Daily Titan | May 8, 2023

University envisions a residential campus

week on gas than spend a few thousand just living here,” Baeza said.

CSUF is the only CSU located in Orange County. According to its website, CSUF was designed to serve a mostly commuting student body.

Despite Cal State Fullerton’s long-standing reputation as a commuter campus, the university is looking to transition toward becoming a residential campus over the next 16 years to encourage student engagement.

Two years into the Physical Master Plan, which is set to be completed in 2039, projects have begun to create a campus setting where there are more residential amenities, academic spaces, transportation options and student life. One of the plan’s explicit goals is to convert the university from a commuter to a residential campus by providing more housing and improving amenities.

In the master plan, Virjee wrote that increasing on-campus residential options and improving amenities, as well as the construction of an Innovation Hub and an Event Center, were intended to advance students’ academic success and support the entire campus community.

According to the master plan in 2020, about 25,000 full-time students are enrolled in CSUF. Enrollment is expected to increase by 1% every year; by 2039, the number of full-time students is expected to grow to 32,000. CSUF will construct over 1

million square feet of student housing and over 500,000 square feet of faculty housing to encourage residential campus culture, costing more than $600 million.

President Framroze Virjee said his goal was to create a campus community that thinks CSUF is their home,

rather than a transactional place where students take classes, pay tuition, get a degree then leave.

“I would actually take issue and say the plan is to move us from a commuter campus to a destination campus and say we already are a destination,” Virjee said.

City council looks to narrow Associated Road

Colin Costigan, a freshman communications major who lives on campus, said that walking over to the main campus from the resident halls felt like a whole other world.

“I always forget that it's a commuter school, because I live on campus. To me, it's always been a more residential type of school, but that's just in this community area,” Costigan said.

Several units of new housing were proposed in the master plan, including the recently-built housing suites in fall 2022. The construction of two new sections of student housing and one section of faculty housing has yet to begin. A portion of the new student housing will replace the former Cobb residence halls, and the rest will be adjacent to the Student Recreation Center.

ANDREW TORRES Sta Writer

It currently costs between $16,000 to $18,000 to live in on-campus housing. Claudia Baeza, a junior kinesiology major who commutes from West Covina, said that, if the cost were cheaper, she would be open to living on campus.

“Personally, I’d rather spend $60 a

The new housing plans will provide students with an additional 2,400 beds and faculty with 350 units. Each student housing unit will cost an estimated $87,928, totaling to $52.75 million per building. Overall, student housing is projected to cost $506.46 million since cost projections are inflated by 5% each year to account for rising costs of labor and resources.

SEE HOME 2

Student government no longer manages student fee funding

MELANIE NGUYEN Asst. Editor

The Associated Students announced that Cal State Fullerton’s Academic Affairs Department will now distribute the money for programs related to classes and travel expenses in an attempt to simplify and streamline the funding process.

Instructionally Related Activity funds, also known as IRA, are used for co-curricular activities to enhance students’ learning experiences in conjunction with a course, such as studying abroad. Dave Edwards, the executive director of ASI, said IRA funding has been under ASI’s supervision since its inception. The policy change was announced at an April 20 ASI meeting.

Alyssa Adamson, the executive director of academic resources at the Office of Academic Affairs, said the department would oversee the funding and ensure its compliance with state-regulated fees. Adamson said this change was due to an audit that showed IRA Fees should be run through the university rather than ASI.

After discussing this change in recent years, Edwards said this was the perfect time for change.

“I don’t think there was a desperate need. This was more of a decision based on efficiency, how

can we make things smoother,” Edwards said.

Hazel Kelly, the public affairs manager of the CSU Chancellor’s Office, said in an email to the Daily Titan it is at the discretion of each CSU campus to distribute IRA funds.

CSUF joins 17 other CSU campuses in which Academic Affairs manages the IRA funding. The other six campuses use Associated Students to manage these funds.

Erika Thomas, an associate professor in Human Communication and a co-director of the Speech and Debate team of the Forensic program since 2010, said she thinks this change is the right choice.

“Recently, I think that IRA has become very convoluted in their processes and it just feels like since I’ve been here the workload, the paperwork has multiplied,” Thomas said.

Jon Bruschke, the chair of the CSUF’s Planning, Resource and Budget Committee, said IRA funding can be an enormous additional burden on faculty.

Although it is only his first year on campus, Randall Goldberg, the director of the College of Music, said the process was opaque to faculty sometimes.

SEE STATE 4

President Framroze Virjee said he wanted to create a campus community that serves as students' second home.

GABRIELA PEREZ- ORTA / DAILY TITAN

NOLLYANNE DELACRUZ Editor ROSE MENDEZ SIMON MERCADER GABRIELA PEREZ- ORTA ANDREW TORRES Sta Writers

Home: Over $600 million to be spent on housing

requires a large amount of resources. The ending results include 23 buildings in total; most of which will be allocated for academics.

With the projected increase of students living on campus, CSUF Police Department’s Capt. Scot Willey hopes to allocate resources to ensure campus safety. Willey said when the residential population on campus grows, they analyze their current staffing and make necessary adjustments. Although CSUF PD is interested in increasing staffing, staff expansions are not expected until the new housing is complete.

CSUF PD is also working with housing to add cameras in residence halls and Information Technology to get camera coverage of Lot A, primarily occupied by students from housing.

Robert Scialdone, the assistant vice president of resource, budget and planning for the Division of Student Affairs, described the campus master plan as a vision.

“A lot of it is a vision of what it could be and that's what I think folks need to understand. Doesn't necessarily mean that's what it's going to look like,” Scialdone said.

Virjee said he is looking forward to passing the torch and completing the master plan, even in his absence.

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The upcoming housing facility will provide an additional living space for university employees. It will be located behind College Park, where the sta ff and faculty parking lot is currently situated. This will be the second housing option available to faculty, complementing the residential community, University Gables, in Buena Park. The faculty housing is projected to cost $133,499 per unit, totaling $112.13 million with the 5% yearly increase. Since housing is not an academic space, the buildings will be paid for using non-state funding. Donations, parking fees and student fees are financial sources that fall under nonstate funding.

The executive director of housing and residential engagement, Larry Martin, said that interest in housing has sat at a consistent rate in the 10 years he has been on campus. This academic year, around 2,100 students live in on-campus housing, Martin wrote in an email to the Daily Titan. Having recently replaced the double apartments with a new community building this year and adding to their overall capacity by a hundred, the housing department has additional plans to expand, starting with a community hub.

“We know that the resources and the enhancements to the educational experience that we can provide on campus or community on campus are greater than they might receive,” Martin said.

Another goal of the master plan is to increase student life on campus. They plan to dedicate 800,000 square feet to student life space to the 435,000 square feet already made. The plan proposes aroundthe-clock open amenities and affordable retail options.

Isabella Tello, a junior English major who commutes from Riverside, said she is open to the idea of the campus going into a more residential focused environment.

“I think that plan is really cool. I like how people come from everywhere, but if people were a lot more local, it would be easier,” Tello said.

