Daily Titan | March 6, 2023

Provost dismissal blindsides Senate

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA Editor

Tensions were high at the Academic Senate meeting Thursday, where senators expressed their opinions on the recent departure of provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, Carolyn Thomas.

In an email statement that was sent to faculty on Monday, President Framroze Virjee announced the removal of Thomas from her position, just over a month after President Virjee announced his plan to retire effective July 31.

Karyl Ketchum, a professor in women and gender studies, said the email addressing Thomas’ removal did not mention her name and was used to “humiliate and silence” her.

“I want to understand the process that went into this, who was part of the decision making, what possibly could she have done that would make her disappear mob style?” Ketchum said. “And what I got was, ‘Sorry, I can’t tell you, it’s a personnel issue.’ It’s more than a personnel issue.”

Su Swarat, the senior associate vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, will serve as the Executive in Charge for the Division of Academic

SEE EXIT 2

Titans walk off twice at Judi Garman Classic

MARIO LEAL Staff Writer

In the annual Judi Garman Classic at Anderson field, two walk-off hits secured the Titans’ only wins of the weekend tournament. Named after Cal State Fullerton’s first ever

softball head coach, Judi Garman, The Titans won two out of their five games, with both victories coming in dramatic walk-off fashion against San Jose State and UCF. The Titans also faced UCLA, Michigan and Minnesota.

Anderson Family Field was home to another edition of the Judi Garman Classic featuring

Students promote Nigerian culture

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA

Editor

While a gray and misty storm rolled through Cal State Fullerton, the first-ever Nigerian Student Association was a source of warmth and light as they opened the doors to their first general meeting Monday evening.

The meeting, which took place in Juniper 111, consisted of a few standard club procedures, including icebreakers, a forecast on upcoming club events and details about the organization’s purpose.

During the introductions, board members and attendees shared their American and Nigerian names, including the meaning behind them.

Temitope “Temi” Sule, a third-year biology major, serves as the club’s treasurer, and said that her name means that she continuously praises God.

The association at CSUF consists of nine board members and over 100 member sign ups they received at Discoverfest. Their adviser, Sampson

Akwafuo, a professor in computer science, said he was a member of NSA when he was in college.

How it all began Afro-fusion music featuring Nigerian artists such as Burna Boy and Davido played softly in the background while Seyi Alli, co-president and Black Student Union event coordinator, and Charles Iyare Jr., co-director of culture and outreach, recalled the history behind NSA CSUF.

Iyare Jr., a third-year biochemistry major, said a Nigerian Student Association CSUF chapter had been in the works since 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down their plans.

Alli said at the Black Titan Experience event in August 2022, Timi Adeboyejo, the current co-president of the club, approached Alli about starting a Nigerian Student Association on campus.

“Fall semester, I saw another school that had an NSA, and I was like, ‘Ok, it would be cool if Fullerton has an NSA too’,” said Michael

Elebe-Amudoaghan, a co-event coordinator for the club . “So I kind of helped spin the idea around with other people, my friend Charles and some of the other board members.”

Two months later, the club CSUF had their first unofficial gathering at Hillcrest Park, in Fullerton. The picnic took place shortly after Nigerian Independence Day and was a way to get people interested in moving forward and building the club. It featured Nigerian food, group games and a raffle.

Their Purpose

The association is organized under the CSUF Black Student Union which encapsulates other student organizations such as the Afro-Ethnic Student Association, the National Society of Black Engineers, Sistertalk and more.

At the meeting, Iyare Jr. said the club would like to have educational meetings and events in the future to inform students about Nigerian

softball teams from across the nation, including top teams like No. 2 ranked UCLA, No. 15 LSU and the University of Central Florida.

“We fell short this weekend, but with the outcome and record, we had some personal growth.

SEE RUNS 6

Golfer Garrett Boe earns Big West honors

GOTTIE CHAVEZ Editor

Following a month where the Titans won both tournaments they competed in, Cal State Fullerton men’s golfer Garrett Boe was awarded Big West Men’s Golfer of the Month for February.

Boe is the first Titan to win the award since alumni Derek Castillo back in March of the 20192020 season.

In February, Boe helped the Titans achieve two team victories at the Orange County Collegiate Classic in Coto de Caza, California and the Joust at Goose Creek. In both events, Boe placed in the top three on the individual leaderboards.

Leading off the month, Boe finished in third place on the individual leaderboards at the Orange County Collegiate Classic, where he shot an overall score of 5-under-par-211. Across the twoday competition, Boe averaged 3.90 strokes per hole and was one of three competitors to play the par 4 holes under par.

Following this performance, Boe continued his run of good form at The Joust where he shot 5-under-par-208 to finish tied for first with California Baptist University’s Eeli Kujanpää on the individual leaderboards. Boe finished the tournament beating all competitors in birdies with 15. Boe and the Titans men’s golf team will return on March 13 to compete in the GCU invitational in Phoenix, Arizona.

