Week of Monday, May 17, 2021 by Daily Titan

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Monday, May 17, 2021

Volume 109 Issue 17

Begovich Gallery Additional housing will open in fall under construction Students can enjoy a new art installation at CSUF this September. STEPHANIE CASTILLO Asst. Editor

Coming off the heels of a successful virtual spring programming, Cal State Fullerton’s Begovich Gallery is putting its efforts into recreating that engagement

for their upcoming fall program. Jennifer Frias, the gallery’s director, is hard at work to ensure the fall programming will be alluring and safe for all visitors. In an email to the Daily Titan, Frias said that prior to the lockdown, the gallery was in the process of installing an exhibition titled, “Kim Abeles: Smog Collectors, 1987-2020.” SEE ART

The Begovich Gallery will open in mid-September. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan)

CSUF’s new suite style apartments will fit roughly 600 students by fall 2022. MATTHEW COOK Staff Writer

Cal State Fullerton is building new campus housing south of the Gastronome for students, which is expected to open in fall 2022. Larry Martin, the executive director for Housing and Residential Engagement and the Titan Experience, said the building will be designed as suite style apartments with three continuous wings and tailored towards sophomores and juniors. He said the campus housing will fit roughly 600 students and bring the total number of students in housing up to 2,200. The new building will take up space in Lot E and move the parking spaces that were available there over to the service lot by Titan Hall, Martin said. The goal for the new housing project is to replace the double apartments that are already on campus and create a pipeline for students who can live on campus all four years at CSUF. Martin said he saw positive experiences from students with on-campus housing.

“We have great success with first year freshman and new transfer students who want to live on campus because they see the benefit as they start their journey and get connected to campus and resources and to the people so we just wanted to build on that and hope that students will see the benefit in staying for a second year,” Martin said. The new housing will be a great way for students who live on campus to continue their experience while having more privacy, Martin said. “You’re going from 54 people to living really with eight people, each suite is eight and there will be several suites on a floor so you’ll still be in community but have a little more privacy,” Martin said. SEE ROOMS

SPECIAL EDITION INSIDE: GRAD GUIDE!

Softball drops Big West title to Long Beach Correction: Irvine SEE PAGE 8

Costumes, kindness and magical moments A Moment of Magic club surprises children with character visits, positivity and hope. TAYLOR ARREY Editor

Whether it’s Queen Elsa visiting from Arendelle, a superhero dropping by to say hello after saving the city or a magic maker with a handful of surprises, this organization is dedicated to spreading positivity, happiness and most importantly — moments of magic. A Moment of Magic is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing magic to the children who need it most. In 2014, founders Kylee McGrane and Margaret McAndrew began their journey by dressing up as two princesses and visiting children receiving medical care. As they made their way through local hospitals in New York, the “Princess

Editorial: The pandemic took time from us that can never be brought back.

Project” was born. But what started as a humble mission adopted by two college roommates quickly became a viral story that captured the hearts of millions. By November 2016, the organization began establishing chapters at colleges and universities across the United States. Cal State Fullerton joined the mission in 2020, with club members establishing the first and only chapter in California. Brisa Bernal, the chapter’s founder and president, said that she learned about the organization from a friend who joined a chapter in North Carolina, and she took the opportunity to bring the magic to the West Coast. After a series of interviews with the national organization and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSUF’s chapter of A Moment of Magic was finally approved by the college last November, marking the start of a new journey for the club’s first executive board. Bernal said that the virtual environment made it difficult to find members, but she relied on close friends and sorority sisters to get the club off the ground.

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SEE JOY

campus sale grosses nearly $50 million ALLISON SWEIGARD Staff Writer

Cal State Fullerton’s sale of its Irvine campus in January 2021 grossed nearly $50 million, much higher than the amount incorrectly reported last week by Daily Titan. The sale of the building closed in March and Cal State Fullerton has said it will vacate the property by July 1. Since the sale closed, CSUF has been leasing back both buildings from the new owners. The leasing price, if any, has not been disclosed. The Daily Titan incorrectly reported an Irvine campus sale price

of $24.5 million which was based on the sale of only one of the buildings, Banting 3, which is the building Cal State Fullerton occupied. This sale price did not include the price of Banting 1, which CSUF owned and leased out to Western State College of Law; they will also vacate by July 1. The previously reported sale price did not reflect the true price of the two buildings that were bought eight years and then sold together. An associate dean questioned the sale price, and an investigation by editors revealed the error. SEE PRICE

The Irvine campus will close by July 1. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

2 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Faculty member promotes equity at CSUF Lisa Kirtman was promoted as the dean of education in 2016 after time as an educator and department chair. JESSICA AITKEN Staff Writer

Cal State Fullerton’s dean of Education, Lisa Kirtman rallies to create valuable programs for her professors and by extension, the program’s future educators and their students. Before she was promoted to the role of dean in 2016, Kirtman was an educator and a department chair. Growing up, Kirtman said she never thought she would become a dean, let alone know what that was. She said she became a teacher because she wanted to change the world one class at a time, a mentality that has followed her into her work as a dean. “We are one of the largest teaching credentialing programs in California. I believe we have an opportunity to make a positive impact on so many K-12 teachers and ultimately improve schools for children,” Kirtman said. “My hope is that as the dean I can help shape policy and practices to continue that dream I had as a teacher to ‘change the world.’” Kirtman said her own experiences with racism and discrimation as a Black woman has influenced her passion to hire and retain people of color in the college. “Discrimination has occurred to keep students of color out of higher education and out of certain fields, and history has tried to remove indications of the contributions of people of color,” Kirtman said. Kirtman said that there are barriers deeply rooted in institutionalized racism that people can’t see because of already set practices, but that having people of color in these areas is one way to combat this challenge. “Bringing in faculty of color helps us see the barriers that we may be missing. They create new voices and new perspectives. They allow students of color to see themselves in the faculty, staff and administrations,” Kirtman said. Kim Case, the associate dean of the College of Education, works closely with Kirtman and has been a colleague of Kirtman since she was a professor in Elementary and Bilingual Education, a program within the College of Education. Case said Kirtman has shown what it means to foster inclusive education for the faculty, staff and students at Cal State Fullerton. “When she became department chair, she was the type of leader that inspired people to want to work harder for our students and our programs. She has always been unwavering in her passion for student success and her commitment to equity,” Case said. “As a mentor, she has instilled in me that the work towards diversity, equity and inclusion begins on the inside and at a personal level.” Ding-Jo Currie, a distinguished faculty member in the Higher Education Leadership program, said that Kirtman’s intersectionality in her personal and professional life has become

Lisa Kirtman, Dean of Education at CSUF. (Cal State Fullerton) one of her strongest assets. “I respect a leader who is justice-minded, and I feel that that’s important,” Currie said. Dianna Lopez, assistant dean, said that she would not be the professional and leader that she is today without Kirtman’s mentorship and leadership. Lopez said Kirtman is a transformational leader, focused on the growth and wellbeing of people in the university’s community. She said Kirtman is not doing work for the spotlight, but rather to advance diversity, equity and inclusiveness in public education. “I’ve grown as a leader, I’ve grown as a woman of color in higher education, I’ve grown as a Titan, I’ve grown overall because of her investing in me professionally,” Lopez said. “I feel supported. I feel I can go to her if I need something. I can go to her for advice; I can go to her for anything pretty much.” Lopez spoke about the work that Kirtman has done to hire and retain people of color within the college to diversify the faculty and staff, by creating new policies and establishing a culture that retains people of color.

