Week of Monday, April 12, 2021 by Daily Titan

Monday, April 12, 2021

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Prosecutors tie CSUF theft to 2019 fatal stabbing The preliminary hearing for Chris Vo was held on April 8. KARINA GUTIERREZ Editor

LETICIA PEREZ Freelancer

Chris Chuyen Vo’s lawyers alleged that the former Cal State Fullerton employee committed murder to avoid being discovered for embezzlement, at his preliminary hearing on Thursday at the Superior Court of California County of Orange in Santa Ana. “There’s no other motive,” said Whitney Bokosky, a senior deputy district attorney. “There’s no other reason, they had no beef for him to kill this innocent person on his way to work.” It’s been over a year since Steven Shek Keung Chan, a former Cal State Fullerton administrator, a 57-year-old man from Hacienda Heights was fatally stabbed in the College Park parking lot. Chan’s

death in August 2019 led to a search for the assailant resulting in Vo’s arrest at his Huntington Beach residence. Vo is currently being held without bail at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. During his time at the university, Vo worked in finance for the Student Services and International Programs department. Before he retired in 2017, Chan served as the director of budget and finance for Student Services and Extended Education, and in 2019 he returned as a consultant to do a financial audit of Vo’s division. Charged with murder, Vo pleaded not guilty in October 2019. One year and two months later, the Orange County District Attorney’s office added a charge that alleged the motive for the homicide was for financial gain and embezzlement. “Mr. Chan was the person who was in the best position to catch Mr. Vo,” Bokosky said. The evidence pointed out that Vo committed fraud at

CSUF, using his position as a way to obtain funds for his “phony business,” Bokosky said. She added that the motive was clear when Vo’s colleague even pointed out that the funneling of funds was a “red flag.” Throughout the one- day hearing, Vo remained silent and did not address the charges presented against him. Brian Young, a senior forensic accountant at the DA’s office, said that just over $200k was transferred to David Parker Educational Services which was just one of the three personal accounts Vo managed under J.P. Morgan Chase bank. The money to the company spanned from December 2017 until August 2019 just before Vo’s arrest, Young said. Ginny Johnson, a crimes person unit detective from the Fullerton Police Department, said that the CSUF vendor procedure begins with an invoice, then a financial form is filled and when it is

Staff Writer

NICHOLAS COTHREL ROBERTO ROMERO Staff Writers

The Titan’s softball team picked up their 11th straight victory with their win on Saturday. SEE PAGE 8

NEWS Academic Senate members recognized a deceased Cal State Fullerton professor. SEE PAGE 2

LIFESTYLE Review: Taylor Swift’s rerelease of “Fearless” outshines the original album with six new songs. SEE PAGE 6

CRISTINA ZAPATA

CSUF lost the final game of their threegame home series against Cal Baptist.

SEE BATS

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SPORTS

Food pantry raises over $3K

Baseball loses finale

Cal State Fullerton baseball faced off against California Baptist University, and secured the victory in the first two games of the series before falling short in the final contest on Sunday evening at Goodwin Field with a score of 9-7. The Titans received quality contributions from pitchers Tanner Bibee and Ryan Hare, the Friday and Saturday starters of the series. Bibee provided Fullerton with 7.1 innings of work while allowing two earned runs, followed by Hare, who went five innings and allowed one earned run in his first start of the 2021 season. To round out the series, the Titans handed the ball to freshman righthander Jake Vargas, for his first start to his college career. Vargas tossed three innings, surrendered two hits and three earned runs as a result of a hit batter, which led to an RBI double in the top of the second inning, followed by a two-run home run in the third.

authorized a check is generated with the approval of a CSUF manager. She added that Vo’s job included processing the checks. Johnson said every check was approved with a different manager’s name. She recalled at least one of the approvals was allegedly authorized by Chan, which made it difficult to tell if the authorizations were forged. CSUF did not have a contract with David Parker nor did Vo’s department have the funds to invest in it, Johnson said. T. Edward Welbourn, from the Corrigan Welbourn and Stokke law firm, Vo’s attorney, said that there was “insufficient evidence” that the crime was carried out for financial gain. Welbourn said nothing points to Chan knowing about the embezzlement as it was only discovered months after Vo was arrested. He added that the court could only rely on the people’s theory for the motive.

Volume 109 Issue 12

The food pantry was implemented in 2018. (Cristina Zapata / Daily Titan)

On #TitansGive day of giving in March, Associated Students collected over $3,000 to buy non-perishable food for Cal State Fullerton students in need. According to the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, 48% of college and university students do not get enough to eat and 43% of meal plan enrollees still experience food insecurity. ASI launched the mobile food pantry in 2018 and has

continued to serve students during virtual instruction. The ASI board of directors voted unanimously in 2019 to establish the pantry as permanent service on campus. The mobile food pantry is available to students every week, on either a Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, with prior registration a week in advance. Students seeking services can find a link to register on ASI’s website through the platform PantrySoft and schedule their appointment. SEE MEAL

The art of a healthy workload Megan Ferguson spoke to students about mental health in the animation industry. CARA PEDERSEN Staff Writer

The art of creating a healthy work and life balance is a structure many creatives strive to achieve while working in the field, especially in animation. In a virtual conversation hosted by the Cal State Fullerton’s Women in Animation, Megan Ferguson, the assistant director for Netflix’s “Hilda,”

talked with students about her journey toward finding that balance in an industry filled with pressure. Ferguson has worked in the animation industry for 13 years with Mercury Filmworks in Ottawa, Ontario. She said that even though it may not be logical, it can be easy for someone to feel like they are “not good enough.” Ferguson said that it’s important to not let that initial doubt stop people from setting goals and striving toward them. “That’s the first toxic idea that will get in the way of finding work/life

balance. We can still reach for higher goals. We can still want something different and aim towards working on a feature or aim towards having your own show. You can do that. We can do that while still valuing where we are and to look at where we are and say ‘we’ve earned this. We are just as valuable as anyone else,’” Ferguson said. Ferguson said that along with many other animators, she didn’t take breaks or work on work-life balance until it was too late. When entering the industry, Ferguson said that there are a lot of

toxic traits in animation culture that create an unhealthy life balance for animators. Ferguson said that some of these traits include common beliefs that animators have to sacrifice to succeed, be endlessly passionate about animation and truly believe that “animation is the best job in the world.” Ferguson said that the idolization of the position can cause animators to place too much take away from more important aspects of the industry. SEE VALUE

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2 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

In-person learning draws mixed emotions

Cal State Fullerton President Fram Virjee said that a majority of classes will be in-person for the fall 2021 semester. (Isaias Ruelas / Daily Titan)

STEPHANIE CASTILLO Asst. Editor

With the return to in-person learning nearing at Cal State Fullerton for fall 2021, the decision has produced mixed reactions from its students. “We at Cal State Fullerton continue to plan (and hope) for a primarily in-person fall semester,” said president Fram Virjee in an email addressing faculty and students last month. In the update, Virjee said that the university anticipates the majority of classes will meet face to face, on-campus housing will be closer to its usual capacity and most of the student services and facilities on campus will be in-person.