Junior Kika Ramirez swings at the Judi Garman Classic. Ramirez scored her only three RBIs of the season against UCF on Saturday.

MARIO LEAL / DAILY TITAN

CSUF to add more diverse theater classes

graduate programs were not well organized and needed some structure.

“I wanted to revamp to make a strong program with well-structured and diverse curriculum, in order to cover the costume education from creative designs based on independent and critical thinking, to practical hands-on practice,” Kim wrote in the email.

Kim, who has worked at CSUF since 2017 and has 35 years of experience teaching costume design in higher education, has previously taught these courses as special or experimental courses. Experimental courses do not require the same approval process as official courses do, and Kim is now proposing for them to become official courses in the theater course catalog.

One of the new courses, Cultural Diversity in Costume Design, was inspired by Kim’s desire to include different cultures into her curriculum as a faculty of color.

“I created the new course to diversify the costume design education and to enable my students to study various costume styles originated from the different cultures and different perspectives,” Kim wrote.

Nine of the 13 classes were proposed with a goal to include di erent cultures into the curriculum and strengthen the university's Theater department.

approve the courses, including an additional 10 classes in the Humanities and Social Sciences college.

Over ten new theater classes were approved by the Academic Senate Thursday, including courses such as costume design, hat making and voice classes.

The Senate voted unanimously to

Nine of the 13 theater classes were proposed by Hyun Sook Kim, a professor of costume design in the Theatre department.

The boost in official theater course proposals is due to the Arts department’s proposed degree concentration in design and production under

the Master of Fine Arts, Theater Arts degree, said Edward Fink, the associate vice president for undergraduate academic a ffairs.

The nine courses under Kim’s instruction include both graduate and undergraduate courses, and will revolve around aspects of costume design such as costume rendering, creative costume art, flat patterning and history of period costume.

The classes will not be held simultaneously but will rotate from semester to semester or by year. Other new Arts classes approved that are not under Kim’s instruction include School Instrumental Music, Classical Pointe and Latin Art.

Kim said in an email interview with the Daily Titan that when she was first hired at Cal State Fullerton, the costume design undergraduate and

The approval process for official courses is complex, as a course must go through seven different levels of review before the Academic Senate approves them, and can be sent back for changes at any point in the process, Fink said.

With these courses adding diversity and growth to the theater department, Kim hopes that it will attract more students who are interested in the field of costume design and production.

The classes proposed this semester will be eligible for instruction as official courses in the spring semester of 2024.

Exit: Interim provost to be chosen by President Virjee

Affairs. While present at the Academic Senate meeting, but did not comment on Thomas’ departure.

In response to Ketchum’s comment, Pete Evanow, a full-time lecturer in communications, said he felt Virjee reserved the right to make a decision on faculty employment.

“Former Provost Thomas is still listed on the website. It’s all day, she hasn’t disappeared,” Evanow said.

“And with all due respect to her services, President Virjee can do whatever the hell he wants. He’s the president of this university.”

Gregory Chris Brown, a Criminal Justice professor and California Faculty Association Fullerton chapter president, said he found out about Thomas’ departure from colleagues and was completely shocked by the news.

“I didn’t see it coming. I had no

idea that was going to happen,” Brown said.

With the removal of Thomas, an interim provost will be appointed by Virjee before a nationwide search for a permanent provost begins.

Jon Bruschke, a professor and department chair in human communications, brought attention to the number of interim positions currently within the CSU.

CSU Chancellor Jolene Koester, who will choose an interim president to replace Virjee, is also an interim chancellor.

“Now, we are about to go into an interim provost with an interim president,” Senator Bruschke said. “And I guess I should also say Dean Sha is the only person between me and Gavin Newsom who is not interim.”

Though the email regarding Thomas’ removal was not sent to students, Isabella Galvan, ASI representative

to the Senate, said students' needs should be considered going forward in selecting a provost.

“I trust that President Virjee, or whoever made this decision or however this went about, was for the best of the university, also known for the students who need academic affairs and also faculty, who will have to consider the students as well,” Galvan said.

Virjee said he plans to be handson in his position until his retirement, and take the issues that faculty have mentioned into account when making a decision for interim provost.

“I am not intending to appoint a provost who will be a caretaker. We have a lot to do here, a lot to move forward. I do not want to lose momentum,” Virjee said.

Brown said he hopes the next provost will be a person of color, and someone who is sensitive to the campus climate at CSUF.

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA / DAILY TITAN

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA Editor

Equity worries arise at Associated Students forum

improved graduation rates.

MELANIE NGUYEN Asst. Editor

Students offered feedback about Cal State Fullerton’s upcoming equity initiatives to student leaders and staff members during an open forum in the Titan Student Union Tuesday afternoon.