Stacy Mallicoat, professor of criminal justice at CSUF and a resident of University Gables since 2003, said she believes it is important for housing to be a ffordable for students and faculty members.

“I do support the idea of creating spaces for students and faculty. I think having that balance and having that option for families and students that want that option is a great resource to provide,” Mallicoat said.

Martin said they hope the next phase of housing opens fall 2026. CSUF was recently awarded close to $90 million in state funds, which will cover the construction of buildings. While there are no official estimates for the cost to live in the new on-campus housing buildings right now, Martin said they are planning to announce official rates in spring 2026.

He said the state funds will help keep the cost of living on campus as low as possible.

“Each year, our rates vary. If the cost of living increases, we try to keep our increases as low as possible,” Martin said. The master plan also introduced

the opportunity to add more academic spaces, this includes new buildings and classrooms for all majors. The one drawback Virjee predicts rising from this plan is that it

“The great thing about being here for the last five years is we have created an infrastructure and a set of plans that are driven by the Titan community, not driven by me,” Virjee said.

Increase in housing creates parking concerns

beautification committee, said it would be important to include more forms of direct transportation to campus.

Cal State Fullerton is planning on implementing additional parking and transportation methods to accommodate for the increase of students and faculty living on campus.

The master plan outlines that around 813 parking spaces would be needed, which would cost $16.2 million, with yearly maintenance costing upwards of $250,000. Cotton Coslett, a librarian and chair of the campus facilities and

“I'm a commuter, I see how tricky it can be to navigate parking and driving here. So if there is a way that the campus can be tied more closely to local transportation that's a great thing,” Coslett said.

Some other solutions to decongest parking are by creating mobility hubs, such as OCTA transit stops, bike lockers and transit pass kiosks. They will likely be placed near the existing OCTA bus routes 57 and 57X.

In addition a circulator service will be

implemented to connect the university to downtown Fullerton. Similar to the OCTA bus route 26, the circulator service will operate every seven and a half minutes with two buses operating during peak and midday periods.

A short-term solution proposed would be to prohibit any first-year resident to park their car on campus. A long-term solution detailed in the master plan would be to collaborate with OCTA and the city of Fullerton to implement efficient transit services to and from campus.

“They're really very ambitious and what they're hoping to achieve, I think it makes sense. We're a campus that’s getting more vehicles on

campus every year and that's not sustainable for a number of reasons,” Coslett said.

Camila Garcia, a senior communications major who lives on campus, said that she is against the proposed first-year car ban for residents.

“I think that's a really bad idea. This is not a city like New York, equipped with transportation. I don't think that they should force students to do that. I would not want to live on campus if I can’t have my car,” Garcia said.

According to the master plan, if these ideas are implemented, they can also boost the attractiveness of the campus and parking revenues can support multimodal programs and incentives.

The executive director of housing and residential engagement, Larry Martin, said they hope the next phase of housing opens fall 2026

GABRIELA PEREZ- ORTA / DAILY TITAN

CSUF is planning on building mobility hubs to serve di erent transportation needs, like selling public transit tickets.

SYDNEY CARROLL / DAILY TITAN

ROSE MENDEZ GABRIELA PEREZ- ORTA Sta Writers

Native plants protected in campus garden

Cal State Fullerton’s garden has expanded to include a California Native section and will be a part of a research project for the environmental studies master’s program highlighting pollinator plants.

The campus garden can be found between the Humanities and Social Sciences building and Gordon Hall.

When ground broke on the campus garden in April 2022, only one garden container with raised plant beds existed.

The original garden container is home to multiple garden beds that grows produce plants, each shepherded by different classes on campus. In March, the first produce was harvested from the garden and sent to the Associated Students food pantry.

The garden has since been expanded on April 18 to include ground space separate from the original garden container which will house California native plant species that will help attract pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.

The Urban Agriculture Community-based Research Experience, known as U-ACRE, is a program that provides learning opportunities for students through hands-on local activity.

While the Center of Sustainability is coordinating the campus garden, U-Acre supplied some of the plants for the California native pollinator plantings. Some of these plants are fairly rare California natives, including some that came from the Channel Islands and Southern California deserts.

April Bullock, chair of the Department of Liberal Studies and U-Acre

mentor, has been involved with helping add more native plants to the space. She said the plan is to have two additional garden containers with raised beds in the near future.

“While we’re raising money to build the other two, we thought it would be great to make the garden area more attractive and to be able to use it as a space to educate students and the campus community about native pollinator attractors,” Bullock said.

Lane: Concerns of traffic cause debate

CONTINUED FROM 1

bit, which is a good thing so safety is one of the main reasons for doing this,” Godinez said.

The construction on Associated Road is part of a three-phase project. The project engineer

Rafael Chavez said the work on Associated Road is estimated to cost $2.6 million, with the striping costing around $110,000.

The first phase is a water main replacement between Yorba Linda Boulevard and Bastanchury Road. The second phase is a pavement rehab on the same street. The last phase is a water, sewer and road maintenance project on Bastanchury Road to Imperial Highway. Godinez said the city is currently working on the first phase of this project.

Fullerton resident Jeff Hazard said he has been living on Associated Road for over 30 years and is displeased with the lack of communication between the city and the residents who will be affected.

“I'm on the board of the Craig Park homeowners association, we have not been contacted at all about that. All of the homeowners that I have talked to, and that's a lot because I'm one of the board members, they all are against the idea adamantly,” Hazard said.

Hazard said he believes the lane reduction will make it harder for first responders to get to an emergency, or exit onto the street and

overall make the area less safe due to the projected increased number of people in the area.

“I just don't see the logic in this major of a change when there really isn't a need. For 33 years, we've gotten by without it, I don't see the need,” Hazard said.

Anjali Tapadia, a Fullerton resident, said she supports the recommended plans on Associated Road because it creates a protected bike lane. Tapadia uses her bike for transportation and recreationally but believes most roads are not safe for cyclists.

“I support the idea of protected bike lanes because I think that they are one of the best ways that you can protect people who are on bikes, and people on bikes are vulnerable road users,” Tapadia said.

Tapadia also said if the parking and lane reduction does not happen, she hopes it starts a discussion around protected bike lanes and improved pedestrian infrastructure elsewhere.

In response to local residents concerned about overnight parking, Godinez said the city’s Municipal Code that prohibits public parking on any street or highway from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. will be in effect. The code also states that cars parked in a street, highway or alley for more than three days will be subject to towing.

Godinez said if enough people are opposed to the parking, they can remove it from the plans. The final striping of the street will take place in September.

U-Acre is currently raising money to add the two additional garden beds and realize the full garden plan. Bullock said an estimated $2,000 out of the $20,000 needed to complete the whole plan has been raised so far.

On Thursday, English professor Nicole Seymour and master’s student Ifeani Williams joined Bullock to begin the second phase of the native pollinator attractor plantings, the phase where the plants finally

EDITORIAL

made it into the ground. Students from human services, environmental studies, anthropology and more carried out the first phase.

Williams is currently studying environmental science and is working on her master’s project, which involves research being done on California native plants in the garden.

Williams’ research hopes to determine if California native pollinator plants will attract more pollinators than non-native plants.

