Golden Gate Xpress Issue 15

PATH TO GRADUATION FRAUGHT WITH PITFALLS

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BY BRIAN BALISI | bbalisi@mail.sfsu.edu

OUR DREAM OF WEARing that elusive SF State purple cap and gown can quickly turn into a nightmare if you’re not careful about completing all the requirements for graduation.

Seniors and super seniors alike are marking the dates for various graduation

ceremonies, but with absurd amounts of homework and hurrying to finish up last-minute essays they may forget to check if they have fulfilled every prerequisite in order to graduate.

Broadcast and electronic communication arts major Arianna Caramat was on track to graduate Spring 2012 until she discovered that she would not be able to pay for summer classes because she maxed out on a loan.

“My first reaction was to cry when they told me

GOLDEN GATE XPRESS //

I couldn’t receive the financial aid,” Caramat said.

“If I’m not able to enroll in the summer then I can’t graduate on time, which puts even more of burden on my mom, who is unemployed.”

Former SF State student Victor Eco suffered a similar problem when was barely able to graduate last spring after being just three units short of the required 120 units.

SEE GRADUATING ON PAGE 5

STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER PROUDLY SERVING THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1927.

// 05.09.12

VOLUME LXXXXII ISSUE 15

PICKET: Students and faculty gather to inform about the potential CFA strike. Bill Bray, communications studies lecturer, suited up in a giant puppet tries to bring awareness about a potential California Faculty Association strike. Photo by Nelson Estrada.

FACULTY MOVES NEARER TO STRIKE As negotiations shift to the next step, union members prepare for what may be a difficult summer.

BY KELLY GOFF | kgoff@mail.sfsu.edu

AS PRESSURE MOUNTS FOR THE CALIFORNIA FACULTY Association and the California State University to reach a contract agreement, about 30 faculty and students gathered Tuesday at 19th and Holloway avenues to try to bring more attention to the now 23-month-old struggle.

Amid chants calling for a fair contract, picketers distributed fliers with information about their demands to students arriving and departing campus. Many teachers said they hope that a new contract will be put in place before a strike is called, which could SEE CFA ON PAGE 11

Food trucks roll on to campus

BY MICHELLE OLSON | maolson@mail.sfsu.edu

FOOD ON WHEELS: After years of trying to get onto campus, Seoul on Wheels, a modern Korean food truck, takes a place between Thorton Hall and the Science Building for the first time. Its fusiony presence will now grace the campus every Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Photo by Henry Nguyen

The brightly colored and uniquely designed food trucks that adorn the streets of San Francisco have now shown up on the SF State campus after a year of discussion and some confusion about their legality on campus.

The arrival of the food trucks on campus is a product of the collaboration of the University Corporation and the College of Science and Engineering to bring food venders to the area surrounding the Science Building, Hensill Hall and Thornton Hall.

According to Science and Engineering Dean Sheldon Axler, the area has been in need of a food vendor for at least 10 years, but building a restaurant or a cafe was found to be too expensive.

“We thought this would be more convenient,” said Axler. “We’re seeing a lot of different, high quality food trucks.”

A different, single food truck vendor shows up at the assigned space every weekday, but prior to their arrival, confusion abounded as to whether or not the mobile eateries were even allowed there in the first place.

San Francisco zoning laws like San Francisco planning code section SEE TRIAL ON PAGE 11

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2 CAMPUS

SF SPEAKS OUT

Food trucks remain on trial basis CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

WHICH FINAL ARE YOU DREADING THE MOST?

“Math 70. My professor doesn’t explain too much that’s on the final and the homework doesn’t really help.”

JAZMINE VAUGHN , 19 BUSINESS MAJOR

205.4, cite that food trucks are not allowed to operate on college campuses and hospital grounds, but do not apply to SF State, since the University is a state-run agency that operates on state-owned property.

Julia Yoon owns Korean food truck Seoul on Wheels, which has been in business for almost five years, and noted that although she has been looking forward to doing business at SF State for at least two years, she was deterred by these laws.

“When I tried to apply previously, I was told that food trucks were not allowed on campus as a regulation, and also in order to protect the campus’ onsite food vendors,” Yoon said. “I’m really excited about this opportunity.”

Agnes Wong Nickerson, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the University Corporation and associate vice president of fiscal affairs, said she didn’t remember if any food truck owners applied to operate on campus, but recalled incidents of some trucks operating on Holloway Avenue that didn’t have the correct permits.

“Picking an acceptable location for food trucks is the key here,” Nickerson said via email. “Even though SF State is exempt from city codes, it took us a few months to work with the campus Capital Planning, Design and Construction department, the State Fire Marshall and University police before we settled on the current site.”

Brass Knuckle food truck owner Shellie Kitchen was also skeptical about selling food on college campuses because she didn’t want to risk breaking any laws or getting her permits pulled.

“I didn’t want to be crossing any lines,” she said. “I didn’t want to deal with the red tape.”

It wasn’t until the SF State Fiscal Affairs department approached Kitchen about doing business at SF State that she looked further into the laws, but she says any time she has any doubts or questions, she calls the Department of Public Works.

Students who have classes near the Science Building and Hensill Hall and Thorton Hall are just glad have a place to grab a bite close to their classrooms.

“It’s like Christmas every day,” said Heather Smith, 25, a biology major. “It’s the best thing the University has decided to do.”

Zoology major Stephanie Hees is glad she doesn’t have to walk to the Cesar Chavez Student Center for food anymore.

“It’s nice to have something on our side of campus,” Hees said.

Not everyone has taken notice of the food truck’s newfound place on campus, however.

Donna’s Tamales, a food vendor that participates in the Thursday farmer’s market near the Humanities Building, hasn’t noticed a change in business.

“I didn’t even know they had opened,” said Donna’s Tamales proprietor Shirley Virgil.

Nevertheless, food truck owners have felt the love from the SF State community.

Anamika Khanna, part-owner of KASA Indian Eatery said the experience of coming to SF State felt like she was on a first date.

“They (the customers) kept asking ‘Are you coming back?’” she said. “(UCorp) seems pretty open and genuine on making it work for both parties.”

It is still unclear how campus restaurant owners feel about food trucks doing business at SF State. Allam Elqadah, who owns several campus eateries including Café Rosso, SFSU Station Café, HSS Café, Sushigo, the Village Market and Taza Smoothies and Wraps declined to comment.

The food trucks are going through a trial period which will last until the end of the semester, when UCorp will make a decision regarding whether the food trucks will return to SF State for the next academic year.

This depends on the response from students, faculty and staff and the food truck vendors.

Understaffed and overworked “Accounting 101 because it’s my hardest class. I should make no excuses. It’s hard material that requires repetition.”

MATT HOGAN , 19

FINANCE MAJOR

In my short time of trying to fix things at SF State, I’ve gotten “I have people on staff that have worked here for years and I away with being a few minutes late to classes due to malfunctionfeel bad because of all the work we ask them to do,” Castillo said. ing clocks; I’ve seen restrooms at their worst and I’ve impatiently “But it’s something that we have to deal with so we just continue to sat through web pages continually reloading themselves. work.”

I have discovered that these problems Charles Meyer, the interim senior director of persist because we don’t have enough people Facilities and Service Enterprises said he would like to ensure that they will be tackled quickly. to address every work order his department gets in a We tend to easily complain about overtimely manner, but it’s difficult when they don’t have flowing trash cans, unsanitary restrooms and the manpower. aggravatingly slow Wi-Fi connections, but “There are three things that we prioritize and how can we expect everything to run smooththat’s campus safety, cleanliness and power outages; ly when the departments that take care of and if all those are addressed, then we can declare those needs are vastly understaffed? our job to be successful,” Meyer said. “There is Julianne Tolson, director of web and user always going to be something in need of attention on services at SF State, said her department is campus and I know sometimes we may not get to it now working with far fewer people than they right away, but I can ensure that it will get done.” have in years past.