For the Associated Students’ Community Chat, ASI invited Su Swarat, the senior associate vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning to speak about the progress of the upcoming five-year plan. They also invited Cecil Chik, the assistant vice president of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Programs.

Lydia Kelley, the ASI president, said this is the first time they invited staff to join them for the community chat.

“I think it’s really important to let students know the different kind of plans there are throughout the university,” Kelley said.

Neha Upadhyaya, the community engagement commission director for ASI, said the forum provided a better way for large-scale planning to be communicated to CSUF students.

“I definitely have opinions and issues that I want to at least raise and if nothing comes out of it, at least I did my part in voicing them,” Upadhyaya said.

During her presentation, Swarat said the process for the next strategic plan could take up to a year to get enough feedback from students.

Based on the last strategic plan, Swarat said the university has met or surpassed some of the goals of their last five-year plan, such as

Lauren Hand, a French major in her first year at Cal State Fullerton after transferring from Mount San Antonio College, said she is excited to see CSUF grow and evolve after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Honestly, just rethinking and restructuring how we do college is going to be a huge thing, not only within the next five years but within the next 10, 20 years,” Hand said.

In addition to Swarat, Chik spoke to students about the Campus Climate Survey. She said the goal of this survey is to get a better understanding of inclusion and students’ sense of belonging on campus.

Chik said the last time this survey was taken was in 2016 and it is good practice to update the survey every four to five years so this survey is overdue.

“Cal State Fullerton is doing a great job at talking the talk. We know the words. We are aware that diversity, inclusion and equity is instrumental in our students, faculty and staff to find success. But what we’re lacking is strategic and intentional actions,” Chik said. “The intention of this campus climate survey is to just do that: to create an intentional strategic action plan.”

Chik said the survey was released Wednesday and data will be provided and analyzed over the summer.

Mayra Martinez, the ASI chief communications officer and the moderator for the Community Chat, said this event helped students connect with what is going on in the university.

“These types of events really help you, they even help me, understand how important voicing your concerns and having your input and feedback being taken into consideration when

creating something for a long period of time,” Martinez said. Hand said she enjoyed the event and it helped her better understand the campus resources available to her.

“The opportunity to get involved

with that and help shape the future for not just my next few years of college, but to help other students coming in and help preserve this college is really exciting to me,” Hand said.

Kelley said although some students forget that events like this exist, she hopes to have more student forums in the future for ASI.

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Associated Students president, Lydia Kelley (left) and vice president, Christapor Mikaelian (right) boost campus resources on Tuesday in the Titan Student Union.

MELANIE NGUYEN / DAILY TITAN

Horror scares Oscar nominations away

ANDREW TORRES Sta Writer

Despite the horror genre’s popularity, the last horror movie nominated for the Best Picture Award at the Academy Awards was “Get Out” in 2018. While the genre receives nominations for makeup and sound design, best picture nominations are vital in gaining more recognition as it considers the film as a whole and not just one aspect of the movie.

Since its inception in 1929, the Academy Awards has grown in popularity and prestige and is now considered one of the highest accolades filmmakers can get in the industry. However, for over 94 years, the Academy Awards has seemingly disregarded the horror genre as a serious contender for an Oscar.

It wasn’t until “The Exorcist” in 1973 that a horror movie captivated the academy to be nominated for best picture. Like any nomination for the Oscars, the academy votes on the films that will be presented. However, best picture is the only category in which all academy members, over 6,000 people, take a vote to decide on the nominations.

Since then, only five horror films have been nominated for best picture. The Academy Awards need to give the horror genre the recognition it deserves.

Early horror films, like “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” invented a new cinematic language with its exaggerated and nightmarish sets. Universal horror films like “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” took these innovations and added dialogue, becoming major hits of the early sound era. Throughout the history of film, horror movies have pushed the medium forward, innovating technical aspects like cinematography, makeup and special effects, or storytelling in the

case of found footage flicks like “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity”. Horror movies are often culturally significant and reflect societal fears and bring them to the screen, like “Poltergeist,” which reflects anxieties over technology.

The academy has an obvious bias towards the drama and epics genres, giving them the majority of the more significant nominations like best picture, best actor or best actress. Because horror films are known for their technical elements like visuals and their use of sound to invoke fear in the audience, the academy gives them nominations for these categories.

Although, they didn’t nominate any of this past year’s horror films for any category. “M3GAN” could have been nominated for Visual Effects, “X” could have been nominated for Makeup and Hairstyling. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema invented a new method for day-fornight photography in Jordan Peele’s “Nope”, a feat that seems worthy of academy recognition.

The horror genre’s lack of representation during award season only reinforces the stereotype that it’s a shallow genre meant to entertain audiences with intense gore and shlock. When horror is reduced to this single-minded

idea, it undermines the underlying themes embedded, such as gender roles in “Midsommar” or the struggles of being a single mother in “The Babadook.” Both films contain gore and suspense, but they do not invalidate the message behind these movies.

