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Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper Wednesday, February 12, 2020
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NAVIRUS
Fresno State health center ready to keep students safe if outbreak Page 2 reaches campus
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If you have a fever, stay home. — Kiera Brown, Fresno State nursing student Photo Illustration • Leticia Leal
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
GOT TIPS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU
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Health Center takes precautions against coronavirus By Breanna Hardy Contributor In light of the recent outbreak of the new coronavirus, 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019nCoV), in Wuhan, China, the Fresno State Health Center has taken extra precautions for students as the global outbreak spreads. President Dr. Joseph I. Castro issued a message on Jan. 29, explaining that Fresno State is working closely with the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH) and that there have been no suspected or confirmed cases in Fresno County. He also said, “No Fresno State students are currently studying in China, and there are no faculty or staff on university-related business there.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronaviruses “are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.” In some cases, such as with 2019-nCoV, animals can transfer the virus to humans, and then the virus can be transmitted person-to-person. Dr. Khampha Thephavong, medical director and chief of staff of the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) at Fresno State, said the center is equipped to keep students safe. “We actually don’t have any confirmed or suspicious case here in the county. We work very closely with the public health department and they usually will let us know if there’s any, but we also reach out to them on a regular basis,” Thephavong said. She said there is a system of collaboration in place among major clinics and hospitals in Fresno, of which the SHCC is part of. In the event of an outbreak in Fresno County or, more specifically, on campus, the health center staff is well-trained. “We do know that there’s no cases, so we’re not as aggressive,” Thephavong said. Thepavong also talked about the importance of simply washing hands after coughing, sneezing or touching everyday objects in public. She said that the best way to be proactive is to be educated. “We always encourage and remind one another to wash your hands consistently, and if we’re sick to make sure we wear masks; we’ve got to be respectful of other people and our patients,” she said. Amidst the new outbreak, people have responded with fear because of the missing pieces to scientists’ research. But Thephavong says she’s not worried since she stays in contact with
Courtesy Tribune News Service
the public health specialists who say there is no immediate threat or cause for concern in the area. According to China’s National Health Commission, 80 percent of fatalities occurred in those over 60 years old, and 75 percent of those diagnosed had pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Thephavong also said that China’s crowded population and weaker public health system might contribute to a rising death toll there. Not receiving access to care on time could play a huge role in China’s handling of 2019-nCoV. Thephavong admits that it is hard to know the difference between the flu and red flags of 2019n-CoV, but says there are three symptoms to be aware of. “If you have a cough associated with fever and shortness of breath, those are the main things,” Thephavong said. Some of the questions health center physicians ask sick students include whether they have traveled, and if so, where. The team of physicians has taken a precautionary measure to contact international students who have either traveled home, or started their first semester at Fresno State in January. Thephavong said the staff called about sev-
en international students who had traveled, and they were not anywhere near Wuhan, China, or near anyone who has been sick. “I actually met with the international office and informed them as well, like, ‘Hey, if there’s any ill students, let us know right away. Make sure they wear a mask. Call us before they even come in.’ So those very basic, but yet important steps are in place,” she said. Kiera Brown, a nursing student at Fresno State, discussed the fear that surrounds talk of 2019-nCoV. “The regular flu kills more people than coronavirus, but people are freaking out about it because it’s new,” Brown said. Brown broke down the mechanism of a virus, and said that viruses corrupt the human body’s cells, reproducing their own DNA in a person’s body. She said that fatalities in China are mostly related to those with compromised immune systems, the elderly and the young. Brown predicts that doctors will design a new vaccine in the coming months to prevent 2019-nCoV. However, just because the flu is in the virus family doesn’t mean getting the flu vaccine protects people from 2019-nCoV.
“If you get the flu vaccine, you’re still at risk for the other flu strains. Let’s say there’s 10,000 flu strains this year; they’re going to take one and hope that’s the vaccine,” Brown said Brown predicts that once doctors design a vaccine for 2019-nCoV, there will be a big push for the vaccine. But this could take months. “Every time your body sees it, your body makes cells against it,” she said. “So that’s the idea of the vaccines; they give it to your body so it recognizes it, and then that way the next time, if they see it again, they jump on it,” Brown said. But Brown said that at the end of the day, medicine is a business, and nothing beats washing your hands. “If you have a fever, stay home,” Brown said. “I think that’s part of the reason why we have, as in America, such a bad flu season. It’s because we don’t stay home when we’re sick, because there’s so much pressure to succeed and push our bodies,” Brown said. Health risks remain low for Fresno County, but taking precautions protects both the healthy and the sick. “We are blessed to be in a nation that we have everything pretty much in place, so I feel pretty hopeful that we will be fine,” Thephavong said.
