Week of Monday, May 9, 2022 by Daily Titan

Monday, May 9, 2022

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Volume 111 Issue 18

ASI Virjee a no-show at ASI meeting; WoMen’s Center plan protested debates new parking plan

The board of directors disagreed with the cost of the proposal. HEATHER EYRE Asst. Editor

Students for Quality Education expressed their concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting. ( Spencer Otte / Daily Titan )

SPENCER OTTE Editor

EDER RAMIREZ Dept. Editor

The Associated Students’ May 3 board of directors meeting was interrupted by a protest by members of the Cal State Fullerton activist group Students for Quality Education.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, members of the group voiced their concerns, including the amount of funds allocated towards the campus police and the sudden closure of the WoMen’s Center. However, tensions at the meeting began to rise when CSUF President Fram Virjee, who was scheduled to speak before the board, was not

present at the meeting. When recess was declared at 2:11 p.m., the students rose from their seats and began to wave signs and chant, “Where is Virjee?” The meeting, which was streamed online, was subsequently muted, and eventually ended, excluding the attendees viewing the stream. Mary Chammas, the board of directors chair, said that the board was

not sure why Virjee did not attend the meeting. When urged to leave, they reached a mutual compromise with the board to stay for the following meeting and wait for Virjee, who did not appear at the meeting. Chammas agreed to a meeting between members of the board and the activist group. The May 3 meeting was the final ASI board meeting of the semester.

Members of the Associated Students Board of Directors questioned presenters on a new proposal that calls for a significant increase in the cost of parking permits, while decreasing capacity for students living on-campus. “You mentioned that in a regular year, about 40% of residents purchase parking permits. It’s estimated that there will be about 2,200 students living in housing in the fall,” said Kira Dawson, the vice president of ASI. SEE PARKING

In campus diversity attempts, the solution is complicated In 2019, Phi Sigma Kappa posted a flyer with a racist watermark on their Instagram. JESSICA CHOI MICHELLE IBAÑEZ AUDREY PARAYNO

Increasing diversity within university student organizations, such as sororities and fraternities, has been a seemingly endless ongoing effort since a series of incidents in 2019 nudged both the administration and students to take action. Even now, a Daily Titan investigation shows frustration is still simmering. The troubled Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity was investigated in 2019 after posting a flyer with a racist watermark on their Instagram account. This led to a series of conversations on campus about what it meant for members of Greek life organizations at CSUF – and the

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

university as a whole – to condone racist behavior. The investigation into the flyer incident was followed by demands from CSUF’s Black Student Union for university accountability. Three years later, the Black Student Union – the catalyst for change following the flyer incident – is in dire financial straits. The flyer incident and its aftermath starkly illustrate the complicated interactions between a sprawling public university system and its independent student organizations. Also in 2019, CSUF President Framroze Virjee, a Phi Sigma Kappa alumnus, was awarded a medallion of merit by the fraternity. The award stated that Virjee had learned the value of diversity and inclusion from his fraternity brothers. The flyer incident prompted the Black Student Union to host a campus town hall to express their frustrations and urge the university to

respond to a list of demands. This included a request for $500,000 increase in scholarship and program funding, and hiring more Black faculty members. The specific list of demands was not fully met, except for the allocation of $75,000 for the Afrikan Black Coalition Conference and a $6,000 allocation from Associated Students. In 2020, an ethnic studies requirement law targeted all California State University students. “It was really eye-opening to see how ignorant a lot of the people on campus were because they didn’t understand why we needed any kind of inclusion,” said Luke Blackburn, current president of the Black Student Union. In 2020, the CSU trustees voted to approve a general requirement for all CSU students to take either a class in one of the four ethnic studies disciplines or any course with a social justice component. CSUF applied the requirement for their students starting in fall 2021.

Blackburn said that the requirement for students to take an ethnic studies course was a huge accomplishment that not many people recognized. “I think more needs to be done,” Blackburn said. “People think that it’s funny to be racist really needs to be solved, and the only way to do that is through education and through, like the diversity requirement that we now have in this campus.” In 2019, the Daily Titan reported that Phi Sigma Kappa informed Student Life and Leadership about the flyer, and was later present during a Black Student Union town hall. Their president at the time, Jacob Robles, said that the fraternity had immediately gone to the university and was fully ready to cooperate. The CSUF chapter for Phi Sigma Kappa, whose slogan was “Damn Proud since 1966,” is currently inactive, their social media presence stopped in 2019, with their last post

being published on Oct. 6 of that year. The town hall was on Oct. 21. The former Phi Sigma Kappa house at 2125 N. Teri Pl., is on what is known as fraternity row, neighboring other CSUF fraternity houses, and is no longer occupied by Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity members. Blackburn said he was present at the town hall in 2019, not yet a member of the Black Student Union. He said the student union had requested money for operational purposes, and while some were allocated, the union is still very financially limited. “We ran out of money for the BSU earlier this semester, and now we’re really trying to take the very last money that we have and try to divvy it up to make it go as far, and stretch it to the end of the semester,” Blackburn said. “I still don’t believe we have enough money to be as impactful forces as we need to be.” See Pages 6 & 7

