Fresno State students will be paying of the Resnick Student Union (RSU) for the next three decades as student fees increase each year, starting this spring.
The $149 RSU fee accompanied by a 3% annual increase goes toward operation costs and paying of the RSU. The bond will be paid of in 30 years.
Students voted to approve an increase in student fees to fund the Resnick Student Union (RSU) in 2018.
Since October, The Collegian researched the RSU budget through a series of back-andforth emails with University Communications; a Public Records Act request; and eventually a sit-down interview with Debbie AdishianAstone, vice president for administration and chief fnancial ofcer, in November.
According to the documents obtained by The Collegian, the maximum annual debt service fee to pay of the debt was initially estimated at approximately $3.7 million in September 2019, but because the CSU obtained a lower interest rate, the fee is now approximately $2.6 million.
Despite the annual payment dropping by over $1 million, the $149 RSU fee did not change. Adishian-Astone said the amount couldn’t be adjusted for the term of the bond.
“But it would absolutely be something that can be looked at once the debt is retired,” she said.
In the spring 2023 semester, students will pay $384 in student union fees, including: a prorated fee of $114 for a fall 2022 RSU fee, the $149 spring RSU fee and the $121 student union fee. The fall prorated fee will only apply in the spring 2023 semester.
Following this, the RSU fee of $149 per semester with an annual 3% increase will be permanently added to the $121 student union fee after the spring, as approved by 67% of student voters in the 2018 fee referendum.
A plaque in the RSU notes that the student voters “came together to leave this legacy.”
When students voted in 2018, it was emphasized in the ballot language that this fee increase would not be implemented until the building opened in four to fve years, but no mention was made that the fee would continue even after 30 years when the building was paid of.
Many students who are new to Fresno State had not voted in this initial fee referendum, and are paying for this fee increase indefnitely.
“Most students are going to probably have a rude awakening. All of a sudden their student fees have increased. Why? How? Who said that was okay? Well, students back in 2018 said it was OK,” said Thomas Holyoke, Fresno State political science professor.
Holyoke was a previous member of the Student Fee Advisory Committee during the time of the fee referendum’s approval and told The Collegian that the decision was “arguably not fair.”
“The students who voted to do this did not have to pay the fee. The students who have to pay the fee had no voice in deciding it,” he said.
Adishian-Astone said that this increase was ultimately voted on and approved by students, and that the administration did not make the decision to implement the fee increase. She emphasized that the fee increase was an investment by students to replace an outdated University Student Union.
“We delivered on what the students wanted, and I think we did it in a very cost-efcient way,” she said.
The total projected project cost of the RSU is $60 million, according to Fresno State fnancial documents obtained by The Collegian.
Because the CSU system requires a 10% contribution of the total projected cost for projects of this size, Fresno State paid $6 million toward the RSU: $4 million from Student Union campus reserves and $2 million from the $10 million donor funds pledged by the Resnick Foundation.
“Fortunately, we had that. Because over the years, we’ve been saving knowing that, eventually, this was a project that was going to be moved forward and knowing that we’d have to be able to save for that down payment, which pretty much exhausted the State Trust Fund balance,” Adishian-Astone said.
Approximately $54 million was fnanced for the RSU through the issuance of “two separate tax-exempt commercial paper (CP) notes/ BANS and Systemwide Revenue Bonds (SRB) as authorized by the CSU Board of Trustees,” wrote Rosa H. Renaud, director of long term fnance for the CSU, in a letter to AdishianAstone regarding the debt service schedule on Oct. 9, 2020.
This year, the university will see a loss of approximately $840,000 in student union fees as the fall RSU fee was prorated due to the delayed opening of the building, AdishianAstone said.
In a typical year with an estimated enrollment of 24,000 students, the annual revenue with the $149 RSU fee per semester is approximately $7,1 million. Of this, approximately $2.6 million will go toward the debt service fee; $2.8 million for the estimated annual operating budget; and $1 million to the capital repair and replacement reserve.
The remaining surplus of approximately $652,367 will go toward the State Trust
Account in a typical academic year to “replenish operating reserves that were used for [the] down payment, milestone Change Order and one year of operating budget on deposit,” according to documents provided by AdishianAstone.
This amount will vary based on enrollment and the 3% annual increase to RSU fees.
Although debt service amounts will remain relatively level, operating costs will fuctuate each year, according to Adishian-Astone.
“We’ve got minimum wage, we’ve got utility costs. The budget that we did this year for the RSU, it was an estimate. We won’t know until June 30 if we hit the mark or not. We could hit it. We could not hit it,” she said.
If the university hadn’t gotten a lower interest rate and if the debt service amount were any higher, Adishian-Astone said the university would not be running a defcit. Instead, it would have had to adjust or reduce the capital reserved contribution amount and potentially the operating budget.
The RSU Fee breakdown notes that “the Chancellor’s Ofce requires revenues in excess of debt service by at least 1.25% for student union project fnancings.”
“All of this stays within student fees. So, it’s all accounted for as part of whatever the needs are for any of our student unions. It could be the Resnick Student Union, it could be the existing [University] Student Union, could be the Satellite [Student Union]. All of these fees go into one account,” Adishian-Astone said.
Fees in this account can also go toward the
One year after a Fresno State criminology major was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Highway 180, a police report confrmed the student was not drunk at the wheel.
Devan Elayda’s death on Nov. 27, 2021, was covered by local and national news publications due to her popularity on social media. She was a popular online infuencer for fashion, with a prominent fan base on TikTok and Instagram.
