April 25, 2018

YOU CAN SAVE STUDENT NEWSROOMS

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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

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CONTROVERSY

Fresno State will not penalize professor over Bush tweets

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado @cres_guez

F

resno State President Dr. Joseph Castro announced Tuesday that the university is ending an investigation into a professor’s fiery tweets about former First Lady Barbara Bush.

English professor Randa Jarrar angered many people online one week ago after she made disparaging remarks against Bush

Fresno State

Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro announced April 24, 2018 that the university ended an investigation into English professor Randa Jarrar over controversial former First Lady Barbara Bush tweets.

just an hour after she had died, calling her an “amazing racist” who had raised a “war criminal.”

She repeatedly responded to critics that she wouldn’t be fired for her comments because she had tenure and was afforded rights as a university professor. She also mentioned her salary on several occasions when critics denounced her comments.

The conclusion not to discipline Jarrar for those actions came just one week after the tweets were sent out and just one day before a deadline set by several civil rights groups that called for the university to drop the investigation.

In the announcement, Castro said Jarrar did not violate any university or California State University policies when she tweeted the comments against Bush, including that she couldn’t wait for the rest of the Bush family to “fall to their demise” like 1.5 million Iraqis.

On Tuesday, The Cut reported that Jar-

See CONTROVERSY, Page 3

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Hope for new beginnings Commemoration turns focus to future

By William Ramirez | @willoveslakers2

For Armenians, April 24 marks a day of remembrance. This year, it was a day to look toward the future.

Tuesday marked 103 years since the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, a massacre that occurred in the former Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1927. The event claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenians.

Fresno State commemorated the anniversary at the Armenian Genocide Monument twice, once at noon and then again in the evening.

The ceremony at noon was organized by students, while the evening celebration was organized by the Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of Fresno (AGCC) and was named the official community commemoration.

Other cities participated in commemorating the genocide, including Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C. The Fresno State commemoration celebrated Armenian culture through music, religion and history.

See ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, Page 3

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Mareta Hovakimyan lays a flower at Armenian Genocide Monument during the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2018.

OPINION

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

2

EDITORIAL

Will you help Save Student Newsrooms?

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado @cres_guez

I

magine Fresno State without a student newspaper.

No longer would you pick up a fresh copy of The Collegian with news about Associated Students, Inc government meetings – where decisions are made about where your money goes. No longer would you hear the latest developments in the controversies that rattle the university. Or when a tragic incident takes a student’s life, The Collegian would not be there to bring you the stories that help you make sense of unfortunate circumstances that are a part of Fresno State life. Editors would stop trying to make sense of the crazy world we live in, and you would go about your day with little understanding of what is happening around you. Your concerns wouldn’t matter because reporters would no longer exist to ask questions on the issues that are most pressing for you on this campus.

You would be all on your own.

Luckily, The Collegian has been the goto source of information for Fresno State students for 96 years. We hope that it continues being there to continue to uncover and report truth at the university for years to come.

Collegian editors produce the newspaper.

But we can no longer continue to do it alone. Now, more than ever, we need your help.

The cost of operating our newsroom has gotten more and more expensive over the years. Even so, we’ve continued to produce a newspaper under a financial strain that has plagued student newsrooms across the nation.

Chueyee Yang • The Collegian

Our objective through this recession has always been to provide you with continuous coverage of campus events and news that is important to you. We have always worked for you.

When we are supported by readers like you, we understand that we have an obligation to give you what you paid for.

We make ourselves available to hear your

feedback on our reporting and when you want us to look into things. We are always trying to improve. And always, our obligation is to you, the reader.

But it seems nobody is talking about this crisis that is unfolding in student newsrooms at universities, so we intend to make sure you understand the consequences of allowing student newsrooms to suffer.

Among the consequences are fewer trained journalists for tomorrow and much less information that gets into your hands so you can make informed decisions.

We have joined with more than 100 student newsrooms across the United States for “Save Student Newsrooms Day” to tell you why well-funded student newsrooms matter and how you can support us.

On April 25, we are asking you to consider giving to The Collegian any donation amount you possibly can. Your donations will go toward Collegian operations, like rebuilding our website to better fit the digital age and providing financial and equipment support to student journalists who are committed to keeping you informed.

If you would like to support your student newspaper, visit our website: collegian.csufresno.edu.

We hope you can help save student newsrooms.

CAMPUS COLUMN

Death, fights and band nights.

The Bucket’s ties to history

By Dan Waterhouse I like The Bucket. Although I’ve mixed emotions about the current slightly downat-heels place, I loved the old one on the other side of the building, across from the main entrance to Henry Madden Library.

The old Bucket was roughly 60 feet long by about 20 feet wide. One wall was mostly floor to ceiling windows that looked out towards the library. An emergency exit door was next to the first window. The bar was in the southeast corner of the room.

A doorway connected the bar area to the large cafeteria kitchen. Another door just to the left of the bar led to the cafeteria itself. The walls were bare except for a few posters advertising beer or athletics.