Lopez said that Kirtman is incredible because everything she does, she continues to keep in mind the kindergarten kids to the 12th grade kids, and that she makes sure that the faculty and staff are prepared to serve those students and serve them well. Marc Ecker, a distinguished lecturer for the College of Education, said he thinks Kirtman’s biggest accomplishment is her efforts toward building interdepartmental collegiality and increasing communication. “I think she has really made efforts to break down those walls and to advocate and increase the level of interdepartment communication,” Ecker said. Natalie Tran, professor and chair of secondary education, said that Kirtman’s experience as a teacher and woman of color has shaped the way that she provides leadership for the college. “She understands the challenges the students of color face, she understands what it takes to support and ensure that our students of color are successful, as well as what it takes to support our faculty,” Tran said.

Lisa Kirtman, Dean of Education at CSUF. (Cal State Fullerton) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

News 3

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Local business repurposes excess clothing The non-profit donates personalized T-shirts back to the community. KARINA GUTIERREZ ADAM MALDONADO Editors

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Jeff Lau, an Orange County resident, is the owner of Creations by Design. (Jeff Lau) hopeful trigger to jumpstarting a bigger movement. His long-term goal is to provide essentials through the clothing he donates, he said. The aid would be personalized, he said, to avoid giving someone a hand-medown or an item that had no value in the marketplace. “Try to provide a little bit of dignity back to those people that are either down on their luck or due to some circumstances are not able to afford some basic necessities and in my case that would be a shirt or some type of clothing,” Lau said. In addition to Laura’s

House, DigniTees has made a connection with Beyond Freedom, an Orange County-based nonprofit that aims to combat sex trafficking. Lau said that in the future, he hopes to work with organizations that require assistance and need, such as churches and educational organizations. There’s a big laundry list and it’s just a question of not biting off more than they can chew and taking it slow, he said. “The more that we do the more we will have the opportunity to look for other organizations to be involved with,” Lau said.

EDITORIAL

with Lau’s mission and goals, Wishart said. The desired artwork was sent to Lau, along with the T-shirt sizes of Laura’s House staff members, and as he works to finish up the uniforms, there could be several phases to the partnership, Wishart said. “I like the idea and I hope more businesses do it, where they’re starting to give back to the community kind of growing this charity arm and seeing ways that they could help people who may need it,” Wishart said. Coincidently, Lau’s act of donating T-shirts was a

Editor-in-Chief Jessica Benda Managing Editor Madeline Gray Digital Managing Editor Karina Gutierrez News Editor Anthony Robledo Deputy News Editor Michelle Ibañez News Assistants Emily Downer Lily Lopez Nicole Mariona Miranda Lombrana Sports Editor Adam Maldonado

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Pabalan and Emma Baxter helped Lau expand the nonprofit sector of his business. The capstone project allows students to participate in a setting related to their field of study, and gives them the opportunity to apply the concepts and strategies they learned from previous courses. Rivera said the group expected to perform the typical outreach that was required of those in public relations, such as social media or newsletters. Their goals soon changed when Lau said that his desire was to build the nonprofit sector of Creations by Design. “At the end of the day, the important thing for us is to be helping out our community,” Rivera said. “That’s one of the coolest things about the capstone, is that it gets you connected with these local small businesses who might have been struggling because of COVID and it gives you an opportunity to give back.” Sutton drafted and sent out a pitch letter to a handful of nonprofit organizations, Rivera said. The group waited for a response on a possible partnership until they received a response from Crystal Wishart, the fund development and communications coordinator team lead at Laura’s House, a domestic violence agency located in southern Orange County. With a couple hundred employees, purchasing staff shirts can be costly for Laura’s House, taking away funds that could be used for clients, programs and services. But the lack of a uniform does not allow for the staff to properly represent Laura’s House when out in the community, Wishart said. “To find somebody like Jeff who has the extra inventory and has the printing equipment already and wants to give back was serendipitous,” Wishart said. “He is working his magic behind the scenes to make that happen for us.” Prior to the email from the CSUF group, Wishart was working to find someone that could help. Coincidently, the staff shirt idea fell in line

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Jeff Lau, owner of homebased business Creations by Design, realized that he had an excess stock of T-shirts and was left without an efficient way to repurpose them. “It was that gradual realization that ‘Hey, why don’t I put this to use?’ rather than just donate blanks somewhere. What if I could figure out a way to put a little bit of style onto it, or add more value onto it,” Lau said. The overstock of clothes eventually became an obstacle for Lau to maneuver, and they were a hassle to sort through. This led Lau to the idea of reimagining the goods with a slightly different style, and thus, his non-profit branch DigniTees was formed. Lau began making T-shirts when he was in high school. From a part-time job, the craft turned into a hobby for the Orange County resident. His growing interest in it eventually transitioned the hobby into a full-time job and soon a business. Creations by Design was established in 2003 to create T-shirt designs for local businesses, schools and community organizations in the Orange County area. DigniTees eventually grew from Lau’s business as an avenue to donate the remaining surplus of blank T-shirts back to the community. This spring, Lau partnered with a group of Cal State Fullerton students to do public relations for his company, Creations By Design. Upon working with the group, Lau presented a larger vision for what he wanted DigniTees to grow into. Typically, Lau would redesign shirts with a slogan and donate them to other nonprofits, such as the Vietnam Veterans of America or the Salvation Army. Although indirect, the practice allowed Lau to utilize his extra clothing for a good cause, eliminating his problem while also helping others with theirs. However, Lau said the everyday operations of running his for-profit business hindered his ability to focus on his nonprofit sector. With most of the work falling on his shoulders, Lau said that his main focus fell on completing current orders, which caused him to hold off on his separate venture. Lau said the students have been the “feet on the street”’ in regards to making connections and going beyond for DigniTees. Their involvement has also allowed Lau to give more attention to his prioritizing his nonprofit. “It was just one of those things, when you make something a priority you tend to do it. Because I had agreed to work with them it was something I needed to follow through on,” Lau said. Thrown together to complete their public relations capstone requirement, Rhett Rivera, Christian Sutton, Lauren Finney, Diego

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FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 3. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article. Please contact Editor-in-Chief Jessica Benda at (657) 278-5815 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com to report any errors.

© Copyright Daily Titan 2020 All Rights Reserved The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, Inc. College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free.

4 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY

Rooms: Increased privacy for students CONTINUED FROM 1 Beyoncé Diaz, a residential advisor on the first floor of the Sycamore housing building and a junior at CSUf, said living on campus provides a sense of community for students coming from different countries. “I think it’s good. I mean it provides more housing for students because CSUF has a lot of students who come from around the world, other states and even here in the community. So I think it’s good they are providing more housing for students,” Diaz said. The new housing structure is a part of Cal State Fullerton’s Physical Master Plan from 2020-39. The master plan consists of a new event center, crosswalks and building

add-ons for the campus. The master plan is set to utilize the most open space possible. Open space is one reason why many students come to CSUF — 79% of current CSUF students were attracted to the college because of the quality of outdoor spaces, landscaping and art, the 2021 Master Plan states. The Master plan says it creates open space to “promote intellectual growth” and to bring diverse students together. CSUF’s efforts for creating more open space is based on adding more stories to a building and vertically expanding them to provide students with improved architecture and open space. Ellen Treanor, the associate vice president for strategic

communication, was part of the development of the new Physical Master Plan and said she is grateful for the work to improve the space on campus. “I appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into looking at the height and saying, ‘If we go up another two stories then we save space,’ we can save green space, we can save areas outside. I mean we live in the perfect climate,” Treanor said. Treanor said the Physical Master Plan was a great step in innovating CSUF as much as possible without fully urbanizing the campus. Although, she said she had some concerns about the parking structure. “The piece that I had a lot of questions when I first saw the master plan — really had to do with

parking because parking structures are extremely expensive, they are very hard to gain back how much they cost,” Treanor said. Diaz said one of her concerns is the campus having enough space for housing — as one of many students’ concern is finding enough space to park on campus. Although, she said she sees its efforts as being a more beautiful campus through construction of new buildings and an open scenery. The master plan has been supported unanimously by the board of trustees. The roughly $125 million new housing project will be the one of many new or improved areas on campus that will innovate CSUF, but also keep as much green and open space as possible.

