old accounting major Kent Berg also rides his bike around campus about two to three times a week at most. He believes the decoy bikes wouldn’t be as effective if the crime wasn’t recurring, but is a, “cool idea” nonetheless. “I don’t think anyone comes back to keep stealing at the same place,” Berg said. “I guess it’s kind of effective. I feel like the cops would have a better idea of whether that is effective or not.” Berg added that spreading awareness about bike theft would help out in preventing these crimes, should it ever happen. At the moment, Brockie and the UPD have yet to come up with any other initiatives to combat the bike theft problem but are always open to new alternatives.
Land Acknowledgment Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here. We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east. We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.
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NEWS
Cal State Los Angeles faculty hold one day strike The California Facility Association continues their rolling strike as contract negotiations stall.
BY ANTHONY ORRICO News Assistant
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ontinuing their fight for a new contract, the California Faculty Association held a one day strike at Cal ANTHONY ORRICO / Daily Forty-Niner State University Los Angeles on Wednes- As the fall 2023 semester comes to a close, the CSU faculty and administration remain at a standstill over labor negotiations, day, demanding higher wages, paid fam- leading to strikes such as this one at Cal State Los Angeles. ily leave and improved working conditions. This was one of four strikes taking “Management must think that facMany students from several CSU and an increase in salary for its lowest place this week as part of the CFA’s roll- ulty can’t do math. Management claims campuses joined the picket line in sup- paid members. ing strike. Faculty at Sacramento State, their latest salary offer as ‘15 percent port of their professors and instructors. “Honestly, after 23 years, my experiCal Poly Pomona and San Francisco over three years’ (even they acknowledge “I’ve had lots of professors talk about ence of the administration’s attitude toState held strikes or are planning to hold that is not guaranteed). We are demand- how they have second jobs. I’ve had pro- wards faculty is one of disrespect. They strikes this week. ing a 12-percent General Salary Increase fessors who say that they can’t pay their don’t really recognize that we and the The union has finished the legal stat- for just 2023-24 to keep pace with rising car, that they can’t pay for the light bill students are what allowed them to have utory process and now has the legal au- costs of living.” and they’re stressed out. Faculty work- their jobs and to keep the CSU going,” thority to strike. The CSU’s last contract “We will fight for more when the full ing conditions are student learning con- said Alejandra Marchevsky Chair of the offer was a 5% general salary increase contract opens next year. The three-year ditions,” said Anita Rangel, a Chicana Department of Women, Gender and per year for the next three years, a post nature of management’s proposal would Studies major at CSU Los Angeles. Sexuality Studies at CSULA. “I think promotion increase of 2.65% in the mean that we cannot bargain over other Rangel said she encourages other there’s a profound, both disrespect but 2024-25 fiscal year, eight weeks of paid workplace issues for three years.” students across the CSU to stand in sol- also disconnect. with what we actually do parental leave and a 2.65 % service salary Students, faculty and staff marched idarity with their professors during this and what happens in the classroom,” increase, according to a letter sent by the on CSULA’s campus chanting CSU slo- fight. One more strike is scheduled for CSU to faculty. gans and at one point even shutting In addition to 12% salary increases, Thursday, Dec. 7 at Sacramento State In a letter sent to its members, CFA down the intersection of North Eastern the CFA is asking for a full semester of and it is unclear at this time whether any said the following: Avenue and State University Drive. paid parental leave, improved work load other strikes will take place this year.
