Monday, March 7, 2022 by Daily Titan

Monday, March 7, 2022

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Volume 111 Issue 8

ASI candidates prepare for elections Presidential candidates debated in the Becker Amphitheater ahead of this week’s vote. ZIMRY HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

Presidential candidates for Cal State Fullerton’s Associated Students held a debate on March 2 at the Becker Amphitheater to share their platforms with students. In total, three pairs of candidates are running to become the next president and vice president of ASI next year: David Velazquez‐Zamarripa and Marcus Arnwine, Lydia Kelley and Christapor Mikaelian, and Marcos Zelada‐Rodas and Gabriella Antos. Zelada‐Rodas and Antos did not attend the debate. The debate lasted one hour as both pairs of candidates were able to share their platforms and give rebuttals to counter points raised by the other team. The candidates were also able to respond directly to attendees’ questions. One common theme that both pairs of candidates presented emphasized increasing student involvement on campus. Kelley said that “many students do not know what ASI is,” and announced that her and Mikaelian plan

David Velazquez-Zamarripa (left) Marcus Arnwine (left) Lydia Kelley (right) and Christapor Mikaelian (right). (Spencer Otte / Daily Titan) on promoting tailgates before athletic events to get students “acclimated to the campus environment and get them excited about the events that we have here on campus.” Velazquez‐Zamarripa said he and Arnwine will look to make events like Discoverfest and All Day ASI

more accessible to students, placing an emphasis on making those events fit student’s schedules. Another major topic of discussion was how both pairs of candidates would promote student safety on campus with both pairs offering different solutions. Velazquez‐Zamarripa

Titans split final home games Men’s basketball ended their season second in the Big West with an 11-4 conference record. NAVTEJ HUNDAL Deputy Editor

ANTHONY BAUTISTA Managing Editor

After a close loss against UC Riverside on March 3 in Titan Gym, Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball responded with a 62-59 comeback victory over the UC Davis Aggies in the team’s final regular-season contest. For CSUF head coach Dedrique Taylor, this marks the best regular and conference record in his tenure at CSUF. The victory earned Fullerton the second seed at the upcoming Big West Conference Tournament in Henderson, Nevada, next week. Fullerton will have five days of rest before the opening game of the tournament, but Taylor has his sights set on the postseason. “Obviously, the historical value is awesome, but I’m more so excited about what this group was able to get done tonight to hopefully propel us into the tournament,” Taylor said. Senior forward E.J. Anosike led Fullerton in scoring and rebounding with 20 points and eight rebounds. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Junior guard Tray Maddox Jr. finished with 12 points off the bench against UC Davis. Senior guard Jalen Harris also added 14 points off the bench in his final home game. With three minutes left in regulation, UC Davis called a timeout prior to sending Anosike to the free-throw line leading 55-46. Following this timeout, Anosike went on a 7-0 run and made the score 55-53 with just over two minutes left to play. Anosike then fouled UC Davis’

Caleb Fuller, who converted both free throws to put the Aggies ahead 57-53 before a 3-point play by Maddox Jr., 57-56. Harris checked into the game for the final time with 93 seconds left to play, but it was all the time he needed to make his presence felt and secure Fullerton’s victory. Harris grabbed a rebound on the defensive end, which led to an Anosike putback layup to give the Titans the lead, 58-57, with 54 seconds left. SEE REBOUND

Vincent Lee (left) helps defend a UC Riverside guard on March 3 inside Titan Gym. (Navtej Hundal / Daily Titan)

mentioned that the two of them would focus on building more emergency blue phones around campus, where a police officer responds to whoever pressed the button within five minutes. Kelley and Mikaelian mentioned they would create a survey to see how

students feel about campus policing and would work off those results to see how they can improve their relations with campus police officers.

SEE VOTE

CSU allows faculty to address bias in student surveys TIM PETERSEN Staff Writer

MATTHEW KEYSER Editor

The ratification of a new Cal State University faculty contract now gives professors on campus the explicit right to rebut sexist, racist and prejudiced bias in student evaluations. While this seems like a win for faculty across the CSU, the recent negotiations have shown an unrefuted bias in evaluations towards women, Black, Indigenous and people of color and LGBTQ faculty. Student Opinion Questionnaires, known as SOQs play an important role in the review of faculty for raises, reappointment, tenure and promotions. In the past, faculty have always had the right to rebut certain biases but only to an extent. Michele Barr, a full-time lecturer at Cal State Fullerton in the Department of Kinesiology and vice president of Fullerton’s California Faculty Association, said that faculty members never had the opportunity to address specific language related to discriminatory bias in evaluations. “Initially, when we brought that up,

management’s response was, “No, we don’t want that language in there,’” Barr said. “Obviously we came a long way, but again, why the no stance on there initially, I don’t really know.” Under the new agreement, reviews must consider the rebuttals when reviewing the underlying student opinions. “It’s a difficult situation because student evaluations are important,” Barr said. “But I mean there is just unrefuted evidence that women, folks of color, LGBTQ are rated lower, not based on content, not based on you know, the actual teaching.” Toni Molle, the director for strategic communication and public affairs of the Chancellor’s Office said the faculty negotiating team brought up student bias in evaluation forms so they incorporated detailed language in the collective bargaining agreement regarding bias. “If they feel that a faculty evaluation is still damaging another course of action that they could also request is to meet with a campus administrator to discuss it and to provide additional insight onto it,” Molle said. SEE CRITICISM