The construction site is located on Lot E ; the new housing area is expected to be completed by fall 2022. (Michelle Ibañez / Daily Titan)

Price: CSUF can’t reveal property buyer CONTINUED FROM 1 Cal State Fullerton’s Auxiliary Services Corporation, sold both Banting 1 and Banting 3. The buildings are located off the Route 133 freeway between Interstate 5 and 405. The university previously stated that they were looking to sell only one of the buildings, but later decided to sell both after receiving an offer for the two. Daily Titan originally obtained the public sale records

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through a commercial real estate agent; both the agent and reporter failed to notice that the sale price only included one of the buildings. The actual sale price of the two buildings, Banting 1 and Banting 3, was apparently $49.6 million. The sale of the building was not made public, according to Ellen Treanor, the associate vice president for strategic communications at CSUF. Treanor said a

non-disclosure agreement was requested by the buyer of the property, who is is “secretive by nature.” The true sale price of the two buildings was revealed on the deed obtained from the county clerk’s office; the amount of $54,587.50 was hand-written on the grant deed, revealing the transfer tax, as well as a checked box that stated, “computed on full value of property conveyed.”

The California transfer tax rate is $1.10 per $1,000 of sales price, which calculates to the true combined sale price of $49.6 million for Banting 1 and Banting 3. The tax was paid by Telemetry Properties LLC, a company created by the hedge fund company TGS Management, which is based in Princeton, New Jersey, and Irvine. Chuck Kissel, the executive director for Auxiliary

Services Corporation at CSUF, confirmed that ASC spent approximately $4.3 million on improvements to Banting 1 and Banting 3 since its purchase in August 2013. The repairs included an $830,672 seismic retrofit to improve earthquake resistance. CSUF paid $30.5 million for the two buildings, making a profit estimated by Daily Titan of about $14.8 million on their recent sale.

Lifestyle 5

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Album

REVIEW

J.Cole’s new sound greatly differs from past projects

CAMERON WINSTON Staff Writer

Rap artist J. Cole dropped his latest album, “The Off-Season,” on May 14, with a different sound than what fans have been used to from his latest projects. With 12 songs and a total time of 39 minutes, this is his shortest album since his debut in 2011. From the start, Cole comes on to the beat with “95.south,” indicating that this is going to be something different. The aggression and delivery sets the album to be more of a direct rap pattern than a slow melodic flow. “The Off-Season” saw mixtape Cole again — a contrast to what fans have seen from him from some of his newer albums. Instead of focusing on telling a story from beginning to end as his last three albums have, Cole raps, letting his words navigate through the album. This mix-up makes for an enjoyable album as the last time fans heard this version of Cole was in his past mixtapes like “The WarmUp” and “Friday Night Lights.” One of the most significant differences that Cole took with this album was having features for the first time since 2013’s “Born Sinner.” This is quite a shock as avid Cole fans know that one of the famous descriptors for Cole has been his ability to go platinum with no features in his last three albums. “The Off-Season” has created a whole new direction for Cole and his fans. The album features 21 Savage, Lil Baby, 6lack and Bas, who was one of the first artists Cole signed to his Dreamville label in 2013. It was a pleasant surprise to finally hear Cole have features on an album and 21 Savage and 6lack back on a track. Cole appeared on both artist’s tracks in 2018 with 21 Savage’s “A lot” and 6lack’s “Pretty Little Fears.” This is the first time Cole collaborated with Lil Baby, an artist who is currently considered one of the best new rappers. 21 Savage appears on “My.life,” and Lil Baby appears on “Pride.is.the.devil.” It is safe to say the rap game needs more collaborations between Cole and 21 Savage because right now, they are two for two. Songs that could be fan favorites outside of the

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two features are “95.south,” “100.mil” and “Amari.” These are the strongest songs on the album where everything is aligning perfectly. The flow, his bars, and the production are excellent, making it a deadly three-piece combination. This album is very punchline-driven with classic verses including NBA player shoutouts, like one to the Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant in “My. life”. Social media lit up with one of those lines when Cole infamously referenced Nintendo character Mario with the lyric, “Could put an M on your head/ you Luigi brother now.” According to Genius, this translates as Cole saying he could put

a million-dollar bounty on his opponent’s head. Cole also confirms a scuffle he and P. Diddy had back in 2013, which seemed to be over Kendrick Lamar’s verse in Control where he called himself the King of New York that got Diddy upset over. “The Off-Season” shows a whole other side of Cole that most fans are accustomed to thinking and showed he could dip into any range. The album sets up anticipation for something bigger in the future, and with Cole’s comments on retiring soon, it looks as though fans may see the end of Cole’s career once he releases what could be his final album, “The Fall Off.”

(Dreamville Records)

6 Lifestyle

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Photography class takes over billboard Unique images created by students will be viewable from Route 57. JOSHUA BYFIELD Asst. Editor

A photography class is making their mark during finals week with powerful student messages flashing across a campus billboard viewable from Route 57. The billboard will display the finished product of an upper division photography class’ longterm group project. The series explores monochromatic color, and each photo will be shown in a slideshow fashion. “The Color Wheel Project,” is a series of 20 different photos created in a class titled “Studio Expanded: Other Genre,” where students explore alternative approaches to usual studio methods including performance and video art and the use of art installations. Navigating a group project of this magnitude from a distance provided some unique challenges while students tried to maintain the spirit of harmonious collaboration necessary for the assignment. “Honestly, it was an exhausting experience because we had to set up meetings after class, before class. We all met deadlines, we’d all have certain Zoom complications,” said Nicole Merton, a senior majoring

The photography of professor Linda Kroff’s students will be displayed on a billboard that can be seen from Route 57. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan) in creative photography and experimental media. The class is designed as a pre-professional program with a hands-off approach that seeks to offer students real-world experience. The class was initially split into four groups with each responsible for brainstorming a theme for the project. By April, the class narrowed down the theme to two ideas. The options were “hate hurts everyone,” and “monochromatic.” Merton said the class decided on the monochromatic theme because it was easier

for everybody to relate to, and it provided flexibility that each photographer could apply to themselves. Linda Kroff, program coordinator for creative photography and experimental media, said that she is all too familiar with struggles during a project’s infancy, pointing out that all art has what she affectionately calls “the ugly duckling” phase. “Many times my class will be the only time, and certainly it can be the first time, when a student actually has to work

on a group project for a fine art process,” Kroff said. “A lot of times graphic design, or illustration, or other mediums, they do a lot of group work, but maybe not so much in photography.” Once the theme was chosen, the grinding workflow quickened as students became more inspired. “Personally, my mind was everywhere because I was not sure what to come up with, and I could tell that within my group, we were all kind of lost,” said Edith Lagunas about her group in the beginning. “Once we all decided on the color wheel project things just took off from there.” Lagunas said that she found herself increasingly drawn to the theme once she saw her classmate Valetina Aproda’s interpretation of the concept: a self-portrait entitled “I’m more than Brown.” Aproda’s work explores her family’s “generational American assimilation” and how it has led her to question her ethnic and cultural identities. Lagunas said she also embraced the focus on cultural identities, creating her photo titled “I Am Mazapán.” “It was my shade of brown,” Lagunas said. “Not just owning that as a cultural identity, but also my shade of brown.” Although the class opted for a more relatable theme

