HARDLY STRICTLY ON PAGE 12 August 27, 2014
Serving the San Francisco State community since 1927
VOLUME LXXIX ISSUE 1
Privacy scandal hits former accounting professor
BREAKING NEWS
XPRESS EDITORS
When Julian Papadopulos heard rumors in December that another student found a hidden camera in the tissue box of an associate professor’s home bathroom, he was “completely mindblown.” “He was probably one of the most popular professors in the accounting department,” said Papadopulos, who graduated with a degree in accounting from SF State in 2012. “If not the most popular.” Months after Papadopulos heard about the allegations, police arrested associate professor Mark Landis on 15 misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy for allegedly recording students in the restroom during parties he hosted at his Castro home. Landis worked as an associate professor of accounting at SF State from 2006 before a leave of absence in November 2013, and his eventual resignation in July after the allegations were brought to the university’s attention, according to Ellen Griffin, a spokesperson for SF State. “I got drunk with him once. Not at his house, so obviously he didn’t get any videos of me,” said Papadopulos, who added that the students he knew who went to Landis’ parties were not concurrently enrolled in Landis’ courses. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department (SFSD) released Landis from county jail one day after his arrest, July 24, on $100,000 bail, according to Enrique Luquin, senior deputy at SFSD. On July 29, Thanh Ngo, attorney for Landis, entered a not guilty plea to all 15 charges against the former associate professor. “These are only allegations,” Ngo said outside the courtroom, adding that he was disappointed with how long it took the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office to present the case. Alex Bastian, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office who was also outside the courtroom, said that forensic analysis and identifying victims were two components that took the district attorney’s office a long time to process. Assistant District Attorney Laura Carwile submitted a protective order in court to prevent Landis, 38, from contacting victims in the case. Carwile also mentioned the possibility of there being more victims who have not come forward. “You’re a professor kind of abusing the trust of victims,” said Bastian. “And the victims being students, it really puts the case in a different light.” Landis is scheduled to appear before the court Sept. 9 at 9 a.m.
Future of Science Building in deliberation
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PHOTO BY FRANK LADRA / XPRESS
CONSTRUCTION: Students exit the newly reopened Science Building on Aug. 21, after months of closure following health hazards.
MICHAEL BARBA
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR
resident Leslie E. Wong announced Monday that SF State may soon look toward private or public sources to fund the construction of a new, 200,000 square-foot science building on 19th Avenue and Bucking-
ham Way within five to six years. With support from city officials and California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White, Wong plans to establish what he said could be the only scientific research facility in San Francisco, and one where students and
faculty could work alongside industry professionals. “Whether we demolish or not, we haven’t made that decision yet,” said Wong of the current Science Building, which he added has become unsuitable for science classes. CALIFORNIA CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Student says ‘Not in my Neighborhood’ ANNA HECHT A&E EDITOR
When design and industry student Caroline Nguyen heard about a human trafficking raid in her hometown of Westminster, Orange County, she knew she had to take action. Now the SF State sophomore is making a documentary about the dangers of the industry to keep potential victims—from small towns to large countries—safe from harm. Nguyen, a member of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, said it was the organization’s ‘gold award,’ which required her to take on a project that would impact her community, that first piqued her interest in the human trafficking trade.
PHOTO BY SARA GOBETS/ XPRESS
TRAFFICKING: Design and Industry student Caroline Nguyen begins filming her documentary “Not DOCUMENTARY CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 in my Neighborhood” this week with the help of her mentor, filmmaker Cynthia Biret.
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WELCOME WEEK
Campus becomes home for incoming Gators
T NASHELLY CHAVEZ NEWS EDITOR
he sound of loaded handcarts rolling through campus and the murmur of shy introductions rang through campus last Thursday as hundreds of incoming students prepared to move into their dorms during Move-In Day. Move-In Day marked the beginning of the six day event known as Welcome Days, which is designed to introduce new students to the SF State community and campus. Among the new students was Kristy Soto, an incoming freshman from North L.A. who was drawn to San Francisco by the idea of living in a new city. “It’s amazing,” Soto said. “I’m excited but sad because I’m moving away from my friends and family. I’m just trying to adjust to it all.” Soto and her mother, Ana Soto, waited patiently in the winding lines of incoming students to check-in and receive what would soon be the keys to Soto’s home for the upcoming months. Even after a six-hour drive, the scarce SF State parking and the long lines of students waiting to check-in, Ana Soto remained patient and supportive of her daughter’s move to SF State. “It’s her dream to go here,” Ana Soto said. “Moving here is the big thing. It’s the big transition.”
