Daily Titan | May 15, 2023

CSUF still struggles hiring diverse staff

EMILY MELGAR Staff Writer

With 54% white faculty, Cal State Fullerton demographics still show a lack of diversity.

While the university is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Intuition, meaning at least 25% of its student body are Hispanic, only 15% of faculty are Hispanic or Latino. Of the 40,386 students attending CSUF, in fall 2022, 50.2% were Hispanic or Latinx.

A Latinx professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSUF, who asked not to be identified by name, said they think this is due to the university’s lack of effort put into hiring diverse faculty.

“I see that as not just a problem at Cal State Fullerton, but it seems like it’s quite broad,” the professor said.

According to data reported in September 2022 by Long Beach State, another HSI in the CSU, its student population is 47% Hispanic or Latino. Meanwhile, in the fall of 2021, only around 11% of tenured or tenure-track faculty were Hispanic or Latino, while almost 55% were white.

Evelyn Soria, a second-year psychology major, is a Mexican American student at CSUF. She said it impacts Hispanic and Latino students to not have professors who look and speak like them.

Deanne Leone, associate dean of the College of Communications, said that there is a commitment on this campus to care about students. Leone said students need to see people who look like them, feel like them and understand their experiences.

Leone said the College of Communications has started cluster hiring and that in the world of human resources, there are ways to create more diversified hires.

“It definitely starts with recruitment, advertising, being honest about internally what our errors and issues are, how we need to be more clear with ourselves is some of the starting points around that,” Leone said.

Leone also said how the university proposes jobs and descriptions

SEE RECRUIT 2

University still recovering from widespread staff vacancies

MELISSA RENDON EMILY MELGAR MATTHEW ROSOFF HUY NGUYEN EMILIO MELENDEZ Staff Writers

After almost three years, Cal State Fullerton is beginning to see faculty employment rates return since the start of the pandemic.

As of publication, there are a total of 73 vacant positions for both temporary and tenured faculty. For most colleges at CSUF, the initial increase in vacancies began around the same time the university went virtual, some departments were impacted more than others.

According to CSU tenure density data, in 2021, CSUF had a student-to-faculty ratio of about 22-to1, representing 22 students for every instructional faculty member. The data also shows that the number of students divided among faculty at CSUF is greater than the CSU systemwide ratio of 20-to-1. This ratio is higher than the national average, which is 15-to-1, indicating students could experience larger class sizes and

fewer opportunities to connect with professors, particularly in lower-level courses.

“Because students and administrators and faculty rely on staff quite a bit to accomplish the work of the academic unit, staff are essential to proper academic unit operation,” said James Hussar, the interim chair of the visual arts department.

David Forgues, the vice president for Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion, said the turnover and vacancies in faculty and staff mirrored what happened elsewhere with employers, as a result of the pandemic and has come to be known as “the Great Resignation.”

According to an article by Dr. Simone Phipps, a management professor from Middle Georgia State University, there was a spike in U.S. workers resigning from their jobs due to complications within their field that the pandemic brought along in 2021. Harvard Business School professors Joseph Fuller and William Kerr asserted the trend in resignations began long before COVID, but because of the drastic workforce changes during the pandemic, numbers increased.

“I think we were affected by the Great Resignation as much as

everyone else was. There was a great deal of uncertainty out there at the time for sure, as the pandemic took hold,” Forgues said.

A study conducted in 2022 by the Pew Research Center found that the top reasons why U.S. workers left their jobs during the Great Resignation were low pay, lack of opportunities for advancement and feeling disrespected in the workplace.

At CSUF, the three colleges that were potentially most impacted by COVID and the vacant positions were the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, College of Health and Human Development and College of Engineering and Computer Science.

In fall of 2019, these departments respectively had a headcount of 245, 348 and 139 faculty members. These numbers decreased to 219, 318 and 126 faculty members remaining in their respective departments in fall of 2021.

Dave Mickey, the associate dean of the arts department, said that their department has received fewer applicants now, compared to pre-COVID, but he said he believes that they are in good shape. However, the department currently has three vacancies due to promotion, retirement and moving out of state.

Currently, on the CSUF Career Open Position page, the Department of Business and Economics has six open positions in instructional faculty. All vacancies are for temporary lecturers and will remain open until May 31.

Since the fall of 2021, a total of five full-time faculty left the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Four of them entered the Faculty Early Retirement Program and one of them sought a different opportunity.

Deanna Leone, the associate dean of the College of Communications, said the College of Communications has also seen changes in staff and faculty and they are anticipating six retirements.

“I think the economy is part of it. I think anytime people go through a major life change, they question how they want to spend their time. Anytime there’s a major economic shift, people question what they need to take care of themselves and their families,” Leone said.

CSUF’s Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program, which teaches English as a second language to aspiring English SEE STAFF 2

Both the COVID-19 pandemic and increased resignations resulted in numerous empty faculty positions in several colleges and departments.

EMILY MELGAR / DAILY TITAN

Recruit: Professors call for better hiring practices

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are important to ensure they are appealing to different and varying populations to get applicants with diverse perspectives.

The Latinx professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences said that while they wish there

were more faculty of color or with intersecting identities, they are fulfilled with their work with students and look forward to the opportunity to make some change.

“Perhaps in ten years, I'll have a greater voice and I can implement these practices of social justice more broadly,” they said. “I’m inspired with envisioning the future, or a future that’s equitable, a future where folks who are differently abled or

who are associating with multiple identities — whether they’re Chicano and queer or they’re Trans — will be welcome on campus and see other faculty like them.”

Alexandro Jose Gradilla, an associate professor of Chicana and Chicano studies, said that diversity is not just about how many Black people or Latinx people the university has, but it is about meeting the needs of the students.

“Students really do come, many of our students really come with a sense of social justice, that they see suffering in their communities and they want to end it, but they don’t know how to do it,” Gradilla said.

Gradilla also said that he is a big advocate of pipeline programs that can create talent.

“If you’re complaining that there’s nobody qualified in the pool, then you need to develop people

to put in the pool,” Gradilla said. “You’re going to plant the seed so that in 10 to 15 years, that person comes back to Cal State Fullerton with a PhD and you have created the diversity that you feel your discipline so sorely needs.”

The Daily Titan reached out to several other current and former CSUF Latinx professors, but all declined a request for comment.

Staff: CSUF makes changes to retain faculty

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teachers, is another part of the university that has significantly been impacted by staff vacancies.

“With lower class sizes, we’ve had a few class cancellations,” said assistant professor in the TESOL program, Daniel Rueckert. “You’ve had to juggle around with some of the student's availability to take classes.”

Rueckert has been teaching at CSUF for seven years, and while he said he does not view the pandemic as a reason for lower staff numbers in his department, he did explain how the lower international student enrollment is a bigger cause of the staff vacancies in the TESOL program.