Hunter Hargraves, an associate professor in cinema and television arts at Cal State Fullerton, said an Academy Award nomination carries weight in the film industry and can open the door to more opportunities.

“These awards are very important in terms of not just getting people to see your film and opening up the phone to more audiences, but in

terms of just access to resources. An academy nomination is always going to carry a kind of cultural capital like that,” Hargraves said.

Although Hargraves believes nominations provide resources or increase viewership, he does not think the genre needs validation from the academy since it has built a significant community in Southern California.

Peele’s blockbuster budget for “Nope” was $68 million, but it wasn’t nominated. Additionally, the horror film “End of Days,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, had an estimated budget of $100 million and wasn’t nominated for an Oscar either, which illustrates why having a big-budget for a film does not guarantee its success.

Validation from the Southern California horror community may feel great for filmmakers, but it is ultimately money that gets movies into production rather than regional approval.

“I think, you know, the fact that we’re starting to see people like Jordan Peele breakout into the industry across film and television and really, you know, be accepted as a horror auteur is promising, and more will follow; it’s only a matter of time,” Hargraves said.

The academy recognizing Peele might seem promising, but this year’s Oscar nominations completely shut out horror films, not nominating a single movie in any category.

While many horror films rely purely on gore, violence and the occasional jump scare to entice audiences, the horror genre does not exist just for the shocks. Horror can be a means for directors and screenwriters to explore complicated themes.

The academy’s refusal to recognize the horror genre as a serious contender for best picture only stiffens a director’s expression of artistic filmmaking. The academy must acknowledge the unique perspective horror films can bring to the cinema for independent directors to continue creating complex, meaningful horror.

It could be worse: Running your own race

doesn’t stop me from pushing forward.

About one in four adults suffer from a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Voice of OC’s 2022 article states, Cal State Fullerton has 2,750 students registered with the Disability Support Services. With all of this being said, we strive for the same goals as our nondisabled counterparts: to attain our degrees.

On Feb. 28, I read a post on social media that struck me, bringing me to the brink of tears. It said something along the lines of, “it takes people with multiple sclerosis five times longer to do a task compared to normal people.”

I don’t know what “normal” is anymore, but I will keep trying my best to get back to being as “normal“ as possible at every opportunity, if I’m given the chance.

I’ve fallen on campus multiple times, but it

On the first day of the semester back from online learning in 2021 due to the pandemic, I had my first emergency encounter with the CSUF Police Department. I didn’t know my way around campus and found my scooter stuck in some sand. I successfully got my scooter back onto the cement to go back about my day. Well, I’m not sure if “successfully” is the right word.

I found myself flipped over my scooter and landed on my back.

Thankfully, there were some students nearby who saw what happened and didn’t hesitate to call the CSUF PD for help. I was taken to the Wellness Center on campus and was tested to make sure I was OK.

They suggested I go get an MRI and then be taken to a hospital for a CT scan on my head.

What a wonderful first day back to campus.

This wasn’t the last time I fell on campus either. Being known by the CSUF Police Department due to the number of falls I’ve had is not something I enjoy. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018 study, only 19% of disabled people over the age of 25 have a bachelor's degree compared to 37.7% of able-bodied or non-disclosed disabled individuals.

But why don’t more disabled students continue to pursue their degree? Did they simply lose interest in school? Did they find a career they could pursue instead of school? Did something prevent them from achieving their degree?

There are many questions, but I am certain the answers are private and on a case-by-case basis. More power to them and I wish them all well.

Even if you are disabled, and take longer to get a degree, it’s OK and there is nothing wrong with that. Keep going and ignore any mean or negative comments. Pay them no attention and keep moving towards your goal.

To those almost 3,000 disabled students, keep going and don’t let anything stop you from achieving your goal, whether your goal is a certificate, an associate degree, a bachelor‘s degree or something else. I won’t stop until I’m there.

Know that only you can stop yourself from getting what you want.

We are almost at the halfway point of the semester so let’s keep going, let’s finish off strong. Spring break will be here in no time, and after that, the semester will be over before you know it.

To the entire student body, nondisabled or disabled, we have the ability to finish the last eight weeks just as strong, bright-eyed and eager to keep learning as we all were at week one.

Let’s show them that the campus slogan is true: “It takes a Titan.”

SYDNEY CARROLL / DAILY TITAN

Luis Lemus is a senior communications student at Cal State Fullerton with multiple sclerosis sharing his experiences on the greater issues facing disabled students around campus.

Club: Nigerian community finds a home at CSUF

Living in the culture

Nigerian culture is diverse; the country is home to over 250 ethnic groups, including Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and Ebira with different languages and traditions.

Alli, who identifies as Nigerian American and is a part of the Yoruba and Edo ethnic groups, said on one of the club’s Instagram posts Jollof rice with plantain is one of her favorite Nigerian dishes.

