GOLDEN GATE XPRESS //
FROM THE ARCHIVES OF XPRESS
STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER PROUDLY SERVING THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1927.
// 02.29.12
Nearly marche 150 students d campu through s and v arious buildin g ending s before it in fro adminis nt of th e where tration entryw studen ay, ts stories of how shared recent and fee cu h affected ikes negative ts ly their liv es.
2012
ISSUE 6
MARCH 2, 2011
NOV. 18, 2009
MARCH 1,
VOLUME LXXXXII
Students and faculty members demonstrated on 19th and Holloway avenues today in demonstration against pending budget cuts. The protest was in collaboration with a statewide Day of Action.
MARCH 4, 20b10udget gap this
on ’s $20 billi ar, has California f $60 billion last ye niversity U o e p th to . ion at year, on aring tuit ia State University so in d e lt rn fo resu li a ts C n ia and y stude of Californ jammed, and man been laid off ve re a a h s e rs ture Cours ’t let at all. Lec U wouldn can’t get in ees furloughed. CS mester. y se and emplo ts enroll at all this n new stude
ucation this ction for Ed ited front of A f o y a D e Th t un sent the firs and year will pre ring multiple student- Us S C tu a s, m UC its kind, fe izations fro n a ed rg lv o o v d e in -l faculty s. Those e g e ll co y a it d te. n and commu the biggest turnout to ay g B e are expectin tion will begin in th ra st n o The dem
and allies , educators ts n e d u that st Area where 9-mile trek in Oakland te 9 ta a S in t the will beg ith a sit-in a e Berkeley w te a in lm will cu From th n, acramento. Capitol in S ation to Workers Actio g in ci k o ta Faculty Ass cross California are a ts n a streets. particip tions to the their frustra
DAY OF ACTION: A MARCH FOR CHANGE 6 UC Berkeley was the first to protest in the fall of 2009 as their tuition was threatened to be raised 32 percent to cover the more than $500 million state budget deficit. Students at other UCs and CSUs soon followed suit. On the 2009 Day of Action, SF State stu-
THE MERGING OF MOVEMENTS The involvement of the Occupy movement will be one of many factors to expand the Day of Action from 24 to 168 hours.
dents sat in the lobby of the Administration building after having their own fees raised $672 dollars a semester, and CSU employees were forced to participate in furloughs. This year, with even more fee increases approved and more cuts on the way, a high turnout is expected.
O
SEE OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE
MARCH PAGE
BY MICHELLE OLSON | maolson@mail.sfsu.edu
NCE A FITTING TITLE FOR a day-long demonstration, this year’s Day of Action for Education in California has expanded into a week-long affair. This is a result of networking, promoting and organizing efforts intended to ensure that it will achieve different results. The rally will start at 11 a.m. March 1 in Malcom X Plaza and stop at the Civic Center, the California State Building and then City Hall, ending around 6 p.m. This is only the beginning. A week-long series of rallies and protests will include a 99-mile walk to the state Capitol
from Oakland, and a three-day stay inside or on the lawn of the Capitol building in Sacramento. Some participants attribute these additional events and the increase in collaborations to the support of the Occupy movement. “There’s much more cohesion in the city and Bay Area in general,” said Federico Villalobos, a member of Occupy SFSU and an art history major at SF State. “The tactics and the momentum are different, so the event is going to be different, because of the ideas of the people behind the event, like Occupy.” SEE ACTION ON PAGE 6
2 CAMPUS
02.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
SF SPEAKS OUT
Bay Area HIV groups unite
WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK THE MARCH 1 DAY OF ACTION/WALKOUT WILL HAVE ON EDUCATION?
“Based on what has happened with other walkouts, probably nothing. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible.”
KYLIE MARTINEZ
20, LIBERAL STUDIES MAJOR
ADVOCATE: Cynthia Gomez, director of the Health Equity Institute at SF State, has helped to secure annual funding for the Bay Area Network for Positive Health. The group, comprised of 11 agencies around the Bay Area, work together to provide care for HIV-positive patients. Photo by Henry Nguyen “It does help to send a message. I don’t know how well the message is received by the intended recipients. It’s not really affecting the people in Sacramento.”
SAM VINCI
22, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR
“Nothing is going to change. We’ve had them in the past and tuition keeps going up. I don’t think walking out will have a positive effect.”
MUSTAFA DURRANI
18, ENGINEERING MAJOR
I
BY VIKRAM SINGH | vpsingh@mail.sfsu.edu
T’S A THREE-LETTER ACRONYM THAT carries a negative connotation. Reactions to the pronouncement of this word range from fear and shock to total apathy. It’s HIV. Cynthia Gomez, director of the Health Equity Institute at SF State, has been in the fight against these reactions since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic 30 years ago. “It was hard not to know someone affected by the disease,” Gomez said. “I was in Boston at the time running a mental health clinic.” Now armed with money from AIDS United, she has been finding and linking into HIV care 8,000 people in the Bay Area who know they are HIV positive, but are not receiving life-saving treatment. She is using the $2 million grant to support community outreach programs in San Francisco and Oakland. “The more communities that we can shrink the availability of that virus and the potential for that exposure, the more we are able to strangle the virus,” she said. The organization created the Bay Area Network for Positive Health last year to help coordinate their efforts. BANPH includes 11 agencies around San Francisco and Oakland dedicated to lowering the number of people who are HIV positive and without care. With the HEI acting as its hub and mentor, BANPH “reaches out in a holistic and empowering way,” according to Gomez, to those most at risk of being infected or to those already with the disease.
CRIME BLOTTER
“I just hope it has an effect. Tuition rates are ridiculous, I may not be able to come back next semester. I don’t think it will have an effect, but I hope it will.”
JOSE BUENTOSTRO,
21, PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR REPORTING BY LISA CARMACK PHOTOS BY HENRY NGUYEN
Danielle Gordon, HEI evaluation and clinical coordinator, understands that those marginalized by society face the biggest obstacles to receiving treatment, and works with clinics to address the causes of health inequities for these people. She said that people who have been previously incarcerated, for example, are less likely to receive care. Gordon said that the program has already seen some success. “Over 200 people have come through the program, and at least 100 have been linked up with care,” she said. “It took a long time to get going. A lot of groundwork was needed to create credibility within the community.” BANPH invited area clinics to take part in the program to achieve this. Nicholas Moss, San Francisco Department of Public Health’s new director of Clinical Prevention unit of HIV prevention, is aware of the barriers to care that people face. The unit is affiliated with BANPH and provides follow-up coverage to patients in and out of the justice system. “Consider us the last line of defense,” Moss said. “We can’t compel people to take the medicine, but what can we do is try to remove all the barriers to the medicine.” In 1981 the stigma of AIDS was so great that people were afraid of getting treatment. Then the public mobilized and the blame shifted from one group to another before it was realized the problem was biological, not cultural. Gomez remembers when the call to action was strong and people were aware of the problem. Nearly three decades later, fear has been replaced with apathy. “We have become so dependent on the notion that we can live without promoting our own health,” Gomez said.
02. 21 through 02.24
Compiled by Xpress Staff
FEAR AND LOATHING AT SF STATE
WHIPLASH
SKINNY SUNBATHING
A female student reported $20 worth of her medication missing from her SF State dorm room Feb. 21. What she probably didn’t know was that the culprits who took her medicine did it not only to relieve themselves of headaches and stress, but also to escape from the monotony of tepid student life. Perhaps they were inspired to experiment by a Hunter S. Thompson novel assigned to them in their freshman English class. Or they just wanted to sell the pills. Whatever.
Sometime during late-night hours Feb. 21, a University golf cart had its rear-view mirror removed while it was parked at the Student Services building, which begs the question: Why does a golf cart have a rear view mirror in the first place? Oh damn! Now that it was stolen, the driver’s going to have to turn their head... a little.