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She said it’s important that more people become aware of native plants because they are drought-tolerant and beneficial to pollinators and humans. These drought-tolerant plants are great because they are able to thrive with low amounts of water, making them perfect for CSUF’s climate.

“All of them are native, and most of them have di fferent uses, like being edible, being medicinal, and so I’m just determining the multi-functional roles of pollinator plants, especially your native pollinator plants,” Williams said.

Williams also thinks planting California natives helps encourage more people to integrate this into their urban, suburban or agricultural landscaping.

“It also kind of revives a lot of lost Indigenous knowledge that a lot of these plants functioned as, so I think this would be a good way for people to become aware of that,” Williams said.

Bullock said there are plans to start a campus-wide gardening club in the fall, who will have some stewardship of the new garden spaces.

Students who are interested in fostering these gardens can donate to the Center of Sustainability so more funding can go towards the campus garden project.

Those interested in donating can do so by visiting giving.fullerton. edu/giving.aspx and by clicking on “Center for Sustainability.”

Additionally, CSUF’s U-Acre program encourages student organizations, departments, resource centers or faculty members interested in shepherding a garden bed in the fall to apply for a spot at the campus garden page on CSUF’s sustainability website.

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Ifeani Williams (left) and April Bullock (right) planted California Native plants in the garden as part of the expansion.

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JEREMY JIMENEZ Sta Writer

Titan Radio lacks funds to pay student employees

EMILY MELGAR Sta Writer

Student staff at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Radio are working unpaid as of April 21 with funding depleted for the remainder of the semester and fiscal year.

Titan Radio is CSUF’s official student-led radio station with funds awarded through the Instructionally Related Activities fund, known as IRA.

Like many other campus organizations, Titan Radio applies for IRA funds every fall which are paid for by students fees.

Cameron Macedonio, Titan Radio’s General Manager, said he was notified just two weeks before funds ran out that the budget would no longer cover staff’s pay.

Since then, Macedonio and other staff have continued working at the station as well as planned events, despite no longer being paid. Titan Radio staff have hosted fundraiser events to support the station such as a skate night on April 25 and a thrift sale on campus on April 27.

Macedonio also said that since he does not have access to the budget, he did not know this was going to happen.

“I don't know the exact numbers, I don’t know any of that but I do know that hopefully whoever is in charge of this watches it better for next year. But it definitely does suck to have to go a month and a half without pay because this is my only job,” Macedonio said.

Titan Radio’s Radio Media Specialist, Julio Reyes, said that he attributes part of the problem to the fact that the station took on more DJ volunteer positions. Reyes said the station had 107 DJs when they normally have about 80, requiring student staff to be present at the station more.

“We needed a lot more student help. So, the amount of funds we were given did not change in any sense, what really happened was that the funds, since we required so much help towards the beginning of the semester, I guess the funds were used up mainly towards the beginning of the semester,” Reyes said.

According to the Associated Students’ IRA Award Summaries, Titan Radio was given $44,400 in 2021-22 and received about $550 less for the 2022-23 fiscal year, with a total budget of $43,857.

Jeffrey Whitten, TV coordinator and media analyst for Titan Communications, said that the budget will increase for the upcoming 202324 fiscal year. According to the summary of funding, Titan Radio will receive $46,000 in IRA funds in the upcoming fiscal year, an over $2,000 increase from this year.

In an email to the Daily Titan, Whitten stated that pay for student personnel is only a subset of the total budget.

Whitten said $36,680 is currently allotted for student personnel for the 2023-24 fiscal year, meaning only half of the budget increase went toward personnel pay.

“If you do the math, $36,000 sounds like a lot, but it’s actually not when you divvy it up between about six student assistant staff for each semester, that’s 15 weeks each-ish. That’s not that many hours when you divide it up, especially with minimum wage raising,” Whitten said.

Titan Radio has six paid student staff positions, each paid an hourly rate of $15.50.

Reyes and Whitten said that although they are not happy, many of the students kept working and chose to keep Titan Radio going despite not being paid, they are in no way requiring or forcing them to do so.

“I told them that they didn’t have to. It’s not forced upon them, but I think it kind of goes back to the fact that they really like working there and they enjoy the space and they continue to and that actually brings a smile,” Reyes said.

Reyes said that he knows they need to be more proactive and keep a closer eye on hours worked more closely so that this does not happen again in the future.

Brandon Walkley, Titan Radio’s Communications and Outreach Director, said that while he has enjoyed his job and time at Titan Radio, this experience did taint his last semester on campus and at the station.

“It’s a little sour, I’m not going to lie. I feel like I put so much of my time and energy and effort into Titan Radio station,” Walkley said. “The work of everybody who contributes, interns or paid staff or not, it feels like it’s completely being swept under the rug. It’s very disheartening.”Titan Radio’s Programming Director, Megan Teeling, said despite the budget issue, she still wants students to know how accessible Titan Radio is for everybody, regardless of major.

The new fiscal year begins in July and Titan Radio currently does not run during the summer and winter semesters.

State: Policy change simplifies funding process

CONTINUED FROM 1

“I know all these offices are all working hard and trying to get everything done, but it just seems like the process is cumbersome and from my perspective, we can’t see a lot of it,” Goldberg said.

Amir Dabirian, the provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said the goal of this change will help streamline the process and make it easier for faculty to request funding.

“There were so much administrative barriers that I heard about IRA funding distributions and transitions. I want to make sure we can reduce those,” Dabirian said.

According to the 2023-2024 IRA budget, there is about $4.2 million for programs next year. IRA funding comes from a mandatory fee that students pay. This year, the fee is $41.91 for students.

Edwards said this change will not affect the student fee for IRA funding.

Since mandatory student fees are managed by ASI, they have managed an IRA under their organization. However, these funds are state funds and are used towards programs housed under the university’s control.

Bruschke said the rules between state funding through the university and student funding through ASI has always been unclear.

“A perennial problem for IRA funding for as long as I have been

here, which is 25 years, is that it’s sort of the platypus Frankenstein child where I guess it’s co-curricular? It’s never clear; does it follow the rules of state-side accounting or does it have to follow the rules of ASI accounting?” Bruschke said.

The ASI committee will still oversee the approval process. Edwards said in the long run, he thinks this change will streamline the process and remove ASI as the middleman.

Bruschke said there are also two reforms at play right now for IRA funding. He said the budgeting committee is reviewing the policy that guarantees Titan Athletics a certain portion of this funding.

According to the IRA Task Force, Titan Athletics gets 36% automatically every year after a 2010 student vote approved this change.

Sara Perry, the assistant director and chief financial officer for Titan Athletics, said the athletics department needs this baseline funding in addition to the revenue they raise themselves to cover its programs.

“That was a referendum that passed a while ago and so whoever brought that up and the students all agreed that it was a necessary thing. So who am I to argue one way or the other? It was what the student at the time decided that as a need,” Perry said.

In the 2023-2024 school year, the Athletics Department will receive about $1 million in IRA funding.

Bruschke said this is built for security

and stability for Titan athletes to guarantee these programs will continue.