She also recommends Veronica’s Kitchen in Inglewood, California, to people looking to try Nigerian food for the first time or may want a new place to visit.

“We are a very extravagant people, we love life and we love enjoyment. We love parties, we love to eat,” Obi said. “Being Nigerian means living your best life, truthfully.”

Aside from the music scene, Nigeria has a booming film industry known as Nollywood. Nollywood is the second-largest film production industry behind Bollywood, producing around 2,500 films annually.

On Feb. 8, the club held a Nollywood night, where students gathered in the African American Resource Center to watch popular Nigerian films like “Wedding Party.”

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culture, socio-political issues facing the nation and different Nigerian tribes. “Us, especially being Nigerians on this campus, it’s a way for us to explore, and not only just explore ourselves, but allow others on campus to know what Nigeria is about, what Africa is about,” Elebe-Amudoaghan said.

Starting this club was personal for the members because many have

close connections to their culture. Adeboyejo, who moved to America from Nigeria when she was 15 years old, said her parents, who have always pushed her to do her best, are a major reason why she wanted to start the the club on campus.

“They’re an inspiration for almost every single thing I do in life, even just my drive and my commitment to do anything and set my mind to something. They are always so supportive,” Adeboyejo said.

Nigerian artists such as Tems, P-Square and Wizkid, who was the first Nigerian artist to sell out the O2 Arena in London for three consecutive nights, are giving Nigeria a seat at the global pop culture table.

“Just seeing the artists you’ve grown up on becoming more known and more popularized, and integrated into like American culture, is just amazing,” Elebe-Amudoaghan said.

Chidera Obi, a transfer student majoring in Theatre Arts and NSA CSUF secretary, lived in Nigeria for six years before returning to America in 2017 and said she felt Nigerian culture is about enjoying life to the fullest.

Alli shared that the club would like to hold a traditional Nigerian ceremonial event in the fall, where attendees can dress in traditional clothing, celebrate and socialize.

Looking to the future

While the club is still new, they have events in store to showcase Nigerian culture interactively.

A Taste of Naija is a cultural campus event that will feature different Nigerian foods and a DJ at the event. More details will come as the event date gets closer this April, Alli said.

The club will also participate in the Nigerian Student Coalition Conference this April, which will be

hosted at UC Irvine. The event gives club chapters at different schools a chance to network, represent their campus, attend workshops and experience dance performances.

Nollywood Night was another successful event for the club, which consisted of students gathering on Feb. 8 in the African American Resource Center to watch Nigerian films and enjoy snacks with friends.

Obi said she wants students to know the club is a place where any student can come, especially Black students who are not Nigerian or want to know more about their own culture.

“That weird question that they get, ’Where are you from?’ they don’t have to feel like, ‘Oh I don’t have a place.’

Here, Nigeria, we welcome you, this is your place, we are family,” Obi said. “This is a place we can come together and be our true selves.”

The meeting, which ended with a round of applause following questions about the club’s main goals and contributions, created a feeling of connection and community that extended to both board members and attendees alike.

“We’re not just there for the funding, we’re also there to be here long term, and have a lasting impact on campus as well,” Alli said.

Review: "Daisy Jones & the Six" in prime form

LUIS LEMUS Sta Writer

They were once the greatest band of all time. At least, in their fictional universe, they were. In our world, they’re just entering the mainstream via Amazon’s new original show.

“Daisy Jones & the Six,” which premiered its first three episodes last Friday, is a mockumentary miniseries centered around the rise and fall of the fictional 1970s rock band of the same name. The show adapts Taylor Jenkins Reid’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name and mostly stays faithful to its source material.

Reid has stated the book’s premise was inspired by the tumultuous history of Fleetwood Mac, which included romantic relationships between band members. Vocalist Stevie Nicks and lead guitarist Lindsey Buckingham dated, while bassist John McVie was married to late keyboardist Christine McVie.

Riley Keough, daughter of the recently deceased Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter to Elvis Presley, embodies the titular frontwoman exceptionally, channeling both her grandfather and Nicks in her acting and vocal performances.

Though she doesn’t share the screen with Sam Claflin, who portrays frontman Billy Dunne, until episode 3, their chemistry is immediately palpable. It compels you to root for their relationship, no matter how destructive or wrong it may be.

Their bandmates also deliver exceptional performances, particularly Suki Waterhouse’s portrayal of keyboardist Karen Sirko. However, Camila Morrone steals the show as Billy’s no-nonsense wife, Camila Dunne.

Since the book reads like an oral history, the series uses a mockumentary-style direction to narrate certain scenes. Most times, it helps to clarify certain events or offer contradictory accounts. Other times, it merely explains the look on an actor’s face, as if the audience can’t read facial expressions.

The adaptation makes many other changes from the source material, cutting some characters and simplifying the band’s timeline. A few of these changes help flesh out the characters, but also slow the pace a bit too much. Luckily, some of them add to the story’s realism and give it just enough substance.