“We need more students, is what it is,” Rueckert said. “The biggest problem we’ve had is half our students are international, and the international student population has dried up on campus.”

Even though staff and faculty turnover may have been different at other universities, the effects of the vacancies remained the same.

Ramona Agrela, the vice chancellor and chief human resources officer at the University of California, Irvine, said that during the pandemic, sta ff turnover actually decreased, but also mentioned how they were also a ffected by the Great Resignation phenomenon.

“So our turnover numbers did slightly increase last fiscal year, but since that time we've done a lot of research on what matters to employees and we've done a lot of efforts to improve our employee retention,” Agrela said.

As the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the university is still working on addressing the vacancies.

Jenny Zhang, the associate dean of the College of Business and Economics for Undergraduate Program

and Success at CSUF, said that every year, the university would approve hiring to fill in the vacancy if one position is missing due to the various reasons that a professor cannot continue to work. The department will ask the provost for permission to hire based on the number of vacancies and the justification.

“And that will get approved by the provost and the president to see if you are approved to hire, for example, the finance department. You’re approved to hire an assistant professor position in the upcoming academic year,” Zhang said.

There are plans within the College of Engineering and Computer Science to fill the open positions available, but the departments within the college have been able to assign courses to qualified part-time faculty and implemented different ways to meet student needs.

“College of Engineering and Computer Science is exploring the offering of a few online courses in each program to introduce different learning modalities. We have set up a college committee to investigate the pedagogical needs of students,” wrote Sang June Oh, the associate

dean of the college, in an email to the Daily Titan.

While there was certainly a shift in employment and work life during the pandemic, Forgues said some staff and faculty that left CSUF are now coming back.

“We have had quite a few folks that have left and thought the grass was greener somewhere else and figured out that it wasn’t, and come back; we have, across campus, seen folks that want to come back,” Forgues said.

Forgues said he believes something that has helped is the university become the most flexible it has ever

been with its employees is permanently implementing telecommuting for certain positions, and having the option to work a 9/80 schedule that allows faculty to work for nine days and 80 hours over a two-week period so they can have an extra day off every 2 weeks.

The arts department also used the 9/80 method, in an effort to retain its employees.

Hussar said he believes that reminding his staff of their high value and importance to the department is how he personally attempts to retain faculty and staff members.

Despite being a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Cal State Fullerton’s faculty is only 15% Hispanic or Latino. EMILY MELGER / DAILY TITAN

Although some colleges are rebounding from decreased sta ng levels, the College of Education and College of Communications have fewer faculty than before the pandemic.

EMILY MELGAR / DAILY TITAN

Although some colleges are rebounding from decreased sta ng levels, the College of Education and College of Communications have fewer faculty than before the pandemic.

Fullerton opens new wildlife preserve

HUY NGUYEN Sta Writer

Fullerton residents looking for a new local hike to conquer can now visit West Coyote Hills Initial Trails, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Sunny Hill Church of Christ on Saturday to celebrate the trails’ opening to the public.

The City of Fullerton purchased two plots of 24.1 acres of West Coast Hills in 2021 for $18.04 million from Chevron-owned Pacific Coast Homes, a former oil field. After this purchase, Fullerton now owns the entire east side of West Coyote Hills with 217.8 acres, including the Robert Ward Nature Preserve.

To build the trail, the city raised more than $20 million in potential grant funding from multiple agencies, including the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the Orange County Transportation Authority.

Shana Charles, a Fullerton councilmember and Cal State Fullerton associate professor of public health, said she is really excited about the opening of the West Coyote Hills Initial Trails because Fullerton has a beautiful culture of having many trails and parks that go through downtown.

“We believe in keeping space for not only ourselves but for the future generations,” Charles said. “And I’m just excited that we’ve added this whole new section on the West side of town.”

Stephen Bise, the city engineer for the city of Fullerton, said he came to the event to enjoy walking with his family.

“It’s a beautiful trail,” Bise said.

“It’s actually good timing because everything is booming and everything is blossoming. It’s gonna be a great day.”

The mayor of Fullerton, Fred Jung, said the West Coast Hills Initial Trails took 50 years to make, and it is critical for the Fullerton community to have this open space for every generation.

“There is a necessity in all of our modern life to have an ability to connect with nature,” Jung said. “And this gives a visceral opportunity for everyone, young and old, in our community to come.”

Angela Lindstrom, a Fullerton resident and volunteer at Friends of Coyote Hills, an organization that works to preserve the park and nature, said she did not think it took too long to open this trail finally, and nobody destroyed it.

“I think one of the very nice benefits is that we've seen the evidence that the wildlife can be bound when it's been left alone. This habitat was able to remain intact for all of these years. so even though people may not have been able to access the property, the wildlife continues to grow,” Lindstrom said.

Jung said to make this new trail possible, it contained much work from the staff to get the grant funding for it and to implement the grant and from the contractors.

“This is a real collaborative effort between the government in terms of our staff and the private sector in terms of Chevron, really uniting to make something really good happen for our city and our county,” Jung said.

Bob Hayden, the spokesperson of Open Coyote Hills, said the trail is adding benefits for the community. The group Open Coyote Hills

worked with Chevron Pacific Coast Homes and the City of Fullerton to develop the plans for opening two miles of trail.

“I've worked with them on other aspects of amenities that would potentially happen on the rest of the acreage here. And so we've been

intimately involved in the planning process of that,” Hayden said. “And it's nice to see it come to fruition.”

Helen Higgins, a volunteer from Friends of Coyote Hills, said she expected this new trail will become more popular with Fullerton residents and surrounding areas to

explore this place.

“We don’t have many open spaces left in this region,” Higgins said. “So, this opening up, and especially for old timers who are so used to the other trails, to have a whole new trail opened up is fabulous. It gives us, like a breath of fresh air.”

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Fullerton mayor Fred Jung acknowledged the collaboration among the city sta to meet the need for natural spaces.

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Concerns of costs prevent water pipe renovation in Fullerton

Campus greenery helps save water

SIMON MERCADER Sta Writer

While rain may be infrequent in Southern California, Cal State Fullerton has implemented bioswales throughout campus in an effort to reduce water pollution and promote sustainability. Recently, these bioswales have worked to conserve the unending months of rainwater and distribute them to native vegetation.

SINCLAIR ANDRUSKA Editor RYANN KIRK Sta Writer

Whether or not the drought returns, Fullerton is facing issues with replacing its aging water infrastructure. The city will not meet their goal of replacing 27 miles of city water main pipes by 2024 due to unanticipated cost increases.

According to the 2022 Water Rate Progress Report, the city’s inflation, supply chain issues, increased water testing requirements and shortages of qualified professionals as setbacks in their plan to renew water infrastructure.