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Central Valley may be one of the hardest populations to count By Galcy Lee Contributor Every 10 years, the U.S. census is taken across the nation to count state populations. The number of representatives in Congress depends on the census. Simply put, the bigger the population, the more representation a state gets in Congress. “If people do not count themselves, we can lose representatives in Congress,” said Elizabeth Rocha Zuniga, ASI vice president of external affairs. “Right now, there’s a lot of conversation about California losing two representatives.” Rocha Zuniga is working with Executive Director of Governmental Relations Larry Salinas on raising awareness on campus to get more students engaged and knowledgeable. Like last semester, they hope to host another workshop to bring panelists from different community organizations to speak on campus. The census serves a good purpose but that purpose is unknown to many, Rocha Zuniga said. Community organizations like the Dolores Huerta Foundation and Hmong Innovating Politics are still looking for volunteers to help spread the word. In Fresno County, the census is paying up to $17.50-$18 an hour for census takers. “It’s a quick way to make cash and to be involved in getting people to participate,” Rocha Zuniga said. However, what may seem like an easy questionnaire to most Americans, is actually scary to many, especially for marginalized communities. “The Central Valley is one of the worst places for counting people and there’s a few reasons why,” said Amber Crowell, assistant professor of sociology. “One, is we have a lot of rural communities and rural communities are always difficult to get to and they’re always difficult to count. We have a lot of low-income people here so they’re very difficult to count because they don’t tend to stay in one place. “Another big issue with the Central Valley is that we have a lot of immigrants and so immigrants are always kind of difficult to count especially when documentation status is an issue.” Crowell does analysis work by studying neighborhoods, using census data. She stresses the importance of counting everyone but it is a task harder to accomplish than said. According to a 2018 report by the United States Interagency Council on Homlessness,
Armando Carreno • The Collegian
Fresno State students walking infront of the University Student Union on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. there’s nearly 130,000 people in California experiencing homelessness. This makes it especially hard to count people when they’re constantly displaced and unaccounted for. “If somebody in your household is undocumented, they’re less likely to fill out government forms and they’re less likely to talk to somebody who is volunteering or working for the government,” Crowell said. Last year, the Trump administration made efforts to put the citizenship question on the 2020 census. The commerce department argued that getting that information would help the justice department enforce the voting rights act. That argument was rejected. Even after the Trump administration failed to add the citizenship question, people remain fearful because they feel as if their citizenship status will be used to target them, Crowell said. “It’s really, actually, really important that non citizens get counted too because there’s decisions made in government that affect them and so it’s important that they be represented as well,” Crowell said. About half of Fresno State’s student population is Hispanic. Last semester, Fresno State made the list for the top 25 best national universities because of its large rates of “low-income and first-generation” students. “It’s so important that students get counted too. Especially since so many of our students
are from the area, it’s, you know, being counted is not just a way to be represented as a student
population but it’s also boosting representation for the valley,” Crowell said.
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Linguistics department REC Center gets PA system seeking more students By Tasha Turner Contributor
By Avery Johnston Reporter The linguistics department is in need of more students. Of more than 24,000 students on campus, fewer than 80 are linguistic majors. The department offers four major options: general linguistics; teaching English to speakers of other languages/second language acquisition and teaching; computational linguistics; and interdisciplinary language studies. Currently there are nine linguistics professors on staff. The cognitive science program is currently the only B.S. degree that is offered by the College of Arts and Humanities. Senior general linguistic student Evan Stone notices the lack of knowledge about this topic any time he mentions his major. “At my work, people will ask what I do. When I say I’m a linguistics major, they are confused,” Stone said. Department chair of linguistics, professor Sean Fulop points to high school being a potential cause for the lack of linguistic majors. “I think it comes down to the things that people are experienced with in high school,” said Fulop. “Everyone goes through high school, and you hear about things there-- linguistics is usually left out of this learning process.” Linguistics is defined as the study of language, but there’s more to it than that. “Language is a defining characteristic of the human species. Without language, there would be no civilization, no culture, no scientific or technological development, none of the achievements and capabilities distinctive to the human species,” according to the department's website. The department at Fresno State is equipped with a computer lab, and a phonetics lab that assists with language learning for language study. For the teaching English second language aspect, there is an Act Like a Teacher Program, where students are trained in movement, voice, improvisation and classroom management using acting techniques. Some of Fresno State’s faculty members are also part of a group called the indigenous languages group. The group works to document and continue to use dying languages.
General linguistics majors also have the opportunity to work with Chukchansi, supported by a grant from the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. There are only a handful of Chukchansi native speakers still alive, and time is running out to fully document their language so it could be properly taught to future generations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2018, various types of social scientists, including linguists, earned a median salary of $81,340. There is an expected job growth of 11 percent from 2018-2028. Fresno State also has a Master of Arts program that has two options: the general and teaching English as a second language. Graduates receiving their degree in linguistics can expect to find jobs in education, translating or interpreting, language consulting with medical or law fields, publishing or editing, and a variety of other fields. There are opportunities for major companies like Google or Facebook, as well. Computational linguistics student Ethan Velez says that linguistics can be a benefit before taking any language class. “Having a background in linguistics will help you when you are taking a regular language class,” said Velez, who was taught both Spanish and English at his dual immersion elementary school. More information about the linguistics department can be found through a counselor or on Fresno State's website.
BY THE NUMBERS
$81,340
The median salary of various types of social scientists, including linguists, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor in 2018.
Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) voted unanimously on Feb. 5 in favor of funding the Student Recreation Center (REC Center) $5,847 to improve its Public Announcement (P.A.). The student REC Center has no way of alerting students if an emergency were to happen on campus, according to Sen. Fidel Moreno-Meza, a third-year criminology major. “The REC Center is extremely big. It has two gyms and multiple restrooms,” Moreno-Meza said. “It’s unreasonable to ask someone to go and check each room to make sure everyone has been evacuated during an emergency.” Without a P.A. system, employees have to check each individual room during any emergency, Derek Walters, director of the center. According to Moreno-Meza, 48 percent of the Fresno State student population visit the center. The P.A. system will not only be used to alert students of emergencies, but also to alert students when the gym is closing and for entertainment purposes. “[The REC Center] wants to be able to make announcements, inform students on emergen-
cies and let students know the building is closing,” Walters said. The only sound system the center currently has is a boombox to play music, Walters said. The boombox cannot make announcements. “Just like any other gym, the REC’s P.A. system will also play music throughout their gyms,” Moreno-Meza said. He predicts the future P.A. system will be up and running sometime during the summer, but no date has been set yet. It will take approximately one month for the P.A. system to get running once they have all the building materials needed.