PHOTOS BY FRANK LADRA / XPRESS
FAREWELL: (Top) A student gives a goodbye hug at the end of Move-In Day in front of The Village on-campus housing on Aug. 21. TEAMWORK: (Bottom) Environmental Studies major Steven Bosby, right, with the help of his father, Jeff, transports personal belongings into The Village on-campus housing during Move-In Day on Aug. 21
Soto said apresident assistants plying for housing who work with It’s kind of a relief to be here but I’m early and filling out students throughout all the necessary the year. also kind of apprehensive because I forms right away Reaching out to don’t know what’s coming. was what helped families before the secure her spot for start of summer and Jennifer Moser, on-campus housmaking information INCOMING SFSU FRESHMAN STUDENT ing. “I wanted to and resources imdo it my first year mediately available know the campus with other peoinstead of trying to to new students ple that are new to this school,” look around,” Soto said. upon arrival was also a priority Agcaoili said. For John Agcaoili, a freshfor SF State. Kevin Kinney, Interim man from West Covina, leaving “We really want to make Director of Residential Life, home was difficult. Like many sure that they get connected to said the university tries to ease incoming freshman, the process the school and they are ready the stress of moving for new of moving into his dorm remindwhen school starts on Monday,” students. ed him of the hundreds of miles said Kinney. “The first priority is for them that separated him and his family Incoming freshmen were while going off to college. “I was to get settled in their new home,” not the only students moving Kinney said. super anxious about it,”Agcaoili into the dorms at SF State for the According to Kinney, the said. first time. According to the SF university focused on preparing Although he didn’t get to State’s 2014 Data Book, 3,766 of staff and dorms for more than stay in the dorm he originally the students enrolled at SF State 2,500 students who will be living in 2013 were new undergraduate wanted, Agcaoili was ultimately on-campus. This includes everyhappy to be living on-campus. transfer students. thing from cleaning rooms and “I just feel that as an incomSome transfer students having each student assigned to ing freshman, it’s just easier to choose to live on-campus their a room, to training the staff and live on-campus and getting to first year, like junior Steven
Bosby who came from Sierra College to SF State to study Environmental Sciences. “I have friends that live in San Francisco who talk about how difficult it is to find somewhere to live in the city,” Bosby said. “Living on campus and having that taken care of avoids a lot of problems.” Bosby also said the convenience of living at school was another factor that played into his decision. “It keeps you grounded I think,” Bosby said. “Being right here, there’s no excuse for not going to class or not doing homework.” On-campus housing wasn’t everyone’s first choice. Jennifer Moser, an incoming freshman from Anaheim tried finding a place to live off-campus in order to save costs. She was also waitlisted for on-campus housing until three weeks prior to moving to San Francisco. “There was like 11 of us and we were all think about sharing a house,” Moser said. “It actually seemed like it would have been more affordable for all of us to share a big house than getting a room here.” Unable to find a place to live with the other students, Moser was relieved when she found out she had received on-campus housing. “It was really stressful not knowing where I was going to live or if I was even going to come out here,” Moser said. Moser said she will pay roughly $1,200 a month to share a room and cover food costs while she stays at SF State. “It’s kind of a relief to be here but I’m also kind of apprehensive because I don’t know what’s coming,” Moser said. nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu
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California fines university for Science Building hazards For exclusive background information on the Science Building shutdown, visit Xpress’ article, Minimal Exposure: Piecing Together a Broken Science Building, at http://www.goldengatexpress.org/2014/03/05/ minimal-exposure “But we’re not gonna even think about rehabbing it, remodeling it, fixing it, etcetera.” The announcement follows almost two months of remediation completed on the Science Building, where SF State officials have been working under deadline to abate several health and safety violations after California knocked the university with nine citations and a $4,765 fine July 1, according to campus officials. “The university considers all violations important,” said Ron Cortez, vice president and chief financial officer of administration and finance, “regardless of the penalty amount and relative rarity of such violations.” At the start of summer, the Division of Occupational Health and Safety (Cal/OSHA) cited SF
State for a lack of maintenance on hazards within the Science Building and for a shortage of safety trainings and warning signs for employees who worked near asbestos, according to Sheila R. Tully, president of California Faculty Association (CFA) campus chapter. “My understanding is the goal was to get (repairs) done by this semester,” said Wong, though two violations remain unresolved in the building. “We’re well underway there. I don’t know for a fact that it’s done, but I know they’ve been working pretty diligently.” In compliance with an initial 30-day deadline given by inspectors, the university worked to complete three outstanding violations, which included the provision of asbestos awareness
PHOTO BY FRANK LADRA / XPRESS
SCIENCE: Students walk the halls of the newly reopened Science Building on Thursday, Aug. 21.
training for employees before Aug. 6, according to Cortez. Cal/OSHA has awarded the university an additional 30 days, into September, to abate the two unfinished violations; signs warning of asbestos and the confirmation and location of asbestos in the Science Building, according to Cortez. “Regulations require that locations and quantities of asbestos be determined,” said Tully, who added that of the nine citations, two were asbestos related. “This needs to be done in the Science Building as well as in other buildings on campus. Cal/OSHA met with SF State officials, CFA and union
representatives from other colleges at a closing conference July 1, where inspectors issued the general citations against the university. Several of the violations had been abated by SF State prior to the conference, which included the clean up of surfaces where lead was detected, according to Tully. At the conference, inspectors also reported that investigations provided no evidence linking elevated levels of mercury in the Science Building to the anthropology department, according to Tully. “There was no evidence to indicate a definitive source.
