April 30, 2018

collegian.csufresno.edu

Monday, April 30, 2018

EDITORIAL

Fresno State has work to do

WILL THE USU GET NEW COMPUTERS? PAGE 6

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

CRIME

Shots fired at fraternity home

By Collegian Editorial Board @thecollegian

Fresno State made local and national – maybe global – headlines after English professor Randa Jarrar tweeted fiery comments regarding former First Lady Barbara Bush. The comments caused social media users to fume. And they led to a debate over the professor’s conduct.

It appears that the debate has reached a point where angry community members are willing to purge the campus of funds because they disagree with the university’s official decision not to impose any penalties on the professor. That sentiment recently reached a personal level for us.

Last Friday, a few Collegian editors were in the newsroom when we got a visit from a community member who said he had intended to earmark “several thousand” dollars to our organization, but that he was withdrawing that offer.

Not only did he voice his disapproval about the university’s official decision to not investigate Jarrar, but he also criticized our coverage of the matter.

He referenced a controversial 2016 editorial on President Donald Trump being compared to Adolf Hitler to say that this newspaper is capable of condemning Jarrar’s actions. Respectfully, we told him, as student journalists our goal is always to report objectively on the issues that matter to students, including the inevitable controversies.

Yes, lately we wrote two editorials focused on the complications of online controversies and the editorial board’s critical view of Jarrar’s actions. We try to make sense of things for readers when we share our personal, collected views on the opinion side of things. That’s no secret.

We do not take issue with the reader’s decision to rescind his “family donation,” nor do we take offense at his comments about our coverage. As journalists, we stand by our work. Our newsroom is open for anyone who wishes to engage in meaningful discussions regarding what we publish. And we know that even past actions out of this newsroom have consequences in today’s world and we must respond to them.

We would like to call attention to how Fresno State has handled the Jarrar controversy. With calls to “boycott Fresno State,” we know the sentiment touches all of us on this campus, regardless of what our roles are.

We understand that there is a team that sits in the Henry Madden Library’s fourth floor whose job it is to oversee the direction of this university. And that job surely includes overseeing how the campus re-

See EDITORIAL, Page 2

The Sigma Nu fraternity home became the scene of a shooting on April 29, 2018 at midnight. Police arrested five people.

Larry Valenzuela

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado @cres_guez

P

olice tape and a bullet hole were the evidence Sunday afternoon that a crime had occurred at the Sigma Nu fraternity home within view of the Fresno State campus.

Fresno police Lt. Michael Landon said five people were arrested early Sunday morning after a 911 call suggested shots had been fired at the home. The alleged perpetrators, according to Landon, do not belong to the fraternity and are not students at the university.

Landon said police got a call about the shots fired just after midnight Sunday. He said four men and a woman arrived and had apparently tried to enter a private fundraiser being held at the home.

Sigma Nu President Nicholas Tregembo said the fraternity organization was hosting a charity event for the Autism Society of California by selling nachos. The event was hosted Saturday from 9 to 11:30 p.m. and was winding down when the shots were fired, he said Sunday.

Investigators believe the shooting happened when the group came to a security door in the back of the fraternity. Landon

said some in the outside group spoke with someone on the other side. But after a short chat, and after not being allowed in, at least two shots were fired at the door in the direction of the home’s courtyard. Landon said the alleged crime appears to have been out of anger.

Sunday afternoon, a group of students was seen socializing in the courtyard as loud music echoed out.

Landon added that the suspects live in the area where the shooting took place. By 2 a.m. Sunday, the police had located the four men and one woman along the 2100 block of Sierra Madre Avenue, but Landon could not say whether a gun was recovered.

The suspects in question are in their mid-

20s. Their names were not released.

Nobody was injured as a result of the shooting. And Landon said that the fraternity members have been helpful in the investigation.

Tregembo said 18 people live at the fraternity home but at the time of the shooting, there were about 22. The organization had continued its philanthropic efforts Sunday by joining other organizations in a softball tournament. Tregembo said the organization hosts a charity event once per semester.

The Fresno State Police Department also helped in the shooting investigation, according to Landon.

GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE

Candidates call for cheaper college

By Razmik Cañas @raz_canas

Fresno business leaders had the opportunity to meet a group of candidates running for California governor both on and off screen Sunday evening.

A gubernatorial debate watch-party and reception was hosted by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce at its downtown Fresno office for a face-to-face experience between candidates and constituents.

KSEE 24 anchor Evan Onstot moderated the debate that was broadcast live on the NBC-affiliate station. The station

reached out to the chamber to host the official watch party, and to host the candidates for a post-debate reception.

In order for a candidate to appear in the debate, the candidate must have polled at or above five percent in the most recent University of California, Berkeley IGS poll.

The four candidates who participated

See GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE, Page 3

OPINION EDITORIAL from Page 1

sponds to controversy.

Just hours after the controversy had reached a critical level, we first heard from Fresno State Provost Lynette Zelezny. Her orders were to answer questions from the press and to give a rundown of what steps the university would take to address the Bush comments released by Jarrar a night before, where Jarrar had called Bush a “racist,” “witch,” and said Bush had “raised a war criminal.” That happened hours after Bush died.

Judging from the tone of Zelezny’s response, it appeared the university had decided to take a firm approach to condemn Jarrar’s online conduct, yet state that her actions were made as a private citizen. We took her response to mean that a long process was ahead of us and that it would be long before we knew what would be of Jarrar come the fall semester.

But no. When civil rights groups lined up to convince Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro to discontinue any investigation and to reaffirm his support of free speech by professors, the university’s response was a fast one.