Based upon preliminary information provided by police, media originally reported that Elayda was driving before pulling over on State Route 180. After exiting the car, she was hit while walking across the highway lane.
However, according to a police report that was released in August, Elayda was not the driver. At the wheel was a friend of hers, the report said.
Now the lawyer for Elayda’s case is looking for justice and planning to fle a lawsuit against that friend.
“We’re just trying to bring light to this beautiful girl’s spirit and character, and try to bring some closure to the family to reveal the truth,” said Zoi Jones, the attorney representing Elayda’s family.
On the night of the accident, Elayda was a passenger in the car and was arguing with the friend who then pulled over on the highway by the cement barricades, according to the police report. Elayda then left the vehicle, walked across the lane and was hit by a Lexus that proceeded to drive away.
Police were able to contact the Lexus driver the following day and obtain a statement from him, according to the report.
Last year, California Highway Patrol identifed the driver as a 16-year-old male. The police report issued in August confrmed the driver who hit Elayda did not have a driver’s license.
The police report recommends the teenager be charged with both driving without a license and with a hit-and-run.
“[The driver] failed to stop at the scene of the collision, failed to provide any required information to [Elayda] and failed to provide reasonable assistance to [Elayda’s] injuries,” the report said.
Jones said charges have been fled against the driver and the story will be updated accordingly.
Elayda had called her friend in need of a ride because she did not have a license and was drinking alcohol, according to Jones.
Jones said the friend was responsible for Elayda’s safety and shouldn’t have pulled over on the highway.
Jones said the friend lied to police about who was driving.
It has not yet been confrmed if the friend was lying or if charges have been fled for lying to police.
Due to Elayda’s involvement with alcohol that day and the following national news coverage reporting her as the driver, Jones said Elayda’s reputation was tarnished.
“The information that was relayed was incorrect because of lies that were told at the scene. It completely assassinated Devan’s character and the circumstances surrounding her death, which caused a lot of grief for the family, who was already grieving,” Jones said.
Police did not perform a blood alcohol test on the friend, but Jones suspects the person was also under the infuence.
“[Elayda] is a girl, 23-years-old, who was out with her friends, but acting responsibly and calling for what she thought was a sober
Student Recreation Center.
As the initial payments for the RSU came from the State Trust Fund and Local Auxiliary Reserve accounts, Adishian-Astone said the student fees will go toward rebuilding these accounts for the longevity of the RSU and other student union buildings.
In 2019-20, the State Trust Fund Account totaled approximately $5.2 million. In 202122, there was $3.6 million in the account. In 2022-23, it is projected to total $2.3 million.
“It is recommended that we have a healthy balance to take care of at least one year of operating and [this is] just best business practice,” Adishian-Astone said.
Funding in the reserves can go toward any major expense for student union buildings, she added.
Additionally, the Resnick Foundation’s remaining $1 million of the $4 million donated as of reporting remains in these accounts, earning interest, according to Adishian-Astone.
2022-23,
The Resnick Student Union fee of $149 per semester will be accompanied by an annual 3% increase.
In
students will pay $263 for RSU fees, which includes the $149 base fee and the prorated $114 for fall 2022. After spring 2023, the 3% annual increase will be in effect. By 2051, the RSU fee will total approximately $706 for the academic year. Graphic by Wyatt Bible
Caroline Alvarez surprises people when she tells them her major, because many don’t expect the current Associated Student Inc. (ASI) president to be an aspiring nurse.
Even in her previous role as ASI’s executive for external afairs, people often assumed she majored in political science or something similar. Alvarez agreed that her ASI position strays away from her nursing major, but medicine has always been her frst passion.
“When I was applying for colleges, I defnitely looked for ones that had a nursing program or had the bio-nursing major, because I knew that’s always what I wanted to do,” she said.
While attending Edison High School, Alvarez was already in the biomedical pathway.
“That’s kind of when that whole health career sparked for me,” she said
While Alvarez initially thought about being a physician, she decided nursing was the route for her.
“Nurses hold a very special role in being personable with their patients and getting to know them on an emotional level,” she said.
Whether it be as ASI president or a future nurse in the medical feld, Alvarez always wanted to be the type of person to help and guide people in their lives. Alvarez is currently serving her frst term as ASI president after ASI unanimously voted to approve her.
Moses Menchaca, her brother-in-law, said he’s always known Alvarez to be a smart and caring person since he frst met her as a highschooler.
During that time, Menchaca was the ASI president at Fresno State before he graduated in 2015.
Before he married Alvarez’s eldest sister, Menchaca remembered having to meet his future parents-in-law and seeing a 16-year-old Alvarez on the couch when he walked in.
“She had this textbook – I don’t know what she was studying – but it looked like it was bigger than her, and it almost looked like she was a little kid sitting down… She was eating, I think it was apples,” Menchaca said.
Stressing out about meeting his girlfriend’s parents, Menchaca remembered Alvarez looking up at him and ofering him an apple slice. The small gesture was enough for him to regain his confdence and feel comfortable, he said.
According to Alvarez, Menchaca is the one who encouraged her to join ASI.
He said ASI needed someone like her
because she’s a Fresno native and a strong Latina representative for Fresno State.
Alvarez, a third-generation Chicana, is the youngest of three siblings.
Her grandparents were farmworkers who emigrated from Mexico, and her parents were born in the U.S. Her mother is also a Bulldog alumna, and Alvarez said they frequently talk about the university.
“She and I talk about Fresno State all
the time, which is fun because some of her professors were my professors [too]. I think she really helps take of a lot of stress,” Alvarez said.
