Tuesday November 28, 2017 by Daily Titan

Tuesday November 28, 2017

Volume 102 Issue 44

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Police Capt. John Brockie gives presentation on why he should be the department’s chief.

Rough Sketch: John Lasseter’s leave from Pixar brings misconduct into the spotlight.

News 2

Lifestyle

Women’s basketball was unable to start a win streak after losing to Denver 83-58 at home.

Sports

Orange County’s fear of Islam

BRANDON PHO / DAILY TITAN

At the Islamic Society of Orange County mosque in Garden Grove, Muslims pack the prayer hall for Maghrib prayer, led by the center’s director, Muzammil Siddiqi, Ph.D. This mosque is one of seven in Orange County, which leads the state of California in the amount of reports of discrimination against Muslims, according to a 2015 report by the Council on American Islamic Relations.

Previously decreasing Islamophobic incidents could grow under Trump. BRANDON PHO News Editor

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — It’s around 4:40 p.m. on a Friday in November, or as the Islamic Society of Orange County mosque knows

it: Maghrib, the fourth of five daily prayers. A man known in Islam as the mu’adhin primes his vocal chords to perform the adhan, a call to worship that custom mandates be sung in a melodic voice with infallible recitation. This prayer will be led by Islamic Society Director Muzammil Siddiqi, Ph.D. The evening sun glints along the curvature of the center’s qubba, the hallmark dome atop this mosque and mosques around the globe. People

almost immediately trickle through the center’s courtyard, removing their shoes and heading straight for the prayer hall. Inside, daylight enters through the quaint windows above Siddiqi, who bows in reverence with his back to the crowd, which has now shifted into a wall-type formation. They are safe here. But they are not safe everywhere, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) civil

rights report for 2015, which counted 363 incident reports of discrimination against Muslims in Orange County, the most in the state. Incident reports can be submitted by victims to CAIR through its website. Los Angeles County, the runner-up, had 321 reports. Other counties like San Mateo saw as few as 18. While CAIR’s 2016 report did not discern the amount of discrimination incidents by county, the total amount

of discrimination reports statewide decreased from 1,556 in 2015 to 1,239 in 2016. Siddiqi said such discrimination incidents come in different forms in different areas of the societal spectrum, including immigration, travel, work and school. He said he has heard stories from those within his own community who come to his religious center of worship. SEE ISLAM

Rowe shows full potential Club caters to

global students

The Titans forward made history and could help CSUF earn a Big West title.

CSUF International Student Association creates a community.

HARRISON FAIGEN Managing Editor

Every morning at 7 a.m. when most students are still trying to grab another five minutes of sleep before dragging themselves out of bed for work or class, Titans Head Coach Dedrique Taylor knows he can expect to find at least one Cal State Fullerton student already getting a head start on his day. Jackson Rowe has been in the gym at that time every morning, something Taylor said he was begging his star forward not to do so he didn’t wear himself out, but after a slump-busting performance in the Titans’ win over Harvard, Taylor was thankful Rowe didn’t listen. “That’s what he does. He’s put in the work to be able to shoot the ball from the perimeter, and the numbers bear those facts out. When you put in that type of work with that type of dedication, the proof is in the pudding,” Taylor said. Not only was Rowe’s 25-point performance exactly what the Titans needed to win their second game in a row, it was also historic. Rowe’s perfect 10-10 mark from the field also “tied a 37-year-old

SARAH EL-MAHMOUD Lifestyle Editor

KATIE ALBERTSON / DAILY TITAN FILE PHOTO

Jackson Rowe’s performance against Harvard on Sunday tied a 37-year-old CSUF record when he made 100 percent of his shots following a dry start to the season.

school record for best field goal percentage in a game,” according to a school release. Rowe was an unstoppable, flame-spewing hurricane during the game, flying all over the floor on defense while knocking down all five of

his 3-point attempts. Perhaps more impressively, while Rowe would’ve been justified to test just how hot he was, his head coach thought he showed restraint against Harvard. SEE RECORD 8

MORE PARKING

When 26-year-old electrical engineering graduate student Arunav Bora arrived at Cal State Fullerton earlier this year from Assam, India, he wanted to get out of his comfort zone during his time at the university. He soon found the opposite was true for much of the rest of the engineering department, which was comprised mainly of international students, many of whom were afraid to venture out and learn about different communities. “My first thought coming here was that I would talk to everyone,” Bora said. “I didn’t just come for an education, but also to have an experience.”

