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Celeste Conowitch, left, and Anthony Agresti, who play the parts of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, practice their lines before a production of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” in their dressing room at SF State, Dec. 2. PHOTO BY GREGORY MORENO
// 12.07.11
VOLUME LXXXXI ISSUE 15
OCCUPY SFSU
Protesters take up residence FAMILY: Castro Valley High School beat Deputy Timothy Vales poses with his wife Michelle at their Brentwood home. Their oldest son Joshua is currently enlisted with the U.S. Army, while their youngest, Joey, is a senior in high school. PHOTO BY NICK MOONE
The other side of the line
A COP’S STORY Police officers from other precincts are often called to cover other beats or cities in times of turmoil.
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BY LISA CARMACK | lcarmack@mail.sfsu.edu
VERY DAY, SHERIFF’S DEPUTY Timothy Vales wakes up and puts on his uniform. Though his son left May 1st to serve in the United States Army, Vales stops briefly in his son’s room every day to tell him he loves him before he goes to work. Vales is a School Resource Officer at Castro Valley High School and normally deals with unauthorized visitors on campus or misbehaving kids. Nov. 2, however, he was dispatched to Oakland to the front lines of Occupy. “We got a request from mutual aid Wednesday night,” Vales said. “They had 350 officers on the street but they wanted more.” In addition to the 350 Oakland police officers on the streets, officers from San Leandro, Hayward, Fremont, San Mateo and Contra Costa were called upon to assist the Oakland Police Department with the protest, which occupiers promised would close down the port of Oakland. “The true 99 percent protesters did not cause any issues,” Vale said. “It was the anarchists who wanted to destroy stuff or get hit by the cops to get on TV in order to sue.” Pulling officers off their normal beat is not unusual in today’s economic crisis. With budgets getting slashed on all fronts, police officers have faced their fair share of problems. “Our staffing level on the streets of Oakland has been SEE DEPUTY ON PAGE 4
CAMPING: Art history major, Fredrico Villalobos, 22, watches on as other Occupy SFSU participants set up a tent in the Malcolm X Plaza the night of Dec. 1. PHOTO BY GIL RIEGO JR. BY KRISSA STANTON | kstanton@mail.sfsu.edu
Occupy SFSU have a voice too. Occupiers plan to stay continues to camp out The students have at the Malcolm X Plaza camped out through the end created a daily schedin front of the Cesar ule in which they have of the semester, potentially study time, meditation Chavez Student Center. They are hoping to bring groups, film screenings into the spring. awareness to the ongoing and other group activiissues within the University such as budget ties. They also hold a general assembly at cuts and how it has impacted them. least once a day to discuss anything pertainThe students pitched tents Thursday night ing to the encampment and the Occupy SFSU as a response to the ongoing budget cuts and movement, according to Nevarez. the recent 9 percent tuition increase approved Chino Martinez, a senior who is also by the Board of Trustees Nov. 16. camping out, explained that the encampment Currently, the camp is averaging 17 tents is more than students making a political stateand about 47 students a night. Some students ment. Martinez, who is double majoring in also sleep under the stars without tents beLatino/Latina studies and design and industry, cause there isn’t room for all of them. said it is about having a safe place to express “The tents in itself are kind of a message. the issues that are important to them. You don’t really come to school everyday and “We are here studying with each other; see a bunch of people camping out on camwe are here feeding each other; we are here pus. The fact that we are taking over physical supporting each other in any way we can in space for the other spaces that we have been order to really build a community,” Martinez pushed out of and the decision making prosaid. cesses that affect us directly, such as the most University President Robert A. Corrigan recent fee and tuition increase,” said Kendall spoke with Occupy SFSU during a demNevarez, a junior majoring in anthropology. onstration held Thursday. He encouraged Nevarez also explained that she hopes the administration will recognize that they should SEE OCCUPIERS ON PAGE 2
2 CAMPUS
SF SPEAKS OUT WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK OCCUPY SFSU WILL HAVE?
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
OCCUPIERS TO STAY THROUGH SEMESTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
They don’t really have a set goal they’re trying to accomplish. I appreciate what they’re trying to do but if you don’t have a goal then you’re just making noise. KY HOLLENBECK KINESIOLOGY, SENIOR
them to take their concerns to the legislature. He spoke with the campers again Friday, allowing them to address their concerns. “He spoke to us for a while too, like an hour or something weird like that. Then the next day he came and was actually more productive the second day,” said Sam Badger, a philosophy graduate student. “President Corrigan said there would be no repeat of UC Davis and we felt very confident about that.” Badger has been camping out in Malcolm X Plaza since Saturday. “So far things are on a stable footing
TENT TOWN: Occupy SFSU has grown into a 17 tent encampment, and more than 40 people are camping out at Malcolm X Plaza each night. PHOTO BY HANG CHENG
with the administration,” Badger said. “We don’t want to rock the boat, but I can’t speak for the administration. At some point they might feel that they are sick of us.” It is still undecided if the students plan to continue camping over winter break, but many of them have expressed interest to stay. The students have said that if they don’t continue to camp over the break, they will resume camp when the spring semester starts. “There is no indication in the short term that the budget cuts have been dealt
with,” Badger said. “So we need to come back out here until they deal with them and keep coming back out here until they deal with them. We need to be persistent. That is the only way change ever happens is through persistence.” Ellen Griffin, University spokeswoman, said the University doesn’t have any long term plans regarding the students who are camping out in the plaza. “We are speaking with the students daily and determining one day at a time what the plan will be,” Griffin said.
Crime, theft rates rise on campus Students can practice preventative measures to stay safe despite the increase of theft and threats. BY SANDY LOPEZ | selopez@mail.sfsu.edu
LUKE BARNESMOORE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, SOPHOMORE
I don’t even know if it will accomplish anything. It does bring attention though, they’re in the middle of campus. BRIA GOLDBERG CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, SENIOR
COMPILED BY SPENCER DEVINE PHOTOS BY GIL RIEGO JR.
CRIME BLOTTER
I think we will accomplish what the bigger movement accomplishes. We are here to educate this campus.
While a quick flip through the SF State crime log would have students believe the campus is generally safe, crime has been pushed to the forefront, especially with a recent robbery in which a student was threatened with a gun. Crime is becoming an ongoing issue on campus, but this past semester, the highest reported crime on campus has been theft — mostly petty theft, but there have also been at least five cases of grand theft. “Theft is a campus-wide issue,” said Ellen Griffin, University spokeswoman. “The UPD addresses the high target areas with extra patrols.” A case of armed robbery occurred in November in the Humanities building, which has become a “high target area” with minor thefts of purses and backpacks becoming more common. According to an SF State informational bulletin, a student was walking in the Humanities building and was approached by a Hispanic male who asked to use her cell phone. Once the student gave the man her phone, he walked away with it. When the
student asked for her phone back, the suspect displayed a black handgun and threatened to shoot her. “All of us should be more mindful of our own belongings. Do not leave them unattended, even for a moment. As a community, I also hope that we will look out for each other’s well-being,” said Susan B. Shimanoff, associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, about the incident. According to the UPD’s website, police dispatchers work the dispatch center 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Such preventative measures include providing general and emergency phone lines, providing information to the public, dispatching officers to calls for service or crimes in progress and monitoring all campus fire and safety alarms. Students can also stay safe by using a program called Campus Alliance for a Risk-Free Environment. CARE is a student security team trained and employed by the UPD to provide escort services to students who are on campus at night. CARE is available for students from sunset to midnight, seven days a week. To arrange for an escort, students may call 415-3387200 and tell the dispatcher where they would like to meet the escort. Escorts can walk students to and from their classroom, laboratory or office, car or campus apartment. Although most escorts are provided by walking, an electric cart escort is available under special circumstances. See related crime story on page 4.
‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE AN A-HOLE
MERRY BRICK-MAS EVERYBODY!
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED ROOMMATE
This year’s Black Friday shopa-thon consisted of door-busting sales around the U.S. and an incident in which one woman peppersprayed a fellow shopper to nab a Microsoft Xbox 360, presumably because playing Dance Central 2 is more valuable than that person’s eyesight. However, news networks missed the true shopping deal this year: breaking into people’s stuff. A student reported $1500 worth of possessions were stolen from her Creative Arts locker during Thanksgiving Break, including her awesome guitar. And then there were two reports of cars broken into last week, between Thursday and Friday. The first incident was a student’s car parked on Tapia Drive and the second was a University-owned vehicle parked on Buckingham Way. Why play Forza Motorsport on an Xbox 360 when you can drive a stolen vehicle? Or why play Rock Band when using a real guitar is just as fun? Happy holidays jerks!
One person really wanted to replicate the snowball fight from Elf with Will Ferrell November 24, but no snow was to be found at SF State! Forlorn, he wandered the campus until, behold, he saw a mortar rectangle lying on the ground. Its red surface invoked the holiday season and his mind filled with memories of warm pies, family fun, and Christmas lights everywhere. Inspired, he lifted this brick, imagined it as a snowball made from a fresh snowfall, and threw it auspiciously into the air as a sign of his own upward success. The brick, no, this beacon would represent his hopes and dreams and everything Christmas means to him. And though still without snow, he smiled knowing that freshman year was going to be all right. Then, the brick broke a window near Mary Ward Hall and he ran. Police made a report.
Back in the ‘90s, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots were the all the rage. Beating up your neighbor’s blue bot with your red bot made settling the Biggie and Tupac beef much easier. Then, Socker Boppers came onto the scene and allowed anyone to punch others silly with super-inflated beach balls fastened as boxing gloves. The ‘90s were painful, but fun as hell. So in that spirit, two roommates threw the ‘90s toys out altogether and had good, old-fashioned fisticuffs at their Buckingham Way apartment November 27. An officer arrived to settle the dispute and had one of the roommates leave for the evening to settle down. The cause of the altercation was uncertain, but hopefully they’ll resolve their disputes using stuff from their toy box.
11.24 through 12.2
Compiled by Aaron Williams
CAMPUS 3
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
ABSTINENCE: PLAYING THE WAITING GAME PAYS OFF
BY DEVERY SHEFFER | dsheffer@mail.sfsu.edu
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IVE YEARS AFTER THEY STARTED dating in their senior year of high school, SF State graduate student Alyssa Palfreyman had sex with her husband Sam for the first time. Waiting to have sex until they were married was a decision the two of them made individually, previous to their relationship. It was seven months after he proposed to her on one knee at Treasure Island Beach that they made an eternal commitment to each other and shared a level of intimacy neither of them had ever experienced before. “I’m definitely happy that we waited,” Palfreyman said. “I feel like it has a lot more meaning for us now that we are married. We know that it’s something special. It goes hand in hand with marriage, commitment and family.” Choosing to have sex with someone for the first time is a personal decision that many students face when entering relationships in college, so when is the timing right? SF State health educator and counselor Albert Angelo said that there is no specific time frame that two people should wait to have sex, but that both people involved should feel safe and comfortable with the situation. “I think it’s OK is to just have a conversation about what is it you want or hope to have happen from the first time. ‘What is it I’m thinking that this will mean? What kind of experience am I hoping to get from it?’” Angelo said. For Palfreyman, waiting until marriage was a challenge but also an important part of her relationship with her husband. “We’d get in situations and realize, you know, we have to stop, slow down,” Palfreyman said. “It would have been easy to kind of let go of the decisions that we had previously made. But the fact that we had made
them together, we had talked about it together, that made it easier to wait.” But the long wait for marriage isn’t for everyone. “I personally could never do it, I could understand why other people would want to do it, but it’s definitely not for me,” said psychology student May Mohajer. “I wasn’t raised that way. I wasn’t raised to wait until marriage, I was raised to be in love.” Mohajer has been with her boyfriend for a little
more than a year. They met at a bar one night when she was out with her friends and she was immediately attracted to his laid-back vibe and energy, but she wasn’t ready to have sex with him right away. “I have friends that can sleep with guys and not feel vulnerable. I can’t,” Mohajer said. “I feel vulnerable, so in order to keep myself from getting screwed over, I really wanted a chance to get to know him without (sex) being on the table.”
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It was a little more than three months before Mohajer began sleeping with her boyfriend. “When I started thinking that I could love him, that’s when I decided that I would be willing to risk it,” Mohajer said. “And it’s a gamble, you know, I don’t want to sleep with somebody and just find out that we have no chemistry but I’d hoped in those three months that I’d been able to ascertain that there was a good level of chemistry.” Angelo’s opinion is that there is no need to jump into a sexual relationship when dating but instead to do what you think feels right. “What’s the rush? If they’re going to be your partner, spouse, life partner, I mean what’s the rush right?” Angelo said. “I think it’s really healthy though to trust your instinct and your intuition.” Relationships can also develop from those who choose not to wait at all. Jeff Yu and his boyfriend have been together for three years. After meeting at a local Walgreens, they went to a party together the next night, where they had sex for the first time. This casual sex continued for another month or two before they officially became boyfriends. “I’m not really big on actually dating people. It’s just my own personality. It has nothing against anyone else; I’ve always been more physical,” Yu said. “Actually, I don’t think we would have been boyfriends if we had started dating first. We both share similar values in our perspective on sex. [It] is just really physical as opposed to something emotional.” Sex for Palfreyman is different and very special, which is why she waited until after she exchanged vows with her husband in the Newport Beach Latter-day Saints temple in May 2010. “For me, (sex) has a lot of religious meaning, but aside from that our first time was awkward and very emotional, and I don’t think I could have handled that without my marriage, with that commitment that we made with one another, without knowing that this is going to last forever.”