Jonathan Medina, a fourth-year international business major, said he thinks it is really important to take the right measures to prevent more people from getting sick, but is aware that students are anxious to get back on campus to get the college experience. “It’s kind of rushing things a little bit, you know. I think, after (these) past two semesters that we’ve had online, this semester is definitely going to go a lot more smoother if it were to be online. So, I definitely think it feels rushed,” Medina said. Jimmy Nguyen, a thirdyear communications student, said he’s grown accustomed to online learning and does not look forward to going back in-person.

“I have to take classes that fit around my schedule to be in person, and find parking. Parking is so hard. I hate finding parking on campus — it takes literally forever. So, the fact that I can just wake up, turn on my camera and be in class, it’s just so convenient,” Nguyen said. Brianna Collins, a fourthyear communications major, said she is excited to get back on campus. “It’s gonna get us out of the house, meet teachers, meet new friends. But the down part of going back in person and of course, the gas, paying for the parking passes, fighting over a parking spot. But, other than it’s gonna be great to get back to physically be back in school,” Collins said.

While vaccination is not required, the university is urging all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated, and will update plans accordingly once campus community has had equitable access, and public health guidelines and CSU policy support the transition. Nguyen, Medina and Collins said that students should be allowed to make their own decisions on whether or not they should get vaccinated. “It’s a risk that they’re going to take, and I just know what it’s like to be in a big lecture hall classroom. And I don’t know how they would do the social distance, and how people can just be in an environment where the virus is still happening,” Nguyen said.

Virjee said the university will be mindful, but cannot promise the continuation of an all-virtual environment, but will try to mitigate any challenges and support individuals on a case-by-case basis. Nguyen, Medina and Collins agreed that students should have the choice on whether or not they want to return to in-person learning. “I think that they should definitely figure out how they can manage from having in-person and also virtual. And I think that people, people that want to stay virtual because they’ve been so used to it after three semesters, they should be able to have the opportunity to still do online,” Nguyen said.

Faculty remembers late professor ALEXANDRA RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer

John W. “Jack” Bedell, who served as a CSUF sociology professor for more than 40 years and was head chair for the child and adolescent development,

electrical engineering and anthropology departments, passed away on April 7 at the age of 78. Bedell was honored at a Cal State Fullerton’s Academic Senate meeting on Thursday. He served as a member of the Academic Senate for more than 25

years, where he was elected chair seven times. CSUF President Fram Virjee said Bedell’s influence was present everywhere in the university through his support in a myriad of organizations and departments. Virjee said there was not

Dr. John “Jack” Bedell, a sociology professor at CSUF, passed away on April 7. (Cal State Fullerton) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

one service that Bedell was not on, and he left his fingerprints everywhere and knew what benefited the university. He said that faculty members knew that Bedell was the right choice for every program that needed him. “Jack is a true Titan,” Virjee said. “Jack was always exactly what we need. We will miss him, I miss him already. We will miss him, but he will be with us eternally. His impact is all over our campus everywhere we look.” In addition to his work with CSUF, Bedell was president of the Church Council of St. Paul Lutheran Church and he served on the Orange County Board of Education. “I miss the mentoring that he gave to me and the countless others to the senate. I’ll miss our constant political arguments as I often called him my favorite Republican and he would say I was his favorite Democrat if there weren’t so many to choose from on campus,” said Stephen Stambough, a California State University senator.

“Mostly, I already do and will continue to miss him, and that’s going to be a constant.” Senate secretary Alexandro Gradilla said Bedell left a blueprint for the faculty and the university, creating deep relationships with those around him. Even though disagreements arise, the faculty members need to remember they are temporary because they are tied to the same campus; they are on the same team, Gradilla said. “He was the quintessential retail politician. Jack could walk across campus and he would remember the names of the grandchildren of people he hadn’t seen in two years. He was amazing,” said Eileen Walsh, senator vice-chair. “He left a big mark in sociology, more than half of us were hired by Jack and I would say pretty much hand picked because he had a very strong persuasive voice in terms of the recruitment committee. We feel great gratitude towards Jack for what legacy he left for us.”

News 3

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Charges: Next court date set for April 20 1 “There is no other link that has been presented other than the fact that Mr. Vo worked at Cal State Fullerton along with Mr. Chan,” Welbourn said. Judge Gary S. Paer echoed Welbourn’s sentiments as he said that the embezzlement CONTINUED FROM

and financial gain charge was “an issue.” “There is no evidence, or at least direct evidence or even circumstantial evidence to say well he had killed Chan so that Chan wouldn’t report him,” Paer said. The evidence showed that

Chan did not know about the embezzlement and never reported it, Paer added. In October 2020, Kimberely Edds, the DA’s public information officer, confirmed to the Daily Titan that the additional charges were in relation to his work at CSUF.

The university withheld all of the Department of Extended Education’s financial records from the past five years after Daily Titan reporters filed a public records request, citing the on-going investigation as a reason not to. Vo received a $7,059

pension in 2020 for his service at CSUF, according to Transparent California. Vo’s next arraignment is set for April 20 for the count of personally using a deadly weapon and special circumstance in murdering by means of lying in wait.

Meal: University to tackle food insecurity 1 Asha Nettles, coordinator of ASI’s Leader and Program Development, said once a student shows up to their 10-minute window to pick up their groceries, they can park in a designated area in front of the Titan Student Union where a staff member will greet them. “They pull up, show us their ID and then we check them in and then place the bag, either in their trunk or their backseat,” Nettles said. “If a student doesn’t have access to a vehicle, they can still walk up and receive a bag or two of groceries.” Nettles said the pantry has the capacity to serve approximately 300 students within the two-week registration window, yet only about 100 students tend to sign up. “I think making it a regular part of conversation that the service is available helps make it so that students feel comfortable disclosing and accessing the resource,” Nettles said. “Even though we have that many students accessing within the window, we have capacity for a lot more.” ASI’s director for leader and program development, Drew Wiley, has been working with the food pantry since its start. He said he noticed a growing stigma against receiving help through services like food stamps and welfare. “Hopefully, programs like the food pantry on campus help us be able to meet the needs of those students with some of the outreach that we do, and work to destigmatize those kinds of ideas,” Wiley said. ASI President Marcus Reveles said the lack of attention given to the food pantry might be a result of CSUF being a commuter campus. He said he speculated that it could also be due to the low amount of students living on campus and online learning as a whole. “Maybe if we were in-person those numbers would look a lot different,” Reveles said. “When people were constantly on campus, students utilized the food pantry a lot more.” Since it is not a permanent service that the university provides, the mobile pantry has a temporary space inside the Titan Student Union, Reveles said. He added that the biggest problem the university faces in regards to its limited space is how the campus is “landlocked” by a freeway, the Marriott hotel and private and residential areas, which makes it difficult to make room for new services. CONTINUED FROM