There were three or four neon-lit beer logos hanging on the wall behind the bar.

The floor was colored concrete squares

The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university. collegian.csufresno.edu

that were easy to clean. The furniture was thoroughly trashed. My usual table was by the side exit door.

It was open between noon and midnight. Whenever I could, I’d have fish and chips at noon along with three half-liter carafes of wine, and then an evening nightcap of another three carafes of rose.

I was such a steady customer that I almost never paid for the third carafe.

The bar was born after a bloody year in the mid-1970s. Within the space of a few months, three dormitory residents died in off-campus car crashes. Administrators looked at the carnage and decided it would be safer having a bar on campus so the “dormies” wouldn’t leave campus to drink alcohol. After a battle, it finally opened in late 1979 and enjoyed immediate popularity.

Why not? It had the cheapest beer and wine in town. It was always packed at lunch time and it wasn’t unusual for it to

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be full in the evenings. In the beginning, College Union Productions brought in live rock bands on Thursday nights.

Unfortunately, fights became a common occurrence on live band nights.

Thankfully, they usually were out back in the parking lot. After a couple of years of unruliness, the live bands were replaced by the Sammy Schaeffer Memorial Swing Band.

Schaeffer was a lecturer in the music department who was immensely popular with students. He was, reputedly, as unpopular with the powers-that-be who fired him. Out of the ashes came the band.

It played jazzed-up versions of popular swing tunes like “Pennsylvania 6-5000” and “In The Mood.”

You had to get there early to get a chair and table. Standing-room only was the rule. My routine on band nights was first get my swim done and be on my way to the bar by eight o’clock. I’d walk in, say “hi” to everyone, grab a table and mark it with my gear bag, and then get a half-liter of tipple and a glass at the bar. Settling in my chair, I’d pop a book open and read until the music began.

The band’s playlist was a “What’s what” of swing from the World War II era. Songs

Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado Staff Reporter Chueyee Yang Staff Reporter Razmik Cañas Staff Reporter Selina Falcon Staff Reporter Vanessa Romo Multimedia Reporter Hayley Salazar Multimedia Reporter Ramuel Reyes General Sales Manager Benjamin Cruz National Sales Manager Alyssa Honore Special Projects Manager Juan Alvarez Agency Sales Manager William Ramirez Art Director Michael Ford Assistant Art Director Nugesse Ghebrendrias Distribution Manager

Angelica Hernandez Bineet Kaur Chrissy Mattos Jorge Rodriguez Crea Jackson Eric Zamora Bailey Margosian Omar Lopez Jr Danielle Schneider Jacqueline Solorio-Ayala Casey Supple Kong Thao David Greenwald

like “In The Mood;” “American Patrol;” “Take The A Train;” “Chattanooga ChooChoo;” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy;” “Begin The Beguine;” “One O’Clock Jump;” “Sentimental Journey;” just to name a few. It always felt like I was sitting in the officers’ club at an Eighth Air Force bomber airfield in England in 1944.

Sometimes, I imagined I’d hear a chorus of Pratt-Whitney aircraft engines ticking over outside. The band played two 45-minute sets and didn’t wrap the night up until well past 11 o’clock. I’d wander home to Bulldog Village afterwards.

I have lunch there occasionally when I have day classes. It’s an all-ages venue and the people I usually see drinking are Greeks. It doesn’t stay open late – it closes early unless there’s something special happening. That feeling of being back in 1944 sadly left a long time ago.

Dan Waterhouse writes The Collegian’s Campus Column, which prints on Wednes- days. Waterhouse is a lifelong Fresnan. He has written for the Fresno City College and Fresno State student newspapers over the years, including other local publications. Follow him on Twitter: @WaterhouseDan

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Edgar Jimenez-Ordaz Rich Marshall Cheryl Carlson Jan Edwards George Hostetter Dr. Katherine Adams

The Collegian carries four different ethnic supplements inserted several times throughout each semester into its print publication. Each supplement is produced by its own staff and advisers and is separate from The Collegian.

The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted one copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. All content Copyright © 2018 The Collegian.

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

PAGE 3

CONTROVERSY ARMENIAN from Page 1 GENOCIDE COMMENT: to comment on this story visit our website collegian.csufresno.edu

rar had responded to an email requesting a comment on the Twitter controversy. Jarrar told the publication that she “felt compelled to speak up because I want people to remember history.”

She continued: “I want people to know that our country’s actions don’t just disappear; they have real, negative consequences.

If we want a better future, we have to confront our past.”

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education partnered with several other civil rights groups in the country to persuade Castro that investigating Jarrar would be counterproductive and would only reward those who had complaints over the professor’s comments.

In their April 19 letter, the civil rights groups said Jarrar’s expression is protected by the U.S. and California constitutions.

“The principle of freedom of speech does not exist to protect only noncontroversial expression; it exists to protect speech that some or even most members of a community may find controversial or offensive,” the letter read.