Rising fees and tuition for CSU planned in coming years BY CARLOS YAKIMOWICH & ANTHONY ORRICO Staff Writers
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alifornia State University’s new tuition increase will rise 6% yearly for the next five years, starting in the fall of the 2024–25 school year for all 23 CSU campuses. This was set in stone after the CSU Board of Trustees voted on the tuition increase on Sept. 13, despite many CSU students opposing it. Under the Multi-Year Tuition Proposal, CSU’s tuition fees are set to increase from $5,742 in the current 2023– 24 academic year to $6,450 by 2025–26 for undergraduates with 6.1+ units. They could reach as much as $7,682 in 2028– 29. Unit costs at all CSUs will gradually increase from $319 in 2023–24 to $426 by 2028–29. “We understand the increase may be difficult for students, but it was necessary to ensure the long-term financial
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sustainability of the university and to continue our educational mission,” CSU spokesperson Hazel Kelly said via email. According to Kelly, the increase was decided by a workgroup created by CSU interim chancellor Jolene Koester in 2022. The workgroup presented a report called the Sustainable Financial Model Workgroup Report May 2023 to the Board of Trustees that showed a $1.5 billion funding gap between the CSU’s revenue and its costs. The group recommended the trustees consider a tuition increase to help close this gap. Data from the CSU’s Finacial Aid Database indicates that 60% of enrolled undergraduate students have full tuition costs covered by grants, scholarships, waivers or non-loan aid, such as the CalGrant and CSU’s State University Grant (SUG). Even after the increase, CSU continues to stand out as one of the nation’s most affordable options for a four-year degree. According to the Education Data Initiative, the national average cost of instate tuition and fees for a four-year pub-
lic university was $9,678 per year in 2023. The CSU also understands that tuition only makes up part of the total cost of attendance and has convened a Financial Aid Workgroup to explore ways to expand the university’s financial aid structure to look more holistically at the total cost of attendance. This would include things like the cost of living in an effort to provide increased support for students. The CSU has also committed to putting one-third of the revenue from the tuition increase back into its State University Grant program, which helps students with the greatest financial need. According to Nicholas Novello, Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships at CSULB, the state of California will increase financial aid and grant support to match the rise in tuition. “The state has indicated that students who are eligible for these programs will continue to see these award levels matched to their tuition charges,” Novello said. Across all CSU campuses, 80% of
Monday, December 11, 2023
students received some form of aid. According to Novello, just under 50% of students pay for some of their tuition out of their own pocket. As tuition is poised to increase, students at Long Beach State will also face a rise in student fees. Beginning in 2025, the Future U Project will increase semester fees by $255, totaling an annual increase of $950. This initiative aims to revamp Student Union buildings, enhance food services and provide additional student lounge space. Fees are largely used to pay for maintenance on the student union as well as paying staff, according to Associated Students, Inc. The increase in this fee will go towards the $302.6 million student union renovation, which if approved, would begin in 2026. Other fees increasing over the next few years will be the activities fee which was $65 for the fall 2023 semester and will be $89 for the spring 2024 semester. Neither the athletics fee nor the student union fee were passed through a student referendum.
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NEWS
SYDNEY HOOPER / Daily Forty-Niner The Parkside Dining Hall has a variety of food stations with rotating options every day. Following a study completed in 2022, organizations on campus are aiming to spread awareness among students about the impact of dining hall food waste.
Dining hall food waste is an increasing issue for Long Beach State students
BY SYDNEY HOOPER Staff Writer
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n October of 2022, the management team of the Long Beach State dining halls conducted an initial study to determine the amount of food waste compared to the number of students dining during each meal period. Clint Campbell, associate executive director of Retail Dining Services, saidhow dining services collected the data and the actions they are taking to combat the issue. “The management team for each of the dining halls weighed the cans of food waste next to the dish room from what students scraped off their plates,” Campbell said. After one month of collecting data, dining services discovered 15,000 pounds of food waste between the three dining halls. Beach Shops reported their findings to the Long Beach State Office of Sustainability. Nanci Torres-Poblano, Sustainability Specialist, said that the Food Waste Reduction Campaign was formed in fall of 2023 as a result of the study, aimed to educate students and motivate them to take action by being mindful of how much food is left on their plate after a meal period. Torres-Poblano said the campaign included tabling events three days a week throughout October at each dining hall, where staff shared facts about food waste and encouraged students to be mindful of their impact. In addition, Torres-Poblano said events focused on asking students questions to spread awareness about their
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waste overall, while giving them strategies to handle these issues, such as recycling and composting. “Our goal was to reduce the waste by 20%,” Torres-Poblano said.
housing staff on social media to spread awareness. The Office of Sustainability also worked with ASI and Sustain U in October of 2023 to provide other workshops
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After one month of collecting data, dining services discovered 15,000
pounds of food waste between the three dining ha
lls.