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EDITORIAL

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Reveles said out of all 23 California State Universities, CSUF is the only campus without a permanent food pantry and he hopes to witness that change in time. As one of the largest universities in California, Reveles said that it is important for CSUF students to have access to a food pantry service, despite the limited space concern. “Statistically, there’s gonna be students that struggle, that just really go through the struggle of not being able to afford their groceries,” Reveles said. “I think it’s fantastic for Cal State Fullerton to be able to provide for students that need it.” May 6 is the last day to access the food pantry for the spring semester. Nettles said the service will return in the summer depending on demand, but the team has yet to determine what the long-term future of the food pantry will look like. “We’re hoping to increase — whether it be custom ordering for students, so students are able to order what’s in their bag, is a future conversation, as well as eventually being able to access the physical space,” Nettles said. Nettles said in addition to registering online through PantrySoft, students can also contact food pantry staff members by emailing asifoodpantry@ fullerton.edu.

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The mobile food pantry is available to all CSUF students three times a week, with prior registration to the event. (Cristina Zapata / Daily Titan)

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4 Lifestyle

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Value: Animator prioritizes mental health CONTINUED FROM 1 “What they are doing is propping up the job, and we have to be careful of that because you can be passionate about the craft,” Ferguson said. “That’s where your passion can go. That’s where if you want to pump something up — pump that up. Pump up the craft and the community and the people and their stories. Don’t pump up the job.” Ferguson also added that this causes animators to feel like they need to work overtime or put in

more hours to prove their worth. For example, some animators will feel guilty for leaving on time if their team is still working overtime. On the other hand, other team members who do work overtime and feel they are working harder might feel negatively toward those who do leave on time. In Ferguson’s experience, she said that her passion rested heavily on community. She created a group called Ottawa’s Animators Talking Socially, where local animators can connect

to talk about different values and ways of working. “I just wanted a place for us, as artists, to remind ourselves that our worth is not wrapped up in the product that we are making at our job, and I wanted to be around other people who felt the same way,” Ferguson said. After her positive experience, Ferguson said that she continuously involves herself in the animation community. By creating a community that her students are involved in, she said she

feels a level of accountability to prioritize her work/ life balance. She said it also reminds her that there are many other ways to define success and value herself. “Now when I work, I can keep a level head and I can encourage and be a positive leader for the crew that I have. If they’re having a hard time, I’m in a better mental health headspace to actually help them instead of being like ‘No, I have too much to do. I can’t help you.’ That’s not who I want to be,” Ferguson said.

Nadey Cardona, the event coordinator for Women in Animation, said that the presentation was crucial for students to get an inside look at the animation industry — an opportunity that they don’t get often. “I feel like a lot of us, as she stated, we glamorize the industry. We idealize it. We see it as something that we have to kill ourselves over, so I thought that was really cool that she was like ‘No, focus on your health. Mental health is what is important,” Cardona said.

Cal State Fullerton’s Women in Animation hosted a virtual event with Megan Ferguson, an assistant director for Netflix’s “Hilda,” on April 10 to teach students about work and life balance. (Isaias Ruelas / Daily Titan)

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Lifestyle 5

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Tuffy’s Table creates a sweet springtime treat with apple crumble TAYLOR ARREY Editor

When you only have a few minutes between class and seemingly endless hours of schoolwork, satisfying your sweet tooth falls to the wayside. However, it doesn’t have to be. For college students with hectic schedules, cooking any dish can be intimidating, but it’s always important to remember that less is more. If you’re looking for a quick way to satisfy your sweet tooth and serve up a delicious dish, Tuffy’s Table offers this creative and simple twist on a classic apple dessert — apple crumble in a mug. Typically, apple pie is associated with fall weather

and autumn vibes; however, this 10-minute recipe is perfect for springtime. You don’t have to worry about heating the oven in the warm weather or spending hours baking the perfect pie crust. Craving apple crumble is a yearlong activity, and the warmth of this dish mixed with cold ice cream is an iconic matchup for a sweet treat under the sun. Cooking in a cup makes this apple crumble a convenient treat for any time of day. You can grab a blanket and cuddle up by the television or take a seat on the patio for a breath of fresh air. There’s something unique about eating dessert out of your signature mug. This recipe makes one serving, but feel free to repeat the steps and fill as

many mugs as you want, inviting everyone in your house to enjoy a taste of a traditional fall dessert amid the blooming flowers of springtime. Kitchen Tools: Cutting board Kitchen peeler Cutting knife Microwave-safe mug Spoon Small mixing bowl Ice cream scooper Ingredients for the apple crumble: 1 whole apple, peeled and diced 1 tbsp brown sugar ¼ tsp cinnamon Instructions: 1. Peel and dice the apple. Add the diced apple pieces

to the mug, making sure that the mug has enough room to add in the crumble topping and ice cream without overflowing. Also, make sure that your mug is microwave-safe. 2. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to the mug and mix the ingredients until all of the apple pieces are coated in brown sugar and cinnamon. This will ensure that your dish has a rich flavor in each bite. 3. Set the mug to the side while you make the crumble topping. Ingredients for the crumble topping: 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp flour 2 tbsp oats

1 scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional) Instructions: 1. In a small bowl, add the melted butter, brown sugar, flour and oats. Mix the ingredients until the butter makes the oats stick together with a crumbly texture. 2. Grab your mug full of ingredients and use a spoon to scoop in the crumble topping. 3. Microwave the mug for 2 minutes. 4. Use a heat resistant glove to take the mug out of the microwave, and allow the dessert to cool for a few minutes. 5. Add an optional scoop of vanilla ice cream to the top for apple crumble a la mode.

Apple crumble in a mug is a quick recipe for students who want to satisfy their sweet tooth in between classes. (Taylor Arrey / Daily Titan)

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6 Lifestyle Music

REVIEW

STEPHENY GEHRIG Editor

Taylor Swift continues to amaze fans with her latest album, “Fearless ( Ta y l o r ’s Ver sion),” which released April 9.