2 Lifestyle

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

Movie REVIE W

Dr. Strange’s mad adventure is fun yet unfufilling The first Marvel horror film doesn’t go deep enough into the Multiverse. ZIMRY HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

The latest movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally hit theaters over the weekend with the release of “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” After the conclusion of the Infinity Saga with “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” many wondered what was the next big threat our heroes would tackle next. The seeds for Thanos were planted way before his actual debut in “Avengers: Infinity War,” with his first appearance coming in a brief post credit scene in the first Avengers film. Now, the concept of the Multiverse has been a constant recurrence in the series since the release of “Avengers: Endgame.” We also got various teases of the multiverse in “Wandavision,” as well as Marvel’s “What If…?” having an entire animated anthology devoted to the multiverse. Most recently, fans saw two of our older favorite wall-crawlers team up with our current Spiderman in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” In “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” directed by Sam Raimi, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) explores several universes and rubs elbows with his alternate selves and variants of other Marvel heroes. Stephen also tries to help America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) control her powers of interdimensional travel and escape monsters that are trying to kidnap her. Stephen enlists the help of fellow Avenger, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), to help them before quickly learning she is the one sending the monsters after America. Raimi stepped in and replaced Scott Derrickson, who directed the first movie, after he left the director’s chair due to creative differences, though Derrickson is still credited as an executive producer. Audiences become engrossed in the film with several complex camera works and tilts, as well as many fades, whip cuts and quick edits, which were Raimi’s signature. This movie has a high amount of on-screen killings, and despite the confines of a PG-13 rating, Raimi still finds a way to deliver on the promise of making this the first Marvel horror film, specifically when displaying the full power of the Scarlet Witch. His corny, often-over-the-top horror style is spread throughout the film, oftentimes taking viewers out of the story. However, it’s decisions like these that quickly make this movie stand out as a more original film

compared to other Marvel films. Of course, wherever there is Raimi, there is also a Bruce Campbell cameo — I won’t say where. Although the title suggests this is solely a Dr. Strange movie, it is equally a Scarlet Witch movie. Olsen’s performance steals the show and easily makes her the most interesting character in the movie, as the film serves as a sequel to Wandavision. Her powers lend herself to create several stylish visuals, including horror and suspense sequences that make the audience genuinely afraid of her. Despite having Multiverse in the title, this film leaves a bit to be desired in the Multiverse front. After a very brief sequence where Stephen and America fall through several different universes, the film is mostly contained to our universe and Earth-838 and a couple other universes. The excitement of seeing versions of other Marvel heroes is lived for about only five minutes, which is fine for the story but still feels as if Marvel is holding back on the fans and not fully tapping into the promised madness. The dialogue and writing felt a bit too off-putting and corny at times — much to Raimi’s style — some moments hit while others missed the mark and distracted the audience as it felt like it didn’t belong. The film’s tone changes too drastically and very quickly, leaving fans confused about how they are supposed to feel at a given moment. The film attempts to develop the relationship between Stephen and America to be like Tony Stark’s and Peter Parker’s relationship, but it doesn’t feel that they achieved that status by the end of it. Overall, this movie delivers on its promise of being Marvel’s first horror film, gives us great character moments while having clunky dialogue at times. It fails to fully deliver on bringing the madness of the multiverse to the fans. Needless to say, the movie is enjoyable and a fun viewing at a theater with other Marvel fans. But it will leave viewers wanting more. “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is now playing in theaters with a rating of PG-13.

(MARVEL STUDIOS)

Donʼt miss a thing! @thedailytitan dailytitan.com

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Lifestyle 3

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

Column: Short reads to help you unwind Take a break with these five books that are under 200 pages. JESSICA BERNAL Deputy Editor

As we prepare for the end of the semester, a mental timeout may be much needed. So, take a break from the required reading, the essays and assignments and give yourself at least 10 minutes to spend some leisure time reading a book for fun — no reflections or essays required. Here’s a list of books that are less than 200 pages and can be read in one sitting or in between short breaks.

“Warrior of the Light: A Manual” by Paulo Coelho Similar to “The Alchemist,” Coelho takes the reader on another journey of self-discovery. For fans of “The Alchemist” and those searching for their personal legend, this book reads more like a direct manual on how to help you get there. It’s more of a self-help type read, so there’s no fictional plot to carry you through it, but it does feel like this one is really speaking to you rather than telling you a story. In less than 140 pages, Coelho’s manual tries to prepare you to find your inner warrior. If the page count still sounds daunting, rest assured that the type and spacing of this book make it a quick read. It can definitely be done in one sitting.

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde How much would you be willing to give up to stay young and beautiful forever? Is everlasting beauty worth the price of your soul? Dorian Gray thought it was. Afraid of aging, Dorian Gray unknowingly gives up the one thing that makes us all human: his soul. In what seemed like a nonchalant statement about allowing his self-portrait, created by his artistic friend, to age while he remained beautiful. But staying youthful doesn’t come without a price. While outside appearances may continue to look good for the ageless Dorian Gray, there are factors unbeknownst to the outside world that are crumbling his perception of himself. His self-portrait continues to age and degrade as the years go by and as he continues to commit to his evil nature. He hides his self-portrait away, ashamed of the new image that it continues to depict after he commits such evils.

