May 7, 2018

collegian.csufresno.edu

Monday, May 7, 2018

VICTOR E. STAGE TO BE REVEALED PAGE 6

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

FORUMS

Castro takes heat for Jarrar tweets Some say ‘the world is watching.’

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Fresno State President Joseph Castro listens to an audience member during a community forum about the recent Fresno State Twitter controversy by English professor Randa Jarrar. The forum was held in the Save Mart Center on May 3, 2018.

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado @cres_guez

T

hey came one by one.

Fresno State students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members and parents lined up to finally face President Dr. Joseph Castro about an online controversy that, two weeks in, was still fresh in their minds.

In the span of two forums held last week there were tears, fear, obscene language, cries for tougher discipline and many, many questions. But final answers, it appeared, were in short supply.

It was the first time Castro met face-toface with campus and community members after the chaos brought on by English professor Randa Jarrar, who tweeted inflammatory messages about former U.S. First Lady Barbara Bush after she died on April 17.

Jarrar called Bush a “racist” who “raised a war criminal” along with other messages against the Bush family, which angered people on and offline. Those words on social media spurred national headlines and public calls for donors to drop their support of the university. Nearly three weeks in, the outrage has not appeared to have ended.

Despite some heated comments hurled at the university and insults tossed at Castro in the span of more than two weeks, the first group Castro met with showed a calmer response to the events that had transpired in the days following Jarrar’s comments.

As he spoke to more than 500 students, staff and faculty at a forum held on campus last Wednesday, Castro said the university had gotten “tens of thousands” of calls about the polemic tweets.

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Keith Freitas calls Fresno State President a “pompous ass” regarding his actions towards English professor Randa Jarrar during a community forum held at the Save Mart Center on May 3, 2018.

Amy Luna, manager for emergency operations and business continuity, said police are investigating an email that was sent to the university regarding Jarrar.

University police reported that incident as a “criminal threat.”

Students, staff and faculty lined up to share their thoughts on precisely that backlash. From students fearing that the value in their degrees would lessen with employers, to faculty asking that the campus community remain resilient in the face of mounting pressure and threats, Castro assured all that he was listening.

Up to that point, it appeared Castro’s handling of the situation had earned him more praise than judgement by the cam-

pus audience. On the same Wednesday, the Fresno State College Republicans organized a peaceful vigil for Bush in the Free Speech Area.

Castro faced a much different, angrier group during an evening forum the following day. More than 250 Fresno area residents turned out for a two-hour public forum held at the Save Mart Center. The frustration was obvious among those who spoke out.

By the end of the night, those who attended got a clearer picture of the toll that Jarrar’s comments had on the university.

A woman, who identified herself as a wife of a farmer and Fresno State alum, told Castro that her family had provided

“thousands and thousands” of dollars in athletic scholarships but the support would likely end there.

“We also have to put our heart and soul with our purses, our pocket books, our wallets and we can’t spend money where our values don’t align,” she told Castro.

Castro responded to her. “I was offended as well, I’m the first Valley native to be president here, so I felt the some way. I get it,” he told the woman. “But are we going to let her determine whether we support the next generation of leaders?”

There was also a tense moment when a man hurled obscenities at Castro, calling him a “pompous ass” and said it was “bull****” that the university could not fire or sue Jarrar.

That man, who said he is a farmer, accused Castro of making excuses for Jarrar’s actions and defied requests to wrap up his public comments. He was removed from the arena floor by Fresno State police after a short confrontation with a student.

There was concern among other parents who spoke that their children’s education at the university would be affected if the university kept Jarrar. Parents demanded that Castro fire her.

“What you’re asking me to do is break the law,” Castro responded to one man with that demand. That same man later retreated and told Castro he understood Castro’s inability to impose further penalties on Jarrar. But the sentiment to have Jarrar removed didn’t go away.

In contrast to calls to further penalize Jarrar, one man who took the microphone said that, if fired, Jarrar would have legal grounds to sue Fresno State. Some agreed that those events would only benefit Jarrar.

See FORUMS, Page 3

OPINION

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

2

COMMENTARY

Americans are telling both parties: ‘Show me the money’

By David Winston CQ-Roll Call

WASHINGTON – "It sounds strange to me to say this about the Republicans, but they're helping with even the small things.

They're taking less out of my paycheck. I notice that." So said Terry Hood, a young, African-American, Clinton voter in a recent Reuters interview about why millennials are moving away from Democrats.

Music to Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan's ears. And luckily for the GOP, Hood is apparently not the only millennial who's noticed. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll of 16,000 young voters, ages 18 to 34, repeating a similar 2016 survey, found that support for congressional Democrats among this key group (as measured by the generic ballot test) went from 55 percent two years ago to 46 percent today – a drop of 9 points.

So, who moved and why? The biggest shift occurred with young white voters who went from favoring Democrats for Congress 47-33 percent in 2016 to dead even at 39-39 percent, a remarkable 14-point swing. While young voters still give Democrats the edge (34-32 percent), when it comes to which party is the better steward of the economy, Republicans narrowed the gap by 10 points over the past two years.

The biggest jump in generic ballot support

COMMENTARY

When did we start talking about body parts?

By Gina Barreca | The Hartford Courant

I have reached the age where many of my most engaging conversations can be described as what Natalie Becker, a New York therapist, calls "organ recitals."