University police cited an SF State student for indecent exposure Feb. 24 on the grassy knoll in front of the Humanities building. What the officers probably didn’t realize was that with tuition rising 9 percent each semester, students have had to make do without such luxuries as socks, shirts and underwear.
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 3
| 02.29.12
GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
FREE ADVERTISING: GO VIRAL
Bands create videos to post to YouTube in hopes of spreading their music, gaining fans, and ultimately being discovered.
UPLOAD: High Society rehearses in McKenna Theatre. The band recently released a video on YouTube that went viral and has helped promote the group and its music. Photo by Hunter Mulich
B
BY KIRSTIE HARUTA | kharuta@mail.sfsu.edu
EFORE WRITING OFF THAT sixth installment of the latest YouTube video trend as an overdone joke, consider what might be accomplished from jumping on the bandwagon. James Guttman, a fourth year marketing major at SF State and vocalist in the local band High Society, did just that. With his “Shit Band Guys Say” video, an offshoot of the “Shit People Say” trend, Guttman has become one of many independent artists utilizing YouTube in creative ways as a means of self-promotion. “My manager was hitting me up saying we needed to make a viral video,” said Guttman. “We were just promoting online (through Twitter and Facebook), and it was slow.” Though Guttman has been playing in bands for four years, High Society is a new project still looking to play its first show. Setting out to create a funny video to attract more fans, he decided to take the ridiculous things guys in bands say and turn them into a “Shit Band Guys Say” video. “Everyone was saying how sick they were of these videos, but they were still getting hundreds of thousands of hits,” said High Society manager and Live 105 DJ Dallas Osborn. “People love videos.”
press p YOURSELF...
32,000 readers
will see your message with this ad Eva Charles Ad Sales 415.338.3133 echarles@sfsu.edu
The video was posted after this year’s Super Bowl. Within minutes, it reached its initial 300 view cap, at which time view counter stops while YouTube assesses a video to ensure it isn’t spam. “The next morning, we had 12,000 hits,” said Guttman. During the following days, blogs were circulating the video and internationally known bands, including The Maine, Trivium and Woe, is Me were tweeting about it. The video included a link to High Society’s videos and other online accounts, gaining them 1,000 new Facebook friends and quadrupling their music video views. “We made this video for this exact purpose, but we didn’t really expect it to get to the 300 view limit in two minutes,” said Guttman. “I think it’s great. We got more promotion than we could ever have asked for.” Osborn says that the visual element makes YouTube a great way to connect with new fans. “If you’re lucky, you get people to click your link to your song,” he said. “But people like to see (artists) and get their personality. It’s a good tool to have, and it’s better than SoundCloud or a Facebook page.” Guttman advises all bands and artists to capitalize on YouTube as a tool for self-promotion, and many are doing just that. Daly City artist Adrian Per uses YouTube as the main platform to promote the music videos he directs, some for his own material and some for others.
“(The videos) are all directed by me,” said Per, who may hand the camera over to be in a scene, but does all the editing himself. “I want to have my own creative control over it.” Per’s videos are produced with quality, but with YouTube he doesn’t need to have a record deal to get his work out. With the right networking, he can draw a considerable audience. “I had no idea I would get the views I did,” said Per, whose latest video for a song called “Ashley,” shot at SF State, exceeded 30,000 views within three weeks. He also points out that with YouTube, no matter how many hits your video gets initially, your audience can continue to expand over time. It’s a good starting point, even if your videos don’t go viral. “Good music is always going to be timeless,” said Per. “It will get discovered, one way or another.” Artists like Guttman and Per are taking steps similar to those of popular performers like Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston, who were discovered on the internet. Kerry Fiero, a professor in the SF State music recording industry program, said that artists can now do what they once had to rely on record labels for. “The way people succeed is by having an audience,” said Fiero. “Thanks to things like YouTube, you can find an audience on your own.”
Costello’s Monday $2 P.B.R. $4 Bloody Marys
4
Deuces
Tuesday $3 Pacico $2 P.B.R.
Thursday Jimmy Hits DJ $2 Draught Coor Light - Budwiser - P.B.R. $3 Well Drinks $2 Peppermint Shots
EVERY DAY $3 Guinness Black Lager $2 P.B.R.
6 x 52” TV sets 4 x Dart Boards
Friday $3 Carlsberg
2319 Taraval St (415) 566-9122
02.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
4 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
NOB HILL At its core, Nob Hill is one of the swankiest neighborhoods in the city. It’s home to luxury hotels, high-rises and, of course, upscale restaurants. Though Nob Hill is ritzy in the middle, its edges pack in some urban personality, with convenience stores and dive bars occupying the Tendernob and supermarkets bordering Chinatown.
SWEET TOOTH
LOTTA’S BAKERY
HINT: With an irresistible key lime pie that may rival your grandma’s, This is a must-visit in the neighborhood. Between moist cakes, flaky pies and freshly-baked artisan breads, the standout is probably the Original Blum’s Coffee Crunch cake, with crunchy coffee candy sprinkled throughout luscious layers of chocolate cake. 1720 Polk St.
CHEAP EATS
U-LEE RESTAURANT
HINT: For only $6, you get six fistsized, meaty potstickers that would satisfy even the most formidable appetite. Despite its corner-store exterior, this veritable gem offers massive portions of authentic Chinese cuisine that stretch the value of your dollar. 1468 Hyde St.
ROMANTIC
RISTORANTE MILANO
HINT: This is Northern Italian food at its best. The homey and simple decor of the restaurant will create a pleasant experience for diners looking for an affordable dish. Their signature beef carpaccio explodes with flavor from the fresh capers and smooth grana cheese. 1448 Pacific Ave.
WILDCARD
CORDON BLEU VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
HINT: This isn’t you regular pho and sandwich place. Walking in Cordon Bleu Vietnamese Restaurant is like walking right into someone’s home, with their mother slaving away in the kitchen. The delectable imperial rolls, stuffed with shredded pork, vermicelli, carrots and wood-ear fungus, have a simple, rustic touch to them.
HIGHTECH ART GRABS HOLD OF AUDIENCE BY BARBARA SZABO | barbaras@mail.sfsu.edu
Imagination and technology meet in a motion-sensing, light-flashing art exhibit that mixes together a wide variety of elements. T-800: Machine artist Kal Spelletich showcases a robotic hand that senses human reaction on contact at SmaART Space, an interactive art gallery in the Fine Arts building. Photo by Mihail Matikov
A
ROBOTIC HAND WELCOMED GUESTS to the SmART Space opening reception, deciding which of its three grip strengths to use based on each person’s heartbeat and touch. The interactive exhibit, which explores the relationship between art and technology through the eyes of four West Coast artists, Alan Rath, Maggie Orth, Gail Wight and Jim Campbell, celebrated its opening reception Thursday in the Fine Arts Gallery and will run through March 15. Interactive art emerged as a genre in the 1990s and aims to set a scene in which audience input is required to experience the work. “The rules of response, as designed by the artists, are key to the success of any interactive artwork,” said Orth. The exhibition was put together in memory of Stephen Wilson, professor of art and head of the conceptual and information arts program at SF State, who died Jan. 10 of last year. The idea for the exhibit is rooted in Wilson’s works and writings. “Wilson is a pioneer of this art and technology movement,” said gallery manager Sharon Bliss. Bliss, along with gallery director Mark Johnson and conceptual and information arts professor Paula Levine, worked with SF State art students to organize the exhibition. Upon entering the gallery, a circular LED screen atop a tripod projects a single, moving eye. The eye is programmed to never repeat its motions, giving the illusion of following guests’ movements with a wandering glance. Orth’s constantly-evolving textile installation, “100 Electronic Art Years,” illuminates the back wall. It is made up of 50 hand-woven, textile pixels. With the push of a button, the
interwoven conductive yarn heats up as temperature-sensitive ink seeps through the fabric. Within five minutes, the textile patterns become brighter and brighter, after which the colors begin to fade until the next time the button is pushed. “My use of electronic materials is a significant part of the work’s meaning,” said Orth. “These materials represent time, infinity and metaphysical powers.” Fifteen eight-foot poles hang suspended in the middle of the gallery, depicting photographic prints of diverse natural environments. As guests walk among the poles, motion sensors trigger sounds that correlate with each photographic location. “The incorporation of photos and sounds is like walking through a lit rainforest,” said SF State photography alumna Breanne Stonge. Black netting houses hundreds of light bulbs to the right of the gallery, hung at varying lengths to create a slanted light installation. Fewer than 10 people can enter this room at one time due to the fragility of the light bulbs and limited space. The opening reception concluded with a performance by San Francisco-based media artist and performer Pamela Z at Knuth Hall in the Creative Arts building. She looped live vocal samples and sounds of birds, typewriters and various beats to create heavily layered songs. Screen projections accompanied each song. During one of the last songs, Pamela Z filmed a series of five-second clips of herself singing and making different facial expressions. She then strung these clips together side-by-side on the screen. “It’s a high-technology show, but there’s also a poetic feel to it,” said Bliss. “The artists mix those elements together seamlessly.” The free gallery, located in room 238 of the Fine Arts building, is open Wednesday through Saturday.