However, the inspectors were very clear that it was not anthropology,” Tully said when asked of the presence of mercury in rooms used by the anthropology department as reported by an environmental consultant in January. Not unlike the statements of university contractors in February, inspectors from Cal/OSHA said at the end of the conference that the health of employees who worked in the Science Building before its closure was not at risk, according to the email from Tully. Additional reporting by Thomas De Alba
mdbarba@mail.sfsu.edu
SF State revamps online presence MICHAEL DURAN
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW. The university’s online presence now has an entirely new look thanks to a new homepage and student information system. SF State is one of the last California State Universities (CSU) to implement the student information system. “This new system is changing the way students and faculty view online university information they need,” said Brian Beatty, associate vice president for Academic Affairs Operations. “We are implementing what we call a ‘legacy system.’” Campus Solutions, the new information system which was implemented at SF State earlier this year, began its early steps in fall of 2012. The new system touches all aspects of the university from
registering classes to applying for graduation. Campus Solutions is part of the Common Management System (CMS), which provides access to data stored in campus or common databases. The update is part of a project, which is in the last of five phases in place aimed to improve the entire student information system. Beatty, who serves on both the Executive and Steering committee of the Campus Solutions project said, “We are looking to service the students and faculty in the best possible way that we can.” Before the new system, SF State used the School Information Management System (SIMS) since 1999 and is 22nd of the 23 CSUs to implement the system. San Diego State remains as the only CSU who has not converted to Campus Solutions.
President Leslie E. Wong announced the new homepage to accompany the system. “One symbol of forward movement on our campus is the new homepage for the University website,” said Wong in a university email announcing the homepage unveiled on Aug. 25. “It’s a bold departure from our former look, symbolizing SF State’s energetic, positive momentum.” Campus Solutions is foreign to the SF State community and will have problems along the way, according to Beatty. For students, it will be hard to be patient with the glitches. “I really don’t like the system,” said Danny Craemer, a graduate student in the history department. “It doesn’t support Chrome and it conveniently logs you out. It’s all over the place.” Craemer has been at the university for the past four years and believes that the adjustment
We know the new system will be good in the long run, but we know that there will be bumps along the way. Brian Beatty, ASSOCIATE VP FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS OPERATIONS
from old to new was hard to understand. Unlike Craemer, for transfer and international students, it has been an easier judgement to not have used the old system. “I think it is pretty simple and I had no problems with it,” said Danica Sharma, an international student who is in her first semester. “They provided instructions before using it.” For Sharma, the instructions provided before registering was helpful. Training classes, videos and how-to guides are provided for students and faculty to learn how to use the new system.
“A lot of students did not know that there was instructions for them to use,” said Chantal Bevard, senior BECA student. For the students at SF State, it will take take time to get acquainted with the system, and a few problems before the system becomes a norm. Beatty believes that we should be looking ahead in the future. “We know the new system will be good in the long run, but we know that there will be bumps along the way,” said Beatty. michaeld@mail.sfsu.edu
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AUGUST 27, 2014
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International students met with scarce San Francisco housing market incredibly difficult to find residence, the partner schools give priority to those with financial needs, Zamora added. “Those who go abroad will receive some services, but it’s dependent on geography. Housing is difficult for anybody in San Francisco,” said Noah Kuchins, assistant director of Office of International Programs (OIP). “It’s sometimes challenging and stressful, but it’s a fundamental part of the experience.” However Kathy Phan, senior and OIP worker, said the chaos of finding shelter is due to poor planning on the student’s part. “A lot show up two to three days before or do it last minute,” said Phan. But of the tons of emails Lange sent out, only three or four good deals transpired. In the end, he said he’s in the final stages of leasing a place in the Mission—for around
$1300 per month. “This is a lot more expensive than home and Denmark isn’t cheap at all,” said Lange. “It’s harder when you don’t have a network.” idajane@mail.sfsu.edu
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While students who head to foreign cities find themselves with wider housing options than available in San Francisco, international students who entered the university in Fall 2014 are in stiff competition for places to live. SF State offers the option of applying for on-campus housing, but due to limited space and disinterest, the 250 international students are left scrambling to find apartments. “I’m 28 and I would be sharing a room with an 18 year old who just moved out of their parents’ house,” said Lasse Lange, a student from Denmark who opted out of the dorms in favor of apartment hunting while staying in Oakland. “School is a bit out of town, it would be a hassle to do stuff.” Students who also opt-out