in “monochromatic,”’ the open-ended nature of the project still allowed many, including Lagunas and Aproda, to explore identity in meaningful ways. Merton said she chose to do the same, pulling inspiration from her experiences as a woman and member of the Mescalero Apache tribe. Her photo entitled “I Am Red” is a black and white self-portrait with a bloodred handprint stamped across her mouth. “We would put red handprints on our face, which was a sign for silence and solidarity and to pay tribute for the ones that are missing,” Merton said. “These women were as young as 10 years old, that are either kidnapped and found, or they’re murdered or they’re abused.” Though the project was the final for the course, it might not come as much of a surprise that Kroff hardly sees it as such. “The project’s success is really, how much did the students grow?” Kroff said. “I think, really in art you can grade aesthetically, technically, subject matter, but art is much greater once it gets out into the public.” Dale Merrill, dean of the College of the Arts, the project is still in the process of being approved by Cal State Fullerton’s Strategic Communications Department, a decision that is likely to take a week.

Art: Installation to explore nature CONTINUED FROM 1 Fortunately, the gallery will resume its plans by featuring the exhibition in the fall. Frias said that visitors can anticipate Abeles’ most significant body of work related to the environment, and that re-introducing the exhibition post-Earth Day’s bicentennial, as well as semi-post COVID-19, presents a meaningful observation to the artist’s work. “During the advent of COVID-19, when the whole world began sheltering in place and social distancing, there’s a significant reduction in air-polluting emissions,’’ Frias said. But when more than 4 million acres in California were burnt in 2020, there was a stark difference in the quality of air from the beginning of the pandemic. “These drastic contrasts

correspond to over thirty years of what the ‘Smog Collectors’ series has been trying to convey,” Frias said. There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the way people interacted with art. Museums all around the world had to adjust how they would interact with art enthusiasts, and Begovich Gallery achieved this with Instagram. Rachel Kaufman, an art history graduate student, and social media lead for the Begovich, said in an email to the Daily Titan, that Instagram was an instrumental tool for the gallery’s engagement with students, alumni, faculty and the arts community during lockdown. “Instagram is a great way to engage with these individuals, letting them know that #artisnotcancelled and that the Begovich Gallery has been

Roy Lichtenstein’s screenprint titled “Finger Pointing.” (Begovich Gallery) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

working hard during the pandemic,” Kaufman said. The gallery interacted with its virtual visitors by giving multiple artists a platform with their Zoom lecture series which included artists like Angela Washko, and Sandy Rodriguez. Joanna Roche, a professor and program coordinator in CSUF’s art history department, said that she enjoyed the capabilities that Zoom provided. “I think that Zoom has been an even better medium because, you know, I can get speakers from anywhere, if they don’t happen to live in Southern California, and the students have been super involved,” Roche said. The pandemic along with social justice movements like Black Lives Matter unknowingly caused a push for artists

of color to have a louder voice in the predominantly wealthy and white space. Roche said that although Frias is new to CSUF, her programs have always been about diversity and inclusion. “It’s been a really interesting and important— and I hope long-lasting — time for museums to really examine who works there, who do they show, how can they be more inclusive both behind the scenes and then, in terms of who they exhibit,” Roche said. Frias is passionate about highlighting marginalized voices that in the future the gallery has plans to mount solo exhibitions by CSUF alumni D Hill and Salvador De La Torre. Other than looking towards the future, Frias, Roche and Kaufman said that they are

Oyvind Fahlstrom’s screenprint titled “$108 Bill.” (Begovich Gallery)

delighted to open the gallery doors again. “There is something magical that happens when you are surrounded by great artwork and great people — it is this inexplicable feeling”, Kaufman said. “I used to give gallery tours before the pandemic, this is something I cannot wait to start up again because my passion, as an art history graduate student, is talking about art.” The gallery, located in the top left corner of the Visual Arts department closest to North State College Boulevard, will complete installation early fall semester and plan to open the exhibition to the public mid-September. Guests will be required to wear a mask, and a maximum of 10 visitors will be allowed in the gallery space at a time.

Salvador Dali’s lithograph titled “The Resurrection.” (Begovich Gallery) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @THEDAILYTITAN

Lifestyle 7

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Joy: Club creates inclusive characters 1 “More than anything, through my sorority, I have a lot of sisters who I felt would be interested in this type of club, so they were the main people who made up my exec board just because I was comfortable with them. I knew how they worked,” Bernal said. “Finally, once we got registered on campus, we were able to do the virtual Discoverfest and then we got the word out to people.” Despite the hardships behind recruiting members virtually, Bernal was able to find executive teammates who were inspired by the club’s mission and their excitement to spread a bit of magic. “I wanted to join A Moment of Magic because I thought that it is a great way to gain experience working with kids, especially since I am interested in going into pediatric nursing. I have a passion for working with kids, and I love the feeling of being able to add a little bit more ‘magic’ to a child’s day,” said vice president Caitlyn Cripps in an email. Michelle Chavez, the club’s secretary, also said in an email that aside from wanting to work with children, she also wanted to support Bernal in starting the club. “I wanted to join A Moment of Magic because I had already known Brisa and knew that starting this new club was something she really wanted to do and when I got offered a few positions for this club, I knew that I wanted to help her reach her goals, as well as helping put a smile on children’s faces even if we can’t do a lot of it right now due to COVID,” Chavez said. The club offers a variety of services to fulfill their mission of “restoring the magic of believing at a time when a child needs to ‘just-be-akid,’ and reminding them to be brave, strong and fearless.” Bernal said that the organization is best known for their character programming, where college students are cast as different characters who then visit children upon their parents’ request. Students can choose from a diverse selection of characters, ranging from superheroes to princesses or even brand-new characters that are made up to reflect the interests of the kids. “We offer a plethora of different fairy tales, superhero characters and they even have unique ones that they’ve created themselves, made stories for to be inclusive of people who maybe wouldn’t see themselves in the other characters that are available,” Bernal said. Before members can get into character, they must be officially cast through an extensive audition process with the national organization. Active members who are interested must have 30 volunteer hours, which can include time shadowing a current character or working on Facebook live streams. They must also accept financial responsibility for the character, which can typically mean raising about $400 with the club, and they will need to submit a video of themselves and their measurements along with their top three character choices. The submissions will be reviewed by the national organization team and if a member is cast, the decision will be passed down to the chapter’s executive board, so they can plan a “coronation” day to celebrate the new characters. With the prospect of an in-person semester for campus organizations, Bernal said that character programming is one of her top priorities. “My main goal right now is getting more characters in our club because I think that that would really help us to get the word out. It’s just something that a lot of people would be interested, but maybe they don’t know the process to get there or really how that works,” Bernal said. If stepping into a character’s shoes is not the CONTINUED FROM