48% BY THE NUMBERS
of students visit the REC center acccording to ASI Sen. Moreno-Meza
Thinking about Graduate School? “The broad scope of employment options that I have for the rest of my life is why I chose a Juris Doctor degree for graduate school.” Tejumola Olubeko, Esq.
Business Administration Major, Fresno State Deputy District Attorney, County of Tulare SJCL Class of 2018
Law School 101
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 FROM 7-9PM REGISTER NOW: 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.
Deadline to register for the April 25 LSAT is March 10
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Castro unveils donation and more surprises at State of the University
By Larry Valenzuela News Editor Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro announced a $1 million donation and presented honors during the fifth annual State of the University breakfast at the Save Mart Center on Feb. 11. Around 750 community leaders and alumni attended the speech, during which Castro announced the newest recipients of the President’s Medal of Distinction, the highest non-degree award presented by Fresno State. Virginia Eaton, 96-years-old, received the top honor last week at the Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens where she lives. Her daughter, Joan Eaton, took the stage at the Save Mart Center to receive the honor on her mother’s behalf. Castro then surprised Joan Eaton, a longtime community business leader and lecturer at Fresno State, when he named her as the second recipient of the president’s medal. “I am flat-foot surprised,” Eaton said after receiving her medal. “I am deeply honored. I consider it a privilege to be a part of the Bulldog family. Thank you.” Castro praised the accomplishments of both women. “We can certainly say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Joan, we are proud of your mother, and we are proud of you,” Castro said as he stood next to her. “We are grateful for your many contributions specific to meeting the needs of our students. Giving back is in your nature. It was modeled by your parents, and
Larry Valenzuela • The Collegian
Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro speaks in front of a crowd of around 750 during the fifth annual State of the University breakfast at the Save Mart Center, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. you have discovered your own gracious way of doing the same.” Castro later announced that a new nursing program would be starting up in the Visalia campus in the fall 2020 semester. The campus is set to launch both the RN and BSN with 20 students. Castro finished off by revealing a $1 million
donation to the President's Circle of Excellence from former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O’Neill, a Fresno State alumnus. O’Neill informed Castro of his intentions to donate through a letter describing his experience at Fresno State. “He shared with me that his transformative experience as a Fresno State student estab-
lished the foundation for all of his professional success,” Castro said. “He included the names of faculty who mentored him and paved the way for a fellowship at Claremont Graduate School. … We all have a Fresno State story like Secretary O’Neill’s story. There are 25,000 student stories being written right now thanks to our faculty, staff and all of you.”
five years to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching careers in the Central Valley. “The program has several support mechanisms, including financial support, a community of practice, professional development workshops, one-on-one meetings with discipline-specific advisers and field experiences,” said Matin Pirouz, assistant professor in the department of computer science and principal investigator of this NSF-funded project. “The scholarship covers tuition fees, as well as a stipend for the duration of the program.” It will partner with local high-need school districts, including Sanger Unified, Fresno Unified and Central Unified. According to the release, California does
not yet have a computer science teacher preparation program. The California State Board of Education published its Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan in May 2019, recommending that,“opportunities be created for students, especially underrepresented students, to participate in expanded learning, scholarships, internships and mentorships related to computer science.” Pirouz says the program is expected to directly impact at least 7,000 high school students, many of whom are from less-resourced socioeconomic backgrounds. “Teachers with a computer science background are better able to prepare children not only for the future workforce, but also to actively participate in local and global citizen-
ship,” said Rohit Mehta, assistant professor in the department of curriculum and instruction at Fresno State. “Children can become active problem solvers and change agents.” The program is designed to make sure all students are more equipped to join in the STEM area. “This is an equity issue,” said Laura Alamillo, dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State. “Providing additional support in computer science opens up opportunities, not only for our teacher candidates, but for children having access to teachers who are well prepared in the STEM area. Most of our teachers serve areas where children may not otherwise have access to STEM.”
Campus recieves over a million to help future teachers By Larry Valenzuela News Editor Fresno state will be receiving a $1.2 million award to prepare teachers with computer science skills. The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the university with the five-year, $1.2 million commitment allowing Fresno State to provide students in the College of Science and Mathematics with the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship. The scholarship aims to help students pursue further education and become computing-capable teachers through the single subject credential program, Fresno State said in a press release. The program will support 60 students over
A&E
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
GOT TIPS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU
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Walking in peace with MLK: Black History Month celebration By Zaeem Shaikh Sports Editor With a sold out crowd in attendance, the Fresno State and Fresno City College choirs joined together to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month on Friday night. Cari Earnhart, Fresno State director of choral activities, said the concert, “Walk in Peace: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month,” has been a passion project of hers for a long time, conducting it for the fourth time at the Fresno State music concert hall. Earnhart said she thought of the idea when she first moved to Fresno and met Julie Dana, the FCC choir director. Dana was the first person Earnhart met when she first arrived in the city — even before she unpacked. “The day I moved to Fresno, she (Dana) had me over for her nephew’s birthday party,” Earnhart said. “I told her I have a project I want us to do together — ‘What do you think?’” Her original idea was centered around celebrating King and his contributions to the United States. It then further expanded into celebrating Black History Month and the contributions of African-American people in the U.S. through “song and voice.” Although Earnhart pitched the idea to Dana, her mentor gave her the idea to alternate readings and music for a concert.