Born and raised in Fresno herself, Alvarez said the city has a lot of “hidden gems” and that she loves the diverse cultures she grew up with. From the Pride Parade to eating at Castillos on a Sunday morning after church, she embraces the Fresnan culture and said it’s hard to think of living anywhere else.
While her ASI position was a departure from her major, Alvarez did fnd similiarities between ASI and the medical feld.
Networking is one common trait, Alvarez added.
ASI has helped her talk to students and people with diferent personalities, which she said can help her communication skills in her future job.
“I’m gonna meet a lot of diferent people in the medical feld, and you’re gonna have some people that really want to talk to you, [and] some people that don’t really want to talk to you,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez previously told The Collegian that she had no interest in running for ASI president, but when a vacancy needed to be flled, she decided to leave her “comfort zone.”
ASI isn’t the only way Alvarez has been pushing out of her comfort zone. She said she has been making eforts to try more things in her “low-key life.”
“I just try to be active where I can and try to fnd things that… kind of relax me and reminds me that, yes, I’m the president [and] I’m this nursing student, but also I can go out [and] I can have fun too,” she said.
Alvarez enjoys rock climbing, going to the gym and walking her 90-pound boxer, Hercules.
Alvarez’s journey at Fresno State isn’t over, either. She was recently accepted into the Fresno State nursing program for spring 2023.
Alvarez is working on her health administration degree as well. She said that her goal is to be a registered nurse (RN), however, and she might not move to administration.
Her long-term goal is to get a master’s degree and become a nurse practitioner, but for now, Alvarez’s message to Fresno State students is that ASI is there for them.
“I just want them to know that we do a lot of behind-the-scenes type of work, and I think it’s important to me and to my senators… I know [students] may not even know my name, but I defnitely would just want them to know that, regardless, I’m here for you,” she said.
In August 2022, The Collegian reported that Fresno State would hire SZS Engineering Access, Inc. to update the campus ADA Accessibility Master Plan.
While Vice President for Administration Debbie Adishian-Astone was unable to provide a specifc update at this time, she told The Collegian that the consultant’s work is underway and that regular meetings with the President’s Commission on Disabilities and Access (PCDA) have continued throughout the semester.
During winter break there will be several repairs made to ADA paths of travel as well, Adishian-Astone said.
In October, The Collegian reported on the incident that injured two fans at Valley Children’s Stadium in October. A Fresno State graduate assistant coach, whose name has not yet been released, was put on administrative leave.
The Collegian staf requested a police report from the Fresno State Police Department in October, which was denied.
In September, former California State University (CSU) chancellor Joseph Castro would received a tenured professor position at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the Orfalea College of Business next spring.
On Oct. 11, the Cal Poly Academic Senate issued a resolution calling upon Castro to abort his retreat into the tenured faculty.
On Nov. 16, Castro wrote a letter to Academic Senate Chair Raymond Hall in response to the Fresno State Academic Senate’s Declaration of No Confdence published in April, declaring it “wrong and misleading.”
The Fresno State Cross-Cultural and Gender Center (CCGC) and the Department of Women’s, Gender & Sexualities Studies hosted its annual Transgender Day of Remembrance event on Nov. 18 at the Satellite Student Union (SSU).
The event was hosted in collaboration with local organizations, such as Trans-EMotion, PFLAG and the Fresno Economics Opportunities Commission (EOC) LGBTQ+ Resource Center to honor the lives of transgender people whose lives were lost as a result of violence and transphobic harassment.
Lexey Jenkins, the lead student coordinator for LGBTQ+ Programs and Services at the CCGC, spoke at the event, detailing the organization’s eforts to eliminate oppression on campus and facilitate diversity.
“Recently we have been working with LGBTQ+ allies to bring gender-afrming care (GAC) to Fresno State, and I’m happy to [say] that we have become the ffth CSU to bring gender afrming care to our Student Health and Counseling Center,” Jenkins said.
The current fall 2022 semester was the frst semester Fresno State ofered GAC to students.
During the event, Zayn Anthony, master of ceremonies and chair of Trans-E-Motion, unveiled a proclamation presented by the city of Fresno recognizing Nov. 18 as Transgender Remembrance Day in Fresno.
“[Transgender Remembrance Day] invites people from all over Fresno County and the Central Valley to participate in activities provided to memorialize and honor the lives of transgender individuals who are murdered due to transphobia or had completed suicide,” Anthony said.
“It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about transgender existence in our community.”
The event also marked the frst time a representative of Fresno State’s Title IX Ofce was in attendance. Cassandra Hanlin, who identifes as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, is currently the deputy Title IX coordinator.
“I think it is critical for Title IX to be a part of these events to show support,” Hanlin said. “I think it’s critical that we show not only our support, but our intentionality in making sure that discrimination, harassment, retaliation and other types of sexual violence don’t occur on our campuses.”
One speaker took the podium to talk about personal experiences within the transgender community.
In doing so, the speaker was coming out to a room of strangers. The person was met with roaring applause.
The event also featured performances from students and community members who identify as part of the LGBTQ2+ community.
The event wrapped up with a memorial slideshow, where the names of transgender individuals who passed away were read aloud.
“Every transgender and nonbinary life is precious and deserves love, support and protection. Violence against [the] transgender and nonbinary community is an epidemic
that needs to be stopped,” said Arien Reed, secretary for Trans-E-Motion.