These oddly intimate and yet entirely unapologetically public conversations go something like this: "Is that business with your

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

for the GOP came from young, white male voters who flipped from favoring Democrats for Congress 48-36 percent in 2016 to giving Republicans a 46-37 percent advantage this year. That kind of reversal should get the attention of Democratic leaders who continue to embrace their anti-tax cut strategy.

But before Republicans start celebrating, the survey also found that while young voters' support for Democrats slipped significantly overall, the GOP only gained 1 point with these important voters. Most of those who moved away from the Democrats headed to the undecided category.

Clearly, Republicans have more work to do to win over these voters. But, they can take heart in the fact that many in this key constituency are open to voting Republican this fall, which poses a threat to Democrats' efforts to win back the House.

For the past decade, Democrats have operated on the assumption that young voters would remain a crucial element in their strategy for a long-term majority coalition.

But making political assumptions based on demographics and the size of campaign rallies isn't generally a good idea.

While Republicans haven't yet reaped the benefits of the millennials' move away from the Democratic Party, the survey shows the GOP has a significant opportunity going forward to make gains with a group that will represent an increasingly larger share of the

vote in the years ahead.

As millennials take on more financial responsibilities, they may well repeat previous patterns of ideological movement to the center or center-right as voters age. Democrats have assumed that millennials were a different kind of political animal – one more ideologically progressive and sympathetic to their economic point of view.

As I talked about in last week's column, a growing number of younger Americans are expressing their wariness, if not contempt, for the country's free market system. To some degree, it's understandable. They are the generation that grew up during the Great Recession.

Millennials saw their grandparents forced to continue working when their retirement savings disappeared almost overnight. They saw older brothers and sisters unable to find good jobs and, over time, found themselves in the same boat with a mountain of student loan debt. Finally, they saw their parents sacrifice their hard-earned savings to help both grandparents and children meet expenses, making retirement for them seem even more remote.

Not every millennial experienced the recession this dramatically, but most knew someone who did and it shook their faith in our system. They have been leaving home later, getting married later and having children later, but as the economy improved, so have their prospects. With a brighter future, their interest in both parties' economic policies has grown.

Despite the economic turnaround of the last year, Democrats have decided to stick with their "crumbs" strategy and have failed to produce an alternative economic plan that

resonates with young voters. With the passage of the tax cuts, congressional Republicans have doubled down, putting their chips on the free market values and principles that have shaped conservative economic theory for decades.

What they need now is a better, more aggressive plan to explain the benefits and sell the results.

Neither party has won the battle over their two very different economic philosophies just yet. Both would be wise to remember that with every voter group, actions speak louder than words. The impact of the much-maligned tax cut bill may be beginning to move voters, but it is too soon to draw conclusions based on a single survey, even one as large as the Reuters/Ipsos one.

The Great Recession shook the confidence of Americans of every age. Telling voters that Republican policies are good for them and for the country isn't nearly enough these days, any more than simply touting the benefits of socialism to a skeptical public.

Voters need to trust in a party's economic theory before they are willing to hand over the keys to the car.

After eight long years of a sluggish, post-recession economy, America is saying one thing clearly to both parties: "Show me the money."

David Winston is the president of The Winston Group and a longtime adviser to congressional Republicans. He previously served as the director of planning for House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He advises Fortune 100 companies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations on strategic planning and public policy issues, and is an election analyst for CBS News.

stomach any better?" "Did the X-ray show that your lungs are clear after that flu?" "How about that prostate, huh?"

It's as if we're scanning a menu of body parts and selecting topics to be served up during our conversations. I'm trying to figure out why these organ recitals have so easily slipped into my everyday talk. I didn't notice when it first happened but I have noticed that it's now a conversational habit, like talking about the weather, asking about people's children or their aging parents, and, naturally, arguing about politics.

There's a competitive aspect to these organ recitals. "You have a rash? Do you remember when I had to take two courses of steroids just to get rid of the poison ivy from when I was weeding? Now that was a rash." Not only do we insist on exhibiting what might be considered empathy – which would be a kind and generous impulse – but we want to prove that we have known worse and suffered just a little bit more.

We're also eager to cure everybody else's ailments. "I just read a study about how Brussels sprouts ease joint pain. You should try it."

This kind of statement is usually made by those poor souls who spend their nights trolling medical websites. After 30 years of therapy, I've learned to navigate away from many harmful practices, but the other night I gave in and did a Google search on "Pain in bottom

of the right foot" for the simple reason I was experiencing it.

In response to what I believed was my quite specific, if not actually esoteric, query, there were immediately 1,280,000 responses. By way of providing context, when I Googled, "Why don't women earn as much as men?" – a more historically, culturally and socially significant question – there were a mere 828,000 responses.

Although both have been trod upon since the beginning of time, feet apparently trump females for those with inquiring minds and a keyboard.

The information offered ranged from the moderately helpful, if obvious ("make sure your shoes fit and consult your primary care physician if the pain lasts for more than three weeks") to the threatening ("this could be a sign of a grave condition and surgery might be your best option").

But I did find out one cool thing during my dark night Googling the sole, which is that the medical term for pain in the ball of the foot is "metatarsalgia." I'm going to start bringing up that fancy term in my recitals – as soon as I learn how to pronounce it. Saying, in a tone of humble and barely repressed suffering, "My metatarsalgia seems to be acting up" is a lot more impressive and sophisticated than saying, "Man, my lousy rotten feet are killing me again." You get more points for obscure

ailments.