Music clearly defines “Daisy Jones & the Six.” The theme song, Patti Smith’s “Dancing Barefoot,” lyrically summarizes the two leads

and musically sets the tone for what is to come.

The show also utilizes classics like Carole King and Dusty Springfield to help sell the 1970’s aesthetic needed for a period piece like this.

But you can’t have a show about a rock band without some rockin’ original music, and they came prepared. In lieu of a traditional soundtrack, Atlantic Records released a real album by Daisy Jones & the Six, “Aurora,” on Thursday. The real actors perform songs co-written by Phoebe Bridgers, Jackson Browne and Marcus Mumford, among others. However, Keough and Claflin’s surprisingly stellar vocals are sometimes muffled by Blake Mills’ production.

Nevertheless, the songs themselves are hits that evoke the stylings of both Fleetwood Mac and the songwriters. The title track opens the album with a bang as Billy sings to affirm his commitment to his wife. “Kill You to Try” sees Daisy help answer Billy’s calls to Camila for reconciliation while Karen adds a neat twinkle effect.

Daisy’s solo “Two Against Three” arms her with just an acoustic guitar, allowing her serene singing to shine a bit more.

The clear standout is “Look at Us Now (Honeycomb),” where, as seen in the show, Daisy gives an edge missing from Billy’s lyrics that helps put

their vocal chemistry, perfectly balanced with the band’s instrumentation, on full display.

“Regret Me” finds Daisy tackling her feelings for Billy head-on, while “You Were Gone” makes their romantic tension evident despite Billy’s best efforts to avoid it.

“Please” sees Billy lead the battle against his drug addiction while harmonizing with Daisy to the sound of stark keyboards and guitars colliding courtesy of Karen and Billy’s brother Graham, played by Will Harrison.

Sebastion Chacon plays drummer Warren Rojas, whose infectious beat elevates “The River” to stand among the album’s best tracks and the one most reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. By the time you hear the closing track, “No Words,” a soulful, stripped-down number that unites Josh Whitehouse’s character, Eddie Roundtree’s, bass with chimes and tender melodies, you can tell why this album was regarded as seminal in the series’ world.

While the series is a bit of a slow starter, “Aurora” proves that Daisy Jones & the Six possess a myriad of potential. Time will tell if that slow start ends up being more like a slow burn.

“Daisy Jones & the Six” streams new episodes Thursdays on Amazon Prime Video.

Members of the newly established Nigerian Student Association at CSUF discusses their future and goals in rst general meeting.

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA / DAILY TITAN

Freshman Gabrielle Zaretskiy scores 11 goals; Water polo wins three at weekend tournament

the Titans’ top scorer and is currently tied for second in the Big West in goals with 41.

The Titans competed in two competitive matches on Saturday. They opened their day immediately down two goals to the Warriors before freshman Mikka Von Scherr opened the scoring for the Titans with a goal late in the first period.

The second period saw the two teams go back and forth with the Warriors holding onto the lead, 4-2, heading into the half.

Coming out of the half, the Titans’ offense took control scoring two goals to bring the score back to even, 4-4, heading into the final period. The two teams continued rallying back and forth, eventually finding themselves tied 7-7 with less than two minutes to play.

Titans freshman Kylie Corwin called the game after she shot the ball over two defenders and into the bottom corner of the goal to give the Titans the lead 8-7 with three seconds left to play.

Entering the second match, the momentum the Titans gained from their late victory was quickly dismissed as the first half was all Poets. The Poets shut out the Titans taking a 5-0 lead into the half.

Heading into the first period of overtime, Corwin would once again step up for CSUF putting away the winning goal with 10 seconds remaining in the fifth period. The Titans would hold off any Poets’ offensive retaliation in the sixth period to secure the win.

Prior to these dramatic victories, the Titans had split the first day of the tournament starting with an overtime win over the Regals.

This was a competitive match with neither team leading by more than one goal the entire match. Prior to overtime, Zaretskiy had contributed a game-high 4 goals, and she was not done yet.

The start of overtime saw Zaretskiy put away her fifth goal of the game to put the Titans up 8-7. Less than 30 seconds later the Regals would immediately respond bringing the score back to even. In response to this, Zaretskiy would complete her performance by shooting the final goal of the game with 52 seconds left in the fifth period to clinch the Titans’ win.

Returning from an underwhelming performance last weekend at the Tina Finali Memorial Tournament that saw the Titans win just one of their four match-ups, Cal State Fullerton

women’s water polo was looking for a chance to bounce back.

The Claremont Convergence tournament was the perfect opportunity for the Titans to put their inaugural season back on track.

Over the weekend, the Titans won three of their four matches, bringing their overall season record to 9-10 heading into their first conference

Runs: Titans win two of ve over the weekend

CONTINUED FROM 1 top of the eleventh inning after Chavez’s late homer.