2 News

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

City council approves homeless shelter funding CARLOS CORDOVA Staff Writer

The Fullerton City Council voted, 4-1, to approve additional funding for the Illumination Foundation, a nonprofit organization that operates homeless shelters in Fullerton on March 1. This amendment is an extension to a previous agreement with the Illumination Foundation, which offers rent assistance, medical supplies and social work to homeless individuals in Orange County. It will also reimburse the foundation for services rendered from September to December of last year. California recently granted Fullerton $4 million to assist with the city’s Navigation Center, which is operated by the Illumination Foundation. In addition, the council voted to use funds left over from their American Rescue Plan Act budget to repay the foundation for last quarter’s services. “I oppose the use of APRA funds for this purpose,” said Bruce Whitaker, mayor pro tem, who was the only council member to vote no on the amendment. During the public comment section of the meeting, advocates expressed doubt in the foundation’s ability in providing proper care and social service needs. Eve Lucas, a resident of the center, said that money was not being spent properly under the management by the Illumination Foundation. She described the living situation as disorganized and unhygienic. Lucas said that she went weeks without a bed due to an outbreak of bedbugs in the shelter. “You can’t just gather a bunch of people off the street, put them in a house and say,

‘There you are on your own now.’ It doesn’t work that way,” Lucas said. Curtis Gamble, an advocate for the homeless, said the organization should not be receiving any funds. “Do not fund this organization, it is robbery,” Gamble said. Gamble, who is homeless, stated that the additional money should be to help fund other resources in Orange County like local churches, free bus passes and support of Mary’s Kitchen in the city of Orange. Mayor Fred Jung responded to Gamble’s comments by stating he was not concerned about what resources other cities have to offer and was focused on what the city of Fullerton can do to help those in need. To address Lucas and Gamble’s claims, council member Amad Zahra suggested they make a formal complaint with California’s Department of Housing and Community Development. California State Law requires that all complaints are investigated for substandard living conditions. Due to the pandemic and a lack of operational funding, the foundation has had a rough start since opening in 2020, according to the Fullerton Observer. They were partially closed in the middle of 2021 to serve those experiencing homelessness who had contracted COVID-19 and did not fully open until the end of the year. To lower the cost to fund the foundation’s services, the city is currently seeking to purchase the building in which the foundation operates, which stands on 3535 Commonwealth Ave. The building is currently owned by a third party that charges the city over $543,000 to use each month, the Fullerton Observer reported.

The Navigation Center, a homeless shelter, is located at 3535 Commonwealth Ave. (Spencer Otte / Daily Titan)

Vote: Runners share their campaign platforms CONTINUED FROM

Arnwine and Velazquez‐Zamarripa made their intentions clear to address issues such as student homelessness and food insecurity. They said that one in 10 CSU students are homeless, and their administration would advocate to expand the Tuffy’s Basic Needs program. Mikaelian said that he and Kelley support the CalFresh for College Students Act which would help students receive benefits to combat food insecurity. According to the ASI Voter Information Guide ,Velazquez‐Zamarripa, a fifth-year political science major, and his running mate Arnwine, a third-year history major, both have experience serving in ASI, with Arnwine having served in a finance subcommittee and Velazquez‐Zamarripa having served in ASI Street Team where they are both members of the board of directors. Velazquez‐Zamarripa is also currently serving as the chapter president of the fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. Kelley, a third-year communications major, who is running for president, also has leadership experience, including serving as chapter president for the sorority Sigma Kappa. For the past year Kelley has served in the board of directors for the College of Communications. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Kelley’s vice presidential running mate Mikaelian, a third-year international business major, does not have previous experience in ASI. Mikaelian noted on the ASI candidate guide that where he lacks in experience, he makes up for it with passion and will use that passion “to go ahead and continue to uplift the students around campus.” Zelada‐Rodas, a third-year communications major, is running for ASI president. Although Zelada‐Rodas does not have previous ASI experience, the ASI candidate guide states that he was previously enlisted in the United States Army, where he learned to lead with care and was involved with his community, which are skills that he said he promises to bring into ASI. Antos, a third-year student majoring in business administration, has experience working with various non-profit organizations and said that she hopes that fellow students will “know that I will make their voices heard” if elected as vice president. Together, they plan to run on the platform “Students Above All” according to the ASI Voter Information Guide. Elections for ASI leadership will take place on March 8 and March 9 at vote.fullerton.edu. FOLLOW US: @THEDAILYTITAN