“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway The main character Santiago goes fishing at sea where he makes a marvelous catch but is soon faced with numerous obstacles before he can return to shore. In a little over 100 pages, the reader is taken along on this sea adventure where Santiago must face the unbearable truth that hard work doesn’t always pay off the way we want it to. Nevertheless, there is still some reward in overcoming the struggle. So, wherever you’re at in your studies, take a short break and do some leisure reading. Your brain will thank you later.

EDITORIAL

“Coraline” by Neil Gaiman If you’ve seen the movie, then you should check out the book. In 162 pages readers can dive into the mysterious world of a girl and her button-eyed parents. Coraline and her parents move into a new house with a mysterious little door that transports the user into a parallel universe. At first, what seems like the perfect alternative to her current life at home, quickly turns into a journey of overcoming evil. Like most book to film adaptations, you’ll have to see for yourself which one is better.

ADVERTISING

(JESSICA BERNAL / DAILY TITAN)

CONTACT

“Grimm’s Fairy Tales” Have you ever wondered where stories like Cinderella, Snow White and Hansel and Gretel came from? Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, two German folklorists and brothers, compiled a collection of over 200 fairy tales. Many of these stories have influenced various popular movies. Most of these stories range between three to 10 pages so it makes for a quick read to get your mind off things. It’s also perfect if you want to pick and choose your next story. Since none of the stories are connected you can hop into whatever fairytale adventure you feel like. Escape into the world of fairy tales when reading “Grimm’s Fairy Tales.”

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 Sinclair Andruska Melanie Nguyen Opinion Editor Vanessa Siguenza Deputy Opinion Nollyanne Delacruz Opinion Assistant Hugo Rios

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 Tristan Zelden Layout Editor Alexander Alvarado

Copy Editor Stepheny Gehrig Deputy Copy Editor Jessica Bernal Copy Assistants Dimitra Doiphode Stephanie Jasso Michelle Ibañez Photo Editor Jon Buzdar Photo Assistants Connor Hedges Rosemary Montalvo Daniela Navarro De Sanchez

Social Media Editor Jessica Benda Head Illustrator Gabriela Mendoza-Legorreta Illustrator Assistants Cassidy Molina Tiranjini Pillai Marian Lynn Chin Multimedia Editor Matthew Keyser Faculty Adviser Walter Baranger

Director of Sales Isabel Cambiaso Director of Marketing Dakota MacDonald Assistant Director of Sales Tyler Costa Sales Manager Isabela Veloro

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

Distribution Manager Brianna Rodriguez Distribution Coordinators Omar Lopez-Deniz Aurora Chavez Faculty Adviser Michelle Kurland

Editor-in-Chief News Line Sports Line Advertising

(657) 278-5815 editorinchief@dailytitan.com (657) 278-4415 news@dailytitan.com (657) 278-3149 sports@dailytitan.com (657) 278-4411 ads@dailytitan.com

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 Thursday 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 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

No Stress Fest returns to Becker Amphitheater The event, hosted by Titan Radio, featured live music, giveaways and food. CHRISTIAN AGUILAR-GARCIA Staff Writer

After a three-year hiatus, Titan Radio’s “No Stress Fest” returned in person to Cal State Fullerton’s Becker Amphitheater on May 5. Brandon Walkley, a third-year cinema and television arts major and Titan Radio social media and content intern, said that while previously planned events were delayed due to COVID-19 precautions, the Titan Radio staff was

eager to bring the event to the students once more for a night of events, music and giveaways. “The event is No Stress Fest. It’s kind of an end of semester, before the finals event that we’ve put on in the past,” Walkley said. “It’s the first one we’ve had in three years because obviously, with COVID, we couldn’t really do anything. So it’s our first one we’ve had in three years. It’s a really huge deal for all of us.” The event was organized by the CSUF student-run radio station, Titan Radio, and featured a collection of activities for students in attendance, such as garment screen printing, a photo booth, free food, various concert ticket giveaways, as well as

live music performances from bands Fear The Gray, The Renters and Dear Donna. Cameron Macedonio, a second-year communications major and Titan Radio technical intern, said that they wanted to give students the opportunity to relax before finals week with live music and other activities. “So finals week is pretty much around the corner right now,” Macedonio said. “We wanted to give students an opportunity to be able to come chill at the Becker Amphitheater in front of the TSU and listen to some great music.” Hunter Arnold, a second-year business management major and drummer for the punk-rock band The Renters,

said that his experience at the event was generally positive and that he felt proud to be able to play at his own college. “This is something that we’ve been trying to get for a long time because playing at your own campus when you’re in college is super special,” Arnold said. “I think it went great.” Following the final performance of the night by Dear Donna, Titan Radio staff took to the stage to reveal the winners of the concert ticket giveaway, which included tickets to see bands Goth Babe, King Princess and comedian Phil Wang, with the grand prize of two general admission passes to the music festival This Ain’t No Picnic.