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WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Taylor Swift’s album rerelease shows her “Fearless” persona Although “Fearless” debuted in 2008, Swift recorded and released the album for a second time, along with unreleased songs from her “vault”, due to complications with her previous record label. Big Machine Records, which she signed onto in 2005, owned the original recordings of her albums “Taylor Swift,” “Fearless,” “Speak Now,” “Red,” “1989” and “Reputation.” The label then sold the masters to Ithaca Holdings, owned by Scooter Braun, without giving Swift a chance to buy them back. In response to the sale of her masters — only the albums prior to her new

label Republic Records — Swift said she would record those songs again with the masters under her ownership. On Feb. 11, Swift announced the release of the first re-recorded album. “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” includes a 26 song track list — 13 more songs than the original album, including six “From the Vault” songs and featuring artists Colbie Caillat, Mar ren Morris and Keith Urban. Title song “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” feels as magical as ever. Swift’s vocals outshine the original, which sets the tone for the entire album. In the 2008 album, Swift’s clarity while singing was not a strong point, but with the rerecording, her growth as a singer is highlighted as she has more strength behind her voice when belting and enunciates her lyrics. Of the original 13 tracks, “The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)” seems to be the one that changed significantly. The song ref lects on Swift’s relationship with her mom and growing up. Compared to the original, Swift sings in a lower register

and has lightened up on the suppor ting instr umentals. Swift’s adoration of her mother is very apparent in the 2008 track, especially in her tone. But in “Taylor’s Version,” Swift’s tone is more appreciative, particularly when she sings, “And you’re the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.” One of the most notable “From the Vault” tracks is “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).” Written about her whirlwind romance with Joe Jonas in 2008, “Mr. Perfectly Fine” immaculately conveys the anger and fr ustration of seeing an ex move on after the relationship. Coupled with a country-pop beat, Swift’s angsty lyrics will get fans singing along, especially at the bridge where she sings about her own healing: “Now I’m Miss ‘Gonna be alright someday’ / And someday maybe you’ll miss me/ But by then, you’ll be Mr. ‘Too late’.” A lackluster track, “You All Over Me (Feat. Mar ren Mor ris) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” misses the mark compared to Swift’s other “From the Vault” songs. Lyrically, the song is a master piece as it dives into the way a par tner can impact someone even after the relationship is over: “But no amount of freedom gets you clean / I still got you all over me.” The slow back ing track along with Swift’s somber tones fails the song on this album, and would have been better suited featured on her debut album re-recording. “That’s When (Feat. Keith Urban)

(Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” is one of Swift’s more confusing songs in regards to the lyrics. The meaning of the song is hidden under cryptic verses, but it carries the same themes as other tracks on the album. Urban and Swift’s duet flows like a conversation between two partners who are broken up and are trying to find their way back into each others’ lives. However with lyrics like, “And I said, ‘When can I-I-I come back?’/ And you said that’s when/ When I wake up in the morning/ That’s when, when it’s sunny or storming,” listeners will need to look up an analysis to understand it. Swift teased track 25, “Don’t You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” played backwards in an Instagram post that gave fans scrambled titles of all 26 tracks; with the release of the album, fans can finally hear it. Swift sings about the difficulties of moving on from someone and still having feelings for them. An eerie beginning and hauntingly beautiful vocals give this track the most personality and depth on the album. Ending the album, “Bye Bye Baby (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” reflects on disappointment from a broken relationship and the fear of losing everything: “You took me home, I thought you were going to keep me.” With its upbeat instrumentals and heartbreaking lyrics, this track serves as a fantastic closing to the album as Swift is symbolically singing bye bye to the previous chapter of her life with Big Machine Records and moving on to a new one with Republic Records. Overall, the re-recorded album outshines her original as “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” showcases Swift’s mature voice and masterful songwriting particularly with her “From the Vault” songs. The 13 tracks that were featured on “Fearless” (2008) weren’t changed much, aside from Swift’s register, and the six “From the Vault” songs exceed expectations. Swift gives fans an album that is nostalgic and filled with the perfect amount of love, comfor t, angst and heartbreak. Swifties, don’t hesitate to dive into the album head first — fearless.

Lifestyle 7

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Music REVIEW

Justin Bieber surprises fans with new gospel album

The artist’s latest release, “Freedom,” captures the beauty of faith and love. TAYLOR ARREY Editor

While families filled their yards with perfectly painted eggs and people got dressed in their Sunday best to celebrate the Easter holiday safely, Justin Bieber blessed fans with his gospel-inspired EP “Freedom,” a work of art that captures vulnerability, faith and humanity with poise, passion and elegance. This six-track playlist came right on the heels of Bieber’s sixth studio album, “Justice” which skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart after its release on March 19. In a surprise tweet on April 4, Bieber provided fans with a link to his new tracks along with a simple caption that read “Freedom on all platforms” and an even simpler album cover — an Apple iPhone’s Notes app screen with the EP title. The strategic release on Easter Sunday brought fans an intense faith-fueled tracklist where Bieber explores what it means to believe in God, ultimately pulling listeners through a rollercoaster of emotions including extreme peace, petrifying self-doubt and everything in between. The mood of the songs change with each track and while some listeners might be hesitant to pick up a gospel album, Bieber’s unique perspective on faith is refreshing as he successfully reminds fans that faith is not linear and clean cut. It is often messy, and the emotions attached to finding God are complex in every way. His vulnerability and acceptance of those complexities results in painfully truthful lyrics, serene melodies and moments of true passion and love.

RORY KRAMER

The album’s title track, “Freedom,” falls short for an opening song. Bieber abandons his usual pop style in favor of a hip-hop beat that might have worked for a song in the middle of the album, but it’s not what fans expect when they hit play, and it’s a disappointing introduction. The highlight of the track is Bieber’s collaboration with Beam whose vocals match the new sound better than Bieber. When fans hear lyrics such as “The dead resurrected, the Devil tried test it, him lost / Him lose again / Head bruise again / Sweat, blood, tears ‘pon the cross / Did you know He paid the cost for you?,” it’s clear that the song has depth, but it doesn’t do justice to the rest of the album as an opening track. “All She Wrote” is the song that should have opened the EP. In a conversational manner, Bieber confronts his shortcomings, leaving fans to feel like he is praying to God in a moment of powerful