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

MARGARET TRAN / DAILY TITAN right role for some students, the club also invites magic makers to join the fun. Magic makers are out-of-costume members who participate by leading arts and crafts, reading stories and interacting with the kids as a way to break up the monotony of their day. While the club typically works with children in pediatric care, Bernal specified that their goal of spreading magic is not strictly limited to those receiving medical care. “The overwhelming majority of kids that we interact with have childhood cancer or other vulnerabilities like that, but we really reach out to anyone who’s even socially vulnerable so kids who are in foster care, kids who have intellectual or developmental disabilities,” Bernal said. “It could be anyone who needs a little bit of magic in their lives.” After a year of hosting virtual meetings and a few fundraising events, Bernal said that she has a list of goals set for the fall if organizations are permitted on campus. These goals include reaching out to local hospitals, planning a fundraising gala and raising awareness for this new adventure. “This is a really great organization and the perfect club to join if you like and want to make a difference in a child’s life who has been through a

lot with their conditions and just want to have fun and forget about everything else,” Chavez said in an email. Both Chavez and Cripps will be returning to the club in the fall as general members, and they said they are most excited about meeting new members in-person and hopefully getting the opportunity to host in-person hospital visits. “A Moment of Magic is always accepting members! Boys and girls are all welcome! Also, this club would provide a lot of good experience for anyone interested in theatre or acting,” Cripps said in an email. Students interested in joining A Moment of Magic at CSUF can visit their Instagram page @ amomentofmagiccsuf and fill out an interest form. Bernal also said that the best way to get involved is to start attending meetings and talking to the members. Interested students are also required to have their flu shot to minimize risk to children who are potentially immunocompromised. “Since we are so new, try to be intentional about letting us know that you want to join because we’re working out all the kinks, but we would love anyone who is interested to come and are so open to people joining our club. Please don’t be shy. We’re all new at this. We’re going to figure it out together,” Bernal said.

8 Sports

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Baseball swept in four-game road trip The Titans’ slump continued against Cal Poly SLO on Sunday, marking seven straight loses. NICHOLAS COTHREL Staff Writer

After enduring humbling losses on Friday night and Saturday’s doubleheader against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State Fullerton baseball couldn’t return to form on Sunday, as they surrendered 15 hits to the Mustangs’ offense in a losing effort by the score of 9-1. Cal Poly SLO won each of the four meetings at Baggett Stadium, and capped off a series sweep against a Fullerton squad who has lost the last three weekend series. The Titans found themselves on the wrong end of a couple one-sided affairs, as they lost by a considerable margin in three of four games. In those meetings, Fullerton was outscored by a run differential of 37 to five. On Sunday, right-hander Kyle Luckham received the starting nod for the Titans. Luckham tossed four frames, allowing seven hits, four earned runs and two unearned runs, and recorded his eighth loss of the season. Cal Poly SLO knocked Luckham out of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after registering three consecutive hits to begin the frame. After already surrendering three runs prior to the fifth, coach

Rick Vanderhook went to the bullpen and handed the ball to righthander Michael Weisberg in an effort to minimize the Mustangs’ big inning. Weisberg’s relief duty began with a hit batsman to load the bases, followed by a base-clearing triple by the Mustangs’ second baseman Nick Marinconz. Weisberg worked two outs before he allowed two singles and a walk that ended his outing with Wyatt Johnson coming in for the final out in the fifth. Cal Poly SLO’s five-run fifth inning cut through the Fullerton bullpen, and from that point on it appeared the game was going to be a longshot for the Titans to get back in. The Fullerton bats were tamed for the greater part of Sunday’s contest with just four hits to show for. With minimal offensive production, a bright spot for Fullerton was shortstop Josh Urps, who homered to right field in the fifth. Cal Poly SLO’s pitching exhibited a variety of looks for the Titans to see up at bat. The Mustangs used five different pitchers in which they went on to strike out five and walk two. Cal Poly SLO’s right-hander Bryce Warrecker earned his second win of the year as he threw three innings in relief and allowed three hits, one earned run and struck out two. The Titans were 0-13 with runners on base and 0-4 with runners

in scoring position. Fullerton has now lost 10 of the last 11 games. With just two series’ left on the schedule, time is running out for the Titans to find their identity as a team. While pitching has been their most notable flaw this season, the Titans struggled badly to score runs this weekend. The Titans are now tied with UC San Diego for sixth place in the

Big West. The Titans will return home to Goodwin Field and host the Long Beach State Dirtbags for a fourgame slate beginning Friday 5 p.m. Saturday will present a doubleheader with start times set for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. The final meeting on Sunday will conclude the series with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.

Josh Urps, seen here on April 10, had one RBI against Cal Poly SLO on Sunday. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan)

CSUF falls short of championship Softball failed to win their fifth straight conference crown on Saturday. HUGO RIOS Asst. Editor

Cal State Fullerton’s softball team failed to defend the crown, as they dropped the final three games of the season to Long Beach State this weekend. With the three-game sweep, Long Beach claims their ninth Big West Conference Championship and first since 2014. Fullerton came into the series with an undefeated conference record prior to facing their long-time conference rivals. Holding a 19-2 conference record, Long Beach State needed a series sweep to deny the Titans their fifth straight conference title.

In game one of Friday’s doubleheader, Fullerton looked destined to secure their 10th Big West Conference title. Freshman infielder Hannah Becerra gave the Titans the lead in the fourth inning after a two-run home run to center field. However, after pitching five scoreless innings, senior Sophie Frost couldn’t contain Long Beach’s rally in the bottom of the sixth, allowing three runs to score, resulting in a loss for the Titans with a final score of 3-2. The second game started off similar to the first, with the Titans getting on the board early after freshman Remington Ross scored on a fielder’s choice play by teammate K.K. Humphries. However, Fullerton had no response to Long Beach State’s eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Long Beach’s senior Kellie White picked up her second

win of the day, giving up only three earned runs on seven hits after pitching two complete games. Saturday’s game was a nailbiter to the end, with the game scoreless up until the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Frost walked Long Beach’s Breezy Wise, allowing Rylie Seip to score. Frost was able to get a groundout on the next batter to end the inning, but the one run was all Long Beach needed to hand Wise her second loss of the series. White would earn her third win in a row as she threw a complete game shutout to secure the victory and Big West conference bragging rights to finish the regular season. After their victory, Long Beach State trails Fullerton for the most conference titles in the Big West with nine titles. Despite being unable to retain their Big West conference

crown, the Titans had an impressive regular season. After starting the season 15-11 through non-conference play, the Titans found their stride and set themselves up for what was surely another title year. Several players added to their impressive careers, with Frost being one of the more notable standouts. Even after a disappointing end to the regular season, Frost is 20-5 with an ERA of 1.91 and 130 strikeouts. She was named Big West Pitcher of the Week four times this season, adding to her list of accolades that she has accrued pitching as a Titan. The future also looks bright for the Titans as a couple of freshmen played key roles throughout the year. Becerra’s debut season as a Titan is a memorable one, as she currently sits with a batting average of .356 and leads the team with 14 home runs, and

47 RBIs. Becerra’s 14 home runs marked the most of any freshman in CSUF history. She also earned her fair share of recognition this year as she was named Big West Freshman of the Week four times this year, just one behind fellow teammate Dani Martinez, who earned five in 2019. Humphries also had an electric freshman debut, as she is batting .366 and hit nine home runs and 35 RBIs. She also received Big West Freshman of the Week honors in the first week of May, adding to Becerra’s four, giving CSUF five out of the 11 Freshman of the Week honors that were awarded this season. Now, the Titans await to see what fate has in store as selections for the 2021 Women’s College World Series are to be announced Sunday at 6 p.m., with Regionals beginning on Friday.