News 3

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

Criticism: Student evaluations impact pay CONTINUED FROM

Studies show a significant amount of negative feedback from student evaluations is directed towards female instructors. In a study examining student evaluations of courses and teachings, the results concluded that women academics receive 37% points lower than male academics. This data is backed up by the association’s findings which particularly showed that younger female instructors received worse evaluations compared to younger men, even though instructor gender did not influence students’ study hours or grades. Studies have also found that faculty of color receive lower evaluations than their white peers, with Hispanics receiving the lowest course evaluation ratings. Women of color are likely to receive more criticism due to their gender and skin color. Gregory Chris Brown, associate professor of Criminal Justice at CSUF and chapter president of the association, said while teaching at another university he has been the victim of racist remarks in a student evaluation. “We know that Black, Indigenous and people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ are always judged differently by student evaluations,” Brown said. “I’ve had comments made unrelated to my teaching,

but more about me as a person, a Black person.” Brown added that women faculty members had the way they dress and look discussed in student evaluations. He stated that bias and inappropriate comments regarding gender, race and sexuality occur every semester when the university collects SOQs. “So there are things that happen, and the university never recognized that. They now recognize that,” Brown said. Not all areas of academia received the same level of bias in SOQs. For example, the same study that identified gender bias in student evaluations found that some professors who taught in the social sciences and humanities received higher scores on student evaluations than their colleagues who teach science-centric courses. The study also said that universities employ so few faculty of color that there is not enough data to determine large scale bias. The study noted that smaller studies did find prejudice targeting faculty of color. Brown emphasized that the student evaluations impact faculty members’ careers, so when they receive a negative review filled with bias unrelated to

the course itself, it could lead to losing a job. He said that the ability to rebut and address the bias present in student

evaluations is an improvement, but there is still more progress needed. Brown said he thinks the SOQs need to be changed.

“I want to work with the administration to make sure we improve them,” Brown said.

CAYLA LUNA Staff Writer

Every week, Cal State Fullerton offers a range of events for students. Explore campus events this week if you’re looking for something to keep you busy. Stylists and Career Advice Tuffy’s Basic Needs Services and the CSUF career center have collaborated to provide students with professional attire styling, career-related advising and resume, as well as cover letter reviewing with walk-in services on Mondays from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. in MH-143. Healthy Eating Series: Smarter Shopping with Tuffy’s Basic Needs This online workshop will cover how to shop for nutritious foods without breaking the bank. It will take place from 2 p.m.-3 p.m. on March 8. Join with this meeting ID: 823 2507 2614 via Zoom. #TitansGive Day of Giving #TitansGive will return on March 9. Last year, more than $440,000 was raised for scholarships, student programs and high-impact learning

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experiences. This is a single day online event that encourages philanthropic support. The event will be from midnight to midnight and the entire Titan community is encouraged to participate, including students, parents, staff, faculty, alumni, friends and community leaders. To take part in the event, go to titansgive.fullerton.edu. Gifts of $10 or more will be accepted; for more information contact titansgive@fullerton.edu. Group Exercise - Zumba Zumba is a blend of Latin and International music and used as a way to burn calories in a fun way. This dance class will be held on March 10 from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Recreation Center in the Dance Studio. Keep in mind that registration closes five minutes before the start of class. 15th Annual Clayes Collage Concert Rise: Music United Join this annual event for $50 to see student musicians perform on stage. This event supports scholarship funds for School of Music students and will occur on March 12 at 3 p.m. in Meng Concert Hall.

ADVERTISING

Campus events for the week of March 7

CONTACT

(CAMILA VELLEGO / DAILY TITAN)

EDITORIAL

Michelle Barr is the vice president of Fullerton’s California Faculty Association and lecturer in the kinesiology department for Cal State Fullerton. (Matthew Keyser / Daily Titan)

Editor-in-Chief Lily Lopez Managing Editor Anthony Bautista News Editor Spencer Otte News Deputy Amber Juarez News Assistants Elena Hanna Michelle Ibañez Heather Eyre Opinion Editor Vanessa Siguenza Deputy Opinion Nollyanne Delacruz Opinion Assistants Hugo Rios Jillian Devine

Sports Editor Marisa Palmerin-Flores Deputy Sports Editor Navtej Hundal Sports Assistants Jeseny Escobar David Goodkind Bryan Corrales Lifestyle Editor Jessica Choi Deputy Lifestyle Editor Eder Ramirez Lifestyle Assistants Genesis Pavia Catherine Norby Layout Editor Frank Portillo Deputy Layout Editor Alexander Alvarado

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Social Media Manager Annie Kuo Marketing Coordinators Chloe Lau Ivan Calderon Lauren Le Accountant Doris Henriquez

Account Executives Kevin Garcia Clerise Yumul Jay Song Senior Graphic Designer Josephine Tang Graphic Designer Allison Nishi

Editor-in-Chief News Line Sports Line Advertising

Social Media Editor Jessica Benda Head Illustrator Gabriela Mendoza-Legorreta Illustrator Assistants Cassidy Molina Tiranjini Pillai Faculty Adviser Walter Baranger

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FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 3. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article. Please contact Editor-in-Chief Lily Lopez at (657) 278-5815 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com to report any errors.