The current debate is whether other competitive teams should receive the same guaranteed funding. These teams might include Moot Court or the Speech and Debate team. This decision has not been finalized yet. Bruschke said he does not know if

moving IRA funding to the state side would solve all the problems. However, he said he thinks high-impact learning through IRA enriches and animates the learning experience.

“In my view, too much emphasis is put on students accumulating units and graduating quickly. And the IRA programs are really the thing that

produce life-changing experiences,” Bruschke said.

Edwards said the IRA funding change is planned to happen before the next fiscal year starting on July 1. “I would say this change is happening to make sure our students get the most impactful experience out of IRA funding,” Edwards said.

Titan Radio held a thrift sale on campus to raise funds on April 27, spearheaded by their Programming Director, Megan Teeling.

EMILY MELGAR / DAILY TITAN

Titan Athletics receives a guaranteed proportion of IRA funds based on a referendum in 2010.

MELANIE NGUYEN / DAILY TITAN

Getting married doesn't have to break the bank

couples must choose between putting savings towards a wedding or towards a home, 60% of couples chose to put their savings towards the perfect wedding.

In Orange County, the median price for a home is over $1 million, making first-home shopping a challenge. According to a LendingTree survey, 32% of young adults returned to their parent’s homes during the pandemic in 2020. Only one-third have returned to living independently due to trying to pay off their debts or saving up for a home. When adding a wedding into the picture, being able to a fford a home can seem impossible.

Melinda Blackman, a professor of psychology at Cal State Fullerton, said she believes people prefer big weddings over smaller ones because the more extensive and expensive the wedding, the longer their marriage may last and it shows the commitment of their love.

MARGARET TREJO Sta Writer

When making the promise to love your other half forever, a few people or a whole crowd may be watching. As much as we would love to have every person we know experiencing this matrimony, that guest list can become costly.

What is supposed to be a joyous time can quickly become stressful due to the seemingly never-ending guest lists, needing the perfect clothing and a gorgeous venue.

The most stressful part of it all: the costs.

There is nothing wrong with having an over-the-top, Instagram-worthy wedding. But, if finances are tight, deciding to have an intimate union at a courthouse can be just as loving and fulfilling.

According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average California wedding in 2022 was around $37,000. These costs are not simply for the ceremony; they represent expenses like a venue and fancy caterers.

The average wedding in 2022 held 117 people, according to a survey by the Knot. Of the four wedding packages that they offer, Wedgewood

Wedding, located in Irvine, offers a classic package that costs $95 per person. This means the classic package would cost an average couple $11,000 just for guests. That doesn’t include costs for the venue, ceremony, officiant or desserts.

Getting married does not have to be expensive. A public marriage license in Orange County is $61, and a ceremony with a maximum of 10 guests costs $28. Overall, a couple only needs $89 to get married.

In 2020, courthouse weddings rose from 11,000 to 14,000 in Orange County due to the pandemic. These weddings accounted for more than half the marriage licenses issued

that year. Since courthouse weddings are small in size, they are considered “micro weddings.”

Many people have preferred micro weddings to avoid high costs and stress. But now that pandemic restrictions are being lifted, couples have reverted to large weddings, circumventing smaller options.

Some couples already have the money for something big, but it seems they would rather spend it on a lavish wedding than on more equitable things such as a home. A home can be forever, but a big wedding is only a party that lasts a day.

In the first 10 episodes of the show “Marriage or Mortgage,” where

Blackman also said she believes it’s their one chance to have a massive party with all their friends and loved ones in one place. While the want for a large wedding could be influenced by their parents who want to invite everyone they know to show off their child, it might also simply be because the couple wants to show off the love they’ve found.

Couples can still decide to invest in an extravagant dress or a party afterward by holding a smaller wedding, but it does not include the same pressure as a big, expensive wedding. The love and union between the couple are the most important parts of a wedding, no matter the size or location of the union. So instead of stressing about having the finances for the ceremony, couples should focus on their love for one another.

After all, love will make the day memorable all by itself.

Stop rewarding men for chivalry, it's genderless

MELANIE NGUYEN

Asst. Editor

I grew up with three sisters, and we never considered it chivalrous if one of us paid for a meal for all of us. We always hold doors for each other, and I commonly borrow my sister’s jacket when I forget mine at home. It was never considered “chivalry,” it was built-in empathy and care for each other.

There are plenty of people who practice chivalrous behavior. However, it is only considered chivalry if a man is kind to a woman. When men care for women, it is rewarded with the noble idea that it is chivalrous.

Chivalry should not be gendered, and we should focus on expanding the definition to be gender inclusive. Fundamentally, empathy and caring for someone are not gendered, and helping out your friend or loved one should not come with the expectation that only men should do so.

The double standard separating being “a gentleman” and “a lady” is unfair to not only both genders, but also those outside of the gender binary.

Rebecca Dolhinow, professor of women and gender studies at Cal State Fullerton, said chivalry historically began as a way of living and strictly followed the gender binary.

In medieval times, masculinity was associated with men as providers and protectors, while women were expected to keep a house and family together.

Today, chivalry is when a man gives a woman their jacket because they’re cold, opens doors, letting the

women walk through first and having the woman walk on the inner part of the sidewalk in case a car jumps the curb– as a few examples.

Dolhinow said gender is expressed differently over time across different cultures. She added that traditional binary roles exclude both non-binary and binary people who do not identify with certain gender roles.

“I think it’s problematic to say roles of men and roles of women because we know that gender is not binary, but traditionally that’s how we thought of it,” Dolhinow said.

By holding chivalry to a male standard, we are ultimately allowing a moment of reward for men. Opening a door for someone is not something that should be rewarded as a man being “chivalrous” and a woman simply being a woman. It is common care.

Edwin Lopez, a professor in sociology at CSUF, said being chivalrous is connected to the patriarchal understanding of highly masculine power. He said gender roles are traditionally intertwined with power dynamics to define who should be in power and who should be dependent on those in power.

“When it comes to being a gentleman or engaging in gentlemanly type of behaviors, there’s always that sort of question: am I holding the door open for you out of courtesy because you’re another human being? Or do I view you as someone who is the type of person who should be dependent on me,”

Lopez said.

The World Health Organization recognizes gender as a social construct that reinforces hierarchical inequities and affects other intersectionalities

such as socioeconomic status, geographical location and ethnicity.

This means the construct of chivalry as only a male action is a social construct as a whole. It’s made up, meaning we can change its context. We can create a new understanding of the term. It doesn’t have to be something

rewarded or seen as a power dynamic for men, but rather expected by all.

Chivalry can only change if society chooses to make that change collectively. By acknowledging the daily courteous acts we all take part in as chivalry, we will lessen the gender-norm of who is “chivalrous” and

establish that they are just participating in expected kindness. We can simply be empathetic and caring human beings.

Opening the door for your friend today, regardless of gender, can open the door to a more polite society.

SYDNEY CARROLL / DAILY

Going to a courthouse, such as the Old Orange County Courthouse, to get married can cost a couple about $89.

MARGARET TREJO / DAILY TITAN

Column: It could be worse

Those pesky elevators

I keep having issues with the elevators? How am I supposed to get from place to place if the elevators are not disability friendly?