From that point, Earnhart created the concert, alternating spirituals like “Amazing Grace” and readings from prominent individuals in African-American history like King, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and Langston Hughes. As four years have passed, the spirituals and readings have changed, but Earnhart said one thing has stayed the same. “We always end with the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech before we do our final set of music,” Earnhart said. “The speech goes right into a piece by U2 called ‘MLK,’ and that’s a staple every year.” To start this year's concert, the Fresno State and FCC choirs opened with “Resilience” by Abbie Betinis as over 100 singers were on stage together. As their voices reverberated through the Concert Hall, the theme was clear with the lyrics — “Resilience; we are strong; shoulder to shoulder, keep moving on.” “This night is about hope, peace and unity. The cool thing about this concert is people don’t want to leave the hall at the end of it,” Earnhart said. “Everyone stays because the atmosphere is so powerful and so positive.” The readings in the concert were offered by Karla Kirk, an African-American Studies professor at Fresno City College, and a Fresno State student. They served as a transition to set up the next piece of music. Some of the spirituals in the concert included “ I Can Feel the Spirit” by Jeffrey Ames, “Great
Armando Carreno • The Collegian
Fresno State Director Cari Earnhart conducts Fresno States and Fresno City College choir at the Concert Hall Fresno State on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Day” by Martin Warren, “Hear My Prayer” by Moses Hogan and “Didn’t My Lord Once the concert ended, the crowd erupted in applause. One member of the audience, Curtis Sisk, said he had a great time. “It was an awesome performance,” Sisk said. “I haven’t listened to gospel before, so this was a first-time experience for me.” Fresno State chamber singer Brittany Clegg said she has been humbled to perform in the concert for four years and thought it
went really well. As for Earnhart, she hopes this concert brightened people’s days and unites them together. “We talk about singing peace into the world one note at a time, and that’s a philosophy for all of our concerts, especially this one,” Earnhart said. “Our country needs it now more than ever in this moment — that sense of unity, camaraderie and being one.”
Cineculture explores the power of novel and western culture
By Savannah Moore Reporter
The Peters Education Center Auditorium was packed last Friday, Feb. 7, for Fresno State’s CineCulture. The film presented was “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” (2002), directed by Dai Sigie, it ells the story of two young men forced to live and work in a re-education camp during China's Cultural Revolution. In the film, two boys -- Mao and his best friend Lou, due to their failure to give up Western culture. The boys were sent to a re-education camp in rural China to spend years farming, mining and learning how to be good Chinese citizens under the reign of Chairman Mao Zedong. Where they are convinced they will spend the rest of their lives in re-education. The village chief, who was also in charge of
the boys’ re-education, said in the film about those sent to the re-education camps: “Of 1,000 children from bad families, only three will be able to return to the city.” The boys, however, struggled to let go of what little western culture they knew of. They befriended Little Seamstress, the granddaughter of the village tailor, and found that she was completely ignorant of western culture but curious and open. It was by stealing western books, including the works of the French writer Balzac, that they were able share the power of the novel and Western culture with Little Seamstress, whose real name is never revealed in the film. This exposed her to ideas and concepts she was unaware of before. Sometimes a book can change your whole life,” said the tailor, Little Seamstress’s grandfather, in the film. The discussant for the night was Ed Emanu-
El, who before the movie discussed China’s Cultural Revolution, which started with the Great Leap Forward in 1958. When Chairman Mao wanted to expunge the country of all Western influence and sent anyone who did not comply to re-education camps. EmanuEl said that for China “...the Great Leap Forward was a great fall backwards.” During this period, according to EmanuEl, thousands of books were burned. EmanuEl said, “Shakespeare was destroyed by the Cultural revolution.” He explained, however, that after the revolution ended in 1975, there was the realization that Western culture held great value. After the movie ended, the audience had the chance to hear more from EmanuEl and ask questions about the movie, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and modern day applications. One attendee said, “I was so impressed with the film.”
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” has won several awards, including the John F. Kennedy Gold Medal and has also been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Toward the end of the film, Little Seamstress, when asked what changed her, gave a simple answer: “Balzac.” Another attendee; student, commented on how Ma and Lou and the books they stole were able to influence Little Seamstress’s grandfather, who was opposed to Western culture in the beginning of the movie. When another one of the attendees asked what the Little Seamstress represented in the film, EmanuEl said, “She is China.” Film Screen Fridays are held every Fridays at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (west of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building) Next Film Playing-- A Girl from Mogadishu (2019) by Rose Marie Kuhn.