Still, there is pressure from the other side. Castro probably knows it too well at this point. He has weathered controversy brought on by three professors now in the last two years, not including when this newspaper became a topic of criticism in 2016.

Zelezny, in her comments to the news cameras, noted the “unusual climate in the nation” and said that the recent controversy offered something to learn from for not only the university but also everyone else.

But we question how much this university has actually learned. Sure, there may

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018 be policies and common practices in place that guide how the university responds to public outcry. But has Castro and his administration truly learned how to effectively respond directly when the public has concerns – on a mass scale as we have seen?

Perhaps it’s true, as Zelezny noted, that we are living in an unusual climate in the country. Perhaps more than ever, politics has driven us far apart. But in such climate, one question is to be asked.

Why does Fresno State not put its values to the test and take a more effective, aggressive approach to handling controversies?

The university needs to stop hiding behind news releases to the media and Twitter posts that further feed the online divide.

Because let’s face it: Fresno State has become a political campus and that is thanks to a handful of people.

Fresno State cannot control what students, faculty, staff or its own administrators say. It is a fight it will not win, as we saw with Jarrar.

When donors are threatening to pull their millions and Fresno State becomes synonymous with “hate” and “communist,” it is on the university to stick its head out there and show everyone that it’s not scared to defend its value to the community. Enough trying to avoid humiliation through public relations stunts like posting the flag at half staff on social media as the university silently fights back public criticism. That does little to quell the attacks from any side. The damage is done.

Real damage control is for Castro to come out in a public setting and challenge those who say he could have done more to reprimand Jarrar. He needs to say it in his own words to a public of angry community members. They need to know what policies the university follows and what values it truly holds. He needs to be the one to re-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘Golden State Killer’s’ wrath

By Dan Waterhouse

At first, I didn’t believe what I was reading on my Twitter feed early Wednesday morning. News was breaking that the Golden State Killer, who had terrorized the state in the 1970s and 1980s, had finally been caught.

Then, after reading that a news conference was scheduled for noon in Sacramento, I celebrated. The news was indeed true.

Like many, I’ve followed the case for years.

However, my interest was more than idle curiosity – I intimately knew the wreckage Joseph James DeAngelo is alleged to have left in his wake.

In September of 1975, I was starting my first semester at Fresno State after transferring from Fresno City College. The previous year, I had been the sports editor for The Rampage, FCC’s campus newspaper.

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

On the morning of Sept. 11, I got a phone call at home from the editor of The Rampage.

She told me that Claude Snelling, the journalism instructor and newspaper adviser at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, had been killed during an early-morning burglary at his home.

I didn’t know Claude Snelling, but I knew him. He was a close friend of our adviser, Peter Lang. They had served together as officers for the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC), the umbrella group here in California. They helped organize the annual JACC conferences and were avid chess players.

In the days following the murder, the pieces of the story came together. A man had broken into Snelling’s house and had tried to kidnap his teenage daughter Elizabeth from her bedroom. Snelling intercepted them outside the house near the garage. He was able to help the daughter break free but was fatally

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COMMENT: to comment on this story visit our website collegian.csufresno.edu affirm what free speech means and what it means to study and teach at a university growing by the day.

When there are calls to boycott Fresno State and threats to alter its course, it is the 25,000 students who may pay the price.

The university must do its job to ensure that students have a place to study tomorrow and in the days, months and years that follow.

The Collegian editorial board understands Castro’s dilemma. We know what it feels like to face challenges head on. Castro is the president of a public university where lots and lots of ideas are shared. Ideas that are protected by laws older than this institution. It’s a matter of time before he has to face another similar situation to Jarrar’s and the other two professors.

It’s a difficult job, the one he has, but we have no doubt Castro is the right person for it. The Castro we know – the one who knows how to speak on a personal level with the community and who doesn’t shy away from engaging with the community in creative ways – has it in him to tackle this matter head on and not appear timid.

When students are studying at a university that is ridiculed and shamed by the online masses, Castro needs to be enthusiastic about challenging those views. So far, his actions – and that of the university’s – convey silence on the matter of free speech and expression.

It’s not enough to call Jarrar’s statements “embarrassing” and “inappropriate.” The university he leads will still be seen in poor light. Press statements, radio

wounded.

Visalia police suspected the break-in and killing was the work of an unidentified man who was later dubbed the Visalia Ransacker. He would break into houses and ransack them, taking objects of little value. He was suspected in well over 100 break-ins.

Investigators discovered that in May 1974, Snelling had chased off a young man prowling around his house. Then, in the summer of 1975, he surprised another prowler near his home. The weekend before he was killed, someone broke into a neighbor’s house and stole a photo of his daughter.

After Snelling’s death, the burglaries stopped. Then, in early December 1975, they began again. On Dec. 10, two police detectives confronted a man in a backyard a few blocks from the Snelling house. When challenged, the man fired shots at the officers, injuring one, and then fled into the darkness.

Lang was devastated by the death of his friend. When I visited The Rampage a few days after Snelling died, Lang’s grief was visible.

When the string of murders began in Southern California in 1977, some suspected that the perpetrator was the same person as

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interviews and social media posts will not get the job done in this day and age. We need real people talking to each other in a real life setting. Let this university be the bigger person.

In fact, we ask that leaders organize a community forum in the biggest space around and invite anyone willing to share and listen. Let it be a renaissance moment in Fresno State’s history. Let it be the moment the university declares itself a bastion of critical thought and expression.