Put your running shoes on! The Gordon Hall elevator doors are closing!

In Cal State Fullerton’s Gordon Hall, there seems to be a problem that the CSUF Police Department seems to get calls for regularly.

On April 17, I suffered a fall in a Gordon Hall elevator.

As I reached to hit the button for the first floor, I ended up falling out of my scooter and ended up flat on the floor.

As the CSUF PD sent help, they mentioned someone else had fallen recently in one of the elevators in Gordon Hall. The officer on the phone told me this happens often, and that the elevator doors shut way too fast.

Having fallen in another elevator earlier in the year, you would think that the people in charge would have taken care of the issue so they don’t have to keep receiving calls or possibly call for ambulances for help, but you would be wrong. Very wrong.

I am speculating there has to be a certain number of falls before any action is taken, or a certain amount of “ruckus” needed to bring change, so here I am, making ruckus.

I am not only bringing it up for the sake of Titans with disabilities now, but I am thinking for future Titans with disabilities as well.

CSUF needs to make changes, such as updating the elevators to make them more user-friendly, that could benefit those with disabilities on the campus. Elevators are meant for those with disabilities to use instead of stairs, so why is it that

I am by no means any kind of engineer, just a journalism major. However, I don’t think making the change is all that complicated, nor is it asking for too much. I am just speaking from my own experiences.

Doors that close too fast can be dangerous for people with disabilities or mobility issues, who might take longer to enter an elevator.

With all of that being said, the fire department asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital, to which I said no, “My parents are outside waiting for me in the parking lot.”

They asked me to call and I told them I can’t on account of my multiple sclerosis. I asked them if they could help me by holding the power button on my phone so I could use the voice command feature in order to call for them.

I was able to tell my parents about what happened and they were escorted into the Gordon Hall elevator.

The CSUF PD officer summarized the incident to my parents and asked my folks if they wanted to have me taken to the hospital.

They told the officers that I looked fine and that they would take me home. They thanked the officers over and over again.

Head hanging low, I told them I was OK. I was humiliated that this has happened again, and that I have to continuously deal with this.

It sure stinks, but it’s just a part of my life. And as I have said many times in the past, I most definitely would not wish this on my own worst enemy.

Take it from me, no matter how old you may be, there is nothing worse than a scowl coming from either of your parents; one can bruise the ego in the same way that a little “attaboy” can lift you up.

Having my parents there helped me feel better about what had happened to me– about what continues to happen to me. While it may not fully wipe the anger and despair from me, it sure does bandage it.

While I hope another fall is not in my near future, my hopes would be more of a reality with more disability-friendly elevators.

Latina creative inspires future generations

workshops to teenagers in underserved communities.

In 2010, unable to find a job that could sustain the cost of living in Orange County, García moved back to Texas. During this last stint in Texas, García returned to Texas State for her MFA. Six years later, García’s return to California came with an Artist in Residence program at the Cal State Fullerton Grand Central Art Center, and she eventually started LibroMobile in 2016. Since then, her footprint in the community has grown and local creatives reap the benefits.

CSUF assistant professor of anthropology and García’s husband, Manuel Galaviz-Ceballos, said García puts the community in mind first and creates venues for them.

EMILY MELGAR

Sta

Writer

Nestled between a Northgate Market and a swap mall, surrounded by businesses catering to the city’s Latinx demographic, sits Santa Ana’s only independent bookstore: LibroMobile.

It is part of the LibroMobile Arts Cooperative, a small, hybrid nonprofit organization established by Sarah Rafael García, an Orange County author and community educator championing diversity and community in the arts.

García was born in Brownsville, Texas to Mexican immigrant parents and lived there until she was four, when they moved to California in 1978.

The next 30 years were a journey leading García back and forth

between California, Texas, Florida and even China. She went to Irvine Valley College and transferred to Texas State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Sociology.

A corporate career led her back to California in 2002, where she ultimately realized she was living the life her parents wanted for her. One where she was producing things for other people, working all the time but unable to travel or spend the money she was making.

García moved to Beijing, China to teach English and wrote her first book, “Las Niñas,” a collection of childhood memories taking place before her father passed away.

After being published in 2008, García worked odd jobs and eventually started Barrio Writers, which provides free college-level writing

“When you can’t find a mentor, you become a mentor,” Galaviz-Ceballos said. “That’s why I think she’s fought so hard or has worked so hard to create partnerships, to create, to open up a space, to pretty much make a lot from nothing and to create openings for people to come in and celebrate.”

In pursuit of fostering community, García supports local authors, like CSUF alumna Amber Morrell.

Morrell held the launch party for her first novel, “The Alchemy of Letting Go,” at LibroMobile, and said García was immediately receptive and supportive of hosting this party.

“I can’t overstate just how good it feels that someone was enthusiastic about having an author, because I’ve been going into bookstores, and it’s like, ‘Ok, thanks, e-mail us,’ and then it’s crickets,” Morrell said.

Morrell also said it was amazing that LibroMobile would pay her for the event as it’s unheard of for bookstores to pay authors.

“That’s quintessential Sarah, to welcome that author, to not put up obstacles in front of them to get their book, especially their book from this community, out in the world,” said Lisa Alvarez, García’s first Mexican American professor. “But instead, to put them in front and to say, ‘Yes and we value you and your labor needs to be compensated.’”

In addition to featuring local authors at the bookstore, Crear Studio, an art gallery part of the LibroMobile collective, features artists associated with Orange County, such as CSUF alum Jose Lozano.

“She champions writers and poets and women writers, especially, and people of color who write. And she’s making our voices be known. She’s the middle person that makes it possible for us to reach an audience,” Lozano said.

Lozano has known García for six years and said he admires her work in the community. He said that having someone like García in a community is rare and that she prioritizes uplifting the art of the community over her own.

“She’s helped me get through and do a lot of things here in Orange County that I never would have been able to do without her being the voice,” Lozano said.

LibroMobile’s bookstore, art gallery and its annual Literary Arts Festival continuously spotlight local creatives, creating a safe space for them to express their unique creative imaginations.

“It took me a while to be proud of my culture and that I speak Spanish, even though I spoke Spanish many years before I spoke English. I feel like if I could only prevent some of that, those negative experiences to the next generation, then that’s more powerful than

me moving on with my art because that changes the future,” García said. “And to me, that’s more important than dwelling on the past.”

While her business doesn’t rake in a good profit, García is currently focused on building funds for a museum and cultural center she can eventually hand off to the community without worrying if it can maintain itself.

“There's so many buildings, there's so many spaces that are not being used where we could easily turn it into something that will not just open a door for some folks, but it will cultivate education, literature and artists from the local community,” García said.

In addition to her plans for LibroMobile’s development and her professional growth, García continues uplifting future generations by speaking at local venues and schools, like CSUF, and encouraging youths to pursue their creative passions and goals.

Recently, García was a guest at two events on campus, one held by the Titan Dreamers Resource Center where she inspired students to find their identity and express their creativity on paper. The other was held in collaboration with the English and Anthropology Departments in honor of Latinx science fiction books. Alvarez said that for many people, what’s most important about their art is their art, but García values other people’s art as well.

