February 5, 2017

collegian.csufresno.edu

Monday, Feb. 5, 2018

Celebrating New beginnings

EDITORIAL

ASI senators should reflect on efficiency

By The Collegian Editorial Board @TheCollegian

By William Ramirez @willoveslakers2

T

See SOCIAL SCIENCE, Page 3

Page 6

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

JEWISH STUDIES

he Jewish Studies program honored a long-standing Jewish tradition last Wednesday by celebrating new beginnings within nature and the university program.

Tu B’Shevat, New Year for the Trees, is a Jewish holiday dedicated to the growth of the fruit trees in Israel. The holiday is meant to celebrate a new growing season, the environment and the fruits of Israel.

It was the first time the holiday was celebrated at Fresno State. Five olive trees were planted outside the Social Science Building during the event.

Dr. Jill Fields, founding coordinator of the Jewish Studies program, said the olive trees not only celebrate the environment, but also help strengthen it.

“I do feel compelled on this day dedicated to remembering the importance of our natural environment and our responsibility for protecting it for future generations, that I, unfortunately, have to point out that the air quality today is rather terrible,” Fields said. “So the five trees that Jewish Studies is dedicating today will make this small spot a place where we can breathe easier.”

Fields added that while the day was meant to celebrate nature, it must also serve as a reminder of how much mankind has to do in order to protect the nature

IS THE REC CENTER GETTING AN UPGRADE?

Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

Professor of history Dr. Jill Fields speaks to a crowd of students and faculty during a tree planting ceremony hosted by the Jewish Studies Program on Jan. 31, 2018 near the Social Science Building.

The Associated Students Inc. announced last week that it was finding ways to dip into a $700,000 reserve of unused student fees and put it toward, well, students.

It has been a topic of discussion at each ASI meeting since President Blake Zante first mentioned the large sum at the Nov. 29 ASI meeting last semester.

We view the growth of the ASI reserves to the incredible total of $700,000 to be a misguided conservation of student fees. More importantly, we view the slowpoke attitude of certain ASI senators to remedy this situation to be unwise.

The ASI reserve funds fall into three categories: Working Capital or Current Operations reserve; Capital Replacement reserve; and Planned Future Operations reserve.

The different reserves serve various functions, including paying employees or funding basic daily operations. Each reserve requires a minimum balance to be maintained for emergencies, while the excess is either spent or rolled over each year, according to information given to The Collegian.

The funds have accumulated over a period of about 10 years, according to information The Collegian gathered through interviews with Zante and ASI Vice President of Finance Cam Patterson.

Many of the students who have paid into that reserve may no longer be studying at this university. But the wait to see the fruits of these unused student fees seems to be over for at least the current students.

Zante has proposed a $5,000 donation to the Student Cupboard. Other executive

See EDITORIAL, Page 2

OPEN HOUSE

New look for health center

By Jorge Rodriguez @jrod2763

A renovated pharmacy and a new administrative suite were the center of attention last Wednesday as the Student Health and Counseling Center held an open house that showcased recent renovations.

Work began two years ago and took longer to complete because the center remained open during construction. It was completed last October, when the outer area of the center was renovated.

The pharmacy is located where the lobby of the building used to be and has been upgraded with a new painted wall and a new design. The old medical records room was

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Students and faculty checks out the new pharmacy at the newly renovated Student Health and Counseling Center during its open house on Jan. 31, 2018.

repurposed into the new administrative suite.

The medical and counseling sections of the building were fully renovated.

“It’s very welcoming now that it’s remodeled. It took a long time, but it was well worth the wait,” said medical assistant Tammy Dodt. “It’s just a better environment for the students, and they seem to like it.”

The event allowed students, faculty, staff and administration to walk through the center and see other parts of the building that had also been refurbished, such as: the lab and X-ray; physical therapy; volunteer services; nutrition and wellness; medical and counseling areas.

“I like the new renovations. I think they look really nice, especially out in front of the building,” said Manvir Gill, a speech pathology major. “Today’s event is making it more welcoming for students, and I like that they are doing that.”

Janell Morillo, associate vice president of student health, counseling and wellness, said the renovation increases the ability of her staff to deliver quality services to students.

“I’m proud of the staff that delivered [during construction] the top services to students on a daily basis,” Morillo said. “[Students] can just walk in and receive full medical services, whether it’s going into the pharmacy, seeing a physician or a nurse … there is a lot going on in this building, and we want to make sure that every student knows about it.”

Students had the opportunity to learn about health and wellness programs such as Peers Ambassadors of Wellness, which helps students to live a healthy lifestyle; talk to a dietician; and measure their body mass index.

“Events like this let students know that these type of services are being offered here,” said Grant Kernes a deaf studies major. “It’s in the health fees that you pay when registering for classes, so if you need the services come here.”

OPINION

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

2

At what point does it become the responsibility of the senators to use their time before crucial votes to seek out critical information?

Hayley Salazar • The Collegian

The Associated Students, Inc. senate meeting on Jan. 31, 2018 in the University Student Union.

EDITORIAL from Page 1

members of ASI have announced their own plans of giving back to students.

During the Jan. 31 ASI meeting, the senate approved the first two projects to use funds from the massive reserve. One is ASI Vice President of External Affairs Demi Wack’s proposal to install benches in the Peace Garden on campus. The other is the ASI Impact Grant – a way for students and departments on campus to apply for funds that will be awarded to projects that promise to make a direct impact on campus life.