KK Humphreys, seen here on April 24, batted 1-3 against Long Beach State on Saturday. (Andre Gomez / Daily Titan) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Sports 9

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

Men’s track and field wins Big West crown The Titans claimed their third championship in four seasons on Saturday in the conference finals. JOSHUA BYFIELD Asst. Editor

For the third time in the last four seasons, Cal State Fullerton men’s outdoor track and field team are champions of the Big West after a heroic last gasp in the meet’s final event that cemented their first-place finish. The women’s team placed second as a team but won several individual awards throughout the weekend. The Big West Championships kicked off Thursday and Friday with an assortment of field events and preliminary track events that would determine who would compete in the finals on Saturday. To kick off the meet on Thursday, Tanner Miller threw a season-best 58.01 meters, or 190 feet and 4 inches, in the hammer throw, earning third place in the event. Friday’s field events saw several top-three finishes, including Iesha Hamm, who defended her title by winning the women’s high jump with a mark of 1.76 meters, or 5 feet, 9 ¼ inches, becoming the first woman in CSUF history to win the event in two consecutive seasons. Fellow Titan Alexis Vincent-Walker took third in the event. Naiah Boardingham became the first in school history to win the Big West title in women’s long jump, setting a new personal record of 6.36 meters, or 20 feet, 10 ½ inches, No. 17 in the West region. In the men’s jumping events, Christian Wood finished second in the long jump with a mark of 7.46 meters or 24 feet,5 ¾ inches while Marcel Sylvester took third in the high jump with a mark of 2.01 meters, 6 feet, 7 inches. Rounding out day two, steeple stalwart Sarah Hollis won the 3000-meter steeplechase and became the first in 11 years to accomplish this for the Titans. Her mark of 10 minutes, 34.61 seconds is the fourth-fastest time in CSUF history. With the running event finals all set to go on Saturday, the final day of the meet held infinite possibilities for all teams involved. The remaining field events played out first with two Titans finishing top-three in the triple jump. Ty Wallace took second place on the women’s side with a mark of 12.24 meters, or 40 feet, 2 inches, while Juwan Seales took third place in the men’s triple jump with a mark of 15.02 meters or 49 feet,3 ½ inches. With nothing left to do but determine the winners of a majority of the track

events, the Big West Championships would be decided in the last five hours of the meet. The Titans’ four-woman team of Deja Allain, Boardingham, Amir’a Edmond and Hailey Murdica finished second in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 46.60 seconds, just three-tenths of a second behind UC Irvine’s relay quartet. The men’s team of Parris Samaniego, Naythn Scruggs, Resaun House and Marcel Espinoza, who injured his leg in the event, finished third in the event. Samantha Huerta finished third in the 1500-meter with a time of 4 minutes, 21.13 seconds and though she won the 800 in the preliminary round, she ended up finishing third in the final. Sam Ayala took second in the men’s 1500 with a time of 3:46.85. In the men’s hurdle events, it was once again the Charles Kelly show, finishing first in both the 110-meter hurdles as well as the 400 hurdles. Kelly broke his own two-week-old school record in the 110 with a time of 14.10, and broke another 20-year-old school record in the 400 with a time of 51.23, ahead of teammate Reyte Rash who took second. Not to be outdone, Maya Occiano took first place in both the preliminary and final rounds of the women’s 400 hurdles. Occiano, a freshman, is No. 51 in the West in the event. Parris Samaniego finished second in the men’s 400-meter with a time of 47.60, ahead of Justin Lowe who finished third. Espinoza, who placed fourth in the preliminary round, finished his lap in the event on his injured leg to net the Titans a precious two points to add to their team total. The short-distance sprinting events kicked off with the 100 dash and Boardingham notching another top finish, taking second place with a time of 11.73. House took third for the men, and second in the 200 with a time of 21.60 With the Big West Championships on the line, Kelly took the baton in third as anchor of the 4x400 team, finishing first to give the event and championship to the Titan men. The women’s relay team finished third. All that remains for Fullerton’s track and field team is the chance at individual glory. A total of 10 athletes have qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries, with an additional two who are on the cusp and could qualify in the event that an athlete drops out. It is not known whether all who qualify plan to attend. The top 48 marks of each individual event qualify for the first round, where the top 12 will then move on to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The NCAA Division I West Preliminaries begin Thursday, May 27 at Texas A&M University.

Titan brand left by athletics administrator Steve DiTolla helped establish CSUF’s image at the NCAA D1 level. ADAM MALDONADO Editor

Steve DiTolla had his fair share of ups and downs through his extensive career as an administrator for Cal State Fullerton Athletics. Having witnessed some of the best and worst moments, his pride for CSUF has not wavered regardless of the circumstances. With his upcoming retirement, DiTolla’s presence will still be active among the department through the brand and passion he helped establish for the Titans. “Fullerton — it’s a very unique place. I think being an underdog is something that we all relish. We all thought that nobody expects us to win,” he said. “It’s been a fun ride because we have had a lot of success in spite of some of the challenges that we face.” DiTolla’s path to Cal State

Fullerton began in 1985. He was at the University of Colorado and worked as the athletic’s business manager and director of promotions and marketing. After six years in Boulder, Colorado, his boss at the time recommended that he applied for an opening with CSUF Athletics as the chief financial officer, which brought DiTolla to his home of nearly 30 years. Upon arriving in Southern California, he has worked extensively in different fields through his career for CSUF Athletics, working from 1985-92. He returned in 2001 after serving as the vice president of Jammin Sports Apparel for eight years. By the ‘80s, CSUF was an up and coming D1 program, with its baseball program having claimed two national titles in 1979 and 1984, while other up and coming sports were building competitive reputations for themselves on the national stage. “It was a big jump (from D2) and I don’t know that the

Steve DiTolla supported the Titans as an administrator during their 2004 College World Series championship. (CSUF Athletics) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

campus was prepared and had that mindset,” he said. “There wasn’t really a mentality that athletics was important.” Through the help of DiTolla, the baseball program has maintained national relevance and remains in the conversation for one of the best programs in the country. While not taking credit for all their success, he played a role in spearheading the hiring for Larry Cochell, Augie Garrido, George Horton, Dave Serrano and Rick Vanderhook. During his administrative career, DiTolla has made 13 trips to the College World Series in Omaha which included a National Championship in 2004. He said that being a mid-major institution with less funding while also being located in one of the largest media markets in the world brought its challenges like name recognition. Despite the obstacles, he hasn’t deterred from thinking CSUF Athletics can compete with the best programs and build a national brand. “Nobody expects us to win. Nobody expects us to have success because of the funding that we have,” he said. “It’s hard to go to a place where you’re virtually unknown, and you can still have success so I think we all rallied around the cry that we were underdogs.” CSUF Athletic Director Jim Donovan shares the same sentiment as DiTolla in regards to the Titans being contenders regardless of circumstances, a common value the two have shared since Donovan’s arrival in 2012. “I think that the commonality that we had was we both thought Titan Athletics could be successful,” Donovan said. “It’s a great place so I just didn’t see any reason why we

couldn’t do better across the board, and Steve felt the same way.” Aside from sparking the competitive fire in others at CSUF Athletics, DiTolla has played a part in many ventures. He has played a vital role in the development of the athletics department whether it was through marketing, broadcasting, hiring or facilities. Greg Paules, assistant athletic director for development, commended DiTolla on his ability to lead a group and steer conversation towards completing a task or project within the department. “I didn’t truly understand how much involvement Steve has on different things,” Paules said. “There’s just so many things that he’s just done and he does things so quickly because it’s all his institutional knowledge and things he’s been working on for a number of years.” Keeping up with his career, DiTolla has also been able to maintain his personal life while also being able to integrate it with his work life. Being able to juggle both worlds was a rewarding experience, he said. He regularly brought his family to games and other athletic events, and welcomed them into the Titan family. “If you have the ability to share your job with your family, it really creates a total person. I felt that I could be a good dad and a good husband by including my family in what I was doing,” DiTolla said. For his son, Justin DiTolla, the seeds were sown for him to follow a similar path of becoming a sports administrator. Being around college athletics growing up, Justin was heavily influenced through his father’s work. When he was younger,