“A lot of people don't have time to be that generous, to take away from their important work. But Sarah, I think, sees how doing that also enriches her work. It doesn't take away, it makes what she's doing even stronger, more vibrant, and better, by lifting up the work of others,” Alvarez said. “That generosity of spirit, I wish it was more common.”

Sarah Rafael García, founder of LibroMobile, uplifts local artists.

EMILY MELGAR / DAILY TITAN

Spring concert energizes students before finals

BORLEN CHONG Editor MELISSA RENDON Sta Writer

After a spring full of rain and overcast weather, Cal State Fullerton’s 2023 spring concert lit up the Intramural Fields with sunset skies and hip-hop tunes that students danced the night away to.

Aminé, Chris Lorenzo and four student performers, The Hags, Mariachi Club, Super Phoenix and Infinite PASAbilities dance group, took the stage and dazzled audiences with endearing performances.

“I think that was the biggest crowd we ever performed in front of,” said Kareena Brennan, a member of The Hags who opened the spring concert with an electrifying performance.

Chris Lorenzo, an Electronic Dance Music DJ, followed the student performers as the opening headliner act, surprising the crowd with his energetic performance that set the standard for the rest of the night.

Rachel Valencia, a third-year criminal justice major who was attending the spring concert for the second time, said she was there for the joyous ambiance but was excited to hear Lorenzo perform.

Lorenzo’s act perfectly complemented the conclusion of the student performances, giving attendees

a night to remember before main headliner Aminé, a Portland-based hip-hop artist, took the stage.

As the main headliner, Aminé jumped straight into his performance by showcasing the full range of his discography, starting with songs such as “Mad Funny Freestyle” and “Meant2be.”

While hardcore fans of Aminé will likely recognize these songs, he gave the rest of the energetic crowd a taste of his more popular songs with “Red Mercedes” and “Spice Girls.” He ended the night with fan favorites “Caroline” and “Reel It In,” revitalizing the crowd as the night came to a close.

These performances were a great way for students to jam out without worrying about all the school essays and exams they have coming up.

Destiny Jimenez, a third-year psychology student, said this is the perfect time to host the spring concert as it is a great opportunity for students to lay back, relax and have fun before the stress of final essays and exams.

“I have a big final literally due tomorrow, and I’m just not thinking about it!” Brennan said.

Mercedes Avila, a first-year cinema and television arts student and Associated Student programmer, is attending the spring concert for the first time.

“I think spring concert’s a great

way to destress before finals, because it allows you to forget about school for a little bit and just enjoy the activities we have, eat food, watch great performers,” Avila said.

Aside from the animated performances, ASI had booths set up with free ASI swag, four photo opportunities for students to commemorate

the lively night, a section for bracelet making and free water booths.

Several food trucks, such as Kiki’s Cuban Food and SaltNPepper Truck, offered students much needed food to keep the party going.

Jimenez, who attended the spring concert for the second time, said her favorite part of the concert were the photo opportunities. She said last year there was only one backdrop in the front for people to take photos, so it was great they had more this time.

Students enjoying excellent performances and good music shared

the common sentiment that the spring concert was perfect for hanging out with friends.

“It’s fun, I've been having a great time so far,” Valencia said. “My favorite part is just coming and hanging out with my friends, having a good time, just chilling around, walking, getting the vibes.”

ASI put on the concert, which is hosted every year in May. Last year, R&B artist Miguel headlined ASI’s spring concert, with pop singer Max as the co-headliner to Miguel’s performance.

Club raises money for blood cancer research

BORLEN CHONG

Editor

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society club at Cal State Fullerton is one of five teams participating in the Visionaries of the Year Orange County Inland Empire campaign, one of many campaigns and fundraisers occurring to fight against blood cancer throughout the nation.

In 2021, leukemia and lymphoma was estimated to affect around 150,000 people in the United States alone. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a national organization, researches new ways to combat blood cancers and help current and recovering patients with their lives.

Founded in 2020, the CSUF LLS club was initially started by Arleen Galestanian, a CSUF communicative disorders alumni, after seeing the success of the UCLA chapter of LSS.

Since then, the role of club president has been passed down to Amanda D’Ambrosio, a University Honors student double majoring in business and cinema and television arts. D’Ambrosio is leading her team as the candidate for the Orange County Inland Empire Visionaries Campaign.

“It’s something you can prove to yourself that you can do to make the world a better place and to be in the fight to end blood cancer,” D’Ambrosio said. “My club’s mission is really to support cancer patients and raise awareness.”

The campaign started March 22 and will run until June 3, where the winners will be announced. Whoever earns the most funds in their region will be announced as winners. The club earned $9,900 last year, and is hoping to achieve a new goal of $15,000.

Jennifer Kornreich, director

of development for the Visionaries of the Year campaign for the Southern

California territory, said a big focus for the LSS right now is raising funding for the Dare to Dream Program, a program for finding treatments catered towards children.

“These treatments were developed for adults, they weren't developed for children. So now we're seeing these children who are diagnosed get these treatments who are growing up to adults, and they're having different side effects,” Kornreich said.

The other fundraising event that the LSS does, which occurs in the fall, is the Light the Night event, where participants can donate during the walk and light up different colored lanterns to “bring light to the darkness of cancer.”

“You get a custom t-shirt and a lantern, and with that lantern, you’re showing if you’re a supporter, survivor or if you’re there for someone who couldn’t be there,” said Krista Faber, the education director at CSUF LSS and a lymphoma survivor. “It’s really meaningful

and I think it’s one of the most beautiful things to see all the lanterns show up.”

Faber said she thinks the most important part of LLS’s mission is survivorship, which could mean getting new resources or finding new treatment or clinical trials.

The club has hosted several fundraising events throughout the campaign for people to come donate, such as an otter pop sale and a bake sale. Aside from fundraising, the club also hosts several educational events to raise awareness and educate people about blood cancers.

Faber is one of those speakers, and has shared her story of being a college student with lymphoma multiple times.

“I’m a young adult, and there’s not many young adults actually who have leukemia or lymphoma, you don’t see it every day. And because of that it impacted my college career,” Faber said. “You need to hear it from someone who has gone through it.”

Faber said the most important thing for people, especially professors, to have is sympathy.

“You gotta understand that this person is going through or just went through a terminal illness. Sympathy was the biggest thing,” Faber said. “It’s the matter of fact of knowing what they went through, and putting yourself in their shoes. What if you had cancer?”

D’Ambrosio said there are about 18 members in her team fundraising for the club, but the club itself has about 15 members. The club meets bi-weekly every Tuesday in the Titan Student Union Tuffree AB rooms. For CSUF students interested in helping the fight to end blood cancer, they can get involved by following CSUF LLS’s Instagram account at @lsclubatcsuf or going to their website at llsclubatcsuf.com to stay upto-date with their events and meeting information, as well as find links to donate and contribute to the fight against blood cancer.

Aminé wowed students with an animated performance showcasing niche and popular songs from his discography.