Off-Site Parking Permit

Eight percent of CSUF students are international students, according to the college’s demographic data, and they often face language barriers, isolation and culture shock, Bora said. He’s counteracted this by getting heavily involved on campus as an orientation student leader, information desk student assistant at the library, an ASI student representative for the Faculty Development Center Board and vice president of the International Student Association. In the ISA, students have a common goal to integrate into the CSUF community and explore what Southern California has to offer. This semester, the group has hiked in the Hollywood Hills, gone to Disneyland and Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, carved pumpkins together and held a beach bonfire. SEE ABROAD

$70 only

• Available December 1, 2017 • The off-site permit is valid at the EvFree Church Monday through Thursday, 7am to 10pm. The off-site semester permit is also valid on the CSUF main campus Friday - Sunday, during finals week, and when classes are not in session. • 550 off-site semester parking permits will be available for on a first-come, first-served basis. • Login to your campus portal and click on Parking Services tab, to purchase the off-site permit. • For more information, please visit parking.fullerton.edu FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @THEDAILYTITAN

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2 NEWS

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017

OPIOIDS IN ORANGE COUNT Y

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 2. 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 Zack Johnston at (657) 2785815 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com to report any errors.

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HANNAH MILLER / DAILY TITAN

Drug Enforcement Administration agent Timothy Masino said that the diversion of controlled prescription substances to the black market mainly occurs through doctor shopping. Between 2011 and 2016, prescription opioids were the most common cause of nearly 1,600 opioid-related deaths.

How Southern California’s opioid addiction flourished

DEA agent gives a rundown on the process of how dealers ‘doctor shop.’ BRANDON PHO News Editor

While Orange County addressed its opioid crisis in its Aug. 15 Health Care Agency report, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has been watching the county for over a decade. There were nearly 1,600 opioid-related deaths between 2011 and 2016, according to numbers provided by the county coroner. Each year, prescription opioids were the leading cause. Special agent Timothy Masino, of the Los Angeles division of the DEA, said that in 2006 a DEA Tactical Diversion Squad was established in Orange County to monitor controlled prescription opioids “in response to the growing (national) epidemic.” Tactical diversion squads work ground or street-level investigations and use informants to gather information regarding the malpractice of doctors or pharmacists, Masino said. In Orange County’s case, the squad has been working over the last decade to pinpoint the deep pockets of Southern California’s drug trade. “There are investigative measures and techniques to work as high up the supply chain as possible,” Masino said. “It could be individuals or street-level criminal organizations that have other

means to get their hands on these substances and distribute them.” Masino said that such measures include using informants or undercover agents to gather intelligence on doctors, or anyone else believed to be overprescribing or diverting drugs to black markets. “What ultimately occurs is, you’ll have individuals or groups of individuals that will go ‘doctor shopping,’” Masino said, referring to a common dealer practice of going from doctor to doctor to obtain prescriptions for controlled substances to resell for a profit. “So when doctors just ignore that person’s prescription history, and gives them whatever they’re asking for, that’s breaking the law.” In one of the largest health care fraud enforcement actions by federal prosecutors, a grand jury indicted Dr. Jeffrey Olsen of Laguna Beach for selling prescriptions for more than 1.2 million nearly maximum-strength narcotics, including opioid pain medication Oxycodone, without any medical basis, according to a July 13 statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. During the DEA’s investigation, Olsen also sold prescriptions in Oregon and told patients he would never check whether or not they were getting additional prescriptions from other doctors, the statement read. Masino said that’s the dealer’s goal. “They’re going to go to as many doctors as possible to get prescriptions

“

They’re going to go to as many doctors as possible to get prescriptions for as many pills as possible.

“

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TIMOTHY MASINO Drug Enforcement Agency agent for as many pills as possible,” Masino said. However, in many cases, it’s the doctors themselves who imperil patients. On Sept. 19, a grand jury convicted Fountain Valley medical clinic physician assistant Kaitlyn Phuong Nguyen with drug trafficking charges for writing prescriptions for opioid medications like Oxycodone and Methadone outside of proper medical practice, according to another Justice Department statement released Sept. 19. Evidence suggested that Nguyen, who faces a maximum of 140 years in prison, issued prescriptions that led to four “patient” deaths. Dr. Victor Boon Huat Siew, the operator of that same clinic, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for issuing similar prescriptions over nearly six years, according to the statement. Masino said that while the DEA doesn’t publish statistics, he has seen the crisis worsen. “Anecdotally, over the last several years, it’s probably safe to say we have seen more instances of overdoses and even overdose deaths associated with our investigations,” Masino said.