With the benches costing $20,000 (the administration is providing the rest of the amount) and the grant program amounting to $85,000, the passage of these two projects comes to a total of $105,000 out of the ASI reserves. The money will come out of the Planned Future Operations Reserve.

It is admirable that the current ASI executive board has decided that now is the right time to take a serious look at distributing those funds for needed, or at least desired, student services.

We acknowledge that these funds came from students’ pockets or financial aid in the first place – and that they were meant to be spent accordingly as they came in. Students of semesters past were promised that their student fees would be used for their learning and educational benefits. Yet for many years, it appears ASI executives have neglected to put these funds to good use and so the reserve grew to what it is today.

The current ASI executive team appears to have taken the initiative in discussing and bringing spending ideas to the table. But what about our student senators – those who were voted to provide direct representation to different student groups and colleges?

As reported by The Collegian, there have been numerous occasions when ASI executives set the groundwork to finding ways to spend these monies.

It appears that weeks – or months – of

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

Working Capital/Current Operations Reserve

Capital Replacement Reserve

Planned Future Operations Reserve

The working capital reserve shall exist to ensure that ASI can adequately meet the cash flow requirements necessary for its normal daily operations.

The capital replacement reserve shall exist to ensure that ASI can cover the repair or replacement cost of existing assets, such as major equipment and facilites.

The planned future operations reserve shall exists to provide ASI with a source of funds for major projects, programs, or partnerships which have been recognized as within the mission of ASI and of the campus

Current:

$495,147.11

$50,785.53

$195,570.77

Minimum: $200,000.00

$50,000.00

$50,000.00

Available: $295,147.11

$785.53

$145,570.77 Source: Associated Students, Inc.

research and requests for input turned into longer waits after polished proposals to the senate by ASI’s executive board were routinely postponed to later meetings.

Of course $700,000 is not simply throwaway money. That is a mighty large amount of cash. And with good reason, much debate and planning is being held over how it is to be used.

But it may be that what has caused this reserve to grow over time is partly due to the way senators handle proposals from the executive team.

As our reporting staff has observed, the most common reasons senators give to postpone a vote is that they have questions, they want to speak with their constituents or they would like time to go over the information.

The senators have every right to request clarification on policy or government items.

Clarification in and of itself is not unreasonable.

But there have been numerous occasions where the executive team has called for input on spending funds and the proposal was still an information item, far from a vote.

On the day of a vote, a discussion is often held, or there is a request for further documentation or for details to be changed. Then the proposals are put off for another two weeks.

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The ASI budget, for example, was postponed from the Jan. 17 meeting after senator-at-large Casandra Ramirez-Sanchez questioned a single line out of the extensive budget. Ramirez-Sanchez did not wish to voice her concerns during the discussion, but instead moved to postpone the vote until she could meet one-on-one with the vice president of finance.

The budget was passed two weeks later.

At what point does it become the responsibility of the senators to use their time before crucial votes to seek out critical information?

To illustrate, Zante has mentioned the large ASI reserve and has asked for input relating to use of funds during the past three meetings – a period of three months.

A handful of senators voiced their concerns and questions during the scheduled vote for approval of the ASI Impact Grant.

That had been outlined in detail during the two previous meetings.

Despite being given the dollar amounts of the grant during the previous meeting, Sen. Travis Childress, Greek affairs, made a motion to decrease the total cost of the project, saying that using the proposed amount of funds now could take away from future proposals that could arise during the semester.

“I think this project is fantastic,” Chil-

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

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

dress said. “I don’t know if it’s $85,000 fantastic.”

That’s fair.

But comments like these reflect poor timing and typically result in important proposals being postponed – repeatedly.

Childress could have expressed this sentiment at any previous meeting or used the two weeks between meetings to sit down with an ASI executive.

Not only are senators given ample information and briefed about upcoming action items weeks in advance, but they also have direct access to their executive team.

In fact there is not one, but two committees related to executive functions of ASI that are accessible to senators in between regularly scheduled ASI meetings.

This includes an Executive Committee, which meets every Friday at 3 p.m. and a Finance Committee that meets every other Wednesday at 6 p.m.

In a statement to The Collegian, Zante said that although senators do share feedback before voting, those open meetings continue to be an underutilized resource that could promote a more efficient student government.

“I really wish some of the senators who have so many questions or try to change up the proposals during the middle of the meeting came to the executive meetings,” Zante wrote, “So they can understand the reasoning behind what we are putting forward. I also want their ideas and proposals.”

Given the repeated request for input from the ASI executive board, there are very few excuses that justify senators arriving to a meeting unprepared to make decisions on important issues.

As students, we are expected to show up for class with our homework complete on the day it is due. No extensions, no postponements. Perhaps, our elected student representatives should be held to the same standards.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of Collegian editors. Collegian reporter Angelica Hernandez contributed with information.

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

SOCIAL SCIENCE from Page 1

they were celebrating.

Two rabbis were on hand to bless the trees and explain their significance.

Rabbi Rick Winer of Temple Beth Israel used a rabbinic tale to illustrate the importance of trees and the parallels they have, literally and figuratively, to nature and learning.

Rabbi Levy Zirkind of Chabad of Fresno used his time to explain the significance of the olive and distinguish between the Reformed and the Chabad traditions.