or can’t get dorms are offered a 15-page guide, which gives temporary shelter options and explains their rights as San Franciscan tenants. During international student orientation last week, an estimated third of the audience raised their hands when asked if they haven’t found a place to live yet. Erica Zamora, a Chinese and International Business major, left SF State on three different exchange programs in China and Taiwan, where she received help finding dorms and off-campus housing. “They were very helpful in the process abroad and even gave references to realtor offices to find apartments,” said Zamora of her host schools. “There’s a lot that you can’t do while still abroad.” On the other hand, places like Hong Kong, where it is
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IDA MOJADAD
PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY KAITLIN AGUILAR & SOFIA LIMON / XPRESS
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SF State groups aid in historic delay of Israeli ship IDA MOJADAD NEWS EDITOR
ro-Palestinian protesters delayed an Israeli ship for four consecutive days at the Port of Oakland, until it moved to a gate momentarily free of picket lines and began unloading late Tuesday, Aug. 19. Thousands kicked off the block with a march Saturday, Aug. 16, and prevented Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., Israel’s biggest shipping company, from docking that day as part of West Coast ports boycotting the occupation. A diverse coalition of dozens of Bay Area organizations, including a few SF State groups, came out to “block the boat, block block the boat” over the weekend. A collective of SF State students called Mujeres al Frente (Women to the Front) chanted ”Palestina escucha, estamos en lucha” along the way, meaning “Palestine listen, we’re in the struggle,” according to Natty, Women to the Front member who declined to give her last name. “The Israeli government is waging a war, the US being part of the violence,” Natty said of this summer’s assault on
PHOTOS BY IDA MOJADAD / XPRESS
PROTEST: (Left) Pro-Palestinian protesters embark from West Oakland BART station to boycott an Israeli ship scheduled to dock on Thursday, Aug. 16. (Right) Protester hands out water to fellow marchers heading to the Port of Oakland on Thursday, Aug. 16.
Gaza supported by decades of US military aid. “We need more international solidarity.” Other SF State student groups such as el Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana de Aztlán (MEChA), General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS), and Student Kouncil of Intertribal Nations (SKINS) were also present at the event Saturday, Aug. 16. The Israeli ship was scheduled to dock Saturday morning, but remained in the ocean the night before and prompted organizers to push the march from 5 a.m. to the afternoon. Before thousands reached the port, ship tracking service Marine Traffic showed Zim Piraeus located in Santa Cruz, avoiding Oakland. At 5pm Sunday, Arab Resource and
Organizing Center (AROC), which organized the event, sent out a text message blast calling for people to stop the ship from trying again. Within a couple hours, they had hundreds forming picket lines at different gates until the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) sent their scheduled dockworkers home. Protesters showed up in fewer numbers to picket the two shifts each on Monday and Tuesday, until Zim Piraeus seemed to set sail for Los Angeles but returned to a different gate with able workers late Tuesday, Aug. 19. Organizers say activists in Seattle, Vancouver, and Tacoma are also bracing for its arrival, aiming to completely shut it out from the Pacific. In a similar 2010
protest, Oakland demonstrators blocked an Israeli ship of the same company from docking for the first time in American history. “We’re learning from South Africa, with more focus on hitting them economically,” said Linda Ereikat, incoming freshman and member of AROC-sponsored Arab Youth Organization. In 1984, ILWU workers refused to unload a South African ship against the government’s apartheid in a string of such actions around the world. “Workers honored our picket and stood on the side of justice, as they historically have,” said AROC in a victory statement Sunday. Director Lara Kiswani added, “Every day they don’t dock, they lose millions.” idajane@mail.sfsu.edu
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What’s new on the SFSU campus? FRANK LADRA
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GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
BEST SPOTS TO
EAT ON CAMPUS
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PHOTO EDITOR
Over summer break, a handful of changes were implemented around the SF State campus. Whether a brand new student or a seasoned veteran, here are a few tips to help get to know your campus better:
Cafe Rosso is the perfect on-the-go cafe spot for gra that tasty treat between classes. Known for their aff sandwiches and ethnic dishes, Cafe Rosso offers bo flavored creations that are not limited to standard coffee-shop edibles. Also available are delicious pizza and soup selections, and courtyard seating to reward yourself with some sun after those long study hours.
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Last semester, Golden Gate Xpress reported that the Science Building had been closed due to environmental hazards that were confirmed to be traces of mercury and asbestos. After being closed for necessary construction in Spring 2014, the building is reopened and ready for use. However, several health and safety violations still remain as campus officials scramble to resolve the issues before the semester is underway. Read more about this on page 4.
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Athletes, coaches and sports fans are just as excited for the soon-to-be-revealed $2.1 million renovation that the gymnasium had over the summer as they were for the unvealing of the new Gator mascot. Said to be introduced on Sept. 11, according to Director of Sports Information Joe Danahey, the facelift will include a new floor in the main gym, a unisex bathroom and complete remodels of the 60-year-old locker rooms.
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Students who commute from surrounding areas might notice a change in price for two methods of transportation this fall. Effective in September, Muni prices will raise 25 cents per one way ticket. For those who choose to drive to school, the parking garage prices have already been raised. To learn more about this inflation, check out the related story on page 10.