© COPYRIGHT DAILY TITAN 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, Inc. College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free.

4 Lifestyle

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

Five eco-friendly materials to look for when shopping CATHERINE NORBY Asst. Editor

Not all sustainable brands are affordable for everyone. Companies like Patagonia, Reformation and Girlfriend Collective are great brands, but they come at a high price. The good news is, you can be your own sustainable shopper without breaking the bank. Keep an eye out for these five sustainable materials and you’ll be on your way to becoming an even greener shopper. Bamboo Bamboo is a fantastic eco-friendly alternative material in clothing. It is fast growing, self-regenerative and has a kinder cultivation footprint in comparison to cotton, according to Good On You: Ethical Fashion. However, bamboo clothing is often made in combination with other materials such as rayon and cotton. Bamboo is usually soft, but if the materials list says it is 100% bamboo be warned that the fabric will feel rough and similar to canvas. Some brands that are focusing their clothing lines on bamboo are Hara the Label, Free Fly and Leave Nothing But Footprints. Tencel The brand Patagonia argues that from a material production standpoint, tencel is even more sustainable than bamboo. The solvent carbon disulfide is used during the processing of bamboo into fabric and 50% of that toxin goes into the environment after the material is made. This is why the brand has chosen to work with tencel as opposed to bamboo.

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Tencel is actually a brand that takes a combination of lyocell and modal fibers harvested from raw wood to make fabric. Most tencel is both compostable and biodegradable, which means that the fabric can be returned to the environment after its use without harming it. Tencel has partnered with many well-known brands such as Patagonia, Me Undies and The North Face. Hemp Hemp sometimes gets a bad reputation for its association with marijuana products, but it’s actually a great sustainable fabric alternative. According to Forbes, because this plant is a weed, it grows quite easily with minimal water and there is no need for pesticides. Hemp also produces more pulp per acre than trees and returns nutrients to the soil it grows in by sequestering carbon dioxide. Hemp is also great because every part of the plant can be used. From a fabric standpoint, hemp also helps naturally filter UV light, breathes well, is stronger than cotton and also retains color well, according to Naked Clothing. Brands focusing on hemp fabric products right now are Tact & Stone, WAMA Underwear and Hempy’s. Wool Wool is another great eco-friendly fabric material. It has a long material lifespan, is readily recyclable and biodegradable in both land and water because it is a protein-based fiber, according to the International Wool Textile Organization. Wool also makes for a great warm base layer because it wicks sweat, selfcools and is odor resistant.

(GABRIELA MENDOZA-LEGORRETA / DAILY TITAN)

Wool is harvested from sheep and is typically harmless, but there are ongoing debates on if it is a cruel process. Domestic sheep have to be sheared because they can’t regulate the excess weight by themselves. Most wool also comes from farms dedicated to wool farming using domesticated sheep. Brands known for selling wool fabric clothing are Smartwool, Darn

Tough and Minus33. Organic Cotton Organic cotton is one of the most common eco-friendly fabrics. According to the Organic Trade Association, as of the 2019-20 harvest year, organic cotton made up 95% of global cotton production. The material is typically harvested using less energy and water than regular cotton, making it a great

eco-friendly alternative. Organic cotton is also pesticide-free and can be recycled. There are a lot of brands out there specializing in organic cotton, it is perhaps one of the easiest fabrics to find in eco-friendly stores today. Companies such as Pact, The Waight, Ardent, Obakki, Groceries Apparel and Mate the Label have chosen to base their clothing lines on organic cotton.