The civil rights groups also said that Fresno State could not base an investigation on the fact that Jarrar posted a phone number to a crisis hotline at Arizona State University and passed it as her own, although it angered some on social media.

“Even assuming Jarrar’s tweets caused a substantial disruption somewhere else, that disruption does not impact Fresno State’s interest as an employer,” the civil rights groups said.

The rights groups expected Castro to say

by Wednesday that the university would not investigate Jarrar or other faculty for their speech. They accused the university of attempting to initiate an investigation simply to calm the anger of those who criticized the university after Jarrar made her comments on Twitter.

In the announcement where he said Fresno State would not seek punishment for Jarrar, Castro called Jarrar’s comments “embarrassing” and “disgraceful” and said he expects university representatives to engage in respectful dialogue.

“Although professor Jarrar used tenure to defend her behavior, this private action is an issue of free speech and not related to her job or tenure,” Castro said. “Therefore, the university does not have justification to support taking any disciplinary action.”

The decision by the university to not discipline Jarrar didn’t come as a surprise to many students. Several of them responded to The Collegian’s Facebook page and said Jarrar’s speech was not necessarily a fireable offense in the first place. But there were students who suggested that Jarrar’s remarks reflect badly on the university.

Jarrar will remain on a leave of absence that she had arranged before the controversy. A Change.org petition to have her fired from the university had raised more than 55,000 signatures as of Tuesday and was still collecting signatures as the university released its announcement.

Castro said, although there will be no official disciplinary action against Jarrar, her comments do raise questions about how academics at the university should conduct themselves. Castro said those discussions will be held following this incident.

from Page 1

Misak Israelyan sang a triad of Armenian songs. Religious leaders from the Central San Joaquin Valley read from the Bible and led sermons in both Armenian and English. And the victims of the genocide were remembered as “saints and martyrs”

by University President Dr. Joseph Castro.

But the keynote speaker, Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, a lecturer in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS) at Columbia University in New York, shifted the focus from 103 years ago to this Monday.

“It’s difficult to talk about April 24 without talking about April 23,” Mouradian said.

He was referring to the recent political revolution that occured in present-day Armenia.

Serzh Sargsyan announced Monday that he was stepping down from his role as Prime Minister of Armenia, 10 days after stepping into the role.

This announcement came after over a week of protesting of what many Armenians felt was Sargsyan’s attempt at claiming power over Armenia for life.

Mouradian used the protestors’ efforts to encourage the youth and drive home their importance in the future.

“Think about yesterday. Think about the

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

The Armenian Student Organization holds a silent protest at Armenian Genocide Monument during the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2018.

fact that of the tens of thousands of people protesting in Armenia, the majority were youth,” Mouradian said.

He added that young people not only define a society’s future but also their present day.

Dr. Sergio La Porta, professor of Armenian studies at Fresno State, said the recent political shifts impacted what is usually a somber anniversary.

“It does breathe a breath of fresh air into the Armenian community, and gives it a sense of hope, and a positive attitude going forward,” La Porta said.

The Armenian Students Organization (ASO) prematurely embodied Mouradian’s message Tuesday afternoon.

The organization’s eight executives si-

lently protested against all of the genocide deniers and demanded it be recognized as a crime against humanity by all.

Zaroohi Der Mugrdechian of AGCC said informing the youth of the facts is an integral part of diminishing the amount of deniers.

They held signs painted with the colors of the Armenian flag that read “Turkey is guilty of genocide,” “Recognize the Armenian Genocide!” and “Turkey failed,” among others.

“We will not yield until our martyrs are recognized,” said ASO president Kara Statler.

But she also argued that recognition was not enough, and that the fight must continue.

MUSIC

Not your average percussion group

Photo Courtesy of Red Wave Indoor Percussion Ensemble

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

Fresno State’s Red Wave indoor percussion ensemble traveled to Ohio this past weekend to compete in the Winter Guard International World Championships.

The newly formed percussion group was established last year. Steve McKeithen, the Fresno State associate director of bands, said that it’s uncommon for an indoor percussion ensemble to compete on an international level as early as in its second year of existence.

For the championships, Red Wave chose to go against the norm. McKeithen said often indoor percussion ensembles often engage in performances that are somber and have deeper messages to them.

“A lot of the shows that you might go see are very serious or very dark or very brooding,” McKeithen said. “We choose to

be more entertaining and a little lighter.”

McKeithen said Red Wave strives to be dynamic when performing. The ensemble donned vibrantly colored clothing and executed a more upbeat performance than other competitors.

The performance was inspired by “Love Connection,” a dating television show.

While performing, the Red Wave presented three different bachelors. McKeithen said their version was meant to be “tongue in cheek” for the audience.

“If it’s all intense all the time – if it’s all slow and soft – at a certain point, people won’t pay attention to it,” McKeithen said.

“It’s got to have highs and lows.”

Blaine Haskin, a Red Wave member, said the uniqueness of the performance caused him to harbor some doubts about whether or not others would enjoy it.