Ike’s Place is a sandwich staple not only on campus, but in 11 other locations scattered throughout the Bay Area. With a huge menu of specialty sandwiches and more than 60 items to assemble into the perfect creation, Ike’s has built its reputation on uniqueness and a little taste of the unexpected. Lines are often long, but worth it, especially if your sandwich includes jalapeno poppers or deep-fried mozzarella sticks.
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The Village Market & Pizza is ideal for that indecisive student who can’t choose whether they wants a hearty sandwich or a greasy slice to calm their grumbling belly. Open late, the Village Market is great for those late night study sessions that keep you on campus long after most places have closed. Don’t forget to order the garlic bread!
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Taza Smoothies & Wraps offers a wide array of delicious bites, like the Mediterranea lamb gyro or the hearty Mexican burrito. And for a filling meal that will last you thro three-hour lecture, grab super nachos and a mango smoothie and be on your way in a
TOUR THE ART ON CAMPUS PHOTOS BY SARA GOBETS / XPRESS
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1. Catch this stegosaurus dutifully guarding the gates to the Fine Arts building. 2. Cut through the trees in front of the gym to catch a glimpse of this little guy, but don’t get too close! This small bee sculpture actually marks the opening of a real hive that has taken root in of the trunks. 3. You’ll find it hard to avoid this giant’s gaze if you cut through the pathway between the Fine Arts Building and Burk Hall.
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BRADLEY FOCHT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF bfocht@mail.sfsu.edu
MICHAEL BARBA
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR mdbarba@mail.sfsu.edu
LAUREN SEWARD
ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR lseward@mail.sfsu.edu
EVELYN CAICEDO
ART DIRECTOR ecaicedo@mail.sfsu.edu
KAITLIN AGUILAR
ART ASSISTANT kaitlina@mail.sfsu.edu
SOFIA LIMON
ART ASSISTANT slimon@mail.sfsu.edu
SARA GOBETS
PHOTO EDITOR scgobets@mail.sfsu.edu
FRANK LADRA
PHOTO EDITOR fladra@mail.sfsu.edu
NASHELLY CHAVEZ
NEWS EDITOR nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu
IDA MOJADAD
NEWS EDITOR idajane@mail.sfsu.edu
ANNA HECHT
A&E EDITOR ahecht@mail.sfsu.edu
MADISON RUTHERFORD OPINION EDITOR maddie@mail.sfsu.edu
THOMAS DE ALBA
SPORTS EDITOR tdealba@mail.sfsu.edu
MICHAEL DURAN
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR michaeld@mail.sfsu.edu
WILL CARRUTHERS
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR wcarruth@mail.sfsu.edu
RACHELE KANIGEL
PRINT ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu
JESSE GARNIER
MULTIMEDIA ADVISER jesse@sfbay.ca
SCOT TUCKER
PHOTO ADVISER tucker@kobre.com
EVA CHARLES
ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu
ARUN UNNIKRISHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu
ANNA LARK / SPECIAL TO XPRESS
Increased Rates Fuel Commuter Struggle MADISON RUTHERFORD OPINION EDITOR
It’s hard enough to roll out of bed to make an 8 a.m. class. For the 88 percent of SF State students who live off campus, the struggle is even more real. Many students must rely on the questionably steadfast steeds known as Muni and BART. For some, it’s a traffic-ridden car commute across the bridge. But this semester, being a student at a “commuter school” is about to get a lot more difficult. “Please pay your fare share” is a phrase that rings an all too familiar bell if you’re a regular Muni patron. But is it really fair? Effective Sept. 1, Muni fares will rise from $2 to $2.25 and Muni and BART fast passes will increase by $2 and $4 respectively. Drivers will also be impacted because daily on-campus parking rates have increased from $6 to $7. In 2010, it only cost $5 a day to park at school. The impending hike in parking rates and Muni fares will make it even more difficult than before to get to and from SF State. Among ever-increasing rent, tuition, health fees and overpriced books the least of a student’s worries should be affording
their morning commute. Let’s break it down—say you have classes 4 days a week. If Muni is your preferred method of transit, that’s $80 a month. If you drive every day, parking alone is $112. What about the days paying for laundry or your utilities bill takes precedence? Be prepared to see more empty seats in your lectures this semester as people may not be able to afford the commute to class. SF State also offers a semester-long parking pass, but at nearly $450 for a Monday through Thursday permit, it’s not much of a deal. It doesn’t end there. The recent hike in transit prices is part of a plan implemented in 2009 aimed to gradually increase fare prices every two years until 2020. The plan will bring in an estimated $325 million in revenue that will go toward new projects like a control system that will run trains more frequently. Hopefully this will end crowded commutes and seemingly endless bus stop wait times. The same goes for parking—we can only hope the increase in rates will supply an expanded parking structure so trying to find a parking spot is no longer a quest for the Holy Grail. So what’s the solution? First of all,