You deserve a safe, clean, well-maintained “It’s hard to keep track of the Wi-Fi campus so lets keep things that way. If you see some signals around campus while servicing the trash on the ground pick it up. Don’t add to the mess campus with its computer needs when we in the restroom; flush the toilet and if you see somedon’t have enough people to help out,” Tolson thing that may need extra attention give the facilities SUBMIT PROBLEM AREAS ON CAMPUS TO department a call at (415) 338-1568 so they can have said. “We want to know and understand where our problem areas lie so we need to hear from the appropriate people take care of the job. If you BBALISI@MAIL.SFSU.EDU the campus, but it’s hard to stay on top notice the Wi-Fi connection is always slow of things when we get effected by the in a certain spot on campus inform the budget cuts.” help desk at helpdesk@sfsu.edu or give A WEEKLY COLUMN BY STAFF WRITER Raymond Castillo, the electric them a call at 415-338-1420. I understand BRIAN BALISI ABOUT WHAT NEEDS shop supervisor of the facilities departwe have faced sever tuition hikes and cutTO BE FIXED AROUND THE SF STATE ment, said he gets dozens of work backs in various departments, but I believe CAMPUS AND HOW TO GET IT DONE. orders each day and, slowly but surely, there is a Mr. or Ms. Fix it in all of us that his department is getting through the will do his or her part and help keep this list. campus in order.

MR.

IF X IT

“Political Science 100 because I didn’t do the reading at all this semester.”

ANDREW WILKEY , 20

BUSINESS MARKETING MAJOR

CRIME BLOTTER Quasi-truthful ruminations loosely based on real events.

Compiled by Tamerra Griffin

EXITING THE GIFT SHOP, ENTERING THE CAMPUS “English 261, Vampire Tradition. I thought it would be easy but it’s a lot of memorizing, a lot more work than I thought.”

STELLA CUOMO , 19

PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR REPORTING BY LISA CARMACK PHOTOS BY GIL REIGO JR.

Two incidents of graffiti vandalism were reported May 3 and 4. The first occurred between noon May 2 and 2:30 p.m. May 3 in the Humanities building, while the second took place around 5 p.m. at the Sutro Library.

While it is unknown whether the two cases are related, one can only assume that Banksy’s successor is lurking around campus, and has taken to marking up the University’s two newest buildings as a form of protest against completing the infamously tedious OASIS assignment.

LAW AND DISORDER ON SERRANO DRIVE

A concerned resident of Serrano Drive contacted UPD after an aggressive confrontation with her neighbor May 2 at 10:30 p.m. She had been weary of his suspicious behavior earlier that day, which ended up amounting to a parking citation and no further action.

She probably watched one too many episodes of “Law and Order” during a weekend-long marathon and was channeling her inner Olivia Benson. Cue the sound of clinking jail doors.

05.02 through 05.08 DONUTS AND DUIS IN THE PARKING LOT

University police responded to reports of an erratic driver causing property damage in Lot 20 just before 6:30 p.m. May 2. The subject was deemed intoxicated and in need of medical attention, so she was transported to San Francisco General Hospital and was later cited for drunk driving and fleeing the scene of an accident.

Apparently, she had just won a beer pong tournament and wanted to celebrate by showing off her driving tricks. Talk about a buzz kill.

CAMPUS 3

| 05.09.12

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Freshmen try to avoid infamous weight gain

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6 x 52” TV sets 4 x Dart Boards

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BY ALVARO ALFARO | aalfaro@mail.sfsu.edu

T THE END OF THE SEMESTER, IN A FLURRY OF FINALS AND stress-ridden assignments, many students can look back at the late-night Village Market pizza and decision to take the elevator to the second floor with nothing but regret - and the freshman 15.

The term refers to gaining 15 pounds within the first year of college, stereotypically a consequence of plentiful dorm food. Many students are unaware of the facilities available to help them burn off those dreaded extra pounds.

“I definitely experienced the freshman 15. After high school I was completely burnt out and pretty much stopped exercising altogether during my freshman year,” said Alicia Trobaugh, senior and political science major. “I gained probably around 10 to 15 pounds within the first few months of college.”

Nutritionist Teresa Leu said that on average, students gain up to five pounds, although she has seen some cases where students have gained up to 15. She believes malnourishment and a lack of exercise are major factors in student weight gain. “(Weight gain) is preventable with education. The PNAC (Peers Nutrition Assessment Clinic) educates freshmen and individuals of all class standings about how to eat so they can prevent weight gain,” she said.

Although the University offers the classes and opportunities to maintain health, students feel a lack of information around campus limits accessibility. Trobaugh took advantage of campus programs such as intramural soccer, and also looked into other options such as gym facilities, the swimming pool or physical education courses.

“I wish I had known about the athletic facilities sooner,” she said. “Maybe I could’ve avoided that weight gain.”

Bryce Schussel, head athletic trainer at SF State, believes that the unhealthy behavior leading up to the freshman 15 is largely due to poor diet, in addition to a lack of exercise.

“Being away from home for the first time, you can fall into some bad habits,” said Schussel.

“They’re eating three meals at the dining hall where it’s all-you-can-eat, so they’re usually getting portions that are bigger than what they’re normally used to eating.”

Undeclared freshman Jarek McClay said that he hasn’t noticed any weight gain and hopes that he won’t have a freshman 15 experience because he always tries to bring his own lunch and stay active.

He believes weight gain can be a problem for some students and more signs should be put up for classes and club activities around campus. McClay is currently in his second semester, yet like many students, he has barely heard of the athletic facilities on campus.

“I knew about the swimming pool and the mat rooms because I’ve had some classes in there before, but other than that, nothing else really,” McClay said.

The main gym offers basketball, volleyball and indoor soccer games during recreation hours.

Jenny Sears, student fitness manager for the campus recreation department, believes that the freshman 15 is preventable.

“There’s a lot of different things students can do to stay in shape, we have a lot of wonderful programs here on campus,” said Sears. “We have all sorts of different things based on different likes and dislikes.”

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PUMP UP THE JAM: Antonio Ugarte regularly lifts weights at the campus gym to maintain his physique. He says that he remembers his friends gaining weight as freshmen while living in the dorms. Photo by Nelson Estrada

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4 CAMPUS

SENIOR NOT DETERRED BY PREGNANCY

BY BRIAN BALISI | bbalisi@mail.sfsu.edu

Four months ago, Danielle Acierto took a test that did classes, so she dropped out in the middle of the semesnot require studying, and was shocked at the results. The ter. She wasn’t allowed to continue at SF State until she 24-year-old sat alone in disbelief, scared and somewhat raised her grade point average. excited, when she discovered that she was pregnant.

“I realized I took going to SF State for granted when Now with just a few weeks left of school, she is look- I was forced to fix my grades at City College,” Acierto ing forward to graduating with a degree in psychology. said. “I didn’t feel comfortable, so I worked my butt off However, it’s proving to be difficult as she tries to balto get back to SF State.” ance school and her pregnancy as she enters her second Acierto said she was tired of her sickness slowing trimester.

Research conducted in 2008 by the Guttmacher Institute on Unintended Pregnancy found that more than two-thirds of pregnancies among unmarried women aged 20 to 29 were not planned.

Acierto said after taking numerous pregnancy tests which all came up negative, she figured her latest test would read the same way. She was wrong.

“I cried when it showed the results. I never thought I would be pregnant. I sat there and I just couldn’t breathe,” Acierto said. “The test didn’t have a plus or minus response either, so it just said in big bold letters: pregnant.”