We were playing one heck of a schedule as far as our opponents go and we are knocking them off and having a lot of close games,” said softball head coach Kelly Ford.

CSUF’s bats were cold throughout the first three games, only scoring six runs in 26 innings. However, strong performances by the pitching sta ff kept their opponents' offenses at bay.

Titans senior starting pitcher

Myka Sutherlin ended the tournament leading the Big West in strikeouts with 64. Sutherlin faced 73 batters over 18.1 innings throughout the tournament.

Sunday brought the toughest challenge for the Titans as they faced the Bruins.

Despite giving away a short lead to start, the Titans came back into the game after left fielder Evenlyn Savan hit a two run blast down the center field in the bottom of the fifth.

However, the Bruins responded right away in the next inning with a four-run rally to take a 6-2 lead.

On Saturday, the Titans split their doubleheader, beating the Knights, 8-6, but losing 7-4, against the Golden Gophers.

Fullerton played four extra innings against Minnesota. In the top of the 11th inning, Minnesota’s Kayla Chavez hit a three-run blast off Sutherlin over the left field fence giving the Gophers a three-run lead going into the bottom of the inning.

Sutherlin threw 191 pitches in that game before being replaced by freshman Raci Miranda in the

“I just knew my teammates had my back, and I had to keep going for them,” said Sutherlin of her performance against Minnesota.

Coach Kelly Ford backed Sutherlin until the end despite the high pitch count.

“She was just dealing, it’s almost like she deserved those innings,” Ford said.

In their second game Saturday, Fullerton put together their best offensive performance of the tournament, scoring eight runs against UCF. Titans’ catcher Jessi Alcala was the hero of the night after hitting a threerun walk-off homer to end the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Friday was a great day for the Titans, second baseman Alexa Neil hit a seventh-inning single with the bases loaded splitting the diamond and giving the Titans their first victory of the tournament against the San Jose Spartans.

Fullerton’s pitcher Hailey Rainey took the victory after a dominant relief, only allowing one run on two hits and seven strikeouts in four innings.

Thursday featured an extra-inning pitching matchup between the Titans and the Wolverines, with both starting pitchers going all the way for their teams.

Both teams remained scoreless until the eighth inning when Wolverine Blair Lexie hit a two-run single to left field to give her team a 2-0 lead.

Next, the Titans will resume action at Anderson Family Field next Wednesday when they face No. 19 Baylor University at 4 p.m.

match. The Titans’ only loss of the tournament came at the hands of the Santa Clara University Broncos, 17-5. CSUF’s three weekend wins came against the Cal Lutheran Regals, Westcliff University Warriors and Division 3 Whittier College Poets. Offensively, the Titans were led by freshman Gabrielle Zaretskiy’s 11 goals. Zaretskiy continues to be

Returning from the half, Zaretskiy kicked off the scoring for the Titans but the Poets did not let up, extending their lead to 8-4 entering the final period.

Down 8-4, The Titans dominated the fourth period scoring five unanswered goals to take the lead 9-8 with 33 seconds remaining. Immediately the Poets responded with a goal to tie the score with 23 seconds left and sent the match into overtime.

The final match was the toughest for the Titans as the Broncos dominated the match early going on a 6-1 scoring run immediately. The Titans attempted to push back scoring two goals to cut the lead in half, but the Broncos’ offense continued their pursuit and added two more goals before halftime.

Up 8-3, the Broncos picked up right where they left off, winning the second half and outscoring the Titans 9-2 to earn an easy win 17-5.

The Titans will host their first conference match Friday against Long Beach State at 6 p.m.

Titan women to face Hawaiʻi in Big West postseason opener

the Titans’ offense as primary ball handlers following injuries, an aspect of their games Harada praised, as both adjusted to their new roles during the season.

CSUF’s defense and rebounding have been a continued struggle for the shorthanded squad. The Titans finished ninth in the conference in points allowed, opponent field goal percentage and combined opponents rebounds.

The Titans lost a few key players throughout the season – transfer point guard Shlya Latone tore her ACL before the start of the season, and guard Anniken Frey and forward Kathryn Neff suffered season-ending injuries during conference play.

HUGO RIOS Editor

Finishing the regular season a game below .500, Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball looks to make their Big West tournament push on Wednesday after an injury-riddled season forced an experienced team to face a new form of adversity.

Following a double-digit victory over UC San Diego to close out the season, CSUF’s 9-11 conference record secured a match up against Hawaiʻi – an opponent who swept the Titans in the regular season.

Head coach Jeff Harada feels confident in the Titans’ ability to compete against his home state school despite not having much depth.

“Hawaiʻi also has a couple, two or three players, that on any given night can score as well,” Harada said. “We’re just going to have to play great defense, execute our offense and take care of the basketball.”