Students entered the challenge by scanning a QR code, and if the goal was met, students who participated were entered into a raffle to win a celebratory sushi event. They also coordinated with
and events surrounding sustainability, such as the bimonthly Trash Talkers tabling event. Linh Nguyen, hospitality management major and employee at Parkside
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Dining Hall, stated that although students tend to not think about how much food they waste, she noticed a difference after the tabling events. “We educated them a little bit and I think they are starting to be mindful,” Nguyen said. Nguyen also said that food at the dining halls is served to students one portion at a time to try to limit waste. Cynthia Ibanez, third year kinesiology major and Residential Assistant at the Parkside North dorms, said that she has noticed the excess of food waste at the Parkside dining hall. “Students tend to put a little of everything on their plate because they don’t know what they will like,” Ibanez said. Torres-Poblano said that other efforts to promote sustainability on campus were implemented by the Service Learning-Climate Action class (ESP 392). According to Torres-Poblano, throughout the fall semester, the class installed green bins at both The Outpost and The Nugget, then observed how often students utilized the bins. The class will continue to implement green bins at other places on campus in the future. According to Campbell, dining services collected data again during October 2023 to see if the efforts to spread awareness had any lasting impact. However, dining services found only a 30 pound difference from the original data collected in October 2022. According to Torres-Poblano, both Beach Shops and the Office of Sustainability are discussing another campaign to take place in October 2024. Although they are in the early stages of planning, the organizations aim to start a bigger conversation and get students involved in making a difference on campus.
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NEWS
Photos by SALYSSA DURAN / Daily Forty-Niner Students learned basic life training skills such as chest compressions on both adult and child manikins as part of an American Heart Association Basic Life Support Certification class on campus.
Students learn importance of basic emergency life support BY SALYSSA DURAN Staff Writer
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ine eager students trickled into class at the Student Recreation Wellness Center on Dec. 2 for a three hour lecture that began at 9 a.m and ended at noon with a written test. In an official flyer, it was advertised that students would be using a scenario-based approach, to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that drive better patient outcomes. Students practiced breathing and cardiac emergency methods including CPR, AED and other obstructed airway techniques for adult, child and infant patients. Mike Freeman, the aquatic and safety coordinator and former EMT, served as instructor for the class. “In the beginning, we offer three classes but we noticed that people wouldn’t take the first two. They would wait till the end of the semester to take the classes,” Freeman said. “So after seeing that no one would show up in the beginning, we decided to only have one
During the class, students practiced emergency methods using both adult and child manikins and utilized bag valve masks. class at the end on a Saturday.” The cost of the class ranged between $65 to $85. Students expressed different reasons on why they took the class such as putting it on their resume for job opportunities, EMT requirements or simply just because it seemed interesting.
With his unique teaching style, Freeman mixes pop culture references in his lessons to better connect with students. “I try to find fun analogies that work for the group because since I’m a bit age-removed,” said Freeman. He references media such as Naruto, Breaking
Bad and Spiderman as they have medical moments relevant to the lessons. Students were paired off and became comfortable with practices like ventilation as well as utilizing bag valve masks. In a repetitive cycle, students recreated the scene of assessing a situation by counting to 10, calling 911, checking for a pulse and then practicing ventilation with a bag valve mask on adult on infant manikins. A highlight of the teaching was when Freeman instructed students to be comfortable with their voices. “Because of the nature of what we are doing, we have to be loud,” Freeman said. “You need to be commanding in the situation.” By the end of the course, students were more confident through the encouragement and repetitive nature of the tasks. A lasting impression of the course was when Freeman emphasized the importance of having the skill set of basic life support. “Do you believe in teleportation?” Freeman asked the class, “EMS can’t teleport. Some places you are going to be the only person to be dependent on.”
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Because of the nature of what we are doing, we have to be loud. You need to be commanding in the situation. Mike Freeman Aquatic and safety coordinator
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Monday, December 11, 2023
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ARTS & LIFE
Photos by MARLON VILLA / Dai;y Forty-Niner Known for her roles as Jubilee in “X-Men: Apocalypse” and Laura Jean in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” Lana Condor talked to students about her experience in the industry and growing up as an adopted child.
