Spring 2014 issue 3

Letter from the editor: see NEWS, page 3 Valentine’s Day: a love-hate relationship see OPINION, pages 8-9

Serving the San Francisco State community since 1927

February 12, 2014 • VOLUME LXXXXVIII • ISSUE 3 • FREE • GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Students urged to enroll in Affordable Care Act

BY JAYDA MCCLENDON jmcclend@mail.sfsu.edu

Congresswoman Jackie Speier visited SF State to encourage students to sign up for healthcare insurance during an information session in the Cesar Chavez Student Center last Friday morning.

Speier told students that if they are not currently insured or enrolled under the Affordable Care Act, they needed to sign up.

“If you’re smart enough to be at San Francisco State, then you’re smart enough to enroll in the Affordable Care Act because you recognize the great values that it provides for you,” said Speier.

Students were able to sign up to speak with Covered California insurance agents privately about their options.

Health Educator Aimee Williams said the event was needed because it helps educate the importance of the ACA and gives them the chance to enroll in it.

She said the event demonstrated ment employees are dedicated to the University and its students. see Congresswoman on page 2

RYAN LEIBRICH / XPRESS

Inside

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Campus continues conservation efforts

SF State sweeps weekend games, moves into fourth place in CCAA

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see NEWS page 4

BY NELSON AMAYA slenon44@mail.sfsu.edu

TRUGGLING FROM behind the arc, the Gators needed another option to score against the Golden Eagles. Senior big man Max Fodor was that option.

Fodor took advantage of his size, leading the team with 15 points and crashing the boards on both ends to grab a game-high 10 rebounds to help give the Gators a 63-58 win against Cal State L.A. at The Swamp Saturday.

With the Golden Eagles close to the lead, trailing 51-50 with 7:32 left in the game,

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FORUM: Congresswoman Jackie Speier hugs San Francisco District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee at the Health Fair in the Cesar Chavez Center Friday, Feb. 7.

ERICA MARQUEZ / SPECIAL TO XPRESS

TRIPLE THREAT: SF State Gator Bren Haley looks for a clear pass during a game against CSULA Golden Eagles Saturday, Feb. 8.

Fodor scored on back-to-back buckets, helping the Gators outscore CSULA 12-8 the rest of the way.

“It was all really give-and-go’s for me, just a lot of hustle plays trying to get rebounds, trying to do things that we always preach in practice,” Fodor said. “I tried to do all that today and play really hard and it worked out pretty well for me.”

The Gators shot 2-18 from the three-

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Musicians perform Mozart’s sonatas

point line; well below their 35 percent season Overton, Jr. both scored nine points apiece and senior guard Bennie Rhodes and junior forward Udun Osakue each chipped in with eight.

“It was a very important game because body’s just trying to give it all they got,”

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see Defense on page 10

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or scan here:

see A&E page 6

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NEWS

XPRESS YOURSELF What would you want SF State to spend $2 Million dollars on?

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IRENE ANTHONY

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UNDECLARED

Getting more classes and getting people the classes that they need.

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SONYA SOLTANI COMMUNICATIONS STUDIES

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It should be used on subsidizing student transportation discounts on Muni and Bart.

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02.12.14| GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Congresswoman gives SF State a lesson in health care CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE

According to a poll conducted by the California State University system, many college students do not currently have health insurance because they can’t afford it, they don’t want it or they don’t believe need it.

Speier said she could relate to this. When she was in her twenties, she was injured while traveling, but was fortunate enough to have health insurance. She wants students to take personal responsibility for their own healthcare.

Speier said the reason why there is no cost for services such as mammograms, annual is because the ACA aims to provide preventative health care to every American. you to take full advantage of,” said Speier.

The event featured a variety of free health screenings for students, including blood pressure tests, smoking cessation consolations and immunizations.

Nutritional advice was also available to students and representatives from health organization Shape Up San Francisco, which encouraged students to avoid consuming sugary drinks and opt for drinking water or unsweetened beverages.

The National Psoriasis Foundation provided booklets to educate students about the importance of asking a doctor if they have psoriasis, how to treat it and un-

RYAN LEIBRICH / XPRESS

SHOTS: Rosa Marron, senior in the Nursing program, gives Richard Weed, senior, a flu shot during the SF State Health Fair in the Cesar Chavez Student Center Friday, Feb. 7.

derstand that it is not contagious.