And we are all afflicted, aren't we? The only choices we make are how we approach our afflictions. Another line I cherish from Dr. Becker is her observation that "We are all the temporarily-abled."

After a certain point in life we have to realize the warranty is up, parts start to rust, and we can either search for a good mechanic, rely on duct tape and other temporary solutions, or ignore the rattle while making ourselves heard over the noise.

The chorus of complaints, kvetching and commiseration is, I suspect, an almost superstitious warding off the worse that will come.

Those who see real darkness folding in aren't whining about the mosquitoes appearing at sunset. Perhaps because we suspect the rest is silence, we make grumbling noises to prove we're still here.

So let's hit the right note in our organ recitals, remain harmonious, make the melodies inspiring rather than somber, and then perhaps we can benefit from them.

Of course, some of us won't be dancing because of the metatarsalgia. Have I told you about my feet?

Gina Barreca is a board of trustees distinguished professor of English literature at University of Connecticut and the author of 10 books. She can be reached at www. ginabarreca.com.

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MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

PAGE 3

ART

Projects ‘come to life’ at BFA portfolio show

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

Y

ears of studying and designing came to a close for some aspiring creators.

Students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program culminated the school year with a portfolio of work and brands they have developed as art students and displalyed them in the “Elevate 2018 BFA Portfolio Show.”

Friends, family and agencies looking to hire came to the Conley Art Gallery on Friday to see what creations were done by students in the BFA program’s three options: graphic design, illustration and interactive multimedia design.

Students were given a section of the gallery to set up a booth to showcase what pieces of work or projects they were presenting.

Each booth had an elaborate theme that reflected the student’s personality and work.

Iridiane Robles, a student majoring in graphic design, displayed designs she created for hot sauce bottles and a catalog she compiled of African-Americans who have served in the military.

Robles said she likes that graphic design provides her with a way to make her ideas more tangible.

“You can have a vision and once you start working on it and see it come together, it’s just really satisfying,” Robles said. “I like to make it come to life.”

Carla Santiago, also a graphic design student, displayed a portfolio of her designs as well as typography she designed for a beer bottle label.

FORUMS from Page 1

Several community members who spoke said that their children would no longer attend Fresno State. A few said they are refusing to wear any Fresno State gear from now on. Others said their donations would no longer go to the university.

Some community members reminded Castro that Jarrar had called farmers in the central San Joaquin Valley “stupid.” When one woman spoke, she sarcastically introduced herself as such.

The conclusion not to discipline Jarrar for her online actions had come just one week after the tweets were sent out and just one day before a deadline set by several civil rights groups that called for the university to drop the investigation. In the announcement, Castro said Jarrar did not violate any university or California State University policies when she tweeted the comments against Bush.

CSU legal counsel looked into the allegations, Castro repeatedly said. In its first public statement, the university said Jarrar’s comments were made as a private individual on her own time. Jarrar had arranged a leave of absence for the spring and but is scheduled to teach English courses in the fall.

When tenure was brought up, community members attacked it as something that allows professors to get away with doing and saying whatever they want. Academic Senate chair Thomas Holyoke defended tenure, which he also has, and said it is in place at universities so professors can free-

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Attendees check out the portfolio booths of graphic design majors during the 2018 BFA Portfolio Show at the Conley Art Gallery on May 4, 2018.

Santiago said for her, graphic design serves as a platform to show others who she is.

“I love the freedom that it gives you to express yourself,” Santiago said. “And then have people look at it -- when they like it, it’s such an amazing feeling.”

While there were pieces in the form of print art, there were also pieces presented digitally.

Beth Izard, a student majoring in illustration, showed attendees her animation work on a screen. It showed a brief cartoon clip of a woman’s face blinking, winking and looking from side to side against a

backdrop of a starry night sky.

“I love the challenge of coming up with a creative solution,” Izard said.

Madison Samora, majoring in graphic design, displayed a 360-degree image gallery that allowed viewers to see images of her hometown of Oakhurst.

Attendees were welcomed to hold an iPhone and move it from side to side, which showed a range of images on a larger screen.

The photos were taken near the mountains and showcased different elements of the Central Valley nature scene.

Samora said she appreciates that, through technology, she can show people a

ly study and teach topics that may be controversial but in the public’s interest.

One woman at the forum repeatedly asked Castro “what’s getting fixed?” referring to policies that could keep the university from facing controversy over professor conduct in the future.

Castro said university policies would be reviewed. His parting words at the Thursday forum were “we will learn from this.”

Holyoke stated at both forums that the university’s Academic Senate had a policy review plan in the works to figure out how Fresno State faculty and staff should conduct themselves in public as well as online.

The crowd booed Castro when he said that operations were not severely affected at Arizona State University after Jarrar tweeted out a crisis hotline there and passed it off as her own number as she fought back comments on Twitter. Castro told the campus and community groups that the university has apologized to ASU. Whether the legal system in Arizona will attempt to penalize Jarrar for her actions is unclear.

Castro repeatedly called Jarrar’s conduct “disgraceful” and “embarrassing” for the university. He stated on several occasions leading up the forums that Jarrar’s actions failed to reflect the university’s values.