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NEWS 3 Islam: Annual report highlights prejudice TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017

CONTINUED FROM

“These issues and this type of discrimination have increased over the years, especially in the last year,” Siddiqi said, referring to the election of President Donald Trump and the ensuing controversy over travel restrictions including various Muslim-dominated countries put in place by the administration. “There was a lot more rhetoric of that nature, and that triggered some of the discriminatory practices and harassment of Muslims.” Senior health science major and Islamic Society main office secretary Ahlam Ahmed said she agrees that a high volume of Islamophobia reared its head after Trump’s election. “(The election) made it look like it’s normal,” Ahmed said. “It’s just everywhere now. Even if you go to the supermarket, people are going to look at Muslims differently, especially if you wear the headscarf. It’s an outward vision of being Muslim.” Ahmed has seen firsthand the current political climate’s effects at Cal State Fullerton. “At the beginning of the year, nobody sat next to me in class, nobody. I was just like, ‘Maybe it’s my scarf, or maybe they just didn’t want to sit next to me,’” Ahmed said. “Then, at the end of the year when there’s group projects, who did they come to? Me. Because I participated in class. I acted normal. I was friendly, surprisingly.” Ahmed said she’s also observed the effects of Islamophobia on fellow Muslims. “Muslims do not even come to our mosques because they give up. They don’t know the steps to combat these discriminatory acts, so they’re afraid to,” Ahmed said. “They’re just like, ‘Why bother? I’m just going to continue on with my life, maybe I’ll just put it to the side and pretend it’s not even there,’ and that’s not what we should be doing.” Siddiqi said a remedy for Islamophobic discrimination could be outreach. “Let them see who we are and what we do. A lot of people don’t know,” Siddiqi said. “It is important that we try to make ourselves known. We should know our neighbors.” When he is not leading

prayer in Garden Grove, Siddiqi mediates local Islamic communities’ relationship with the world, serving as chairman of the Fiqh (Islamic law) Council of North America. Before, he once served as director of the Islamic Center in Washington, D.C., according to the organization’s website. He is also a member of the Supreme Islamic Council of Egypt and the Supreme Council of Mosques in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Siddiqi obtained his doctorate in comparative religion at Harvard University, and has traveled extensively for Muslim outreach to every continent, according to the Islamic Society. In 2001, Siddiqi and about 14 other muslims from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with former President George W. Bush on Sept. 11. When two commercial airplanes struck the World Trade Center, that meeting never happened. Three days later, however, Siddiqi said he was invited by Bush to lead an interfaith prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral. Five years later, on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush again invited Siddiqi to lead a prayer, this time at ground zero. Siddiqi said various elected officials around Orange County understand his explanations that the radical versions of Islam many Americans have been exposed to are not representative of the Muslim community. “Most of them understand that. And some have come (to the Islamic Society) to speak,” Siddiqi said. “Whether they are Democrats or Republicans, they speak to the community and say ‘We support you, we are with you and we are against discrimination.’” In December 2016, Michael Hoskinson stepped down as Huntington Beach planning commissioner following a set of disparaging comments he made about Islam, questioning whether or not it was a real religion and the ideology of the Quran, which he said was “hard to reconcile.” Earlier that year, CAIR’s Los Angeles sector penned a letter to Hoskinson’s supervisors, expressing concern over his words. “We find these comments and views repugnant, and

believe these actions call Mr. Hoskinson’s ability to perform his official government duties without prejudice and bias into serious question,” the letter read. Hoskinson responded to the outcry over his comments in a December Facebook post last year, claiming his remarks on Islam were backed by years of research. “Fate handed Europe multiple deadly Islamic terror events,” the post read. “When will society ‘connect the dots’ to stop vilifying anyone who asks basic questions about the connections between Islam and Jihadism and find a way to stop the violence?” While Hoskinson remains concerned with Jihad, Muslims in Orange County experience a different kind of violence. Irvine resident Brandon Ricardo Pascual, 35, was charged with hate crimes by the Orange County District Attorney’s office in July for harassing and assaulting two Muslim women in Irvine, according to a District Attorney’s office statement. On March 1, Pascual was accused of shouting “anti-Muslim expletives” from his car at the two women, one of whom was wearing a headscarf, as they walked toward their car in a shopping center parking lot, the statement read. Pascual was also accused of stopping his vehicle behind theirs to prevent them from leaving the parking lot, and later threw coins at the women and their car while stopped at a red light down the street, according to the statement. His court date is to be determined. “Girls are taking off their scarves because they feel like they want to fit in, or they feel like they’re obligated to make friends. They’re like ‘Oh we don’t know what to do, we give up, maybe we shouldn’t be Muslim,’” Ahmed said. “I have friends that don’t want to be Muslim anymore because of that.” Ahmed, however, said she has no plans to let outside scrutiny impede her devotion to her beliefs. She said her religion is worth the entailed discrimination. “I know the benefits that are coming for me,” Ahmed said. “I know that going through this patience, I’ll receive a reward through God.”