Mere hours after the event, a gunman opened fre at Club Q in Colorado, leaving fve dead and 18 injured, according to reports from the Colorado Sun.
The shooting sparked discussions regarding violent attacks against the LGBTQ2+ community.
“The Club Q shooting was particularly shocking and tragic. From the Title IX Ofce, we say that we’re in support of all members of the LGBTQ community and [are] mourning with them in regards to that,” Hanlin said on Monday.
The Department of Women’s, Gender &
Sexuality Studies also responded to the news of the shooting with a statement:
“The news of the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has left us shattered, once again. With the Pulse Nightclub shooting still clear in our memories, and the Stonewall Riots a part of our not-sodistant past, this horrifc attack on a space of queer joy reminds us that the work to protect the rights and lives of LGBTQ2+ people must continue and is a responsibility that we all must share. The fact that this tragedy was carried out during the weekend of Trans Day of Remembrance speaks to the depths and ubiquity of the violence continuously wielded against LGBTQ2+ people.”
Disney’s “Strange World,” which was released in theaters on Nov. 23, transports viewers to another realm, but underdeveloped characters and a muddled ending keeps it from ascending to the top of Disney’s catalog.
There’s no doubt about it: “Strange World” is gorgeous. It’s truly astounding what you can do with animation these days.
And I’m not just talking about the creatures, either, of which there seems to be a never-ending supply. Similarly to Pixar’s “Lightyear” from earlier this year, the humans have never looked more realistic.
The main plot of the flm follows Searcher Clade (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal), part of the legendary Clade family of explorers, as he attempts to forge a legacy diferent from that of his father, Jaeger Clade (voiced by Dennis Quaid).
Searcher resents Jaeger for choosing exploration over his family, so he sets out to be a better father for his son, Ethan. But when his precious alternative fuel source is under threat, Searcher must journey into the unknown to save it.
Science fction movies often thrive on the banter between characters, and “Strange World” is no exception. The chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Quaid, collaborating for the frst time since they similarly played father and son in 2004’s “The Day After Tomorrow,” anchors the flm.
Some of the flm’s humor also comes from Ethan, who, similarly to Searcher, is a lot more like his dad than he would like to admit. But what separates Ethan from both Searcher and Jaeger is his ability to bond with anyone he meets, specifcally requisite adorable “animal” sidekick Splat.
It is this ability that makes it all the more relatable when Ethan struggles to confess his feelings for his crush, Diazo. Ethan’s sexuality is refreshingly not a source of tension between him and Searcher. In fact, it leads to the most hilarious scene of the flm.
Ethan, Searcher and Jaeger are all wonderfully multidimensional characters, with likes, desires and witty one-liners, which makes it all the more disappointing when the script fails to give the same attention to the female characters.
Authority fgure Callisto (voiced by Lucy Liu) makes a complete 180 as a character midway through the flm, which was not
foreshadowed even once, and because she has no distinctive character traits, it impairs our ability as the audience to see things from her perspective. She also has a long-standing relationship with both Jaeger and Searcher, but by their interactions, you wouldn’t think they were any more than mere co-workers.
Fighter pilot Meridian (voiced by Gabrielle Union), Ethan’s mom and Searcher’s wife, is a little more defned, but there are still missed opportunities when it comes to her character.
For example, when she takes over from Lieutenant Dufe (Alan Tudyk, another
Disney movie requirement), she doesn’t even acknowledge him.
Her relationship with Splat is also one that they could have expanded on.
The ending of “Strange World” is a little nebulous. Much of the flm revolves around Pando, an alternative fuel source that Searcher discovered.
The script, however, stops short of ofering a defnitive stance on the dangers of oil or renewable energy, instead tossing a perfect solution in at the last minute.
Overall, “Strange World” is an entertaining, even thrilling flm. It is not at
the level of other Disney action-adventure ficks like “Big Hero 6” and “Zootopia,” and that’s OK. Sometimes, we just want to escape. And “Strange World” defnitely helps with that.
Check out more movie reviews by Tyler D’Errico:
Previous reviews can be found at collegian.csufresno.edu/author/tderrico or on D’Errico’s personal website tylerdreviews.weebly.com.
“Oedipus El Rey” premiered on Nov. 18 at the Selma Arts Center, putting a riveting Chicanx spin on Sophocles’ classic story.
Written by Luis Alfaro and directed by Fresno State alumnus Rodolfo Robles Cruz, the play follows Oedipus, a Chicanx victim of the prison-industrial complex who attempts to reintegrate into society and whose predetermined fate has him kill his own father and marry his mother.
Born to Jocasta and Laius, a top-ranking gangster who controls territory in Los Angeles, Oedipus is raised by Tiresias, Laius’ right-hand man.
After being told of a prophecy that his own son would kill him, Laius instructs Tiresias to kill an infant Oedipus. Tiresias takes pity on Oedipus, sparing him from death, but is unable to prevent him from falling into a life of crime.
After Oedipus is sent to prison, Tiresias commits crimes to purposefully get himself into prison to raise Oedipus, attempting to show him the importance of faith and religion. By the time he leaves prison, however, Oedipus believes in only one thing: himself.
The play stays faithful to the key plot points of the original story. However, its use of Chicanx and cholo culture make the play much more engaging.
Oedipus, performed by Mason T. Beltran, is easy to relate to throughout his journey to attempt to become something greater. Beltran’s portrayal of Oedipus’ struggle excellently captures the idea of a Chicano trying their best to avoid society’s harsh expectations of them.