Containing Hawai i’s bench will be a test for CSUF, as the Rainbow Wahine bench outscored the Titans by a whopping 54-point differential over two games.

Having won seven of their last nine games, point guard Lily Wahinekapu leads the Rainbow Wahine’s well-rounded scoring attack and third-ranked defense in the Big West. The former Titans point guard averages 12.6 points per game and scored 21 points against UC Santa Barbara to secure a win for her team in their final home game of the season.

Leading scorers Una Jovanovic and Fujika Nimmo have taken the helm of

Despite finishing the regular season with a losing record under his sixth season, Harada is proud of the women's basketball program given the circumstances of his tenure.

“Every year, there’s been some adversity, something that happens. You can’t blame anybody or find fault, you just have to roll with the punches. That’s life – adversity hits at any time,” Harada said.

Regardless of this year’s outcome, Harada said he is excited for the future of the team, as he expects many players to return next season.

“We’re exceeding expectations and it makes you wonder what could’ve been if we were healthy," Harada said.

CSUF will look to earn their first win of the season against Hawaiʻi in the Big West quarterfinals, as their postseason run begins Wednesday in Henderson, Nevada at 8:30 p.m.

Freshman Stephanie Hidalgo scored a goal in Saturday's match-up against the Whittier College Poets.

DARLENE SANZON / DAILY TITAN

GOTTIE CHAVEZ Editor

The Titans head into the Big West Championship tournament with the conferencec No. 5 ranked o ense and No. 9 ranked defense.

NAVTEJ HUNDAL / DAILY TITAN

Baseball wins Texas series after Sunday walk-o

EMILY WILSON Deputy Editor

With the first series win of the season on the line, Cal State Fullerton’s baseball beat the Texas Longhorns, 5-4, Sunday at Goodwin Field. CSUF walked off in the eleventh inning to secure the second win of three games over the weekend.

The Titans won the first game of the series on Friday, 6-5, before losing 4-2 on Saturday.

CSUF played Sunday’s game with a heightened sense of urgency to secure the series’ victory after falling short the night before.

The Longhorns tied the score in the top of the ninth inning off of a two-run home run from second baseman Jack O’Dowd, and the game went into extra innings.

Both teams scored a run in the tenth inning.

Titans pitcher Seth Tomczak picked up his first win of the season after pitching the final 1.1 innings of the game. In the top of the eleventh, the Longhorns had the bases loaded, but Tomczak struck out pinch hitter Max Belyeu for the final out.

Brenden Bobo was hit by a pitch to reach first base and ultimately stole second to open the bottom of the eleventh inning before first baseman Caden Connor was intentionally walked to set up the force out.

However, a single by freshman Angelo Aleman brought Bobo home, scoring the winning run. This was Aleman’s first hit in a Titans uniform.

Saturday’s game saw CSUF unable to rally back from a deficit, losing the game 4-2.

Titans pitcher Trevor Hinkel gave up two home runs in the first inning on route to his second loss of the season.

CSUF scored in the bottom of the

first after right fielder Nate Nankil allowed Carter White to score their only run of the inning. The Titans wasted a prime opportunity to score; they had the bases loaded with only one out, but a Bobo strikeout and a flyout from catcher Cole Urman caused the inning to end.

The Longhorns extended their lead by two runs with runs scored in the second and the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, shortstop Jack Haley scored on a wild pitch to secure the Titans’ second and final run.

On Friday, the Titans battled back

from a four run deficit to earn the win, 6-5.

CSUF began the scoring in the bottom of the second after Jack Haley scored on a single from Urman.

Over the next two innings, the Longhorns scored four unanswered runs, including in the fourth inning where an error by Connor allowed two runners to score, leaving the score at 5-1 going into the bottom of the fourth.

The Titans then responded with a four run burst of their own, tying the score at five. The Titans had two runners on base after Urman singled

and Guzman was walked. Connor reached first on a fielder’s choice, Urman advanced to third and Guzman was out at second base.

When Nankil was at bat, a passed ball allowed Urman to score. Nankil then doubled to left field, bringing in Connor to score the Titans’ second run of the inning and prompting the Longhorns to replace pitcher Lucas Gordon with DJ Burke.

Burke subsequently hit third baseman Zach Lew with a pitch, allowing him to advance to first base. Next, second baseman Maddox Latta doubled to left field, and both Nankil and

Lew scored.

Pitcher Fynn Chester came in while the score was still tied at five at the top of the eighth inning, pitched two perfect innings and struck out four batters. He picked up his second win of the season.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, CSUF scored what would become the game-winning run after Urman scored on a wild pitch.

The Titans look to continue their momentum against Utah on Tuesday at Goodwin Field. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m.

First baseman Caden Connor had three hits and scored twice in the Titans' weekend series against the University of Texas. Connor is currently batting .324 on the year.

DARLENE SANZON / DAILY TITAN

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WRITTEN by Isabel Guerrero Lubarsky

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