“It’s not the same as other groups, but I think that’s part of the reason why it works,” he said.

Chris McKie, also a member of Red

Wave, said the lighthearted nature of their performance allowed the audience to be more at ease while watching.

“With ours, you can just turn your brain off and enjoy the humor and the quirkiness to it,” McKie said. “It was just an entertaining show that anyone could enjoy.”

At this year’s championships, Red Wave received the fan favorite award. The competition was broadcasted online, and viewers were allowed to vote for their favorite performance.

McKeithen said it felt like a form of validation for the ensemble.

Although much of the focus at the championship is placed on competing with other indoor percussion ensembles, McKeithen said he doesn’t necessarily feel hostile toward competitors.

“We have other groups that are different than us,” McKeithen said. “But we appreciate what they do, even though we’re in direct competition with them.”

A&E

4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

CELEBRITIES

Making sense of Kanye’s return to Twitter

Steve Eichner • Sipa USA/TNS

Kanye West performs on Sept. 5, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

By Peter Sblendorio New York Daily News

K

anye West has sparked conversation, controversy and a whole lot of confusion in his return to Twitter.

The outspoken rapper, who reactivated his account this month after nearly a year away, has managed to excite some fans with announcements about new music while isolating others with philosophical and polarizing messages – including some that have drawn right-wing support.

Here’s what you need to know about West’s latest eye-opening Twitter sprees.

Wait, so Kanye is tweeting again?

Yep. After deleting his account last May, West returned a little over a week ago with posts about a fond memory with Lamar Odom, his popular Yeezy shoes and tattoo ideas.

He later began using the platform to announce his long-awaited eighth album, as well as a surprise collaboration with Kid Cudi – but he’s also woven in some deeper tweets that have gotten people talking.

So what sparked the controversy?

West raised eyebrows recently by tweeting his admiration for a conservative African-American commentator named Candace Owens who has often garnered backlash for her divisive takes, including criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I love the way Candace Owens thinks,” West wrote.

This drew the ire of many of the rapper’s

followers. Just last week, Owens described a group of Black Lives Matters protesters in California as “whiny toddlers, pretending to be oppressed for attention.”

We have freedom of speech but not freedom of thought.

— Kanye West, Singer/Songwriter

So who stood by Kanye over this tweet?

Scott Adams, creator of the “Dilbert” comics, for one. Adams posted a Twitter video last Sunday in which he explains why he believes West is leading society into the “Golden Age” due to his willingness to break through so-called “prisons of the mind” – which Adams describes as viewpoints that people “imagine to be true” that limit a person’s perception of what is actually possible.

He cited West’s embracement of Owens as an example of why he’s not a prisoner of his own mind.

“He ripped a hole in reality. In seven words. Because Kanye is supposed to be over here, and Candace is supposed to be over here,” Adams said. “And they’re not ever supposed to say the other one said

something right. ... The story is that these two people that shouldn’t be in the same conversation, in seven words, Kanye just changed that. And he just freed a lot of people from a mental prison.”

Why does it matter?

Like Owens, Adams has supported the right side of the political aisle. He switched his allegiance to President Donald Trump toward the end of the 2016 presidential race after supporting Hillary Clinton earlier on.

West, meanwhile, shared snippets of Adams’ video talking about the rapper and the Golden Age to his own Twitter on Monday.

This came a day after West posted a series of his own deeper-thinking messages to Twitter.

“People demonize people and then they demonize anybody who sees anything positive in someone whose been demonized,” West wrote Sunday.

“We have freedom of speech but not freedom of thought,” West continued in subsequent posts. “The thought police want to suppress freedom of thought.”

Who else is reacting to West’s tweets?

Alex Jones, the right-wing commentator who has regularly outraged the masses with his opinions and conspiracy theories, invited West to come on his show, “InfoWars.” “.@kanyewest I admire your bold moves against the thought police,” Jones tweeted Monday, shortly after West began sharing the videos of Adams’ post. “And if you want to see these control-freak vam-

pires really go crazy, please join me on my broadcast!”

Has Owens weighed in?

She has. She initially gushed over West’s tweet praising the way she thinks.

“I’m freaking out. @kanyewest ... .please take a meeting with me,” Owens wrote. “I tell every single person that everything that I have been inspired to do, was written in your music. I am my own biggest fan, because you made it okay. I need you to help wake up the black community.”

She has since gone on to retweet a number of West’s tweets, including “self-victimization is a disease” and “Constantly bringing up the past keeps you stuck there.”

It’s worth noting: West, 40, has said multiple times he wants to run for president, including in his song “Facts” where he raps “2020 I’mma run the whole election.”

He made headlines in December 2016 when he met with Trump at Trump Tower, later explaining on Twitter he wanted to meet with him to discuss “multicultural issues” such as “bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums and violence in Chicago.

West also tweeted the hashtag #2024 that day, seemingly suggesting he wouldn’t run for the Oval Office himself until then.