students should not have to struggle to get to school. While going to a university is obviously a huge investment in and of itself, we shouldn’t have to worry about how we’re going to get there. And we definitely should not have to be given an ultimatum when thinking about where to spend our hard-earned paychecks or grants—food or Muni fare? A parking pass or rent? SFMTA should recognize that the majority of State students use public transportation to get to school. University of San Francisco students are given Muni passes each semester with a small fee tacked onto their tuition. Students at USF, where nearly 40 percent of students live on campus, are able to ride the bus in ignorant bliss, unaware of the disparity. SF State faculty are given heavily discounted parking passes. Why aren’t students given the same liberties? Daily commuters should get discounted parking permits like faculty do. We work just as hard to be here. We should be commended, not punished. If SF State is a commuter school, why doesn’t it cater to commuters? maddie@mail.sfsu.edu
SADE BROWNE
CIRCULATION sbrowne822@gmail.com
SHAWN PERKINS
STUDENT GRAPHIC DESIGNER smperk@sfsu.edu
XPRESS YOURSELF
WRITE US A LETTER The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words. Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to Madison Rutherford at: maddie@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 Brad Focht at: bfocht@mail.sfsu.edu
WE ASKED SF STATE STUDENTS:
Would you pay extra tuition for free Muni rides ? Photos & Reporting by: Madison Rutherford
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I think it’s reasonable, but I don’t take public transportation enough.
MARIVEL GONZALEZ, 23 KINESIOLOGY
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I think it should be an option that you can pick so that people that don’t use transportation wouldn’t have to use it.
JANICE CABALLERO, 18 UNDECLARED
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Absolutely. They have to make it optional because not everybody wants or needs to park or take public transportation.
JOHN DIAMANTIDIS, 21
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
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Music
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Hardly Strictly enters 14th year of free bluegrass and more
PHOTO BY SARA GOBETS / XPRESS
TRAFFICKING: Sophomore Caroline Nguyen’s film about human trafficking will be shown at the Tedx Teen Challenge conference in September.
Documentary uncovers the crime ‘no one wants to talk about’ ANNA HECHT A&E EDITOR
Nguyen later found out she was one of the top three winners of this award by seeing the announcement in her email’s spam folder. Nguyen felt excited that her fight for this awareness had been noticed and she was later able to present her project in front of 2,000 people, including the mayor, in Westminster. She knew then, since having an interest in marketing, that she could turn her presentation into something bigger. A documentary was just the thing to reach more audiences outside her small town and into larger cities. Along with being a winner of the contest, Nguyen received a scholarship and two mentors to help with her film, filmmaker Cynthia Biret and TEDx Teen Challenge mentor Philip Topham. Nguyen is beginning to film her documentary this week, during her 19th birthday, and said the process so far has gone smoothly in her role as producer. Biret added that the film will not be your typical public service announcement. “Editorially, we will progressively reveal the victims’ day to day lives, and see “clients” looking for young girls for sexual purposes,” Biret said, adding that the film will not show any nudity.
Nguyen said she has enjoyed being able to tell others about why her passion for the film is so important to her. She also said it’s been difficult at times trying to get her film shown, such as when she tried to have a viewing at the high school in her hometown, because parents or school officials found the material inappropriate or too sensitive. “Human trafficking is actually the second largest world crime in terms of profit, right after drugs,” Nguyen said. “But it’s the world’s largest underrated crime because no one wants to talk about it.” Nguyen, still determined, continued on in hopes of putting together a well thought out documentary to bring the topic of human trafficking out of the shadows. She thoroughly began to research statistics and conduct interviews to gain more insight into the trade. “There’s a lot of statistics we need to keep in mind,” she said. “For example, half the victims are only under 16 years old when they first are sold to slavery.” Initially thinking the trade only occurred in certain countries, Nguyen soon discovered that human trafficking is occurring everywhere—from her small hometown to large countries to big cities, such as San Francisco. To read more of this article, visit goldengatexpress.org
ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ / SPECIAL TO XPRESS
HARDLY: (Top) Glen Hansard, singer/songwriter from Ireland graces the Rooster Stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival Oct. 7, 2012. (Bottom Left) Conor Oberst, front man of Bright Eyes, headlined the Rooster Stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. (Bottom Right) People used trees as vantage points during Festival.