“It was just great to have both rabbis together. That doesn’t happen all the time that we have the Reformed rabbi and the Chabad rabbi,” Fields said.

“They both have their unique approaches, and it’s great to have a variety of responses to this holiday.”

Four of the five trees were planted before the proceedings began. The final tree was left to be planted by the attendees.

Shovels were passed around, and adults and children took turns shoveling dirt around the tree.

Fields has played a large role over the past few years in the rise of the Jewish Studies program

on campus, which became available as a minor this semester.

In her opening speech, Dr. Michelle DenBeste, dean of the College of Social Sciences, said it was important to celebrate the new program.

“It seems appropriate today that a holiday that celebrates trees and new beginnings is also a moment that we can celebrate our Jewish Studies program,” DenBeste said. “As many of you know, it is a thriving program.

And thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr. Fields and some others of you, we now have a minor in Jewish Studies.”

Fields said it was encouraging to see how much success the program has had in advancing itself within a campus community that does not have a very large Jewish population.

“Students of all backgrounds have been interested in learning more about the Jewish experience, and it’s wonderful, just wonderful,” Fields said.

One such student was Sergio Estrada, who is not practicing Judaism himself, but is part of a Jewish Studies course. He said extra credit incentivized him to attend, but he was walking away feeling all the more intrigued by Jewish culture. “[Jewish] culture is a very rich culture. There is so much to learn from it,” Estrada said.

PAGE 3

Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

Dean Michelle DenBeste of the College of Social Science (right) joins attendees in planting an olive tree in front of the Social Science Building on Jan. 31, 2018.

NEWS BRIEFS

Panelists will discuss #MeToo campaign in first ethics lecture The spring Leon S. Peters Ethics Lecture Series will begin with a discussion on sexual harassment.

“The Me Too Moment: Sexual Harassment & Professional Life” discussion will be held at the Alice Peters Auditorium in the University Business Center on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

The “#MeToo” campaign has trended on social media and gave voices to sexual harassment victims and raised awareness. The lecture will discuss and reflect on these challenges in professional environments.

The lecture will feature a panel of Fresno State faculty, including Faith Sidlow and Dr. Kelley McCoy of the media, communications and journalism department; Ruth Griffin from the theatre arts and dance department; Dr. Lisa Bryant from the political science department; and Brett Sutton, an attorney with Sutton Hague Law Corporation.

The event will be moderated

by Dr. Kathryn Forbes from the women’s studies department.

First come first served! $200 Deposit

UPCOMING LECTURES:

• •

•

“Bonner Center Character Education Conference” on March 9.

“Catharyn Baird: An Ethical Nudge: Using Behavioral Ethics to Navigate Change” on March 20 at 6 p.m.

“Douglas Allen: Gandhi, Nonviolence and Peace” on April 4 at 6 p.m.

• “Mohammad

Pournik, Moral Dilemmas of a Development Worker” on April 10 at 6 p.m.

•

•

“Peter K.J. Park: The Exclusion of Africa and Asia from the History of Philosophy” on May 3 at 6 p.m.

“A Celebration of Ethical Leadership” on May 9 at 11:30 a.m.

Florence, Italy Spring 2018/Summer 3-Week Study Abroad Session May 20 - June 10, 2018

For more information contact Gail Freeman, College of Arts and Humanities, Stop by Music 186, call (559) 278-4103 or email gailf@csufresno.edu

Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

Rabbi Rick Winer of Temple Beth Israel speaks to a crowd of students and faculty during a tree planting ceremony hosted by the Jewish Studies Program on Jan. 31, 2018 near the Social Science Building.

Business school launches local magazine Fresno State’s Craig School of Business released its inaugural issue of the Central California Business Review that features economic commentary and analysis of future business conditions in the Central Valley.

Insights included thoughts on the local economy across multiple sectors, including overall business conditions, consumer and real estate sentiments, the

labor market, agriculture, manufacturing, banking and global business.

“We hope The Review will prove to be a valuable public service for businesses and organizations across our region by helping them make informed decisions,” said Dr. Robert Harper, dean of the school of business in a news release.

The authors of the reports

Library to feature Fresno State graduate’s art Artist and Fresno State graduate Corky Normat’s artwork will be showcased in an exhibition at the Henry Madden Library.

The exhibition, “Places You Know, Places You’ve Been: 66

Years of Art by C. Normart,” will be displayed from Feb. 10 through May 20 in the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery on the second floor of the library.

Much of Normart’s art is in

are primarily faculty in the Craig School as well as outside professionals and community partners.

“We are grateful to Wells Fargo as our founding sponsor and to the Educational Employees Credit Union for funding the cost for a marketing survey firm to gather the data for the Consumer Sentiment Index,” Harper said.

The Craig School will print around 1,000 copies of the report per year for use by its community partners. It will also be made available at cencalbusinessreview.com

watercolor, but he also works with stained glass and sculpture.

Normart received international recognition for his design and restoration of the Great Dome over the Tomb of Jesus Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Aspects of this piece of work will be included in the library’s exhibition.

“So often, recognition for creative accomplishment is reserved for artists outside the local community, but we see that great talent exists right here in our region” said Delritta Hornbuckle, dean of library services, in a news release.

For information on the exhibition, contact Sharon Ramirez at 559-278-5790.

A&E

4

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

B-boys continue traditions DANCE

By Ramuel Reyes @kierkegaardens

A

rte Americas became a battlefield for 15 dance crews Saturday during the “Battle for Fresno State” preliminary dance competition.