Lifestyle 5

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

Movie

REVIEW

‘The Batman’ ascends as a modern thrill

Gotham’s vigilante returns as a realistic superhero that showcases his internal conflicts. JAQUELINE ROSALES Staff Writer

A classic superhero tale returns to the big screen to fit a modernized version of the protagonist that is much needed for this new generation. “The Batman” (2022) leans away from the good guy versus bad guy narrative and sets a darker and more realistic tone for the hero of the film. Director Matt Reeves approaches the film by setting a voyeuristic feel from the start and continuing it throughout the film. Gotham City is viewed from the villain’s perspective, as well as Batman’s (Robert Pattinson). The stand-alone film gives the audience the modern-day Gotham, which has remained the dark and ominous city overrun by criminals, drugs and fear. Batman takes hold of the city from the film’s villain. The Riddler (Paul Dano) antagonizes the city’s politicians and those in power by revealing truths to the public, including Bruce Wayne, to bring the city down from its pedestal of lies. Like its counterpart film “Joker” (2019), it holds a darker tone and encapsulates the gray areas within superhero films. With a contemporary approach of questioning authority, “The Batman” highlights the questionable characteristics of the hero on screen. Reeves’ new approach to the issues found within the justification of

Show

REVIEW

(Warner Bros.)

superhero acts and films leaves the audience with a new perspective of Batman and wanting more of what will happen next with the series. The anticipated film perfectly captures the conflicts of Batman and does not leave it with a fairytale ending but a fitting conclusion for the already troubled hero. Falling under the genres of action,

crime and drama, it is shocking to see that it is not categorized under the horror category, because the Riddler takes hold of his victims one by one, unlike any other villain that Batman faces on screen. Creating traps similar to those seen in the “Saw” film franchise leaves the audience with the same defeat as Batman.

The 2022 film holds close to a threehour run time, which is needed to portray the complicated internalized conflicts of Batman with each relationship he holds while trying to stop the Riddler. Pattinson successfully portrays the more ominous side of Batman and his overall pessimism — what other films have failed to do. His character is not

busy taking screen time to show off wealth or depicts unrealistic gadgets, but, in a more humbling sense, shows his inability to even land from the height of a building with his only tool being his combat training. Pattinson takes the works of previous roles of Batman played by Ben Affleck in the DC “Justice League” character reiterations, and Christian Bale’s “The Dark Knight” and enhances those portrayals within the new film. Leaving Gotham as this less controllable city that seems to be at threat by only one villain at a time and now corners the superhero into a wall where there is no escape to the corruption found since the city’s foundations. An ending that shocks the audience with a pleasant surprise from a familiar laugh, with no on-screen appearance by Barry Keoghan, makes the almost three-hour run time of the film worth the wait — giving hope to seeing a villain role be reclaimed once again. However, it leaves a less satisfying post-credit scene that hints at future sequels and works for the film. Other appearances of familiar DC characters of the Penguin, played by Colin Farell, are given a more humanistic approach to his original mob boss character, differing from the “Batman Returns” (1992) depiction of the character. Selina Kyle, played by Zoë Kravitz, who portrays Catwoman, also shares equal importance to Batman compared to other reiterations previously seen. “The Batman” (2022) is currently exclusive in theaters and rated PG-13 for its violent and disturbing content, strong language and suggestive material on screen.

‘Euphoria’ season two hypnotizes viewers

The trending high school drama leaves viewers anticipating more addictive chaos. CHRISTIANI AQUINO Staff Writer

Season two of “Euphoria” is a rollercoaster of the good, the bad and the unfortunate emotions. Created by Sam Levinson, “Euphoria” follows the story of Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, who is a 17-yearold drug addict and the narrator of the story. With the agonizing wait, fans were finally able to continue the story with TV’s favorite teenagers, only to be met with horrific foreshadowing. Through Levinson’s artistic ability of directing, he showcased a disconnect from reality by intertwining fantasy and horror. In the episode, “You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can,” the opening and closing scenes disconnect the viewers from reality. In the opening scene, Rue is describing her love for Jules (Hunter Schafer) through narration. But the actual scene is the portrayal of their love shown by mimicking scenes from famous paintings of Frida Khalo, “The Titanic” and the animated “Sleeping Beauty.” At the end of that episode, we got a call back from the horror movie “Midsommar,” where the last scene of both works ends with an ominous, horrific blonde woman in despair with flowers behind them. This occurrence is not clever since A24 is an entertainment production company that helped with both “Midsommar” and “Euphoria.” “Euphoria” excelled in the directing department, however, it is lackluster in character development. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

(HBO Max)

Kat Hernandez, played by Barbie Ferreira, is a prominent character in season one. Kat gets little screen time in season two, with her character being reduced into an emotional support character to Maddy, played by Alexa Demie. Additionally, the character of Chris McKay, played by Algee Smith, was written off the show after one episode. This was because Smith did not know where his character would end up, according to The Daily Beast. We are also introduced to Elliot, played by Dominic Fike, an alternative/indie artist who has over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify. His

character acts as a catalyst for the break of Rue and Jules’ relationship. He breaks their relationship in an unimpressive way — making amends with Rue through a song. It was overall lazy writing, since the three minute music solo was just meant to capitalize on his artistry. The dramatic and unfortunate events that take place in this show are what make “Euphoria” a must-watch. Lexi Howard, played by Maude Apatow, creates a school play that showcases her perspective on the people in her life through a dramatic retelling. Rue’s drug addiction finally catches up to her, and she is left with strained