1574 California St.
AN XPRESS GUIDE TO DINING IN THE CITY. COMPILED BY EAST BAY DWELLER AND VORACIOUS FOODIE MATT MAXION, WHO ENJOYS WRITING ABOUT THE BAY AREA FOOD SCENE. HE IS ALSO THE SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR FOR GOLDEN GATE XPRESS.
CHECK OUT GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG FOR MORE Arts & Entertainment
PEZ MUSEUM FREE DAY
BIKE PARTY: DR. SUESS RIDE
THURSDAY, MARCH 1 10 A.M. - 6 P.M.
FRIDAY, MARCH 2
214 CALIFORNIA DRIVE, BURLINGAME
7:30 P.M., FREE OCTAVIA BOULEVARD AND HAYES STREET
ASIAN ART MUSEUM FREE DAY SUNDAY, MARCH 4 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. 200 LARKIN ST. FREE SHOW: CEREMONY TUESDAY, MARCH 6 6 P.M. AMOEBA RECORDS
CAMPUS 5
| 02.29.12
GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
Site gives students a place to share hardships BY BRITTNEY BARSOTTI | bbarsott@mail.sfsu.edu
L
INES UPON LINES OF TO-DOS ARE LISTED UNDER EACH day of the week in Katie Sidman’s planner. Everyday she wakes up at 6 a.m. and takes public transit to SF State where she attends a full load of classes, works out for an hour each day on her break and either works at Hollister, as a nutrition peer educator on campus or assists with preschool classes as a part of her work-study position for Jump Start. At the end of the day she goes home to study and get her homework done as soon as she can and tries to make time for her fiancé. Somehow she manages to get about 7 hours of sleep before waking up and doing it all over again. Sidman, 19, a sophomore at SF State and a pre-nursing major, is like many other students at SF State: working multiple jobs, suffering from financial stress and fewer classes to choose from. In an effort to spotlight the struggle of students like Sidman the University recently launched the Student Voices website. “It was clear to me that the students wanted their stories to be heard,” said President Robert A. Corrigan. “I was listening to the students. I wanted to hear from other students about their stories and how dramatic the need is for the support of higher education. Cutting costs is only part of the battle. We need to get funding for classes.” The site is a forum for students, like Sidman, who are tired of paying more money for less classes and services, to share their individual stories. Many students have seen lines out the door to try and add courses essential for graduation and even lotteries to select who will land the lucky seat. Sidman has tried to add both anatomy and physiology and been unsuccessful. Last semester she waited three hours outside a packed classroom to speak with the professor. “If you’re not a graduating senior or on the wait list, don’t even bother,” he told her. This is proving to be a concern for the majority of students at SF State. In the Student Pulse Survey for SF State taken in Fall 2010, 64.9 percent of students said the number one obstacle to graduating on time was a lack of required course sections being offered. This is after students already expect to take at least 5 years to graduate. In the Fall 2010 survey 63.5 percent of students reported expecting to graduate in 5 or more years. Because of this, Sidman is most likely going to transfer at the end of the semester to California Baptist University or move back with her parents and go to community college. Despite CBU having more expensive tuition, she has already received more in scholarships and is waiting to hear from financial aid, but most importantly will be able to get the courses she needs. “I’m going to have to leave either way,” Sidman said. “I can’t afford to stay. Either I will be able to afford CBU or go home to community college, which would be way worse.” This year she received $2,000 to $3,000 less in grants because her mother makes
$200 more than the maximum income for applicants. “My future as a pre-nursing student is looking dismal here,” Sidman said. “Because I can’t even get an anatomy class or any labs.” She is not alone, in the Fall 2011 SF State Student Pulse Survey of the students who did not expect to be able to complete their Bachelor’s degree, 58.8 percent said that it was because they did not have the money to pay for it. More than 400 students have shared their stories on the website, according to Shawn Whalen, the deputy chief of staff to President Corrigan. Most of them are strikingly similar to Sidman’s, and they have all been posted uncensored. “It wasn’t the volume of the stories we received that was so impressive,” Whalen said. “It was the common themes, the compelling nature, the amount of impact and the detail they were told in. It rings true when the stories aren’t ‘now I don’t get an iPad’ but they are ‘you’re killing my parents.’” According to Whalen and President Corrigan, it is the middle class, families that have even set aside for their children’s education that are being hit hardest by the economic crisis and the increases in tuition. “The problems we are seeing now is that low income families receive the most amount of financial aid, and wealthy parents can pay for college,” Corrigan said. “It’s that middle class, families making $60,000 a year that’s the group, that has been heavily hit with the tuition increase. We have got to continue to push as hard as we can to get the legislature to support higher education.” President Corrigan has sent out letters to the local legislative representatives, according to Whalen, including Senator Leland Yee. According to Yee’s office, he is currently drafting a letter to the students of SF State in response to their stories, but that is only part of the battle. According to President Corrigan, it is not our local legislatures that have been the problem. They have always historically been friends to higher education. “Our legislatures, they are the easy ones,” Corrigan said. “These are not the people standing between us and funding. It’s the Republicans that resist tax increases. We need to reach out to them, to get the student stories to them. That’s why we need to get other campuses in CSU system to take part in this effort.” Many of the student voices stories were printed on the back of mock $750 million with Gov. Jerry Brown’s face on them as a part of the California State Student Association’s “Buck Starts Here” campaign and placed in a ballot box that will be delivered to Governor Jerry Brown during the March Day of Action, along with stories from students across the CSU system. As far as any additional action to get these student voices heard by the legislature and voters throughout the state, President Corrigan currently has no official plan, but would like to see some form of the website spread to all the campuses in the CSU system. He hopes to use this website as a tool to reach to the legislature as well as voters so that they may begin to truly understand the struggles students face and that these students stories will help legislatures think twice before cutting funding for higher education.
X PRESS
Yourself...
32,000 readers will see this
AD
with your message call today and get your
AD
into our next issue
Contact the Advertising Ofce EVA CHARLES 415.338.3133 echarles@sfsu.edu
Fax 415.338.3111
Check Us Out Online!
http://goldengatexpress.org 2010 winner of the CA College Media Competition Best Online Multimedia Award!