Their weapons? Rhythm and groove.

More than 45 B-boy dancers participated in a battle on a three-on-three crew dance battle, judged by distinguished B-boys, B-boy Morris, B-boy Ace, and Dee Rock.

The winner received $400 and second place got $100. The two teams automatically qualified for the “Battle for Fresno State” championship on April 15 in the North Gym. More than 200 people attended the event to watch the battles but also to learn about Fresno’s rich hip-hop history through the “Straight Outta Fresno” showcase. It was previously showcased at Fres.Co. “We’re trying to tell stories that are local and that matter to us,” said Dr. Romeo Guzman, assistant history professor and director of the Valley Public History Initiative. “But we’re also trying to tell stories that matter to the larger history of California.”

The showcase illustrated Fresno’s hiphop history through photographs, trophies, fliers, art and oral histories. One wall was plastered with photographs of Fresno legends who made their mark on B-Boy history.

Two of Fresno’s biggest contributors to hip-hop were Charles “Goku” Montgomery and Pablo Flores. Their founding of the Climax dance crew introduced breakdancing power moves such as the Airflare, which is done when you complete a full body rotation using only your hands.

“For us, this Fresno story is important to the history of hip-hop in [Los Angeles], San Francisco and New York,” Guzman said. “This is a part of that. Hip-hop history is incomplete without it.”

Montgomery was the announcer of

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Andy Phothiraj practices his B-Boy moves before participating in the ‘Battle for Fresno State’ at Arte Americas on Feb. 3, 2018.

the B-boy dance battles on Saturday. The dancers came from different ages and places from around the state.

Andy Photiraj, 20, of Fresno, represented his crew, Magnetrix. Photiraj learned to B-boy six years ago from his older brother. He originally wanted to do sports but said the equipment was costly.

“B-boy was the only thing free for me,” Photiraj said.

Photiraj has competed in other B-boy competitions and cited Gary Yang as one of his mentors helping him through his B-boy training.

Yang also competed in the battles, representing the Wizards crew. Yang teaches breakdancing at Immaculate Trait dance center, hoping to help new and up-andcoming crews such as Magnetrix hone their craft.

“With me, I’m very open. I help any-

body who wants help. If I see someone doing it wrong, I’ll let them know,” Yang said. “I wish, when I was younger, somebody came up to me and helped me out.”

Yang previously organized a breakdancing tournament during Hmong New Years called “Battle of the New Years” and said that events like “Battle of Fresno” are the result of collaborations of many people within the community.

“We worked together so we can build a better community for these Fresno kids that don’t get a chance to travel,” Yang said. “These kids – they don’t have that kind of resource to go out there yet. What I want to do is to bring the out-of-town [to Fresno] so these kids don’t have to travel far in order to see much bigger events.”

Jonathan “JC” Chan, 26, came from Los Angeles with his crewmates, Vince

“Invince” In and Jimbo “Shogun” Limpin,” to compete in the battles.

Chan and In are part of the B.E. crew from Southern California, while Limpin is a free agent, but decided to come with them to fill the third slot. Together, they entered the competition as B.E. Shogun.

Morris judged the crews based on whether they danced in the moment and who danced to the song’s rhythm.

“If you’re battling in the moment, you’re going to be dancing with the music, following the rhythms, and if you’re executing, you’re listening in the different accents and cues,” Morris said.

Each of the three crew members had one round to woo the judges with their acrobatic dance moves, contouring their bodies in seemingly impossible ways.

The crews were judged immediately after their bout. Montgomery, a Fresno dance legend, simply asked the judges for their picks and they simply pointed to their preferred winner. The top two teams of the night were Boston Market and B.E. Shogun, Chan’s crew.

Montgomery was a bit disappointed that no Central Valley crew made it to the top two, but they did manage to crack the top four, with Climax/Soul Control battling B.E. Shogun a round before. B.E. Shogun won in the end and will compete in the championships.

The moments, as competitive as they are, brought a sense of pride for the dancers and the founders of the dance scene who judged. Events like Saturday’s brought a reminder that current talent is as important as the past.

“I think there’s a lot of history that gets overlooked here in the Central Valley,” Chan said.

He said that people like Montgomery left their mark on the B-boy scene along with many other people from the Central Valley.

“We ourselves owe a lot to [the Central Valley] scene and just in California, in general,” Chan said. “In no way it’s just a win for us, but it’s a win for everybody that we recognize that came before us and that set the tone. They helped build the foundation that we use today.”

ORCHESTRA

Concerto competition gives real life experience

By Eric Zamora @ehhreec

Matthew Smoke sits in a small practice room upstairs in the Music Building at Fresno State, waiting for his turn to perform a viola concerto. Nearly a year of practice has come to this moment.

Smoke is just one of many instrumental and vocal students in the music department at Fresno State who were participating in the annual concerto competition.

The competition was held last Thursday and Friday, with the finalists performing their full pieces on the second day.

The first round of competitions was closed to the public. Two judges from outside of the department were hired to be

judges. The judges included Meryl J. Wamhoff, director of bands at Santa Rosa Junior College, and Ambroise Aubrun, violin professor at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara.

On the second day, the finalists performed their full works and the judge panel chose two musicians. One will perform with the Fresno State Wind Orchestra and the other with the Symphony Orchestra.