Oedipus tries to follow the advice of Tiresias and avoid the gangs in L.A., but after being rejected from jobs because of his previous convictions and ethnicity, he is left with no choice but to go to LA.
Beltran exudes frustration and determination, portraying a genuine personifcation of Oedipus’ struggles. Agustin Chapa’s performance as the wise Tiresias is just as compelling, with his delivery and body language adding to the character’s enlightened aura.
Moreover, Ellie West and Juan Luis Guzmán’s performances as Jocasta and Laius respectively also add another layer of depth to the production. Guzmán’s portrayal of Laius wonderfully captures the prideful
nature of the character, who believes he will be king forever. West is able to distinctively convey Jocasta’s tragedies as a woman, wife and mother. Though she is shown to be vulnerable, she is equally as resilient.
The chorus that follows Oedipus and drives the story forward, played primarily by Thomas Estrada Jr., Jennifer Rodriguez and Carlos O. Sanchez, is perhaps the most versatile aspect of the entire production.
They provide the audience with exposition and humorous remarks, while at the same time setting the mood whenever any of the characters move locations.
When Oedipus is in the barrio, the choir is sure to be nearby to ridicule and meddle in his afairs.
Sanchez plays Creon, Jocasta’s brother, who is attempting to pick up after the death of Laius, often accompanied by Estrada Jr. and Rodriguez.
Though they may not be the focus of the play, the performances by Estrada Jr., Rodriguez and Sanchez are easily the most humorous and multifaceted.
What the play does best, however, is tell a story unlike most other plays that revolve around Chicanx culture.
Despite the story itself being a tragedy that revolves around the prison system, gang culture and the cycle of violence we see a lot in Chicanx and cholo culture-inspired media, it doesn’t carry itself with sadness.
Instead, we see a character who is determined not to be a pawn in the grand
Creon,
scheme of things, opposing both cultural and societal expectations and norms.
Alhough Oedipus ends in tragedy, he was proud to do it his way, not allowing anyone, not even God himself, to get in his way to become king.
“Oedipus El Rey” will continue to show this Thursday until Dec. 3.
Tickets for general seating is $21 for adults , $19 for seniors, students and those in the military, $15 for children under 13 years.
After being born and raised only 20 minutes from the college that’d be my future alma mater, after working three semesters as a student journalist for that same college’s newspaper, The Collegian, and after obtaining my second degree from the same college where I’ve spent years studying, I’ve come to the following conclusion about that college.
Fresno State isn’t even trying to be a transparent university anymore. It’s trying to be a business.
Fresno State has seen its share of controversy in recent years: including former president Joseph Castro’s “failure to more aggressively respond” to reports of former employee Frank Lamas’ misconduct; the painfully slow process to change Henry Madden Library’s name following its former namesake’s rampant antisemitism making headlines; a graduate coaching assistant’s temper tantrum in the press box breaking a window and injuring fans during a football game; and, most recently, the Conley Art Building’s closure due to a planned protest and for which faculty members and administrators ofered multiple conficting explanations.
One might think that the university would be more inclined than ever to maintain transparency and rebuild credibility and trust with students, staf and faculty.
However, my three semesters as a student journalist at The Collegian have shown me that’s far from the truth here.
For example, University Communications (UComm) is supposed to provide responses to media inquiries, but ofcial responses from UComm often prompt more questions than give answers. Instead of providing timely and unbiased information, UComm is essentially a PR team for the university.
At Fresno State, the expectation is that all media requests for any individual working for Fresno State from professors, construction workers, librarians and more should be going through UComm frst – meaning any media request must frst be sent to one or two specifc individuals on campus, no matter who the request is for.
Basically, UComm is the fltered voice speaking for everyone representing Fresno State, ensuring in its businesslike way that all staf and faculty members are maintaining the unifed, branded message it wants.
Most large organizations such as Fresno State have their own media department or public relations team to increase efciency, and admittedly UComm can be a great tool for journalists working to fnd sources or determine rules on access. However, Fresno State has clearly twisted this tool for information efciency into a tool for information control.
Specifcations from UComm have caused reporters and editors to push back deadlines countless times, among other issues. One of our reporters even held an interview with a staf member for a school project, not for The Collegian, and had a UComm member show up unannounced to supervise.
Despite having an entire journalism department, this university seems to not understand how to treat student journalists. We shouldn’t get treated diferently from other students trying to complete a project, just as we shouldn’t get treated diferently from other journalists from professional news publications.
But Fresno State seems constantly afraid that someone will slip up to a student journalist, even one who is just trying to get an A on a project, because it could be bad for the Bulldog brand.
UComm’s response to Measure E, the proposed countywide sales tax intended to improve Fresno State that failed after November’s general election, emphasized the more manipulative businesslike qualities of Fresno State.
I was told I couldn’t speak with professors about their thoughts on the ballot “on university
time, through university email, or in any way through use of university resources” to prohibit political advocacy related to a ballot measure due to “legal rules,” citing a state law that state employees could not advocate for ballot issues that would create a substantive gain for the university.
Multiple faculty and staf members expressed to me their confusion and anger that they weren’t able to share their personal viewpoints on Measure E, particularly when yard signs promoting “Yes On Measure E” were still allowed on the campus grounds, and UComm itself gave me a statement that was pro-Measure E.
Conficting answers is a continuing trend, especially after The Collegian attempted multiple times to get clarifcation on confusing responses we got from multiple administrators and UComm regarding the Oct. 25 Conley Art Building closure in reaction to a community protest that had already been canceled. I got clearer answers after resorting to a public records request to obtain emails regarding the situation.