A&E
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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'Art and War' exhibit showcases artwork by Fresno State Alumna By Avery Johnston Reporter The Art and War exhibit showcases paintings and drawings by Yulia Gasio depicting the war in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. The exhibit’s opening ceremony was Feb. 6 in the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery in the Henry Madden Library (HML). The event featured speakers Hiroaki Kuromiya and Rev. Gregory Zubacz, with a special performance of Ukranian folk music by George Wyhinny, and the artist herself. The exhibit features 10 of Gasio’s artworks displaying different aspects of the war. The purpose is to bring awareness to the unacknowledged war in Ukraine. She has been working on the exhibit for over a year. The inspiration for the artwork was through Gasio’s personal experiences. “In my paintings and drawings, I depict the trauma of an ongoing war through the experiences of my immediate family living in the war zone of eastern Ukraine for the last four years,” said Gasio in her artist’s statement. Gasio is a Ukraine native who received her
master’s degree from Fresno State in art with an emphasis in art history in 2015. She later received a second master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, where she currently resides and works as a professor. The artist stated she would “never return home again due to the dangers there.” Kuromiya provided some background information about the war in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Kuromiya is a professor of history at Indiana University and is a specialist on Ukranian and Soviet history. He has been studying the Donbas for more 20 years and has written a book about the war in Ukraine. He presented a guest lecture titled; “How to Understand the Enigma of the Donbas.” The ceremony also featured an a cappella song from Wyhinny that blended liturgical chants with Ukrainian folk music to commemorate those slain by the war. Wyhinny wrote and produced a Ukrainian play for his undergraduate thesis from Stanford University. Zubacz offered a prayer for the fallen in Ukraine. He is a priest of the Ukraian Catholic Eastern Rite Church and associate provost at Fresno Pacific University.
Armando Carreno • The Collegian
Yulia Gasio artist of the “Art And War” Exhibit speaks at the opening ceremony at the Henry Madden Library on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. The war in Ukraine has resulted in more than 13,000 casualties and displaced over 2 million people. The war is ongoing today and shows no sign of resolution. The event was sponsored by the HML, the College of the Arts and Humanities and the College of Social Sciences in cooperation with
the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, the Ukrainian Culture Center, the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, the Ukrainian Federal Credit Union and the Ukrainian Art Center. The art will be displayed in the gallery until the end of February.
SPECIAL
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Everyone is capable of being loved By Sam Domingo Managing Editor
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I can't help but think about my loves from the past. Not just romantic partners, but friends that I loved deeply as well. I'm currently in a beautiful, healthy relationship with my partner of two years, and I can't imagine being treated any other way. It’s given me a standard for how I expect to be loved. But it wasn't always like that. At the peak of my depression years ago, I found myself accepting whatever love I
was given to try to fill the void that was in my chest. That meant putting up with emotional abuse, manipulation, gaslighting or whatever other toxic behaviors, just because I thought that’s what love was. That’s what everyone deals with. Looking back, I let most of my former partners, and even some of my most intimate friends, use me under the guise of love. After years of poor decision making on my part, I had conditioned myself to think that that type of love was all I deserved. It's all I was capable of. It's what I returned, because it was all that I knew. As I grew as a person and worked on my own well-being, I was able to distinguish genuine love from “fake” love. But still, I kept my distance. Years later, when I met my current partner, it almost felt like an over correction. "Here's a person who's genuinely nice to me, with no ulterior motives?" I thought, bewildered at the idea. "What're they trying to get out of this?" And it turns out, the answer was just love.
It almost felt wrong, being treated like a person deserving of a kind, wholesome love after years of being shown that love was just hurt. And I know too many people who feel they’re in the same boat. But we shouldn’t refuse love just because we’re damaged. We shouldn’t push others away because we’re scared of the possibilities. We’re deserving of love, too. It took a while to accept it, to open up and for love to grow. Thankfully, I had someone who was patient and willing to teach me. Love was not the cure-all to my problems but a welcome support. After that, I wasn't afraid of showing love, whether it was platonic, romantic, or self-love. Love was no longer something that made me feel vulnerable and fragile. Love is reassurance through anxiety attacks and depressive episodes. Love is a marathon of the 12-disc special extended edition of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Love is saying, "Text me when you get home safely." Love is opening up without fear of backlash. Love is easy.
Courtesy Creative Commons
Campus cute meets courtesy of cupid By Cupid Love Director
ducing songs - initially just as friends. The lyrics of our songs kept getting more and more romantic as time went on, until our feelings were so obvious that we had no choice but to tell each other about them. We’ve been together almost two years, and not a day goes by where I don’t thank God for him.” -Anonymous, 23
“I feel like Valentine's Day is a capitalistic scam, but I love a good pizza. Last year for Valentine's Day we got a heart-shaped pizza from Me-n-Ed’s, stayed in at home, and got drunk off a nice cabernet sauvignon. It was perfect.” - Sam, 23 “My favorite Valentine’s Day memory was when my dad bought me a bouquet of flowers and my favorite candy apple, while singing ‘Beautiful in My Eyes’ by Christina Bautista.” Diane “Terry and I met Dec. 4, 1973, in the Student Union. I had made an appointment to interview him for my marketing research class. He decided to follow me to my next interview, which was in the Social Science Building, and to ask me for a date. I really wasn’t interested, but he persisted. Terry showed up at my door on Valentine’s Day, 1974, with red roses and tickets to the Lily
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Tomlin show at The Hacienda. I decided this was a guy I might like. We just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary.” - Delaine, 67 “He and I were introduced by a mutual friend because we’re both musicians [and have been all our lives]. We started spending late nights in the studio together writing and pro-
“We met through our history graduate program here at Fresno State a few years ago. It was my first semester as a grad student and it was my very first class. Our department is relatively small so I looked around the room on the first day and saw a lot of familiar faces. I came across one, though, that I hadn't seen before and made a mental note to introduce myself later. We slowly became good friends. We were TAs together, enrolled in the couple of the same seminars, and we’d have weekly coffee hangouts. He is such a genuine and kind person, so naturally I developed a little crush. I made it a rule to not date anyone in my department, so the same day he graduated, I asked him out.