ROSEMARY MONTALVO / DAILY TITAN

Attendees were energized and let loose as main headliner Aminé busted out his most addicting tunes.

ROSEMARY MONTALVO / DAILY TITAN

Chris Lorenzo, a British DJ, entertains EDM fans with unique beats.

ROSEMARY MONTALVO/ DAILY TITAN

Tuffy's Table: Think green with spinach spaghetti

DOMINIC SAMANIEGO Sta Writer

With finals approaching and almost no time to cook, now is the perfect time for simple and healthy recipes that will give you that extra boost to get through exams and projects.

This easy pasta recipe can be made in one hour and takes a unique approach in incorporating spinach as the main base, giving the dish its green color.

When people think of pasta, they think of traditional marinara pasta sauce with meatballs. While this is the most common, many other kind of pasta sauce have since been popularized with new and distinctive ingredients and twists.

Although green is not a typical color of pasta, it is still tasty and healthier than the traditional marinara sauce.

This short and simple recipe is great to try if you are looking for a healthier alternative to fast food or what you usually eat. It’s also great if you want to make it in larger quantities since one box of pasta noodles usually contains more than three servings.

What you will need:

Medium pan

Medium pot

Blender

Ingredients:

1 shallot, sliced and peeled

1 garlic clove

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

Box of pasta noodles of your choice

Drizzle of olive oil

Handful of shredded

parmesan cheese

2 cups of baby spinach

1/2 cup of heavy cream

2/3 cup of pasta water

Cooking directions:

Grab your spinach and wash it thoroughly. Place the spinach into a clean container when done.

Fill up a small pot with water to the halfway point and boil on medium heat until the water begins to boil.

Once the water begins to boil, add salt for taste and the pasta of

your choice.

Cook for a total of five minutes for a perfect al dente.

While the water is boiling, peel the garlic and roughly chop it into small pieces. Begin to peel the shallot and dice it into small pieces along with the garlic.

Heat pan on medium heat and drizzle olive oil onto the pan. Once complete, add in your shallot and garlic.

Add salt, black pepper and one teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the pan.

Once the garlic and shallot begin to

sizzle, add baby spinach to the pan and saute with the other ingredients for a total of five minutes while simultaneously checking in on your pasta.

Once the spinach is done, add it to your blender.

Once the pasta is cooked, add pasta water into your blender.

Drain the pasta with a strainer and rinse under cool water. Save it for later.

Add shredded parmesan cheese and heavy cream to blender.

Once all the ingredients are ready, blend them together to create a

creamy spinach sauce.

Once the sauce is thoroughly blended together, remove from the blender and begin the plating process.

Add the creamy sauce to your pasta and sprinkle as much shredded parmesan or crushed red pepper as desired on the dish.

You may also add some parsley to add a nice touch.

(Optional) You may add some protein, like grilled chicken, or pair with garlic bread.

Enjoy!

Students paint to celebrate graduation accomplishments

ETHAN LUONG Sta Writer

For many students, any kind of graduation is a major milestone. With another graduation cycle just around the corner, students get the chance to express what graduation at Cal State Fullerton means to them.

Associated Students encouraged students to destress in a graduation-related painting session held in the Titan Student Union Pub on Tuesday called Our Graduation.

Our Graduation was the fourth and final event of the semester, a part of ASI’s monthly Expressions Sessions.

The previous themes were Climate Justice, Women’s History Month and Black History Month.

Kristen McVaugh, a graduate assistant for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in ASI, said this event was themed to celebrate graduation and provide a space for students to get their minds off schoolwork through art.

“So people who are graduating, or people who are planning to graduate or graduated high school, anybody who's experiencing graduation, can come and just kind of celebrate that,” McVaugh said.

ASI provided art supplies like paint, brushes, paint pens, canvases

and graduation-themed stencils for students to use to express their excitement for graduation.

Students took this opportunity to talk to fellow Titans about their journey and experience with school, and painted elephants in graduation caps and motivational phrases to think about after graduation.

Students’ paintings will be displayed in the Atrium Gallery by the mammoth and pavilions in the TSU.

McVaugh said the expressions events took a year to plan because they wanted to find the perfect themes to highlight each month.

“We had a couple of things that we were thinking of, and then we decided to go with celebrating graduation because that's an important milestone in people's lives. And we really want to encourage people and just allow people to celebrate that and feel celebrated,“ McVaugh said.

The Children’s Center on campus also participated in the event. ASI provided art supplies for the kids and little wooden elephants that they all got to paint.

Third-year English major, Ray Flores, said they came across this event by accident. He was initially going to work on assignments, but they were glad they were invited to paint instead.

“I think especially right now, because it's nearing finals, it's a nice kind of relaxing thing to do, especially because I have class pretty soon, so

it's kind of nice to relax before I go into class right now,” Flores said.

McVaugh said these events are a great chance for students to come relax, destress and meet new people who are also destressing in a nice atmosphere.

“I think an event like this is important too. Like I said earlier, everybody can just take some time to relax, decompress a little bit. This is a good stress reliever or just break from studying, get some creativity going and so just facilitating that space and providing space for people are coming out with their friends or meet new people,” McVaugh said.

After the feedback given throughout the semester from students about the events, McVaugh and the ASI team want to continue their Expressions Sessions moving forward.

“People have really liked this series that we've done. So we are planning to continue it in the fall.

It will either be in this space or it might be in the Grand Stair Studio. That's where the DIY paint things are so it would be in one of these locations,” McVaugh said.

For future Expressions Sessions, McVaugh hopes to get more students to show up so they can have that space to destress, meet and connect with new people and realize they are not alone in celebrating.

As nals week rapidly approaches, students looking for an easy to make but healthy bite can turn to this delicious spinach sauce based spaghetti alternative to tomoatoes.

DOMINIC SAMANIEGO / DAILY TITAN

Baseball upset by TCU, 6-1

JEREMY JIMENEZ Sta Writer

Following a week in which Cal State Fullerton’s baseball team was ranked nationally for the first time this season, the Titans lost two out of three games over the weekend to TCU on the road.

The Titans lost the last two games of the series but were able to win the first, avoiding the sweep. This is the first series loss suffered by the Titans since late February when they were swept by Michigan.

The bullpen did not get the chance to shine in the final two games of the series as TCU’s offense produced 19 runs combined.

Titans Fynn Chester entered the game with an undefeated record of 7-0 on the mound, but left with his first loss. Chester could not seem to miss any TCU bats, striking out just one while allowing 13 hits and five runs.

The Titans could not hold onto an early 1-0 lead as pitcher Evan Yates, similarly to Chester, allowed five runs in 5.1 innings of work. The only run for the Titans came from a wild pitch following a strikeout by Caden Connor, a testament of the Titans’ offensive woes in the series.

On Saturday, the Titans clawed back from an early four run deficit to tie the game in the fifth inning. Following this however, the Horned Frogs responded by scoring nine unanswered runs to earn the victory.

The Titans’ offense was stymied by the Horned Frogs’ pitching this weekend, as they were only able to amass seven runs across the three games.