friendships, relationships and family life. What comes next is a clear realization of how drug addiction harms people around her. While Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) has to come up with a way to get his dad’s sex tape from Maddy, he also comes to terms with his relationship with his dad Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane). Fezco, played by Angus Cloud, finally got his long awaited character origin story. Viewers get to see Fezco falling for Lexi, and also having to deal with the ramifications of the death of Mouse, a drug dealer, played by Meeko, who was killed by Ashtray (Javon Walton). Fezco’s storyline

ends on a cliffhanger, making viewers crave more. Maddy and Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney), deal with the betrayal of trust, with Cassie sleeping with Nate after Maddy had just broken up with him. This led to tension between the best friends who are now anticipating a fight, as Maddy says “this is just the beginning.” With season two being over and all the new drama, viewers can only look forward to the continued drama in season three. Season two of “Euphoria” aired on HBO Max on Jan. 9 after a more than two year hiatus. FOLLOW US: @THEDAILYTITAN

6 Opinion

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

Allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood Discriminatory policies that restrict donations amplify LGBTQ stigmas. HEATHER EYRE Asst. Editor

As COVID-19 infection rates decrease and pandemic restrictions are eased, the Red Cross reminds us that we are still facing a nationwide blood crisis. It’s the worst blood supply shortage in over a decade, and we need to make it easier for everyone willing to participate as volunteer donors. Besides meeting the United States Food and Drug Administration’s age, height and weight requirements, queer men face additional hurdles to qualify as blood donors. These policies have remained in place for far too long, harming LGBTQ communities by excluding them from being able to donate blood. Misconceptions about the health of individuals in these groups and the potential for their blood to be contaminated have perpetuated homophobic stigmas and inhibited the blood supply. “It’s unfortunate that a huge population of our community is not able to freely donate blood,” said Nat Betancourt, coordinator for the LGBTQ Resource Center at CSUF. Betancourt stressed the frustration of knowing that our hospitals have been so overtaxed during the pandemic and are badly in need of blood, and could have used the support of willing donors from LGBTQ communities. “It’s really unfortunate that these sorts of barriers exist,” Betancourt said. A lifetime blood donation ban for gay and bisexual men was initially put

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(GABRIELA MENDOZA-LEGORRETA / DAILY TITAN)

into place by the FDA in the early days of the AIDS crisis to limit the spread of the disease. At the time, it was considered a temporary measure; however, the ban remained in effect until 2015. But donated blood can now be reliably tested for HIV before being used in transfusion for a blood donation recipient. The initial panic has worn off, but the stigma has persisted. Even though the lifetime ban was lifted, would-be donors are still routinely turned away, due to regulations

that persist for the group that identifies as men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2015, the FDA changed the lifetime ban to a 12-month abstinence period, which is the time the donor must wait after having sexual contact with another man before they can donate. In 2020, that activity deferral period, which is essentially a celibacy requirement, was reduced to three months. The University Blood Initiative argues that the regulations are “effectively antiquated, discriminatory, and

counter-productive.” According to a study by UCLA School of Law Williams Institute, lifting the ban that prohibits MSM from donating blood could increase annual blood supply by 345,400 to 615,300 pints of blood each year , without significantly impacting the spread of HIV in the blood supply, and potentially saving over a million additional lives. Last year, the Red Cross announced their efforts would be to work with organizations conducting research and

expanding technologies that would eliminate the need to ask the intrusive donor eligibility questions necessitated by the FDA’s requirements. In January, prompted by the national blood shortage, a group of 22 senators also called for a change to existing policies: “Any policy that continues to categorically single out the LGBTQ+ community is discriminatory and wrong. Given advances in blood screening and safety technology, a time-based policy for gay and bisexual men is not scientifically sound, continues to effectively exclude an entire group of people, and does not meet the urgent demands of the moment,” the group wrote. Betancourt said they are hopeful that changes will bring more opportunities for individuals in the LGBTQ community to be able to donate blood, but acknowledges there’s a lot of education needed to eliminate stigmas, even within their own community, in order for progress to be made. In addition to further education to destigmatize queer sexuality, future policies must be modified to shorten deferral periods and apply screening and deferral procedures to everyone equally, regardless of sexual orientation or activity. The consequences of new scientific findings and adequately assessing risk to the blood supply can undoubtedly help the current blood supply shortage. A policy that is solely based on donor questions about sexual activity, without additional questions or respect to the donor’s general risk of HIV, is more concerned with enforcing and perpetuating discriminatory restrictions.