SF State President Leslie E. Wong told students during the closing remarks that they should talk to their friends and family about enrolling and make sure their healthcare needs are covered.

“I think a fundamental issue of social justice is to make sure that we care for one another in very fundamental ways,” said Wong.

Marissa Ryan, a senior health education major, said that since

the event was located on campus, them access to vital services in a safe location.

“Since San Francisco State is a commuter campus it can interact on a meaningful level,” said Ryan. “I feel like this event allowed students to access important health screenings and health insurance services in an easy-going environment.”

“The result is, if we’re all insured the population will stay healthy and the cost of health insurance will go down,” said Speier.

Since Jan. 1, 2014, coverage began in the Health Insurance Marketplace, a website designed coverage that is right for them.

The deadline for open enrollment is March 31, 2014.

Gynasium locker rooms scheduled to undergo full-scale overhaul

PHILLIP MENDOZA BECA MAJOR

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T ”

We need a better student gym. The basketball courts are awesome, but the weight room could be improved.

LEANNA LYTLE BOTANY MAJOR

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We could use better lab equipment and updated labs.

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Photos by: Jessica Christian Reporting by: Marc Arguello

HE SF STATE gymnasium and its locker rooms will undergo a $2.1 million renovation beginning at the end of the Spring 2014 semester.

The extreme makeover, which includes improvements to the main gym and a new unisex bathroom, will be funded with University money.

“Students complain constantly,” said women’s locker room attendant Christine Hintermann.

“They’re expecting shiny and brand new.”

The locker rooms will get and cracked concrete ones they currently have and the 60-yearold lockers will be replaced with new full-length ones, according to Hintermann.

Campus planner Wendy Bloom said that the locker rooms will also get three new showers that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the women’s locker room will get new laundry facilities.

New team rooms will be added to the locker room area, giving sports teams a place to meet during game breaks. Teams now have no place to meet other

BY CHLOE JOHNSON chloej@mail.sfsu.edu

Ochoa. “The money should go more toward the educational aspect (of the school).” Ochoa added that he thinks increased tutoring and counseling services would be a better use of the money.

The current gymnasium was constructed in 1951 and is one of the oldest buildings on campus. Several features, such as the lockers, have been in use for more than 60 years. The outside structure, however, will not be renovated.

“It kind of sucks that it’s coming out of our pockets,” said Brendon Kerr, kinesiology major JESSICA CHRISTIAN / XPRESS PADLOCKS: The $2.1 million renovations will make improvements to and student manager for the basketball team. “But if it’s about our the gym and the 60-year-old locker rooms. safety, then it’s worth it.” than the hallway, according to gym agree that the facilities need Kerr said that the changes will Hintermann. a makeover. also give the gym facilities a more The other major change will “This is a spot for us to be at modern look. “It brings a new look school and be active,” said Dato the university,” he said. vid Leon, a business and market“It’s great what they’re ing major who plays basketball doing,” said history major Tiana history. After decades of use, the recreationally and is a referee Wills, who is on the women’s for intramural basketball. “Other track team. Wills added that she and become thinner, which could CSUs have better facilities. This greatly appreciates President pose a safety hazard, according (renovation) couldn’t come soon Leslie E. Wong’s goal to focus to Bloom. She also said that the enough.” more on sports at SF State. bleachers will be refurbished Not all students who use the The gym and locker room to be accessible for people gym are happy with the use of renovations will begin at the end with disabilities, making them the funds. of the spring semester and is ADA-compliant. expected to end before the start Many students who use the of the Fall 2014 semester.

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG |

News Briefs COMPILED BY MARC ARGUELLO margue11@mail.sfsu.edu

Human Resources associate vice president candidates visit campus this week president of Human Resources will be hosting open forums on campus this week. Students are encouraged to attend the forums to meet and learn about the candidates.

Candidates will be on campus Monday Feb 10. through Thursday Feb 13. For more informeeting times and locations, visit the SF State campus memo.

Maureen Pasag appointed director of the Audit and Advisory Services Department After a search for viable candidates, Maureen Pasag has been appointed director of the Audit and Advisory Services department effective Dec. 16. Pasag previhas worked for the last three years.

Pasag has performed various types of reviews including construction and special subject area audits, as well as advisory services projects. Pasag has more than 13 years private and public sectors. This includes more than eight years of government audit experience. Pasag received her B.A. in accounting at Cal State Northridge and is a CPA for the State of California.