X
02.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
6
PAST TO PRESENT: A LOOK AT DAY OF ACTION TWEET @XPRESSNEWS Are you live tweeting at the protest? Xpress wants to follow you. Let us know what you’re talking about with these hashtags:
#M1 - SF DAY OF ACTION ON MARCH 1 #RECLAIMCSU #RECLAIMSFSU #OCCUPYSFSU #OCCUPYSF #OO - OCCUPY OAKLAND #M5 - CITY HALL PROTEST IN SAC. ON MARCH 5 #HIGHERED - HIGHER EDUCATION #OWS - OCCUPY WALL STREET
PLANNED EVENTS SPILL INTO THE WEEK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Lalo Gonzalez, a criminal justice major and member of Occupy SFSU, agrees that the attention that has been built up around Occupy in the last few months will aid in the success of the Day of Action. “Nothing (in the past) is as big as what’s going to happen this year,” said Gonzalez. “Especially with the involvement of Occupy.” SF State is one of almost 50 organizations that will actively be participating in the National Day of Action for Education Thursday. The day is intended to provide an opportunity for unions, associations and organizations to speak out against budget cuts and tuition hikes. “This is going to be more action oriented. I think students are sick of hearing about lobbying their local rep,” said Terence Yancey, a philosophy major at SF State and member of the visual communications workgroup for Occupy SFSU. “It’s frustrating; for years we’ve been protesting budget cuts. This year it’s going to be different.” Yancey thinks the three-night stay will further the group’s agenda and help to prove their point.
“Most years we got there and left,” he said. “This year we’re staying.” Gonzalez also plans to do the 99-mile walk to Sacramento and stay overnight. But not everyone who supports the philosophy behind the movement is as moved to participate. Ernesto Martinez, an SF State Spanish major, has been disheartened by the way past Days of Action have gone. He attended in 2010 and 2011, and has been involved in activism for more than six years. However, he will not be participating in any of the Day of Action events this year. “I think the fact that the Day of Action is an established thing, like a yearly ritual, has changed the face of what it once was or could have been. Now it is like going to church on a Sunday,” he said in an email. “People can excuse themselves from doing any real organizing as long as they attend the events of that day and then go back to normal the next day.” Gonzalez has a different perspective. He feels that this year’s Day of Action will be more effective because the group knows what
they are asking for. “Before, it was about spreading awareness,” he said. “Now we have solutions.” Solutions include the Millionaire’s Tax, which would enact a raise in state income tax for millionaires. It could create an estimated $6 to 9.5 billion to fund education and public services, according to the ballot initiative’s website. Despite Occupy SFSU’s proposed solutions, some students still don’t think walking out is the answer. “I think walkouts are not that effective,” said Megan Hendry, an SF State art major, who has attended other rallies. “I think protests are a good idea, but missing class is not a powerful message.” According to Villalobos, people need to take direct action for the event to be truly effective. “We’re not only about showing our anger and frustration with the government. It’s really about getting out there and showing that physically,” he said. “These events are going to show the public and the people why education needs funding.”
TESTIMONIES OF DIFFERENT VOICES IN SUPPORT OF THE MOVEMENT COMPLIED BY JUAN DE ANDA, LISA CARMACK, ELISSA TORRES AND TAMERRA GRIFFIN.
Photo by Henry Nguyen Joe Kloythanomsup started getting involved when he, like many students at SF State, could not get classes despite constant tuition increases. He is a sociology major and live blogger. “When I started coming here in 2007, I was struggling to find classes ... it was getting harder for my parents,” he said. “Now I’m just involved in social activism, so that’s why I’m here participating in March 1.” Kloythanomsup has been heavily involved in many San Francisco protests and is determined to spread the word, despite his parents’ disapproval. “They are Republicans. They are immigrants and they don’t see too much what’s wrong with the CSU system, but that’s because they aren’t students. They aren’t involved whatsoever,” he said.
Photo by Henry Nguyen Walter Parenteau chose to walk out March 1 not only to express his personal frustration with unprecedented fee hikes; he is also weary for the fate of future generations if nothing changes. “I’m doing it not so much because of my own hardship, but I fear that an expensive college will keep people out of it,” said the 30-year-old history major. Parenteau, who admits having had to take out more student loans in order to fund his education, views participating in the Day of Action as an effective way to send a strong message to policymakers.
Photo by Godofredo Vasquez Sheila Tully, anthropology lecturer and vice president of SF State’s California Faculty Association chapter, is urging mutual awareness and action from students and faculty. “The state invested in me and my dreams and I don’t see why the people of California are not invested in your dreams as well,” said Tully. But Tully highlighted that this trend has been in decline because of a discrediting of teachers. “Our working conditions are student’s learning conditions,” said Tully. “I’m an educator. I know what works in the classroom and what doesn’t; the state needs to shift its priorities. There’s been a whole drum beat against teachers and it shouldn’t be so. If you can read, thank a teacher. If you can think, thank a teacher.”
Photo by Gil Riego Jr. Rachel Stower, a third grade teacher at Burbank Elementary in Hayward, Calif., said the Day of Education should be an ongoing process, not just an event. “Every day should be a day of action for education. I believe it is the most important job we have on this earth, to teach our future generations how to do better than we are doing now,” Stower said. “Change cannot come from learning to ace a test or sit quietly in our seats.” Stower said she, as an educator, must guide her students to be active citizens. “We must show them that change comes from questioning, working collectively and having an open mind and heart,” Stower said.
| 02.29.12
7
GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
FEB. 2010
NOV. 18, 2009
QUOTES FROM THE XPRESS ARCHIVES FIRST DAY of ACTION “I think it’s important because it allows the university to see that the students care and are willing to do something,” said Gracie Arguelles, 23. “It has a really big impact to see other universities marching together in solidarity.”
DAY of ACTION AGENDA 11 A .M . WA LKO U T AT SF STAT E Students from SF State plan to walk out of their classes in protest of the continuing budget cuts and tuition increases, and in the defense of public education. Students will meet at Malcolm X Plaza following the planned walkout. Activities include educating students on what is happening with the California State University and who the Board of Trustees are.
12 P.M . R A LLY AT M A LCO M X Students for Quality Education will hold a rally in Malcolm X Plaza titled “Reclaim SFSU: Reclaiming OUR Voice in Education.”
A MEETING to DISCUSS a FUTURE WALKOUT
12:30 P.M . M A R CH O N CA M P U S
“(We hope) to have the students’ voices be heard by the administration and let them know we care about our education,” sophomore Amrit Dhaliwal said. “We deserve quality education at a price we can afford, emphasis on the quality.”
SQE and SF State students will march on campus to symbolically reclaim the University for the students. Following these events, students from SF State will take Muni to rally with students from City College of San Francisco. Together, they will make their way down to Civic Center for further planned demonstrations at the State Building and City Hall.
MARCH 2, 2011
3 TO 4 P.M . O CCU P Y A STATE B UI L DI N G
WHILE PICKETING at LAST YEAR’S PROTEST Barbara Marquez, 22, a senior political science major at SF State said, “I don’t receive financial aid and I’m already at $20,000 in debt. Apparently I’m rich, making less than $20,000 a year.”
Teach-in and occupation of the State of California building, 455 Golden Gate Ave., potentially featuring a talk about civil disobedience.
4 TO 6 P.M . R A LLY AT CITY H A L L A rally, music, art and speakers will take place in front of City Hall at Polk and Grove Street as the Day of Action for Education continues. COMPLIED BY KRISSA STANTON
The issues surrounding the state of education are as varied as the organizations participating in events slated for March.
Photo by Melissa Burman Sadaf Malik of Students for Quality Education will participate in the Day of Action protest not only because she is a student activist, but because she is being pushed to her limits. “I pay for tuition out of my pocket and I work three jobs (35-40 hours a week) just to pay for school,” Malik said. “Silence is just acceptance.” Malik states that in order to achieve change, education must be made a priority. “If we can’t fix our own problems at the state system, how are we supposed to fix global problems?” Malik said. But with the current budget cut and rising tuition, Malik is forced to take drastic measures to finish her degree. “I’m taking 22 units right now just because I want to graduate.”