BRANDON PHO / DAILY TITAN

Cal Sate Fullerton student Ahlam Ahmed said there may have been a resurgence in discrimination against Muslims due to President Donald Trump’s election and the current political climate.

BRANDON PHO / DAILY TITAN

Islamic Society of Orange County Director Muzammil Siddiqi, Ph.D., said he has heard stories of discrimination from Muslims who attend prayer at his mosque.

University police begin search for chief Capt. John Brockie looks to hire more diverse officers.

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The Cal State Fullerton Police Department is searching for a new police chief, and is hosting talks and panels from candidates looking to acquire the job over the next two weeks. The first candidate, CSUF University Police Capt. John Brockie, gave a presentation on Monday explaining his determination to create a diverse, student-friendly police department. “When I started here, we were not a diverse police department,” Brockie said. “I was selected to create a police officer recruiting team in the year 2000, in order to recruit qualified applicants to reflect our campus community.” After starting the recruitment team, Brockie said the department became more diverse. By continuing the team, he said the department will see further changes in accordance with the third goal of the university’s fiveyear plan: Having a diverse faculty and staff. “Our current team is much more proficient and much more diverse, but we’re still recruiting,” Brockie said.

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BAILEY CARPENTER / DAILY TITAN

The first of three presentations for candidates looking to be CSUF’s chief of police was given Monday by Police Capt. John Brockie.

One way the department is diverse is through its male-to-female officer ratio, Brockie said. After a female officer was recently hired, he said 20 percent of the University Police force is female. However, those recruits have not been promoted, which is an issue Brockie said the department intends to address. “I would start by looking at our promotional process and see if there is anything that we can change to level the playing field,” Brockie said. Alongside diversity, having a safe and comfortable police department is important to the campus community,

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Brockie said. He believes that students should feel able to go to the department without any apprehension. “The chief has to be accessible. The chief has to be approachable,” he said. Brockie also said he wants to increase University Police’s social media presence, which he believes is important in this day and age. “I think we need to get more involved in social media. Many of the students, that is how they receive their information, that is how they check on their classes,” Brockie said. “We have a very small footprint on social media that we just started ...

And we can improve.” If he becomes the chief of police, Brockie said he will encourage the campus community to get involved, especially through Associated Students, Inc. “We need to explore more partnerships with ASI. They are the voice of our students,” Brockie said. Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Todd Rogers will give the next chief of police candidate presentation on Wednesday Nov. 29. The third presentation for San Diego Community College Chief of Police Raymund Aguirre will take place on Monday Dec. 4.

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4 LIFESTYLE Women in Pixar voice mistreatment within animation industry.

KALEB STEWART Freelance Writer

In light of recent allegations involving Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios John Lasseter, it only takes a brief Google search to conclude that Pixar’s history with women in the workplace has been a long, troubled one. Soon after The Hollywood Reporter’s article unveiled these stories on the eve of the release of Pixar’s “Coco,” news of the departure of “Toy Story 4” co-writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack emerged. Jones denied that her leaving the project was due to Lasseter making an unwanted advance. The duo stated it was due to “philosophical differences,” including the roles of women and people of color within Pixar. Many sources from Pixar have come forward describing a culture that allowed Lasseter to inappropriately touch and

embrace female employees. While this may be the first time that the general population has gained knowledge of potential misconduct concerning Lasseter specifically, it is not the first time that a woman has spoken out about the animation studio undervaluing female voices. Brenda Chapman was the original director of “Brave” before being let go from the project and replaced by Mark Andrews, who had no experience directing feature-length animated films before that point. Considering that she was one of the directors of Dreamworks’ “The Prince of Egypt” (which, in this columnist’s humble opinion, is better than most anything that came out during the Disney Renaissance), and her story contributions to classics like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” Chapman seemed like she would have been a great talent for the studio to utilize. That isn’t what happened though. “I think my ‘Brave’ experience was my first foray into ‘Oh, no, it is different for us girls,’” said Chapman in an interview with BuzzFeed. Former Pixar artist Emma Coats also told BuzzFeed she felt lost when Chapman was taken off of “Brave” and it made her wonder if the same thing would happen to her. Chapman later went on to write a New York Times column titled “Stand Up for Yourself, and Mentor