UComm, at the direction of administrators, provided inaccurate information to The Collegian on deadline, telling us that the building would remain open the next day when the reality was that all classrooms were closed and locked, with only an exterior courtyard open, leaving people to dither as to the defnition of what made a building ofcially count as “closed.”
According to the emails, UComm was using a shared Google Doc to collaborate on how
to reply to The Collegian’s media inquiries, leaving me to wonder how authentic were those answers we got back.
To answer our questions about the closure, we got many, many replies from the two representatives of UComm relaying responses from multiple staf and faculty members, making the responses more confusing and less reliable.
But we made do with what we had, since reporters are discouraged from contacting these sources directly and must rely on UComm to relay these messages accurately.
My critique of the university’s transparency is not my criticism alone, for my time at The Collegian has introduced me to multiple staf and faculty members with clear criticism and genuine concerns about the direction the university is heading in and its transparency along the way.
But for them, there’s too much fear of retaliation to step forward. The more I’ve gotten to understand the administration and how things operate, the less I blame them for being afraid.
Because trying to learn the truth about what is going on at Fresno State, no matter how seemingly innocuous the question is, will be met with pushback. Minor questions about something simple like construction updates must be run through UComm.
President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval has maintained his availability to serve students since ascending to his current position, often encouraging students to reach out to him directly.
The few interviews The Collegian was able to hold with Jiménez-Sandoval endured multiple delays and cancellations, and always included supervision from UComm.
It’s clear that the dedication JiménezSandoval has to serve students doesn’t extend to serving student journalists, and yet the university isn’t ready to treat us as journalists either, leaving us in a limbo as we try to report accurately.
While I’m about to graduate from Fresno State and move on from The Collegian, my hope is that leaving with honesty can help the students and reporters that come after me fnd a true, genuine environment on campus.
What students need isn’t another disconnected corporation. We’re here for an education, and our school should be open to educating us, for better or for worse.
When I began as a print journalism student at Fresno State in 2019, I didn’t know The Collegian even existed at Fresno State. I applied to be a reporter in fall 2020, right after campus had shut down.
My next semester, I was news editor. After a year, I was fortunate enough to be selected as editor-in-chief (EIC). We’ve only grown in our coverage in all aspects of the university with consistently improving quality. We cover issues that impact students, the university and Fresno itself, and all that work is done by amazing students, and I’m proud of what we’ve done.
Thank you to Anthony De Leon, the fall 2020 EIC, who took a chance on me when I was frst hired even with the uncertainty of COVID-19, and to The Collegian’s following EIC, Zaeem Shaikh, for your guidance and leadership as we returned to campus. I’m extremely grateful for Jesús Cano, the previous managing editor, for making The Collegian feel like a place I could belong, and helping me start of my tenure as EIC.
Thank you to the editorial team I have worked with since this spring: Manuel Hernandez, Estela Anahí Jaramillo, Diego Vargas and Ashley Flowers. Thank you for trusting me in this position, and for impacting my college experience in the best way possible. The Collegian is in great hands next spring as Diego and Manuel return to the editorial team.
The Collegian has shaped me as a journalist and as a person, and I’m extremely thankful for every team I have worked with throughout my years here.
Having never taken a journalism class in my life, I expected my time at The Collegian to
be a fun way to earn money on campus while returning to school for my master’s degree. I never expected it to grow into something more, or to develop a passion for journalism.
I’ve been so lucky during my past three semesters with The Collegian to have met so many amazing student journalists who helped me along this way. I’m grateful to my frst editor-in-chief, Zaeem Shaikh, and my preceding managing editor, Jesús Cano, for taking a risk and hiring me knowing fully well I didn’t know what AP style was until I joined the staf. I credit the development of my writing to their editing, as well as the consistent and thoughtful edits of my next editor-in-chief, Jannah Geraldo, and Manuel Hernandez, who started the same semester I did as sports editor and will now be taking the helm of editor-in-chief.
Our outgoing sports editor, Estela Anahí Jaramillo, and our arts and entertainment editor, Diego Vargas, who will soon be flling my vacated spot of managing editor, have taught me as much as I hope I have taught them in our time working together.
It’s the time I spent working with the above people, as well as so many more wonderful staf members who have worked at The Collegian with me that I still consider friends, that I will remember long after I leave Fresno State.
I hope to continue to work in nonproft journalism in my future. In the meantime, I’m confdent that The Collegian will be in good hands under Manuel and Diego’s leadership. I’m so proud of the team I’ve worked with over the years, and I can’t thank everyone enough for their support along the way.
Sports Editor Estela Anahí JaramilloI began my journey as a print journalism major at Fresno State in Fall 2018.
I was aware of what The Collegian was because of my MCJ classes and was always
interested in applying. Though in Fall 2019, I was fortunate enough to begin work as a journalist covering local news in a nearby town. My coverage of high school sports later worked in my favor as I applied for sports editor for Spring 2022.
As I ventured in my position as sports editor in Spring 2022, I had peers that had and have continued to support and help myself grow as a writer and an individual. In my time as sports editor, I have had tremendous growth in my writing and have created the best memories with the team of sports journalists and photographers I’ve had these last two semesters.
Thank you to my frst managing editor, Jesús Cano, and soon to be editor in chief (EIC), Manuel Hernandez, for encouraging me to apply and showing me the ropes of covering Fresno State Athletics. Our current EIC Jannah Geraldo and managing editor this semester, Ashley Flowers, have led the way for a tremendous semester’s worth of stories that have highlighted the highs and lows at Fresno State.