Photo by Melissa Burman Siraj Schabber of Students for Quality Education prepared signs for the March 1 Day of Action protest against budget cuts because he remembers the fees getting higher and higher. “The first semester I got here, my tuition was $2,612. The next semester it went up by $400, and the next semester after that it went up another $300. So now I’m paying $3,298,” Schabber said. Schabber highlights that SQE, the student branch of the California Faculty Association, is different in its methods when trying to achieve change in the higher education system. “This is our University and we’re going to be very peaceful, very non-violent: no tagging, no vandalism of any kind,” Schabber said.
Photo by Melissa Burman Jocelyn Palenco is an SF State sophomore who has difficulty declaring her major of choice because of the restrictions departments have to implement due to a lack of funding and professors. “I’m trying to be a child development major, and I can’t declare it because there’s a two year process,” Palenco said. Palenco said that education is a method of escaping social disadvantages and is walking out March 1 to advocate for affordable higher education. “I personally come from a disadvantaged community, and I see what kind of effect higher education can have on communities like that,” Palenco said. “I think it’s very important to fight for the future children and people who come after me.”
Photo by Godofredo Vasquez Alejandro Murguia, a professor of Latina/o studies, will be speaking at the rally on Malcolm X Plaza March 1 and he is actively participating because of his concerns with the state of education. “I’m concerned, I would say, on a variety of levels. On one one hand the education system implodes and collapses, and that affects all of us,” Murguia said. “But I feel even more concerned about my students, about their families, about the incredible sacrifice that they go through right now, and about their future in this society right now.” Murguia admits that there are a variety of issues being addressed on the Day Of Action but that the day provides a outlet for these voices to join forces.
02.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
8 CITY
America’s Cup construction begins after appeal denied BY ANA PREZA | acpreza@mail.sfsu.edu
“
SAIL AWAY: The Oracle Racing team boat sails around the bay prior to a prep race last year. The final Environmental Impact Report for the America’s Cup project was recently approved by the Board of Supervisors. Courtesy of Erik Verduzco
Residents and organizations in San Francisco recently appealed placement of blocks at the bottom of the bay, which they believed the findings of the final Environmental Impact Report for the 34th will stir up sediment and other toxins and metals, jeopardizing the America’s Cup, but were disappointed when construction was apquality of water. They were concerned that the toxins will harm proved by the Board of Supervisors despite their protests. marine life as well as the hundreds of swimmers who use Aquatic The EIR determined the impact event-related construction would Park every year. have on air and water quality in the Bay Area, which the Board “Placing a diesel generator in the cove is like idling a Muni bus judged to be acceptable, despite contrary information from many of at half court at a basketball game and telling the players to breathe the city’s environmental groups. through their jerseys and dribble around the bus,” said Chris Bruno, At the ground-breaking ceremony, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee board member at the South End Rowing Club. “This is a sanctuary.” said this project would leave a legacy in San Francisco’s waterfront. Kelley Capone, environmental project manager for the Port of “The Cruise Terminal is a great example of how San Francisco is San Francisco, said they have done analysis of the impact of the The Cruise Terminal leveraging the resources and energy of the 34th America’s Cup for placement of concrete blocks in the bay. is a great example of jobs and long term economic benefits for the City,” Lee said. “The placement of concrete blocks at the bottom of the bay how San Francisco is The project was originally met with opposition from organizations leveraging the resources floor would not cause a water quality impact,” Capone said. Capone including the Waterfront Watch, Sierra Club, Telegraph Hill Dwelladded that the necessary assessment was done on the report and and energy of the 34th ers, San Francisco Tomorrow and the Golden Gate Audubon Society. there would be no significant impact to Aquatic Park or air quality at America’s Cup for jobs They believed disturbing the bottom of the bay would stir sediment the piers. and long term economic that would affect the spectators, marine life and swimmers at the pier Others from the planning department reassured the Board that benefits for the City. and Aquatic Park. the disturbance of sediment would be very minor. At a hearing to discuss the appeal, challengers addressed their Supervisor David Campos, a strong supporter of the America’s ED LEE concerns about the thoroughness of the report and of possible violaCup, said he wants to make sure the event succeeds. MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO tions of the California Environmental Quality Act. They said the “We want to make sure that it’s done in a way that is envireport overlooked certain aspects and was not assessed properly acronmentally responsible and that it’s also fiscally and financially cording the the California Environmental Quality Act. responsible,” said Campos. Tom Lippe, who spoke on behalf of those petitioning, voiced concern about the Lippe voiced apprehension over the 80 percent reduction of spectators from the standards used to measure the findings in the report as well as air quality. original EIR to the final version, which he says will impact financial gain for the city. Another concern is the proposed Jumbotron, a floating screen that will stream the He said that there are not that many people that come to these events because they were races so spectators can get a better view at Aquatic Park. The Jumbotron will require hard to see. “The economic benefit goes way down,” Lippe said.
Music pirates walk the plank Illegally downloading tunes is so easy today that people often forget there are real and serious consequences to doing so.
T
HE TIME-CONSUMING PROcess of browsing the internet for cheaper alternatives to iTunes and Amazon might be worth it to the cash-strapped student, but only until the recording industry finds out. Internet users have been subject to lawsuits by institutions such as the Recording Industry Association of America for years, made even more serious by recent threats of anti-piracy legislation. But Electronic Frontier Foundation activist Eva Galperin suggests that there is little need to pass these new types of restrictive acts. “The government already has the tools it says it needs to fight piracy,” said Galperin. “DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) has a take-down-and-put-back-up procedure.” A take-down-and-put-back procedure is when the government would take the site down, remove the pirated material and then put the site back up. On top of DMCA procedures, individual organizations, such as SF State and other college campuses, have their own policies. Before logging on to campus servers, SF State students are made aware that sharing copyrighted material could result in fines up to $250,000 per offense, or even five years in prison. “I buy from iTunes because here at school they say that you’re not supposed to download and you could get in huge trouble for it. So I don’t want to
BY KIRSTIE HARUTA | kharuta@mail.sfsu.edu
chance it,” said Ashley Slomowitz, a criminal justice student who lives on campus at SF State. Though Slomowitz abides by campus policy, she is no stranger to alternative means of obtaining music. “My dad had a program called Audio Galaxy before it was illegal, and Napster was still running at the time, so we downloaded music through that,” she recalled. “I think because it was made illegal after the fact, it made it harder to sort of break away from that.” Some students say the consequences of illegal file sharing is the only thing keeping them from rampant downloading. “If there’s a song I like enough and I want it on my iPod, I buy it because I want to support the artist so they can keep making more music,” said Slomowitz, who is a fan of sites like Spotify, which offers free, legal music streaming. Slomowitz’s stance reflects SF State Media Law Associate Professor Miriam Smith’s belief that people “inherently want to do the right thing.” “We’ve made media a business,” said Smith. “Maybe media should never be more than a nonprofit business.” According to Smith, it is the resistance of record companies and Hollywood to break away from old business models and consider more accessible and affordable options for consumers that has brought about these blanketsolutions for copyright infringement.