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017

Others.” The article recounts her emotional journey after losing creative control of “Brave” to a man when it was based on her own life experience as a mother. Since that point, there has been very little perceived effort to get women into roles as writers or directors. In the case of “Toy Story 4,” which Lasseter was set to co-direct up until July, Jones was the female voice of the production. Though I highly doubt that “Toy Story 4” was as much of a personal passion project for Jones as “Brave” was for Chapman, Jones and her writing partner McCormack still left the project because of the previously stated “creative and philosophical differences.” I’ve noticed many people online defending Pixar as a company, stating that the alleged misconduct of Lasseter should not reflect on Pixar as a whole. I disagree with this sentiment, though I must admit that this is from the perspective of an outsider looking in. If even a fraction of the stories coming forward about Lasseter are true, it reflects poorly not only on the Walt Disney Company and Pixar, but the animation industry itself. It means that people within the company were well aware of Lasseter’s behavior and how it affected the female staff, but failed to properly address it. With more women

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios John Lasseter recently took a leave of absence following reports of misconduct from sources within the company.

speaking out about their personal and creative experiences at Pixar, it is difficult not to look back at a project like “Brave” and wonder how much of Pixar’s darker side may have already been visible. “Sometimes women express an idea and are shot down, only to have a man

express essentially the same idea and have it broadly embraced,” Chapman said in her column. “Until there is a sufficient number of women executives in high places, this will continue to happen.” Considering the reports that have come forward, it isn’t just women’s voices that may have been undermined

at Pixar. Maybe it is time that everyone at the studio, both men and women, have a not necessary serious discussion about diverse representation and respect in the workplace. If this is the precedent that has been set at Pixar, both creatively and behaviorally, there needs to be change.

CAMPUS

Abroad: International students unite 1

Most recently, ISA members took part in their League of Kitchens event where they competed in teams in a cook-off as they made five international dishes in the Gastronome and then shared their meals. ISA is one of the oldest CSUF organizations. Although, in the past there hasn’t been much participation, this semester they reached a record for the club with 95 active members, said club president Ameya Agavekar. “They feel more comfortable with each other and I think it’s a great place to find friends with similar situations,” Agavekar said. Agevekar works on campus at the Office of Research and Sponsor Projects, like many international students because that’s what their college visa allows. Finding work can be tough because many postings require references that they might not have. Agavekar is also completing an internship with Lionsgate Pictures in Santa Monica after being exposed to the tough competition at film companies. He is hoping to soon be promoted to full time in addition to taking his information systems and decision sciences capstone class online. Eighteen-year-old entrepreneurship major Patricia Diaz came to CSUF in 2015 from the Phillipines and was struck with the difficult transition of living in a place where she didn’t know anyone while struggling with English as her second language. “Whenever I trip on my words or whenever I stutter, I feel as though I’m inferior,” Diaz said. “When I joined this club, I met new people and improved my English along the way.” Diaz has made plans

SARAH EL-MAHMOUD / DAILY TITAN

The CSUF International Student Association recently took part in their event, the League of Kitchens, in the Gastronome. They cooked dishes from their home countries including Chloe Bhatura, a famous meal from India made of chickpeas, spicy curry and fried flatbread.

with her family to apply for citizenship after graduation and manage and expand her own alteration shop. Many aspire to live and work in the United States after graduation, even with the added stresses of extra prerequisite classes, not being able to work off campus and needing to secure a job within 90 days of graduating to avoid deportation. “I would say that every international student has a dream of staying here, most of them,” Bora said. “My dream is something else.” Assam, Bora’s home in India, shares a close border with China so he has always felt like a minority dealing with divisiveness

“

They feel more comfortable with each other and I think it’s a great place to find friends with similar situations.

“

CONTINUED FROM

AMEYA AGAVEKAR CSUF International Student Association president in his own country. He plans to return with his degree and new social experiences after he graduates. “I want to give something back to my country and take the good things from here,” Bora said.

SARAH EL-MAHMOUD / DAILY TITAN

Shaira Idris (left) and Patricia Diaz (right) prepare Chicken Adobo, a dish from the Phillipines. Diaz said that the International Student Association has allowed her to make friends and improve her English. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM/LIFESTYLE

LIFESTYLE 5

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017 FEATURE

Professor studies animal cognition The farm-raised researcher’s pets inspired her career. CASSANDRA HEARN Staff Writer

Cal State Fullerton psychology professor Jessie Peissig was first inspired to study animal behavior by a cow named Measles. While growing up on a farm in Wisconsin surrounded by animals, Peissig watched as Measles learned from the family dog how to chase cars down her street. “We had to tie her up so she would stop,” Peissig said. “I can’t imagine what that poor driver must have thought seeing that in his rearview mirror.” Measles was given her name due to her spotted coat. The cow was best friends with the family dog, and together they were double trouble for Peissig’s parents. “They would actually go into the garage. The calf was tall enough to pull things off shelves, and then the dog would chew it up, so they caused all kinds of trouble,” Peissig said. Her love of animals influenced her choice to study psychology and biology at Winona State University in Minnesota. Peissig uses her background in neuroscience and biology in the classes she teaches at CSUF. “A lot of the research that we do with animals actually helps us to develop new technologies, learn about ourselves and learn about how animals solve problems,” Peissig said. The professor’s areas of study include object and face recognition in humans