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UNIVERSITY REPORT SHOWS CRIME INCREASING
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BY SANDRA LOPEZ | selopez@mail.sfsu.edu
HE ANNUAL CAMPUS Security and Fire Safety Report was recently released by SF State University Police Department and it shows that theft and sexual crimes have risen on campus. The report shows reported crime statistics for 2008-2010, which is divided by the following locations: campus, residential community, public property and non-campus property. According to the report, SF State is a community comprised of more than 30,000 faculty, staff and students members. Currently the department is budgeted for a force of 38 officers. They have expanded their traffic enforcement program to the entire area adjacent to the campus with particular focus on the intersections at 19th and Holloway avenues and Font and Lake Merced boulevards, at the entrance to Lots 19 and 20. A total of 31 reported robbery cases happened between 2008-2010 on campus and in the residence community. Yet, 28 of those cases happened in 2010 in the residence community. There were 144 cases of burglary reported between 2008-2010 on campus and in the residence community, with 13 additional cases reported this semester. Most cases occurred in the late evening and targeted laptops. Between 2008-2010 there were 44 cases of vehicle theft reported on campus and in the residence community. So far this semester there has been one reported case of vehicle theft, which occurred in the parking lot. There were no reported cases of murder, manslaughter, sodomy, sexual assault with an object, sex offenses/non-forcible, incest or statutory rape for all three years and the 2008-2010 report does not include petty thefts. This year alone there has been a total of 34 cases of petty theft that have been reported on campus and in the residential areas.
The majority of reported thefts have happened in the Student Center, SFSU Bookstore, the Humanities building and the Gymnasium. Although many of the thefts reported happened at various times, the top three items stolen have been bicycles, laptops and backpacks. According to Ismael de Guzman, prevention education specialist of the Men’s Program at S.A.F.E. Place, there is an obvious connection between the economy and crime. “Whatever is happening in society is happening in our community. It’s a reflection of corporate greed taking over,” de Guzman said. “People ask themselves ‘What’s a fast way to make a buck?’ To steal from others.” According to University spokeswoman Ellen Griffin there has been an increase in patrol officers from last year due to high area crimes. “Theft is a campus-wide issue and UPD addresses the high target areas with extra patrols,” Griffin said. “Additionally, they provide information to the campus community with their Crime Prevention office on ways community members can keep themselves safe from theft and other crimes. They also urge community members to report all suspicious activity to the UPD.” According to the campus crime statistics from 2010, six rape cases happened at SF State. Half of them happened on campus and the other half happened in residence community. Between the years of 2008-2009, zero cases of rape were reported. For the fall 2011 semester, two cases of sexual assault/rape were reported and one case of sexual battery, all in October. “In regard to the recent allegations of sexual assault, UPD increased its presence and patrols in the campus residential community,” Griffin said. “The UPD also provided informational bulletins and information via the UPD Crime Prevention website on preventative measures that could be used by commu-
Three
nity members.” According to Karla Castillo, a coordinator and intern at the S.A.F.E. Place, the crime log monitors crime on campus very differently. “There are statistics that show that less than 5 percent of sexual crimes are actually reported,” Castillo said. Based on a U.S. Department of Justice research report, it is estimated that the women at a college that has 10,000 female students could experience more than 350 rapes a year. “Since we have a population of 30,000 students and 58 percent of them are women than according to that calculation we probably have more than 600 rapes a year,” Castillo said. Despite many fliers, most students don’t seem to notice the crime alerts that are put up on the buildings
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and are not aware of the thefts that occur on campus. “I actually haven’t noticed an increase in campus crime, or heard of any thefts through my friends,” said Nissa Poulsen, a 21-year-old cinema major. “I suppose I’m usually pretty aware of my belongings though anyways.” It is not clear when the highest numbers of police are on duty, because according to Griffin, specifics on timing of patrols and locations are not shared publicly, since such information can aid potential criminals in planning their activities. “I hardly ever notice campus security because I don’t see them too much,” said Natalie Woodward, an 18-year-old child development major. The UPD was not able to comment on crime-related question because according to Griffin, “We do not have staff power to spare to meet the many requests we get for officer interviews.”
Crime Statistics for the 2008-2010 school year based on the SF State University Police Department Campus Crime Statistics 2008-2010 report.
31
robberies reported on campus and in the residence community, however 28 of those happened in 2010 in the residence community.
144
burglaries that were reported on campus and in the residence community.
0
cases of rape were reported between 2008-2009. A total of six cases of rape were reported in 2010. Three incidents happened on campus and the other half happened in the residence community.
Deputy relates to protesters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
worse when it comes to patrolling the neighborhoods,” said Dominique Arotzarena, president of the Oakland Police Officer’s Association. “With (fewer) officers we’re barely able to defend ourselves. And if we can’t defend ourselves, how can we protect the public?” Both Arotzarena and Vales mentioned that officers have been cut by at least a third from patrols since the last budget cuts and that the worst of the cuts won’t be instituted until the end of the fiscal year. “We have an occupation and we consider ourselves part of the so-called 99 percent,” Arotzarena said. “We’re just humble public servants.” Vales is nonchalant about his own safety concerns at work when he is given patrol duty, but his wife Michelle is often worried that his working conditions could lead to his harm. “(The police department) doesn’t hire new officers so they’re always at minimum staffing,” Michelle said. “It’s unsafe.” Michelle believes that police officers are treated unfairly and often dehumanized by media coverage of crime.
“It’s easier to make them look bad,” Michelle said. “The news is really good at twisting the facts instead of showing the full story.” UC Davis Police Chief John Pike captured national attention with his apparent unprovoked attack on protesting students with pepper spray. Vales believes this incident is widely misunderstood. “It looks bad on video but I was told that policeman went up to all of them individually and told them that if they didn’t move they would be pepper sprayed,” Vales said. “There’s no pretty way to use force on a video.” A YouTube video of the event from before the pepper-spray incident shows students cordoning the officers into the center of the protest and preventing them from leaving. Though the ideology of the Occupy movement promotes solidarity with the police, there have been incidents of violence, and unfair treatment in past movements has created a rift that prevents unity. “I feel that in the end of the end there’s a duality that’s set up that permeates, not only the conscience of the police, but in the conscience of the occupiers that someone is wrong and bad,” said Oakland occupier and musician Hyim Ross.
Ross believes that in some cases a dichotomy of good versus evil prevents occupiers and police officers from fully trying to understand one another. He also mentioned that in many cases he has had positive interactions with police officers. Many occupiers sympathize with the police officers on a human level, but feel that they are in place to harm the movement. “They’re part of the 99 percent but when they put on the uniform they become the militant arm of the 1 percent,” said SF State junior Terence Yancy who has been a participant in the broader Occupy SF and recently at SF State. “It’s their role in society to protect corporations and protect the banks. They’re enforcing the role of the people trying to exploit us.” As the momentum of Occupy continues to strengthen, roles of authority are given responsibilities that compromise their personal values. Though it may be a natural human response to assign roles of good and evil to the Occupy movement, Ross believes that this mindset is detrimental to its overall meaning. “I think it’s very dangerous when people demonize the police,” Ross said. “(The police) are used as pawns by the power that be to distract the popular discourse.”
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RENDITION COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY.