vulnerability. Chandler Moore and Brandon Love, who are featured on the song, join in with their own conversational verses. Fans will find themselves praying alongside Bieber and asking the question “Is there more for my life / Or is that all she wrote?” The third track, “We’re In This Together,” perfectly captures a moment of peace and hope. It is a soft track with a light humming sound, and Bieber’s calm vocals create a tranquil experience. As the artist reflects on his past, the easy flow helps him acknowledge his own growth as he encourages listeners to hope for the future and have faith. He sings, “All that to say, I’m thankful that’s not who I am / And I’m thankful God was with me when s--- hit the fan / ‘Cause He’s the reason that I’m still standin’ / And even in a pandemic, God is still plannin’.” “Where You Go I Follow,” featuring Moore and Pink Sweat$, is the song

that fans expect when they pick up a gospel album. The song’s style represents a shift in Bieber’s vocals as he puts more emphasis on singing instead of conversational rapping. His slow singing fits the song beautifully and the collaboration of Pink Sweat$ and Moore makes for a sentimental experience. The only downside to this track is the ending verse by Judah Smith. Smith speaks directly to the listener as a preacher, and while some listeners might appreciate the sentiment, the harshness of his voice roughly counters the soothing melodies laid on in the previous verses, making an unsatisfying ending to a beautiful song. Everyone has asked themselves “Where Do I Fit In,” and Bieber’s approach to this lost feeling is both touching and captivating. It’s best to listen to this track with headphones out in the yard where listeners can close their eyes, feel the wind and take a deep breath while the message of trust

sinks in. Kelly’s voice on this song is light and hopeful, perfectly pairing with Bieber and balancing out Moore and Smith’s deeper vocals. The EP closes with “Afraid to Say,” a soft sounding song that beautifully weaves vulnerability and fear together in a way that feels relatable and true. Bieber sings “Do we got the room to make mistakes? / Are we judged for everything we say? / I wanna grow but I’m afraid / And will it always be the same?” Unfortunately, Lauren Walters’ featured vocals creates an imbalance with his final verse as his deep voice negatively contrasts with Bieber’s light sound. It’s a gloomy ending to an otherwise gorgeous song. In a twist of Easter celebrations, Bieber surprised fans with an EP that captures the beauty of faith with a gospel led tracklist that praises hope and wonderfully captures the complex emotions that come with giving power to God.

JUSTIN BIEBER VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

8 Sports

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Bats: Improvements shown after early season struggles 1 The Lancers’ offense was overpowered by the Titans’ pitching staff over the first two games. However, on Sunday, Cal Baptist jumped out to an early lead, relying on the long ball. Despite the Titans showing life in the bottom of the ninth inning, scoring three runs off the hard-throwing Cal Baptist closer CJ Culpepper, Fullerton couldn’t muster up enough offense to come back from a five-run deficit in the final frame. “The offense has gotten better,” coach Rick Vanderhook said after Sunday’s game. “We still need the pitching to get better. We didn’t get many zeros. It’s hard to play catchup when you get behind, when you give up one or two runs every inning.” Entering Sunday’s action, the Lancers had just three runs in each of the first two meetings against Fullerton. Cal Baptist responded in game three with a pair of home runs, started by Damon Keith, who sent a two-run blast just below the scoreboard in left field, followed with a three-run home run by Connor Clift. The Titans showed hope throughout the game, scoring in four different innings, thanks in large part to catcher Cole CONTINUED FROM

Cole Urman went 7-13 in Cal State Fullerton’s three-game homestand last weekend against Cal Baptist. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan)

Urman, who put together a four-hit performance, and sent four runs across to score. “This week I changed my hands,” Urman said after the series finale. “I got a bigger load, more separation in my hands and it worked out well...Definitely, the adjustment helped.” Urman was Fullerton’s hottest hitter of the weekend, going 7-13 with five RBIs. Urman has now improved his average to .333, with a .403 on-base percentage and a .367 slugging percentage. “I think we’re playing a lot better than when we first started. Everybody is getting closer and closer as a team,” Urman said. “Everybody is making adjustments, getting better every single game. Just like I made an adjustment, turning my hitting around — I think that’s what everybody is doing.” The Titans move to an overall score of 12-15 on the season, maintaining their 5-3 Big West record. They sit at third place in the conference and are scheduled to play Big West opponents for the remainder of the season. Fuller ton will resume action with a four-game road trip against UC Davis on Friday.

CSUF softball extends winning streak to 11 games The Titans completed their three-game homestand with a series sweep against Cal State Northridge last Saturday. ADAM MALDONADO Editor

Saturday evening marked 11 consecutive victories for Cal State Fullerton softball as their 9-1 home victory secured the three-game series sweep against the Cal State Northridge Matadors. The Titans record now stands at 24-11 overall and 9-0 in the conference, which puts them in first place in the Big West. The first two games of the series provided close matchups that were separated by one run each, which was unusual for the Titans after winning nine of their last 11 victories by three runs or more. Fullerton head coach Kelly Ford credited the team’s pitching performance over the weekend as they held Northridge to six runs in the series. “They played fantastic. They gave us a game, they showed us some different pitching, they battled and I welcome that,” Ford said. In game one, Fullerton took a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning, sparked by a two-run home run by Hannah Becerra. Northridge’s Savannah Farve answered back in the third inning with a three-run home run of her own, tying the game at 3-3. The game remained tied heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but with the first two Titan batters getting on base, Kelsie Whitmore seized the opportunity with a walk-off RBI double, claiming the victory for Fullerton. “I struggled my last at bat, so just trying to make an adjustment, and trying to get the job done because it was in a crucial moment,” Whitmore said. “We kept that mentality of competing each pitch, staying within the game.” Sophie Frost anchored Fullerton’s defense, pitching a complete game that included nine strikeouts. Game two brought the same intensity as the matchup before, yet Fullerton managed to hold off a late Northridge comeback on their way to claim a 3-2 victory. Irie Siofele recorded the first run with a solo home run in the second inning for Fullerton. Whitmore followed up in the fourth inning with a home run of her own, while Daisy Munoz registered an RBI soon after, extending the lead to 3-0. The sixth inning spelled trouble as Northridge made the game interesting after Jaymi Steward hit a two-run home run with no outs. Dani Martinez came in for relief after the pair of scores, who shut down Northridge’s offense for the rest of the game on her way to earning the save. The Titans proved they were the superior team in the series finale, winning 9-1 and ending the game early in the sixth inning. The Titans ran away with the matchup in the third inning, registering three home runs by Becerra, Julia Valenzuela and KK Humphries. Becerra, who leads the conference in home runs and RBIs, sparked the Titans’ offense with three runs while batting 1-3 at the plate. The freshman capped the game in the sixth-inning off a sacrifice fly-out that brought in two runs. Frost pitched a gem, tossing a shutout through five innings while allowing one run and striking out three batters, earning the win. The victory moves the ace’s record to 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

“It’s always a pleasure to play behind her. She always gets the job done, throws strikes, able to hit her spots, and we love being able to be on the field for her,” Whitmore said. Fullerton will hit the road this week for a four game series against UC San Diego, starting with a doubleheader on Friday followed by another on Saturday. The first three games of the series will be counted toward their conference records, while the last game will be considered a non-conference matchup. “We gotta get back to work on Monday. I mean that’s what next week’s about. If we do any kind of coasting, it’s gonna pass us right by, so we have to have our best week of practice next week,” Ford said.