“They want to lock law in to preserve their business models,” said Galperin. “Artists have moved on.” Still, many artists haven’t gone independent, and students who can’t afford a $12.99 album or a $50 DVD set turn to file sharing. It’s easy to forget, though, that internet users are being watched. Galperin explained that these businesses search BitTorrent for their content. Users’ information can then be subpoenaed and a notice is sent to the IP’s billing address. Briana Barker, a Cal State Northridge student, found herself in such a situation a few years ago, when she visited her cousin at UC Santa Barbara and illegally downloaded music from a site called Ares while logged into her cousin’s account on campus. “They contacted (my cousin) and said they would fine $750 per song I had,” said Barker, who had accumulated thousands of songs through file sharing. “We did some research and settled in court for $3000.” While Barker admits it was a bad mistake on her part, Galperin and the EFF see this as a larger problem of businesses seeking people out and shaking them down for money. Because of this, Galperin suggests encrypting your IP address to ensure your internet privacy. Smith also suggests students simply quit their file sharing habit. “Be aware that people are watching,” said Smith. “Just realize that we do need to pay our artists for what they give us.”
CITY 9
| 02.29.12
GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
THE INS & OUTS A WEEKLY SEX COLUMN BY CASSIE BECKER
H
EXHIBITIONISM: A RISKY CHOICE
taking a leisurely stroll in the middle of the night in Dolores Park. The police just aren’t that stupid. You might even get charged with lewd and disorderly conduct under section 372 of the California Penal Code as icing on the cake. If that’s not enough to deter you, section 290 of the California Penal Code requires that all persons convicted of an indecent too high. Since breaking up with her exposure charge register as sex Even though nudity is inner prude, Cassie Becker has done it all. Her interest offenders. You may be able to legal in San Francisco, havin sexual exploration has petition the court to get it off ing an erection while naked lead her to write several of your record eventually, but or getting down in public blogs and break even more until that point, both you and definitely isn’t. According to beds. She’s extensively the person you were having researched and written section 314 of the California about it - all with a sexy sex with on that fateful night Penal Code, it’s a crime “if smile. will be required to notify lothe act is both lewd (intent cal law enforcement of your to sexually gratify) and willwhereabouts and that informaful.” So the naked men in tion will be posted online for the Castro are fine, as long the world to see under Megan’s Law. as they don’t have boners and aren’t having sex This isn’t to say that exhibitionism is wrong with each other on the steps of the Muni station. or that anyone who’s an exhibitionist should stop If you flash someone or have sex where someimmediately and never do it again; however, this one can see you and then get a rush off of your is a serious issue that carries serious consequences public display, you’re an exhibitionist. and as a result must be taken seriously. The law is not in favor of exhibitionists. But for people who already are exhibitionists, If someone sees and reports you having sex you definitely aren’t alone. Sex clubs offer safe outdoors in San Francisco, you can be arrested havens for such behavior, complete with equipfor indecent exposure and charged with a misment and strangers to watch. The internet is also demeanor. You could go to jail for no more than a perfect place to go, with endless sites that let six months and potentially pay a fine of up to you upload pictures and videos of yourself or live $1000, according to section 314 of the California stream yourself naked or messing around. Penal Code, but that’s up to the judge. There is no So feel free to expose yourself to the world; excuse and no defense. You can’t say you accijust don’t do it in public. dentally fell onto your boyfriend while you were AVING SEX OUTSIDE sounds like a lot of fun, but when California state law can actually ruin your life for doing it, the stakes might be
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
OPINION
Beyond the rainbow flag BY KIRSTIE HARUTA | kharuta@mail.sfsu.edu
The LGBTQ+ community may fly a rainbow flag, but if you don’t exactly fit into the L or G, things start to feel uncomfortably black and white. Without a niche to call their own, people with beyond gay, lesbian and straight identities - also known as nonmonosexual - find themselves under attack from both the gay/lesbian and straight ends of the spectrum. Assumptions that must constantly be dispelled include “You just haven’t made up your mind yet” and “You’re just afraid to come out as gay.” That’s a lot to deal with, especially for people still coming to terms with their identities in a vastly heterosexual world. This stigma was my main worry when, my first year out of high school, I found myself smitten with a girl I met at my favorite cafe. Being attracted to a woman after years of being attracted to men wasn’t a big deal to me. What made it a big deal were the doubts and accusations I was sure to face if I decided to be open about how I felt. There are a few ways one may identify in the realm of nonmonosexuality. Some labels, like bisexuality, meaning being attracted to people of both the same and opposite gender, are more familiar to the general public. But labels like queer, an umbrella term to describe anyone who falls outside gender normative sexuality, and pansexual, which means being attracted to people regardless of gender, are misunderstood by most. People of nonmonosexual identities are often pressured to pick a side, but are then resented if they do. If they try to find a place in the gay community, they are not always accepted because they are seen as not queer enough. If they settle down with an opposite-sex partner, they are then seen as taking the easy way out. I sometimes feel like I’m not allowed to call myself queer. When I did finally tell my friends about the girl from the cafe, one of my gay friends tried to justify my feelings by pointing out that
the girl who had captured my interest had an androgynous look. While he didn’t mean to offend me, this was a perfect example of unconscious biphobia. The gay and lesbian community may look upon nonmonosexuals disdainfully because they more readily have access to straight privilege, which means it’s easier to make your way in the world if you can present yourself as straight. It is often less about privilege and more about convenience when nonmonosexuals gravitate toward the straight end of the spectrum. In the company of most of my friends, who are straight women, it’s easier to join in a conversation about an attractive male actor, and keep my other opinions to myself. What the nonmonosexual community needs is its own niche. Bisexual support groups exist, but you’ll have to do some digging to find them. In my experience, if you can find a bi-specific group, they’re usually small and offer limited discussion. A more prominent, easily accessible space must be made available for bisexual, pansexual and queer-identified people. One of the biggest issues for bisexuals is just being seen. According to a report by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission on bisexual invisibility, “(bisexual identity) erasure has serious consequences on bisexuals’ health, economic well-being and funding for bi organizations and programs.” Studies cited in the report have shown that bisexual-identified people have a greater likelihood of suffering from depression and other anxiety disorders, and may be receiving incomplete health information from their health care providers. Everyone deserves to be well-informed and comfortable with their identity and currently. Discard those negative connotations of bisexual, pansexual and queer people. These identities are just as legitimate as gay, lesbian and straight identities, and should be treated as such.
Contact Eva Charles 415.338.3133 echarles@sfsu.edu
Xpress
Advertising Ofce
02.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
10 O P I N I O N
STAFF EDITORIAL
KELLY GOFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF kgoff@mail.sfsu.edu
SARA DONCHEY
ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu
SCOTT GRAF
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR sgraf99@mail.sfsu.edu
GODOFREDO VASQUEZ
MEDIA EDITOR gvasquez@mail.sfsu.edu
NATALIE YEMENIDJIAN ART DIRECTOR nataliey@mail.sfsu.edu
MICHELLE OLSON
ONLINE COPY CHIEF maolson@mail.sfsu.edu
CASSIE BECKER
PRINT COPY CHIEF cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu
TAMERRA GRIFFIN
CAMPUS EDITOR tgriffin@mail.sfsu.edu
LISA CARMACK
CITY EDITOR lcarmack@mail.sfsu.edu
HUNTER MULICH
A&E EDITOR hunter@mail.sfsu.edu
KC CROWELL
OPINION EDITOR kcrowell@mail.sfsu.edu
KEALAN CRONIN
SPORTS EDITOR kealancronin@mail.sfsu.edu
KRISSA STANTON
BREAKING NEWS EDITOR kstanton@mail.sfsu.edu
HENRY NGUYEN
PRINT PHOTO EDITOR nenhenry@mail.sfsu.edu
GIL RIEGO JR.
ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR griegojr@mail.sfsu.edu
JUAN DE ANDA
GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND PARTICIPATE
We can no longer afford to tolerate the apathy that has stagnated social movements on this campus. Consider the actions surrounding March 1 your invitation to get out of your seats and reclaim your educational benefits that have been taken away over the last few years. Things have gotten so bad that you really don’t have an excuse not to participate. We are paying incredibly high fees and receiving little in return. We have unnecessary fees tacked on each semester without our consent. We are utterly locked out of the decision-making process concerning our education, from the search for a new president to how our tuition fees are allocated. It’s time to step up. In the discussion surrounding rising tuition and cuts to our educational system, we are united by how truly bad things are. There’s no dividing line here. Whether you’re a student, professor, lecturer or administrator, you’ve been affected by the slow degradation of higher education in California. It doesn’t matter if you don’t care about politics. It doesn’t matter if you’re not entirely knowledgeable when it comes to budget issues. If you are a member of this campus community, you have been paying the price through tuition hikes and cutbacks. It is not only your right to walk out, but your duty. We all agree how bad this is. Now let’s agree to stand together and demand that our grievances be taken seriously. Arguing that you don’t want to walk out because you don’t think protests are effective is a cop out. Instead of sitting around complaining, get up and join the marches. With enough momentum, student protests are effective. You don’t need to look any further than our own campus to see proof. The ethnic studies program at SF State was only created after a large number of students protested in 1968. Their strike lasted for five months and resulted in one of the first ethnic studies programs in the U.S. If they could commit to months, we can at least commit to a day. The list of organizations supporting the upcoming March 1 through 8 actions proves that the momentum is there. With so much support from such a diverse range of organizations, you have no excuse not to be there. There are more than a half dozen teachers’ unions who will be taking to the streets. SF State’s chapter of the California Faculty Association will be there. So will established activism groups like CODEPINK, Jobs With Justice and the Chinese Progressive Association. Faculty unions from the Bay Area and beyond will be marching shoulder to
ART BY SARA DONCHEY | sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu
shoulder with representatives from almost every CSU campus. This isn’t about the Occupy movement. This isn’t about debating the merits of direct action. This is about realizing that we absolutely do have the power to demand change. To pretend that we don’t have this power is selling ourselves short. Yes, civil disobedience can be uncomfortable. Yes, it can feel scary to stand up publicly for what you believe in. But unless you want to live with the even more uncomfortable reality of further cuts and lack of voice in reforming education, you better stand up. Now.
ASSISTANT CAMPUS EDITOR juand@mail.sfsu.edu
ELISSA TORRES
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR elissat@mail.sfsu.edu
MATT MAXION
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu
RACHELE KANIGEL
FACULTY ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu
KEN KOBRE
PHOTO ADVISER kobre@kenkobre.com
JUSTIN OROZCO
CIRCULATION jaorozo@mail.sfsu.edu
ARUN UNNIKRASHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu
EVA CHARLES
ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu
MONICA QUESADA
PRODUCTION ggxads@mail.sfsu.edu
WRITE US A LETTER The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words. Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to KC Crowell at: 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
I stutter, s-s-so what?
I
BY MATTHEW MAXION | mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu I deal with social situations. There’s a conQUIETLY APPLAUDED MYstant fear of judgment covert stutterers deal self after I successfully finished with, which affects tasks where communication is imperative, from a presentation in front of my Community: Changes and Development class last semester without having to use the answering the telephone to ordering at a restaurant. Stuttering, in these instances, becomes stigmatized, and feelings of guilt, shame and fear word “community.” about one’s stutter becomes overbearing to deal with. I had a list of synonyms I prepared beforehand like “What holds people back in stuttering is not the disfluent speech, it’s “group,” “populace” and “citizenry,” which were words I knew I could say fluently. I didn’t care if they sounded odd their fears about the disfluent speech, which are normal and understandable fears,” said Yarrus. “The more they diminish those fears, the easier in context; I only cared that I just got the words out of my mouth. it is to communicate.” These words are only a few of the hundreds that I have in my arseStuttering was one of the main reasons why I took up journalism nal of word substitutions, which I’ve perfected from when I started stutas a profession, particularly print and online journalism. Writing and tering at age 5. I managed to become adept at avoiding certain words, telling stories has become a form of catharsis for me. It’s seamless, and so I became a walking thesaurus of sorts to hide my stuttering. doesn’t take any physical tensions or gyration to produce a well-crafted “In my case, I was fairly good at hiding it when I was in college in sentence. my 20s,” said Jim McClure, spokesman for the National Stuttering As“There seems to be a number of people who stutter who are journalsociation, who stutters himself. “One result was that by being a master ists and writers. The fact that we could write better than we could talk is of word substitution - I developed a perfect vocabulary.” logical,” said McClure. Stuttering is a communication disorder that involves blocks or The choices I made in life revolved around my stutter, even times disruptions that inhibit one’s speech. It usually begins during early when I wished to speak up. And it wasn’t until I came to terms with my childhood between ages 2 and 5, but rarely lasts throughout life. Apstutter that I started to own up to this speech condition. proximately 1 percent of people in the U.S., or 2.7 million Americans, Fluent speech isn’t necessarily the admission ticket to a normal life, deal with stuttering. Its causes are unknown, though today we can say since keeping the facade of fluency left me drained. Constantly thinking with certainty that stuttering is largely a genetic condition, said Scott Yarrus of the University of Pittsburgh, who has specialized in stuttering about words I wanted to say, and then filtering those words with other words I knew I could say, just took a heavier toll than it needed to. for more than 20 years. “The first thing we have to learn is to stop judging yourself,” said “We know that it’s not a psychological condition in terms of its McClure. “I used to think that every stuttering block I had went on cause,” said Yarrus. “It’s actually a neuro-motor, neuro-linguistic probsome sort of permanent record like in Catholic school.” lem that we don’t fully understand, but we know that it has something Like McClure, I’ve come to accept that I may take considerably to do with how the brain processes language and speech. longer when reciting a sentence in front of a class than the regular fluMany covert stutterers, like myself, make up tricks and techniques ent speaker. And that it takes a lot more effort for me to say “Matthew” to hide their stuttering, but they promote false fluency. instead of “Matt.” And that my stutter may never completely go away. I’m a journalism major who has trouble saying the word “journalI’ve come to terms that stuttering is a part of who I am. It’s someism” sometimes. So like many covert stutterers, I would sometimes thing I’ve learned to deal with, and isn’t something I should try to hide. simply lie to people about my major. If I couldn’t say “journalism,” I’d The next time I introduce myself to a stranger, I’ll be sure say, “Hi! My say “English” or “Liberal Arts.” Heck, I said “mechanical engineering” name’s Matthew, and I’m a journalism student who stutters.” Whether I one time, and I hate math! sound fluent or not is completely negligible. These word substitutions dictate how I speak with people and how
S P O R T S 11
| 02.29.12
GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
PLAYER
ISAIAH JIMENEZ
WEEK
WRESTLING
of the
Junior wrestler Isaiah Jimenez has been chosen as the Xpress Player of the Week. Jimenez captured the individual title for the 165-pound weight class after defeating every opponent with a 4-0 run at the NCAA Division II Super Regional 4/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Wrestling Championships. This is the second year Jimenez has qualified for nationals, contributing to the fourth consecutive year the Gators have had a regional champion.
PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS
Triathlon club attracts attention BY KEALAN CRONIN | kealan@mail.sfsu.edu
GATORS’ SPORTS
SCORES FROM THE LAST WEEK OF GATOR SPORTS
SCHEDULE BASEBALL
FRIDAY, MAR. 2
LOSS
Feb. 24 vs. Chico State University 5-6
LOSS
Feb. 25 vs. Chico State University 3-18
WIN
Feb. 25 vs. Chico State University 6-4
BASEBALL
SF State vs. Cal State Los Angeles at 2 p.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)
SOFTBALL
SF State vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills at 12 p.m. (Carson, Calif.) SMOOTH SWIMMING: The SF State triathlon team trains together at Aquatic Park to prepare for competitions. Races are generally held in open waters, so the bay provides more of a lifelike resistance experienced in triathlons. Photo by Cindy Waters
SATURDAY, MAR. 3 BASEBALL
SF State vs. Cal State Los Angeles at 11 a.m. (San Francisco, Calif.) SF State vs. Cal State Los Angeles at 2 p.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)
SOFTBALL
SF State vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills at 11 a.m. (Carson, Calif.)