The recent visit we had in our newsroom serves to show that when we talk to each other, there is real progress that can be made. Both sides may stick to their argument and beliefs but whether we agree in the end, we still shared what we believe and know to be true with those we don’t always talk to.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Castro boasted about the university’s greatness.

He mentioned how the university is ranked No. 17 by Washington Monthly for educating and graduating students of all backgrounds, how it’s about to award degrees to 5,000 students where 80 percent of them will be employed in the Valley. He tweeted about how the majority of students here are first-generation and how more than 26,000 students applied to be here in the fall.

Those are achievements worthy of pride and celebration. But what does that all mean when the university has a credibility crisis in its hands that could literally change how it functions?

At this point, Fresno State leaders have a major responsibility as representatives of a university in California’s heartland. And that is to start speaking for their school on a much larger, and stronger, platform. Only they can define Fresno State’s legacy.

Get out there, President Castro. Be a Bulldog.

in Visalia. But there was no definite proof at the time. And, after the last murders (in Goleta) in 1981, the case went cold.

It turned out DeAngelo had been a police officer in Exeter, a small town east of Visalia between 1974 and 1976. He left Exeter in 1976 and went to work for the Auburn Police Department, where he was ultimately fired after being arrested for shoplifting.

Sadly, Lang died roughly 20 years ago.

He’s not around to hear the news that Snelling’s alleged killer is behind bars. However, I like to think that, somehow, he does know.

Counties up and down the state are busily charging DeAngelo with capital murders and rapes. He’s 72, so I expect he’ll die of old age in prison rather than at the hands of the executioner.

Regardless, perhaps those affected by his suspected crimes will finally have peace.

I know I will now.

Dan Waterhouse writes The Collegian’s Campus Column, which prints on Wednesdays. 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.

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MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

PAGE 3

PI SIGMA ALPHA

They got their honors society back

By Christian Mattos @chrisssymattos

After overcoming inactivity and previous budget cuts, the political science honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha, is now back at Fresno State.

Assistant professor of political science Dr. Ali Masood serves as the adviser of Fresno State’s Alpha Delta Beta chapter. “[The honor society is] to recognize some of the better students or more high-achieving students that have taken upper-level political science courses,” he said.

Masood said the rocky history of the group and its recent reintroduction of the Alpha Delta Beta chapter to campus came as a result of financial strain. “[Fresno State] had Pi Sigma Alpha about 15 years ago, but even then it was not very active,” Masood said.

Due to furloughs and budget cuts, faculty members had to do what was “practical” and give up some extracurricular and honor societies, Masood said.

“They didn’t want to furlough time and take time away from teaching, so [Pi Sigma Alpha] was one of the casualties,” he said.

But with student interest and new plans of implementation, Pi Sigma Alpha is back to recruit and induct new students.

Masood said that undergraduate students of all majors as well as graduate students are able to join the honor society as long as they satisfy the requirements decided among political science faculty – maintaining a 3.2 GPA and the completion of four political science courses, one of which

GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE from Page 1

in the debate were Republican Travis Allen, Republican John Cox, Democrat John Chiang and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa. Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom met the requirement but declined to attend Nathan Ahle, president and CEO of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, said it was an honor to have the candidates visit the Valley and answer questions of local business leaders.

“We pride ourselves on really being leaders when it comes to political action in the Valley,” Ahle said.

The on-air debate featured a number of questions that split the candidates.

The topics included immigration reform, healthcare and the state minimum wage.

After the debate, the candidates were driven across town to the chamber offices where they met with the attendees and the press. The Collegian sat down with each candidate and discussed a number of topics pertaining to Fresno State. An affordable college experience was among the most common topics discussed.

Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, pushed the idea of easier access to a higher education. If elected as governor, he plans to honor those students who

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Inductees of the Pi Sigma Alpha hold their certificates during the induction at the Belmont Country Club on April 26, 2018.

must be an upper-division course.

“As we go into the full academic year, as our numbers grow, we’ll toughen up that criteria, but I really would like the members to have a say in whether they want to be more inclusive or exclusive,” Masood said.

The society currently has 13 members who were inducted last Thursday at a ceremony held at the Belmont Country Club in Sanger, where they received a Pi Sigma Alpha pin, medallion and an induction certificate from the national office.

The ceremony included remarks by Dr. Michelle DenBeste, dean of the College of Social Science; Dr. Melanie Ram, chair of the political science department; and Dr. Kenneth Hansen, political science professor.

The event also included a keynote address by Dr. Thomas Holyoke, chair of the Fresno State Academic Senate.

Pi Sigma Alpha president Travis Childress said that the faculty and staff of the political science department have been supportive in welcoming the society back to campus.

“As far as starting it up, talking to nationals, [the national office] responded within the same day,” Childress said. “Honestly, we haven’t really run into any snags.”

Childress said each chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha usually tries to find a particular focus of activity, be it philanthropy, alumni connections or as a social club.

“We’re just trying to figure out how best Fresno State is going to fit into the national group with what we want to focus on,” Childress said.

Masood said that the members are interested in being a group that socializes and practices professionalism.

“Because it’s made up primarily of political science students, [Pi Sigma Alpha members] have this sense of more civic engagement,” Masood said.

He said he envisions the society will take on a service project each year, such as volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, working at a community center or holding a voter registration drive.

Members will also help with functions of the college, such as working booths or helping with recruitment.

“They’re receiving a benefit in terms of support for the department, so they pay back by helping out at departmental events,” Masood said.

For society member and secretary Marvin Mendoza, a big goal is making sure the society isn’t deactivated again.