and animals, and Peissig has been teaching psychology at CSUF since 2006. The psychology department was searching for a professor who had experience in conducting research with animals at that time, and Peissig ended up teaching a comparative animal behavior class. In graduate school, Peissig conducted research on visual recognition in pigeons. She described the pigeons she worked with as friendly, smart and good at multitasking. Peissig received her doctorate from the University of Iowa, where she studied behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. For her postdoctorate at Brown University, Peissig joined a group of researchers studying cognitive behavior in monkeys and humans. “That was ideal for me as I’d never done human research before, but I really liked the idea of continuing animal research with monkeys,” Peissig said. She also mentors several psychology students and helps them organize their own research labs through Maximizing Access to Research Careers, an on-campus program that connects students with faculty in biomedical research programs. Erick Aguinaldo, a CSUF psychology student, began working with Peissig over the summer on a research careers program study focusing mainly on makeup and its affect on how attractive a person is considered to be and the impact it has on a person’s perceived capability. Peissig helped to connect Aguinaldo with materials for his research and a possible

CASSANDRA HEARN / DAILY TITAN

Psychology professor Jessie Peissig started at CSUF teaching a comparative animal behavior class and now helps students with their own research through the Maximizing Access to Research Careers program.

faculty advisor in graduate school. “That’s a huge deal, being able to talk to your mentor and have them recommend you to someone else for graduate school,” Aguinaldo said. After one year, senior Alexis Drain continues to work with Peissig through research careers. Her study focuses on how important eyebrows are in facial recognition. Drain also described

Peissig as relatable and funny, adding that she often shares stories about her life and her kids with her students. As a mentor, both Aguinaldo and Drain said Peissig is accessible, helpful and genuine. “I think she’s always on the lookout for things that we can do to improve ourselves, not only as scholars and researchers, but also as graduate school applicants,” Aguinaldo said.

Peissig believes mentoring is an important component to being a good professor. In her postdoctorate program, she was mentored by a professor who was not afraid to admit his own mistakes and she still uses the advice he gave her to this day, which is focusing on what’s best for the student, not what you want out of the research. As for her comparative animal behavior classes, Peissig wants her students to leave with a greater

appreciation for animal cognition. Peissig was an only child until the age of five and connected quickly with the animals on her farm. Whether it was one of the many pigs, cows, cats or dogs her family owned, Peissig felt like they were all a part of her family. “To me it didn’t matter if they were a forty pound calf or a 2000 lbs. cow,” Peissig said. “They were still my pets.”

6 OPINION

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017

HANNAH MILLER / DAILY TITAN

Update voting by cutting paper ballots

Electronic casting is much more efficient and secure.

NICOLETTE BELK Staff Writer

Seeing as paper ballots were created around 139 B.C. in Rome, an update seems to be warranted. Conservative media pundits tout the dangers of switching from paper ballot voting to electronic voting as being the most accessible way for foreign entities

to influence or rig important decisions. Instead of focusing on the rumored and often debunked notion that electronic voting is more prone to rigging or cheating, the narrative must shift to that of ecological welfare, and realizing that paper voting is a huge waste that America unfortunately hasn’t begun to fix. With most people relying on smartphones throughout their day-to-day lives, voting electronically shouldn’t be as far-fetched of a notion as some make it out to be. Paper ballots are a big environmental issue, and the amount of waste Americans create every day adds up to an incredibly large quantity that doesn’t seem to be actively dwindling or being reversed. “On average, a person in the United States uses more

than 700 lbs. of paper every year. Paper in the U.S. represents one of the biggest components of solid waste in landfills – 26 million tons (or 16 percent of landfill solid waste) in 2009,” according to The Paperless Project, a coalition of companies aiming to change the way organizations use paper and electronic content. In 2016, more than 4 billion trees were cut down for paper use, according to Statistic Brain, an online publication that studies societal trends. In this modern society, smartphones are used for nearly everything. Appointments are saved electronically instead of on calendars, restaurants are switching to electronic receipts and a significant amount of other companies are making the move to paperless products.