Julia Santana, a CSUF alumna, said that No Stress Fest was an excellent experience for her and encourages students to get involved with Titan Radio. “It was cool. It was a very chill vibe,” Santana said. “I’m sure the students who are going through finals really enjoyed the mellowness of it.” As the event concluded, Macedonio said that the night’s turnout was higher than they anticipated. “This definitely is going to be a recurring event, especially after the success of this one and how hard our staff worked,” Macedonio said. “It’s definitely going to be something that we would love to keep as a tradition and keep it alive on campus.”

Fear the Gray performing at the Becker Ampihtheater on May 5. (Christian Augilar- Garcia / Daily Titan)

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

News 5

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

Parking: Residential permits will increase $50 every year CONTINUED FROM

With the new parking plan, a total of 592 resident parking permits would be issued for spaces in a new surface lot and the new Eastside North Parking Structure. Dawson pointed out that under the new plan, only 27% of student residents would have access to parking, and asked how Cal State Fullerton would handle the reduction in capacity. Presenting for the Office of Housing and Residential Engagement, executive director Larry Martin was joined by director of Parking and Transportation Services, Kristen Jasko, to field questions at the ASI board meeting on May 3. The new Eastside North Parking Structure will feature 1,900 parking spaces,

energy-efficient LED light, elevators, a staircase and a solar canopy. Jasko said although the new structure is being built primarily to accommodate commuter students, under this proposal, the entire top level will be designated exclusively with reserved spaces for students who purchase a resident parking permit. “But that reserved parking does come at a premium,” Martin said. “The value of that permit will be significant in that it’s reserved, it’s prime parking,” Jasko said. Martin said while the current parking permit is $334 per semester, come fall the new resident parking permit will be $450 per semester, and will increase $50 every year. “That’s where we’re looking to increase transportation reimbursements and really encourage

alternative modes of transportation,” Jasko said. “As the Campus Master Plan shares that as the campus grows, and we have increased enrollment, more resident students, Transportation Demand Management programs will encourage additional funding for alternative transportation options.” However, according to CSU transportation and parking policy, campuses are responsible to take steps to seek their own funding to put in place alternative transport programs, as mandated by that policy. Transportation reimbursements are essentially incentives to reward those who opt not to bring a vehicle to campus. Jasko said, although not finalized, the $50 per semester credit would cover the cost of alternative transportation used by students.

Mary Chammas, board of directors chair, said that would barely cover the cost of one trip to Target using a typical rideshare company. Jasko said she hoped they would be able to supplement the program by including the cost of membership to Zipcar and a designated number of free miles. Zipcar currently operates four vehicles on campus and charges $15 annually for membership, and $5.50 per mile, including gas and secondary insurance. Board member Naman Shah said it appeared that the decisions around the parking permit increases, as well as some of those related to increases in housing costs for second year student residents, appeared to be driven more by profit than increasing accessibility of these resources to students.

READY WHEN YOU ARE...

dailytitan.com

THE STUDENT VOICE OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON

@thedailytitan dailytitan.com VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

6 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

Social justice in Greek life is a work in progress Before (2019)

After (2022)

Phi Sigma Kappa’s fraternity house in 2022. (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan)

Phi Sigma Kappa’s fraternity house in 2019. ( Eliza Green / Daily Titan)

2 Black Student Union Dawn Person, director of the Center for Research on Educational Access and Leadership, said that for college students, fraternities and sororities can play a significant role in their college careers. “Historically, Greek organizations emerged as a result of students organizing themselves to feel more engaged and to have activities, extracurricular activities, outside of the classroom,” Person said. Like any other student organization, Greek life offers the opportunity for social, academic and

philanthropic gains, Person said. However, the question of the racist history and lack of diversity still remains an important conversation amongst the different Greek life councils on campuses. “The Greek system, I think, reflected the American system, a segregated system,” Person said. “Now, you have more integrated systems, but you still have the historically Black Greek letter organizations, you have a multicultural Greek letter organization and then the predominantly white Greek letter organizations.”

CSUF’s Office of Student Life and Leadership/Fraternity and Sorority Life states that they’re “dedicated to developing and engaging students involved within fraternity and sorority organizations on the topics of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging through our ‘Let’s D.I.A.L.O.G.U.E.’ (Develop Inclusivity, Actively Learn, Onward Growth, and United Engagement) Initiative.” Some of the programs consist of workshops that aim to focus on topics of social justice in relation to Greek life.

Jennifer Uribe, a third-year biological sciences major and member of Mesa Cooperativa, an organization on campus that focuses on the need for unity among Latinx clubs on campus, said that it was through Mesa Cooperstiva that she’s noticed a slight difference in diversity within some fraternities and sororities. “They do have a couple clubs that are now Greek life — sororities, fraternities — that include all races right now, in the past it hasn’t been that, it’s

primarily white people,” Uribe said. “It’s still very much that, but I do think that we’re seeing a different change.” Yet, Uribe said that she has not seen or heard enough in order to comment, but based on her views and perceptions it’s been primarily white. She added that there are sororities and fraternities that have active members of color that were created for people of color by people of color, rather than the already established ones with predominantly white members.

The fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa was founded in 1873. (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

News 7

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

There is no access to the fraternity house. (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan)

CSUF’s Black Student Union requested a list of demands for the univeristy during the Phi Sigma Kappa’s investigation. (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan)

3 Student Comments The North American Interfraternity Conference, also known as the NIC, serves as a trade association “representing 56 international and national men’s fraternities.” Their oldest fraternity is Chi Phi, founded in 1824. Phi Sigma Kappa was founded in 1873. The Interfraternity Council on campus — working under the NIC — serves as the umbrella organization whose purpose, according to their profile under TitanLink, is to “facilitate the exchange of ideas and information among other member fraternities and to encourage social, academic, service and athletic interrelationships.” Alpha Epsilon Pi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Nu, Sigma Pi, Tau Kappa Epsilon and previously Phi Sigma Kappa, are under the guidance of the Interfraternity Council, or the IFC, at CSUF. “IFC is kind of like this big committee that oversees all fraternities that regulates them, plans, events, keeps recruitment on track, judicial hearings on track, stuff like that,” said Aden Orozco, who oversees community service for CSUF’s Interfraternity Council. Orozco said that after the 2019 incident, there had to be a reassessment of what people were doing within their organizations and that the COVID-19 pandemic amplified some of the areas Greek organizations had to improve.

“My point of view is diversity, equity, inclusion isn’t just plugging minorities in, it is talking about what it means to have charged language, what the subliminal anxieties and subliminal points of views towards people of different communities and such,” Orozco said. Orozco’s chapter, Pi Kappa Alpha, created a diversity chair position with the job of starting conversations about diversity and inclusivity. He said it was brought on this past semester, so it’s still in the developing stages of what they hope it will become. “We created that position to start conversations in our own chapter meetings. So that way, when we go out to our classes, when we go to IFC meetings, when we go out to meet sororities, when we network, we’re going with that tool belt of knowledge and inclusivity and acceptance and compassion,” Orozco said. When it comes to the diversity and change among the IFC chapters, Orozco said he believes he’s seen an increase in diversity among his own chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha. “We’re not plugging them into our fraternity just because they fit what we’re looking for. We plug them into our fraternity because they hold values and they have potential to contribute,”

The fraternity house is no longer occupied. (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan)

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Orozco said. “It’s not just about, you know, simply letting people in and including them, there’s a whole academic conversion that needs to happen about the language, and the terminology, the habitual ideologies we follow.” Although there is an increase in diversity in his chapter, a lot of fraternities were created on the foundations of racial exclusion. In the past, fraternities turned away people of color and even had racial bans in their constitutions in the ‘60s. In response, there were other councils that created new fraternities in response to POC oppression and being turned away from the white-exclusive Greek organizations. The Multicultural Greek Council on campus oversees several Greek organizations that “promote multiculturalism by advocating for justice and equity, cultivating interfraternal relationships, and empowering its member organizations.” “For the multicultural Greek-letter organizations on campus, we operate as a council so that when we move, we move kind of collectively. A lot of our organizations don’t have the numbers right as in IFC or Panhellenic. But collective power and collective strength isn’t necessarily telephone numbers,” said Gabriel Ponce, current president of the Multicultural Greek Council. “It comes from being unified, it comes

The CSUF chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa’s Instagram is no longer active as of October 2019 . (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan)

from sharing in struggles, right? A lot of our organizations come from histories of being marginalized or oppressed.” Alexandra Norton, president of the Panhellenic Council at CSUF, was in the rushing process during the 2019 incident, and it brought negative feelings about what Greek life could mean or be for her college experience, she said. “I got it into my head that I was headed into a sorority because they needed to have a certain number of people who were black, which was not true by any means,” Norton said. Norton said that through her experience, Black women are the least represented in the Panhellenic community, which could be partially owed to the fact that there are no Black chapters on campus that serve that community. “But within Panhellenic, I personally find that that is the marginalized community that I see the least,” Norton said. Following the incident, Norton talked about the actions that were taken with her chapter Gamma Phi Beta. Norton said that after the 2019 incident, there was a brief open discussion within her sorority about what the incident entailed. “There was discussion within our sorority, that situation was brought up, we just talked about it. They made it kind of an open forum, people could talk about how they felt about it, kind of thing,” Norton said. She said her chapter made it required for every chapter to have a diversity and inclusivity position. Norton said that she and the Gamma Phi Beta president at that time created

the position for an equity, diversity and inclusion chairwoman in the chapter, which Norton was then appointed to. She said the position opened up on the Panhellenic Council, and Norton ended up taking that position on the council level. Norton said she later became the first Black president for CSUF’s Panhellenic Council. She said she’s seen diversity amongst the Panhellenic chapters grow, and credits part of that to chapters getting rid of a legacy policy that allowed women to get automatic acceptance into a sorority if they had a woman in their family previously in it. Ponce’s advice to future or incoming Greek members is to look at the history of the organization, he said. “If you’re a person of color, you should definitely be aware of the history of the organizations you join,” Ponce said. Ponce said that because most universities are still founded on a Western epistemic foundation, which is the idea that Western values center on the white race as superior and the standard, he understands how a person of color would end up joining a historically white organization like IFC or the Panhellenic council. “But I’m not gonna say that things should diversify,” Ponce said. “I’m going to say if you want to know, learn more about your roots as a person of color, and be around folks that could share with your experience as a person of color, then join a multicultural organization or join a National Panhellenic Council organization because that is where you are going to be able to find yourself, if that is your mission.”