Leisure 7

WEEK OF MONDAY, MARCH 7

WRITTEN by Stepheny Gehrig

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8 Sports

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

Rebound: CSUF closes out season 1 Harris grabbed a steal and drew an offensive foul on Fuller on back-toback possessions to earn a trip to the free throw line with the chance to extend the lead. Harris converted both free throw attempts to put the Titans ahead by three, but after an intentional foul committed by CSUF’s Damari Milstead sent UC Davis’ Ezra Manjon to the charity stripe, both made free throws cut into the Titans’ lead, 60-59. After being intentionally fouled for the final time, Harris kept Fullerton ahead after converting both of his free throws to make the score 62-59. The Aggies’ last-second desperate attempt for a victory was ended by a steal by Anosike at the buzzer to secure the victory for the Titans. Prior to tip-off, Anosike, Harris, Milstead and Ibrahim Famouke Doumbia — the four seniors on the roster — were honored as part of Senior Night festivities. Taylor touched on the impact the seniors have left despite all four beginning their careers with other collegiate programs. “I would say they left a huge impact,” Taylor said. “Even Ibrahim, if you look at his minutes, they’re not impactful to the eye, but what he does in terms of the camaraderie with this group, in terms of the chemistry with this group, both on the floor and off the floor, it’s invaluable,” he added. Against Riverside, Fullerton trailed 74-66 with less than two minutes remaining. Milstead scored a layup, paired with a free throw and a 3-pointer to make the score 74-72. After Riverside missed a jump shot on the next possession, Harris and Milstead both missed shots that would have resulted in either a tie or a lead. Riverside’s Dominick Pickett was CONTINUED FROM

Junior Sean Ayale catches air in the men’s long jump on March 4 at the Riverside City College Invitational. (Navtej Hundal / Daily Titan)

Track and field thrives in opener

CSUF outdoor track and field won 11 events at the Riverside City College Invitational. NAVTEJ HUNDAL Deputy Editor

Cal State Fullerton track and field kicked off their outdoor season on Friday as they finished in second place in their respective team scores in the Riverside City College Invitational at Riverside. The Titans won 11 events, with five track events and six field events. The men’s team scored 131.50 points, and fell behind Riverside City College at 255.50. The women’s team scored 133 points — 15 points behind Cal State San Marcos. The women took four field events, while the men won two. The pole vault and the high jump were the field events that saw both teams taking first place. Both men’s and women’s pole vault swept the top three placements. Willard Morris leaped two meters for first place in the men’s high jump, while Alexis Vincent-Walker also came in first place in the women’s high jump with a jump

of 1.55 meters. Kaylah McNairy finished in first place with a throw of 12.74 meters, while Keely Togafu threw for a thirdplace finish at 12.07 meters in the women’s shot put. In women’s discus throw, Kiera Cruz hurled to first place with a toss of 40.38 meters. Togafu and McNairy rounded the event for the Titans at fourth and fifth-place, respectively. The 100-meter dash was the only track event that saw both teams take first place. In the women’s team, Lauren Delgadillo came in first place at 12.12 seconds, while the men’s team saw Christan Wood translate his successful indoor play with a first-place finish with a time of 10.88 seconds. William Dower’s recorded time of 11.03 resulted in a fourth-place finish. Isaiah Marecheau and Samuel Malik rounded things out for the Titans as they finished with seventh and eighth place overall, respectively. For the other two events, four Titan athletes finished in the top seven for women’s 1500-meter run. Olivia Ruiz and Markikay Schwab finished in the top two, while Stefana Purkovic and Laura Velasco came in fifth and seventh place, respectively. Madison Moku took

home first place, while Elena Shipillis finished in second place in 100-meter hurdles. The other event that the men’s won was the 200-meter dash that saw Marecheau and Chris Shiley tying for first place at 22.09 seconds while Malik secured sixth place. Second place finishes included Jake Smith in the men’s 1500-meter run, recording a time of 3:54:26. He fell behind Cal State San Marcos’ Nick Melanese by two seconds. In men’s shot put, Courvosiea Irby had the best outing for the Titans at second place with a toss of 13.76 meters. Nicholas Hvidsten heaved to fourth place, as he recorded a 13.62 meter throw. Kiera Cruz’s throw of 45.14 meters led to finishing in second in the women’s hammer throw. Despite the impressive outing, head coach Marques Barosso emphasized the team’s approach for the remainder of the season. “For us, you don’t settle. Even though we knock out PRs (personal records), want it to keep going and make sure we’re reaching our full potential by the end of the season,” Barosso said. Fullerton will host the Astro AI Distance Classic and Ben Brown Invitational from March 11 and 12 .