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LAUREN SEWARD
ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
ell into the fall semester, unemployed students living off the Dining Center’s food and scraping away the leftovers from their financial aid checks may find themselves broke and bored, wishing they had somewhere to go. Luckily for the SF State student body, the cost-and commercial-free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival will return from Friday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 5. To many in San Francisco, the thought of dropping $200 on one of the many three-day music festivals throughout California may seem obscene. Thanks to the late local venture capitalist, banjo-picker and bluegrass-lover, Warren Hellman, the gigantic Festival, held in Hellman Hollow in Golden Gate Park, is entering its 14th year. The annual celebration of bluegrass (and some not bluegrass) is one of the most sought after events in the Bay Area, drawing a crowd annually that exceeds the population of San Francisco according to
Tracey Buck, a publicist for the Festival. Hellman founded the “Strictly Bluegrass Festival” in 2001 with the intent to solely invite bluegrass musicians, but added “Hardly” to the name in 2004 after non-bluegrass artists asked to perform. “I think it’s a combination of every possible genre – from gospel to rock – and everything in-between (that Festival-goers look forward too),” said Buck. “But everyone walks away having made a new discovery.” Freshman Gabby Ramirez is “stoked to have somewhere free to go see music. I’m most excited for Carlene Carter’s performance and am going to try to get all of my family to come up to see her.” Ramirez explained how worried she was that she wouldn’t be able to go to any events in the city before moving up here from her hometown, because she’d always heard how expensive the city has become. In addition to being admission-free, the Festival is commercial-free, meaning that from its foundation Hellman subsidised all costs of the Festival to remove any influence from sponsors. Various corporations
approached Hellman over the years, offering to sponsor the event, but they were always turned away.“When you go to a festival like Outside Lands you find yourself bombarded with in-your-face advertisements,” said Fabian Ramirez, who returns to Hardly Strictly every summer since his first experience in 2002. “It’s nice not having all of that nonsense in your face when you’re just trying to enjoy the music.” This year, guests will get to enjoy a variety of tunes, from alternative hip-hop supergroup Deltron 3030, to the alternative folk rock of Thao & the Get Down Stay Down and the food-concerned lyrics of Cibo Matto. Festival-goers are welcome to bring their own food and drink, but all will have the option to consume quality meals from over 50 vendors. Alcohol, however, will not be sold. Hardly Strictly begins on Friday, Oct. 3 from noon to 7 p.m. and continues on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Hellman Hollow, Lindley and Marx Meadows in Golden Gate Park. lseward@mail.sfsu.edu
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2014 Hardley-Strictly Bluegrass Festival Lineup Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real St. Paul & The Broken Bones Lake Street Dive Blue Rodeo Ryan Adams Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds The Apache Relay Jesse DeNatale Steve Earle & The Dukes Chris Isaak The Waybacks Moonalice Parker Millsap Sarah Jarosz Reckless Kelly Johnnyswim Hot Rize Featuring Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers The Aquabats! Carlene Carter Blackie and The Rodeo Kings Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin with The Guilty Ones Tweedy Social Distortion Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
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Contact GGX Ad Office echarles@sfsu.edu 415.338.3133
Alison Brown Quintet Shelly Colvin Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun Peter Rowan’s Twang An’ Groove Dave Rawlings Machine Bruce Cockburn The McCrary Sisters Hurray For The Riff Raff Bad Luck Jonathan Lucinda Williams The Mastersons Willie Watson Caitlin Rose The Sam Chase Justin Townes Earle Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Lone Bellow Chuck Cannon The Go To Hell Man Clan Yo La Tengo Holler Down The Hollow: A Hardly Strictly Salute To the Masters (Dickens, Hellman, Reed, Scruggs, Seeger, Watson & Winchester)
The High Bar Gang Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn Poor Man’s Whiskey Jason Isbell Chris Smither Built To Spill The Time Jumpers Featuring Vince Gill, Kenny Sears, Dawn Sears and Ranger Doug Green Rose’s Pawn Shop Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express ‘Strings In The Temple’ Whograss The Flatlanders Featuring Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys Deltron 3030 with The 3030 Orchestra X Acoustic Malawi Mouse Boys Buckwheat Zydeco Cibo Matto Buddy Miller’s Cavalcade of Stars: Kate York, Striking Matches, Nikki
Lane, Shawn Colvin, Tony Joe White, Buddy Miller & Friends Emmylou Harris Jerry Douglas Presents Earls of Leicester John Prine Robbie Fulks Mavis Staples The Felice Brothers Sun Kil Moon Kevin Welch Kieran Kane & Fats Kaplin Evolfo Red Baraat Robert Earl Keen Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas Dwight Yoakam Dry Branch Fire Squad Conor Brings Friends For Friday Featuring: Waxahatchee, The Good Life, Jonathan Wilson, Sharon Van Etten, Dawes, Conor Oberst Rising Appalachia Rosanne Cash T Bone Burnett
14 SPORTS
GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
PHOTO BY AMANDA PETERSON / XPRESS
CHANGE: Charles Guthrie, the new athletic director, looks over the field at Cox Stadium Tuesday, Aug. 26, at SF State.
New director sets bar high for athletics
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THOMAS DE ALBA SPORTS EDITOR
F State’s new athletic director began only months ago. Since then he’s hired three new coaches and reinvented the Gator image. “It has been a fun project to kick off our objective of creating a consistent brand identity for SF State athletics,” said Charles Guthrie, the new athletic director who introduced a new Gator logo Monday. The three coaches, which include former Clayton State Women’s Basketball coach Dennis Cox, former Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Track and Field coach Kendra Reimer and former CSU Bakersfield Men’s Soccer coach Matt Barnes, come to SF State with impressive pedigrees.