So why not voting? This integral part of society just happens to be one of those things that paper has stuck to. Americans are still using a pen and paper to vote for incredibly important changes in local communities. Even some of the voting booths that use electronic screens ultimately print out results. Not only is paper voting adding to the paper waste issue in the environment, it’s silly to believe that paperless voting is more prone to cheating and rigging an election. The Federal Voting Assistance Program conducts different tests on the electronic voting system to ensure the security and accuracy of the voting. One must be very skilled in a specific type of computer language to rig an

election, a code that even those capable of such a thing would have trouble accessing. Rigging an election isn’t something that one does in an afternoon, and those hosting these ballots are completely aware of the danger that these activities hold. The margin for error is much easier to control through electronic means. Electronic voting also does more than help the environment. It makes filing easier and faster, and the overall organization of digital information safer and more reliable than a tired volunteer who’s been working the polls all day. Too often, election workers need to recount the votes. Human error is no joke, and in a matter as serious as political elections and county voting, this needs to be

taken much more seriously than it is. In Columbus, Ohio the Secretary of State Jon Husted was sued by the National Federation of the Blind for not accommodating the visually impaired; the paper-only absentee ballots clearly infringed on these citizens’ right to vote. Had they been able to vote online with the help of an audio tutorial, this wouldn’t have happened. While nearly every state in America still uses paper to vote, the nation is choosing to ignore the importance of this growing issue, believing that it’s too difficult to install machine ballots and stop the use of paper and pencils. Electronic voting is the least wasteful and most reliable way to ensure every vote is accounted for and protected.

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM/OPINION

LEISURE 7

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017

RIDDLE

CreativeCorner

PROVIDED BY http://www.doriddles.com/

What body part is pronounced as one letter but written with three, only two different letters are used?

HINT 1: Round HINT 2: Varies in color HINT 3: Visionary LAST RIDDLE’S SOLUTION: THE TRUTH

O Y R U J T

U E

H E

Y T

SOLUTION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEXT ISSUE.

SUDOKU

$25

6 1 7 8 2 9 2 5 8 7 4 6 4 8 1 5 1 9 8 4 3 7 6 9

Pale Pink Dream Ari Gutierrez

submitart@dailytitan.com

DAILY QUOTE “My favourite def inition of an intellectual: ‘Someone who has been educated beyond his/her intelligence.”

WORD SEARCH

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Daily Sudoku: Mon 27-Nov-2017

- Ar t hur C. Clarke

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PEER PEER to

ADVICE! Send in your questions if you need help!

OR Send in helpful advice you would like to share with CSUF!

Email peertopeer@dailytitan.com

Pathology:

Autopsy, Margins, Crosssection, Pathreview, Organs, Blocks, Tissues, Anatomy, Cryostat, Grading, Formalin, Diagnosis, Embedding, Malignancy

HOROSCOPE PROVIDED BY tarot.com

ARIES

(Mar. 21 - Apr. 19)

CANCER

(Jun. 21 - Jul. 22)

Outlining your plans for the year ahead seems like a wise use of your time today, but there are several unknown factors that need clarification before you make any commitments. However, you are tempted to impulsively go ahead and say yes before you know all the details once the Moon blasts into fiery Aries.

Your emotional connection with the past is highlighted by a minor crisis today. You may be called out because your production is running behind, or you could run into a roadblock that reveals a problem with your current schedule.

TAURUS

You’re inspired to channel your creativity into something real today. You want to demonstrate the breadth of your vision as a pragmatic Mercury-Saturn conjunction occurs in expansive Sagittarius and your 5th House of Self-Expression.

(Apr. 20 - May 20)

You might be expected to share your perspective on a complicated matter at work today. Although you have your opinions, you’re not interested in discussing them with anyone else at this time.

GEMINI

(May 21 - Jul. 20)

You can’t escape from the truth about a relationship today. Or, perhaps, you’re the recipient of a reality check issued by a partner or associate. No matter how the message finds its way to you, there’s no choice but to deal with it. CONTACT US: CLASSIFIEDS@DAILYTITAN.COM

LEO

(Jul. 23 - Aug. 22)

VIRGO

(Aug. 23 - Sep. 22)

Someone may be giving you a hard time today and you’re not sure why. Unfortunately, people aren’t saying much now, leaving you too much room to fill in the blanks with your doubts.

LIBRA

(Sep. 23 - Oct. 22)

You don’t have enough time in the day to respond to emails, return phone calls and tie up all the loose ends that have unraveled. You feel like you’re driving down an information superhighway that narrows from four lanes to one while a restrictive Mercury-Saturn hookup occurs in your 3rd House of Communication.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

Your confidence rises and falls with the tides today. An unexpected setback could catalyze a cascade of conflicting concerns about your ability to perform your job.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

Your current assignment is not yet complete, but you may be at a turning point today. You might have planned on already being done with this chapter of your life by now.

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CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

You’re in for a rude awakening today if you thought you could power your way right through a roadblock. In fact, the cosmos is issuing you a speeding ticket for talking too fast as chatty Mercury runs into authoritative Saturn. w © thewordse

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

You may feel isolated today, as if all your friends and associates are at a party without you. However, it’s your sense of alienation that’s causing your worry, not the real or imagined gathering.