“I think our overall goal as founders is to

give back to the community by implementing a new system.

“If you put in a year of service, you’ll get a year of tuition paid,” he said.

He also spoke on the uncertain future of students who are under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Villaraigosa said that he will continue to advocate for immigration reform and for the DACA students who “contribute to the wealth of the state.”

Cox, a businessman and taxpayer advocate, wants a more affordable experience for California residents. He believes that groups like the middle class “can’t afford their lives” when living in California.

A financial burden he plans to help with is the affordability of college so that it can be more accessible to whoever wants to pursue a higher education. He said, “I want to make it so that people can pay for their own college,” as he mentioned the raising tuition cost of public universities.

Cox said he does not want students to feel like they have to “beg” for scholarships and financial aid just to pay for school and graduate without debt.

Chiang, who is also the state treasurer, wants students to know that he is running with a higher education plan in mind. One step in his plan is to give first preference in admission to students living in California.

“For too long they’ve been bringing in more out-of-state students to make up the financial differences,” Cox said.

Another portion of his plan is to restore

tuition to where it was in the 2008-09 school year. According to California State University records, undergraduate tuition was $3,048 per year at that time.

If elected governor, Chiang said he would sign legislation that would allow students to renegotiate their private student loans. On the DACA topic, he said he lives with the issue everyday with having a DACA recipient on his own staff.

He said he continues to advocate for others to have the American dream like his father did when he immigrated to the U.S. His message to lawmakers is, “let’s keep our promise,” and recognize the value of those serving the country.

California Assemblyman Travis Allen wants to “fix the broken education system” as part of his five-point plan as governor.

A plan for his “true education reform” is to slash programs that “waste” funding that do not support student success.

“We need to take out all these excess layers of administrators and people that are not directly involved in giving our students a world class education, which is exactly what they deserve,” Allen said.

He also wants to move plans to freeze tuition for a better opportunity for more California university students.

Although the candidates stand opposite on a number of issues, student success is one topic where voters will have to take a closer look for each.

make sure it stays for many years to come,” Mendoza said.

Vice President David Paredes said that despite getting started late in the semester, he is looking forward to new members joining Pi Sigma Alpha in the fall.

“I’m sure we’ll be coordinating with some of the alumni [and] future alumni to help us make this chapter even greater,” Paredes said.

Masood noted an extensive alumni network as one of the benefits of the society as well as professional experiences that can be added to students’ CVs (curriculum vitae).

A CV is similar to a resume, but with more in-depth information of a person’s work experience for an employment opportunity.

Members will have the opportunity to attend the Pi Sigma Alpha annual research conference and present their projects or papers.

“It’s more experience presenting your work, getting feedback that you wouldn’t have otherwise received from people outside of the university, another line on your CV,” Masood said. “Not a lot of people can say that they’ve presented at a professional conference.”

Members will also be able to submit their work to a peer-reviewed undergraduate journal, the Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics. “[Members] have an opportunity to take papers and projects from their classes and potentially publish them, or just do brand new projects, submit it to this journal and get it published,” Masood said.

The students have also planned future meetings to discuss different aspects of professionalism with faculty or student talks, Masood said. Potential topics include how to apply for jobs, how to give an effective presentation and preparing for the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

“The idea is not to just tick off boxes [or] agenda items,” Masood said. “There’s a substinent purpose to each meeting.”

CRIME BUZZ 4/22/18 PEEKING IN BATHROOM

MAPLE MALL

FAKE ID

MAPLE MALL

LIQUOR SALE TO MINOR

MAPLE MALL

FAKE ID

MAPLE MALL

4/23/18 FAKE CURRENCY

PALAZZO APARTMENTS

CRIMINAL THREAT

HENRY MADDEN LIBRARY SOURCE: FRESNO STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS

A&E

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MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

THEATER

Director hopes ‘Streetcar’ will wow audience

Directed by Kathleen McKinley, “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams will open May 4, 2018 at the John Wright Theatre.

By Eric Zamora @ehhreec

A

n American classic is getting an update at Fresno State.

The University Theatre production of “A Streetcar Named Desire” will premiere May 4 at the John Wright Theatre.

Written by playwright Tennessee Williams, the play first premiered in 1947 and is set against the backdrop of 1940s New Orleans. After the loss of her family home, Blanche DuBois arrives unexpectedly at the home of her sister Stella and Stella’s husband, Stanley. “[Williams] changed American dramatic theater with these plays,” director Kathleen McKinley said. “No one had ever written plays that were commercially successful on Broadway [and] that were both poetic...and yet they’re really gritty.”

The work has seen immense success, with Williams winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1949, and with numerous adaptations such as the well-known 1951 film featuring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh.

Eric Zamora • The Collegian

Students rehearse for “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

BLOG

My mom(’s) jeans

By Christian Mattos @chrisssymattos

Last summer, my mom was going through boxes of old clothes to get rid of or donate – we found lots of flannels, bermuda shorts and even maternity clothes.

But the greatest find was a pair of high-waisted jeans that were miraculously my size. Before she got the chance to throw them into another donation bin, I snatched them, tried them on and kept them for myself.

University Theatre

This new production features a “nontraditional” casting, meaning that in comparison with the original, all-white casting, it is much more diverse and features actors of all backgrounds.

“We are now moving into a time period where we’re questioning how actors should be cast,” McKinley said.

Having a diverse and young cast also brings a fresh interpretation to the iconic play according to the director.