Faster than a speeding bullet, completion slow as molasses
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AN FRANCISCO IS KNOWN for its robust and accessible public transportation, and another big upgrade is on the horizon in the form of a high-speed rail that will connect the city to Los Angeles. The project’s initial budget was $43 billion, but that number has now ballooned to near $98 billion. The high speed rail was approved in the 2008 ballot that included a 130-mile test track from Merced to Bakersfield. The test track is not currently up to environmental standards, which needs to be remedied by March 2012. The trains are expected to travel at 220 mph. According to the California High-Speed Rail Authority press release, the project will create an estimated 100,000 jobs over the next five years. William Tsui, a San Francisco resident and frequent commuter to Southern California, supports the project and the potential impact it will have on
The train, which will run from San Francisco to Los Angeles, is a long way from completion, will require extensive federal funding and private loans. BY MIKE HUBER | mphuber@mail.sfsu.edu
commuting prices. “I think it’s a good idea for when it’s finally finished,” Tsui said. “It will hopefully create a lot of jobs in the meantime. “I go to SoCal every so often, but I fly. If this rail system had competitive pricing it would be great for the market,” he continued. Rachel Wall, spokeswoman for the High-Speed Rail Authority, said $950 million of the budget is to be used by inner-city rail systems that will connect to the High-Speed Rail. “The bond measure passed in 2008 provided us with $9 billion and $950 million for inner city passen-
ger rail,” Wall said. “What that means is that existing services can use that $950 million to improve service or connect to High-Speed Rail. Our new business plan shows that we are building a train to other trains and how to connect them. We want to work with these other agencies to show them what projects they can fund with that money and how to better improve their service.” BART officials are unsure about a possible connection to the rail. “It remains to be seen if it will go to Millbrae,” said BART spokesman Jim Allison. “There is not much to say about it. Anything that makes public transportation more available for people and gets people out of their cars and into different forms of transportation that are better for the environment, we are all for. But it all comes down to the money. In theory it’s a great idea.” Wall said the test track is expected to be completed between 2015 and 2017 and after that private investors and federal loans, grants and bonds will fund the full project.
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
BART cell service restricted Transit agency voted for a policy regarding cell phone service in specific emergencies that may threaten the safety of passengers on trains.
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BY MIKE HUBER | mphuber@mail.sfsu.edu
HE BART BOARD OF directors met Thursday, Dec. 1 and voted unanimously for a new policy for riders that will allow cell phone service to be shut down under extreme circumstances. The BART press release says that cell phone service could be temporarily interrupted, but only when BART “determines that there is strong evidence of imminent unlawful activity that threatens the safety of district passengers, employees and other members of the public.” The first instance of BART shutting down cell phone services came in the wake of the July 11 protests of two BART officers who killed Charles Hill, a 45-year-old homeless man who allegedly threatened the police with two knives. “Protesters came in because they thought it was police brutality,” said Jim Allison, BART spokesman. “They climbed on trains, held train doors open and ultimately it led to a shutdown of the station. One month later on August 11, we learned of planned protest in
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which they were going to use their cell phones to text each other locations of the police. We shut down cell service and the protest was averted.” The newly adopted cell phone policy references First Amendment rights numerous times and states that exercising those rights are a high priority and a long-standing policy. Some large concerns by the public are that if cell phone service is shut off during an emergency, riders wouldn’t be able to use their phones to call for help. “That is a concern so it’s a balancing act,” Allison said. “The need for people to contact emergency personnel and the need to prevent something bad from happening. It’s a case-bycase basis and we hope we never have to deal with it again, but at least we have a policy in place.” Some say the policy is insignificant because cell service is hard to come by in the BART stations anyway. “When you are down in the underground you don’t get service anyway so it doesn’t matter,” said apparel design major Carly Chernick. “BART can do what they want with their own stations.” Bob Franklin, president of BART Board of Directors, understands pros and cons of being able to cut service. “We have enacted this policy in case of emergencies,” Franklin said. “If the threat is greater than the risk of turning off service, then we will do it. It’s unlikely something like this will ever happen again, but if people are going to be seriously hurt it’s a tool available to the BART organization.”
CITY 7
NOTICE
In compliance with the Education Code, Section 89900 and Title 5, Section 42408, The San Francisco State University Foundation Audited Financial Report for the scal year ending June 30, 2011, may be reviewed at: http://www.sfsu.edu/~sfsufdn/ auditednancialstatements.html
If the threat is greater than the risk of turning off service, then we will do it. It’s unlikely something like this will ever happen again, but if people are going to be seriously hurt it’s a tool available to the BART organization. BOB FRANKLIN PRESIDENT OF BART BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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SPECIALTY’S CAFE & BAKERY
PLAYIN’: The leader of a band of travelers, played by Brennan Cook, points toward Guildenstern, played by Anthony Agretsi, in “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” Tom Stoppard’s adaptation of “Hamlet.” PHOTO BY JESSICA GOSS
Famous farce well worth it Humor collides with intellectualism in the SF State theater department’s enjoyable rendition of Shakespearean spin-off “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”
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BY SPENCER DEVINE | spencerd@mail.sfsu.edu
Arts & Entertainment
UMOR ISN’T ALL JERSEY SHORE rejects and fart jokes. Every now and again intelligent comedy finds its way through the pop culture haze and it’s important to grab on before the curtain falls. Starting Dec. 1 the Little Theatre at SF State began a two week run of Tom Stoppard’s existential Shakespearean farce “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.” The play is directed jointly by SF State theatre arts professors Jo Tomalin and John Wilson. Stoppard’s play follows the journey of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, played by Celeste Conowitch and Anthony Agretsi, respectively, two minor characters in the play “Hamlet” who eventually find themselves sentenced to death in a comic misunderstanding. In this piece, however, their misadventures and philosophical quandaries become the focal point. Along the way they encounter a band of travelers led by The Player, performed by Brennan Cook, participate in sparse conversations with Hamlet, played by Adam Reeser, and even encounter pirates. The stage itself is a crucial influence on the audience before the play even begins. The set crew, led by Andrew Akraboff, Tomalin and Wilson, creates a stage as off-center as the play itself. It is uneven, with tilting levels and a large scrap half-pipe with a door serving as one of the main entrances. Several large frames, decreasing in size, stand and tilt sideways, creating a twisted stage picture. These set design choices in combination with a pre-show musical selection of cartoon music and tunes sounding like they’re inspired by “The Great Train Robbery” keep the tone off-kilter and eerily entrancing. But like a PB&J sandwich, what is a stage without its actors? The show’s student cast provides an energetic and entertaining version of Stoppard’s re-imagined characters.