The opening game of the series was a pitcher’s duel that saw the Titans come away with a one-run victory. After a rough last start against Cal State Northridge last week starter Tyler Stultz responded nicely, grabbing his sixth victory of the season and allowing only one run in six innings while striking out five.

Titans pitcher Jojo Ingrassia nailed down his sixth save of the season in the victory. Ingrassia has not allowed an earned run in his last six appearances spanning across 13 innings of work.

Following this series loss, the Titans hold a 28-15 overall record and remain atop the Big West conference standings.

The Titans will face another PAC-12 opponent on Tuesday as they travel to UCLA. First pitch from Jackie Robinson field is set for 6 p.m.

Track star Aguilar wins second consecutive Big West decathalon

EMILY MELGAR Sta Writer

Cal State Fullerton’s Andrew Aguilar won his second consecutive men's decathlon championship title in The Big West Multi Championships on Saturday at home.

For the second year in a row, Aguilar competed in 10 events as the only representative for CSUF, making university history once again with his championship win.

Aguilar beat four of his personal records; the high jump, 100-meter dash, pole vault and javelin throw, as he achieved a new personal best score and school record of 7470.

“Before Andrew got here, we never invested in a decathlete, Andrew’s our first. And he’s our backto-back champion, which is really good for our future,” said Marques Barosso, head coach of CSUF’s men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs.

Aguilar said having his coaches, family and teammates attend the two-day competition helped ease his nerves.

“It took a lot of hard work. It wasn’t going to come easy and I’m happy it didn’t come easy because then it wouldn’t mean as much,”

Aguilar said.

Day two kicked off with Aguilar placing second in both the 110-meter

hurdles and discus throw, earning 868 and 659 points respectively, bumping him up to first place standing.

Aguilar finished day one of the championships in second place, trailing UC Santa Barbara’s Brad Thomas by 149 points.

The pole vault event earned Aguilar first place and an additional 852 points, increasing his total lead over Thomas to 265 points.

Aguilar came in fifth place in the javelin throw, earning 555 points, with Thomas and UC Santa Barbara’s

Matthew Molina finishing in first and second place respectively. The javelin throw narrowed Aguilar’s lead, with Thomas trailing behind by only 42 points, putting the Titans athlete under a bit of pressure.

A final time of 4:25.29 earned Aguilar a second place finish in the 1500-meter race which solidified his victory in the men’s decathlon and second consecutive title, earning 750 points.

Aguilar highlighted the impact track and field has had on his life

since his sophomore year of high school. He said the sport has given him opportunities he would not have had without it.

“I owe everything to this sport. My blood, sweat and tears is track and field. I eat, sleep, breathe, track and field. Every day, I wake up, it's only the track and field mindset I’m going into,” Aguilar said. Aguilar’s performance placed CSUF in third place, with 10 points going into next week’s championship events.

Softball dominates Hawai ʻ i; sweeps fourth straight series

this weekend as they only allowed one run in all three games.

Following a week in which she won her fourth consecutive Big West Pitcher of the Week, Titans Myka Sutherlin took control of the series, pitching a total of 13.1 innings and producing 20 strikeouts. Sutherlin leads the Big West with an ERA of 1.23 and an overall record of 19-7.

Pitcher Haley Rainey also had an impressive performance in the second game pitching six innings and earning nine strikeouts to earn her ninth win of the season. Rainey holds the second best ERA in the Big West, right behind Sutherlin, with a 1.25.

score at the beginning of the series, with only a single run in the first game. Following this, CSUF answered back by scoring five runs in the second game and three runs in the third game.

Titans second baseman Alexa Neil was pivotal to the Titans success as she scored the lone run for her team in Friday's win. Overall, Neil led her team in runs scored over the weekend with four runs and hit an impressive .555 throughout all three games.

Following the weekend games, the Titans have now swept their last four conference series as they continue to sit in first place in the Big West standings.

The Titans’ conference-best pitching sta ff was on full display

Titans Alexia Silvas and Raci Miranda closed out the second and third games, respectively, not allowing any runs during their performances.

Despite not having an overwhelming performance at the plate, the Titans’ offense continues to improve as their season progresses.

The Titans initially struggled to

The Titans dominated their home game of the regular season as they prepared to go on the road to face rival Long Beach State in their final conference series of the year. Long Beach currently sits in second place in the Big West standings and are in the midst of a four game winning streak.

The two teams will face each other in a three-game series at the LBSU Softball Complex. First pitch is set for Friday at 7 p.m.

Titans Andrew Aguilar placed rst in the men's pole vault with a personal best mark of 4.81m.

EMILY MELGAR / DAILY TITAN

ANDREW TORRES Sta Writer

Extending their winning streak to 14, Cal State Fullerton softball dominated Hawaiʻi in a three-game series at Anderson Family Field over the weekend.

In elder Hannah Becerra slides back to rst after a 2-RBI single in the series' nal

ANDREW TORRES / DAILY TITAN

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ARIES ARIES! You’re focused on financial matters and perhaps settling a debt as the moon enters Scorpio. Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces, which can find you feeling disappointed by fibs or false promises from others.

LIBRA Your focus turns to finances as the moon enters Scorpio. Your ruling planet Venus, now in Gemini, squares off with Neptune in Pisces: If you’re feeling frustrated with your daily routine, you may be at the point where something really needs to change.

SCORPIO It’s time to reflect! You could feel especially sensitive as Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces: Make time to pamper and love yourself. Don’t indulge pessimistic thinking; instead, focus on what brings you peace.

GEMINI This is a good time to rethink your goals! The moon enters Scorpio today, which can find you in a busy mood as you tackle your to-do list. You may feel disenchanted by work if things in your career haven’t been moving along as expected, as Venus in your sign squares off with Neptune in Gemini.

CANCER The moon enters fellow water sign Scorpio today, inspiring romance and creativity! You may be in an especially sensitive mood as Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces. Embracing the unknown can be a powerful way to work with the day’s energy.

LEO The moon enters Scorpio today, illuminating the home and family sector of your chart and encouraging you to get cozy with loved ones. You may feel sensitive today as Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces, especially when it comes to friendship or money.

VIRGO Virgo! The moon enters Scorpio today, lighting up the communication sector of your chart and encouraging deep discussion. Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces, which could find you and your partners getting real about past disappointments.

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SAGITTARIUS The moon enters Scorpio today, encouraging you to slow down and rest. Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces, which could put you in a very sentimental mood. It’s a good time to remember that while yesterday might have been wonderful, nothing beats living in the present.

CAPRICORN This week, focus on what’s real, not on assumptions or guesses! Your focus turns to your social life today as the moon enters Scorpio. Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces, which could find you contending with miscommunication and disappointment.

AQUARIUS Your attention turns to your career as the moon enters Scorpio, but you might also feel sentimental today as Venus in Gemini squares off with Neptune in Pisces. There may be a longing that you’re unsure what to do with. Find ways to stay in the present and enjoy the now!

PISCES Pisces! You could be considering travel plans or focusing on school as the moon enters Scorpio. Venus in Gemini squares off with your ruling planet Neptune in your sign, Pisces, which can find you feeling sentimental. Be careful not to overromanticize the past!