Albert Angelo, a health educator with Student Health Services, said there are a multitude of stressors involved with being a pregnant student, such as the social impact, time management and the process of change. Most importantly, she must come to the realization that they’re becoming a parent.

EXPECTING: Psychology major Danielle Acierto, who is five months preg“The amount of stress you put on your baby while nant, was worried that her pregnancy would interfere with her complicated pregnant will have a very influential impact on its health and schooling, but has found ways to cope. Photo by Sam Battles development,” Angelo said.

“Everything is going to come at you all at once and your mind is going to be on a swirl, but the student has to slow down and put everything in front of her down, but when she found out she was pregnant she them and take it one step at a time.” knew she had to push herself to do better.

Acierto said she was diagnosed with multiple sclero“I could’ve easily given up on school and get a job sis during her senior year of high school, and it severely that wasn’t asking for a degree, but I looked how far I’ve affected her during her first few semesters at SF State gotten and realized there was no reason why I couldn’t because her memory was declining and she was fatigued graduate,” Acierto said. throughout the day.

She said she never sought out any help from her Her grades suffered two years ago because she had professors because of her pregnancy or her multiple trouble comprehending the lectures and staying awake in sclerosis.

“I didn’t want special attention from anyone at school. I just wanted to be treated like the rest of the students,” Acierto said.

According to research done by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, pregnancy reduces the number of multiple sclerosis attacks.

“My memory was so bad and I used to have to be hospitalized because the attacks were so severe, but this pregnancy has had an all-around positive effect on me.

It’s been a true blessing because I feel like it protects me,” Acierto said.

Acierto said she wasn’t looking forward to telling her mom that she was pregnant.

“I went to her room, sat down at the edge of her bed and told her I need to tell her something. She immediately knew something was wrong so I just outright told her, ‘I think I’m pregnant,’” Acierto said.

“I was scared, but she was so overjoyed. Knowing that my mom was happy, nothing else mattered to me because her support means the world to me.”

Acierto’s mom, Livien Muulimbayan, said she knows Danielle is going to be a good mother.

“It’s a true blessing and I’m looking forward to seeing my grandchild,” Muulimbayan said. “She has been through a lot of struggles from her sickness to her schooling, but she still continues to amaze me and make me proud.”

Acierto’s good friend Rachel Sales said although times get hard, she tries to be there for her as much as possible.

“Danielle is going to make a good mom. She will always make it out of tough situations the best she can,” Sales said.

Acierto said she cried after she filled out her graduation application because she’s been through so much to get to this point, and now her baby has become her biggest motivation to finish school.

“I know my baby can hear me now,” Acierto said. “So every day I tell it I know I’m not going to have to worry about anything because you’re going to be strong just like me. Times will be hard, but we can do this.”

Beauty and brains go hand in hand

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BY JUAN DE ANDA | juand@mail.sfsu.edu

ROWING UP, BRIJET Finister had been deemed too thin, too beautiful, too smart, or too successful, but never just right. Back then, this bothered her immensely, but during her college career she has embraced her strengths and lives in two seemingly opposing worlds: she mixes textbooks and tiaras.

Finister, a 21-year-old SF State English major, is the current Miss Black California, but she doesn’t rely on physical beauty and shifts the goal to pursuing excellence in school and being active in the community.

“It’s funny because I think a lot of people look at pageants as kind of superficial, like, ‘Oh, these people are all full of themselves and are just focused on being pretty,’ but it’s not just that,” Finister said. “I like this pageant because it gives me an opportunity to be a face for younger girls. You can look at me and say, ‘I can be like her,’ because I enjoy school and I do work in my community and it’s an inside and out thing.”

Throughout her childhood, she was seen as awkward because her classmates teased her about her appearance and undermined her intelligence.

“When I was growing up, I felt like I was really awkward because I was really tall and really skinny. All the kids would tease me because I was taller than even all the guys,” Finister said. “Sometimes as a kid, you think, ‘Oh, I wish I could change this because the boys like this girl, because she has this or that girl because she has that look.’ I just look back and see how far I’ve come and what I’m doing now.”

Her mother, Rhonda Finister, recalls that her daughter was frequently mocked because few people believed in her abilities.

“I remember in high school that she entered a school essay contest and she didn’t win and one of her supposed ‘best friends’ said, ‘About time you failed’ and that really upset her,” she said. “And others would also make fun

of her build. She would be picked on but we would talk (to) her and tell her that it was what is on the inside that counts. No matter how people look on the outside you have to be secure and beautiful inside and Brijet reflects this beauty to this day now.”

Miss Black California is part of the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant and Organization. The latter was founded in 1986 with MODEL STUDENT: Brijet Finister, an SF State English literature major, was crowned the goal of celebrating scholastic achieveMiss Black California last year and will be competing for Miss Black USA in August. ment and providing educational opportunities Photo by Nelson Estrada. to outstanding young women of color.

The pageant is a community-driven Added on to that, I think the stuff she’s involved in, like organization and is committed to addressing health and the pageant stuff, has made it more complicated,” he said. education, two leading social issues in the AfricanFinister prefers to keep her title as a pageant queen American community. Finister aims to tackle the latter by under wraps in order to avoid being judged. promoting fiscal responsibility.

“I don’t really like to boast a lot because I’m kind “My platform is financial literacy, so just basically of reserved. If somebody asks me, I’ll tell them, but I getting the word out to youth and even adults about don’t just come out and brag about myself,” Finister finances so we can try to help change the way our society said. “When I start to speak, some people say ‘Oh, wow! is going as far as finances go,” Finister said.

I never would have guessed.’ Being pretty or looking a Finister conducts courses geared toward her platform certain way makes people think, ‘Oh, they’re not intelby volunteering at an organization called Project Hope. lectual’ or that there’s nothing really coming out of there.

Gary Martin, a volunteer coordinator there, has known It’s kind of a stereotype in our society.”

Finister for two years since she began her work in StockAccording to Hanley, Finister has the ability to check ton, Calif., and around the Bay Area. her success with humility.

“She’s spent a lot of time studying the rules of money “She’s doing a lot of really unique and special things, and how money works. She’s really worked very hard to but in the classroom she doesn’t make a big deal about separate herself from her peers with that responsibility,” that,” Hanley said. “She’s very good at kind of keeping Martin said. “Brijet immediately volunteered because she things on the back burner and not trying to overwhelm has the community interest at heart. She doesn’t get paid other students with how well she’s doing and how sucto do that, but it’s something she does because she loves cessful she is. Brijet is one of those students that could what she does and she loves helping people. That really is benefit from being a little less humble.” what is attractive about her.”

Finister believes that the most beautiful quality a Finister’s English adviser, Lawrence Hanley, said that person can have in life is being a caring individual. juggling her pageant duties, community service hours and “If you’re pretty on the outside but you have no intelschool time is also a part of her education. lectual ability, and you’re not nice and not a good person, “It’s tough enough these days to be committed and then what does that mean? It doesn’t mean anything,” she engaged as a full-time student for all kinds of reasons. said.

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GRADUATING ON TIME NOT ALWAYS A SURE THING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I was in shock when the adviser told me I didn’t meet the requirements to graduate,” Eco said. “I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Eco said he got worried halfway through the Spring 2011 semester when he hadn’t received any documents regarding graduation.

He brought it to the attention of the Asian-American Studies chair, Lorraine Dong, who told him he was three units short.

According to Jo Volkert, associate vice president of enrollment management, there are many reasons why students are denied graduation, such as missing units, missing general education requirements or not completing the Online Advancement of Student Information Skills (OASIS) for their basic information competence requirement.

“We strongly encourage students who are getting near graduation to run a Degree Audit Report to see what course or requirements they may be missing,” Volkert said.

“We also send email reminders to students who are approaching 120 units to be sure there are not any degree requirements they have overlooked.”