For more than ten years, students have competed just to be given that chance.

“It’s a lot more fair and gives the students an opportunity to prepare. Then if you compete in the competition and win it, you are already prepared for the concert, so usually the results are much better,” said Thomas Loewenheim, head of strings and conductor of the University Orchestra.

Loewenheim said that the competition,

while it serves as a way to raise the quality of the department, also helps students get ready for life after college. Auditioning is how musicians are typically hired.

“It has lots of reasons and lots of implementations, but it’s very important for each one of the students, and it’s a wonderful showcase,” Loewenheim said.

One of those students is Smoke, a music as a liberal art major and finalist who performed “Viola Concerto” by William Walton alongside six other students.

“Really there’s only like four or five major viola concertos compared to 20, 30 violin concertos that people play in standard repertoire,” Smoke said.

Keegan Bramford, a cello performance major and one of the winners of the competition, performed the “Cello Concerto No.

2” by David Popper.

“I found this concerto many years ago actually, just searching on YouTube, and Dr. Loewenheim a few years later said, ‘Hey, you should perform this concerto,’ and I said yes,” Bramford said.

Bramford, along with the other winner, percussionist Sean Clark, will perform their concertos with the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and the Fresno State Wind Orchestra, respectively.

It was the third time Bramford participated in the competition. He said he felt more prepared this time around.

“It’s really such an incredible event, and some years more people participate and some years a little bit less. But, overall, I feel to a little bit of a higher level,” Loewenheim said.

THE COLLEGIAN • A&E

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

PAGE 5

MUSIC

‘Double Reed Day’ brings musical talent

Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

Principal oboist of the San Francisco Opera Mingjia Liu teaches technique and imagery during his workshop at the 21st annual Double Reed Day hosted by Fresno State’s Department of Music on Feb. 3, 2018.

Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

“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

Law School 101 Wednesday, February 28, 2018 From 7-9pm You’re invited to this free program to learn more about the legal profession and what a law degree can do for you!

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

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

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

A Degree in Any MAjor QuAlifies you to Apply to lAw school.

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

Renowned musicians Minjia Liu and Rufus Olivier Jr. visited Fresno State on Saturday for the 21st annual Double Reed Day. “Double Reed” refers to double-reed instruments, such as the “oboe” and the “bassoon.” The musical event included sessions for the oboe and bassoon and master classes taught by Liu and Olivier.

The day’s final event featured performances by the musicians.

Liu played the oboe, and Olivier played the bassoon. Some pieces also featured the piano played by Fresno State music lecturer Lenore Hiebert. At times, Liu and Olivier played separately and then together.

“I feel like with these two performers (Liu and Olivier), they definitely put their own spin to it and really articulated their expression for this music,” said Corey Howman, an attendee.

Liu became part of the San Francisco Opera in 2010 as a principal oboe player.

He has also played with the San Francisco Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the China National Symphony Orchestra.

Olivier is the principal bassoonist for the San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Ballet.

“To hear things played at such a high caliber, I think it really does inspire a lot of us to want to get to that level,” said Jeffrey Wasik, a graduate student at California State University, Long Beach.

This year’s event was coordinated by Rachel Aldrich and Larry Gardner, who are both lecturers in the Fresno State music department.

Principal bassoonist of the San Francisco Opera Rufus Olivier teaches proper practicing techniques to improve overall performance during his workshop at the 21st Annual Double Reed Day hosted by Fresno State’s Department of Music on Feb. 3, 2018

To hear things played at such a high caliber, I think it really does inspire a lot of us to want to get to that level —Jeffrey Wasik, Graduate student “We get lots of nice letters every year about how inspiring it [Double Reed Day] is,” Aldrich said. “The guest artists are so wonderful that people who come to hear them perform – it really inspires them.”

A double-reed ensemble conducted by Steve McKeithen, Fresno State associate director of bands, followed Liu’s and Olivier’s performances.

Wasik said he liked Olivier’s “confidence in playing and his teaching technique. The way he approaches helping his students – it’s not aggressive. It’s very helpful.”

Jamie Hellwig, a freshman at California State University Long Beach majoring in music education, also worked with Olivier during the day.

“I like his warm personality, and I like the way he plays – his styling choices and his musicality,” Hellwig said.

NEWS

6

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

ASI NOTEBOOK

Budgets, mental health and possible rec center upgrades

Illustration by Kong Thao

By Angelica Hernandez @avh1992

T

he Associated Students Inc. (ASI) voted to approve some major action items during a meeting Jan. 31, including a revised ASI budget and funding for an ASI Impact Grant.

ASI Impact Grant sparks debate among senators A revised ASI budget for the next fiscal year was passed by the senate on a unanimous vote.

The budget will now move to final approval from the office of Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro.

Although the budget was easily approved, the ASI Impact Grant sparked discussion and debate before ultimately passing with one senator choosing to abstain.

The impact grant was introduced as an informational item at an ASI meeting on Jan. 17. The grant would allow organizations on campus to apply for funds for projects related to technology, sustainability, clubs, and general proposals that would make an impact on student life.

ASI Vice President of Finance Cam Patterson, explaining recent changes to the grant before putting the action item to a vote, said the amount of the grant was reduced from $100,000 to a total of $85,000, and the award cap per application was increased.

Under the new cap limits, clubs and

organizations would be able to apply for a maximum of $10,000 instead of $5,000.