Irie Siofele had a home run while batting 1-3 in Cal State Fullerton’s 3-2 home victory on Saturday against Cal State Northridge. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan)

Sports 9

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

CSUF ends Cal Poly SLO’s undefeated season Natalie Duffy won the final match to give the Titans the road victory over the Mustangs. ALLISON SWEIGARD Staff Writer

Cal State Fullerton women’s tennis picked up their third Big West conference win on Friday after beating Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a final score of 4-3. The Mustangs held strong in the doubles matches. At No. 1, Titans Eira Tobrand and Misaki Kobayashi played a good match, but fell short in a tiebreaker and were defeated by Cal Poly’s MacKenzie Worsnop and Emily Ackerman in a match that ended in a score of 7-6. Jadie Acidera and Camila Garcia also fell short of a victory against the Mustangs with a score of 7-5. Lastly, at No. 3, Natalie Duffy and Camila Garcia faced off against the Mustangs in a match that was left unfinished. These matches gave the Mustangs the doubles point and a

lead of 1-0 heading into singles play. In singles, Acidera was defeated in straight sets during the first match. Kobayashi’s match followed, where she gave the Titans their first win of the day after beating her opponent, Melissa LaMette, in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-0.

Fullerton fell short once more after Tobrand lost in straight sets against her opponent Delanie Dunkle, 6-4 and 6-4. Juliette Daries pulled out a win for the Titans by beating her opponent in straight sets, 6-1 and 6-2. YuSeung Suh was also able to bring another win for the Titans in a three-set match. These wins brought the match to a tied score of 3-3, before heading into the last singles match of the day.

The final match was up to Duffy to bring home the win for Fullerton. Duffy lost in the first set, then went on to win in the second set that ended in a tiebreaker. The final set went to another tiebreaker where Duffy won, 7-6 (4). This clinching match broke the Mustangs’ winning streak and brought them their first loss of the season, while giving the Titans their third conference win this season. “Extremely proud of how the team competed. It’s not easy to win a match on the road especially against a team who is having a stellar year and having to deal with the elements and a home crowd,” said women’s tennis head coach Dianne Matias. “To lose the doubles point and to come back from being down 1-3 in the match with both Natalie and Julia losing their first sets showed a lot [of] grit. We look to build off this match as we head into the remaining conference matches.” The Titans had only won one away match this season, but this victory at Cal Poly gave them their second match victory on the road. The Titans will look for another Big West conference win as they host the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Thursday.

Natalie Duffy won her singles match against Cal Poly SLO on Saturday. (CSUF Athletics)

Titans win CSUF Spring Invite JOSHUA BYFIELD Asst. Editor

The Cal State Fullerton track and field team took first place in both the men’s and women’s divisions in the CSUF Spring Invite, beating out the five other teams they competed against on Thursday and Friday. Sam Ayala broke Steve Frisone’s 27-year-old school record in the men’s 1500-meter at the invitational on Thursday night. Ayala’s record-breaking 1500 started the track events for the men. His blistering time of 3 minutes, 44.85 seconds shattered the old mark left by Frisone nearly 30 years ago by more than four seconds, good for first place at the meet. Day one of the competition began with the field events for the day. For the men, Tanner Miller placed second in the shot put with a throw of 16.53 meter, and lost to UC Irvine’s Kyle Tsu. Ernesto Collazo set a new personal record in the pole vault as he cleared 16 feet, 1 ¼ inches. In the women’s field events, Sinai Fatafehi took third place in the hammer throw as well as second in the shot put, with teammate Evalen Garcia taking third place behind her. Andrea Woods placed second in the javelin throw in the final field event of the day.

Bobby Brana secured a season-best time of 9:22.73 in his second-place finish in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase while Cayden Ruiz and Alexis Garcia both secured top three finishes in the men’s 5,000 meter. Samantha Huerta won the women’s 1,500 meter with a time of 4:24.27, followed by teammate Trinity Ruelas, who came in second. Huerta also won the women’s 800 meter, while Sarah Hollis took first place in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:40.23. On Friday, Christian Wood started with a Titan win in the men’s long jump with a mark of 23 feet, 4 ¾ inches, as well as a third-place finish in the men’s triple jump. Naiah Boardingham pushed her winning streak in the women’s long jump event to four, and finished first with a mark of 19 feet, 11 ½ inches. The Titans also took the two top spots in the women’s high jump — Iesha Hamm captured first place with a jump of 5 feet, 8 inches and Alexis Vincent-Walker slotted into second. The last section of the meet began in victory for Fullerton’s A-team in the 4-x-100-meter relay with a time of 40.7 seconds, though the B-team only finished two-tenths of a second behind them. The A-team consisted of Ryan Hall, Cooper Bibbs, Rasaun House and Marcel Espinoza, while the B-team had Wood, Naythn Scruggs, Charlie Pierce and Ty Sheridan.

Though the undefeated Charles Kelly did not compete, Matt Cohen finished second in the 110-meter hurdles, and first in the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a time of 55.25 seconds. Fullerton’s stable of talented runners shone brightest during the sprinting events of the day. In the 400-meter dash, only Titans vied for the top spot as Parris Samaniego’s time of 47.43 edged out Espinoza by just four-hundredths of a second. Justin Lowe finished third, giving CSUF the first of three sweeps on the day. The men’s also swept the 100m as well as the 200m, with both events won by Hall. For the women runners, Mariah Stewart won her first event of the season with her 14.61 second finish in the 100-meter hurdles, just ahead of teammate Karyn Best, who finished second. Maya Occiano did not compete in any hurdling events but finished third in the 400 meter, while teammate Hailey Murdica took second in the 100 meter. To close out the meet, the Titans placed third in the men’s 4-x-400-meter relay while the women’s placed second. Cal State Fullerton’s track and field teams will continue on the road next week as they compete at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Invite next Friday in Las Vegas. They will also compete in the Bryan Clay Invite the same day as well as the following Saturday in Azusa, California.