And the rest is... well... history.” - Rocío, 28
“We went to the same high school. He was such a flirt. He texted me one evening about what songs he should sing. And I gave him some suggestions because I like to randomly sing. Everyone does that. He then asked if we could sing together with some friends at a table at school. He sang a song and I thought he was actually good. Then I sang a song. And obviously he fell for me.” - Janna, 18 “I met my significant other of five years now in our senior year in high school. He was dating my friend at the time, but I always thought he was so cool and attractive, but I respected their relationship and never said anything. They broke up a year after graduation, and we began talking after I began working with a family member of his. My favorite Valentine's Day memory will be when we go see the new ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movie this upcoming Valentine's Day!” -Nicolette
OPINION Sexual assault victims should be believed WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU
By Rachel Lewis Reporter
On Friday, Feb. 7, The Daily, a New York Times podcast, released an interview between reporter Megan Twohey and Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, Donna Rotunno. For those who are not aware of the Harvey Weinstein case, he was a Hollywood producer who is facing allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. Weinstein, a man who has a long history of sexual assault allegations, is now on trial for assaulting six women. The #MeToo movement propelled these allegations of sexual assault in order to demonstrate the importance of ending sexual assault and coming together as women to say no to these acts of sexual violence as well as to hold a powerful man accountable for decades of abuse. Twohey from The Daily sat down with Rotunno to discuss why Rotunno decided to take up defense for Weinstein amidst a mass of testimony alleging that Weinstein has assaulted numerous women. In her explanation, Rotunno described the devastation that the men she defends experience to their careers and social standing when they are charged for sexual assault and the subsequent scramble to pull their lives back together even if they are ultimately acquitted by a jury. Rotunno describes this experience as an injustice to those men who are not being afforded the constitutional notion of “innocent until proven guilty.” She claims society condemns these men of crimes the courts have not yet convicted them. The interview is tense as Twohey, who has years of experience covering sexual assault cases, begins to push back on Rotunno’s arguments regarding the treatment of all men charged with sexual assault, especially the treatment of Weinstein.
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.
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Since 2017, Harvey Weinstein (left) has been accused of sexual harrassment, assault or rape by over 80 women. Rose McGowan (right) was one of many highprofile actress that have accussed Weinstein of rape. Twohey concludes the interview with a question: “Have you ever been sexually assaulted?” Rotunno responds: “No, because I have never put myself in that situation.” Though it is a podcast, you can feel the anger boiling up in Twohey at this response. A response that has been propagated so much by people who refuse to admit that women can not be and should not be blamed for being sexually assaulted, that they are not the ones instigating the harm. Rotunno’s view of some of her clients is disgusting. Though I understand she is a defense attorney whose job it is to ensure that the innocent receive due justice in the court of law, in doing so, she has created an internal dialogue that
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blames the victim--the woman. After decades of women bringing forth charges of sexual assault and being pushed aside as lying or being too sensitive, this Weinstein case serves as a moment where some justice can actually be served. But when Weinstein’s female lawyer is spewing age-old talking points about the credibility of women, it is hard to imagine that we will ever live in a society that accepts that women are not seductive temptresses out to lure men into “sinful” acts and then claim they were victimized. Though it seems like a daunting task to change the rhetoric behind sexual assault, I, and others, will continue to try to demonstrate that sexual assault is a violent and horrendous
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event that no woman asks for. As Rotunno’s clients are facing a blow to their social lives and careers, their victims are facing a lifetime of never feeling safe in their skin. These victimized women, and men, are forced to live with the memory of having their autonomy stripped from them by an individual who has no regard for the consequences of their lustful and violent actions. Women who bring forth accusations of sexual assault are brave and deserve to be believed. Confronting an assailant, a person who can be associated with one of the worst traumas someone can live through, is no easy task and not something anyone should take lightly. So, as the Weinstein case unfolds and the #MeToo movement continues to bring assailants into the light in order to be tried for their assaults, just consider the strength it takes one to go through this process. To go to a police station where one is forced to retell his/her story of a traumatic event as the police continue to question you and deliberate whether your trauma is even worth seeking justice. Then to sit through a court proceeding where you will get to relive the story over and over again as lawyers tell you that the event you lived through never happened. That is another traumatic experience in and of itself, so be kind to the women and men who have braved this process. We took a small step forward in even bringing Weinstein to trial. Let us not take a step back by allowing the rhetoric of victim blaming and misogyny to influence how we see victims of sexual assault. They did not ask to be assaulted, not through the clothes they wore, the way they spoke or the actions they made. They are victims, survivors and, now, disruptors who sociey needs to be support and believe.