During the discussion, Sen. Travis Childress moved to decrease the total amount of the project to $25,000, saying that using more of the budget’s estimated $700,000 in reserve funds now could take away from future proposals that may arise during the semester.

“I think this project is fantastic,” Childress said. “I don’t know if it’s $85,000 fantastic.”

Sen. Amanda Smith of the Jordan College argued that the amount should stay the same.

“This money is coming out of reserves,” Smith said. “We are supposed to be serving the students, and I think what better way than to give them their money back and let them apply for it personally.

It isn’t taking away from the funds or allocations that we have for something else.”

Members of the ASI executive team have said in past meetings that they are trying to utilize as much of the reserve fund for services and programs as possible to ensure students are benefiting from their fee payments.

ASI Director of Operations Tara Powers-Mead gave examples of a how similar grants have made been used in the past.

Powers-Mead said grants have funded projects for groups on campus when they didn’t fit into their department’s budget.

For example, an ASI grant funded a virtual reality flight simulator for the aerospace studies department and a 3-D printer for the College of Arts and Hu-

Imagine it’s like you’re paying taxes to the government.

The way students are paying student fees to ASI, and the government was just holding your money. Personally, I would be a little upset.

—Blake Zante, ASI President manities.

ASI President Blake Zante also weighed in during the discussion, bringing a real-life lesson to the discussion.

“Imagine it’s like you’re paying taxes to the government,” Zante said. “The way students are paying student fees to ASI, and the government was just holding your money. Personally, I would be a little upset.”

After a vigorous debate, the amendment proposed by Childress received two votes and failed.

The main action item was put to a vote and the grant for $85,000 was approved with one abstention.

Senators also approved a proposal

by ASI Vice President of External Affairs Demi Wack to install 10 benches in the Peace Garden near the Henry Madden Library. Half of that will cost about $20,000, which will be pulled from the reserve. The other half will be matched by administration. Wack said she will be sharing design concepts for input before the final design is chosen.

The senate also approved a request to withdraw $15,000 to continue to fund sponsored activity grants.

Recreation Center renovations proposed ASI heard from Alicia Nelson, director of wellness services at the Student Health and Counseling Center, and Derek Walters, director of the Student Recreation Center, who presented a proposal to upgrade existing recreation equipment as well as install two outdoor exercise stations on campus.

The proposal is a part of the “Partnership for a Healthier America Campaign,” which focuses on initiatives to improve healthy food options on college campuses and promote more physical activity.

Nelson said that various campus walking trails were designated by using signs as part of the campaign.

The proposal requested an estimated $140,320 for the project from ASI. Executive Vice President Brandon Sepulveda asked to postpone discussion about funding to the next meeting to give senators time to look over the proposal.

Mental health task force created Sen. Alexandra Chavez spoke passionately about the newly formed ASI mental health task force, which was created in response to the recent deaths of Fresno State students Omar Nemeth and Ana Alcantar.

“I think this whole month of January has been so hard for us as a community losing two students,” Chavez said.

Chavez shared a list of resources with the senators and urged them to reach out to their constituents and their friends on these issues.

“We have to do something. This can’t happen again,” Chavez said. “I think as a university we are very blessed to have the services we do but it is very apparent that we need to do more.”

Free Wall Street Journal subscription A few weeks after students received access to a free digital subscription to The New York Times, Sepulveda confirmed a subscription to the Wall Street Journal will be made available to students for a free one-year trial period.

Students should expect to see an email with instructions regarding the subscription in the next two weeks.

New ASI website Zante previewed the new ASI website, complete with photos and biographies of the ASI senate team and links to upcoming events. Social media, statistics and service hours are showcased on the homepage.

Zante said the new website, which will link out from the existing ASI page hosted on the Fresno State website, aims to increase transparency between ASI and the student body.

A questions and comments feedback page was added and more in-depth budget resources and information will be available in the new “business” section of the website.

“We tried to make it as accessible as possible,” Zante said. “The website is projected to be up within the next two weeks.”

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 7

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Bulldogs set record in win over Cowboys

By Nugesse Ghebrendrias @nugebear13

Behind 20 points and 12 rebounds from sophomore Nate Grimes, the Fresno State men’s basketball team set a school record after upending the Wyoming Cowboys 80-62 in a Mountain West Conference matchup in Laramie, Wyoming, on Saturday.

The Bulldogs’ 18-point win is now the largest margin of victory on the road in MWC play in Fresno State history.

“Nate is a guy who is gaining confidence, and the more he’s on the floor, with experience, he’s showing more of his skill set,” Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry said. “His energy and his activity was really good for us.”

Along with a double-double from Grimes, Ray Bowles Jr., Bryson Williams, Jaron Hopkins and Deshon Taylor each tallied double-digit scoring in Fresno State’s bounce-back win.

“Really good team win,” Terry said. “[I] thought start to finish [we] really defended hard. We knew we were going to have to come in with a lot of energy and activity, and I thought our guys did that for a better part of 40 minutes.”

After losing a tough match to conference-leader Nevada on Wednesday, the Bulldogs needed a win, and got it due in part to Grimes’ third double-double of his career.

“Coach Terry said he needed an offensive presence, and I brought it today,” Grimes said after his player of the game

performance. “I’m just doing whatever I can for my team. I was just going to let loose and play. We played hard on defense, and everything fell into place for us.”