Lana Condor delivers a heartfelt message to CSULB students Discover the wisdom and encouragement the actress shared with students in collaboration with ASI. BY KARLA VALDEZ Staff Writer
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ctress, performer and philanthropist Lana Condor visited the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Dec. 5, for “An Evening with Lana Condor.” This event was only open to current CSULB students and cost $10 to attend. Condor is a Vietnamese-born American who made her film debut in “X-Men: Apocalypse” as Jubilation Lee. However, she is mostly known for taking on the role of Lara Jean Covey in the romantic film, “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.” In the past, her most prominent roles revolved around young women who embarked on self-discovery journeys and learned to value and embrace their own power. However, Lana’s dreams of becoming an actor felt unattainable at one point. “What I would always tell myself early on in my career was, first I cannot emotionally attach myself to no’s because if you do, it’s brutal and it’s a hard time in that hole,” Condor said. “My advice is just to dive head first, truly don’t be afraid to fail because you’re gonna fail, you will, but keep on failing, keep on failing and eventually something is gonna stick,” she said. Condor inspired the crowd with empowering advice and opened up about still feeling imposter syndrome. She shared that even at her most recent
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award presentations, the Critics Choice Awards, she felt a deep sense of imposter syndrome. When Condor visited Vietnam with the Obamas, they discussed similar feelings of imposter syndrome while speaking with young women about educational opportunities. “We are nothing but the stories we tell ourselves and I chose to tell myself great, great, stories so that in times of fear that will click in and overpower that fear,” Condor said. “Start to believe in these mantras that you do belong, and, hopefully, they just start to stay,” she said. Condor also shared details about her parents and about how having a strong support system of friends and family is important. She told the audience that engaging with others who have similar interests gives you a certain power, which is why she believes community is crucial. “You wanna pick a career that you will still be happy to do even when there’s the lows,” Condor said. According to Condor, everyone has to find happiness within themselves. After being adopted at the age of four months, Condor and her younger brother Arthur Condor immigrated to the United States from Vietnam, where they have lived with their German and Irish parents ever since. They have lived in Chicago, New York and California. As children, the two siblings had a Vietnamese nanny which allowed them to maintain their cultural roots. It was not until recently that she learned more
Before the doors opened at 6 p.m., long lines formed outside of the Carpenter Performing Arts Center for an evening with actress Lana Condor. about her cultural identity as a Vietnamese woman through culinary experiences. “That started when I was an adult. I went to Vietnam a bunch of times and I have an organization where I put Vietnamese girls through an education in the town that I was born in,” Condor said. One of her biggest challenges was grappling with her identity in search of herself. “But at the same time I know who I am. I know my values, I know what I believe in, I know what I love and I care for. I’m a loud, strong, Vietnamese woman,”
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Condor said. And although Condor describes herself as an introvert, she loves being extroverted for work. She left Long Beach State students with the parting message to listen to each other. “In my opinion, I think that the world is not black and white, that majority lives in the gray space but things can feel very black and white. So, my advice would be to listen to each other,” she said. Condor is excited about her upcoming projects “The One,” a psychological thriller, and the action thriller “Ballerina Overdrive.”
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ARTS & LIFE
Nutrition and dietetics students share their knowledge about personal health BY KARLA VALDEZ Staff Writer
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t can be challenging to balance health while attending college, but developing healthy habits can be aided by learning about appropriate nutrition. Fourth year nutrition and dietetics major students on campus offer free counseling sessions for general, fitness or weight loss advice regarding nutrition. According to Strategic College Consulting, students who have “poor eating habits experience more than just increased weight. Poor eating is associated with lower grades, a higher incidence of illness, and increased fatigue.” An increased risk of sadness, anxiety, irritability, difficulties concentrating and sleep disturbances are also associated with poor diet, according to the National Library of Medicine “A healthy lifestyle enhances mental status, energy levels, productivity levels, and athletic performance. Eating well is a form of self care that contributes to academic success and lowers the risk of chronic disease too,” Nikki Jerman said, a fourth year nutrition and dietetics student. Stress management, social time, sleeping well and moving your body are also pillars of good health. With time management being a very important component when it comes to eating healthy and creating habits that will benefit us, knowing these pillars is important. Targeting sleep, nutrition, movement and stress will allow for better concentration and academic excellence. On the other hand, it is possible that malnutrition or signs of nutritional lack, will appear if these measures are not taken. Overindulgence can lead to obesity and over-nutrition as well so in order to maintain our health, we must eat the proper amount of food. Beach Balance counselors are not currently certified in treating severe medical conditions or eating disorders, students seeking counseling for those issues will be sent to Student Health Services for further assistance. The client spends no more than fifteen minutes completing a private intake form prior to a each session. In the course of each meeting, which is no longer than an hour, the counselor goes over the client’s living patterns, a 24-hour recall, recommended objectives for particular food groups, educational handouts, goal-setting and follow-up sessions. Counselors will also view the student’s recommended daily calorie amount and specific food group amounts based on physical activity, height, weight, age and gender on a website called MyPlate. Specific food groups consist of fruits, vegetables, grains, oils, plant milk or milk and meat.