SUNDAY, MAR. 4 BASEBALL
SF State vs. Cal State Los Angeles 11 a.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)
TUESDAY, MAR. 6 BASEBALL
SF State vs. University of Nevada at 2 p.m. (Reno, Nev.)
T
HE NEWEST CLUB SPORT on campus is one of the most challenging athletic activities: triathlon. While the idea of running a three-sport event may intimidate some people, the founding members of the triathlon club team have embraced the sport and encouraged others to do the same. “I ran my first triathlon a few years ago,” said Vihn Nguyen, an international relations major who started the club in the spring of 2011. “I saw local and national schools competing and I wondered how come SF State doesn’t have one. So I started one.” The triathlon team has grown exponentially in the last year. Nguyen, who started the club with only four members, has managed to gain more than 30 participants, turning his “pet project” into one of the most challenging and impacted club sports on campus. While other clubs hold practices, the participants of the triathlon team have dedicated five days a week to training sessions to focus on each phase of the sport. As a cyclist, Nguyen started the team by recruiting friends who were interested in running or swimming to complete the three-part sport. The group coached one another to excel in each event, and joined the West Coast Collegiate Triathlon Conference to compete against other universities. Nguyen recruited many members of the team by approaching people at the pool and track. Nguyen thought that recruiting participants to compete in the grueling and strenuous sport would be difficult. To his surprise, the club gained almost immediate attention, attracting recreational athletes campuswide. Club treasurer Billy Krenzer, 24, was a runner who joined the team as a challenge and quickly became invested in the club. “I had never run a triathlon, but I thought, ‘why not?’” Krezner said. “It was a challenge at first, but once I got involved it was an easy transition, and it’s rewarding.” Competing in the multi-sport event takes determination and endurance. The transitions between the individual components can prove to be the most difficult part.
Krezner said that although triathlons are traditionally three sports, it could feel like five events with the difficulty of the transitions. According to Nguyen, many of the team’s athletes had never participated in a triathlon, but were encouraged and inspired by the founding members. Although triathlons are individual competitions, the team signs up together as a unified group. “We’re still getting our feet wet,” Nguyen said. “But we are continuing to grow and get sponsors.” The three parts to a triathlon each require different equipment, making the sport one of the most expensive. To help the team, Nguyen and club president Ben Franich have worked to gain the interest of sponsors who offer the team discounted equipment and products. “Competing with a decent bike can make or break you,” Franich, 23, said. “It hinders your ability to continue, so we have sponsors.” With eight sponsors, the triathlon team has more than any other club team. Although the team doesn’t get paid or receive merchandise for free, sponsors such as Sports Basement and GU Energy Gel offer discounted prices for larger orders. “We’ve seen a pretty good response,” Franich said. “The sponsors help us a lot in the competitions.” The triathlon team will compete three times this semester against various schools. The team picks up the intensity during training practices and swims in the bay at Aquatic Park to prepare for these competitions. Apart from the gratifying completion of the event, Nguyen said the best part of being on the team is the friendships he has formed through the positive atmosphere of triathlon competitions. “It’s a humbling experience,” Nguyen said. “It’s a whole atmosphere I’ve never experienced before.” The founding members are impressed with the way everyone has stepped up and contributed to the team. Nguyen had not anticipated this amount of participation and dedication, but he said he feels lucky to have contributed to his school and the community. “If in 10 years I’m at a race and I see a kid racing in an SF State uniform or something, I can say I started that,” Nguyen said. “I think that’d be pretty cool.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL WIN
Feb. 22 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills 77-66
LOSS
Feb. 24 vs. Cal State Los Angeles 70-75
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WIN
Feb. 22 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills 39-35
LOSS
Feb. 22 vs. Cal State Los Angeles 55-72
SOFTBALL LOSS
Feb. 24 vs. UC San Diego 6-7
LOSS
Feb. 24 vs. UC San Diego 0-3
WIN
Feb. 25 vs. UC San Diego 4-3
LOSS
Feb. 25 vs. UC San Diego 6-11
12 12
02.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG
415-586-9400
VALUE MENU Parkmerced/ SF State/ Ingleside $ 99 each
5
Plus Tax
MEDIUM 1-TOPPING PIZZA
OVEN BAKED SANDWICH
STUFFED CHEESE BREAD
BREADBOWL PASTA
BART Community Meetings March 2012 Influence Transportation Decisions Please join the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) as it seeks input on three critical issues. Proposed Fare Increase — Small, regular fare increases have been key to keeping BART’s service safe and reliable. For the next fiscal year, BART is planning a small fare increase effective July 2012 in order to raise approximately $5 million. Your input is needed on possible alternative fare change options that could generate that amount and on a long-term extension of BART’s current inflation-based fare increase program.
ClipperSM Card Distribution for Seniors and Youth — BART is part of “Clipper,” the regional fare payment system. Seniors and youth can get their discounted fare automatically by using the discounted Clipper card. BART wants to insure that eligible BART customers can readily obtain discounted cards in their communities. Your input is necessary to determine the adequacy of existing locations to obtain Clipper cards and to comment on what would be adequate for you and your community.
Draft Environmental Justice Policy — Your input is needed on BART’s draft Environmental Justice Policy. The proposed Environmental Justice Policy includes three primary components: 1) integrating Environmental Justice principles into BART’s transportation planning; 2) evaluating impacts on minority and low-income populations; and 3) enhancing public involvement activities to identify and address the needs of minority and low-income populations in making transportation decisions. If you are unable to attend one of our community meetings, you may still provide feedback by completing an online survey at www.bart.gov/survey. If you do not have internet access, call toll-free 1-888-579-5911 to take a phone survey.
UNSET ERVICE UPER
W
IT
H
N
O
AP
PO
IN
UBE
SA TH $2 V E I 03 S C .00 .3 O
TM
SAVE
$ Reg. 29.95
12 POINT CHECK - WHILE-U-WAIT
Castrol
®
The Standard of Performance. Offer Good Through 02.29.12
MEETING DATES AND LOCATIONS
EN
OIL CHANGE SPECIAL Up to 5 qts. Castro Oil - ANYGRADE Check Differential, Check Transmission Check Brake Fluid, Check Power Steering Fluid Check Battery, Check Window Washer, Check Coolant, Check Air Filter, Check Breather Filter, Check Wiper Blades, Wash Windows, and Check Tires
1. UP 12 O N B T Y N EE D ED
Translation services are available by calling BART Language Assistance Services at 510-464-6752. Requests for a meeting interpreter must be made 3 days (72 hours) prior to the meeting date.
Just North of SFSU 1095 - 19th Avenue (at Quintara)
(415) 731-7211 M-F 7:00 AM-6:00PM Sat 8-5:30/Sun 9-5
Tuesday, March 6 Oakland 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter Auditorium 101 Eighth St.
Monday, March 12 Concord 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Monument Community Partnership 1760 Clayton Rd.
Thursday, March 15 Daly City 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm War Memorial Community Center Activity Room 6655 Mission St., Daly City
Monday, March 19 Richmond 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Richmond Main St. 1000 McDonald Ave. Suite C
X FALL 11
Go to the iTunnes App Store
MAG
Search for Xpress Magazine
XpressMag 2
as in the Feature section Choose and install the FREE application
Wednesday, March 14 San Francisco Mission District 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Mission High School Cafeteria 3750 18th St.
www.bart.gov
DOWNLOAD XPRESS MAGAZINE IN YOUR IPAD Call today to place
YOUR AD
in the next edition Contact the GGX advertising ofÀce Eva Charles 415.338.3133 echarles@sfsu.edu