Human Resources Safety and Risk Management The Human Resources Safety and Risk Management Department will begin its new HR2U program Feb. 18. A team of HRSRM subject matter experts will set up shop in HSS 233 from 5 to 7 p.m. to provide services to anyone, staff or student. The HR2U program is aimed at providing assistance with issues such at a time that is convenient for busy staff and students. Snacks will be provided.

Goldman Chair in American Jewish Studies candidates to visit campus The Department of Jewish the position of Goldman Chair in American Jewish Studies.

Throughout the month of Februwill visit campus for interviews and to give lectures. To see more information about the candidates for the Goldman Chair in American lecture times and room locations, visit the SF State campus memo.

A letter from the editor

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BY ANDREW CULLEN culle010@mail.sfsu.edu

AST WEEK, SF STATE’S GOLDEN GATE Xpress published an article noting the newest developments regarding our campus Science Building. Within that article, lay a few errors.

The story implied that Robert Shearer worked at SF State in August 2013, which is false. We also implied that information was compared from an audit in 2007, when it was actually from a report in 2001 following initial contamination reports surrounding Native American artifacts that SF State obtained in 2000. Additionally, Niccolo Caldararo is in fact a lecturer at SF State.

We made further statements that an audit performed in 2013 was the same as a CSU-wide audit in 2007, when it was actually a separate type of environmental audit. Also, my sincerest apologies are extended to Chip Prokop, whose name was incorrectly spelt as “Propok.”

As Editor-in-Chief of the Golden Gate Xpress, I would like to personally apologize to my team as well as the campus community, for the errors in last week’s publication.

Until next time,

Andrew Cullen Editor-in-Chief Golden Gate Xpress

NEWS

02.12.14

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SF State CRIME BLOTT ER

BY XPRESS STAFF

Between 2/5 and 2/9 the University Police Department responded to 17 incidents. Here are some of the highlights.

2/5 Public Nudity

2/6 Fake ID

Four people ran naked near the Student Center, police caught one person with alcohol who was not 21. The others were not found.

resident of University Park North, after police confronted the person about a noise complaint.

2/6 Noise Complaint

2/7 Intoxicated

Police arrested a party-goer for public intoxication after responding to a noise complaint for a party on Buckingham Way.

An overly-intoxicated woman was found in the Humanities Building at 11:12 p.m, police arrived and and took her to UCSF.

2/6 Intoxicated

2/9 Fighting

Police found an intoxicated man who was unable to care for himself, he was taken to UCSF to be evaluated by medical staff.

on Cambon Drive, police and SFFD arrived to treat the injured and arrest one person involved.

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NEWS

02.12.14| GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Conservation efforts thrive during California drought

BY JULIA MIDDLEMISS jmiddle@mail.sfsu.edu

“It seems to me that the state RYAN LEIBRICH / XPRESS

PRUNING: Linda Jo Morton, gardening specialist for University Property Management, and Alex Kimble, grounds student assistant, trim damaged leaves from an agave plant in Parkmerced Monday, Feb. 11. UPM has replaced small lawns with drought-tolerant plants in an effort to reduce water use on campus.

tainability program has been normal in the region by this time of season.

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plasma screens in the Cesar

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Climate Data Center.

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Students get crash course in formal dining at campus restaurant

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BY JENNIE BUTLER jennieb@mail.sfsu.edu

OOD AFICIONADOS can rejoice Feb. 11 at the reopening of SF

parties.

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establishment, the Vista Room.

The Vista Room,

JENNY SOLOKOVA / XPRESS

managers at the Vista Room.

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DINING: Emma Ponikvak, a hospitality and tourism student, serves SF State philosophy department chair Anita Silvers (center) and SF State history professors Jessica Elkind (left), Eva Sheppard Wolf, Dawn Mabalon and Charles Postel Tuesday, Feb. 11 in the Vista Room.

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The Vista Room is a place for -

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costs.

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02.12.14

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Co-writer of “Poltergeist” to give advice on screenwriting in SF

BY ANNA HECHT ahecht@mail.sfsu.edu

The first of a three-part speakers series hosted by the CSU EII, Michael Grais will give students insight into his profession during a one-unit workshop Feb. 13

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F STATE WILL GET a little taste of Hollywood when screenwriter Michael Grais comes to campus to speak about the profession’s evolving presence in the city.