West, however, later deleted his tweets about his meeting with Trump, with TMZ reporting in February 2017 that the rapper was unhappy with the president’s first few weeks on the job.

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

PAGE 5

A&E BRIEFS

Cirque du Soleil returns to Fresno

Tickets on sale this week for Save Mart Center events

Ticketmaster

Comedian Jim Gaffigan, who will make a stop in Fresno on his “The Fixer Upper Tour” on August 12, 2018. Tickets go on sale Friday.

Cirque du Soleil

Corteo, the latest Cirque du Soleil production, will make a stop in Fresno for six performances beginning Sept. 20, 2018 through Sept. 23, 2018

Corteo, the latest Cirque du Soleil arena production, embarks on a new journey throughout North America. The show will visit the Save Mart Center for six performances beginning Thursday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Sept. 23.

Advance tickets for Corteo are available now online to Cirque Club members.

Cirque Club membership is free, and benefits include access to advance tickets, special offers and exclusive behind-the-scenes

information. To join, visit www.cirqueclub. com.

Tickets will be available to the public starting May 4 at 10 a.m. at cirquedusoleil. com/corteo, ticketmaster.com; by phone at 800-745-3000; or at the Save Mart Center box office. Adult tickets are $42, $68, $101 and $128. Tickets for children 2-12 are $34, $55, $81.50 and $103. Tickets for students and seniors over 65 are $35.50, $59.50 and $94.50.

VISALIA TRANSIT

ON LY

RideVLIN E.com

Tickets for two Save Mart Center events will go on sale this week. On Thursday, tickets to see Mexican singer El Fantasma will be on sale at 10 a.m. The Rancheando En La Cuidad tour will make its stop in Fresno on June 16 at 8 p.m., and tickets range from $63.50 to $153.50.

On Friday, tickets to see comedian Jim

Gaffigan on his “The Fixer Upper Tour” will go on sale at 10 a.m. Gaffigan will perform on Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $35.75, $49.75 and $59.75.

Tickets for both events can be purchased at ticketmaster.com; by phone at 800-7453000; or at the Save Mart Center box office.

CineCulture to screen ‘The Suffragists’ CineCulture will present a screening of “The Suffragists” (“Las Sufragistas”) (2012) followed by a discussion led by director Ana Cruz Navarro on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium.

The film runs for 78 minutes, is in Spanish with English subtitles and is free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

IMDb

CineCulture will screen “The Suffragists” (“Las Sufragistas”) on April 27, 2018.

University Dance Theatre presents ‘Be the Music’ Fresno State’s University Dance Theatre will present its student-choreographed dance performance, “Be the Music,” April 26 through 28 at 8 p.m., and at 2 p.m. on April 28 in the Lab School 101 Theatre.

Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door 30 minutes before showtime. Box office hours are noon to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Parking is free for shows Friday through Saturday night. For the Thursday night show, parking permits are required and can be purchased at dispensers in parking lots on campus. For more information, contact the box office at 559-278-2216 or universitytheatre@csufresno.edu.

Keyboard Concert with Jeremy Denk The Keyboard Concerts series will be presenting pianist Jeremy Denk on Friday at 8 p.m. in the Fresno State Concert Hall.

Denk will play a recital that consists of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Prokofiev.

General admission tickets are $25; senior tickets are $18; and student tickets are $5. Parking will be available in Lot C (corner of Shaw and Maple avenues). For ticket reservations, call 559-278-2337.

NEWS

6

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

ADMINISTRATION

‘A perfect storm’ to face water issues

Eric Zamora • The Collegian

Thomas Esqueda, Fresno State’s new associate vice president (AVP) of water and sustainability meets with members of the Sustainability Club to discuss future plans for campus awareness of water and sustainability issues on April 17, 2018.

By Hayley Salazar @hayley_salazarr

Thomas Esqueda remembers seeing the 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a child.

During a recent interview with The Collegian, he said one scene in particular made an impact in his life.

In that scene, the main character, played

by James Stewart, shares his dreams with co-star Donna Reed. “[Reed] asks [Stewart], ‘So what are you

going to do?’ and he goes, ‘I’m going to build things,” Esqueda said. “‘I’m going to go around and build cities. I’m going to build skyscrapers and infrastructure’.”

“I’m going, ‘Where there’s a job where you can do that stuff?’” Esqueda told himself.

Not long after beginning his college career at San Jose State University, Esqueda discovered civil engineering. “That’s what we do,” he said with a slight grin as he remembers the scene from the film.

After years of consulting for the City of

Fresno on water solutions, Esqueda is now bringing the conversation about water to Fresno State as the first associate vice president (AVP) of water and sustainability.

“That’s what’s exciting about working at the university level – having that opportunity to have that kind of discussion,” he said.

That discussion, which could bring awareness to water issues in the Central Valley, which according to Esqueda is “ground zero” of water issues.