While facing a 20% water shortage, the city is making efforts to meet its water use guidelines by limiting irrigation to 3 days a week and prohibiting filling ornamental fountains. If Fullerton suffers a 30% shortage, residents will no longer be able to wash cars, plant new landscape or maintain ornamental fountains.

The city says it operates over 400 miles of pipes that date to the 1950s and 1960s. Recently, Fullerton has replaced 9.7 miles of city piping infrastructure. In the fiscal year of 2021 to 2022, the city budgeted for $11.5 million in capital spending within the water fund but spent $14.5 million.

Fullerton uses a combination of imported water from the Colorado River, the State Water Project and local supplies stored in the Orange County groundwater basin. Both the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Orange County Water District work together to deliver water to Fullerton.

Most of the city relies on groundwater, with 77% of the drinking water coming from the Orange County basin and 23% from elsewhere. The basin is supplied by rainwater and the Orange County Water District’s groundwater replenishment system project that reuses Orange County’s vast amount of waste water and converts it to clean drinking water.

The district reuses Orange County’s wastewater by filtering out any impurities, making the water safe for human consumption. With a 85% recovery rate, the district is renewing millions of gallons of water per day because California cannot rely only on rain water. There needs to be a way to prevent the groundwater levels from dropping.

“That's exactly the reason why we started it, because it's a way to put

clean drinking water back into our natural groundwater basin so that those water levels don't continue to go down. That's what we do. We set a rate every year that the cities in north and central Orange County can pump out and send to your homes,” said Sandy Scott-Roborts, the district’s groundwater replenishment project manager.

The executive director of engineering and water resources for the district, John Kennedy, said that the district has spent over $900 million on its replenishment system in the past 12 years.

Fullerton’s city water usage totaled 23,799 acre-feet, or 7.75 billion gallons of potable water in the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year, which comprises groundwater and imported water. While the city’s water usage has been decreasing over the last 10 years, the population rise expected to hit Fullerton by 2024 is projected to raise water usage 7.8% over the next five years, according to the 2020 Fullerton Water Management Plan.

Fullerton’s water demand is expected to increase nearly 20% between 2020 and 2045.

In 2020, the city said it could not afford the necessary infrastructure to use recycled water. Yvette Hanna, a principal engineer in Fullerton’s water division, said the amount of infrastructure that would need to be built to support recycled water use in the city would not save Fullerton money.

“You need piping, you need large vast pieces of empty land to implement such a facility, right? It was becoming very cost prohibitive,” Hanna said.

According to a city analysis, the cost of recycled water infrastructure in Fullerton to reduce water usage is more than the cost of buying imported water from the Metropolitan Water District. In 2020, Fullerton imported about 21% of the city’s water supply from the Metropolitan Water District, but is projected to reduce that to about 18% by 2045, relying further on groundwater.

One of Fullerton’s largest capital improvement expenses comes from its water fund, where the city is expected to spend almost $20 million in the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year.

With all the rain California received recently, the state’s water intake levels have drastically risen.

“We’ve seen 152% of normal precipitation, Matthew Shameson, a meteorologist for the U.S. Forest Service, said. “Downtown LA has about just under twice what they normally receive, which was just a lot of water. Snowpack over the Sierra was

running at 200 to 300% for the central Southern Sierra. So we definitely got a lot of water.” California mainly gets its water from the Colorado River, but it also has two other sources. The Central Valley Project and the State Water Project both contribute to the delivery and storage of water. Each source focuses on delivering water to different locations in California.

The Colorado Aqueduct transports water from the Colorado River to Southern California. California receives 4.4 million acre-feet, about 1.4 trillion gallons, of water annually from the river. It is not only the primary source of drinking water for the state but is also responsible for the irrigation of a majority of California’s crops.

The Central Valley Project is one of the largest water storage and transport systems. It transports water from Lake Shasta in northern California to Bakersfield, and contributes to about 20% of California’s developed water.

Water essentially comes from two sources. Surface water is anything above land, meaning things like streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Groundwater is water found beneath the earth’s surface between the rocks and soil, also known as aquifers. Most groundwater is obtained from snow and rainfall and makes up about 30% of California’s total annual water supply.

The State Water Project delivers clean water to more than 27 million people, 750,000 acres of farmland, and countless businesses. It begins at the Oroville Dam on the Feather River in the Sacramento Valley and ends at Lake Perris in Riverside. California’s drought issues can be traced beyond state and county lines to the Colorado River which provides water for New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, California, Nevada and 18 federally recognized tribes. California currently receives the most water, at 4.5 million acre-feet per year, about 1.46 trillion gallons, but due to its depleting resources, allocation is under re-negotiation.

The Bureau of Reclamation has received a proposal to adjust how much water will be taken from Lake Mead and Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border, but California was not included in the request.

For California as a whole, the Sierra Nevada is one of the most important mountain ranges because it catches water moving eastward and stores it as snow that later melts off However, for Fullerton, the San Gabriel Mountains provide a watershed

source for the Santa Ana River and local underground basins.

“We have facilities right in a river also to help us divert water out of the river. So it's taken a big investment, but it really pays off,” Kennedy said. “You get all that water into the groundwater basin.”

A large indirect water recycling project could range from $1,600 to $2,000 per acre-foot, according to a 2016 report by the Pacific Institute.

Recycling water would not entirely replace Fullerton’s potable water supply, but could supplement it to support a future rising demand of water use. However, the city’s slide towards an almost $5 million deficit leaves little to no room for multi-million municipal water projects. Chemicals that do not break down in nature, commonly known as PFAS or forever chemicals, are present in Orange County’s water supply. PFAS are in many different items such as roofs, clothes and carpets, and can contaminate water.

“What we're discovering is that almost half of the wells in Orange County have PFAS in them just from the fact that the water coming down the Santa Ana river has PFAS, our wastewater has PFAS from us,” Scott-Roberts said.

The Orange County Water District is currently constructing PFAS treatment systems throughout Orange County. This includes a treatment facility located on La Palma Avenue in Fullerton. Jeff Kuo, who is a professor of Environmental Engineering said that there are many different contaminants and pollutants that people are worried about.

“Filtration is one of the processes to remove suspended solids and PFAS or other chlorinated solvents which need to be treated by so-called oxidation. They’re toxic,” Kuo said.

Through this recent wet winter, 12 out of the 17 major reservoirs in the state replenished above their usual levels, lifting local emergency water restrictions. However, with the possibility that California’s source of water from the Colorado River may be cut, water districts have continued stressing the importance of water conservation.

“There's no other urban area in the country that can say they're recycling as much as we are or the percentage that we're doing. So, again, it just puts us in a unique position compared to everybody else in Southern California,” Kennedy said.