sent to the free throw line with four seconds left. After making the first, Anosike grabbed the rebound on the following missed attempt and passed it to Milstead, who missed the final shot of regulation to send the game into overtime. For the Titans, Milstead and Anosike were the only players in double figures with 26 and 17 points, respectively. Fullerton was missing the production of the team’s third-leading scorer in Maddox Jr., who played only three minutes. Riverside had four of its five starters scored in double-digits with the backcourt duo of Zyon Pullin and Wil Tattersal leading the way with 15 points apiece. The disparity in 3-point shooting and points in the paint were the big takeaways in the Titan’s crushing loss. Riverside took advantage of the Titans’ poor perimeter defense as they made 12 3-pointers in comparison to CSUF’s four. However, Fullerton overcame its shooting woes as the Titans scored 44 points in the paint — twice the amount converted from the Highlanders. While Taylor is looking to what’s ahead of himself and the team, he said he believes the lessons learned during the regular season can be useful to this team in the postseason. “I think the feedback that we give to each other, the feedback that we’ve learned from those games will be really important moving into Thursday’s contest and we have to use that information,” Taylor said. Next, Fullerton will hit the court on March 10 in Henderson, Nevada, for the Big West tournament. Fullerton will play the winner of the UC Davis and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo game.

Softball wins three at Judi Garman Classic CHRISTIAN AGUILAR Staff Writer

CATHERINE NORBY DAVID GOODKIND Asst. Editors

The Titans hosted the Judi Garman Classic, named after the former CSUF softball coach who led CSUF to its only softball championship in 1986. The tournament ran from March 3-6 with Fullerton playing five games in that span. On Sunday, the Titans played their last game of the Judi Garman Classic tournament against Weber State University’s Wildcats, which ended in a dramatic 8-5 win for Fullerton. The Wildcats created a strong 3-0 lead by the top of the second inning after a home run from Arissa Henderson and an error from Fullerton that allowed Lauren Hoe to score. Weber’s McKell McCuisition added another home run to the board for the Wildcats to produce a 4-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, while Fullerton still had no runs scored. At the bottom of the fifth, the Titans loaded three bases,but failed to clinch that momentum and only scored one run, 4-1. The Titans powered past Weber State in the bottom of the sixth inning, after junior outfielder Evelyn Sablan doubled to right center. The Titans scored a total of seven runs thanks to Hannah Becerra and Deshea Hill to win 8-5. Saturday was rough for the Titans as they lost 8-3 against Seattle University in the tournament. Seattle scored five runs in the third inning. The Titans almost made a comeback at the bottom of the fifth in a VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Alyssa Hernandez scores a run against Kansas State on March 3 at Anderson Family Field. (Marisa Palmerin-Flores / Daily Titan)

bases loaded opportunity but the runners would not score. Daisy Munoz hit a single that allowed Becerra to score by Seattle’s fielding error as well as Megan Delgadillo. They were able to score three runs in the fifth inning, but it was not enough to overtake Seattle’s lead. For Seattle, junior infielder Madison Kahwaty hit a home run that resulted in three more runs for the team in the sixth inning, which led the way to their win.

Fullerton started with a bang in a 12-11 win over the Kansas Jayhawks on March 3. The Titans immediately fell into a 3-0 hole in the top of the first inning after surrendering a three-run home run against Kansas on March 3. CSUF got a run back via Hill’s RBI single in the bottom half of the inning and Kansas extended the lead to 4-1 in the third inning. The Titans brought the score to 4-2 in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Jessi Alcala and threatened

for more in the inning with two on and one out. Kansas blew the game open in the next half-inning with a steal at home, two walks with the bases loaded and an RBI groundout that led to an 8-2 Kansas lead. Fullerton put together a shocking nine-run inning in the bottom of the fifth to take an 11-7 lead. Kansas dramatically tied the game in the seventh inning after a home run and two -RBI doubles. Tied at 11 in the bottom of the

seventh with two on and two outs, the Titans walked it off on what should have been a groundout to third off the bat of Munoz. The throw skipped away from the first baseman and Becerra scored to give the Titans the 12-11 win. The second game of Thursday’s doubleheader saw the Titans dominate the Fresno State Bulldogs in a 5-0 shutout win. Munoz drove in two, Anaiya Mitchell brought in a run with a sacrifice bunt, and Becerra capped off the scoring with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. After finding themselves in a 1-0 deficit in the second inning against Utah on Friday, the Titans took the lead off a two-run single into right from Kika Ramirez. Utah tied the game in the fifth inning and took the lead in the seventh after a Julia Jimenez solo home run; her second of the game. Trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Hernandez led off the inning for CSUF with a triple and Bailey Wallace brought in pinch runner Payton Kelly with an RBI single. Neither team was able to break the tie and the game went to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Utah took a 4-3 lead and the Titans went into the bottom half of the inning down one. Fullerton’s leadoff runner on second was thrown out on a fielder’s choice ground ball and the game ended on a double play right after. The Titans ended the tournament with three wins and two losses. Fullerton will face the University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday at Anderson Family Field with first pitch scheduled at 4 p.m. FOLLOW US: @THEDAILYTITAN