With help from Dong, Eco was able to graduate from SF State in just one more semester.

“Going through that process was a big headache,” Eco said.

“I had to re-enroll in the middle of the semester, pay another $1,800 for tuition and write a letter to the University asking to approve some units. If it wasn’t for (Dong), I wouldn’t have graduated.”

Even though it was rough, he describes the feeling of finally graduating at age 28 after 10 years of school as a huge relief.

Caramat has a long way to go. She is still trying to do everything she can to stay on track to graduate, but her time is running out.

One of her only options is to file a change of income petition to qualify for the Federal Pell Grant, but even then it’s not guaranteed that she will receive the grant.

She has until May 18 to come up with the money to pay for summer school, but worries that her limited work experience will prevent her from being able to find a job in time.

“It’s going to be tough if I have to stay in school even longer because it’s getting so expensive with the tuition hikes,” Ashley said.

“I’m trying hard not to concentrate on that situation because I still have to pass the classes I’m in right now. I’m just taking it day by day.”

“MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO CRY WHEN THEY TOLD ME I COULDN’T RECEIVE THE FINANCIAL AID. IF I’M NOT ABLE TO ENROLL IN THE SUMMER THAN I CAN’T GRADUATE ON TIME, WHICH PUTS EVEN MORE OF BURDEN ON MY MOM, WHO IS UNEMPLOYED.” ARIANNA CARAMAT, BROADCAST AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS ART MAJOR

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6 CITY

Cyclists could face phone fines In an attempt to limit the number of bicycle-related accidents, legislators have proposed a bill banning all cellphone use while riding.

lisions or injuries other than perhaps to themselves,” Brown said.

International student and economics junior Gero Muller thought the possible punishment would set a measure of fairness for everyone on the road.

“I think it’s justified because when driving a car I’m not allowed to use my cellphone as well. I think in the car you would have to pay a lot more,”

BY KATHERINE YAU Muller said. “It’s dangerous kyau202@mail.sfsu.edu for you and for others. You can Cyclists on cellphones may destroy other cars or destroy soon have to pay a fine for their yourself.” multitasking ways.

SF State art major Shannon A bill going through state Siggnis, who rides her bike to senate hearings would fine biclass, thought the bill increased cyclists a flat fee of $20 for first safety while not changing her time cellphone use offenders, lifestyle. and $50 for each time caught “I hardly use my cellphone after. when I bike anyway because “It’s clear rolling through it’s pretty dangerous,” Siggnis a stop sign or riding the wrong said. “It’s kind of inconvenient, way is a violation for a bike but it’s basically the same as if MOBILE PHONE: Industrial Design major Simon Lecomte, 20, picks up his phone and dismounts from his bicycle as he nears the as well as a driver. What this you’re driving.” bike racks near the Creative Arts Building. Cyclists may soon face fines for talking on their cell phones. Photo by Henry Nguyen is proposing is consistent with Although the bill adds fines the way other traffic laws are for distracted cyclists, Brown written,” said Jim Brown, spokesman for the California Bicyclist Coalition. “There’s a added that the main point of the bill is to heighten the punishment for drivers using huge body of evidence that cognitive impairment is quite significant while talking on a cellphones, such as adding driving points for teen drivers that violate the call or textcellphone. There’s no reason to think that bicyclists are less distracted.” while-driving law.

Brown, who worked with the bill’s author Senator Joe Simitian, said they aimed to “Bicyclists and pedestrians are uniquely vulnerable. If it gets passed, I hope to see craft a low fine for bicyclists because, although they are prone to distraction whilst on a less drivers using phones,” Brown said. mobile phone, they pose a smaller danger than drivers using cellphones.

If it passes through the state senate, SB 1310 is slated to be introduced to Gov. Jerry “There was no evidence that bicyclists using cellphones were causing major colBrown later this year.

Changes on the way for BART transfers

BY ANA PREZA acpreza@mail.sfsu.edu

Commuters who use BART and Muni to get to campus will soon need a Clipper card to transfer between the two transit systems.

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OMMUTER STUDENTS can soon kiss those free yellow Muni transfer passes goodbye as BART starts to implement the next step of a paperless system.

Starting June 1 passengers who ride the 28 Muni line from Daly City to campus will be required to have a preloaded electronic Clipper card. In order to get a free transfer, riders must tap the card they used to ride BART and load an electronic transfer before exiting the station.

The transfer will load on the Clipper card but riders will have to use the transfer within hour of loading or it will become void. Once the Clipper card is tapped when boarding Muni, the second free ride will load but must be used within 24 hours.

This could be a problem for students commuting to SF State on BART for summer classes.

The SF State shuttle doesn’t operate during summer session, which means those students

PASSING ON PAPER: Biology major Dolce Ovando pays for her BART ticket at the Daly City station. Students used to collecting a paper transfer for their ride to SF State will soon need a Clipper card.

Photo by Gil Riego Jr.

will need to have a Clipper card to get the free ride to school on Muni.

Paul Rose, spokesperson for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, said this is currently the only station planning to implement electronic transfers.

“We are moving away from paper passes,” said Rose about the transition to smart cards.

“This is the first step towards that direction.”

Rose said transitioning to a paperless system is not only environmentally responsible, but the SFMTA believes it will speed up Muni passenger loading and will be beneficial, especially if the all-door boarding plan is approved.

If riders experience problems with the new electronic system and it is unable to read the card, customers will not be liable for the error, according to Rose.

“If there is something wrong with our equipment, we will deal with it then,” said Rose.

For some of SF State’s large commuter population, the new electronic-only transfer pass could cause problems.

Currently students can collect a transfer pass whether or not they decide to take Muni or the

free SF State shuttle to school and back. With the new system, students who ride the shuttle to school will not be able to ride Muni back to BART for free because the e-transfer voids if not used within an hour.

Some students were not happy about the upcoming change.

Business major Denisha Small said she doesn’t have a Clipper card and wasn’t planning on getting one.

“That would be an issue,” Small said. “It would be inconvenient for me if I can’t use (Muni) anymore.”

Other students who don’t currently have Clipper cards, like art major Andre Thurston, 20, were not as welcoming to the change.

“The commuting situation is only getting worse,” said Thurston, who explained that it takes him more than an hour to get to campus.

Thurston said he takes Muni when the shuttle lines get too long.

He believes the change will lead to a lot of confusion from people who forget to tap their card or those who forget about the void.

“I’m not a fan,” said Thurston.

| 05.09.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Male birth control now a reality THE INS & OUTS A WEEKLY SEX COLUMN BY CASSIE BECKER

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7

Women know that dealing with birth control can be administering the injection to the vas deferens, then the efquite the hassle. A new condom each encounter. One pill fectiveness of the contraceptive is reduced.” every day. A new patch every week. A new ring every three Within moments of the injection, the gel begins to soweeks. One shot every three months. A new IUD every 12 lidify in the vas deferens and anchors in its walls so that the or five years. But there will soon be another option for sexu- sperm can’t get through to fertilize the egg. Men are advised ally active men and women to control the risk of unwanted to wait at least three days before ejaculating for the gel to pregnancy. solidify, and it’s recommended that they use a condom for A reversible and 100 percent effective form of male the first 10 days. After that, the results last 10 years. birth control is currently under advanced clinical trials in Men in India have been using the injection for roughly India, and could be ready for the American public as soon 15 years and all successful injections have resulted in zero as 2015. pregnancies over that time period, according to the Male Here’s how it works: A polymer Contraception Information Project, gel known as Vasalgel, or Reversible which bought the rights to begin studyInhibition of Sperm Under Guidance, is ing RISUG in the United States to Since breaking up with her inner prude, Cassie Becker injected into the vas deferens, blockdevelop it for public consumption. has done it all. Her interest ing the majority of sperm from getting The injection won’t even do anyin sexual exploration has led through. As an added bonus, any sperm thing to alter orgasm for men, or the her to write several blogs and that gets anywhere near the gel is killed amount they ejaculate. break even more beds. She’s on its journey, according to a study “It shouldn’t have any effect on extensively researched and written about it - all with a done by Chaudhury, Bhattacharyya and orgasm and only a minimal effect on the sexy smile.