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KARLA VALDEZ / Daily Forty-Niner Erewhon’s grocery store layout looks aesthetically pleasing and colorful. This inspires people to pick put fresh produce and start eating healthy. Graphic by LUIS CASTILLA Taking care of your health is crucial since it can lower your chance of contracting long-term conditions like diabetes and heart disease. The normal functioning of our bodies is facilitated by the nutrients we ingest. Improving health involves a variety of elements, some of which can be changed modestly to have long-lasting effects on general health and quality of life and positively, you’ll probably live longer as well. “My favorite and most common tip that I give my clients is to prepare a snack or two when you know you won’t be home for a long period of time. This will help you stay energized throughout the day, especially during lectures. Also, being “healthy” doesn’t mean you have to restrict certain food groups, it is all about moderation,” Jacqueline Paiz said, nutrition and dietetics student. “Do not listen to what social media says about what to eat and not to eat. Make sure you look at their profile and see if they are credible sources,” Paiz said. The last day to sign up for counseling sessions was Dec. 1, however, next semester there will be a new set of student counselors available to assist. Their hours are flexible, sessions are held throughout the week through zoom or in-person, as early as 10 a.m up until 7 p.m. You can either book it via the student recreation and wellness center or call (562) 985-0763.
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Finding strength in struggle: Navigating imposter syndrome BY MAHER BASHARAHIL Social Media Assistant
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s a student, from another country studying at Long Beach State, I have faced an unspoken challenge; imposter syndrome. This psychological pattern, characterized by self-doubt and feeling like a fraud intellectually affects not only me, but also many of my fellow students regardless of their backgrounds, intelligence or skills. I still vividly remember entering my class surrounded by students from different backgrounds. Despite achieving success in my home country, I felt like an outsider constantly questioning my abilities and fearing that others would discover I was not as competent as they thought. It was an experience to adapt not only to demanding academic standards but also to a cultural environment that was significantly different from what I was accustomed to. The pressure of representing my home country added a layer of challenge. It felt like I wasn’t a student, but also an ambassador for my culture, which heightened the sense of responsibility
NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Cal State University Long Beach Maher Basharahil dealt with imposter sydrome when he first arrived to the United States from the United Kingdom. and expectation on me. Every mistake seemed magnified while each accomplishment seemed overshadowed by the thought that I wasn’t truly deserving. During my time at CSULB I found comfort and assistance through resources. The counseling services provided me with guidance aiding me in understanding and navigating my emotions. Joining university clubs and organizations
connected me with students creating a support system that played a vital role in making me feel less isolated. One of the changes in my journey involved learning to set realistic expectations for myself. Recognizing that perfection is unattainable. That making mistakes is a part of the learning process helped alleviate the constant pressure to prove myself.
OPINION
Practicing self-compassion became a part of my routine. I started acknowledging accomplishments and understanding that my journey as an international student encompassed personal growth and resilience just as much as academic success. The path wasn’t without its challenges. It was truly transformative. With each step, I discovered more about myself. How to navigate the complexities of studying in a foreign country. I came to realize that while imposter syndrome presented obstacles, it was not impossible to overcome. Through awareness and support, from others and taking care of myself I gained the confidence to continue both my pursuits and personal development at CSULB. Looking back, I can see a journey filled with growth valuable lessons and the ability to bounce back from challenges. My time at CSULB goes beyond success; it has been a voyage of self-exploration and finding my own strength. For any student who may be struggling with imposter syndrome, I want you to know that you are not alone. With the support and mindset, this hurdle can become an opportunity, for both academic fulfillment.