The house is currently locked up. (Audrey Parayno / Daily Titan)

8 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

The Elm Hall’s evacuation site is one of the few evacuation areas with a visible sign. ( Zimry Hernandez / Daily Titan )

CSUF’s preparation suggestion for earthquakes Part two in a series about earthquakes on campus. TRISTAN ZELDEN Asst. Editor

ZIMRY HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

The Daily Titan reported about the Cal State system’s faults in its preparedness for a severe earthquake on April 25. If faculty members or students are on campus during a major

earthquake, this is what they should do. Cal State Fullerton’s Police Department recommends collecting personal belongings and finding an exit if people are inside a building during an emergency. Exits might be blocked, but people should keep searching until they find an exit. Once outside, it is recommended to make sure they are at least 50 feet away from any buildings. CSUF has 22 areas marked around campus as evacuation areas in case of an emergency. These areas are found away from major buildings and mostly

include large open areas such as the intramural fields next to the tennis courts and track, and some parking lots, including the parking lot behind College Park. However, upon visiting some of these areas, there are no clear or visible signs around those areas that mark it as an evacuation area. Only the parking lots behind the housing buildings Holly, Fig and Elm have visible signs posted stating that area as an “Evacuation Meeting Area.” The majority of the other areas do not have these signs. The school’s evacuation map has also

not been updated since September 2018. The map only includes the south portion of the Eastside Parking Structure and has the evacuation areas number 13 highlighted where the north portion of Eastside Parking Structure currently sits. The map does not include the recently constructed northern portion of the Eastside Parking Structure which was built over evacuation area number 13 according to the map. If anyone is injured, they should ask for assistance from anyone nearby, a building marshal or call 911. While awaiting help, they should try to get away from the interior of the building, such as finding an exterior stairwell. According to the university police depending on the damage, if cell phone service or internet access is available, students should be getting updates straight from the university. The notifications should come in as texts, emails and phone calls. This is a system in

place to keep people updated on the situation, but it is possible for these services to be down completely. In a study from the U.S. Geological Survey, cell phones and other communication services would likely be out of commission after a devastating earthquake. If it is possible, people should buy or find access to a satellite phone or radio, then that would prepare them and others in case of a disaster. To prepare for an earthquake, the CSUF PD recommends that people secure items in their homes so that the items don’t fall and injure someone. People should make a plan with essential items like food, water and a first aid kit. They should also have a set of contacts to reach and a plan of where to go for safety, according to CSUF PD. Other necessary items include a bag or container for your things, comfort items (books, games, etc.), communication devices like a radio and any special needs like medication.

Campus Events for the week of May 9 AUDREY PARAYNO Staff Writer

As spring nears the end, there are still a bunch of things happening on campus. FDC: Data Talk Series: Qualtrics Design 101 Cal State Fullerton’s Faculty Development Center is putting on a Qualtrics Data Talk workshop that goes through survey configuring, distributions, downloading data and basic report running. The workshop will take place on May 9 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Those interested in the workshop can find more information on the university calendar. ASI Farmers’ Market The weekly ASI Farmers’ Market will take place on May 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event happens every Tuesday during the semester on the East plaza of the Titan Student Union. This week is the last chance Titans have to pick up fresh produce, snacks and baked goods before the semester ends. The market sometimes features music and other performances for people to watch and enjoy. Titan Voices and Singing Titans On May 11, watch Titans from the CSUF School of Music take the stage in the Meng Concert Hall from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

The Titans will be conducted by Robert Istad, the professor of music and director of choral studies, and professor of music, Christopher Peterson. Tickets are sold for $5 each and are on sale now on the performing arts website. Spring Dance Theatre CSUF’s dancers and choreographers will be featured in dynamic performances in the Clayes Performing Arts Center from May 1114 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and an extra performance at 2 p.m on May 14. The performance, Stories Told Through Modern, Ballet and Contemporary Dance, will be coordinated by Joshua D. Estrada-Romero. Tickets can be purchased online for $14 or $12 for Titans. University Symphony Orchestra & Symphonic Chorus On May 14 at 3 p.m., the world premiere performance of Pamela Madsen: Oratorio for the Earth will take place at the Meng Concert Hall. The show is a multi-movement work that was created for the CSUF Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Chorusand HEX Vocal Ensemble. It reflects the need for listening and understanding with wilderness, social justice and the global ecology of self-consciousness. It highlights the importance of the connection between the human body and nature. Tickets are on sale online now and sold at $10 and $8 for Titans. FOLLOW US: @THEDAILYTITAN

Opinion 9

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

Ghosting kills chances for healthy closure Breaking up through the silent treatment haunts heartbroken people. VANESSA SIGUENZA Editor