Mahealani Wu and Luis Vizcaíno contributed to this story.

Bioswales are shallow, vegetated ditches that capture and filter stormwater runoff, removing pollutants and reducing the amount of water that flows into storm drains, instead storing them in underground aquifers. Composed of diverse, native vegetation that surrounds a rock bed, these bioswales are located all around campus and serve as natural water storages.

Implementing these bioswales was part of the university’s larger commitment to sustainability when former Governor of California Jerry Brown directed a statewide mandatory water reduction in 2015. This was part of the campus project to remove 11 acres of lawn and replant with native plants, decorative rocks and ground cover to meet the reduction goal.

Students can find native plants such as western redbud, California lilacs, white sage and foxtail agave all around campus. Plants such as these not only help to conserve water because of how they can thrive even during a drought, but also support local biodiversity and provide a habitat for the wildlife that can be seen around campus, such as squirrels or rabbits.

Ever since the statewide mandate to reduce water usage in 2015, the campus has reduced its annual water consumption from over 140 million gallons in 2015 to just over 110 million gallons in 2021. Bioswales have been one contributor to the campus’ water conversation over the years.

Michael Lotito, associate director of plant operations & chief engineer of CSUF’s Sustainability Office, explained that bioswales are not only crucial to water conservation but they also add to the campus’ aesthetic.

“You’re not building these concrete gutters and all that; you’re using natural vegetation and materials like stone and whatnot,” Lotito said. “On campus, I think it helps beautify the campus, certainly a lot better to look at than just a regular curb and gutter.”

Bioswales reduce stormwater runoff, trap sediment and help biologically degrade pollutants, all while the water that’s collected is put back into the underground aquifers, which naturally stores water.

Lotito explained that besides maintenance of the plants and possible sediment build up, the benefits far outweigh the maintenance negatives.

“As far as being efficient, doing it through the landscaping and recharging the aquifer like that, and diverting the stormwater away from the drains, it’s cost effective, yet a beautification method to capture that water,” Lotito said.

Sandy Scott-Roberts, the Orange County Water District’s groundwater replenishment manager, explains how wastewater is converted to clean drinking water to Orange County. LUIS VIZCAINO / DAILY TITAN

Diversity resource centers reach capacity

MELISSA RENDON Sta Writer

Despite student and club petitioning, Cal State Fullerton will not bring back the previous community space in Pollak Library for students with disabilities citing a lack of funding and academic connections for the identity center.

“To hear that we had to find the funds for ourselves, it’s very disheartening,” said Patricia Kuresa-Boone, president of Abled Advocators.

Abled Advocators is an organization that works to fight negative stereotypes about disabilities and provides community support for students with disabilities. The Daily Titan previously reported the designated room closed down when the university transitioned to remote learning during the pandemic.

Tonantzin Oseguera, the vice president for the Division of Student A ffairs, said the university could not obtain an identity center for students with disabilities to join the Diversity Initiatives & Resource Centers, primarily due to a lack of funding or an academic connection between the club and the courses offered at CSUF.

“What you won’t see, unless there’s a drastic change and some other things fall into place, is what you’re asking for, which is a specific identity resource center,” Oseguera said.

Each center under DIRC costs a minimum of about $250,000 each year and the funding must be available every year, Oseguera said. She also said as each new year continues, the cost can increase when employee and student staff salaries increase.

DIRC is set to expand this fall to include a Southwest Asian North

African center, the women’s resource center and a Native and Indigenous center.

With the expansion, Oseguera said DIRC is at capacity and cannot accept additional centers. Student Affairs plans to focus on assuring the three new centers settle in.

While Disability Support Services is available for students with disabilities, it is meant to provide class accommodations and is not intended to be a place to build community, Oseguera said. Because of this, Lori Palmerton, the director of Disability Support Services, encourages students to join other organizations, such as Abled Advocators, to meet students with disabilities who have different needs and interests.

Currently, there is a lab in the library that is available for students

with disabilities to access called the Accessible Technology Room. The space, located at PLN-436, opened up after the closure of the previous lab and was solely created to provide assistive technology for students.

The di fference with this lab, as opposed to the previous one, is that it requires reservations, and it is on the fourth floor as opposed to the first floor.

“That is not accessible. An individual with a wheelchair could barely go through,” Kuresa-Boone said.

Adelita Gutierrez, an alumna who graduated in Human Services and the previous vice president of Abled Advocators, said she feels that the university is leaving a bad impression because of its lack of support for disabled students.

“I want to say that I’m a proud

Titan, but sometimes it kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth,” Gutierrez said. “I’m not going to lift something up that is not going to benefit anybody else, because then I’m hindering them in the future.”

Besides the Accessible Technology Room, another option that was given to disabled students was reserving a room in the Titan Student Union multiple times a week to build a sense of community.

Oseguera said Abled Advocators could reach out to students in SWANA for advice since SWANA also had to fundraise their own identity center and ask alumni for help.

Joshua Galvan, an alum who continues to support the club, remembers the library's previous space and the community it brought together.

“What we had in that room was

something very simple, it was accessible and we didn’t need a reservation. We could just go right in, do our homework, study and chat. It was like our safe space and in my opinion, it was the only safe space we had at this school,” Galvan said.

Kuresa-Boone said the club plans to work with their advisors to look into academically tying Abled Advocators to CSUF as a first step, since that is also a requirement for an identity center.

Even though Kuresa-Boone is graduating this spring, she said she would like to continue supporting the club as a mentor for other students with disabilities.

“As I leave here, I want to continue on being a mentor to help these students, kind of give them that push,” Kuresa-Boone said.

Joshua Galvan, Arora Harshit and Patricia Kuresa-Boone (left to right), Abled Advocators members, were denied an identity center due to lack of funding.

MELISSA RENDON / DAILY TITAN

Tuffy's Table: Elevate your grad party with lumpia

CHELSEA ARANGCON Editor

Many students may find themselves attending parties or hosting their own in celebration of their graduation. If you’re looking for a delectable appetizer to serve, consider making lumpia. It’s a popular party staple in Filipino culture, and would make for a perfect graduation party food.

The Filipino and Indonesian version of an egg roll, lumpia is traditionally made with pork or just vegetables. However, newer variations include seafood such as shrimp or fish, or even dessert versions such as ube and cheese. Lumpia is highly customizable, and can be made with most combinations of protein and vegetables.

This recipe is the traditional pork version, specifically called lumpia Shanghai. The process is slightly tedious but they are fun to make with loved ones while you roll the meat into the lumpia paper at the end. This recipe should create around 40 to 50 pieces of lumpia, depending on how much meat you put in each lumpia.