One woman who spoke and identified herself as the wife of a U.S. diplomat said that the controversy at Fresno State had moved to a different level. “This is no longer a local matter. The world is watching,” she said. Several others echoed her remarks.

Castro was also told that it was a defining moment for the university. One man likened the climate to that of “the ‘60s”

while another told Castro “this isn’t Berkeley, California. You need to take care of your people.”

Castro told the community that, as the first Central San Joaquin Valley native to be president at Fresno State, he understood the pain many have felt.

But some community members, as well as some from the campus, said they believe the controversy is not the university’s fault, but that they intend to hold the leaders accountable to prevent another similar controversy from happening.

Castro reminded the audience that he has always been committed to protecting individual free speech rights as well as abiding by the law. He said that, in the past, he has stepped in to make sure pro-life and religious preachers also voiced their messages on the campus. Those in the audience had accused him of suppressing conservative speech.

Cody Sedano, a political science student and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, told Castro that he has been impressed with Castro’s leadership throughout the storm. Though he did not agree with Jarrar’s words or actions, Sedano drew cheers and applause when he said, “I’d fight all over again so she could have the right to do it.”

There were fewer students at the Save Mart Center forum compared with the campus forum. Of those who spoke, they expressed pride in Fresno State in front of an audience seething at the university.

Fresno State officials said the forums held last week were a continuation of forums Castro holds throughout the year to teach the university community about free speech and individual rights. More events are planned.

piece of the town she treasures.

“It puts people in a space they might not be totally familiar with,” Samora said.

“Most people would never come in contact with that.”

The “Elevate 2018 BFA Portfolio Show” runs through May 11 at the Phebe Conley Art Gallery.

CRIME BUZZ 4/27/18 VANDALISM

P27 PARKING LOT

PETTY THEFT, STOLEN PROPERTY, VANDALISM SCIENCE BUILDING

SEXUAL BATTERY ON MINOR

P2 PARKING LOT

5/1/18 THEFT OF PERSONAL PROPERTY

KAPPA SIGMA

5/2/18 UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA

OFF CAMPUS

5/3/18 UNLAWFUL PARAPHERNALIA

OFF CAMPUS

SOURCE: FRESNO STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS

A&E

4

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

ART

FresCon brings comic culture to Fresno State

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

The costumed attendees gather for a photo to celebrate a successful FresCon 2018 on May 5, 2018 at the University Student Union at Fresno State.

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

Community members bonded on Saturday over their shared interests in cosplaying, gaming and comics at FresCon, a comic convention at Fresno State.

“There isn’t much opportunity in the Central Valley to celebrate this,” said Alexis Orozco, the president of FresCon. At the event, there were rooms dedicated to anime viewing and playing video games.

In addition, the Fresno Foam Fighting Coalition visited to fight battles – with foam weapons.

Carmen Stevens, a member of the coalition, said that foam fighting satisfies her desire to be active, but in a manner that is entertaining.

“I’ve always been athletic – but I’ve also been a nerd,” Stevens said. “I have a very niche interest. It perfectly collides the two.”

FresCon culminated with a cosplay contest open to people of all ages. Cosplaying refers to dressing up and acting as a certain character. Marina Schaeffer, who was one of the judges for the contest, said she appreciates that FresCon is more intimate than larger conventions.

“I like that you get to meet people that you can actually connect with that don’t live three states away,” Schaeffer said.

Elizabeth Howard, a Fresno State student who was also a judge, said cosplaying allows people to openly embrace their interests. Through cosplaying, people can more easily see what characters people are fans of – and possibly connect with those who have mutual interests.

“When they see a character they love, they just smile and you’re like, ‘I just made someone’s day,’” Howard said. “That makes me smile.”

When they see a character they love, they just smile and you’re like, ‘I just made someone’s day.’ That makes me smile.

— Elizabeth Howard, Cosplay judge Often, people participating in cosplay make the costumes themselves rather than buy them. Howard said this can bring an added satisfaction to cosplaying. “It’s something you can take pride in.”

Best in show for the Kid’s Division was given to a child dressed as a yellow Power Ranger. The Best Kid’s Group was two people dressed as Batman and Baby Fett.

For the adults, Best Group was given to a group of individuals dressed as characters from the video game “Cuphead.” Third place for best in show was given to people dressed as Spider-man and Iron Fist, while second place was someone dressed as Incursio.

First place for best in show was given to Michelle and Rodney (they would not share their last name) – a brother/sister duo dressed as Okoye and M’Baku, characters from “Black Panther.”

Michelle said that she was inspired to dress as Okoye because of her affinity for “Black Panther.”

“It’s a culture of people who are very intelligent and very kind,” Michelle said. “The movie itself showed the struggles within, but at the end of the day, they’re able to say we all love each other.”

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MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

PAGE 5

FILM

What’s it like to be a woman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Four onscreen superheroes share their stories

By Sonaiya Kelley

Los Angeles Times / Tribune News Service

D

espite portraying some of the most powerful characters in perhaps the most epically realized universe ever seen on screen, the women of Marvel are still being asked about what they’re wearing.

Case in point: At the official “Avengers: Infinity War” press conference the Sunday before the movie was released – where more than 20 Marvel stars assembled to skillfully sidestep journalists’ questions – Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) veteran Scarlett Johansson, who plays super-spy Black Widow, was asked about the “fashion elements” of the films.