The development of the play began a year ahead of time, with the designs for the show beginning around February. Actor rehearsals ran for about six or seven weeks, starting in March, and afterward were dress rehearsals.

“It’s very time consuming, very hectic, but really rewarding too, once we see the progress we’re making,” said Jalen Stewart, a senior theatre-arts major.

Stewart plays the role of Stanley Kowalski, one of the protagonists in the play who has an aggressive, complex personality.

“Being able to transform into someone who is basically the other side of who I am has been a journey,” Stewart said. “A very crazy journey, but super-rewarding.”

McKinley describes Williams’ “Street-

car” as being a part of the “big theater,” meaning it is not meant to be seen on a screen and should be experienced in person.

“It’s very theatrical,” she said. “We’re creating a whole world on stage, and so I hope that the audiences come in there and say, ‘Wow.’” “A Streetcar Named Desire” is running May 4-5 and May 8-12 at 7:30 p.m., and May 6 at 2 p.m. in the John Wright Theatre.

Student tickets are $10. Faculty/staff, alumni, seniors (60+) and military tickets are $15. General admission tickets are $17.

Group rates are available for groups of 20 or more. Box office hours are noon to 4 p.m. on weekdays and one hour before each performance.

Parking is free for shows Friday through Sunday night. For shows Tuesday through Thursday night, 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.

These jeans are the most perfect mom jeans – literally. They’re straight-legged, perfect to cuff, and they have deep pockets in the front and back. They rise up to just below my belly button, perfect to pair with a tank top, a crop top or a tied T-shirt. It was love at first wear.

I found these jeans at the peak of the mom jean trend, and even though the fad has faded a bit over time, I am here for these high-waisted bottoms for life. People can hate on the mom jeans all they want, but these are a bit more special than those you find at a department store because they

came from someone I care so much about.

My mom has always had a great fashion sense. I look at pictures from back in the day and even though some of the styles are outdated and cringy to look at now – those puffy sleeves! – my mom was pretty hip. She keeps some of her older wardrobe pieces and makes them work to this day. (She has this one zip-up hoodie with blue and pink plaid, and even though it’s from like, the 80’s, she makes it work. She knows I would steal it in a heartbeat.)

See BLOG, Page 5

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

PAGE 5

ALBUM REVIEW

‘Dirty Computer’ is a self-analyzing dream Christian Mattos • The Collegian

I like to style my mom’s jeans with a belt and a crop top to create a casual, everyday look.

BLOG

from Page 4 As I got older, I found that my mom and I have similar body types. It’s so much fun to go through her closet now and find things to borrow or items that she doesn’t care about that are passed on to me. It makes me feel closer to her when I can learn the story behind old clothes – when and where she got them, what she wore them to, how she styled them. Talking about clothes is a bonding experience for us.

Seeing me walk around in her old jeans is probably a little funny. She wore them in the ‘90s when she was pregnant with my older sister, and here I am wearing them nearly 30 years later. But it’s those differences that connect us.

My mother has worked as a pharmacy technician for more than 30 years. She’s been married for 28 years, had five children and works every day to make sure we are taken care of.

I am 21 years old now, about to graduate college and planning to move down south to pursue a career in writing.

These jeans have been through a lot. For my mom, they have been through the birth of five kids, through buying a house for the first time, through three of those children moving out to live their own dreams. For me, they have been through college dorms, through Central Valley summers, through a first apartment away from home – and they even survived long enough to see the high-waisted trend resurface.

These jeans have kept me and my mom close. It might sound silly, the idea that a pair of pants have had this much effect on me. But they are a visual reminder of my mom, of my family and how hard they work, and they push me to continue working to make them proud.

I’m actually wearing these jeans as I write this. My mom just called, and we talked a bit about my plans after graduation. It’s stressful to think about, but I know if she could make things work – both in fashion and in life – then I’ll be OK, too.

Atlantic Records

Singer Janelle Monáe released her new album, “Dirty Computer,” on April 27, 2018.

By William Ramirez @willoveslakers2

VISALIA TRANSIT

ON LY

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Janelle Monáe is in love with the human spirit, more specifically, a liberated human spirit. A spirit free from oppressors and anyone pushing conformity.

On her new album, “Dirty Computer,” she celebrates said spirit throughout the course of 14 tracks, and it is near impossible to not join the celebration. The album’s blend of pop rock, trap and R&B influences is a departure from her previous predominantly R&B-flavored albums. But the departure does not lack in execution on either the instrumental or lyrical fronts.

The album is irresistibly danceable; its grooves are intoxicating; and the lyrics are both memorable and intelligent. Songs like “Crazy, Classic Life” and “Screwed” jubilate at the idea of sexual freedom, while also commenting on the oppressive mentality America has taken against those who wish to express such a freedom.

The two songs also showcase Monáe’s most prevalent influence – her mentor Prince. The late musician’s fingerprints are all over the album, literally so on the song “Make Me Feel,” on which his synth line is used. The entire song feels like Prince worship of the best kind. The guitar riffs ooze “Purple Rain.” The lyrics highlight her pansexuality and the liberation she feels within it.

But while many of the songs on the album are used to paint a picture of joy derived from freedom of expression, Monáe also gives time to the anxiety that such a lifestyle can bring.

“I’m fine in my shell,” Monáe sings on “So Afraid.” The vocal performance on this song is one of the strongest. Monáe’s volume and conviction in her voice grow parallel to the frustration with the restrictive nature of society.

As a whole, this album is extremely personal. Yes, there is an overarching narrative, it being the idea that we’re all computers and each one has its own glitches. But unlike Monáe’s three prior albums, this one tells the story directly from her own perspective, whereas before we saw it through the lens of Monáe’s fictional character, Cindi Mayweather.