What you will need:

One large mixing bowl

A pot (preferably cast iron)

Optional: a piping bag and piping tip or a gallon-sized zip lock bag

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds of ground pork

1-2 stalks of green onion

1 yellow onion

1 medium carrot

1 ½ teaspoons of garlic powder

1 ½ salt

½ ground pepper

All-purpose wrappers

(Recommended: two 30-packs of Menlo Frozen Wrappers)

1-2 eggs

Vegetable or canola oil

Sauce to serve lumpia with: sweet chili sauce (Recommended: Mae

Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce)

Directions:

Cut and finely mince the green onion, yellow onion and carrot. Then place in a large mixing bowl. In the same bowl, add the ground pork, garlic powder, salt and ground pepper. Adjust the seasonings to your liking. Then mix it all together.

Once mixed, you can either place the meat mixture into a piping bag with a piping tip or a zip lock bag with a cut corner to easily pipe the meat filling onto the lumpia wrapper. If you do not have either, a teaspoon scoop of the meat filling will suffice.

Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk them together. This egg wash will serve as your lumpia’s seal. Take your pack of wrappers and peel one off. When you place the wrapper in front of you, ensure that one of the corners is facing you. Pipe or scoop your meat filling just below the midway point of the

square. The meat filling should be in the middle horizontally and should be around four to five inches long.

Take the corner of the wrapper closest to you and fold over the meat. Start rolling the wrapper tightly around the meat filling. Once you reach the midway point of the wrapper, take the side corners and place it towards the middle of the wrapper. Continue rolling your meat filling. Roll the wrapper until you’ve reached the top corner. Dip your fingers into the egg wash mixture and coat the top corner. The egg wash will seal the lumpia.

After you’ve finished rolling all of your lumpia, grab your pot and pour about 2 - 21/2 inches of oil in the pot. Heat the oil on medium heat. If you have a food thermometer of any kind, the oil should be at 340 to 350 Fahrenheit.

The lumpia should be fried in the oil until it turns a medium, crispy brown color.

Once fried, place your lumpia on a plate with a paper towel. Serve your lumpia with the classic sweet chili sauce and celebrate with your loved ones!

Rancho fiesta celebrates Mexican culture

County Public Library, children could learn about the town's history while having fun and creating memories.

Katy Yarbrough, a Riverside resident, drove out to Lake Forest because she liked the space and wanted her daughter to experience the display of history and culture at the event.

"We really enjoyed the Folklórico dancing, and my daughter got to take part in it, and now we're just trying to learn about the history and the events," Yarbrough said.

Yarbrough said an event like this is important because it educates people about different cultures.

Heritage Hill Historical Park had an itinerary filled with performances that highlighted the traditions, cultures and beliefs of the Rancho era.

On the main stage, an Acjachemen Invocation ceremony, with Jacque Nuñez and Journeys to the Past Champion Dancers, was held to kick off Rancho Days Fiesta. The ceremony serves as a form of prayer that comes before the dance.

Viejo, came to Rancho Days Fiesta with his wife and four-yearold daughter to meet up with some friends for a fun afternoon.

Antenore enjoyed seeing the dancing horses and the Native American dancers celebrating their culture and traditions.

"My daughter just made a headband, it is really fun, and she's going to love it for weeks, and we liked going in the old buildings," Antenore said. "I think it's cool to keep in touch with the past of the area."

At Rancho Days Fiesta, you could find the Saddleback Area Historical Society to better understand the area's rich history.

Rita Propersi, a Lake Forest resident and a new Saddleback Area Historical Society member, experienced her first Rancho Day Fiesta this year. She was happy to see so many people come out to learn about the Saddleback Valley and the community where they live.

ALEXIS DE LA CRUZ Sta Writer

Showcasing the rich history and cultural diversity of Orange County's Rancho era, Heritage Hill Historical Park held its free 25th annual Rancho Days Fiesta on Saturday, bringing the community together to learn more about Orange County's past and present.

Heritage Hill Historical Park is one of the few historic sites in Orange County and includes four fully restored and furnished historic buildings that

date back to the history of the Saddleback Valley and El Toro area, from the Mexican Rancho era to the founding of the town of El Toro, through the citrus farming days of the early twentieth century.

With all historic buildings open to the public, Rancho Days Fiesta exposed residents all over Orange County to the extensive history of their town and culture through performances, hands-on activities, crafts, music and more.

David Place, Heritage Hill Historical Park's historic curator, said while they host this event to bring

fun for individuals, couples and families, they also wanted to bring residents from inside and outside Orange County together.

"It's a free event, but it's also a historical site, so we want to draw people in here, and we have our historic buildings open with our docents. They're talking about the history of all the buildings and the history of Orange County," Place said. "We like to discuss and talk about the cultural diversity that we've had here."

Filled with piñata breaking, face painting, crowd interactive performances and storytelling by the Orange

Throughout the event, performances by the Banuelos Charro team, Grupo Folklorico Revolucion and Journeys to the Past Champion Dancers were put on the main stage, showcasing the amazing historical and cultural dances and music of the era.

Amping up the festivities, the performances pulled children from the crowd to join in on the fun. They were taught how to dance with the groups and participate in cultural traditions.

With activities scattered throughout the park, there was something new to experience for everybody at every corner.

Jeff Antenore, a resident of Mission

"There's so much to see, and it's a beautiful learning experience, and it's all interactive because you can get involved with all the activities and not only that, but there's different cultures that are represented here," Propersi said.

Propersi believes getting involved with your local history is essential, and she said it doesn't take a lot of time to learn a little bit of history.

"It teaches us a lot about yesterday, and sometimes we have a tendency not to remember that there were days when they didn't have washing machines," Propersi said. "It's a wonderful way to learn about how this area was settled."

Epic lumpia, a Filipino and Indonesian twist on egg rolls, makes for the perfect meal to bring to add avor to any gathering, such as a graduation party.

VINCENT GARCIA / DAILY TITAN

Rancho Days Fiesta celebrated Orange County's rich and diverse rancho era history through a series of shows and activities.

ALEXIS DE LA CRUZ / DAILY TITAN

CSUF's new esports lounge enters the game

basis, and it will be free to use for the next calendar year, including this fall and next spring semesters.

Chelsea Craig, front desk worker at Titan Bowl and Billiards, anticipates the new esports lounge to be a big hit.

“It seems like a lot of people are here, and they’re excited to use it. I think some people are going to be upset because there’s too many people right now,” Craig said.

Craig says the demographic of the campus and the high-end equipment may bring a bigger turnout than the space can handle.

Isabella Galvan, ASI Board of Directors Chair, said the unveiling was a huge milestone for ASI.

“As a student leader, I think this is a huge milestone for ASI, because we gave a community a space, I think that’s a huge thing for ASI to provide,” Galvan said.

The esports lounge provides CSUF’s Gaming Club a space to hold club activities, practices and host tournaments.