Justin was a bat boy for the CSUF baseball program for a couple seasons, and regularly interacted with coaches and players as he watched his dad at work. Now, he is the assistant athletics director for compliance at Syracuse University, crediting his dad as the sole reason for his career in college athletics. “Growing up I realized that what my dad does it’s pretty cool to work with coaches. He gets to work in sports and as I got a little bit older I thought ‘Wow, that can be a really cool option,” Justin said. “There’s no way I would have the same interest, the same passion and be in the same spot in my career without him.” Aside from being a husband and father, DiTolla is also a football coach for Yorba Linda High School and an active member of the Fullerton Rotary Club, a group of business and leaders dedicated to improving the community. By participating in these other interests, DiTolla said they have complemented for the better the main aspects of his life as a husband, father and administrator. While DiTolla’s CSUF career comes to a close, he will be seeing two final projects before his retirement becomes official: the baseball and softball renovation project and a TV deal with ESPN. When the projects are completed, DiTolla will officially settle into retirement, although he said he will still coach high school football and remain active with Rotary, as well as continue to support CSUF Athletics. Even though he will no longer be an administrator for CSUF, his passion for the Titan brand will leave a lasting legacy for those at Fullerton.

10 Opinion

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

EDITORIAL

COVID-19 stole over a year of our youth We wish we were older when the pandemic hit. At home, with the same job we’ve worked for 20 years where one year lost doesn’t matter so much. Or, we wish we were younger — children who thought going to school was a chore and wanted to stay at home anyway. But we’re not. We are students who were given four precious years that were said would be the best of our lives. Some of us took three years, others took six, but each one was supposed to be priceless. One of those years is gone now. Fourteen months of youth spent in our bedrooms, isolated, running on shots of espresso and caffeine pills. We catch memories where we can — a dinner with a friend, that day we go into the office, an impromptu weekend trip — but they’re hard to come by. Although the light at the end of the tunnel is there, things will never be as they once were, at least not while we’re young. Adults with steady jobs may return to work to see the same coworkers that they missed. When we return to school in the fall, many of our friends will be gone,

off and graduated and never to be seen again. We’ll only have a semester with some, maybe a year with others. Some of us will be COVID-19 graduates who finished their college years from home. Some of us have missed opportunities to get involved in on-campus activities of which we found interest. Others may have never had the chance to attend a basketball game or see a play produced by the theater department. These aspects may seem trivial, but the college experience is idolized. Even decades later, people reminisce about their college years and dub them the good old days. Much of our “good old days” will have been in a pandemic. College is a unique and life-altering period that’s different for each individual. Walking across campus or the graduation stage in front of all of your family, friends and classmates is an opportunity some will never get to experience. Celebrating accomplishments and major life feats from a screen left us feeling detached and distant from our normal lives. We became used to the frequent

disappointment that came with cancelled events and postponed plans with loved ones, losing hope that we would ever get our sense of connection back. Despite these missed opportunities and setbacks, we will move on and try to make the most of the time that was taken from us. Quarantine gave us the opportunity to re-evaluate ourselves. Although isolating, it changed who we were, how we thought and even how we presented ourselves. We learned how to adapt, and dealing with curveballs is far easier than it once was. We learned how to keep an open mind when thinking of the future and developed a mindset that next week isn’t guaranteed to be the same as it is now. Though we would have liked to learn these lessons an easier way, it’s forced us to prove our resiliency. There’s nothing that can be said that would justify the pandemic, but we try to look for the silver linings. Editorials typically end with some sort of call to action, but it’s impossible to turn back time and get back the year we missed. Instead, all we can do is move forward.

Patenting COVID-19 vaccines is inhumane Monopolizing resources ignores the rising death toll in other countries. JESSICA AITKEN Staff Writer

Whether or not to patent the COVID-19 vaccine has been a hot topic of conversation ever since they became widely available in January of this year. President Joe Biden announced his support to hold off on the United States patenting the vaccines to support other nations, while the CEOs of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have all expressed concerns over sharing their resources. However, patenting the three vaccines is a major issue, as this can stop other countries from using this intellectual property to produce their own

vaccines, effectively hindering increased production that would save those in desperate need of protection. For example, nearly 2% of India’s population has been fully vaccinated while its COVID-19 cases are at an all time high with more than 400,000 new cases counted each day. India has the infrastructure to produce the vaccine, but they need the vaccine to not be patented in order for them to proceed in their fight against COVID-19. It is completely absurd and inhumane for the CEOs of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to want to go through the process of patenting their product, which takes valuable time and resources, while thousands upon thousands are dying at the grip of COVID-19. They need to follow Biden’s advice along with other international

leaders who acknowledge the need to waive the intellectual rights of the vaccines for the time being to aid those who are dying. This isn’t a money issue nor one of capitalistic pride, but rather this is a humanitarian crisis — one that is more important than making money right now. Biden was right to side with the international leaders who advised against the vaccine patent. They aren’t arguing that the vaccine should never be patented, but recommend holding off until the global pandemic subsides and the billions who are unvaccinated become immunized. Around 100 other countries, including South Africa and India, are asking the World Trade Organization to lift the intellectual property rights claimed to the COVID-19 vaccines for

the time being. If it is lifted, this could mean that the poorer countries, which make up 80% of the world’s population, could produce the vaccine for themselves, immunizing their citizens and saving precious lives. There is a large imbalance in the distribution of the vaccine because the wealthier countries were able to swoop in first and purchase a majority of the vaccines’ stock, leaving poorer countries with little to support their people. Unless there is a change in vaccine distribution or a temporary lift of the patent, these poorer countries could be in trouble for the next two years, researches say. It seems that countries like the U.S., driven by capitalism and an “every man for himself” mentality, struggle to see the value of lifting vaccine

patents for the rest of the world. It’s not like people are asking these companies to never patent their valuable and proprietary products, but to simply avoid doing so until people are safe and out of the horrible trajectory that this killer virus is causing. It is not just a want, but a desperate need for the COVID-19 vaccines to be left unpatented for now. Because of the vaccine distribution in the U.S., positive COVID-19 tests are at 3.4% compared to 15% in January. This drastic drop in positive cases is why the big vaccine companies and their CEOs need to not patent their vaccines. It is selfish, disgraceful and inhumane that companies are willing to let millions of people in other countries die just to keep the vaccines for themselves.

(Cindy Proaño/ Daily Titan) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Leisure 11

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

WRITTEN by Stepheny Gehrig

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

This week, Aries take some time to work on your craft. Whether it is taking classes on the side to perfect it, or even if it is just setting aside some time to practice -- it will really help you out.

This week, you’ll feel very impulsive. Take a deep breath and try to think things through before you make a rash decision, because in the long run, it might be a decision you regret.

You’ll be in the mood to change things up this week. Don’t be shy with the changes you make. Whether it’s your attire or furniture, go all out and try new styles. Follow us @thedailytitan

3 Cheese Garlic Bread Ingredients: • 1 stick butter, 1 stick, softened • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese • 1/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 1/3 cup fresh green onion, sliced • 1 baguette, 8 inch (20 cm) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 2. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the baguette, and mix until smooth. 3. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise, then spread the butter mixture evenly on both sides of the baguette. 4. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown on the edges. 5. Slice, cool, then serve. 6. Enjoy!