The future of artificial intelligence is here BY NATE MARTINEZ Staff Writer
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rtificial intelligence is changing the landscape of education and beyond, making it a tool unlike anything we have seen before. Uncle Ben from “Spider-Man” once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Regarding rapidly evolving artificial intelligence, that statement could not be more correct. Since ChatGPT’s launch in November 2022, users and related technology have grown exponentially. In the first five days of its launch alone, over five million people registered accounts. In its early days, ChatGPT could only answer written questions and at the time, the answers the AI provided were also spotty at best. AI can now perform more complex tasks a year later, including writing emails, producing code and designing websites. Since AI was created in California, the state has pioneered the incorporation of technology into its government and education. California recently produced an analysis report on the matter. At the state level, AI would mainly assist in analyzing, summarizing and classifying large sets of data. A task that would normally take hours to accomplish by an employee could be done in mere seconds by ChatGPT. However, I believe the potential risks caused by using AI in government outweigh the benefits.
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In the state’s report, officials claimed AI could potentially allow “bad actors to design, synthesize, or acquire dangerous chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) weapons.” I’d like to see this kind of “Avengers: Endgame” scenario remain fiction, which is why AI should be eased into our technology. Once more safeguards are developed, then AI can be introduced to the government. The possibilities of AI in education are far more exciting and less end-ofthe-world-like. “It’s the same as when the light bulb was invented. AI is a tool that’s going to be embedded into a lot of other technologies,” said Gerardo Martinez, the executive director of educational technology for the Westminster School District. At its core, AI will allow teachers to focus more on the teaching process by completing time-consuming tasks such as creating lesson plans and homework assignments. “We ask ChatGPT to unpack a learning standard and to tell us what’s the most important learning target,” Martinez said. “Then we ask it to write the standard in a student-friendly voice for a third grader, or a second grader so that we can communicate it to the students in a level they can understand.” Among students, ChatGPT quickly became an easy way out of doing homework. However, with the technology’s recent development, students are now encouraged to utilize ChatGPT as an additional aid just like teachers. “I feel like there are still some people
NATE MARTINEZ via DALL-E An AI-generated image using DALL-E given the prompt “make an oil painting by Renoir of a humanoid robot playing chess.” like me who want to learn how to use it so that I can become a master at it and so that I can have it as another skill in the workforce,” computer science major Benjamin Smits said. This is the key to fairly using AI. As long as it is used as a tool, AI can help by completing administrative tasks and providing ideas for larger-scale projects.
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Even for this article, I used the AIbased recording app Otter to help summarize my interviews into key points. Like it or not, AI has officially arrived and is here to stay. Although I believe it should not be incorporated in every facet, its potential in so many different areas of work makes it impossible to ignore.
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OPINION
MATT GUSH / Daily Forty-Niner Tragedies such as the death of Antonio Garcia Avalos raise questions regarding the safety of unhoused individuals, with many living in encampents similar to this one, located in Downtown Los Angeles.
Concerns for the unhoused
The recent murder of Antonio Garcia Avalos has raised a concern for unhoused individuals in California and how to avoid similar situations in the future. BY PORTER AYDELOTTE Contributor
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omelessness is cycling back as a hot topic in California. Recently, a 68-year-old jogger from Garden Grove was charged with voluntary manslaughter for shooting and killing a 40-year-old unhoused man on the sidewalk. The jogger, Craig Sumner Elliot, recorded himself shooting Antonio Garcia Avalos. Avalos had thrown a shoe at Elliot, which led to Elliot firing three times at Avalos. Later, Avalos would pass away from these injuries. This situation should present a concern for unhoused individuals. If an avoidable tragedy like this can happen, how do we go about preventing or at the very least reducing the possibility of it? According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there were around 582,000 unhoused individuals in the United States as of 2022. In California, about 171,500 are estimated to be homeless. California has been dealing with an uptick in individuals becoming unhoused. Since 2022, the amount of unhoused individuals has risen 6 percent. The rest of the United States has only
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Many newly unhoused individuals can develop mental health problems for the first time, and that can worsen other problems. seen a 0.4 percent increase. These numbers reflect a rising issue, and it only appears to be becoming more apparent. More and more people are becoming homeless now. Why? Often, people are unhoused due to economic reasons. Unemployment and reduced work hours are the driving forces for many people. However, issues such as mental illness or an unwillingness to burden family are prevalent as reasons. The lack of support to keep a roof over these individuals does lead to dangerous side effects. Unhoused individuals are at a higher risk than ordinary
citizens for health problems. Transmittable diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C are more common among unhoused communities, and substance abuse disorders are significantly higher. Many mental health risks can directly be tied to homelessness. Many newly unhoused individuals can develop mental health problems for the first time, and that can worsen other problems. Prolonged periods of being unhoused can result in mental distress. The situation presents a large obstacle and something must be done to
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prevent any of these outcomes. So is anything being done in California to challenge the rising tide of unhoused people? Recently, Governor Newsom announced that $300 million will be used toward removing encampments across the state. These grants should be used toward helping these individuals with housing. However, only half of this money will directly go to cities. The other half will be used by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). It’s not a true victory, but it can be viewed as a step in the right direction. The solution should be humanizing the unhoused. People need to see and understand the many situations that can lead people toward homelessness. Giving people an idea of what it’s like, how it can harm someone, and that it can be dealt with in a way that can benefit those struggling under it could help more people to care about the problem. The death of Antonio Garcia Avalos should be concerning to everyone. There is a divide between those who have homes and those who are unhoused that needs to be mended by presenting the entire situation. By helping unhoused individuals recover and providing resources to help in that endeavor, it can help avoid another tragedy like Avalos.