DRAG QUEENS ON ICE Thursday, Dec. 8 8 p.m. Union Square Ice Rink
Conowitch and Agretsi provide a very intriguing chemistry and dynamic to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, displaying a timing and rapport that can only come with trust on stage. Without missing a beat, the ebbs and flows of their dialogue come off naturally and confidently. The two are intentionally dressed identically, as the characters’ personalities and identities lose individual definition and at times meld together. As the leads, Conowitch and Agretsi provide a solid base and a hilarious interchange that keeps the play moving. As The Player, Cook brings something special to the whole piece with not only solid and intelligent comedic wit and body language, but also gems of moments that staple in a deeper and more serious meaning behind the piece. Cook uses his hyperexpressive face and body to create movement that is impossible not to find entertaining, his limbs almost taking on a character of their own as they flail and pose. The Player’s crew is a unified character of their own, providing great examples of physical comedy and gags that provided stand out moments throughout the show. Other characters from Hamlet make their way onto the stage and provide real-life dialogue from the original piece as a tie-back to Shakespeare’s creation. Although at the same time traditional moments are recreated and made their own, such as Hamlet dragging the body of Polonius, played by Philip Greenberg, around the stage like a rag doll. The strength of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” lies partially in its physicality, but mainly Stoppard provides an intelligent and consistent wit throughout the piece that sways between philosophical wandering and satiric exploration of life’s meanings. While the piece may not be the shortest in the world, it does many things for an audience that should prove sufficient. It is a funny piece with well-done staging by Tomalin and Wilson and a strong, well-rounded cast. On the flip side, the play investigates the mysteries and absurdity behind the human experience, the insignificance of probability and the inevitability of death. Tomalin and Wilson bring to the SF State Little Theatre stage a metadrama that is definitely a bit absurd, but is a strong, timely and intelligent piece that brings multiple layers to life. “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” runs its final week in the SF State Little Theater Dec. 8 through 10 at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee Dec. 11.
BAY AREA BEER SOCIAL: TOYS FOR BEERS Friday, Dec. 9 6 p.m. Rogue Ales Public House
GUINNESS RECORD NAKED SANTA ATTEMPT
PAROL LANTERN FESTIVAL AND PARADE
Saturday, Dec. 10 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Washington Square Park
Saturday, Dec. 10 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bayanihan Community Center
HINT: You know who doesn’t love a good cookie? No one. Specialty’s has every kind under the sun, from semi-sweet chocolate chip to snickerdoodle. They also have a number of sandwiches and salads for a quick, delicious lunch. 22 Battery St.
CHEAP EATS
EATALIANO HINT: Repeat after me: Italian food is more than spaghetti and meatballs. Whether you’re in the mood for an authentic Italian sandwich with prosciutto or a more traditional bowl of minestrone, Eataliano delivers. 388 Market St.
ROMANTIC
BARBACCO HINT: The more casual sister restaurant of upscale Italian restaurant Perbacco, Barbacco’s inviting interior and rich dishes like pork ragu make it a great date destination. The moderately priced wine list doesn’t hurt either. 220 California St.
WILDCARD
KOKKARI ESTIATORIO HINT: If your vocabulary of Greek food begins and ends with the word “gyro,” your horizons will be broadened with one trip to Kokkari Estiatorio. Two words: zucchini cakes. 200 Jackson St.
AN XPRESS GUIDE TO DINING IN THE CITY. COMPILED BY A&E REPORTER KC CROWELL, WHO WENT TO SCHOOL FOR BAKING AND PASTRY ARTS, AND HAS COOKED HER WAY THROUGH A NUMBER OF RESPECTED BAY AREA RESTAURANTS.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 9
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
PROFESSOR’S LEGEND REMEMBERED
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BY HUNTER MULICH | hunter@mail.sfsu.edu
F STUDENTS ARE WILLING TO COME back to school decades after they have graduated to honor a teacher, there must have been something special about the man. And there was. Dr. Edwin Kruth died at 90 years old Feb. 22 of this year. His legacy at SF State is made of more than 40 years in the school’s music department where he led the wind ensemble and department to become a world-renowned institution. A memorial concert will take place Sunday, Dec. 11. “In the ‘60s he really had this place hopping and thriving,” said Martin Seggelke, who now conducts the wind ensemble. “He’s the person who really made the program what it was in those days. He touched the lives of so many people.” The ensemble, made up of more than 50 trumpets, horns and percussion, will be performing pieces in Kruth’s honor. During one song, Seggelke will leave and a lone spotlight will shine upon an empty podium in the center of the stage. About 150 alumni and former students of Kruth’s are expected to be there, a few of whom graduated school as far back as 1950. A special band made up of 40 alumni was put together just for the occasion, and they will also be performing. Some are even flying in
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40 alumni return to campus to celebrate the life of former SF State music professor, Dr. Edwin Kruth, and sing his praises.
from out of state. “He’s kind of a legend,” said Joe Schillaci, a faculty member who is helping to organize the event. Tony Striplen, a lecturer at SF State and member of the San Francisco Opera orchestra, learned from Kruth that “there are no short cuts to achieving a high standard in any discipline.” “He demanded and got the best of the students in his bands because of high standards,” Striplen added in an email. “I believe many of us who played for Dr. Kruth had feelings that ran the full range, from admiration, fear and anger, to respect and reverence.” Seggelke had the idea for the memorial concert
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He’s the person who really made the program what it was in those days. He touched the lives of so many people. MARTIN SEGGELKE WIND ENSEMBLE CONDUCTOR
when he was hired at the beginning of the semester. He had heard of Kruth’s influence and contribution to the program, and as head of the wind ensemble and a conducting teacher himself, he felt the need to pay tribute. “One of my ideas just spawned the next and here we are,” Seggelke said. “I didn’t expect it to be this big, but I’m very happy with it.” The concert is not only celebrating the life of Kruth, but also the rebirth of the wind ensemble. The band was without a conductor for five years and had dwindled to about a dozen students who would meet up and play. Seggelke has revived the ensemble back to over 50 members. “Within the last few years, and with this internationally-known conductor, the department has been rebuilt,” said Wendell Hanna, SF State professor in music education. “He has reached out to students who aren’t music majors.” At one time, the music and dance department had more than 600 majors, said Seggelke. They are now limited to around 300 because of budget cutbacks, though demand to enter the program is still high. “Many of the alumni, some of which have very powerful teaching positions, are sad, to say the least, about the condition this program was in,” Seggelke said. “And they are all thrilled that something is going on again.”
10 S P O R T S
12.7.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
PLAYER
NEFI PERDOMO
WEEK
BASKETBALL
of the
The Xpress sports staff has chosen junior guard Nefi Perdomo as the Gator Athlete of the Week. Perdomo scored a season high 25 points in Thursday’s matchup with Chico State. He also contributed 14 points in the Gators’ loss to Cal State Stanislaus Saturday.
PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS
BOXING TOURNAMENT A KNOCKOUT READY TO RUMBLE Keynoe Fenner (red gloves) swings at Ricardo Pinell (blue gloves) during the middleweight championship at the Boxing SF Winter Championships. PHOTO BY ELIJAH NOUVELAGE
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BY MIKE BEBERNES | bebernes@mail.sfsu.edu
ARGIS SHAGASI IS A straight-A student. In the spring, she will graduate with honors from the University of San Francisco with a degree in political science. She was her high school’s valedictorian. She excels in volleyball and basketball. Shagasi is the type of person people aspire to be. Tonight, however, no one would want to take her place. Tonight she is getting the hell beat out of her. “I worry that her nose or her eye is going to pop out,” said Nargis’s mother, Najia Shagasi. Shagasi, a member of the USF boxing club, was knocked out in the second round of her fight against Stelicia Leggett during the San Francisco Boxing Winter Championships at Longshoreman’s Hall Friday night. “This is our third event of the year under the Boxing SF group,” said promoter John Chavez. “We decided to take it to a bigger stage, a bigger platform.” Boxing SF hosted the event, which featured 14 bouts with fighters representing 16 gyms from all over the Bay Area. The boxers ranged from experienced amateurs with pro aspirations to newcomers getting in their first few swings in the ring. Shagasi was one of many fighters who are in the early stages of their careers. Before her fight, she spoke about the dedication it takes to develop as a boxer. “It’s a club team. It’s not mandatory, you’re not on scholarship. What gets you to where you want to be is the passion and love you have and your coaches, the drive they install in you,” she said.