The area struggles with water rights, environmental groups versus agriculture businesses, climate change and the sometimes low Sierra Nevada snowpack, he said.

“We’ve treated [water] like this thing that’s just going to be there. Some people may think I can just turn the tap, but it takes a lot of energy and effort and people to get it,” Esqueda said.

He said his goal as the AVP has three parts to it: it connects community agencies, the irrigation districts and state agencies and legistors with university faculty and students to advance the use of water in the area.

These interest groups of “smart and passionate people” have created the “perfect storm,” Esqueda said – one that can face water issues head-on.

“Nothing is impossible,” he said. “The only thing that limits our ability to move the discussion on water is our imagination.”

Already a week into his new position, Esqueda has begun engaging with students.

He met with the campus sustainability club

on his second day on the job. But his efforts are not limited to students involved with sustainability.

Esqueda said “water touches everything,” including disciplines in literature, poetry, photography – and advertising.

He invites students of all majors to join the water discussion.

“A goal of mine would be that when students graduate from Fresno State, they have a higher appreciation and awareness of water and how it impacts our lives,” he said.

Esqueda took an interest in water during his time at San Jose State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. His fascination rests with how water has been, and always will be, a necessity for humans.

“We need water,” he said. “We’ve lived without electricity, cars and phones and air conditioning. But we’ve never lived without water.”

Esqueda said that much of what he learned in his college courses applies to his career today. At San Jose State, he took a course called “Strength in Materials” in which he learned to break items such as beams, wood, steel, aluminum and concrete.

“The outcome wasn’t to teach you how to break things. The outcome was to teach you why things break,” he said.

Now as a professional, Esqueda tries to examine why systems, like those involving water, can “break” and how he can foster a discussion to help improve the situation.

GLOBAL NEWS RELAY

Broadcasting around the world

By Hayley Salazar @hayley_salazarr

Matt Broughton realized his interruptible feedback (IFB) earpiece had stopped working mid-newscast. He uses the device to communicate with the control room.

The senior broadcast student was co-anchoring with fellow student-journalist Mitzi Cardenas during the annual Global News Relay (GNR) when he lost audio connection during a live conversation with student-journalists from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.

The experience was a learning curve, Broughton said, one that prepared him for the “real world” after he graduates in May. “I had to solely rely on my co-anchor and just the camera,” he said.

But the technical difficulties were an obstacle quickly overcome by Broughton and the rest of the “Fresno State Focus” broadcast team as they participated in the news relay.

Seventeen universities from 10 different countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, took part in the seven-hour worldwide broadcast.

Each newsroom created packages of 15 to 30 minutes of prerecorded content discussing their community with this year’s theme: shelter.

The participating universities submitted pre-filmed video packages showing homelessness, regional housing conditions and

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Broadcast journalism professor Faith Sidlow along with her students handle the production from the control room during the Global News Relay on April 23, 2018.

resources from within their local areas.

After the packages were aired, Fresno State anchors held a live interview with students from each university, discussing the process of finding, creating and editing their stories.

“It was nice to be able to have that commonality that we could talk about, and it was interesting to see the stuff that’s going on here is actually going on in different countries,” Broughton said.

Fresno State co-hosted the newscast with

Ryerson University and the Asian College of Journalism in India.

Katie Gogo, a senior broadcast student, opened the show with co-anchor Elisa Navarro. Gogo said even though she had commentary and questions prepared before the show, sitting at the newsdesk during the live newscast gave her with new perspectives.

“It’s a lot more impactful after watching it while I’m actually on set and seeing how much these students put into their projects and their packages,” Gogo said.

She said that her favorite role was sitting at the desk because it provided the opportunity to gain more experience that will hopefully move her toward a career goal of anchoring professionally.

Gogo and Navarro spoke with students from Japan and then China during the first hour of news relay. Gogo said that while these students may come from places thousands of miles away, they face issues similar to those within the United States.

“Even though they’re on the other side of the world, their problems are similar to ours, so it was easy to have a conversation with them, and I think we’re all so invested in this topic,” Gogo said.

Students auditioned in March to participate in the newscast, each being assigned rotating positions between crew (production) and talent (on-air).

Brittany Steele, a sophomore broadcast student, is finishing up her first year in the major. She worked as the floor director for the first two hours of the newscast. She was the liaison between the control room and the talent for camera cues and anchor performance.

She said a lot of work and energy goes into creating a show of this magnitude.

“I used to be one of those people who saw the anchors on TV and thought, ‘Oh it’s that simple’, but once I got into the major and seeing how it goes on I see how much work goes into it,” Steele said.

Seven hours later, when it was over, the experience proved to be a rewarding one for the Focus students.

“I think Fresno State is a very unique college, and our major is very unique in that we get to have opportunities like this,” Broughton said.

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

NFL DRAFT

Stafford says yes.

Stafford entered the league as the No. 1 pick even though he completed only 57 percent of his passes. Stafford had the physical makeup and the work ethic, All he needed was a chance to prove himself.