Kilian Sheehy, community manager for first-person shooter games and former player for the Gaming Club, said the Gaming Club primarily competed from home. Sheehy said a few other campuses hosted tournaments they’d compete in, but now, having a space on campus changes a lot.

A large crowd of students and sta ff eagerly anticipating the launch of Cal State Fullerton’s new esports lounge gathered in the Titan Student Union Tuesday.

The esports lounge features 12 gaming workstations, with

Alienware Aurora R15 computers and 27” Dell monitors. Each station also comes equipped with accessories from Logitech. Along the wall behind the stations are 12 television displays. These will contain a mirrored output from the monitors to allow spectators to view gameplay without crowding the players.

The idea for an esports lounge was in talks for a few years, according to

provost Amir Dabirian, but the stateof-the-art project really came to fruition over the past few months.

The lounge will also have four televisions for console gaming. Students can bring their own console, connect and play it there. Three additional TV screens can be utilized for streaming.

The gaming workstations will operate at 2.5-gigabit speed and will function under a WiFi network

separate from the one used for academics at the university.

Rommel Hidalgo, the Vice President of IT, credits Dabirian for a lot of what was put into place, saying Dabirian had a good vision for the lounge.

Planning began in February, and in approximately three months, the project was complete.

All students will be able to use the lounge on a first come, first serve

The esports lounge is located on the lower level of the TSU, replacing the TV lounge behind the billiards tables.

Going forward, Dabirian hopes to continue to expand the space and esports at CSUF. In the near future, they hope to enclose the space with glass walls.

“This is just phase one of the project. We want to have the best esports in the nation,” Dabirian said. Mario Leal contributed to this story.

"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor" is out of this world

SIMON MERCADER Sta Writer

The direct sequel to the 2019 action-adventure game "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,” Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continues the story of Cal Kestis five years after the first game takes place. 2023 has already been an eventful year for "Star Wars" fans, with new installments for pre-existing series such as “The Bad Batch” or “The Mandalorian” and new projects such as “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” This new game is a great addition for Star Wars fans looking for a more interactive experience.

STORY

Developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, players are greeted by a more matured Cal Kestis, who is the clever and cunning Jedi from the first game. While his main motivation remains rooted against his enemy the Empire, the story is not as linear anymore. Five years have passed and it is apparent that the Empire’s strength is only growing.

The game does a great job of intertwining di fferent perspectives on the "Star Wars" universe through its diverse cast of characters, and portrays di fferent eras in the universe, such as the High Republic and Clone Wars eras.

GAMEPLAY

Combat was a large part of Jedi: Fallen Order, and it has been enhanced in Jedi: Survivor. This can be largely attributed to the introduction of different lightsaber stances. Jedi: Fallen Order teased both the double-bladed stance and the split saber stance, which were used by characters

like Darth Maul and Ahsoka Tano. But in Jedi: Survivor, players are given the choice to choose what combat style fits them the best.

In addition to the new lightsaber stances, Cal can now wield a crossguard saber, similar to the one wielded by the character Kylo Ren. Probably the most unique combat style is the blaster stance, where Cal alternates between his lightsaber and a newly acquired blaster pistol.

Each fighting stance acts as its own weapon choice, with unique movesets that can be upgraded as you progress through the game. In addition to lightsaber upgrades, players can access a skill tree where they can build upon Cal’s force powers or his overall survivability. While the skill tree is nothing new to those who have played Jedi: Fallen Order, Jedi: Survivor

introduced perks, where players can collect different attributes that can affect combat gameplay.

Platforming returns as the main way for Cal to navigate new environments. Besides the usual scaling of steep walls and wall runs, Cal learns how to double jump, dash through the air and grapple hook to explore outof-reach places. One of the strengths of Jedi: Survivor is its worldbuilding, and players can completely immerse themselves and essentially get lost while exploring different planets.

Puzzle-solving was another staple that saw its return. Players would be tasked with a puzzle that would incorporate different skills and tools given to receive new skills, customization components and much more. A majority of the rewards were merely cosmetic items, so some prizes

felt underwhelming compared to the challenge of solving the puzzle. The customization was a pleasant surprise for Jedi: Survivor. With its predecessor, players were able to personalize Cal’s lightsaber and its four different components. Additionally, there were different color schemes for Cal’s outfits, his companion droid, BD-1 and his starship, the Mantis.

Jedi: Survivor builds upon the pre-existing customizations and adds a whole new level of personalization. On top of weapon customization, players can change Cal’s appearance, with different hair, facial hair and outfit components. On Koboh, the home base planet, players can cultivate a garden with seeds you find while exploring. There is also a saloon where Cal can recruit strangers met through rumors and side quests.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM - THE PERFORMANCE

There is seemingly a trend of game companies releasing new projects that are not correctly optimized for those on a PC. EA and Respawn Entertainment released a statement acknowledging the issues that PC players are encountering. Jedi: Survivor is just another game that has been released within the past year that is encountering issues. Since its initial release, an update has been issued to address the numerous bugs andperformance issues.

Inefficiencies aside, Jedi: Survivor adopts the already great formula created by Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and takes it to a whole new level. The storyline, the details, gameplay variety and overall atmosphere make it a worthy experience for any Star Wars fan.

JEREMY JIMENEZ Sta Writer

President Framroze Virjee was joined by members of ASI, IT and the CSUF gaming club in order to cut the ribbon to o cially open the esports lounge.

JEREMY JIMENEZ / DAILY TITAN

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor improves upon the formula set in the rst game, adding new combat, customization and platforming mechanics.

Titan baseball loses to UC San Diego, 4-1

ETHAN LUONG Sta Writer

Extending their losing streak to six, the Cal State Fullerton’s baseball team were swept in a three-game series to UC San Diego over the weekend at Goodwin Field. The loss marks the first conference series loss of the season, as the Titans sit in first place just one game ahead of the Tritons in the Big West Conference.

The Titans failed to avoid the sweep on Sunday, losing 4-1, after initially losing 7-4 and 11-2 on Friday and Saturday.

Nearing the end of the season, the Titans are looking to secure their first Big West Conference title since 2018.

In the Titans’ previous series against TCU, their pitching staff struggled as they allowed a combined 20 runs through three games. These struggles continued against the Tritons as CSUF was outscored 22-7.

In addition to struggles on the mound, the Titans’ offense failed to give their starters a complimentary offense.

The Tritons' efficient offense produced over the weekend, delivering losses to all three of the Titans starters.

The Tritons’ offense especially showed out in Saturday’s game with 11 runs on 13 hits.

CSUF pitcher Fynn Chester has now lost his second consecutive start after starting the season 7-0. Chester struggled, allowing seven runs through four innings, the most runs he has allowed this season.