Fresno State jumped out to a dominant lead behind a 12-7 run. Bowles Jr. paced the Bulldogs early with eight of his 10 points, including two three’s.

The Bulldogs later pushed their lead to 13, 20-7, after Hopkins picked off a sloppy Wyoming pass for an easy two-handed transition dunk.

Fresno State capitalized on its firsthalf momentum to go on a 7-0 run with just under nine minutes left to play, including Taylor, who put his stamp on the first half with a deep 3 to push the lead to 18, 32-14.

Although Wyoming did its best to stay close, Fresno State’s 55.9 percent shooting extinguished any chance for the Cowboys to recover.

The halftime whistle sounded with the Bulldogs up 46-30, and they never looked back.

Williams put the icing on the cake for the Bulldogs with a strong defensive play halfway through the second half. Although Fresno State was 18 points ahead, Williams continued to battle.

Wyoming’s Hunter Maldonado found an opening to the basket after beating Hopkins off the dribble. Williams sensed the defensive breakdown before he rose up and sent Maldonado’s attempted dunk into the hardwood.

Williams’ tireless effort is the kind of

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State forward Nate Grimes attempts a layup over Wyoming’s Alan Herndon on Feb. 3, 2018 at the Arena-Auditorium. The ‘Dogs won 80-62.

play the Bulldogs have shown all year in their victories. With the Aztecs of San Diego State coming to Fresno with revenge on their minds, more of the same will be

from Fresno State.

The ‘Dogs will be back in action at the Save Mart Center to face San Diego State on Tuesday.

BLOG

Baseball: The great American game

By Michael Ford |

I

@MFordCollegian

remember it well. Riding in the car, driving the three-and-a-half hours from Fresno to San Francisco with my parents, brother and my best friend.

Crossing the Bay Bridge I finally saw it, the most beautiful sight I have ever laid my eyes on. Pac Bell Park, as it was known back then, sat right on the edge of the bay.

I was going to my very first Giants baseball game, a game against the Padres when I was in my early teens. I was beyond excited, I was giddy with anticipation.

Getting out of the car in the monstrous parking lot and walking to the gate with the scores of other people ready to see their beloved Giants play the game we all love was an experience all on its own.

Walking up the steps to the main concourse, I had no idea what I was in store for.

And then it happened.

The sight of the sun splashed diamond and the perfectly manicured infield dirt and pitchers mound. The greenest grass that

you would ever hope to see. The ball players warming up in the outfield doing their long toss routines.

The breathtaking view of the right field brick wall that overlooks the waters of McCovey Cove, named after the Giants hall of fame slugger Willie McCovey.

The wonderful aromas of popcorn and hot dogs filled the air as they tickled my nose.

I knew that I had just walked into heaven on earth.

As we made our way to our seats, hordes of fans lined up down the foul line section waiting for a chance to have their heroes sign their gloves, posters and whatever other memorabilia they could think of.

A wondrous rendition of our country’s anthem played and then came the first pitch.

The Giants won that day, and the game won my heart forever.

The experience that I just described is both unique and common at the same time.

Millions of people throughout the 130 plus year history of baseball have done the exact same thing, and yet we all have our own stories to tell.

Fathers and sons have bonded while making a day of going out to the yard and catching a game.

I say all of that to say this: Other sports are great, but baseball the greatest game that mankind ever created. There are just too many reasons why.

It has the capability of bringing together

40 plus thousand random strangers in nearly every park across the country to root for one common goal, the home team to win.

If you have ever been to a game then you know the feeling of electricity that courses through your body as the crowd roars after a mammoth blast to give your team the lead or a strikeout of the opposing team’s best hitter in a crucial situation. It’s beyond special. It’s like no other feeling imaginable.

My love for the game goes beyond just the social aspect of it though. There is much more to it than that.

The aesthetics of the game are what really get me. The cracking sound of the bat meeting ball. The indescribable sight of the glove makes as the shortstop bends down to scoop up the ball and make the throw to the base.

These are simple pleasures, and they mean so much.

But the game is much more than that.

Baseball has a way of transcending sports and impacting the real world.

The game has been at the forefront of major social and civil changes. In 1947, Jackie Robinson paved the way for african americans to be included by heroically enduring the endemic racism in the game’s and country’s culture. The man encountered countless death threats, discrimination and other vile behavior, yet he still persevered because he knew that what he was doing was the right thing.

The advancement of civil rights owe a

debt of gratitude to baseball for its contribution to the cause.

And likewise, the game has a unique sense of community that is incomparable to any other sport.

Obviously, the players form a bond together simply by being around each other for even more time than their families during the season. But also the fans share their own special bond.

I, for one, have made friends just through the mutual love and admiration of baseball. I am a member of a group on Facebook called “Let’s Talk Baseball” that is comprised of others just like me who love the game. Including a new friend named Jake Robinson, who founded the group along with Michael Franks. We bond through our lively discussions about baseball.

These two gentleman run their own baseball podcasts and believe me, these guys know their stuff. Jake’s podcast is named “The Jake Robinson Sports Experience” and Michael’s podcast is called “The Grand Slam.”

The guys have been popular enough to be picked up by the likes of Google play and iHeartRadio.

I highly recommend listening to these guys if you want a fresh, entertaining new perspective on all of the latest happenings in the sport.

All of these things are what make baseball the great American game. It doesn’t get any better than this.