Guha in 2004. amount of ejaculate produced because This differs drastically from all sperm make up only a small fraction of forms of female birth control that - at the total volume of the ejaculate,” Mofbest - require frequent maintenance due fatt said. to the menstrual cycle. In order to truly prevent inseminaUnfortunately, there is a major downside. It’s a needle tion, nearly all forms of birth control for women focus on straight into the scrotum. That’s right, guys: a giant needle the use of hormones, which could do anything from altering into your ball sack. a woman’s menstrual cycle to giving her vaginal dryness.

But it’s only once every 10 years, and you’ll be taking For women with male partners, this new option sounds birth control into your own hands. Think about it like this: almost too good to be true.

Would you rather deal with your girlfriend or wife getting “I would expect RISUG to have a very low failure rate, a steady dose of wild hormones potentially dozens of times but I’d also be a little surprised if it was 100 percent effecwithin 10 years, or just one little injection that you won’t tive,” said associate professor Chris Moffatt, who teaches even feel? human sexuality at SF State. “If a physician makes an error Exactly. Go for the injection.

8 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

05.09.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Church has open doors for open ears

S

BY DEVERY SHEFFER | dsheffer@mail.sfsu.edu

UNDAY MORNINGS THE large wooden doors of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church open for their Holy Eucharist and worship with Rector Dana Corsello. Sunday nights they open for a different reason; so the people of San Francisco can rock out with musician Roem Baur.

Sunday Night Mic is a weekly open mic event hosted by Baur. Anyone who wishes to get on stage and share their musical talents with the audience is welcome in this historic church that has been around for over a century.

“It’s just like your typical open mic, the difference is that you’re standing in this beautiful sanctuary on this tile stage with five-story ceilings and these gorgeous stained glass windows that the sun sets through while you’re playing. It’s unreal,”

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN: Ryan Clark performs his song “Previous Locks” for the first time at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The unique venue, known for its acoustics, is over 100 years old. Artists of all kinds are encouraged to play Sunday evenings at the weekly open mic. Photo by Devery Sheffer

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Baur said.

The musician and the Rector crossed paths when Baur was working at Tacolicious on Chestnut Street. Corsello was sitting at one of Baur’s tables when out of the blue, she asked if he was a musician. He responded yes, and she told him that she was looking for musicians to play at the church.

After a couple months Baur visited the cathedral. He was so impressed with the beauty and acoustics of the venue that he pitched the idea of an open mic night to Corsello, who had never even heard of such an event.

“I said, ‘There can’t be any sort of pretense, there can’t be any pitching of the religion if you really want to provide a service to the musicians of San Francisco,’” said Baur. “‘If you really want to change the way that people look at this space and the way that people view you as caretakers and owners of this space, then offer up your venue as an open mic and sponsor this, and I promise you that people will come.’”

Baur does not attend church at St. Luke’s, nor is he a member of the Episcopal faith. But neither are the majority of people who get on stage or sit in the church pews to enjoy the music on Sunday nights.

Besides providing the venue and bottled water at no cost to the performers, the church has no actual affiliation with the weekly event. It’s a unique setting for an open mic. Its high vaulted ceilings provide great acoustics and a feeling of reverence in the audience.

Dean Harlem is a 20-year-old traveling musician who has been living in San Francisco for the past year and a half. He said the first thing he did after moving here was Google “open mics,” which is how he found out about Sunday night mic.

He checked it out one Sunday evening and was struck by the beauty of the church and the feeling experienced while on stage. He has continued to be a regular performer there ever since.

“It’s a really cool feeling. It’s something really spiritual. It’s a mystical kind of feeling, very heavenly,” Harlem said. “You could stand up there all day and sing to yourself; it’s a really nice experience.”

The beautiful setting of Sunday Night Mic is complemented by the stillness of the room, which adds to the unique experience. While a performer is on stage the audience scattered through out the church pews are silent as the music echoes throughout the chapel.

Rachel Shahvar, who sang and played two of her own original songs on the acoustic guitar May 6, appreciates how this audience differs from what you get at your typical open mic nights, making this one her favorite.

“The acoustics are amazing so everyone sounds really good and it’s really mellow,” Shahvar said. “Most open mics are at a bar and it’s a really big event with drinking, but this one is just super low key. It’s really nice.”

Sunday Night Mic is held most Sundays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church located on the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Clay Street. Performers of all kinds are welcome to sign in and play two songs of their choice. A sound system and grand piano are provided.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 9

05.09.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

10 A R T S A N D E N T E R T A I N M E N T

PACIFIC HEIGHTS This quiet residential neighborhood packs in a lot more personality than what is expected from an upperclass neighborhood. From the colorful shops and boutiques that inhabit Fillmore Street to the relaxed earthiness of Bush Street, this idyllic area provides various food options from small local cafes to upscale, high-end restaurants for tourists and locals alike.

SWEET TOOTH

BAKER & BANKER Owned by a husband-and-wife team, this upscale restaurant offers a finedining experience without the uptight atmosphere. The globally influenced menu becomes more diverse as the day goes on as it changes from brunch to dinner. Be sure to catch the brunch offerings, which include the sumptuous Bananas Foster french toast bread pudding topped with toasted pecans.

1701 Octavia St.

CHEAP EATS

THE GROVE FILLMORE This comfy little deli and cafe amps up the ho-hum selection of sandwiches, soups and salads found at other cafes. The french onion soup, which is baked with a generous layer of gruyere cheese and topped with freshly chopped parsley, pairs perfectly with the gourmet sandwiches, particularly the savory Brazilian tri-tip sandwich.

2016 Fillmore St.

ROMANTIC

FRESCA Situated in the quaint Northern end of Fillmore Street, this tapas restaurant serves up a bevy of authentic Peruvian dishes ranging from a plethora of ceviche to rice dishes. Try out their zesty ceviche de coco, which consists of ahi tuna, red jalapenos and honey cashews thoroughly soaked in a creamy coconut leche.

2114 Fillmore St.

WILDCARD

RED DOOR CAFE Don’t be confused when you’re handed a baby doll while waiting to be seated.

From the kitschy knickknacks to the vintage portraits that adorn the pastel-colored walls, this humble restaurant provides an odd atmosphere that, interestingly enough, accentuates the food. Just ask for the “Park your wife and taste my salmon” dish, which would start anyone’s day on the right foot.

1608 Bush St.

AN XPRESS GUIDE TO DINING IN THE CITY. COMPILED BY EAST BAY DWELLER AND VORACIOUS FOODIE MATT MAXION, WHO ENJOYS WRITING ABOUT THE BAY AREA FOOD SCENE. HE IS ALSO THE SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR FOR THE GOLDEN GATE XPRESS.

SCREENING SUCCESS: SF State cinema major Bruce Mitchell watches a student-produced film during a preview session for the 52nd Film Finals. The festival compiles documentaries, live-action and animation movies for a night of the best cinema student works. Photo by Hang Cheng

PROJECTING A LEGACY OF SKILL

F

BY HUNTER MULICH | hunter@mail.sfsu.edu

fourth time, but is participating for the first. “We’re demonstrating ILM INDUSTRY GIANTS LIKE DANNY these skills, and there is a lot of work in these films.”