GATORS’ SPORTS SCHEDULE FRIDAY, DEC. 9 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs. Cal State Stanislaus vs. Grand Canyon 4:30 p.m. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs. Notre Dame de Namur University 7 p.m.
Boxers from across the Bay Area came together to represent their gyms and face off in the ring during Winter Championships. The grizzled mugs of former union roughnecks on the wall were just a few of the hundreds who watched local young boxers duke it out for area supremacy. The night was a showcase for the Bay Area’s large, but often unsung, boxing community. “There’s over 1,000 registered amateur fighters in the Northern California region. There’s over 60 boxing gyms in the Bay Area in itself,” Chavez said. “There’s not a whole lot of publicity about (boxing in the Bay Area) so it seems as though it’s nonexistent, but there really is an underlying, thriving community.” That community was well-represented in the form of an engaged crowd, which cheered each match throughout the night. “I don’t even know who’s fighting. I just want to see some boxing,” said retired federal agent and boxing enthusiast Julie Ramirez. An early highlight came when youth division fighters Paris Wallace and Joseph Santos, neither weighing more than 60 pounds, made entrances with all the booming music and strobe lights of heavyweight champions. The fun of watching the two kids go at it was dampened when the fight ended due to an unstoppable flow of blood coming from Santos’s nose. The honeycomb dome of the Longshoreman’s Hall created a curious, but fitting, atmosphere for the fights. Massive black rigging hooks and a chalkboard work schedule were juxtaposed by throbbing stage
lights and energy drink ads. Negligibly-clothed ring girls from companies with names like Desire Temptations paraded in front of fading pictures of the salty union men who used to roam the hall. There were some truly exhilarating fights on the card, none more so than the main event between Keynoe Fenner of BabyFace Boxing in Pacifica and Ricardo Pinell representing B Street Boxing of San Mateo. The crowd was on its feet, answering each big punch with the distinctive deep “Oooohhh” that one only hears at a boxing match. Another high point was an absolute brawl between Phight Club Oakland’s Terry Fernandez and Vince Hernandez, also from B Street Boxing. The two pummeled each other for three tough rounds before Fernandez was given a win by the judges. Tatiana Almarez and Casey Morton put on a show with a hard-fought bout, which Almarez won in a decision. Among the crowd were a number of local professional boxers who made their way up through the ranks at the very gyms represented in the fights. The pros, who were honored at intermission, included five-time world champion and current high-level contender Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. The big winner of the night was 3rd Street Boxing Gym in Potrero Hill. Trainer Paul Wade’s fighters swept all three of their matches. “I went out there (into the ring), did what I love doing. I train three times a day, work hard for it. I don’t see how I wasn’t going to win,” said 3rd Street boxer Brandon Adams after winning his fight. Chavez said he has received a good response about the event and is encouraged for the outcome of future competitions. He said the next boxing event for San Francisco is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 27.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SATURDAY, DEC. 10 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs. Cal State Stanislaus vs. Notre Dame de Namur 2 p.m. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs. Grand Canyon University 4:30 p.m. WRESTLING SF State at Cal Baptist 7 p.m.
Dec. 1 SF State vs. Chico
SCORES FROM THE LAST WEEK OF GATOR SPORTS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
LOSS State 66-72 LOSS
Dec. 3 SF State vs. Cal State Stanislaus 65-82
Dec. 1 SF State vs.
LOSS Chico State 54-59 WIN
Dec. 3 SF State vs. Cal State Stanislaus 72-62
WRESTLING 31st of 34
Dec. 3 SF State at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational 7 points
S P O R T S 11
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
Women’s b-ball rebounds Both Gator teams suffered defeat Thursday against Chico State, but the women’s team made a comeback Saturday.
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XPRESS STAFF | xpressnewsstaff@gmail.com
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HE SF STATE WOMEN’S basketball team celebrated their first victory of the season Saturday. The Gators defeated the Cal State Stanislaus Warriors 72-62, putting the team at 1-6 for the season. But despite strong starts Thursday, the men’s and women’s basketball teams’ valiant efforts failed to lead them to victory as both teams suffered crushing losses to Chico State. The men’s basketball team fell short in the last few minutes of the game against the Chico State Wildcats Thursday, losing 72-66. A few missed shots and lost rebounds left the Gators just short of beating the undefeated Wildcats. “We got into a lull that we couldn’t get out of,” said head coach Paul Trevor. “Offensive execution needs improvement. We need to get back to basics.” Whereas in previous games the team’s focus was defensive, the game against the Wildcats proved to be more of an offensive struggle. “Defensive rebounding definitely could’ve been better,” said Griffin Reilly, who led the game with 13 rebounds. Reilly and assistant coach Alex Pribble both agreed with Trevor that offensive execution needed improvement, but that defense had developed. “I think we came together as a team, but didn’t pay attention to detail,” Pribble said. “It’s important to identify where we’re at and get better from there.” The women’s team also suffered a loss Thursday against the Chico State Wildcats 5459. The Gators maintained a slim lead for most of the game, but with five and a half minutes left in play the team fell behind, and stayed behind. “We weren’t able to handle pressure,” said
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734 La Playa • 221-2031 PRESSURE’S ON: Lauren Varney (24) tries to move past Cal State Stanislaus Warrior Lauren Godde (13) during their game Saturday. The Gators went on to win 72-62. PHOTO BY VIRGINIA TIEMAN/ SPECIAL TO XPRESS
head coach Joaquin Wallace. “I thought we did everything that we needed to do but it’s just virtually impossible to beat a team when you have 24 turnovers. We limit our turnovers, I think we win that game.” Teammate Michaela Booker led the Gators with 17 points, but it wasn’t enough to stave off what has become the team’s pattern. “It’s like a broken record; this happens every time we play a game: We’re up on a team the entire game and then at the end we just can’t close out games for some reason,” Booker said. “We just made critical mistakes at the wrong times.” This is a Gator team that is “relatively young,” Wallace said, and he’s right — there are no seniors on the team this season. “Hopefully as we mature as the season progresses on we’ll get a little better,” Wallace said. Kealan Cronin and Jamie Wells contributed to this report.
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12 O P I N I O N
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG STAFF EDITORIAL
A PUBLICATION OF SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY KELLY GOFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@goldengatexpress.org
SARA DONCHEY
ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR managing@goldengatexpress.org
CAITLIN OLSON
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR managing@goldengatexpress.