Guthrie’s biggest hire, Cox, takes over after he won an NCAA Division II title in 2011, and reached the NCAA tournament all 10 years he coached at Clayton State in Georgia. Cox currently holds the winningest record of all NCAA Division II coaches, where he sits at 267-57. “The very first phone call he gave me, I could feel his energy from talking to him on the phone,” Cox said of Guthrie. “His energy is contagious, and it got me all excited.” The Women’s Track and Field coach, Reimer, produced nine All-Americans and accumulated a combined 104-16 record between the men and women’s teams she coached since 2010 at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College. Barnes takes over after he won two Division II national titles as both a player and an
assistant coach at CSU Bakersfield. Guthrie’s three new hires are not the only ones with successful backgrounds. Guthrie himself joins SF State after turning Clark College of Vancouver, Wa. into a championship calibur program, where 10 of 11 teams made it to the postseason. According to Guthrie, Clark College’s athletics were not as successful when he first arrived at the school. “There were some very specific challenges at Clark that needed to be addressed and that were established as priorities for the institution,” he said. “(Mainly) implementing roster management and ensuring that first and foremost Clark’s program was one built on integrity.” According to Guthrie, he is only getting started in turn-
ing around SF State’s athletic program, which only has five of it’s nine teams finish above a .500 record, and only produced one playoff team. “There is typically not just one thing you can pinpoint that is a root cause for a lack of competitive success, often it is a combination of factors that span different areas,” Guthrie said. “I’m confident we can create a program that the SFSU students, faculty, staff and alumni are proud of.” Before he turned around Clark College, Guthrie’s athletic-administration background goes back to his days as an intern for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference when he was in college. “My family would say I got my start in athletic-administration when I was just a kid growing up in Albany, NY,” he said. “I used to organize
and pull together the informal neighborhood competitions, including designing and chalking our own baseball field in our backyard, (so) when I realized I could do what I’ve always loved to do as a career, I was hooked.” At the SF State’s Annual Fall Faculty Meeting Monday, the deans of each university introduced all new faculty members who started this semester. President Leslie E. Wong went out of his way to highlight Guthrie in his closing statements, and expressed his enthusiasm for Guthrie’s arrival. “I am very excited about what Charles has done so far,” said Wong. “We aren’t Division I, but boy are we going to be competitive in Division II.” tdealba@mail.sfsu.edu
XPRESS YOURSELF WE ASKED SF STATE STUDENTS:
What would you do to make sports at SF State more prominent? Photos & Reporting by: Thomas De Alba
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One of the biggest things in college is to go to a college football game, and we don’t have that.
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JAMIE BOTELHO, 22 PHILOSOPHY
I would have food and games at events. Something to make it a ‘go-to’ event.
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CESAR SALDAÑA, 17 JOURNALISM
I would make the cost of games a part of our tuition so the games are free.”
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MAURICE STEWART, 29 KINESIOLOGY
Having events that include both athletes and the student body.
MEKA BOYLE, 20 ENGLISH
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SPORTS 15
AUGUST 27, 2014
THE UPCOMING
GATOR HOME SCHEDULE MEN’S SOCCER Sep. 9, 3:00 p.m.
Sep 16, 1:00 p.m.
Sep. 19, 12:30 p.m.
Sep. 23, 12:30 p.m.
Vs Holy Names University (Calif.) San Francisco, Calif.
Vs Notre Dame de Namur University San Francisco, Calif.
Sep. 26, 12:30 p.m.
Vs Cal State Stanislaus San Francisco, Calif.
Vs Dominican University of California San Francisco, Calif.
Vs Brigham Young University - Hawaii San Francisco, Calif.
Sep. 28, 11:30 a.m.
Vs Cal State East Bay San Francisco, Calif.
WOMEN’S SOCCER Sep. 7, 2:00 p.m.
Vs Academy of Art University San Francisco, Calif.
Sep. 22, 3:00 p.m. Vs Hawaii Pacific University San Francisco, Calif.
Sep. 28, 2:00 p.m.
Sep. 19, 3:30 p.m.
Vs Notre Dame de Namur University San Francisco, Calif.
Sep. 26, 3:00 p.m. Vs Cal State Stanislaus San Francisco, Calif.
Vs Cal State East Bay San Francisco, Calif.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Sep. 19, 7:00 p.m.
Sep. 20, 7:00 p.m.
Sep. 26, 7:00 p.m.
Sep. 27, 7:00 p.m.
Vs Cal State San Bernardino San Francisco, Calif.
Vs Cal Poly Pomona San Francisco, Calif.
Vs Humboldt State San Francisco, Calif.
Vs UC San Diego San Francisco, Calif.