Grais is set to speak from 5:15 to 7:55 p.m. on Feb. 13, at Coppola in a three-part speaker series hosted on campus by Cinema Assistant Professor Julian Hoxter.

Hoxter is the screenwriting coordinator for the cinema department and put together similar series in the that a workshop has been added. The workshop is a one-unit class taught by Grais on Thursday, Feb. 13, but the class is full.

Grais would not disclose too many details of his talk, but Hoxter seems the writer’s insight.

“Michael is funny and opinionated,” Hoxter said. “He has very direct views on screenwriting in Hollywood.”

Grais began writing in the sixth grade. He attended New York University Film School for three years and later received his master’s degree in He has co-written and produced hit-movies, such as “Poltergeist”

Treat everyone as if they’re going to be an executive sometime, no matter what level they’re at.

Michael Grais

and “Poltergeist II,” “Cool World,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Marked for Death.” His television series credits include “The Immortal,” “Visitors from the Unknown” and the Internet series “The Promised Land.”

Grais said one of his favorite detective series “Baretta,” which was Another easy choice for Grais is naming a favorite writer of his: has made as they are not only great dealt with issues that no one else was getting on the big screen.”

Grais’ advice for students wanting to pursue a screenwriting profession is simply to treat everyone with a high level of respect. This is something he said he wishes he had been told starting out.

“Treat everyone as if they’re going

Happy Valentine’s Day

from,

to be an executive sometime, no matter what level they’re at,” Grais said.

The speaker series is sponsored by the CSU Entertainment Industry Initiative, which seeks to connect CSU campuses and students with the entertainment industry. Scott Patterson, BECA professor and executive director of the initiative, said one of its focuses is to increase awareness and pride among students and alumni for their achievements, and that the mission.

“A series of masterclass is an excellent example of increasing that connectedness,” Patterson said.

Following Grais in the speaker series will be Sam Hamm’s talk about the pleasures and pitfalls of genre screenwriting Thursday, Feb. 20.

Concluding the series will be Pamela Gray on writing the female-centered screenplay Thursday, March 6.

Hoxter said positive feedback from students about previous screenwriting events led him to coordinate this current series, which he believes students “We felt that it was time to take it to another level, as they say and to really try and put a coherent series from,” he said.

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“Flower Power” exhibit opening offers students an eye into SF history

RACHEL ASTON / XPRESS

EXHIBIT: Barbara Gainer, a soul singer and SF State alum, performs at the Black Power Flower Power exhibit reception at the Cesar Chavez Center Thursday, Feb. 6.

The 200-photo exhibit opening began with a film screening and interactive art project. Former Black Panther member, Elaine Brown, later shared her experiences in the movement.

Scan this code, or Check out the story on GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

02.12.14| GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Thousands gather in bars for city-wide party during sixth annual SF Beer Week

BY APRIL HALOG avhalog@mail.sfsu.edu

As rain fell from the sky, beer poured from the kegs Friday night, marking the beginning of SF Beer Week.

Started in 2009 by Jay Brooks and a few local brewers, the celebration has since grown to one of the biggest beer festivals in the country. Entering its sixth year, SF Beer Week will celebrate craft beer, Bay Area brewers and beer culture from Feb. 7 through Feb. 16.

Now sponsored by the San Francisco Brewers Guild, the festival features more than 500 beer-themed events around the Bay Area crammed into the 10-day schedulwe. This year’s events include opportunities to meet the brewers and tap takeovers, in which a bar will offer only a certain brewer’s beers for a night.

Restaurants and breweries also offer exclusive beer and food pairing menus, workshops and talks to learn the art of brewing. Some brewers will release special or rare craft beers exclusive to SF Beer Week.

The event is a big deal for self-declared “beer snobs” like SF State senior and history major Carlos Chavez.

“You’ll never catch me drinking a Bud Light,” he said.

Chavez said he attended his going to the Barleywine Festival at Toronado in the Lower Haight district, one of the more popular

Week events around the city.

Graf attended a tap takeover at Zeitgeist and Mad Dog in the Fog’s “Hops and Scoops” event on Saturday and said he is enjoying the festival so far.

“I’ll do it again next year.

Everybody is friendly, I’m trying new beers and having a good time,” he said.