SPORTS

8

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Fresno State crushes Wyoming

Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

Junior guard Candice White attempts a shot over Wyoming at the Save Mart Center on Feb. 3, 2018 at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State won 60-47.

By Michael Ford @MFordCollegian

The Fresno State women’s basketball team defeated Wyoming at home on Saturday, 60-47.

The game was played at a much slower pace than what the Bulldogs normally like, and that kept the scoring down in the first quarter. The Bulldogs still led 17-16.

The slow pace was partly due to the

high pressure by Fresno State’s defense as the ‘Dogs picked up Wyoming for the entire court.

“I thought we did a good job with our full-court defense. We didn’t get that many steals out of it, but we knew we were going to have to press,” head coach Jaime White said. “For the most part, I thought our game plan was right on, and we did a good job with that. We had some nice play time from everybody.”

Junior guard Candice White, who leads

Fresno State in points per game this season, struggled in the first half from the field. She shot 3-for-12, but some of the other players on the team were able to pick up the scoring load.

Freshman forward Maddi Utti scored 15 points, her fourth-highest total of the season. Utti has averaged 13.3 points over her last three games.

Utti said she was becoming more comfortable with her game as the season has progressed.

“I am much more confident than I was at the beginning, for sure,” Utti said.

“It has been nice to be able to get used to things.”

The Bulldogs were able to move the ball from side to side until they were able to find an opening to drive the ball to the basket.

“I just thought we had to get in there and make them defend,” the coach said.

“The Save Mart Center is a great atmosphere and such a hard place to play for other teams. We figured that by the end of the game, they would be pretty tired.”

Defensively, the ‘Dogs had one of their best games of the season, forcing seven turnovers by Wyoming in the third quarter.

The ‘Dogs took care of the ball themselves, turning the ball over only three times, the fewest for a game in program history.

The ‘Dogs were unable to push the lead to more than 11, and Wyoming was able to make a short run early in the fourth quarter to get the lead down to seven.

It wouldn’t be enough though as Candice White came back alive offensively just in time to hold off the Cowgirls.

She calmly stepped to the free-throw line late in the game and sank multiple free throws to help put the game on ice. She finished with a game-high 19 points.

The Bulldogs have won eight straight Mountain West conference games, tying their total for all of last season.

After playing five games in their last 11 days, the team will have just one game this week against San Diego State.

“I know San Diego State will be tough and ready for us down there. We are going to prepare and be ready,” Coach White said. “We are going to take one day off between now and then and hopefully our kids can get healthy and regroup. Right now, we just want to play every day with the way that we are playing. We will get back at it and take [it] one game at a time.”

WRESTLING

No. 24 Stanford takes down Fresno State

By Vanessa Romo @VanesssaRomo

A promising start for Bulldog wrestling ended in a 27-15 loss to Stanford on Saturday at the Save Mart Center.

Fresno State led the dual early with two wins in the first three matches. Those wins came from redshirt sophomore Richie Brandt and ‘Dogs’ football player Josh Hokit.

The dual began with Fresno State’s redshirt sophomore Dominic Kincaid versus No. 9 Keaton Subjeck at 197 pounds.

Kincaid lept out to a 6-1 lead in the first period after a takedown and a 4-point near-fall. Subjeck was quick to cut into that lead after Kincaid’s three escapes to end the second period, 9-5.

The match was tied 10-10 by the end of the third period, forcing a sudden-victory period.

After a hard-fought match, the twotime NCAA Championship qualifier, Subjeck scored the winning takedown with only 26 seconds left to secure a 12-10 win and put Stanford on the board 3-0.

In front of nearly 4,400 screaming Red Wave fans, the ‘Dogs bounced back.

Brandt led the way.

At 184 pounds, Brandt forced a takedown and an escape over Clovis native Austin Flores to win the match and tie the dual 3-3.

It was Hokit who gave the ‘Dogs a 9-3 lead at 197 pounds. With a 4-2 lead after the second period, the sophomore secured his second fall of the season against Stan-

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State sophomore Josh Hokit recorded his second fall of the season over Stanford’s David Showunmi on Jan. 3, 2018. The ‘Dogs lost 27-15 at the Save Mart Center.

ford’s David Showunmi in under six minutes.

Stanford countered back with four consecutive wins. The first one was over ‘Dogs’ freshman AJ Nevills, Cardinal alum Zach Nevills’ younger brother. No. 5 Nathan Butler beat Nevills 7-1 to close in on the ‘Dogs, 9-6.

Stanford then jumped out to a 21-9 lead after a pair of falls over redshirt senior Sean Williams and freshman Chris

De Loza and a 6-1 decision over freshman Trevor Williams.

No.19 Khristian Olivas ended the Cardinal’s run with an 8-3 decision over redshirt freshman Jake Berry. Olivas is now 16-1 in duals.

With a fall over Buchanan alum Greg Gaxiola, Stanford picked up its last win of the night for a 27-12 lead.

The dual ended at 165 pounds with redshirt sophomore Isaiah Hokit and

Stanford’s Jared Hill. Hokit recorded a reversal in the second period to take a 6-1 lead and finished strong over Hill, 9-4.

The final score was 27-15, Stanford.

This marks Fresno State’s third loss to Stanford out of 36 duals.

They will hit the road to face Oregon State and Iowa State this week. The team will be back at the Save Mart Center on Feb. 18 for the last time against No. 5 Oklahoma State.