Glover and Dana Carvey attended SF State, Na was also involved in making a few movies that were and this Friday a new class of possible stars submitted to appear. He said that, will get their time to like him, many of the students are inshine on the silver volved in multiple aspects of producscreen. tion, from doing background acting The 52nd Film to helping with light and sound.

Finals are just about “It’s an odd class. We’re not ready to hit the limelight. About 70 producing films, not analyzing documentaries, live action and anicharacters or motivation, but it’s an mated films were submitted by cinema essential space,” said Farrow. “Many majors last semester, and a panel of programs have that space empty. student judges spent all Monday and Curating a festival is a massive part Tuesday pouring over the submissions TIME: 7 p.m. of the industry.” to pick out 15.

Funding for the festival is given At that ripe age, the screening is through the department, though an older than much larger festivals like DATE: Friday, May amount was not stated. Films start at Sundance and Tribeca. It doesn’t get 7 p.m. Friday, May 11 in McKenna half the attention that festival head 11 in McKenna Theatre. Tickets are $5 for students and lecturer Alexander Farrow thinks and $7 for general admission.

Theatre it deserves though, and he wants to While the title for this year’s change that. festival is “See Things Differently,” “The Bay Area at large knows Farrow says a deeper theme is the about the San Francisco InternaTICKETS: $5 for great work produced by the departtional Film Festival and the Silent Film ment. Daniel Bernardi, who joined Festival,” Farrow said. “But this has students and $7 for SF State as the cinema chair this been going on for 52 years and it’s so general admission year, has worked in the film departimportant. These are the emerging filmments at Arizona State University makers on the scene.” and the University of California, Students from the Cinema 506 Los Angeles as well as others. He’s class have been working to produce the excited to “sit back and be wowed” festival for the last five months. The during the show. group of 20 or so students was split into committees which were “The faculty and students here, no matter what the troubles, responsible for the promotions, creating a trailer and polishing always give their best,” Bernardi said, adding that he believes this every other detail of this festival. is the oldest festival hosted by a film department in the world.

“It’s a showcase that demonstrates the mastery of an art,” “You can’t say that about other schools.” said Andy Na, a cinema major who will attend the festival for the

52ND FILM FINALS

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| 05.09.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

CFA REPS, CSU STILL AT ODDS OVER CONTRACT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

impact thousands of students across the 23-campus system.

“This is in solidarity with the presence we have at the Board of Trustees meeting today in Long Beach,” said Georgia Gero-Chen, a lecturer in the English department.

“We want to provide some information to people coming and going on campus.”

Tuesday morning, faculty and students from across the system also protested outside of the monthly CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach.

Among those picketing was CFA chapter president Wei Ming Dariotis.

Negotiations between the faculty union, which represents more than 23,000 professors, librarians, lecturers and coaches within the system, and CSU administration have entered into the fact-finding stage.

During this process both sides present their proposals to a neutral third party in hopes of reaching common ground on a new contract.

According to CSU spokesman Erik Fallis, the hope is that an agreement will be reached before the fact-finding section ends, at which time CFA leadership could call a the systemwide strike. The strike was authorized with a 95 percent approval vote last week.

“If the two sides come to an agreement, that would avoid the need for a strike,” he said.

Among the few remaining points of contention are faculty pay, class size limits, academic freedom guarantees and evaluation procedures for contracts for lecturers.

“The chancellor wants no cap on class sizes,” said Phil Klasky, a lecturer in American Indian studies department. “He wants more online classes with hundreds of students and wants to force students to take more classes through the College of Extended Learning.”

At yesterday’s picket, Sheila Tully, SF State CFA vice president, told the group, “our working conditions are students’ learning conditions.”

Several students from the Students for Quality Education group also joined in the hour-long picket and echoed her sentiment.

While the majority of students seem to support the faculty, there hasn’t been as big of a student presence as some would like to see.

“I would like to see more students involved,” said Klasky.

“This is about their education. We invite students and their parents to become more involved.”

Madeline Zolezzi, a UC Santa Cruz student who stopped briefly to listen to the speakers and took a flier, commented that it is not only the CSU who is frustrated with higher education funding in California.

“I think it’s pretty necessary. [Faculty] were striking on my campus recently, too,” she noted.

Both sides had returned to the bargaining table last week, but talks broke down Sunday night, according to a CSU press release.

Last week, prior to the breakdown in talks, Fallis said the staging of protests such as the picket Tuesday are “not relevant to the process right now.”

Faculty, however, seem to be ready to move to the next step if necessary. Addressing the crowd at the entrance to the SF State campus, Catherine Powell, CFA SF State chapter vice president, embraced the meaning behind the picket.

“We don’t want to strike, but we’re getting to that point, and we need to let the community know what’s going on,” she said.

“WE DON’T WANT TO STRIKE, BUT WE’RE GETTING TO THAT POINT, AND WE NEED TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON” CATHERINE POWELL, CFA SF STATE CHAPTER VICE PRESIDENT

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05.09.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

12 S P O R T S PLAYER

BRANDEN PETRANGEL0

of the

BASEBALL

WEEK

Branden Petrangelo has been chosen as the Xpress Player of the Week. Petrangelo pitched nine full innings at Sunday’s 4-2 victory, giving up only seven hits and two runs. It was Petrangelo’s last home game as the starting pitcher for SF State’s baseball season. He finished the season with a 6-5 record, with five saves in 79.2 innings pitched and a 4.86 earned run average.

PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS

HEALTH IN STRIDES: Campus Recreation Department Director Ajani Byrd and his mother cross the finish line at the Walk for Wellness 5k event, which was initially proposed by student Christian Swanson to bring campus attention to health and exercise. Photo by Vonique Stricklen

W

Student organizes 5k run to raise health awareness

BY VONIQUE STRICKLEN | vstricklen@mail.sfsu.edu

Community involvement satisfied only part of Swanson’s vision. His grandfather’s HEN HE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE FIRST, stroke was a critical moment in Swanson’s life that compelled him to do something 23-year-old kinesiology major Christian Swanson got to that would bring attention to the issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control live his year-long dream of running for wellness. and Prevention, strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in America as of 2009, After his grandfather suffered a stroke a year ago, after heart disease, cancer and lower respiratory diseases like emphySwanson was inspired to find a creative sema and chronic bronchitis. way to bring awareness and support for “It’s a big deal and it shouldn’t be overlooked,” Swanson said. the recovery of the condition. While “Especially when such small things, even like today (the 5k), can really working as a student manager for the make a difference.” campus recreation department, Swanson proposed an idea to orgaStrokes are like having a heart attack in the brain. Increasing physinize a run for stroke recovery and promote health clinics in the area. cal activity, eating a healthy diet and quitting smoking can reduce the Though his idea was not completely brought to life, the department risk of having a stroke, according to the World Health Organization. still saw potential in part of his dream.

“Numerous studies have shown that even modest amounts of physi“It turned out that it would be more likely to be successful if we cal activity can create an enormous increase in cardiovascular fitness,” made it an overall walk for wellness,” Swanson said. said Regula Dhedhi, a kinesiology professor.

When Swanson quit the department in Fall 2011, he left the plans This is just a For the 73 students and staff who participated in the event, it made to create a walk for wellness with his colleagues Alex Royea and different aspect a difference physically and socially. Participants ran the course with Brandon Brewster, campus recreation facility managers. His idea of student life. To friends, family and partners. Campus recreation director Ajani Byrd not went from being very specific to a holistic approach on promoting bring our first 5k only ran himself, but invited his mother to participate in the event. health and overall well-being.