Allen is very similar to Stafford in that sense.

Allen needs time to develop. His bestcase scenario would be a team that already has a quarterback. Given the proper time and tutelage, Allen could become a force.

Stafford isn’t the only quarterback Allen resembles. Jay Cutler from the Miami Dolphins and of Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Carson Wentz are others.

I expect Allen to go No. 1 to the Cleveland Browns. He will be able to sit behind Tyrod Taylor for a year, maybe less, and work on his craft.

While Allen sets the headlines, some Bulldogs are focused on their dreams as well.

Back in March, Fresno State held its of-

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS

Lacrosse

WOMEN’S RUGBY

THURSDAY

Baseball

Men’s Tennis

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

Men’s Tennis

from Page 8

improved upon.

Allen comes into the league with all the physical traits to be successful, but the mental and technical areas are where his potential lies.

Can you fix a quarterback’s accuracy issues after he enters the league?

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew

At at Mountain West Championships 3 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

vs San Diego State at 2018 MPSF Championship- 5 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

At Mountain West Championships 11 a.m. or 3 p.m.

Team to make history

At Boise State - 3 p.m.

vs Air Force - 6:05 p.m

At Mountain West Championships 1 p.m.

Track & Field

Water Polo

Softball

Championships - 12:45 p.m.

ficial NFL Pro Day. Thirteen Fresno State players showcased their skills in front of 14 NFL scouts.

The New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams were just a few of the teams represented at Bulldog Stadium.

Some of the Bulldogs taking part played big roles in the 10-win 2017 season.

Kicker Jimmy Camacho, former captain Aaron Mitchell and defensive lineman Robert Stanley highlighted a talented group.

Softball

At Mountain West Championships 1 p.m.

At Golden Coast Conference

PAGE 7

at Bulldog Invitational

At Boise State - 3:00 p.m.

Baseball

vs Air Force - 6:05 PM Fresno State Women’s Rugby

The Fresno State women’s rugby team is getting ready to face its biggest challenge in the Women’s Division II National Championship.

“I chose to attend SJCL because I saw how successful the attorneys were coming out of the school. I realized I could have a successful career with an education that was affordable.”

Amanda Busick Fresno State BA, Sociology

Law School 101 Wednesday, may 23, 2018 from 7-9pm You’re invited to this free program to learn more about the legal profession and what a law degree can do for you!

At this forum you will be introduced to law school, from courses offered to admission requirements.

Register now at www.sjcl.edu or 559/323-2100

SJCL admitS StudentS of any raCe/ CoLor, reLigiouS Creed, nationaL origin/anCeStry, age, gender, mentaL or phySiCaL diSabiLity, mediCaL Condition, maritaL StatuS, or SexuaL orientation.

lsat registration deadline is May 1, 2018

By Jorge Rodriguez @jrodcollegian

With a regular season that saw it go 10-0 and win the Pacific West Rugby Conference title, the Fresno State women’s rugby team is getting ready to face its biggest challenge in the Women’s Division II National Championship.

Being that it’s a club sport, the team is governed differently than sports from the athletics department. The club has a president, vice president and treasurer among other administrative positions, but still has a coach and an assistant coach much like a regular team.

Last season they finished 9-1, losing in the Elite Eight and missing out on the championship. But this year they were able to defeat Nevada in the conference championship and also defeated Stanford and Irvine in the regionals.

“We have all worked together to get to the National Championship, and this is where we are,” team captain Raquel Macias said. “[The National Championship] was a goal for the veterans, and our rookies also got behind us, and hopefully, we’ll win a National Championship in a few weeks.”

The team’s success has led it to being one of the fastest-growing clubs on campus. The teams averages over 35 members per year in a sport that has been played in America for decades but remains an acquired taste.

Macias got hooked on the sport since she got her first tackle. And although it is an unusual sport, she said it’s interesting and awesome.

Head coach Amber Cluff said that this group of players really loves rugby and that has made it easier for them to recruit new players to the club.

“The people that find that they like rugby fall in love with it, and rugby becomes their lives,” Cluff said. “When you play rugby, you get hooked, and that’s why so many recruits stick around and they love it.”

Senior Megan Walls talked about their undefeated season and how they’ve been blowing teams out of their way to a national title game.

“My first season playing, I think we won two games. So now it feels really good to be the ones blowing out other teams,” Walls said. “We’re undefeated, headed to a National Championship. This has been the farthest we ever been. It's been a really good season.”

Fullback Regan Garner said the team has worked together as a unit in order to get every win, and to get where they are now.

“I love hanging out with everyone … there is no better group of people than this team,” Garner said. “Everyone supports everyone. Everyone contributes to every play and score, which makes this a great team to be part of.”

One of the toughest parts of the season, so far, has been the adjustments to injuries they have suffered in games. They’ve had to rely more on rookie player to come in and take the spot of veteran players who have been injured.