Every ringing Facetime video is denied. Spammed text messages are left on read. Phone calls are immediately directed to the voicemail box. Abracadabra, you have been ghosted. Ghosting is abruptly ending a relationship by cutting off any form of communication. However, this strategy leaves psychological bruises and scars on the person getting ghosted. After the ghoster clicks the block button, it seems as though they vanish into thin air. But, this scheme is immature, neglecting healthy confrontation and closure to an unfinished chapter. According to Psychology Today, “ghosting is the ultimate use of silent treatment, a tactic that has often been viewed by mental health professionals as a form of emotional cruelty. It essentially renders you powerless and leaves you with no opportunity to ask questions or be provided with information that would help you emotionally process the experience.” Ghosted mates become swamped by a flurry of thoughts that crush their self-esteem, entangling them in emotional distress. Meanwhile, the ghoster can nonchalantly move forward, warding off critiques of their callousness. This phenomenon is not only pervasive in interpersonal relationships, but also on dating apps. In a 2020 mobile dating study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, over 300 mobile daters admitted to trauma

while being ghosted. Of the ghostees, 59% blamed the ghoster for psychological pain while 37% blamed themselves for prolonging the noxious romance. Despite the daters’ sentiments, some daters lurked onto their ghoster’s social media account, scouring through their activity. This solely amplifies rejection-sensitive and anxiously-attached individuals to elicit ghosting behavior. Toying with a partner’s heartstrings and rashly ghosting them has grown because of the convenience of technology. Disposing an old flame or a best friend with no explanation is insulting. However, spending excessive time ruminating on post-ghosting hypothetical scenarios intensifies the grief. Many are unable to regain control of their lives, as the ghoster lives rent free in their minds. Chronic ghosting avoids transparency at all costs. Shockingly enough, some ghosters tend to be psychopathic and exhibit cynicism, as reported in a 2021 study on ghosting and the dark triad traits published in Acta Psychologica. In other cases, some individuals resort to ghosting because they are fearful of crushing their partner’s heart, have low emotional intelligence, are emotionally unavailable because of a mental health condition or have an insecure-attachment style. They would never be able to be truly honest with their former dates. Instead, it is effortless to take the escape route, snipping the cord of communication to safeguard themselves. In an interview with the Healthy, Ramani Durvasula, a licensed clinical psychologist who claims to be an expert in toxic relationships said, “many people weren’t taught what healthy adult

(CHRISTINA LAVAPIE / DAILY TITAN)

communication looks like in relationships, so they default to the easiest way out – ghosting. For some, it becomes a dysfunctional pattern.” At times, it is reasonable to swiftly ghost someone when evading a physically or emotionally abusive relationship. Although the abuser would likely become enraged, ghosting them provides a shield to an individual’s hiding spot. Those that violate boundaries and manipulate their partners also deserve

to be ghosted. Seemingly petty ghosting tactics could be a lifesaver. In a 2019 YouGov survey of about 1,780 U.S. adults, 30% admitted to ghosting a beloved friend or romantic partner. However, the lack of communication skills is not a reflection of the ghostee. As spooky as it may seem, direct communication is vital to fizzle out splintered relationships. Before an individual considers hitting the block

button, they need to be empathetic and introspect into how they would feel if they were ghosted. Open confrontation is crucial as a breakup strategy. No one relishes the feeling of being left on a cliffhanger. The ghoster shouldn’t haunt the halls of your mind. It is ghostbusting time; resist the temptation to spam their phone or spew your sorrow. May that ghost rest in peace from tormenting your psyche. Set them free.

Stereotyping neighborhoods is destructive Labeling select communities as bad or dangerous reinforces unjust treatment. CHRISTIANI AQUINO Asst. Editor

Gentrification displaces individuals into neighborhoods that are tarnished by negative stigmas. Through destructive social perceptions, inequalities are reinforced. Insteading of simply accepting the label of bad neighborhoods, inhabitants must celebrate the diversity within those neighborhoods and advocate for resources necessary to dispel these stereotypes. The terminology used about these residential areas, such as troubled, poor and low-income, reflect the negative connotation that dominates how society perceives them. Society paints dangerous neighborhoods with excessive graffiti on the walls, high rates of criminal activity and unemployment. According to a 2020 Qualitative Criminology study, people from bad neighborhoods are seen as uneducated drug addicts or criminals, which only further pushes forward the dangerous narrative that they are a supposed menace to society. This represents a fallacy in the mainstream perception of these neighborhoods. In doing so, there is no care taken toward truly understanding these residents and the conditions that may make them turn to crime or prevent them from getting an education or a job. These factors are only a few ways to classify what it means to live in a dangerous neighborhood. Through the stigmatized perception of these people and their hardships, VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

(CASSIDY MOLINA / DAILY TITAN)

society sees these neighborhoods as bad. However, the truth is that bad neighborhoods are a reflection of the culture of persistence through adversity. The real estate market is one of the first to create the label of dangerous neighborhoods through property value and zoning. These neighborhoods are targeted for having simple artistic visions of graffiti. According to the National Association of Realtors, property value decreases by 15% when graffiti is present.

However, murals in local communities are seen as a hotspot for tourism which leads to an increase of visitation. Although this display of art is looked down upon, it tells a story of that community. It deserves the same praise as a commissioned mural. Real estate companies attack these dangerous neighborhoods for documenting their art. However, they reward the other so-called good neighborhoods for their sanitized appearance, which actually hide high rates of depression, anxiety and loneliness.