“After a year and change of actually working and figuring out the walk on campus “I think wellness is always linked to positivity,” said Royea, a numbers, it has actually come to fruition,” Byrd said. “I’m really excited psychology major. “And anything in school related to positivity is is a big deal. It about that.” good.” just brings the Inspiration waited at the end of the finish line, as participants were Both Royea and Brewster felt the timing of the walk for wellness campus community offered healthy snacks and were encouraged to write down their own would be better placed closer to the end of the semester as a way to together in a “words of wellness” on a poster at the end of the race. relieve stress and give students a reason to get out and exercise. The different way.

“Wellness is subjective and we are aware of that,” Brewster said. “So event took place April 22 and was open to the entire SF State comwhat we try to do is provide lots of outlets for people to find out what munity and Bay Area residents. Mothers, children, students, faculty Joseph Greenwell and staff all participated in the event which looped around the entire STUDENT LIFE DIRECTOR wellness means to them.”

Though the initial idea was to develop awareness in regards to stroke campus twice. Joseph Greenwell, dean of students and student life victims within the Bay Area community, Swanson was pleased with the director, was excited to participate in the 5K and contribute to the direction the campus took in promoting wellness. community.

“There’s a lot of contributing factors of lifestyle that wellness can really address,” “This is just a different aspect of student life,” Greenwell said, who ran the event he said. “I think one of the main goals for wellness and the walk was to increase activin 35 minutes. “To bring our first 5k walk on campus is a big deal. It just brings the ity and this sense of well-being and understanding the benefits of group activity.” campus community together in a different way.”

“

BASEBALL

SCORES FROM THE LAST WEEK OF GATOR SPORTS

WIN

May 4 vs. Cal State East Bay 6-5

LOSS

May 5 vs. Cal State East Bay 5-6

LOSS

May 5 vs. Cal State East Bay 2-9

WIN

May 6 vs. Cal State East Bay 4-2

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD May 3 vs. CCAA Championships 4th out of 8 May 4 vs. CCAA Championships 4th out of 8

GATORS’ SPORTS SCHEDULE FRIDAY, MAY 11 WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD SF State at Cal State Stanislaus Twilight Qualifier (Turlock, Calif.)

S P O R T S 13

| 05.09.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Student athletes use summer break for training The final game of the competitive season marks the end of games and rivalries; but for dedicated athletes, the offseason is a time to work hard and continue to excel.

BY ALVARO ALFARO | aalfaro@mail.sfsu.edu

For many students the summer is the perfect time to unwind from the monotony of “It’s just what happens, I guess,” Brennan said, who also struggles with a recurring the semester. But student athletes don’t have that luxury. Their summers are the time to patellar tendinitis. “With time it just wears down my tendon and weakens (it) so my increase training and prepare for the next competitive season. tendon is a lot weaker than it used to be. It definitively gets frustrating because I can’t During a team’s athletic season, an immense amount of pain, sweat and determinaget up on time to hit the ball and it slows me down sometimes.” tion goes into games in hopes of getting to the division championships. Though the Nagging injuries can stall a player’s training in the offseason and take a toll emocompetitive season is the highlight for many athletes, the offseason is where the bulk tionally. After she had been told by coaches that she needs to be more explosive, she of a player’s growth happens physically and mentally. They have to do focused on making her jump higher. She may have found the perfect whatever it takes year round to improve their skills. Sometimes new outlet in beach volleyball during the offseason. training methods are implemented to make workouts different and fun, “That’s a good workout in itself because the sand is really tough but new training doesn’t always mesh well with players. to move in, jump in and to play in,” Brennan said. “I have become “The summer is the time to get in whatever you need to get in. a smarter player since I started playing beach volleyball. I definitely Every single day is a fight,” said Jordan Reudy, sophomore basketball learned a lot about placement and I’ve gotten a lot better at serving.” player. “You don’t always get increasingly better during the season; as Workouts can only go so far if there isn’t a driving force to push a team you do, but individually you don’t have the time to do all those them into competition. Junior wrestler Isaiah Jimenez is driven by the I lost in overtime workouts.” goals he wants to accomplish next year. He keeps his focus by rememto an AllReudy recently transferred from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, bering a critical loss from last season.

American so that Calif., to the Gators, but he’s already getting into the offseason work“I lost in overtime to an All-American so that match has been drivmatch has been out programs as well as his individual training. Reudy has a traditional ing me all offseason so far,” Jimenez said. “So being pissed has been driving me all mentality when it comes to training; he puts in the hard work in the driving me... And I’m pretty sure it will drive me all freaking summer offseason so far... gym by doing jumping workouts and gaining vertical inches. long. It still pisses me off.”

And I’m pretty In just about every level of competition, players must dedicate time During his offseason, Jimenez has picked up barefoot training and sure it will drive and energy to offseason training, giving players a chance to improve has also began exercising outdoors in addition to doing his regular liftme all freaking their game and build on their skill set through various methods. Reudy ing in the gym. summer long. has an open mind to do some of the other new training methods used by “(Barefoot training) is a different type of running and it makes your his team. muscles a lot more sore,” said Jimenez. “Whatever it takes to get more Isaiah Jimenez “We just started doing yoga as a team and I can definitely tell it’s in shape (and) stronger.”

WRESTLER helping. It’s a pretty tough workout,” Reudy said. “It’s a lot about The offseason is the universal similarity with all sports. SF State strength... Most people just think it’s just flexibility.” athletes who are currently in the offseason from basketball, wrestling Avoiding injuries and staying in game shape are some of the most crucial aspects of and volleyball all have different training regiments, but the drive to continue to improve the offseason, which is why it is important to maintain training and eat healthy when the is what links all of these athletes. regular season has come to an end.

“Not everyone works as hard as you, and there’s some people that may work harder Junior volleyball player Kelsie Brennan has not had the leisure of focusing on the than you, but it’s all up to how good you want to be,” Reudy said. “You should know normal team practices since having ACL surgery five years ago. Each offseason is a what you have to do. You should go out everyday and work your ass off. And if you battle to get healthy and maintain stamina, which has become progressively worse for don’t, you shouldn’t be on the team.” her with each passing year.

“

FEEL GOOD THIS SUMMER

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05.09.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

14 O P I N I O N STAFF EDITORIAL

KELLY GOFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF kgoff@mail.sfsu.edu

THE 10 THINGS THE NEXT PRES NEEDS TO KNOW

SARA DONCHEY

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu

SCOTT GRAF

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR sgraf99@mail.sfsu.edu

GODOFREDO VASQUEZ

MEDIA EDITOR gvasquez@mail.sfsu.edu

NATALIE YEMENIDJIAN ART DIRECTOR nataliey@mail.sfsu.edu

MICHELLE OLSON

ONLINE COPY CHIEF maolson@mail.sfsu.edu

CASSIE BECKER

PRINT COPY CHIEF cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu

TAMERRA GRIFFIN

CAMPUS EDITOR tgriffin@mail.sfsu.edu

LISA CARMACK

CITY EDITOR lcarmack@mail.sfsu.edu

HUNTER MULICH

A&E EDITOR hunter@mail.sfsu.edu

KC CROWELL

OPINION EDITOR kcrowell@mail.sfsu.edu

KEALAN CRONIN

SPORTS EDITOR kealancronin@mail.sfsu.edu

KRISSA STANTON

BREAKING NEWS EDITOR kstanton@mail.sfsu.edu

HENRY NGUYEN

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR nenhenry@mail.sfsu.edu

GIL RIEGO JR.

ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR griegojr@mail.sfsu.edu

JUAN DE ANDA

ASSISTANT CAMPUS EDITOR juand@mail.sfsu.edu

ELISSA TORRES

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR elissat@mail.sfsu.edu

MATT MAXION

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu

T

HE name of the new campus president is expected to be announced any day, and while the next president is sure to be inundated with suggestions on how to best fill the shoes of the longserving President Corrigan, Xpress thought we would throw our two cents into the conversation: Welcome!