You might feel overwhelmed with all your tasks. You might feel like you have too much on your to-do list. You may feel like you spend too much time dreading all your tasks than accomplishing them. Try to separate each task from easiest to hardest, and try to tackle them that way.

This week, you’ll be a social butterfly. Not only will you be meeting new people, you’ll be getting to know them and making lifelong friends with them. Be excited for this upcoming week. This week you’ll feel very optimistic. Take your joyous energy and try to share it with those you run into this week.

Getting defensive over small issues can be fatal this week. Learning to let others say their piece can help you open your mind and understand their point of view. Learn to hear other people out. Lately, you have been reclusive and self indulgent. Taking some time to listen to others and hear what they have to say will aid in your relationships and help you solve some continual problems. Rather than letting your feelings pile up, try to talk to those you feel like you’re having problems with. Letting your emotions pile up can destroy relationships you worked so hard to perfect. Allow yourself some time to talk things out. This week, try to hold yourself accountable for your actions. Recently, you’ve been avoiding confrontation and placing blame on others. Look at the bigger picture and understand your faults too, it might help heal some wounds. Indulge in yourself this week. If you find yourself craving a special dish or wanting to go out somewhere fancy, don’t be afraid to spend a little extra money on yourself. If you’ve been working hard, then it’s time for a break this week! Take some time to relax this week and let yourself chill out. From all the hard work you’ve been putting out, taking some time to let your brain settle down will be useful for you.

Association of Chinese Students

Association of Chinese Students (ACS), established in 2008, is an organization that strives to unite students who are interested in ChineseAmerican culture. Our three main purposes are to increase cultural awareness, build our community, and inspire students to be proactive in the Asian-Pacific culture on campus. We have meetings every Tuesday at 4pm. Join our Discord server https://discord.com/invite/7uaJmDQ and follow our Instagram page @csufacs to stay updated on our future events!

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“Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” -Joshua J. Marine VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

WEEK OF MONDAY, MAY 17

The faculty of the Department of Communications wishes to congratulate all Department award and scholarship recipients. AWARDS Outstanding Students Helio Taipe, Advertising Katherine Owens, Entertainment & Tourism Douglas de Wet, Journalism Sonali Shukla, Public Relations Professional Promise Students Courtney Lambe, Advertising Megan Holland, Entertainment & Tourism Kimberly Cruz, Journalism Ethan Catanghal, Public Relations Christopher Martin Jimenez, Public Relations Outstanding Graduate Students Lydia Shehab, Professional Communications Kaitlin Martinez, Research & Theory John Pantle, Tourism and Entertainment Ellinor Rundhovde, Teaching/Research Assistant Commencement Student Speaker Douglas de Wet

James Jordan Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement Douglas de Wet J. William Maxwell Outstanding Communications Student Douglas de Wet Gerhard Friedrich Award for Exceptional Professional Promise Kimberly Cruz Department Chair Leadership Award Jessica Benda Kelly Casterline Tyler Michalowski Cameron Winston Alumni Wall of Fame Inductees Matt Prince Justine Houston-Brown, APR

Campus Partnership Award Titan Communications Nathan Jeffers David Manock Eraj Shadaram Matthew Sylvester Jeffrey Whitten James P. Alexander Outstanding Communications Internship Site Award FanFlex Erik Nelson Gian Perugini Distinguished Part-Time Faculty Member Rob van Riel Distinguished Faculty Member Robert Meeds

SCHOLARSHIPS The Society of Professional Journalist Scholarship Angela Gonzalez

The V.J. Lovero Photojournalism Scholarship Danielle Jaquez

Alfred and Louise Hewitt Journalism Scholarship Kimberly Cruz

John Stewart Memorial Scholarship Nylene Garcia Joshua Jurado Heather Solis

Miven Venture Partners Scholarship Julia Mitchell

Ingrid and Jordan Smart Scholarship Andrea Dixon

Titan Shops/Titan Bookstore Scholarship Alyssa Aguirre Jordan Murphy

Edgar P. Trotter Scholarship Samantha Aguilar Novia Baulisch

Terry Hynes Scholarship Caleena Sugiharto

Vikki Vargas/NBC4 Broadcast Journalism Scholarship Kristle Adler

Tom Pasqua Memorial Scholarship Angela Gonzalez Gary Granville Memorial Scholarship Jessica Benda Barbara K. Rickard-Riegle Broadcast Journalism Scholarship Samantha Aguilar Myles Atlas Memorial Scholarship Huu Tin Cao

Laura Min Brooks Comm Week Madeline Hernandez Megan Holland Jay Berman Daily Titan Scholarship Anthony Bautista Jessica Benda

Bergstrom Family Scholarship Emily Melgar Tien Family Scholarship Elizabeth Sun

David Little Scholarship Prafullit Medi John and Jessie Maxwell Communications Scholarship Samantha Aguilar Nylene Garcia Alyssa Aguirre Sarah Gonzalez Zulma Mazariegos Amaya Hannah Gutierrez Novia Baulisch Michael Guzman-Duenas Anthony Bautista Danielle Jaquez Huu Tin Cao Joshua Jurado Debbie Castillo Kristina Kasfy Kimberly Cruz Prafullit Medi Shantelle Cueva Emily Melgar Erika Esquivias Estrada Julia Mitchell Briana Munoz

Jordan Murphy Jennifer Perez Elizabeth Richards Spencer Robbins Anthony Robledo Brianna Rodriguez Caleena Sugiharto Elizabeth Sun Nathan Tang Ran Wei

HONORS Cum Laude Courtney Agustin Nicolette Babineau Karen Banuelos Imogen Berumen Anjelina Booth Cade Bucknam Justine Castillo Korin Chao Jorge Contreras Angelina Dequina Ivan Duran Shauna Eisenberg Jared Eprem Lauren Finney Edwin Flores Skyelar Garcia Eden Goitia Isabelle Gomez Amber Greene Allison Imler Julia Islas Diana Jarrah Melia Johnston Tasia Kester Kristen Kraniger Monica Lampaya Sarah Marin Alyssa Nicole Maun Natalie Mendoza Rebecca Metts Daniel Morales Richard Mortimer VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

AnnMarie Motley Amy Nguyen Ashley Nguyen Jimmy Nguyen Sophia Nunez Aliyah Ortiz Jarleen Pedroza Reina Pelky Samuel Pena Jessica Phan Sheldon Pryor Jennifer Ramirez Brianna Roach Alysa Rodriguez Ho Jun Roh Bryanna Romero Alysia Saquilabon Brandon Small Aryana Tapia Phuc Tran Berlyn Valdez Trisha Vasquez Jason Anthony Villarba Chloe Visca Jacob Wilson Hsuan Yang Sydney Yokley Cristina Zapata Magna Cum Laude Raechele Andrews Alexandra Bouras Zoe Burgess

Ethan Catanghal Prasiddh Chakraborty Kimberly Cruz Sheilla Dare Mary DeFranco Kelly Diehl Amanda Dunnuck Ashley Hult David Johansen Courtney Lambe Vivian Lee Alexander Malan Georgette Mora Bailey Pena-Norris Isadora Quevedo-Capizzi Claire Richardson Rhett Rivera Cheyanne Seay Savannah Terrazas Clara Uttenthal Summa Cum Laude Angela Chan Douglas de Wet Megan Holland Jennifer La Tristan Maglunog Katherine Owens Heather Retama Sonali Shukla Christian Sutton Helio Taipe FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @THEDAILYTITAN