And while the albums with Mayweather as a protagonist were excellent, Monáe’s detachment from her was almost necessary. This being because the world we live in today was almost begging for her commentary. And with this album she was now free to purge upon the real errors of the American administration and the effects of those errors on minorities and ostracized groups. The song “Americans” is a prime example of this, claiming this country sees her “color” before her “vision.”

“Dirty Computer” is a call for action, a call for change and, all the while, a celebration of whom we all are. Monáe is the perfect figurehead for such a party, and the album’s amalgamation of genres is the perfect soundtrack. So join in, because this celebration is worth each and every one of its 49 minutes.

NEWS

6

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

HACKFRESNO

Creativity comes to Fresno State during 36-hour hackathon

By Jorge Rodriguez @jrodcollegian

HackFresno celebrated its second annual 36-hourlong hackathon, which aims to develop programs that can solve real-world problems.

The nonstop design and innovation competition was held at Fresno State’s North Gym, Room 118, and started 9 p.m. on April 27, and ended at 10 a.m. on April 29.

Participants competed in five-member teams and worked to create something from themes such as education; health and wellness; environment and agricul-

ture; and social good. Sixty-three percent were first-time hackers, and 60 percent were Fresno State students.

The Hackathon was organized

by Fresno State students with the help of Orlando Leon, Fresno State’s chief information officer.

Leon, Bob Berry and Michael Wanke were the judges for the event.

During the opening ceremony on April 27, Berry, CEO of DPS Telecom, said that when you’re done with an idea, you have to thrash it and do it again so it would be better. Wanke of Forward Advantage said he was looking forward to seeing what they would

Jorge Rodriguez • The Collegian

Students and staff get ready to start the HackFresno hackathon, a 36-hour long event held at Fresno State North Gym, Room 118 on April 27, 2018.

come up with.

The hacking started after the opening ceremony. Several workshops were also scheduled throughout the event for participants to learn about new innovative items or techniques used now.

Teams were encouraged to stay all night and remain engaged in their work in order to not lose track and stay on pace to finish on time. There were nap rooms and

a dark room available for anyone who needed a break or a nap.

Every member in the winning team that won best Hack was awarded a $150 gift card.

There were also awards for best beginner Hack, which was given an Arduino starter kit for each team member; best Devpost submission got a Google Home Mini for each team member; and best use of hardware was awarded a

three-month membership to Root Access Hackerspace for each team member.

“You don’t have to know technology or be a tech person because part of selling a vision or an idea is just being able to give a pitch,” Leon said. “We encourage all types of majors to come out, because you don’t have to build a product. You just have to sell us on an idea.”

ASI NOTEBOOK

Plans for funding new USU computers shaky after heated vote

By Angelica Hernandez @avh1992

The Associated Students Inc. (ASI) approved its 2018-19 budget at a meeting last week before its May 1 deadline after an attempt to postpone a vote failed. But a heated discussion over a line item still stalled the process.

Vice President of Finance Cam Patterson highlighted notable changes and answered questions from senators about the final version of the budget before it was put to a vote during the meeting.

Some questions were answered easily, such as a question about a significant budget increase in funding for publicity.

ASI President Blake Zante said that a lot of students are still unaware of ASI and that by providing more funds for publicity, next year’s ASI team would have more resources to spread awareness and increase engagement between students and their elected representatives.

Other questions sparked a more heated debate, including the creation of a new line item in the budget labeled as “computer lab.”

Patterson referred to the computer lab as an M.O.U., or a Memorandum of Understanding.

“Whenever we grant funding to departments or organizations on major projects, we draft an M.O.U. in conjunction with them to make sure that all of the guidelines are outlined,” Zante said.

“These MOUs have to be approved by the ASI senate and are typically negotiated by the executive team.”

Sen. Travis Childress, Greek affairs, contested the lab M.O.U.

and said it was a way for the executive team to approve funding for a project that was never proposed and to influence the direction of the incoming ASI team.

Patterson said the incoming team would have the opportunity to either draft a proposal to be approved by the senate or deny the suggestions. For example, the current senate denied an M.O.U. from the previous ASI team allocating funds for “Frescon,” Patterson said.

The proposed M.O.U. for a computer lab in the amount of $8,000 would seek to add more computers to the current University Student Union.

Childress moved to postpone the vote until all senators had time to review the budget.

Sen. Amanda Smith, Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, asked Patterson to clarify if the vote was time-sensitive, and Patterson confirmed that the budget deadline is May 1 and the next senate meeting would be May 2.

Smith asked the senate to trust the the finance committee and the vice president of finance in the matters. Other senators agreed that all questions could be answered at the current meeting, and a postponement would not be necessary.

Childress became visibly frustrated and referenced a portion of an editorial written by The Collegian on Feb. 4 to further defend his motion to postpone. He held up the budget and spoke directly to Collegian reporters sitting in the audience.

“I believe that this is presented to us at the very last minute. Then

we have had zero time to consider it,” Childress said. “We literally received this packet, Collegian, two hours before the meeting began. So it’s not like we didn’t (take) time to do our homework.

Our homework wasn’t provided to us. You can think of this as a pop quiz.”

The comment referred to an excerpt of a Collegian editorial which had asked senators to “do their homework” outside of ASI senate meetings to serve the student body more efficiently.

Childress has repeatedly referred to the editorial and made direct comments to reporters during ASI meetings. The motion to postpone failed with 11 “no” votes and five “yes” votes.