NATALIE YEMENIDJIAN ART DIRECTOR nataliey@mail.sfsu.edu
AARON WILLIAMS
WEB DIRECTOR aarOn@mail.sfsu.edu
MICHELLE OLSON
OPINION EDITOR opinion@goldengatexpress.org
SCOTT GRAF
A&E EDITOR entertainment@goldengatexpress.org
JUAN DE ANDA
CAMPUS EDITOR campus@goldengatexpress.org
JENNIFER TERMAN
CITY EDITOR city@goldengatexpress.org
CASSIE BECKER
COPY CHIEF cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu
MEGAN TAROS
BREAKING NEWS EDITOR ch3no2@mail.sfsu.edu
IT’S NOT CORRIGAN’S FAULT: Occupy should redirect anger
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INE SEEMS TO BE THE MAGIC NUMBER for next year’s 2012-2013 academic budget. A 9 percent tuition increase was passed 9-6, with nine of 24 trustees missing from the meeting. Since when is nine of 24 a majority? It’s just not right. The tuition increase added more fuel to the fire spreading across college campuses in California, hoping to repeal the hikes. In response, Occupy SFSU decided to camp out in front of Cesar Chavez Student Center. They plan to stay at least until the end of the fall semester. The encampment will only provide the health center with cases of hypothermia. They need to take the protest to the opposition. Yes, we know letters don’t work. We have all tried to make a change by writing to our one-sided pen pals, our local politicians. This is part of the reason why occupation is the new tactic. Let’s take this action to the offices of “the legislators who like the Republicans in Washington are standing between us and what we should have as citizens of this state and nation,” according to President Robert A. Corrigan. If you want to go to their offices in San Francisco, the address is 455 Golden Gate Ave., Suites 14800, 14600, 14200 and 14300. According to Corrigan, the legislators are there every Friday. Check Google Maps to look for appropriate places to pitch
a tent. Before setting up camp last Thursday, many members of a crowd of about 150 protestors heckled President Corrigan as he responded to questions and concerns about the recent tuition increase. Corrigan should not be a scapegoat for a problem that is bigger than he is. He should be considered an ally for for the movement to make a change. They are throwing darts at a pool table. “I’m asking you, indeed I’m begging you, to bring the message to legislators,” Corrigan said. He has a point. It is a notable event that the president came out of his office to address students. He didn’t have to, he chose to. Look at the actions of UC Berkeley and UC Davis administration as a comparison point for how poorly the administration could have reacted to the Occupy SFSU movement. All the negative commentary did was push away the man who could help us get what we collectively need and desire: more money for higher education. We’re not saying Corrigan is a saint, or that he has been a perfect administrator. But to reject ideas from a man who has been with the University for 23 years is unreasonable. Try some of his ideas and see what happens. You never know they might work and we might get some relief from the education budget turmoil that surrounds us. The presidents of universities are not the ones who have the power. The power is in the hands of the legislature. Let’s be smarter about this fight, and direct our anger and tents to the correct front yard.
ERIK VERDUZCO
PHOTO EDITOR photo@goldengatexpress.org
GODOFREDO VASQUEZ
SPORTS EDITOR sports@goldengatexpress.org
GIL RIEGO JR.
MEDIA EDITOR griegojr@mail.sfsu.edu
HENRY NGUYEN
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR nenhenry@mail.sfsu.edu
CAILIE SKELTON
ASSISTANT CAMPUS EDITOR skelton@mail.sfsu.edu
RACHELE KANIGEL
FACULTY ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu
SCOT TUCKER
PHOTO ADVISER tucker@sfsu.edu
EVA CHARLES
ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu
MONICA QUESADA
PRODUCTION ggxads@mail.sfsu.edu
JUSTIN OROZCO
CIRCULATION jaorozo@mail.sfsu.edu
ARUN UNNIKRASHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@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 Michelle Olson at: opinion@goldengatexpress.org
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: editor@goldengatexpress.org
ART BY SARA DONCHEY | sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu
To clarify:
The field is composed of a mix of perennial bluegrass and ryegrass, with heavy infiltration by annual bluegrass, a shallow rooted grass weed that is well adapted to our dewy and cool conditions and cannot be killed without killing the other grasses.
The article said, “This produces a waxy substance that coats the ground” because the fields are constantly in use. In fact, according to Phil Evans, the Director of Site Planning, decaying grass leaves produce a fine slimy substance that prevents water infiltration. Additionally, plant roots produce waxes that make parts of the soil repel water.
Additionally, to clarify, the grounds crew does in face reseed regularly, but during the season the traffic from games and practices destroys the young seedlings, which can take weeks to grow into mature plants. The fields are mowed three times a week in season to keep the grass short for better play, but this reduces the top growth, which fosters strong roots.
The article also noted “The field is composed of perennial bluegrass, also known as ryegrass,”
We regret any confusion.
In the 10.05 article “Uneven Playing Fields,” there were some confusing sentences regarding the state of the grass and its maintenance.
CORRECTIONS FOR XPRESS PRINT EDITION
12.07.11 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG COLUMNS
Sleep well before class, not during
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BY SPENCER DEVINE | spencerd@mail.sfsu.edu
The party last night was too good to pass up,” “I had to study for that midterm,” “I was on StumbleUpon all night and I just needed to click one more time.” These three statements have one main thing in common: They are all real-life excuses for why college students didn’t get enough sleep the night before. There is a Hollywood notion that in college students never sleep because of raging keggers or romantic escapades, but the reality can sometimes be far less glamorous. What these movies do properly capture is the morning after when, due to the lack of sleep, undergrads meet forehead with desk and sleep through the lesson plan until the sternbut-loveable teacher wakes them up. Almost everyone I’ve met has a story of being in class with that one kid who fell asleep mid-lecture, if they weren’t that student themselves. This is due in part to dark classrooms, boring movies and dragging lectures, but mostly the culprit is a lack of sleep the previous night. The National Sleep Foundation says that the average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep every night, yet a lot of college students fall below that average and the results show in their mid-class nap. Whether the teacher wakes up the perpetrator or lets them snooze, it seems like a waste of the teacher’s time and a disrespectful showing. When tired, it is scientifically proven to be more difficult to pay attention and
in some cases stay awake. Some may argue, “So what if I fall asleep in class? I paid to be in this course and it’s my money to waste.” Besides the point that they may not indeed be the one paying for their classes, there is a bigger point. How is it fair to the students who could not get into the class because it was full that this individual is using that seat to sleep? If they wanted to pay to take a nap, couldn’t they do it without threatening class availability? To be fair it is not usually an intentional show of disrespect. When a student falls asleep, it is not usually a conscious choice (pun definitely intended.) Often times students can be just as upset if they fell asleep and missed a lesson. Students don’t miss out on sleep for malevolent reasons, but a lack of responsibility for one’s body and self has its own consequences. So how can this problem be solved? Easy: Time management. When leaving home for the first time and entering the world of adulthood, the overwhelming freedom can sometimes take its toll with sleepless nights and a horrid diet. What it will take for students to take responsibility is merely recognition of the cause-effect system of consequences for their actions. If there’s a party and you have class the next morning maybe skip the fun and sleep, study for a test during the daytime so you aren’t forced into late-night cram sessions, and the Internet will always be there for you when you wake up so no need to see it all in one night. It’s OK to sleep in your bed.