The team is preparing to travel to Fullerton in a few weeks to play in the championship series where they will compete against Tulane in the first game. If the Bulldogs are able to defeat Tulane they will move on to face the winner of the match between Clairmont and Salisbury.

“We’re a smaller size team so when we face bigger teams, that forces us to change our game plan.” Cuff said. “For us, the main challenge will be to adapt to a style of play we have no information about and we haven’t seen yet.”

SPORTS

8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

SOFTBALL

Senior standout leaves it all on the field

By Vanessa Romo @vanesssaromo

W

ith third baseman Skylar Broussard coming in on an expected bunt, catcher Hayleigh Galvan throws to senior shortstop Katie Castellon after a runner attempts to steal third. With a dive, catch on a short hop and tag, Castellon makes the out look easy – just like everything else she does.

“Katie has been our unsung hero,” Fresno State softball head coach Linda Garza said.

Whether it’s on the field making plays or in the batter’s box, Castellon is a stand out athlete.

“She was able to get some clutch hits at Stanford in the opening game, and when she hit the game-winning home run versus Notre Dame for us to clinch that … I feel like that moment allowed her to have a breakout season that she is having right now,” Garza said.

A breakout season, indeed. In the Mountain West Conference, Castellon leads the league in slugging percentage and is third in batting average and on-base percentage. She is hitting .442.

“I was brought up into [softball],” Castellon said. “My dad played baseball. My mom played softball. And they started me when I was 4-years old, and I stuck with it ever since.”

A four-time varsity letterwinner, Castellon became a pivotal player at St. Mary’s high school in Stockton. With four home runs, six triples, nine doubles and a .525 batting average in her senior year alone, she was bound to play collegiate ball.

“I remember watching her play. She was feisty,” Garza said. “She’s someone any coach would want.”

Coming into the softball program her freshman season, Garza only made 20 starts in the infield. Even with that she was among 10 Bulldogs to post a .900 or better fielding percentage, collecting 83 putouts and 16 assists.

She continued to prove herself more and more the following season as she main-

Fresno State Athletics

Senior Katie Castellon is leading the Mountain West Conference in slugging percentage, hitting .442 and is third in batting average and on-base percentage this season.

tained a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in the 42 games she appeared in, specifically in the second base role.

“The ability for her to go from a non-starter into a very selective role and then into a starter her last two seasons, it is a testament to who she is and her work ethic.”

Castellon eventually got the starting job at shortstop her junior year.

“It was my time to take over that spot and own it,” Castellon said. “I was very grateful to get the starting [job] and now I just want to leave it all out on the field.”

Just as she does in the classroom.

Castellon has received Academic All-MW in 2016 and 2017 as well as 2017 MW Scholar-Athlete and 2016-17 NFCA All-America

Scholar-Athlete.

“At the end of the day, I was always here to get my degree,” Castellon said. “That was my number one priority, so just remembering that and keeping that in mind and putting school first at the end of the day.”

Castellon wants to pursue firefighting after college. She will receive a degree in law enforcement, to following in her father’s footsteps.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to be here at this school and playing for this team and this college. I love it, and I’m grateful for the four years I’ve had here,” Castellon said.

As of now, Castellon plans on enjoying the games she has left with her team.

“It’s the last time that this team will be

this team. So I’m just taking it in and enjoying it,” Castellon said.

Just like Castellon, Garza will enjoy the time she has left with her starting shortstop.

“It’s great to see when good people get good results. It just warms your heart because that’s how it’s supposed to be,” Garza said. “I’m gonna miss who she is as a person.”

Castellon and the ‘Dogs are No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference, boasting a 12-3 record. They will head to No. 2 Boise State this weekend to play a three-game series.

“We’ll take Boise one game at a time and worry about the standings in the end when they really matter,” Castellon said. “I just want to enjoy [every last] game.”

NFL DRAFT

Will Central-Valley native be the first overall pick?

By Nugesse Ghebrendrias @nugebear13

The 2018 NFL Draft is less than two days away, and the spotlight shines on the Central Valley.

Former Firebaugh and Reedley College standout Josh Allen has polarized the football world. Whether it’s his massive frame, 6 feet 5 inches or his mass, 240 pounds, the Valley native looks like an NFL quarterback. But, will that translate onto the field?

This time of year, ESPN pundits and alike come out with predictions. Who’s going where, which player is worth the pick and so on.

The quarterback position is strong this

year. The Los Angeles prospects – Rosen Allen (UCLA) and Sam Darnold (USC) and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield from Oklahoma.

There is some consensus among draft analysts. Darnold and Allen seem to be favored for the first pick. However, Allen is considered to be a dangerous pick. Or a “bust” like some people say.

Analysts cite Allen’s accuracy in college as one of his main deficiencies, although his potential is considered to be one of the highest.

In two years as a starter at Wyoming, Allen completed 56 percent of his passes – a major red flag, but, something that can be

See NFL DRAFT, Page 7

Wikimedia Commons

Firebaugh native and Reedley College standout, Josh Allen is predicted to be a first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.