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SPORTS
State of the Union: LBSU athletics BY DAVIS RAMAGE Sports Editor
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ewly appointed athletic director Bobby Smitheran has not come into an ideal situation at Long Beach State University when compared to athletics programs around the country, but he looks to make the best of it. Football is the main source of revenue in college athletics and without football at The Beach, it is hard to create enough revenue to offer scholarships to all athletes. “We have about 395 total student-athletes this year, 65% are on some form of athletic aid. The majority receive less than 50% of what the NCAA would define as the full cost of attendance award,” Smitheran said to the Journalism 318 class. Not having a football team is a hindrance for Long Beach because, without that main source of revenue, it is hard to keep up with other universities in terms of the quality of products like nutrition and facilities for student-athletes. Smitheran told an anecdote where he visited the University of Oregon and it had a barber shop for its athletes and without a football team, luxuries like that are not attainable. The Beach is also not allowed to offer recruits a NIL package to come play for the school while there are other schools offering players millions of dollars to athletes just to be on the team. On the bright side, athletes are allowed to receive money, but they have to work for it through things like brand deals. LBSU is currently using a webbased platform called Influencer that allows athletes to be accessed by brands to promote their products. “Yes I want to get to a more proactive approach because if you don’t address it [NIL] and if you don’t jump both feet in, you’re just going to get left behind,” Smitheran said. LBSU is a non-Power 5 school whose athletic department has been operating at a loss. On the surface, it seems like a nightmare situation for a new athletic director, but Smitheran is focusing on running a fiscally responsible department, cutting costs without impacting competitiveness and investing in facilities. As soon as Smitheran arrived on campus, a $55 million estimation of repairs for the Walter Pyramid was dumped on his desk. The Pyramid at Long Beach State is an icon and it has recently been reported to be leaking from the roof. He does not want to have to tear it down, but he says that $55 million is not a
NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State Athletics Director Bobby Smitheran talks during his introductory prees conference at The Pointe inside the Walter Pyramid. Smitheran has stepped into an athletics program here at the Beach where they are at a disadvantage compared to the other programs they are regularly competing against. smart financial investment for the university, so alternative measures may have to be taken. Another issue Smitheran adopted was the decision on the future of men’s basketball head coach Dan Monson who is in the last year of his contract. “As I said to coach Monson, I’m rooting for him,” Smitheran said. “That’s a conversation between coach Monson and myself at an appropriate time.” The top focus for athletics departments is winning, as it fuels the success
of the department and allows them to provide students with the resources that they need both while they are at their respective universities and once they leave. Smitheran is focused on competing for championships in all sports to help boost the profile of the institution. “It’s not just a banner in the gym, all boats float when we have success,” Smitheran said. Smitheran described the business of college sports as “have versus have not.” This is true in many aspects, but especial-
ly as it pertains to money. Teams in the Big West Conference have TV deals worth one to three million dollars while teams in the Southeastern Conference have deals up to $50 million and with a lack of funding, it is hard to grow as a program to strive for those large TV deals. With all the obstacles that The Beach has to endure, things are still looking up for LBSU athletics.