The editorial staf this semester continued to produce top stories and breaking news stories with a small staf. This semester was amazing having our advisor, professor Donald
Munro, in the ofce to push our staf to the best of our abilities.
I plan on continuing this journey in journalism, and I’m excited to see The Collegian fourish and continue to create the best news in the hands of Manuel and arts and entertainment editor, Diego Vargas. I’ve made some of the best memories at Fresno State with The Collegian and I can’t thank anyone enough for the lessons and support along the way.
The Collegian was founded in 1922, marking 2022 as its centen nial year. Since Februrary, The Collegian showcased logos dating back to 1922 to celebrate the 100year legacy of the student newspa per.
With this final print edition of 2022, The Collegian welcomes a new era of the publication with a new logo created by graphic designer Wyatt Bible.
The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily refect the views of the staff or university
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 refect those of The Collegian.
Over 70 years ago, soccer – or fútbol – fans reached new heights of passion and support for their favorite clubs that had never been seen. Marches, chants and freworks organized by supporter groups became the norm at soccer matches around the world.
Fresno resident Vicente Chavez said he aimed to bring the same level of passion for “the beautiful game” to the Valley through his own supporter group, El Escuadrón de Fresno.
“We wanted to provide a diferent environment, a diferent supporter vibe, that didn’t exist here in Fresno,” Chavez said. “Little by little, we started implementing our chants [and] some of our ritmo, our Latino style of drumming.”
El Escuadrón strives to bring that vibe to soccer events all over town, including matches for Central Valley Fuego FC, Valley FC, Fresno State’s women’s soccer team and even making appearances at some high school matches.
Prior to the inception of El Escuadrón, Chavez was a member of Fresno’s frst soccer supporter group, Fire Squad Fresno. After joining the group in 2016, Chavez got his frst hands-on experience of what being in a supporter group entails.
Chavez enjoyed his membership for three years with the group but also saw an opportunity. He saw groups of fans that had passion for the game, but did not ft in the supporter scene at the time.
Chavez decided to take a chance, breaking away from Fire Squad Fresno and creating his own vision.
“We split from Fire Squad to create El Escuadrón because we simply wanted to create a diferent atmosphere. A diferent type of vibe that wasn’t really seen with Fire Squad,” Chavez said. “So fre squad, when you translate it into Spanish, it means escuadrón.”
El Escuadrón made its debut soon after in September 2019. At the time, Fresno’s professional soccer team went by the name of Los Zorros. The group made the trip to support Los Zorros at an away game in Reno and quickly made their name known and voices heard.
The unique chants and rhythmic beating drums set El Escuadrón apart from fans of rival teams in the league, earning the group
praise from opposing fans, players and coaches.
However, the excitement was short-lived, as Los Zorros folded the following season.
“The Zorros’ fnal season ended in October of 2019, and when the team left we were like, what now? We don’t have any more professional soccer. That’s when we were introduced to Fresno State women’s soccer and that’s how we kept ourselves going,” Chavez said.
The group found a new home with Fresno State. El Escuadrón’s members immediately engulfed themselves in Fresno State women’s soccer, bringing that vibe to a place where fan culture didn’t exist.
They brought their rhythmic drumming and chanting and even created new chants specifcally for Fresno State. They built a relationship in which Fresno State gave them soccer, which kept their group going, and El Escuadrón gave Fresno State a special fan experience that isn’t typically seen in women’s college soccer.
“El Escuadrón gives us a distinct heartbeat at our games,” Fresno State Head Coach Brian Zwaschka said.
When professional soccer returned to the Valley, El Escuadrón continued to attend Fresno State matches. This season the members even created a large poster in celebration of Zwaschka’s 100th win with the program.
“They bring a level of atmosphere to the special moments. When we score, that turns into a festival. A celebration,” Zwaschka said. “When we need a lift, they help spark it with genuine loyalty and encouragement to the players to push - - win, lose or draw.”
This year, the Central Valley Fuego became the focal point for El Escuadrón. The group attended nearly every home game, supporting the Fuego through the peaks and valleys of the long season.
However, El Escuadrón does not support its teams blindly. If the members are unhappy, they are not afraid to make their voices heard in an attempt to make changes.
On Sept. 17, the Fuego were en route to losing their eighth game out of nine, so the fans let their frustrations be known, chanting “fuera Vásquez.” This translates to “Vásquez out,” calling for Head Coach Martín Vásquez to be replaced.
“We weren’t happy with the head coach,” Chavez said. “We had enough at that point. It’s just the way we see the game. In the Valley, we’re known to grind. We go for it. We give it our all, and we’ve seen that refected in teams we’ve had in the past. That’s something that this season we just didn’t see.”
Even through the disappointing Fuego season, the group continued to expand. El Escuadrón no longer felt like a supporter group. It became a family.
“They welcome you in with open arms, and it’s just one big family,” said Liliana Zamora, a member of El Escuadrón. “You need something, they’re there. We just help each other out and love the sport. It’s awesome.”
Enabling that familial atmosphere to grow is a priority for Chavez when it comes to managing El Escuadrón. His goal was not only to create the loudest group in Fresno, but also to create something special that everybody could be involved in.
“Being part of a supporter group is so much fun, especially when the members start getting close. It really becomes more of a family,” Chavez said.
In the process of creating this family, Chavez had to put in countless hours to continue attracting members to the group.