“I got the fashion question?” she asked incredulously. The crowd laughed, but the question prompted Zoe Saldana, another MCU vet, to flash back to a pop culture moment earlier this year: the sea of black dresses at this year’s Golden Globes.

In an interview later that day, the actress, who plays Gamora in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, said that for people to start talking about the Time’s Up movement, it was important to first eliminate the “ambiguous” fashion questions often asked of female actors.

“The Golden Globes really set a tone,” she said. “And for those of us that were watching through our screens at home, we were all going to lend solidarity to that statement because [being asked about fashion rather than process] is objectifying, and it is absolutely wrong.”

The universe we live in may be changing ever so slowly, but the MCU has been moving at a far swifter pace. That’s where women including Johansson, Saldana, Elizabeth Olsen and Danai Gurira now embody some of the mightiest heroes on Earth and beyond: a reformed assassin, an elite alien combatant, a reality-warping witch and a general of the world’s strongest army.

Of course, it wasn’t always that way.

“When I started out doing ‘Iron Man 2,’” said Johansson, “the main female character was Gwyneth [Paltrow]’s character, Pepper Potts. She is actually an incredibly strong female presence. And I think she sort of set the groundwork for strong female characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

But it would fall to Johansson’s Black Widow to become the first Marvel woman to truly get in on the action.

“As the female [heroes] were thankfully introduced,” Johansson began with a laugh, “I think the films now really reflect the diversity that the audience has been asking for and represent more fairly the fans that are supporting these films.”

That doesn’t mean there isn’t still room for improvement.

“The thing that would be great is if there was a bit more humor” among the female characters, said Olsen, who plays “Avengers” anti-heroine Scarlet Witch.

“A lot of the women become these grounding forces of the story lines and bring an emotional quality and life to it,” she continued.

“You can be grounded and emotional, but you can also get the funny bits. We have a lot of funny, quick women, so might as well represent them as a [3D] individual.”

Along with humor, Saldana said she’d most like to see more layered female characters and complex story arcs.

“There’s layers of imperfections that sometimes make a superhero even more ad-

Film Frame • Marvel Studios

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch, in a scene from Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War,” out now.

mirable,” she said.

Difference maker A sea change emerged with the introduction of “Black Panther” this year, not only for the representation of black superheroes but for the film’s strong presence of fully fleshedout, capable women as well.

“All the female characters in ‘Black Panther’ were so well-rounded, strong, funny and present,” said Johansson. “It was really nice to see that balance. I think it finally came full circle.”

“I think ‘Panther’ was the one to really step up the game,” Olsen agreed. But beyond the Ryan Coogler-directed film, she noted that Marvel’s female characters, with few exceptions, have served a greater purpose than simply playing opposite a male lead. “[Marvel] created them as part of the team,” she explained. “And now it’s becoming more of a focus, as opposed to just being part of the team. Now [women are] becoming part of the forefront.”

In July’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” Evangeline Lilly will make her debut as the MCU’s first female title character. And in March, Marvel will release its 21st entry in the franchise and the first-ever stand-alone film headlined by a woman: “Captain Marvel,” starring Brie Larson.

It’s likely no coincidence that, after her introduction, Marvel will release the still-untitled “Infinity War” follow-up two months later.

As the unofficial first lady of the Avengers, many fans expected Black Widow to get the star vehicle honor, but Johansson says she’s happy enough with the work she’s put into the last 10 years. However, she wouldn’t rule out the chance of having her long-rumored stand-alone film come to fruition if it were “groundbreaking.”

“I think it’s a character who has a unique moral compass,” she said of Widow.

The evolution of females in the MCU from supporting characters to the forefront of the films has certainly served “Black Panther” breakout Gurira, known for her fan favorite role as warrior woman Michonne on AMC’s “The Walking Dead” and one of the newest members of the MCU. The actress, who admits she knew “very little” about Marvel before taking on the role of Okoye, was ready to collaborate with Coogler but found he already had a clear and

A sea change emerged with the introduction of “Black Panther” this year, not only for the representation of black superheroes but for the film’s strong presence of fully fleshed-out, capable women as well. progressive vision of how he wanted to bring the character to life.

“When I went to do the research on ‘Black Panther’ and I saw how she was originally written, I thought that was such an astounding progression,” she said. On the comic book page, the army Okoye leads, known as the Dora Milaje, were not only Black Panther’s protectors but also “wives-in-training.”

“It was like a sign of progress that you could take a character written as she was originally written and transform her into what we put on the screen. And I think that that was such an awesome thing about Ryan, about Marvel – they were taking those steps to evolve female characters into something far more dimensional and rich.”

Giving female characters equal footing in one of the most sprawling franchises in recent memory isn’t just about better, more inclusive storytelling. It also can completely change an actor’s career trajectory, Saldana says.

“The reality is that if you are a part of films that have global releases, you do become an actor that is considered an asset or of value to a production,” she said. “It puts you in a place where you have access to future roles. I think that’s a great thing.”

Olsen agrees, although she admits she has never signed one of the larger, multipicture contracts a la franchise headliners Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. While her character’s longevity isn’t guaranteed, she says her association with Marvel has still allowed her to make more interesting decisions than she might have otherwise.