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It’s not just a banner in the gym, all boats float when we have success. Bobby Smitheran Long Beach State Athletic Director daily49er.com | @daily49er
Monday, December 11, 2023
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SPORTS
Photos by NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State men’s basketball junior guard Isa Silva is guarded by USC freshman guard Bronny James Jr. at the Galen Center. James suffered a cardiac arrest in the summer, prior to his highly anticipated debut against Long Beach State.
A Hollywood ending: The Beach’s comeback spoils Bronny James' return BY MATTHEW COLEMAN Sports Assistant
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n what might be the game of the year, Long Beach State men’s basketball team rose to the occasion in one of the most highly anticipated games in the college basketball season and defeated USC in overtime, 84-79. The game’s anticipation grew to a nationwide level in the past week when rumblings of the possible debut of USC freshman Bronny James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James. In July during practice, Bronny had suffered cardiac arrest. “I just want to say I’m thankful for everything,” Bronny James said. “My parents, my siblings for supporting me through this hard time of my life. I just want to give appreciation to everyone that has helped me through this.” From playing Life Pacific on Wednesday night to playing one of the best teams in the country loaded with NBA-level talent, The Beach was met with quite the turnaround. With James’ return headlining the Sunday matinee, USC soon announced a sell-out crowd of 10,258. The student section was full more than an hour ahead of tip-off. Among the personnel in the soldout arena was Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, Klutch Sports founder Rich Paul and LeBron James. “We didn’t pay too much attention to the outside noise, to LeBron being here. We really just wanted to focus on getting a win because that’s something we believed we could do and we went out and
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James cheers for his son Bronny James Jr. as he makes his debut for the USC Trojans against Long Beach State. did it,” junior guard Isa Silva said. Both teams came out firing to start and it was obvious the adrenaline of both teams was at an all-time high with the energy inside the building only comparable to a high-stakes playoff game. USC thrived off the energy and was led by freshman guard Isaiah Collier who started the game hot with a team-high 10 points. He was able to get into the lane at will and he finished around the basket early and often. Midway through the first half, James would check in to a standing ovation. Being on a minutes restriction, his action was limited. He would showcase his elite defense on the perimeter giving the LBSU backcourt troubles early. The highlight of his night came in the final minutes of the first half when he pinned a Jadon Jones lay-up on the backboard, sending the arena into a fren-
zy and making everyone in attendance reminisce of his dad’s most famous play of his career with a signature chase-down block. Jones kept The Beach afloat throughout the first half, connecting on three 3-pointers, including one that was part of a 4-point play. Even with Jones in a rhythm early, The Beach was ultimately met with a 15-point deficit going into halftime. “We felt like we ended the half well, we’ll get back into this if we start making the next right play,” head coach Dan Monson said. “We started to get the momentum back, both teams are very good offensive teams. I felt like we were the team that defended best.” Propelled by an 8-2 run to start the second half, LBSU was able to get themselves back within striking distance. The run would prompt brief “Long
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Beach State” chants heard throughout the arena. Down the stretch, The Beach would gradually chip away at the deficit with the help of getting in the bonus early and Marcus Tsohonis taking over. Tsohonis scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the second half. Shooting both 50% from the field and from three. With a minute remaining in regulation, Bronny James went to the free throw line to extend the USC lead to three points with 21 seconds left. He would go one of two, setting up an opportunity for The Beach to tie the game with a two-pointer, which was pivotal with LBSU not being a great 3-point shooting team. Tsohonis again delivered, this time with a floater to tie the game at 74. A final defensive stand in the last 3.2 seconds sent the game to overtime. The momentum had undoubtedly flipped from the celebration of James’ debut to the verge of blowing a huge lead to mid-major LBSU. Collier, who is projected by many top NBA scouts to be a lottery pick in the 2024 draft, went just 5-12 from the free throw line and he missed some of those during crucial moments in the game. As a team, the Trojans went just 20-36 from the line. In overtime, it was all LBSU with The Beach outscoring the Trojans 10-5; six of those come from who else but Tsohonis. A big block in the closing seconds by junior guard Aboubacar Traore on Collier would seal the deal and secure an 84-79 victory for The Beach. LBSU’s record improves to 7-4 after the win and it looks to ride this high against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Dec. 19 back at the Walter Pyramid.
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