Vendila Yang Diane O'Canto Jacob Mullick Jeff Vinogradoff Richard Marshall Kevin Fries Jan Edwards Timothy Drachlis Betsy Hays
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 a 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 © 2020 The Collegian. Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu): All letters submitted to The Collegian should be between 250-500 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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I wanted a bond, but found forgiveness instead
By Jennifer Reyes Reporter They say that your first true love is your father, I could agree to disagree. Do not get me wrong. I do love my father, but he was never considered the “true love.” A father is required to show his daughter(s) how she should be treated and be the type of man that he would be glad she ends up with because she would be protected and cared for each and every day. As a child, I looked for my father every day in search of that father-daughter bond. Unfortunately, that was barely even there. I knew he loved me, and I loved him. But that relationship between us was never really there. I always tried to find things in common with my father, so that we could bond. I found some, but that was not enough. I am sure that if he would have been more present in my life, I would not be searching for his love till this day. I faced health issues that required surgeries. Every time I woke up, I cried out for my father, but he was nowhere to be found. Even though he was living under the same
roof it always seemed like he was just a shadow walking around. He was not around and part of it was not his fault. When you have a family, you must make ends meet to make sure every loved one is in good health. My father provided that, but the only thing that was not right was his drinking habits. I understand that fighting an addiction can be hard, and he tried and tried. But the reason he was not successful was because of the friends he surrounded himself with. I appreciate his effort. I always thought that maybe he could change if it were his children asking him to change, but it did not work. My father kept me shut for so long such as not allowing me to cut my hair, play with friends, and just simply be me. The only thing he would worry about is if I was meeting all his expectations like cleaning, cooking and school work. He wanted me to become a teacher, but honestly I had no interest. He was my father, and I had to obey. A tragedy occurred. He was deported and
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I knew that I was not going to find that father-daughter bond, but I also knew that part of me was free. Everything happens for a reason because now he has been sober for a few years and I could not be more happier for him. He now has three daughters who he cherishes, loves and cares for…everything I was looking for when he was here with me. There are days when I wish he could have
been better when he was here, but healing does not happen overnight. I am at peace knowing that he is treating those little girls like princesses and that they will always know what it is like to love him more than anything because of what he does for them. I love and forgive my father because I know now that I am who I am because he left and I was free to be me.
College is a circus and we are the jugglers By Savannah Moore Reporter
One of the first things students hear when they sit down in a class for the first time is to read the syllabus, and on the first couple pages, they are confronted with the same statement: “For every hour spent in class, students will be expected to spend two hours outside of class on homework.” If a student was taking four classes, an hour and 15 minutes each, twice a week, then that would be a total of 16 hours a week, just on homework. And what about students completing their upper division? With 16 units, that could be four, two-hour classes, twice a week. In that case, the student would be expected to complete a total of 32 hours of homework outside of class each week. Often, this isn't how it actually works out, but the expectation is still there. The pressure is still there.
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What about work? In order to pay rent and put food on the table, many students are working 15 to 20 hours a week, sometimes more. There’s also the necessary action of sleep-
ing, and the average human being is supposed to be getting at least eight hours a night. There’s also eating, socializing, participating in religious activities and extracurricular activities. Where does the time go? Student life is a juggling act. Every semester it feels like more is added to the plate. More units. More expectations. Classes get harder and more is expected of students. And the stress of trying to keep all the balls in the air can sometimes be too much for students. Eventually, they’re going to drop some of them. The fact is there is no simple solution. Each of the aforementioned Service things is necessary. Students need to go to class and complete their homework. They need to sleep and they need to eat. You can’t just cut one out. Often, students feel like in order to succeed
in college, they have to focus the majority of their time and energy on their grades, even if it means making sacrifices in other areas of their lives. In order to get good grades, students feel like they have to stay up late and study for that test. Or, to fit all the classes they need in, students will schedule them back to back from morning to late afternoon, skipping breakfast and lunch. However, grades are important, but not more important than students' mental health. And employment is important, but so are relationships with family and loved ones. Students are expected to take on more and more, take as many classes as they can, finish up their degree in four years, make sure they’re making good money, and take on extracurricular activities join clubs to make their future applications look good. Students are expected to keep all the balls in the air, but at what cost? Students only have so much time.
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
PAGE 11
EDITORIAL
Where is the love for Fresno State Women's Basketball? By Marc Anthony Lopez Reporter
Aly Gamez got the ball at the top of the three-point arc with four seconds left in the game against Colorado State. She screamed for a pick to get a switch and immediately drove in for a floater. As the ball bounced in, her team rushed over to embrace her. The team screamed in joy, but the response from the crowd was lackluster. Fans should be celebrating the performance of each player on the women’s basketball team. The Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna, are making a statement as freshmen with their performance on the court. In their freshman year, Hanna has scored 20-plus points in seven games while Haley has done so in nine games. Also, combining both of their point averages makes the Cavinder twins the highest-scoring duo in the nation (32 points). Behind them are the Wallen twins from the University of Northern Alabama with a combined average of 28 points. Junior Maddi Utti, earlier this season, broke the 1,000-point mark of her collegiate
career. This season has meant so much for Utti, and her passion for the game has translated well onto the court. After breaking the 1,000 mark, Utti fought back shedding tears during the post-game conference saying she “did not expect this at all” coming into her freshman year. When you add on Utti in the mix with the Cavinder twins, the Fresno State women’s basketball team becomes one of only three programs in the nation to have three players to average 15 points a game. The only other programs are No. 3 Oregon and No. 5 University of Connecticut. Now, all these students are playing their hearts out and without question are eyeing victory in the Mountain West Championship tournament, but why did it feel like there was no effort to get students and the community to the games? Fresno State Athletics marketing has not done enough to fill the seats inside the Save Mart Center. As of recently, Fresno State Athletics marketing is making up ground to get people to come to watch this incredible women’s basketball run. However, it’s too late.