“I think what it’s done for me is it’s allowed me to have the security of knowing when the next job was coming,” she said. “So then you’re capable of being more creative with the other choices you make.”

And it’s about time women and other underrepresented communities are allowed that same opportunity to be “bankable” as the men, Olsen said.

Marvel “has an incredible platform and reach, and they know that,” she said. “So that’s why they are trying to push themselves to create ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Captain Marvel.’ What’s so lovely about working with Marvel is that they’re aware of their responsibility, and they’re using it well, or at least trying to.”

“I think Marvel, from the beginning, had this much-appreciated and wonderful habit of hiring actors that never probably could’ve imagined themselves in any type of genre franchise, let alone a giant superhero action movie,” Johansson pointed out. “And that started really with the hiring of Robert Downey as Iron Man.” She cites Mickey Rourke, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle as other examples.

“And bringing [Anthony] Mackie on to do Falcon, having come off a really solid independent film career,” she continued, “I think that’s been career-changing for all of us. It takes you out of the box or whatever pigeonhole you’ve been placed into and gives you so many more possibilities to make films that probably would never see the light of day. That’s the gift that being ‘bankable,’ in quotes, gives you.”

Keeping up “I think Marvel is trend-setting in every other way, and one thing I know about Kevin Feige is that he doesn’t want to be behind,” said Johansson. “I think that everyone that’s headlining the stand-alone films should insist on it. And I hope that [Marvel executives] take charge so it doesn’t have to befall any one actor’s shoulders to do that. It can just be a corporate policy.”

While the future looks bright, Saldana remains grateful for an opportunity to discuss more than fashion for a change.

“It just keeps going in the right direction,” she said. “I love, besides just talking about Black Widow’s hair color at every sequel, we’re talking about all these other things.”

NEWS

6

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

ASI NOTEBOOK

Senator positions to remain the same for next year

By Hayley Salazar @hayley_salazarr

The Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) senators came together on May 1 for their final spring 2018 semester senate meeting.

Senator positions names and descriptions One action item was presented to the senate by Sen. Travis Childress, Greek affairs, regarding changes to senator titles.

But the vote did not pass and the senate positions will remain the same for the 20182019 academic school year.

Childress brought a list of “proposed new senator titles” approved by the Legal Committee including: graduate affairs; resident affairs; athletic and recreational affairs; diversity equity and inclusion; clubs and organizations; international students affairs; Greek affairs; new students; and veteran affairs.

The list included “senator expectations policy” which described the roles and re-

Illustration by Kong Thao

sponsibilities of the senators under the new titles. Childress said the new positions would give senators specific focuses.

Sen. Primavera Martinez, undergraduate and graduate affairs, spoke against the action item, stating that it was not “fitting” for the current senate to vote on the title

changes. Martinez said those who ran in the March election did so with other titles in mind, and that any changes should have been made prior to elections.

Sen. Sebastian Wenthe, clubs and organizations, said it was fair for the senate to vote on the new position titles since the

CULTURE

Fresno State celebrates 31st annual Powwow

Jorge Rodriguez • The Collegian

Tribe members dance during the “We Are Still Here” Powwow; the three-day event was celebrated at Fresno State’s Maple Mall from May 4 to 6, 2018.

By Jorge Rodriguez @jrodcollegian

Fresno State celebrated its 31st annual Native American Powwow at Maple Mall in front of the Satellite Student Union from May 4-6. The “We are still here” Powwow was organized by the Fresno State Neum Native American Student Association, and it was free for the public.

The event served as a gathering of tribes from all over the state and the nation to celebrate Native American unity and culture.

Three different drummers were at the event: the northern drum was Young Eagle Creek from Arizona; the southern drum was So-Ex Style from California; and the

guest drum was Bearsprings from California.

The Powwow spread to three days. Day 1 opened with the Miwuk dancers. On the second day, a special grand entry was planned along with an introduction and special guest speech by Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro. Aztec dancers performed later in the day.

After his speech, Castro was honored with a dance to bless him. The dance was performed by members of different tribes that attended the event. For the third day of the Powwow, a gourd dance and an entry dance were performed.

Fresno State supported the event with sponsorships from different departments and by providing staff members to help

with the event.

There were also several vendors on hand, ranging from clothing to knives to food and drinks. Several arts and crafts booths were also available. A raffle and a dance contest also spanned the three-day event.

President of the Neum Native American Student Association Carmen Esqueda said that they are hoping to continue the Powwow event for the future generations and for them to continue the tradition as years go by.

“Our goal was to introduce our culture to the university community and let them see what we are all about.” Esqueda said.

“We hope to put Fresno State on the map with this tradition.”

candidates were not guaranteed their position preferences.

Demi Wack, executive vice president of external affairs and ASI president-elect, supported postponing the vote until next year before elections.

Senator reflections While the agenda was short, many senators had a few emotional and farewell remarks as graduation is only days away.

“Fresno State is a very special place…” said Brandon Sepulveda, executive vice president, in his report to the senate. “I am honored to have served.”

Cam Patterson, vice president of finance, also reflected on the year. He said he hoped that next year’s senate will work to “build on this progress.”

NEWS BRIEF

100 engineering projects to take spotlight, including Victor E stage Victor E. Bulldog III’s stage, along with 100 other engineering and construction management projects, will be on display Tuesday afternoon at the Satellite Student Union.