Zante later addressed Childress’ comments in a statement to The Collegian.

“The budget is available on our share drive which all senators have access to in the ASI office,” he said. “They can also set up an appointment with VPF Patterson to see the budget. They can also talk to Tara Powers-Mead, our financial assistant, or Maci Steinhauer if they would like a copy of the budget.”

As reported in the same Collegian editorial, senators are often frequently invited to attend Finance Committee meetings which are held every other Wednesday at 4 p.m. where the budget was created and discussed for the past few months.

Zante added that the budget is meant to be transparent.

“I know there are certain people that think the executive team wear devil horns,” Zante said during the senate meeting, “But

we are really trying to transparently convey the budget. Reach out and ask us questions. There is no need to make it into a big spectacle at ASI senate meetings and point out our friends at The Collegian. Just move forward in a nice transparent way.”

Childress moved to strike down the computer lab budget line and switch the $8,000 into the “new programs” budget line, instead. He said that doing so would make it explicitly clear to the incoming senate that it is not required to fund it.

The motion was seconded and approved, removing the M.O.U.

for a computer lab from the budget. Zante said he disagreed with the decision.

“The purpose of having line items for all of our approved budget call applications is to outline for the next ASI senate how much is specifically allocated for that item and that the public can see what ASI is specifically budgeting for,” Zante said. “While I disagreed with the decision to move the USU computer lab line item into the general new projects line item, I will support the decision of the ASI senate.”

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

PAGE 7

ATHLETICS

Search for new athletic director is underway

By William Ramirez @willoveslakers2

A search is now underway for Fresno State’s new athletic director, five months after the resignation of former AD Jim Bartko.

The job opening was posted on April 23, and a 14-person search committee has been formed to sift through applications.

The committee is being led by Debbie Adishian-Astone, the university’s vice president for administration and associate vice president for auxiliary services.

The rest of the group is composed of university administrators, coaches, faculty and alumni. Members include University President Dr. Joseph Castro, head football coach Jeff Tedford and assistant athletic director for compliance, David Hall.

Applications will be accepted until May 20. Adishian-Astone said interviews would begin in the middle of June.

Some of the qualifications Fresno State is looking for in candidates include “excellent administrative and financial management skills” and a “commitment to the academic mission and success of student-athletes,” according to the job listing.

The Fresno Bee reported that the school will not be using an executive search firm. In 2014, when Bartko was

Collegian File Photo

Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro poses with former athletic director Jim Bartko in November 2014.

hired, Fresno State employed the services of DHR International for the search process.

Since Bartko’s resignation in November, Steve Robertello has filled the role of

athletic director on an interim basis. In those five months, Robertello fired Lauren Netherby-Sewell and hired Jonathan Winder as the volleyball coach, and hired Justin Hutson as the men’s basketball

coach after Rodney Terry took the head coaching job at University of Texas at El Paso.

Robertello has expressed interest in removing the interim label and serving as the incumbent athletic director.

“My focus right now is on the day-today work that needs to be done in our athletics program in moving our folks forward, but like I’ve said, I’m very happy in Fresno and hope to be here long term,” he told The Collegian in February.

The school has also opted to abandon a $60 million renovation plan for Bulldog Stadium. The plan was a product of Bartko’s tenure.

The school will instead move forward with $45 million in renovations to Bulldog Stadium, focusing on the bathrooms, concession stands and seating. The student-athlete village will be seeing a $20 million makeover.

Fresno State’s future athletic director will be stepping into an athletics department facing a 23.7 percent decrease in ticket revenue over the past eight years, according to The Fresno Bee. The department lost two more of its pieces since Bartko’s resignation. Franklin Alegria, senior associate athletics director for development, resigned in January, and Terry Donovan, senior associate athletics director for business operations, was hired as Stanislaus State’s athletic director in March.

“Being raised by immigrant parents in the Central Valley drove my aspiration to aid Valley residents by becoming an attorney.”

Diego Andrade Deputy District Attorney Tulare County Criminal Justice Major Fresno State Fresno State Athletics

Senior Torin Goldstein leads the Diamond ‘Dogs with a .433 batting average while collecting 26 hits, 16 RBIs and a home run.

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT from Page 8

For five years, Goldstein has been donning a Bulldog jersey and with that came a lot of memories. One of his best times at Fresno State has been with his teammates where he feels like Bulldog baseball is one big family.

“Over the course of five years playing here, I have made relationships that will last for a long time,” Goldstein said. “We always have each other’s backs. Even when players leave and new guys come in, we treat them the same.”

Goldstein is enjoying his last season and even though early on the team was still working out some kinks, it now feels like it’s all falling into place. He says they just need to finish up playing like they know how to play.

He suffered an injury to his knee during the last game of the series with San Jose State at home on April 15. He was out of the line-up for games against St. Mary’s, the series against San Diego State and the game against Northridge.

Goldstein started to make an appearance in the batter’s box on April 27 against Air Force when he went 1-1 to collect an RBI for the ‘Dogs.

He said that it was not anything too big and that he’s been running and hitting ever since the San Diego State series. He is now looking forward to being back on the field.

“The one thing I told myself coming into [Fresno State] was that I was going to do everything that I can to win baseball games, whether I was on the field or on the bench,” Goldstein said. “I feel like I have done a great job doing what I thought I wanted to do here which was being a great team player. That was my goal at the end of the day.”