Ryan Hall, seen here on March 13, competed in the men’s 4x100m relay with the team recording a time of 40.70 seconds at the CSUF Spring Invite on Friday. (Adam Maldonado / Daily Titan) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

10 Opinion

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Officials strip citizens of needed shelter Blocking off crucial encampment sites dehumanizes the homeless community. DESTINY LALONDE Staff Writer

There is no greater guilt than driving down the streets of Los Angeles, only to find parks and streets filled with tents, used shopping carts and other amenities that signify the living spaces of the homeless population. LA is one of the many cities in California with an incredibly large homeless population of over 66,000 people, a 12.7% rise since 2019, according to the LA Homeless Services Authority. Echo Park is likely the most controversial park in LA in regards to the homelessness crisis, considering the fact that it has been an ideal space for homeless individuals to seek shelter in a safer environment — until now. Many individuals’ tents in Echo Park were filled with personal belongings, treasured items and identification for a ‘home’ that they could be secure in. When the city of LA swiftly barred off the park and urged everyone away from their small tents and spaces without any of their belongings, it became yet another move to relocate the homeless population without offering available

housing space. Rather than providing an alternative location, the city of LA continued to pass the population around like passing an empty glass bottle that’s been sipped on too many times. Although there are plenty of home-

housing for homeless people is already a hot topic, but the continued absence of compassion and courtesy toward the homeless population is ruthless. Not only is it disruptive, but it also creates a devastating reaction and perpetuates the idea that home-

HUYEN TRAN TRAN / DAILY TITAN

less encampments scattered throughout LA, Echo Park remained a particular target for the city to remove the encampments and force homeless individuals from their camps with no set location to go. The issue with a lack of

less people are not worthy of any care or assistance, and can just be tossed around until the city is satisfied. Even though hotels surrounding Echo Park have offered safe havens for the homeless population of the park, the city of LA granted

Commercial fishing is slowly killing the oceans The industry’s refusal to engage in sustainable methods cannot be justified by delicious seafood. KIM PHAM Asst. Editor

The fishing industry has brought a human-made disaster that is projected to drain our oceans of life in less than 30 years if nothing is done to stop them. The urgency of protecting our oceans from the fishing industry cannot be stressed enough. To understand the severity of this industry’s impact on marine life, we must first be educated on how the ocean’s ecosystems are affected by current global fishing practices. Commercial fishing not only drains our oceans of our favorite seafoods, but it also kills predatory marine species, such as sharks. While these mammals aren’t being hunted on purpose, they are being captured, and often killed, as bycatch. Bycatch is fish that were caught unintentionally in an attempt to capture a target species. Through commercial fishing, tens of millions of sharks have died as bycatch. Sharks, which occupy the top of marine food chains, are essential to keeping the oceans alive and marine ecosystems intact. If the predator at the top of the food chain is wiped out, the next level of predatory fish species will overpopulate and subsequently wipe out their own food supply. This pattern will trickle down the food chain until all marine species are extinct. According to the Netflix 2021 documentary “Seaspiracy,” the world’s oceans will be depleted by 2048 if current fishing practices continue. And if the ocean dies, life as we know it will change forever. Humans may be able to enjoy what seems like an abundance of seafood right now, but if current trends continue, there won’t be any seafood left for sustainable harvest. The first and most crucial step to fixing this issue is understanding the ocean’s essential role to our quality of life. Oceans are one of Earth’s main natural carbon sinks, which are natural environments that can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. According to the World Economic Forum, oceans absorbed a third of carbon dioxide emissions between 1994 and 2007, which is equivalent to 34 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide. If it wasn’t for our oceans, over a decade’s worth of human-made carbon would be heating Earth’s atmosphere even more than it already is today. Not only is the ocean home to a million marine species, some of which have already gone extinct or are close to extinction due to human activity, but its ecosystems and carbon cycle are clearly necessary for the sustenance of all life on Earth. According to the World Wildlife Fund, 3 billion people rely on seafood as their primary source of protein. But, that statistic doesn’t include people who consume fish as a non-primary source of protein. Even for the individuals who don’t consume fish, everyone is responsible for VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

them a short deadline to vacate, forcing them to relocate quickly. Not only was the city’s decision brash and abrasive, but it also shows a lack of care for those already struggling to survive. According to the 2020 LA Homeless Count report, older

adult homelessness increased by 20% from 2017 to 2020, and 90% of unsheltered older adults resided in LA County prior to becoming unsheltered. This increase, as well as such a high percentage of unsheltered adults, shows a lack of initiative from the

city of LA in providing the homeless population with not only shelter, but any proper assistance for their survival. While the homeless population steadily increases, the lack of attention toward resolving the issue is what makes the situation overwhelming. Even the spark of outrage among protestors was not enough to influence reform, and definitely not enough to influence any greater change in how we can provide housing to the majority of homeless individuals. The dismantling of the homeless encampment in Echo Park sparked protests, many of which ended in reporters and journalists arrested. Again, this further displayed a sincere distrust in the community and the city’s force against a population that cannot retaliate. There is no sincerity in the city’s advancement, especially to target Echo Park in their push for removal while leaving other encampments to fend for themselves. Although Echo Park was not the first place where the city of LA has forced individuals to vacate homeless encampments, Echo Park is surely a point of discussion when speaking on homeless issues within the greater LA area. The actions of the city pose a large threat to the homeless community and the people who hold a desire to help them.

educating themselves and spreading awareness on the fishing industry’s unsustainable practices. Despite all the evidence exposing the fishing industry’s harmful impact on our oceans, “fishing subsidies are estimated to be as high as $35 billion worldwide, of which $20 billion directly contributes to overfishing,” according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. People need to be more conscious of the fish they’re consuming before they fund an industry that is projected to wipe out marine life. Fish farming has been offered as another harmful form of fishing as compared to the traditional modalities of fishing that often damage ocean floors, collect bycatch and disrupt marine biodiversity. But rather than pose as the eco-friendly solution it was intended to be, the practice is just biological nonsense. Modern salmon farms, for example, overproduce the fish in tightly packed net pens. Not only are these fish constantly swimming around in their own waste, but this type of breeding environment also leads to disease and pollution. Even though fish farmers are coming up with creative solutions in an attempt to make the practice sustainable, the fishing industry as a whole is anything but. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, “the fraction of fish stocks that are within biologically sustainable levels decreased from 90% in 1974 to 65.8% in 2017. In contrast, the percentage of stocks fished at biologically unsustainable levels increased, especially in the late 1970s and 1980s, from 10% in 1974 to 34.2% in 2017.” The overfishing crisis comes as a result of fisheries’ complete disregard for ecological responsibility, which consequently led to the depletion of many fish species, fish habitats and their greater ecosystems. If this trend continues, an empty ocean won’t be far out of reach. With all the damage that has been done, the best and most effective way to maintain the integrity of our ocean systems is to simply stop eating fish — for now. In its current state, sustainable fishing does not exist. If the demand for fish goes down, we might be able to save the ocean’s wildlife from extinction within the next couple decades

REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @THEDAILYTITAN

Leisure 11

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

WRITTEN by Stepheny Gehrig

Do you know where Tuffy is? Follow @thedailytitan and submit your answer on Instagram for a chance to win.