PISCES

(Feb. 19 - Mar. 20)

At first glance, achieving your goals seems out of the question today, but your courageous and ambitious nature is not to be underestimated. The distance between where you are now and where you are going makes reaching your destination appear impossible. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

8 SPORTS

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2017

FERNANDO SALAZAR / DAILY TITAN

Junior guard Jade Vega contributed 11 points against the Pioneers and holds the lead on the Titans roster after averaging 11.7 points per game. During the 2016-17 season, Vega also remained on top of the leaderboards while holding a 9.6 points-per-game average, good for second on the team.

Titans can’t find path to win against Pioneers CSUF women’s basketball is now 2-4 after losing 83-58 against Denver. MARIANA VERA Asst. Sports Editor

JESSICA JANSSEN Staff Writer

After breaking a three-game losing streak on Saturday, Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball was unable to keep the ball rolling, taking an 83-58 loss at home against Denver on Monday night.

Both teams started the game slow with Denver only notching four points and Fullerton pocketing three in the first six minutes of play. The Titans scored first, but their momentum stalled as Denver knocked down seven of their 12 3-pointers while Fullerton missed four of its six free throws. Titans center Daeja Smith said those and other little things are what the team has to shift its focus on perfecting going into their next game. “Free throws, boxing out and rebounding are going to be our

emphasis from here,” Smith said. At the half, the Titans trailed 40-26 with Jade Vega having 7 points to lead the team, but though Fullerton was able to come out on the court with fresher legs and a new mindset after the break, the deficit only grew larger. “We try not to focus on the negative and we try to keep our heads in a positive space,” Vega said. The Titans were unable to do so Monday, with their 25-point halftime deficit proving too much to overcome. “We come out at half time like it’s 0-0. It’s a whole new ball

game, so at the end of the day we can still win. We can still get a bucket and still try to do what we can to come out on top,” Smith said. Vega and Smith led the team in points, Vega with 11 and Smith finishing with 15. Coming off the bench, freshman Carolyn Gill finished with the third highest points for the Titans (8), six of which she scored in the first period when she was able to make open shots from the corner, making up half of the team’s 12 points for the period. “Coach always talks about who

is going to be that spark off the bench. He talks about how important the bench is, so just because you’re not starting doesn’t mean you’re not important,” Gill said. The team was disappointed to come off a “great win” and follow it with a loss on its home court, but it recognizes that it is still learning as a new team. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m confident we’re going to bounce back and have a great week at practice,” said Titans Head Coach Jeff Harada. The Titans will face Montana on the road Friday.

KATIE ALBERTSON / DAILY TITAN FILE PHOTO

Jackson Rowe is on his way to earning more Big West recognition and ranks No. 1 on the conference’s 3-point percentage leaderboard.

Record: Key to a stronger offense CONTINUED FROM

“I didn’t feel like any of his shots were out of rhythm,” Taylor said. “I didn’t feel like they were even heat checks.” It was exactly the type of demonstration of inside-out scoring potential and defensive prowess that led Rowe to earn Big West Freshman of the Year in the 2016-17 season while also being the only Titan to make the media preseason all-conference team. Rowe struggled to live up to that hype early in the season, averaging just 10.5 points per game before his explosion against Harvard, but the signs of his efficiency and readiness for a bigger output were there. Rowe was still shooting 60 percent from the field even before his perfect shooting night Sunday, which raised

his field goal percentage to a team-high of 71.4 percent. The Titans can’t expect quite the type of numbers Rowe posted against Harvard from him every night, but it’s closer to the kind of production they’ll need to ease the load on the rest of the team when their most promising young player is humming. “It’s easier for me, because they’re all focused on him,” said Titans guard Khalil Ahmad. “So that makes my job easier and I just get to watch him score.” After his historic performance, Rowe was his typical understated self, telling reporters he was “just shooting” and he was more concerned with doing whatever he could to help the Titans win, even if he did acknowledge it “felt good” to

play so well. His coach was happy to do the bragging for him. “Do you realize you were 10 for 10? I mean you were five for five from three. That’s impressive, seriously,” Taylor told his star at the podium. Whether Rowe realized it or not, the rest of the Big West surely took note. If Rowe can continue to keep up any semblance of the versatile performance he demonstrated against Harvard, the Titans might finally have enough offensive options to complement their already stout defense and find the postseason success they’ve been searching for. And if they don’t, it won’t be because Rowe didn’t put in the early-morning hours to work for it. Jared Eprem contributed to this report. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM/SPORTS