SPORTS

8

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

BASEBALL

Diamond ‘Dogs bounce back for series win

Fresno State Athletics

Right-handed pitcher Edgar Gonzalez opened the series against Air Force on April 27, 2018 at Pete Beiden Field in Bob Bennett Stadium. He pitched 7.2 innings and only allowed three hits and two earned runs in Fresno State’s 7-2 win.

By Nugesse Ghebrendrias @nugebear13

A

fter splitting the first two games – a 7-2 victory, a 14-4 loss – the Fresno State baseball team bounced back Sunday and blanked the Air Force Falcons 10-0 to claim a Mountain West Conference series win at Pete Beiden Field in Bob Bennett Stadium.

Sunday’s clinching game was special for two reasons. The Bulldogs celebrated “Salute to Services Weekend,” but also had more than 300 youth baseball players from the Central Valley in attendance.

“I just love having the kids out here and to get them out here when they are young and used to being on this field,” head coach Mike Batesole said. “Some place they dream about. That’s how this town used to be in the 1970s and 80s and there wasn’t anyone who lived in the Valley that did not want to play here. It’s great that we played well, and some of them will dream tonight about being a Bulldog, and I love that!”

Fresno State opened the series on Friday behind a gem from junior Edgar Gonzalez.

The right-handed pitcher went 7.2 innings, allowing only three hits and two earned runs.

His combination of pitches kept the Falcons off balance all night. The junior recorded 12 strikeouts, and among his dozen punch outs was his 200th. He now stands at 207 strikeouts in his career.

Gonzalez put on a show from the mound but Zach Ashford and Korby Batesole combined to drive the Bulldogs’ offense. The pair had three singles, three runs scored and two RBIs. The middle of the order proved to be the catalyst in the Bulldogs’ opening victory.

In Game 2 on Saturday, the matchup didn’t go as planned for the Bulldogs.

After a series-opening win, Fresno State couldn’t recreate Friday’s formula when a 19-hit barrage Saturday by the Falcons sealed the deal in a 14-4 win.

Ashford extended his on-base streak to 44 games with a walk in the seventh inning, but that was about the lone storyline for the ‘Dogs.

The visiting Falcons built a 9-0 lead off of starter Ryan Jensen. His outing only lasted four innings, while he gave up a career-high 12 hits.

To compound the Bulldogs’ issues on the day, they committed a game-high three errors. Their mental miscues cost them a win, but luckily had a chance to win the series on Sunday.

In Game 3, Jaime Arias got the call for the Bulldogs, and he dazzled the Fresno State crowd. The freshman hurler tossed six shutout innings to give the Bulldogs the three-game series.

“Today Jaime did exactly what we needed him to do and why we wanted him to start because he is a strike thrower,” Batesole said on the southpaw’s performance. “That is the most pitches he has thrown all season but he kept the ball down and we played some pretty good defense behind him. That is what wins baseball games – pitching and defense – and that is what we brought today.”

Although Batesole attributed the Bulldogs’ win to defense and pitching, the team’s offense had a game-high 14 hits. Senior infielder Korby Batesole and sophomore catcher Carter Bins led the offensive charge in Sunday’s clinching game.

The two Bulldogs combined for five hits, three runs and six RBIs, while Clovis native JT Arruda and 6-foot-3 Nate Thimjon re-

corded two hits and an RBI each.

Even though the ‘Dogs faced Mountain West Pitcher of the Week Ryan Holloway, their bats woke from their Saturday slumber.

After the first inning, Fresno State had already built a 3-0 lead. In just three outs time, the team had almost reached its output from its previous contest.

Bins had a two-run double, which was followed by Arruda with an RBI. Fresno State continued its aggressive approach at the plate when Thimjon leadoff the second with a home run to left-center field. The freshman from Elk Grove, California, continued his impressive play.

The Bulldogs capitalized on a Falcons’ error in the bottom of the eighth for two runs, sealing their victory.

The Diamond ‘Dogs now improve to 11-3 in the Mountain West Conference before facing Pepperdine on May 1 at home.

Fresno State will then head on its last road trip of its regular season in a threegame series against the Nevada Wolfpack and a single game against California State University, Northridge.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Goldstein enjoys final season as a Bulldog

By Jorge Rodriguez @jrodcollegian

From Southern California, senior Torin Goldstein was raised with baseball in his blood and was destined to become a pivotal player on a team. Whether it’s hitting and collecting RBIs on offense or making plays on defense, Goldstein is always making an impact on the field.

He has become one of the most reliable offensive weapons for Fresno State head coach Mike Batesole. Racking up a .433 batting average, Goldstein has really hit a stride in his final season with 26 hits, 16 RBIs and a home run.

While attending Arnold O. Beckman High School in Irvine, Goldstein was invited by Batesole to visit Fresno State. Eventually falling in love with the atmosphere and the program, he knew he wanted to

play baseball at Fresno State.

“They preach a winning atmosphere here, and I love it. If we lose, it’s abnormal,” Goldstein said. “I visited a couple other schools, but here they want to win... that made me want to play here.”

His family is also a big part of why he loves baseball. His grandfather and father both played collegiate ball, and he has followed that tradition.

Goldstein’s grandfather even got to play

at a professional level for a short time with the Angels’ organization in AA baseball.

“I played baseball my entire life. My dad played at Long Beach, and my grandpa played for UCLA, so playing baseball kind of runs in the family,” Goldstein said.

And as Goldstein follows in his family’s footprints so does his family with Torin, especially his grandparents.

“My grandparents are here every weekend. They’ve watched me here for five years now. They even travel to away games sometimes,” Goldstein said.

See SENIOR SPOTLIGHT, Page 7