Social media keeps us reading niche news
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BY RUBY PEREZ | rubyp@mail.sfsu.com
Y FIRST ENCOUNTER with a news publication going under was in my hometown of Hollister, Calif. In the year that I was there, the already small staff of four that ran the weekly publication was reduced to two because of lost funding. I understood more clearly later that the reason for this newspaper’s decline was because print publications are becoming a thing of the past. Social media has become the replacement. This disturbed me because the reality is that, though we may be evolving, we are subsequently dumbing ourselves down. Social media should be spreading the news, not replacing it. The popular opinion is that the world is developing, and this may be true — to an extent. We’re not developing so much as we’re just spending a ridiculous amount of time on social media. With the rise of Twitter and blogs in the Western world, it feels as if news doesn’t need the journalist anymore. However, we still do. These new forms of social media have turned what was once a population of reliable news readers to addicts of social media. News hasn’t become bad, but the new forms have pushed readers to stay in a niche that doesn’t allow people to step out of their bubble. This keeps us ignorant to things outside of our comfort zone. Take the recent uproar with TIME magazine in which many on the Internet found out that the U.S. December issue emphasized anxiety, while the rest of the world read a cover story about the second Egyptian revolution. Why the censorship? Is it because as Americans we wish to only read about the wedding of Kim Kardashian? This is a red flag. In a study conducted from 2005 to 2009, the average newspaper circulation in North America was down 11 percent. But in Africa, average newspaper circulation was up by 30
percent, according to a study conducted by The Economist, in association with the World Association of Newspapers. Let’s look at the San Francisco Chronicle, which in 2010 suffered more than any other U.S. newspaper by losing 22.7 percent of its weekday sales, according to a report done by Audit Bureau of Circulations. One of San Francisco’s most reliable and recognizable newspapers is dying because we chose to read the articles in our news feed or timeline, based on our interests. Americans have reached a point of separation. We can no longer be bothered with knowing about the rest of the world, or even identifying with one another. The average Facebook user spends 15 hours and 33 minutes on the site each month, according to the website’s statistics. Even more disturbing, a little more than 60 percent of users visit the 25 most popular and credible U.S. news websites only once a month. Americans depend heavily on Facebook, with close to 50 percent using it as the main source of receiving information. That means those who visit, say the New York Times online, only do so once a month. Yet a user would visit Facebook multiple times in one day. Arguably the Western world is hurting itself in the ways it seeks information. Though social media can help spread news at a rapid rate, which is a positive aspect, they also have the tendency to keep the reader in their niche by not allowing them to seek the larger picture. Take the top five most followed Twitter accounts: Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears. President Obama makes it in at sixth. Are these really the people we are replacing NPR with? If we lose the journalist, we have to stop and think: Are the times really changing? Or, as the rest of the world watches, are we dumbing ourselves down?
O P I N I O N 13 CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY NEWMAN CLUB St. Thomas More Church Father Labib Kobti, Pastor 1300 Junipero Serra Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 452-9634
www.stmchurch.com/newman email: newman@stmchurch.com Weekly Meeting, Cesar Chavez Student Center:
For Current Activities: St. Thomas More:
(415) 452-9634 Mondays: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Close to campus! Please call Verbum Dei: (415) 573-9062
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NAVIGATING NAVIGATING FINALS FINALS
DUN DUN DUUUNN...
STUDY SPOTS: WHERE STUDENTS GET DOWN WITH BOOKS BY MICHAEL HUBER | mphuber@mail.sfsu.edu
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Paper is strewn about, everyone loses sleep over how prepared they are and fingers get tired from endless Internet searches. No, it’s not Christmas; it’s the end of the semester. But, like Christmas, finals can make it difficult to find a moment of peace amid the chaos. This is why students have particular study spots they like more than others, but these students share something in common: They resort to these locations to concentrate and avoid distractions. “At home I eat and watch TV,” said senior Joe Gerigk, criminal justice major. “Then the next thing you know it’s 30 minutes later and probably a good idea to get back to work.” TV is just one of the many distractions people face while studying at home, but some distractions have a mind of their own and can’t simply be turned on or off. “At home it’s not very productive,” said Courtney Camin, an anthropology major. “My dog is a huge distraction so I try to leave as early as possible and stay on campus until I get it done. I enjoy the A room computer lab in the Business building. It’s quiet and warm in there.” Some students have one particular area that they tend to go to, but others have different places for
Holistic Health Learning Center — HSS 329
Rigoberta Menchu Hall
Between the HSS and Business buildings
different needs. “I usually hang out at the Annex because it’s easy to get computer and printer access,” said Kristiffer Ronngard, a marketing major. “If I need to read I go to Rigoberta Menchu Hall because it’s quiet. Otherwise I just sit here (in the Richard Oaks Multicultural Center). It depends on what I am doing.” If TV and dogs are not enough to contend with, try living in a small apartment with multiple roommates. “My roommates both go to State,” said Monika Rhodes, a senior in child development. “I get the most work done on campus. I have more space.” Every student reacts to noise differently. Some people like the quiet atmosphere of computer labs while others prefer a more crowded environment. “I don’t like studying at home because it makes me want to sleep,” said Rabab Khodary, a graduate student in cellular molecular biology. “Cesar Chavez is my favorite. The noise never bothers me. I feel that it’s actually good.” Whether studying in a computer lab, the library Annex, or the cafeteria in Cesar Chavez, many students seem to agree on one thing: studying requires a special space.
PHOTOS BY NICK MOONE
a
4 24-HOUR STUDYING
STUDY STUDY STUDY
EATING RIGHT WHILE STUDYING HARD National Sleep Foundation suggests adults get sleep 7-9 hrs.
Eat three meals a day, breakfast especially high in fiber and protein to provide the physical and mental energy for the day Keep fruits and vegetables handy and stocked for healthy snacks when hunger strikes. Not having healthy options will lead to unhealthy binging. Eating out leads to an empty wallet and a belly full of calories. Minimize sugar intake. Drinking less soda is a solid step to a healthier life. Exercise 30 minutes five days a week or exercise vigorously for 20 minutes 3 days a week to stimulate metabolism. COMPILED BY SPENCER DEVINE AND MEGAN TAROS
CESAR CHAVEZ STUDENT CENTER
Open 24 hours. Starts 7 a.m. Thursday to 11 p.m. Tuesday SF State ID required to enter Computer lab and Bookstore Lobby Stop hours extended
LIBRARY ANNEX
Study space and computers 24 hours a day, seven days a week Service desk open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Friday Desk open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays Research assistance from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday
LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER
The LAC is available for tutoring in the subjects of math, reading, writing and sciences. It is open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon in HSS 348 Students may contact the LAC at (415) 338-1993
CLASSROOMS TO STUDY IN There are study rooms on four floors of the Humanities Building, located on the second to fifth floors. Study areas close at 10 p.m. HSS 107 features study space, copiers and printers Vacant classrooms are available for study from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Saturday Classrooms for group study: Business, Rm. 126, HSS 155 Classrooms for quiet study: Business, Rm. 128, HSS 302
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