“It’s hard work to get members. This past season was the frst season that we created actual El Escuadrón membership packs,” Chavez said. “We designed membership cards and collaborated with local businesses to ofer discounts to our members, and it caught the eye of the people.”
Leading a supporter group isn’t easy, but at the end of the day, Chavez does it for the love of the game.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s what we love to do. This is like a side job where we don’t get paid. But I feel like if there was a payment, it’d just [be] being able to be out in the stands chanting, drumming for the team, [celebrating] the victories [and having] the players celebrating with you like that. That’s what I’m here for. That’s what feeds my energy,” he said.
El Escuadrón will be hosting watch parties throughout the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
For those interested in attending the watch parties or becoming a member of the group, it can be reached on Instagram @ elescuadrondefresno.
In its fnal football home game of the year, Fresno State won its seventh-straight outing by defeating Wyoming 30-0 on Friday night. With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 8-4 and 7-1 in the Mountain West conference (MW).
Fresno State also celebrated its 13 seniors before kickof, including Jake Haener, Dontae Bull, LJ Early, Evan Williams and Elijah Gates, Zach Hartsfeld, Raymond Pauwels Jr. and Jared Torres, Ty Jones, Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Nikko Remigio and Zane Pope, Jordan Mims and David Perales.
At the end of the frst quarter, Haener threw his only touchdown of the night to Remigio.
The touchdown marked Haener’s 27th consecutive game with a touchdown pass, which set a MW conference record.
Haener had another strong game as he completed 21/32 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. With a 73.5% pass completion on the season, Haener ranks frst in the nation out of 124 qualifed quarterbacks.
Since coming back from injury on Oct. 29, Haener has completed 74.7% of his passes for 1578 yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions, both of which came in his frst game back against San Diego State. More importantly, Haener has led the Bulldogs to a 5-0 record and a MW West Division championship.
“I actually thought I kept it together a little better than I was expecting…[Fresno State] has meant a lot to me and it’s done a lot of great things for me and my family. I’m super grateful for this program and to be the quarterback here for three years,” Haener said.
Remigio spent the frst four seasons of his college career at UC Berkeley but transferred to Fresno State shortly after the 2021 season.
“The fanbase is unbelievable. To perform for them week-in and week-out has been a blessing… I’m so honored to be a part of it,” Remigio said.
Following the game, Pauwels got engaged to his girlfriend to celebrate the night.
Moreno-Cropper is eligible to stay another year at Fresno State due to the COVID-19
shortened season. However, Fresno State Head Coach Jef Tedford “fully expects” MorenoCropper to move on even though the player hasn’t made an ofcial decision.
Mims’ performance was the second time in his Bulldog career recording three touchdowns. The frst came in 2018 against Idaho.
Perales left the game in the second quarter with an injury. Tedford described Perales’ status leading up to the MW Championship game as “day-to-day.”
After missing the frst game this season against Boise State, Haener and Williams are eager to face them.
Prior to the game against Boise State on Oct. 8, Haener and Williams talked with Broncos safety JL Skinner. Skinner told them that he was disappointed that he couldn’t compete against them.
The duo replied with “We’ll see you in the conference championship.”
Earlier this season, Fresno State Men’s Basketball Head Coach Justin Hutson noted that the experience from returning players would be the key to the team’s success this season.
Included in that group is returning senior guard Jordan Campbell, who has helped lead his team during this preseason.
He’s currently fourth in scoring for the Bulldogs, averaging 7.3 points per game.
In the Bulldogs’ matchup against the University of San Francisco, Campbell led his team in scoring. He fnished the game with 17 points against the Dons. He shot 7-of-14 from the feld coming of a 2022 NCAA Tournament appearance.
“I know he’s gonna be a weapon this year, and our guys are all trying to fgure out how to play with more responsibility,” Hutson said.
He noted that Campbell is one of the leaders this season, and he’s been taking more responsibility.
Last season, Campbell was more of a “backup singer” than a lead singer, according to Hutson, but he still credited the player with helping the team to victory.
“The lead singer has more responsibility, not the backup singer. So sometimes when you do that, you don’t even sing as well as you did when [you were] a backup singer, because you are putting all that pressure on you. And that’s where JC has been,” Hutson said.
He added that Campbell has put in a lot of work since training for this season began. His talent and leadership has helped lead the team since.
“He’s down for the team. He’s one heck of a talented player, and we know it’s just a matter of time [until] he starts to play like we know he can play,” Hutson said.
By Estela Anahi Jaramillo Sports EditorSince his return from injury, Jake Haener set the standard for the player he wants to be recognized as. This month, Haener was named Mountain West Ofensive Player of the Week twice for his performance against San Diego State and The University of Nevada, Reno. This is the third time in his career that he has received it.
He has continued his record of passing over 300 yards per game. In his game against the Wolf pack, he scored two rushing touchdowns, the frst this season.
This past weekend, Haener set a record of 27-straight games played with a passing touchdown in Mountain West record.
On Friday night the Fresno State football team celebrated its seniors in the last home game of the season. Family and friends were present for the ceremony and to honor the Bulldog seniors.
After Fresno State’s 30-0 shutout against Wyoming, the seniors were able to leave their mark on Jim Sweeney Field, Valley Children’s Stadium for one last time.
But one senior returned to the feld after their locker room celebration for one last special moment.
Senior Raymond Pauwels Jr. celebrated more than just his senior night on Friday.
When Pauwels Jr. returned to the feld after the game, he proposed to his now fance Lexi Ledesma.
The Fresno State Athletics media and marketing team helped Pauwels Jr. make this night special for himself and his family.