In addition, the Titans’ offense struggled to produce runs behind Chester, stranding 11 runners on base while only producing two runs on nine hits.

Initially, the Titans opened the series with Tyler Stultz on the mound, who had a record of 6-3 entering the game and was coming off a win against TCU.

After the series loss, the Titans have an overall record of 28-19 and a conference record of 17-7.The Titans only have a one game lead above second place UCSD of the Big West with two series left in the regular season.

The Titans will look to break their losing streak and extend their conference lead in a three-game series against Long Beach State.

The Titans will host Long Beach State on Friday at 6 p.m. at Goodwin Field.

Track & field wins third straight Big West championship

EMILIO MELENDEZ Sta Writer

After trailing on the scoreboard due to an underwhelming day one performance, Cal State Fullerton men’s track and field team roared from behind to claim the 2023 Big West Conference title late into the second day of the event on their home track.

The Titans finished the day with 184.5 points, which placed them two points ahead of Long Beach State with 182.5 points. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo rounded out the top three of the men’s teams with 152 points.

Entering the final event, the men's 4x400m relay, CSUF and Long Beach State were tied at 174.5 points apiece.

“I was excited knowing going into the 4x4 that it was going to come down to that. I know my guys are prepared for it,” said CSUF track and field head coach Marques Barosso. “This is what we train for all year, and if it was going to come down to me and

my group, and giving it to these guys to go and win it, that’s what I would’ve preferred.”

With the title on the line, the Titans Justin Lowe found himself with a slight lead over Sharks’ Caleb Roberson in the final stretch of the race. With the two runners essentially side-by-side, Lowe leaned his head forward as he crossed the finish line to secure the Titans’ win by just .02 seconds ahead of Long Beach State.

In addition to the 4x400m relay win, Titans senior Reyte Rash’s first place performance in the men’s 400m hurdle was an important result for CSUF. Resulting in a crucial 10 points for the Titans, Rash ran a 50.95 to secure his coveted conference championship.

“It’s my last year running collegiate track. So to go out a Big West champ, and also on my home turf. I can’t ask for anything more than that,” Rash said.

Rash said the mental challenge that hurdles present as compared to other events, especially in this

race with his biggest competition

Roberson, was right at his tail all the way to the finish.

“That was actually one of the dudes I competed with a lot of my

high school years. It was basically me and him almost the whole time, from CIF all the way to state,” Rash said. “We’ve been battling it out for a long time. And to see him come back, and give us one last race, it’s a battle. But I can appreciate everything me, my teammates and him have gone through.”

However, despite an impressive win by the men’s team, CSUF women’s track and field team had an underwhelming tournament.

The women’s side ranked eighth with an underwhelming 49.5 points out of ten teams. The lackluster performance of the women’s squad is one that head coach Barusso knows he has to take accountability for.

“I need to be better on the women’s side. We have a bunch of young, talented ladies who understand now what it takes to win a championship,” Barusso said. “I think moving forward you are going to have to look out for this team because they will be competing for championships next year.”

The Titans will return to compete in the NCAA West Preliminaries in Sacramento. The four-day meet starts on Wednesday, May 24.

Titans lose Big West title to Long Beach State; set to face Auburn in first round of NCAA playoffs

JEREMY JIMENEZ Sta Writer

Entering Saturday’s double-header needing one win to claim the conference title, Cal State Fullerton’s softball team was swept by Long Beach State on the road.

Despite the loss to Long Beach State, the Titans still earned qualification into the NCAA tournament, earning a spot in a Regionals group with Clemson, Auburn and UNC Greensboro.

The Titans were unable to defend their conference championship from a season ago. For Long Beach State, this is their second Big West title in the last three years.

The Titans’ offense went cold when they needed it most, failing to score a run in each of the final two games of the series. They scattered just three hits in each game, stranding 11 base runners in the process.

After losing Saturday's first game 5-0, the Titans sent ace Myka Suthlerin to the circle in a winner-take-all scenario. Sutherlin, to no surprise, dominated and was locked into a fierce pitcher’s duel with Long Beach State’s Shannon Haddad.

The two made it through five scoreless innings and it seemed that whoever scored first would take the game and the championship.

The Sharks Sara Olson led off the sixth inning with a double, putting the pressure on Sutherlin. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Olson to third, a sacrifice fly broke the deadlock tie for the Sharks.

This would prove to be the difference in the game as the Titans were unable to respond in a hitless seventh inning, losing 1-0.

The first game of the doubleheader was much of the same, as the Titans once again could not amount anything on offense. Pitcher Haley Rainey struggled early, allowing three runs in the second inning and five overall. The five runs allowed were the most Rainey has allowed all season.

Following their 14-game win streak and three straight losses to lose the conference title, the possible range of outcomes fell low for the Titans.

In a season that saw the Titans lose two starters, Antuanett Dean and Megan Delgadillo due to injuries, the team still managed to find success. The injuries harmed the Titans offensively, as Delgadillo and Dean were batting .338 and .313 respectively.

All season long, the Titans’

success relied heavily on their conference-best pitching sta ff. However, despite the Titans’ pitching leading the Big West in ERA by a large margin, they were middle of the pack on the offensive side of the ball, ranking sixth in batting average and fifth in runs scored.

The Titans will need to see their offense improve if they hope to compete against tougher competition in the NCAA tournament.

Clemson enters the tournament

with the No. 2 pitching sta ff and the No. 21 batting unit in the country. Similar to Long Beach State, the Titans cannot solely rely on their pitching sta ff to shut down the Tigers.

With no Titans currently batting above .300, CSUF will need to be creative in generating runs.

The Titans will begin their Regionals tournament with a first round game against Auburn at Jane B. Moore field in Clemson. The opening game is set for May 19.

Right elder Anaiya Mitchell ied out to left eld for the Titans' nal out in Saturday's second game.

JEREMY JIMENEZ / DAILY TITAN

CSUF track & eld nished in rst place in the Big West championship, besting Long Beach State by two points.

MARIO LEAL / DAILY TITAN

The Titans' Je ery Morris placed fourth in the high jump with a score of 2.01m.

MARIO LEAL / DAILY TITAN

Column: It could be worse So long, CSUF

and I couldn’t click “accept” any sooner than I did at that moment.

LUIS LEMUS Sta Writer

First and foremost, I thank you for taking time out of your day every other week to read my column. I truly appreciate it and am at a loss for words.

I thank my professors, starting with Professor Martinez and all of the professors I’ve encountered along my path toward each of my degrees.

I have one final exam left, and I’m just as nervous as I was the first time waiting to bubble in the scantron.

I remember and thank the many professors who played Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk, “Your body language may shape who you are,” which has stuck with me throughout the years until even now; I feel like I am not supposed to be here.