The 11th annual “Projects Day” will showcase the work of civil, computer, electrical, geomatic and mechanical engineering students, as well as construction management students.

The projects include “structural designs, 3D printing concepts and solutions to a variety of communications, signal processing, agriculture, automation, energy and transportation topics,” according to a university press release.

A group of students who won the right to design Victor E. Bulldog’s stage in December will also showcase their project.

The team was composed of industrial technology student Garry Gong; media, communications and journalism student Thomas Bayhi; computer engineering student Rogelio Romero; and mechanical engineering students Arnold Park and Johnny Armanino. The team was one of five finalists in the competition.

“This event showcases student innovation and design” said Dr. Ram Nunna, dean of the Lyles College of Engineering. “Many students work for almost a year to develop these projects while attending school, completing classwork, extracurricular activities and, for some, while working full-time jobs and managing a family.”

The projects will be on display from 2 to 6 p.m.

Nunna and Provost Dr. Lynnette Zelezny will deliver opening statements at 2:30 p.m. Their statements will be followed by the announcement of the dean’s medalists for the college and the revealing of the Victor E. Bulldog III stage design.

The event is free and open to the public.

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT from Page 8

he became a distinguished shortstop for the ‘Dogs. Making 46 out of 56 starts at shortstop, Batesole earned a .955 fielding percentage.

In his junior year, Batesole was also making a difference on offense, with a .472 slugging percentage, 61 hits, 36 RBIs and five home runs.

Now in his senior season, Batesole reflects on what he is going to miss the most about Bulldog baseball.

“The guys and the fans,” Batesole said.

“We always have a good crowd out here.

Inman, Sugar Bear. Always exciting. The team. I’m going to miss being around the guys every day.”

With seven games to play, Batesole is hoping to get drafted when it’s all over.

“If not, I’d like to go to grad school and further my education and look at my op-

tions,” Batesole said.

In his four years at Fresno State, Batesole has had a stellar academic rap sheet.

Collecting four Academic All-Mountain West honors and three Mountain West Scholar-Athlete awards.

The senior wants to pursue sports psychology because he loves the mental side of the game.

Although the ‘Dogs have an 11-16 record in conference play, Batesole boasts a .400 slugging percentage in his senior season with 54 hits, one home run and a .378 on-base percentage.

And like his performance on offense, his defense is also impressive. He has a .960 fielding percentage.

So, who knows what awaits Batesole and the ‘Dogs after their last regular season game on May 19 against UNLV. What we do know is they will continue their road trip to California State University, Northridge on May 8 and be back at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium on May 11 against Hawaii in their secondto-last home series of the season.

PAGE 7

Fresno State Athletics

Senior Korby Batesole has 54 hits, one home run and a .400 slugging percentage so far in his final season with the Bulldogs.

SOFTBALL

Rebels sweep ‘Dogs on Senior Day

Fresno State Athletics

Fresno State fell to the UNLV Rebels on May 6, 2018 at Margie Wright Diamond.

By Jorge Rodriguez @jrodcollegian

After a tough road series against Boise State last weekend that saw the Fresno State softball team get one win and two losses, the Bulldogs faced UNLV for the last home series of the season this past weekend.

The Rebels proved to be a tough opponent, sweeping the series 3-0 and leaving the Bulldogs with little hope of winning a conference title.

For Game 1 on Friday, the Bulldogs started with Danielle East in the pitching circle, but she couldn’t keep the game scoreless for long. In the very first inning, East allowed one run to score, then in the next inning, she allowed two more runs by the Rebels.

The Bulldogs would answer in the bottom of the second when Schuyler Broussard

singled up the middle, scoring Hayleigh Galvan who had doubled.

Fresno State would score again in the third when Rachel Minogue grounded out, but Kaitlyn Jennings was able to score from third.

With help from some great defensive plays, East would find her stride and wouldn’t give up any runs in the third or the fourth. Fresno State would tie the game in the fourth thanks to Chase LeeHong who hit a single that dropped into center field, bringing in Broussard who had doubled.

Then in the seventh, the Rebels’ starting pitcher got her fourth hit of the game, a triple. She scored on a grounder making the final 4-3.

The tie break came when with two outs and a player on base the Rebels hit a ground ball that was caught by Katie Castellon who appeared to get it to first base before the runner, but the runner was called safe at first allowing the run to score.

In Game 2 on Saturday, Fresno State got into trouble early again, allowing one run in the first and a solo home run in the second making the score 2-0 in favor of the Rebels.

Fresno State would got one run back in the second, thanks to a bobbled grounder

by Miranda Rohleder that brought in Vanessa Hernandez from third.

In the fifth, the ‘Dogs gave up a two-run homer that gave the Rebels the final 4-1 margin.

In Game 3 on Sunday, the Bulldogs celebrated Senior Day with Katie Castellon, Brook Coates, Sarah Santana, LeeHong and Savannah McHellon.

Much like the previous two games, Fresno State would found itself in a deficit early in the game with East allowing two runs in the first inning.

In the same inning, the Bulldogs got on the scoreboard with a triple by Galvan that brought in Rohleder from second base for the score.

Trailing 3-1 going into the fourth, the Bulldogs’ fell apart, committing several errors and the Rebels would take advantage, scoring three more runs.