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Fresno State women's basketball celebrating Maddi Utti's 1,000 point of her collegiate career. For comparison, leading up to the men’s basketball game against Colorado State, the marketing team was heavily pushing students to come to the game with social media posts on Instagram and Twitter. Alongside the social media presence, the promotion of a giveaway free t-shirts, airpods and pizza enticed students. The promotion worked. The student section was packed and was one of the biggest turnouts I’ve seen this season. This promotion should
have been done for the women’s team first back in January. The Bulldogs have risen from underdogs to top dogs. Fresno State is undefeated in conference play and the seats are empty. They deserved bigger crowds earlier on in the season. Imagine what could have been if there was a great community turnout or a rowdy student section during the women’s earlier in the season?
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
PAGE 12
Softball returns for opening day By Marc Anthony Lopez Reporter
Armando Carreno • The Collegian
Maddi Utti (11) shoots a field goal during the first half of the game against UNLV at the Save Mart Center on Feb. 8, 2020.
'Dogs are preparing for biggest game yet By Zaeem Shaikh Sports Editor After winning 13 straight conference games, the Fresno State women’s basketball team have set their sights on clinching a share of the Mountain West championship. The ‘Dogs (20-4, 13-0 MW) will get that chance when the San Jose State Spartans (15-8, 9-3 MW) visit the Save Mart Center on Wednesday. Since the two teams met on Jan. 4, Fresno State has won nine games and tied their third-longest winning streak in program history at 12 games. In their last meeting, Fresno State rallied from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to beat San Jose State in overtime 85-76. The Bulldogs struggled during the first quarter, making only 4-of-21 shots from the field and missing all seven of their three-point shots. Bulldogs head coach Jaime White said they are focused on coming out strong early in Wednesday's game. “You know, that game was funny because we won or were close to winning every quarter except the first quarter. We just didn’t hit shots early, so our kids know that,” White said. “We
gave them the game plan and they understand that we got to really be focused early and make sure that we are defending and knocking down those shots early.” The Bulldogs are facing a tough battle on the defensive end against the Spartans. The Spartans’ transfers — Ayzhiana Basallo and Tyra Whitehead — combined for 39 points and 23 rebounds against the ‘Dogs. Basallo is the conference-leader in points, averaging 20.7 points per game. Bulldogs Haley Cavinder and Maddi Utti are right behind her tied at No. 2 and No. 3, averaging 16.3 points per game. Whitehead is averaging a double-double with 13.9 points per game and 10 rebounds per game for the Spartans, and the Bulldogs had trouble battling her on the glass. She scored 22 points and grabbed seven offensive rebounds against the ‘Dogs. White said it’s important to make it tough on them early. “You got to contest all of her (Basallo) shots. The hard part about her is that you’ll go up and contest her three, and then she puts that ball on the ground,” White said. “Just like Basallo, you got to know where Whitehead is at. You got to know her shots, and you can’t let her get deep in the paint.”
While the ‘Dogs are on a roll, the Spartans are trying to avoid a three-game slide after losing big at Wyoming 80-45 and at home to Nevada 80-76. San Jose is 3 ½ games behind Fresno State, and is competing for the No. 1 spot. Cavinder said it is just another game, but the team knows it means something more. “I think we’re telling ourselves that (it’s another game), but we’re thinking about it in the back of our heads. It’s a big rival game,” Cavinder said. “They’re No. 2 in the conference, so we know that we have to show up and play a really solid game to beat them.” The Bulldogs have shown up recently and other players have stepped up as well. Aly Gamez was recently recognized as Mountain West Player of the Week after scoring 14 against UNLV, 27 against Colorado State and 16 against New Mexico. As part of Pride of the Valley Night, the Bulldogs will wear green jerseys in the game and all fans who wear green will receive free admission to the game. “We got the green jerseys because we wanted to represent the Central Valley and what they do for our community,” White said. “We feel like when we have those on we have them on our backs.”
Softball season has officially begun as the Fresno State softball traveled out to Florida to face tough competition last weekend. They began the tournament on the winning side taking down Georgia State (5-0), South Florida (3-2) and Illinois State (3-0). Fresno State showed strong pitching and hitting throughout the tournament as sophomore Danielle Lung and junior Hailey Dolcini pitched complete games over the weekend while senior Schuylar Broussard hit a three-run home run against Georgia State. For the last two games of the tournament, the Bulldogs were put to the test against two Top 25 programs. Both the No. 7 Florida Gators and No. 17 Michigan Wolverines defeated the Bulldogs in close games. Bulldogs hitting coach Matt Lisle has also recently changed the approach of the team when it comes to the plate. Lisle used to develop hitting programs for the Chicago White Sox, but is now using the program’s data to aid the ‘Dogs. This new change was present in Florida with the Bulldogs scoring 15 runs. After a strong opening weekend, Fresno State softball returns to Margie Wright Diamond on Feb. 14 for its annual Fresno State Kickoff Classic. The star-studded, highly competitive opening weekend will feature Cal Poly, Fordham University, Cal and St. Mary’s. The ‘Dogs will kick off the tournament with a doubleheader against the Cal Poly Mustangs at 5 p.m. followed by the Fordham Rams at 7:30 p.m. Admission for students is free, and tickets for the public can be purchased for as low as $7. Bulldogs head coach Linda Garza welcomes the Red Wave to come to spend their Valentine's weekend at Margie Wright Diamond cheering on the softball team. “I think it’s a great date night!” said Garza on the home opener. “I know we are fun to watch... It’s a fun game, it’s fast, you can get in and get out and we want this to be an experience for the students and the families that come. We take great pride in our fans.”