This is surely an exciting time for you. SF State is a wholly unique environment. We’re socially and ethnically diverse. We are opinionated and savvy.

We are a fiercely intelligent group of students who like to be a part of the conversation (as if this letter didn’t already represent that.)

With that in mind, you probably didn’t get the same kind of orientation we did when we all stepped onto campus for the first time.

So we’ve assembled a handy list of tips for you. Consider this a reference for issues big and small that might come up as you adjust to life on our beautiful but perpetually foggy campus.

1. Develop a caffeine addiction. SF State recently welcomed another branch of Peet’s Coffee to our roster of four other cafes. With your never-ending schedule, you might want to make good friends with the baristas.

2. While you’re waiting in line for that cup of coffee, talk with those around you. Being a visible part of the campus community will go a long way not only to making you

ART BY SARA DONCHEY | sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu

feel more at home here, but also to easing tensions between students and administration.

3. Parking around campus is like trying to find a seat on BART after a Giants game.

Maybe you can get a fixed-gear bicycle, although you’ll have to then get some skinny jeans, cheap Ray-ban knockoffs and drink PBR -- tough call on that one.

4. Make an effort to reign in class sizes.

Heck, take a class. May we recommend the experimental college? Careful though, class credit is disputable.

5. Prioritize spending. Nothing should come before classes, students and teachers.

Without any one of them, there’d be no University and all the shiny new buildings and special projects would be wasted.

6. You might want to create your own

meme before the students beat you to it, you probably won’t like their version.

7. Be an open book. In the CSU and campus administration can be a labyrinth of offices and red tape, it’s within your prerogative to change all that and be a beacon of light.

8. The faculty fight for a fair contract will most likely not be over before you step foot on campus. Deal fairly and honestly with your professors, lecturers, coaches and librarians as they go through this struggle.

You may not be the one making the decisions, but how you approach this fight will speak volumes to those you will lead.

9. Although your housing stipend may sound like a lot of money, you’re in San Francisco now. Get a roommate or two.

10. Last, but most importantly, remember that not everything can be fixed with tuition increases.

RACHELE KANIGEL

FACULTY ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu

KEN KOBRE

PHOTO ADVISER kobre@kenkobre.com

JUSTIN OROZCO

CIRCULATION jaorozo@mail.sfsu.edu

ARUN UNNIKRASHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu

EVA CHARLES

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu

MONICA QUESADA

PRODUCTION ggxads@mail.sfsu.edu

WRITE US A LETTER The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words.

Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to KC Crowell at: krowell@mail.sfsu.edu

ABOUT XPRESS The Golden Gate Xpress is a student-produced publication of the journalism department at San Francisco State University.

For more information or comments, please contact Kelly Goff at: kgoff@mail.sfsu.edu

Debt shouldn’t be easily forgiven

BY KALE WILLIAMS | kale@mail.sfsu.edu

Student loan debt is on pace to pass the $1 trillion mark in the coming months, increasing at a rate of roughly $2,853 per second, according to Finaid.com.

In light of that, Moveon.org has been circulating a petition online that calls for “forgiving the student loan debt of all Americans,” in support of House Resolution 365, which would do exactly that. So far, the petition has more than 670,000 signatures.

The reason I can’t, in good conscience, sign the petition is that if we’re going to start passing out loan forgiveness, a more nuanced approach is required than just heaping all college students together and saying “all is forgiven.”

As a student, loan forgiveness originally sounded like a great idea to me. On top of the fact it would get me out of years of expensive loan payments, the petition points to the stimulating effect loan forgiveness would have on the national economy, putting hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars into people’s pockets every month, and it’s hard to argue against that line of reasoning.

The problem is that proponents of loan forgiveness are attempting to use an axe to fix a problem better suited for a scalpel. While many students, particularly those using federal subsidies or who come from low-income households, certainly deserve some relief from the crushing weight of student debt, wiping out all debt for all students strikes me as overkill.

College graduates have a significantly higher earning potential than those who don’t obtain a degree. Those with a bachelor’s degree earn an average of nearly $30,000 more per year than their high school educated counterparts, according to 2007 census figures. Graduates may not make enough right out of school to start making payments, but that doesn’t mean they should be forgiven. It means a more balanced approach is necessary that takes into account the incrementally increasing salaries of

recent grads.

Beyond that, there are already a number of ways that deserving students can have their loans forgiven. Students who volunteer, join the military or teach for a certain number of years are eligible to have portions of their student debt forgiven.

Under income-based repayment, students who struggle financially aren’t forced to pay until they reach a certain level of income and students who still owe after 25 years can have their remaining balance cancelled.

With loan default rates higher than they’ve been since 1997, according to the Department of Education, I wouldn’t attempt to argue that student loans are easy things to pay off, but because of alarming statistics like these it is more important than ever to deploy our resources wisely and to those most in need.

I realized after reading the petition that my initial urge to sign wasn’t based on critical thinking, or what would be best for students, but on my own desire to get something for free.

I would never deny that there are students who deserve to have their loans forgiven, but there also plenty of students who can afford their loan payments who would be amnestied under this plan. While it’s easy to paint this problem with a wide brush, it doesn’t seem fair to forgive the debt of such a wide swath of society when so many others are struggling just as much, if not more.

It all comes down to a basic question of fairness. Do we, as college students, deserve to have all of our debts, which we all took on knowingly, forgiven more than anyone else who is facing bills they’re having trouble paying?

As much as I’d like to say yes, for my wallet’s sake, until this petition is specifically tailored to exclude those among us who can pay, the answer is no.

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military, but it wasn’t until 1994 that congress repealed a ban for women to be deployed on combat ships. Women are still fighting for equal pay. Now states like Arizona are pushing legislation that will undoubtedly lessen access to abortions for women. It is as if the phrase “Roe v. Wade” means nothing to lawmakers.

So how many examples do the “majority” need to recognize that the war on women is real?

And what other rights will politicians and other elitists take before we are back to being considered a sub-categorization within the human race?

It is sad that so many fail to see how people in power inflict measures of control on less politically powerful groups. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, as women we need to see the bigger picture. Civil rights should not be made or adjusted using the excuse of a dwindling economy. What message is the government trying to send? That it’s too expensive to let us have the right to think and make decisions for ourselves, so they get to take that “privilege” away.

The fight for equality did not end after landing the first blow. In fact, most fights don’t end with a one hitter quitter. But a fight is a conversation between at least two parties in battling positions. The first hit only gets your opponent’s attention. The victory is determined by the person who knows how to impose and advance their will without conceding to the trickery of their opponent.

Don’t allow those in power to trick us into believing that there is no war on women. Be fearless and remember that you are not in this war alone.

EAR MS. PRO-CHOICE, MS. PRO-LIFE, MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND ROCK THE SLUT VOTE UNITED, DISTINGUISHED FEMINISTS AND WOMEN ACROSS THE GLOBE:

I am here to make the announcement that the “war on women” is not a figment of your imagination -- it’s real. If you have been told that we’ve already had our suffrage and we should be satisfied with the rights we have, please reject that thought from your database. If you have been told that there are women in other parts of the world who are suffering worse than you are and you should be happy with the rights we have here in the United States, don’t be satisfied.

If you have been told or scared into believing that your voice doesn’t matter -- flip the script, because that person wouldn’t try and tear you down if your voice didn’t strike a chord on the topic at hand.

The war on women has been going on much longer than the recent media attention implies.

It’s not just a political tactic that was injected into the news stream so that the presidential race would have a hot item to talk about. This war did not end when women received their right to vote in 1920 but has continued on into the next century.

In 1964 the government prohibited sexual discrimination when it comes to employment, but it wasn’t until 1976 with the case of Williams v. Saxbe when the government saw that sexual harassment was a form of sexual discrimination.

In 1942, women were allowed to serve in the

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