With the score 6-1, the Bulldogs got one highlight. In the seventh, their first batter, McHellon, blasted a solo home run.

“Before the at-bat, I just thought to just keep swinging it out...it felt really good just to put it all on the line and to swing it out,” McHellon said “I think this [series] really hurt, but we’re a team that responds well and next week we’ll be looking to bite back.”

With the final score of 6-2, Fresno State would lose the weekend series 3-0 leaving it with an overall record of 30-21 and a conference record of 13-8.

“I tip my hat to UNLV, they came in here with a nothing-to-lose mentality and it paid off for them,” head coach Linda Garza said.

“My seniors are such great people. All five of them have put this program in a position to do great things.”

SPORTS

8

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

FOOTBALL

Bulldogs dream of career in NFL

Former Fresno State football players Da’Mari Scott, Malik Forrester and Aaron Mitchell are not giving up on the idea of playing in the NFL.

By William Ramirez @willoveslakers2

F

or the third straight year, not a single Fresno State player was selected in the NFL Draft. But a number of players are not giving up on the idea of playing professional football.

The NFL has had a slew of players that went undrafted but still found success in the league. Tony Romo, Antonio Gates and Arian Foster – to name a few – all carved out careers filled with Pro Bowl seasons, in spite of going undrafted.

It was not easy. All three of the aforementioned NFL stars and all other undrafted free agents were faced with an uphill battle in their quest for a contract.

There are 90 spots on an NFL offseason roster, and earning one of those spots is the first step to making the eventual 53-man final roster that takes the field during the regular season.

A number of Bulldogs are trying to make

a name for themselves this offseason Receiver Da’Mari Scott was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent, making him the only Bulldog free agent signee.

Scott was the ‘Dogs’ second leading receiver, behind KeeSean Johnson. Scott finished last season with 57 receptions for 566 yards and five touchdowns. He established a comfortable rapport with quarterback Marcus McMaryion throughout the season.

Scott proved to be a reliable set of hands that made difficult catches when the play or throw called for it.

Scott saw his numbers flourish when he was moved from the outside to the inside.

His speed and physicality were able to get the better of the linebackers and safeties he battled, an easier battle to win as opposed to those against cornerbacks on the outside.

But at the next level, Scott will not have that luxury. The speed is turned up a notch in the NFL, and Scott’s speed leaves a little to be desired.

Scott has a difficult road ahead. The Browns receiving corps received an up-

grade at the slot position in Jarvis Landry, and the team selected Florida receiver Antonio Callaway in the fourth round.

Defensive tackle Malik Forrester was a force to be reckoned with in the Mountain West’s best run defense.

The 6-foot-1, 295-pound standout was second on the team in sacks with five and third on the team in tackles for loss with 9.5. Forrester was a wrecking ball off the snap, moving powerfully while also keeping his hands and feet moving.

His efforts earned him mini camp invites from the San Francisco 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has yet to announce which of the two he will accept.

One of the biggest hurdles in Forrester’s path to the NFL is ineffectiveness against more than one blocker. There were several occasions in which he had his moves halted by a single blocker.

The fact that both the Jaguars and the 49ers have depth at interior defensive line, and the fact that he was not offered an undrafted free agent contract are both discouraging. It will be up to him to prove his

Fresno State Athletics

worth over the other players in contention for spots.

Center Aaron Mitchell was one the Bulldogs’ most prominent voices in the locker room. He could consistently be found in the middle of the huddle rallying his teammates.

No longer a Bulldog, Mitchell’s play on the field has earned him a mini camp invite from the Detroit Lions.

Mitchell led the charge for a Bulldog offensive line that ranked third in the Mountain West in allowing tackles for loss.

Mitchell is 6-foot-2 and 305 pounds, making him a little small to be playing on an NFL offensive line. But Mitchell has worked hard on his frame, setting personal bests this past season to get it to where the Red Wave saw it this season.

The former Bulldog team captain earned his keep on the ‘Dogs’ offensive line, so much so that he was rewarded a role as a team captain. For what he lacks in size and technique, Mitchell makes up for in his work ethic and drive.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Baseball born and Bulldog bred

By Vanessa Romo @vanesssaromo

A three-year letterman at Buchanan High School, senior Korby Batesole always knew he wanted to play for Fresno State.

“It was always a dream to come here and play for [head coach Mike Batesole],”

Batesole said.

While watching his dad coach Fresno State’s baseball team for more than 16 seasons and famously turned the Bulldogs into the Wonder ‘Dogs in 2008 after winning the NCAA Championships, Korby waited patiently on the sidelines.

“I would always come to his practices,” the younger Batesole said. “Nothing man-

datory, nothing out of the ordinary. Just [for] the opportunity to play.”

Watching his father coach and then his brother Kody, play for Fresno State in 2014, Batesole fell more in love with the team.

“It was just a great group of guys and a good community within the team,” Batesole said. “I think that’s the most import-

ant thing to think about when picking a team to be on.”

Watching turned into playing for Batesole one year later when he joined the team.

Appearing in 44 games for Fresno State and 33 starts, the freshman hit an average .232 with four doubles and a home run, all while collecting 22 hits, 13 RBIs and seven runs. That season he had 33 starts with 18 at shortstop and 15 as a second baseman.

It was in his sophomore season when

See SENIOR SPOTLIGHT, Page 7