According to the article, “Neighborhood stigma and the perception of disorder,” the authors state that poor communities are seen as disorderly because of their social outings. From drinking to hanging out, wealthy neighborhoods are not condemned for these actions because they usually do these activities in private. This perception is appalling because it signifies the hypocrisy that falls present in these types of situations. They villainize these communities while continuing to participate

in the same actions. With this classification, they succumb to the pressure of being labeled as criminals because of the way they have fun. To reinforce that idea, a 2020 study conducted by Qualitative Criminology revealed that low-income “participants described their community as being isolated from other, primarily wealthier communities. Isolation involved a lack of access to transportation, grocery stores, healthcare facilities, as well as safe and adequately equipped community parks. With stresses and anxieties that these communities face, a lack of resources does a disservice for them. It contributes to high unemployment rates in their areas. However, the “Great Resignation,” which was when a large amount of workers quit their jobs in 2021, exposed the lack of resources in the workplace. Neighborhoods are associated with certain reputations which become more apparent in situations of extreme inequality. Advantaged neighborhoods are typically well-regarded, while disadvantaged are seen as areas of concentrated disparity. As a society, we must end those warped notions of stereotyping perceived by both the media as well as ourselves. Voting for the passage of policies made to protect these communities and their properties, as well as continuing to advocate for resources to better help grow their communities in the labor market is crucial. We must accept that there are no good orbad neighborhoods. These negative social perceptions spur disillusion for these communities, which ends up hurting them. We must be mindful in building a bridge instead of a wall. FOLLOW US: @THEDAILYTITAN

10 Sports

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

CSUF triumphs in four events in double meet Track and field’s Andrew Aguilar finishes first in the Big West decathalon. NAVTEJ HUNDAL Deputy Editor

Cal State Fullerton’s track and field won a combined four events this past weekend in the Titan Tune-Up and the Big West Multis Championship in Davis, California. Entering as the sole representative for CSUF, Andrew Aguilar made history as he became the first athlete in the program’s history to win the Big West Decathlon Championship. In the post-meet interview, Aguilar expressed the importance of winning this particular event for the program. “It’s a great moment to set the foundation for the future,” Aguilar said. Standing in third place with a score of 3603, while trailing UC Santa Barbara’s Josh Godfrey (3656) and Brad Thomas (3717), Aguilar had work to do in the remaining five events. He started off strong with a second-place finish in the men’s decathlon 110-meter hurdles to gain 831 points, which was enough to pass Godfrey while only trailing Thomas by five points. With a fourth-place finish in the men’s decathlon discus throw, Aguilar gained 556 points to lead the standings with 4,990 points overall.

Unique Ford took first in the women’s 1500-meter run on May 6 at the Titan Track Complex. (Navtej Hundal / Daily Titan)

Thomas fell to fifth in the standings after finishing near the bottom, gaining 325 points. After earning an additional 734 points alongside a fourth-place finish in the men’s decathlon pole vault, Aguilar (5724) remained in first with a 38-point lead over Godfrey (5686). However, things started to fall apart for the Titan athlete in the men’s

decathlon javelin throw. Despite recording a throw of 45.37 meters to earn seventh and 520 points, Aguilar (6224) now trailed Godfrey (6270) who gained 584 points after finishing two spots ahead. With the men’s decathlon 1500-meter run remaining, the stakes were high for the Titan. Aguilar responded well to the

pressure as he dashed to first place in the event with a time of 4:30.80 to gain 739 points for 6983 points overall. Beforehand, Fullerton won three events in the Titan Tune-Up at the Titan Track Complex on Friday. The women’s team dominated in the 1500-meter run as they swept through the first seven placements.

Unique Ford led the way with a time of 04:40.61 while Laura Velasco came in second four seconds later. Lauren Delgadillo and Deja Allain finished first and second respectively in the 400-meter dash. Delgadillo ran an exact time of 58 seconds and Allain reached the finish line .76 seconds later. Both individuals were the only runners to finish with a time under a minute. The men’s triple jump was a highly contested event between Sean Ayale and Terrence Sweetman, who both recorded a leap of 13.55 meters. Ayale was declared the winner as he had a lower winding to help out his jump. Through the remainder of the meet, multiple CSUF athletes had great outings in their respective events. Ashley Harrit and Dylan Beveridge finished in second and third place, respectively, in the women’s pole vault. Harrit vaulted to a height of 3.71 meters, while Beveridge vaulted .15 meters fewer. While Weston Strum ended in first for the men’s 1500-meter dash, CSUF athletes finished 2nd through 5th individually. Erik Gonzalez led the way with a time of 4:03.44 minutes while Cayden Ruiz came in .12 seconds later. After winning the men’s triple jump, Ayale leaped 6.89 meters for third place in the high jump. The Titans will head to Davis for the Big West Championship from May 13-14 in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA West Preliminaries.

@thedailytitan

dailytitan.com

THE STUDENT VOICE OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON

We’re online too! DailyTitan.com VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Leisure 11

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022

WRITTEN by Stepheny Gehrig