Fast Food App Hacks Sonic Drive-In: Download the app to and for deals such as half-price cheeseburgers after 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and half-price drinks and Slushes always. Wendy's: Download the app for offers such as $3 off a purchase of $15 or more. Place an order in the app, online or scan the app at checkout to earn rewards points. For each $1 you spend you'll receive 10 points and you can redeem the points in the future. McDonald's: Download and register for the app to get your choice of a Sausage McMuffin with Egg, a McChicken or a Cheeseburger for free. There are also a lot of great deals on it. Jersey Mike's: The MyMike’s app allows you to track your ShorePoints and offers a lot of exclusive offers to save money.

This week will bring forward the obstacles that have been burdening you. Though this week may be difficult, this rocky week will guide you to the path that you’re supposed to be on.

This week, you might be overbooked. Some unexpected plans or obligations might come up and ruin your schedule. Try to take things on as they come.

This week may prove to be a challenge for you as other obligations interfere with your plans, but it serves as a lesson as you learn to adapt and be resilient.

The start of the week will be centered on reflecting on your past. The end of the week will bring an awakening in regards to what you want for your future. Be open to change.

This week will be filled with new friendships. You’ll be more confident and sociable -- more open to talking to others. It might be on a trip to the grocery store or just running errands, but you’ll make an impact on someone you pass by.

As you head into the week you might find yourself questioning friendships or even romantic relationships. However, if you reach out and communicate your feelings, you might be able to find the reassurance you need.

You’ve been avoiding confronting people on issues that have been bugging you lately. This week brings in a new energy that will lead you to have those difficult talks. It will allow you to be more understanding and confident.

You might begin to feel that everyone is asking too much of you. Take some time to evaluate all that you’re doing and your feelings toward your tasks, you might be overwhelming yourself too.

The beginning of the week will be riddled with times where you may be overthinking all of your choices, and the end of the week will be filled with indecision. It might be a difficult, but reaching out can ease that burden.

Envy might take control over you. Envy can lead you to act in ways that you don’t normally act, so keep yourself in check. Recognize when you’re feeling envious of others and reassess those feelings.

Some issues that you’ve pushed aside are starting to resurface this week. Use this week as a time to reflect and see what you can do to solve those issues.

You may feel the need to keep to yourself this week. During this time alone, let yourself feel the emotions you have been trying to suppress. Learn to process your emotions and let others help guide you on your path to healing.

FOLLOW US ON IG: @lbsacsuf Philosophy Club Cal State Fullerton’s Philosophy Club is a student-run organization that organizes events to cultivate your interests in philosophy. Every year, they collaborate with the faculty of the Philosophy department to put together the annual Philosophy Symposium. The Philosophy Symposium offers students and faculty an opportunity to hear visiting philosophers speak on various issues. It also gives students the chance to engage with professionals from the discipline. Aside from the symposium, the Philosophy Club organizes reading groups, socials, and student/faculty presentations to enrich the philosophy community at Cal State Fullerton. For your club or organization to be featured, email production@dailytitan.com with photo(s) and a description with no more than 125 words.

“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” -Banksy VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

12 Opinion

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 12

Upselling ruins the fun of video games Reselling video game consoles for inflated prices forces gamers to pay unnecessary costs. BRIAN GARCIA Staff Writer

Given the current lack of entertainment in our pandemic world, a popular hobby that emerged last year is gaming. Although gaming has always been popular for all ages, it has grown exponentially since the start of the pandemic. With that, reselling video games has seen a growth in popularity as well. It’s a creative way to get money while times have been tough. But as reselling has gained traction, a more aggressive strategy called scalping is growing in the gaming community as well. The Cambridge Dictionary states that scalping is buying items at their normal price and selling them to others for much higher when the items are in scarce supply. Unlike reselling, scalping forces gamers to pay ridiculous prices for games, while those selling them make a pretty penny. Scalping is an unethical way to make money, and it can have a dangerous effect on the way we buy things in the future. It’s scamming people out of a lot of money, hidden behind the excuse of supply and demand. The immense profits made from scalping

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provides a strong incentive for this behavior to continue. We’ll be forced to pay twice as much for no good reason other than scalpers’ greed. Now more than ever, people are actively buying things with the goal of removing stock from shelves and selling them at a ridiculous upcharge. For gamers, this means that people are strategically taking away consoles that would otherwise go to those who actually want to use them. Gone are the days when we could just go into our local GameStop to buy a new console to play with our friends for too many hours. Scalpers have ruined the fabric of gaming, as money has been prioritized over personal enjoyment. Every couple of years when the newest and best game systems are released to consumers, they sell incredibly fast. With the reduced output, or in some cases total shutdown of factories, video games and consoles are more scarce, and people are left competing with scalpers and robots that are trying to buy them all up before anyone else. To make matters worse, there is a major shortage of silicone chips, which are important components to game consoles, computers and many other types of technology. The demand for technology with these chips is incredibly high and even though companies

have begun to increase production of these chips, it is almost impossible to meet the demand. This has further contributed to scarcity of next generation consoles as there aren’t enough parts to make them. This leaves a perfect storm for scalpers and resellers to take advantage of. Gaming offers people a way to pass time and take their minds off the scary and serious world we have been living in. But scalpers are taking that opportunity away from people who seriously need a small escape. Looking online at Best Buy, GameStop and Target shows that there are no Playstation or Xbox

consoles available for purchase. Stores rarely gain new stock and when they do, people camp out overnight just for a chance to buy one. But when one moves their search to sites such as Ebay or StockX, which are meant for people to sell their own items, they find numerous listings for the consoles ranging anywhere from $600 to even $1499. Just to put those prices in context, the cheapest Playstation 5, which uses digital copies of games instead of discs, is $399 and the standard system is $499. Similarly, the regular Xbox Series X is $499 and the disc free Xbox Series S sells for $299. This means

that scalpers are making almost double or more by strategically buying them all before others can. To end scalper’s reign of terror on the gaming community, gamers need to stop buying from them, no matter how badly they want the new games and consoles. If consumers refuse to buy at inflated prices, scalpers can’t afford the heavy losses. When the gaming community stops rewarding scalper’s behavior with sales, it can eradicate the problem all together. Then gaming won’t be a headache anymore, and will once again become a fun hobby to be enjoyed alone or with friends.

CINDY PROAÑO / DAILY TITAN