I guess the root of what is “fuel to my fire” is the source that keeps me chugging along the path of getting the degree.

Call it “too much,” call it what you will, but doing a double major has proven to be as strenuous as advertised.

Why am I pursuing a double bachelor’s degree in American Studies and Communications with a concentration in journalism?

To strengthen the toolbox that much more.

Everyone has their path to success; I’ve chosen mine.

It’s been a great seven years of school. My associate’s degree took me four years to complete. It would have been three, but one class held me for another year.

In April of 2020, I received an email from Cal State Fullerton with the subject line titled “acceptance letter.” Honestly, I couldn't believe my eyes,

For me, just getting that email itself felt like an accomplishment. For a person born and raised where I was, I have never felt that I was meant to be here. Fullerton, although only 20 miles away from the trailer park I grew up in, might as well be in a different world.

I’m grateful for the life I was given and thankful for the opportunities that life has presented to me. I could have done without multiple sclerosis, but I probably would not be here and still be working menial jobs.

For those going out on a dream vacation to who knows where, I wish you all a safe trip.

As for myself, brain surgery is in sight. Am I scared? Not at all.

The brain surgery is called deep brain stimulation. The surgeons will implement an electrode on the brain, powered by a pacemaker that goes down each side of the brain and down to the collarbones.

Am I hopeful that I can walk again and write my own name? I will take the chance of having to still rely on a cane.

It’s not the worst part; what keeps me a bit queasy is that I will have to be awake during part of the procedure. That is the part that I fear most.

But I know it won’t “cure” the disease out of nowhere. The procedure works for a certain amount of time and has some side effects, but I think it’s a risk worth taking. If there is even a chance of walking again, let’s do it.

School is what I consider my second chance at a career.

This procedure would be my second chance to gain independence and freedom.

I found a dang good thing from my

diagnosis: that I can go on to reinvent myself and be in the workforce and do what makes me happy; and I am grateful to my family for their support along the journey.

Whether you are a first-year student completing your first year or getting your degree, whether you are

receiving your bachelor’s or master’s degree. I wish you all success in that not-so-distant future.

I wish my professor and Daily Titan advisor, Walter Baranger, a happy retirement and a personal thank you for making me feel welcome in the newsroom. I think it is safe to say we will all

miss you. Go out and enjoy your time with the ones you love most. Last but not least, I want to thank all those who have supported my journey. Even if you doubted me from the beginning, I also thank you. If you made it this far, thank you for your time this semester.

Sponsored by

Congratulations to all of you graduating Titans! Have a great summer everyone, Tuffy will see you soon in the fall semester. Follow @thedailytitan to stay updated with us in the summer.

ARIES This is a good time to reevaluate the literal price and also the emotional value of your belongings. Get an appraisal on your memories as Mercury gently connects with Venus, giving you the space to check in with how you’re feeling about your home, family, and private feelings.

TAURUS Taurus! You’re stepping into a more authentic version of yourself. Whatever that looks like, everyone’s just going to have to deal with it! There is a tension between throwing it out the window and waiting for a second opinion. Love is important to your sign, Taurus, so relationships are going to play a role in this radical retelling of your identity.

GEMINI You can find yourself in situations that you have to resolve creatively and gracefully. You’re in tune with a sense of order and beauty as Mercury gently connects with Saturn and Venus, giving you an intuitive feel for the proper way to go about expressing your feelings and getting the job done!

CANCER Think happy thoughts, and maybe your dreams will come true! A positive mental attitude can help you feel good about the direction things are headed. Mercury is retrograde, so things don’t happen the way we expect them to, but sometimes the wrong turn leads to a better place.

LEO Whatever you’re used to is being rocked by revolution as your planetary ruler, the sun, meets with Uranus. Or maybe you’re the rebellious force to be reckoned with! You might be getting some attention for doing things off the beaten path as this transit occurs in your chart’s fame sector.

Answers to the puzzle are located at the bottom of the page.

Muslim Student Association

WRITTEN by My Ly

LIBRA You might be feeling reserved or shy, but you can’t hide. Topics of legacy and reputation are coming up for you to feel out. Relationships to parents and authority are up for consideration. This Mercury retrograde has a lot to teach you about intimacy and sharing.

SCORPIO Pain is a great teacher. As your planetary ruler Mars moves through a philosophical and educational sector of your chart, you might find yourself able to learn from hurt feelings. Writing about your pain or sharing it with the world could allow you to process and heal. This experience is not a solitary one.

SAGITTARIUS It’s been a fun year to be a Sagittarius! As your planetary ruler Jupiter moves through fellow fire sign Aries, you’re empowered to follow the path of least resistance and most joy. While you are having a lot of fun (or at least we hope you are) this week can still be productive.

CAPRICORN By fortifying your mind palace and focusing on one thing at a time, you can find happiness in the most mundane activities. Of course, you might be more interested in cutting loose and letting go as the sun meets Uranus. The party might be eager to distract you, but your sign is one of the best when it comes to prudence.

AQUARIUS Do you feel a push and pull between wanting to throw it all away and starting over, and being too aware of the consequences? Yes, revolution has its consequences. As the sun meets with Uranus in a sector of your chart related to endings, this can be a moment of radical ego reset.

VIRGO Virgo! This is your week! Take time to make edits and reread what’s already been written. You can be excited to share your ideas, and maybe a little nervous, with the sun and Uranus meeting. In horoscopes, whenever Uranus is involved, it can mess with sleep habits, so be mindful of your bedtime and wind-down rituals.

For your club or organization to be featured, email production@dailytitan.com with photo(s) and a description with no more than 125 words.

“We love Jesus because we are Muslims.” This is the message on our tablecloth that a lot of students have seen while walking down Titan Walk this semester. The reason we say this is because as Muslims we believe that Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) was a Prophet of God and was a Muslim himself. Islam is very often misunderstood and the purpose of our weekly table is to spread the message of Islam. Islam is not just a religion but a complete way of life. Islam offers guidance in all aspects of life such as how we should eat, dress, socialize, conduct business, and much more, but most importantly, our purpose in life. DM us on Instagram to find out more about Islam: @msacsuf

Your business can become a Club Spotlight sponsor and offer exclusive specials to our featured clubs! Contact marketingteam@dailyitan.com for more information.

1. What is the origin of the word “graduation”?

a.) Latin

b.) Greek

c.) Hebrew

d.) Gaelic

2.What is the most popular degree program in the world?

a.) Computer Science

b.) Business Administration

c.) Communications

d.) Nursing

PISCES Mercury retrograde can put you in the mindset that things need to happen or be discussed immediately, but you also understand that there’s authority and grace in stillness. In Super Mario, when you fall off a cliff, a cloud picks you up and brings you to the top again. Is this what it’s like to be a Pisces?