Every year, the young festival’s popularity continues to and more than 2,500 people attended the Friday night opening gala, held in the East Hall of the Concourse Exhibition Center.

Tickets for the gala sold out weeks before the event began.

SF Beer Week in 2012 held only 300 scheduled events and the opening gala featured only

GAVIN MCINTYRE / XPRESS

DRINKING BUDDIES: William Graf (right) plays pool while his friends Nancy Droege (left) and Sonny Huynh enjoy beer and watch from the side at The Mad Dog in the Fog bar to celebrate SF Beer Week Saturday, Feb. 8.

events in SF Beer Week drawing in a very large crowd each year.

This year Chavez will attend another popular SF Beer Week event, titled the Double IPA Festival hosted by The Bistro in Hayward wand 540 Club, where they will release rare and limited batches from Ballast Point, Deschutes and Anchor Steam breweries. In order to spread the word

and good beer, Chavez said that he is bringing a couple friends to experience Beer Week.

For senior Ryan Rumney, a marketing major, the Double Week event.

“I don’t know what to expect with my friends,” he said.

Classical musicians serenade students in Knuth Hall

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BY MADISON RUTHERFORD maddie@mail.sfsu.edu

N WEDNESDAY afternoon, while most students were in class, Knuth Hall reverberated with the sound of classical music, as violinist Jassen Todorov and pianist Adrian Borcea performed several of Mozart’s sonatas.

The room erupted in applause as Todorov and Borcea walked onto the low, wooden stage and took their positions.

The audience fell silent as they waited for the show to begin. began to graze across the piano keys while Todorov’s violin bow glided over the strings of his instrument.

Todorov grew up around music in Bulgaria. His father was a violinist and his mother was a said he has been playing nearly every day for the past 34 years.

LORISA SALVATIN / XPRESS

DUO: Associate Professor Jassen Todorv (left) and graduate student Adrian Borcea play three of Mozart’s sonatas on violin and piano in Knuth Hall Wednesday, Feb. 5.

“Music is not easy,” he said.

“It’s (both) an ongoing frustration and pleasure.”

The violinist came to America in 1992 when he was offered a full scholarship to Idyllwild Arts Academy in Southern California.

Todorov describes it as “very picturesque, but a bit like a jail.”

Despite this isolation, Todorov said it allowed him to rigorously study and play music.

Upon graduating high school, he went to Harid Conservatory in

Rumney’s experience is very similar to a lot of SF Beer Week newbies. Many event goers hear about the festival through wordof-mouth or by friends who invite them along to the celebration’s events.

Another SF Beer Week introduced to Beer Week through friends’ invitations to SF Beer

Boca Raton, Fla. for his bachelor’s degree in violin performance and received his master’s degree from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. He worked as a teaching assistant in New York from 2000 to 2003, but recalls falling in love with San Francisco when he visited the city while attending Idyllwild Arts Academy.

He has been teaching violin at SF State since August 2003.

“Who knew that 11 years later, I’d be moving here?” he said. “One of my dreams was Having performed all over the world, Todorov said he enjoys playing at SF State because of the warm, friendly atmosphere.

“I like playing for students, faculty, peers… for people who come with all the best intentions,” said the musician. “It’s feels like home here.”

This is the third performance Todorov and Borcea have done last semester. They met when Borcea took a class with the violinist and Todorov recognized his talent, said the musicians.

Borcea, 30, began playing degree in music at SF State. He moved to the U.S. from Romania

tickets. Two years later, these numbers have near doubled.

The popularity of SF Beer Week is also a testament of San Francisco’s growing reputation as a top beer city, and GQ and CNN Travel both listed San Francisco on their lists of top beer cities in America.

SF Beer Week has a full schedule on its website and there is an app available for iPhone and Android phones that lets festival attendants track out their week itinerary. The website just added an option to post your itinerary on Facebook and compare among friends.

in 2000 and began studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2002. He transferred to SF State two years later. “(Learning an instrument is) said. “You feel like you’re not making any progress. But if you stick with it and invest the time, you can go somewhere.”

Performing in front of an audience is both nerve-wracking and gratifying, the pianist said.

“It’s pretty cool when we have a lot of people and everybody’s quiet and paying attention to you,” said Borcea. “It also makes you kind of nervous.

You don’t necessarily enjoy it, but afterwards you realize those tension moments are some of the best moments, as well.”

“It’s amazing how two instruwithout any equalization,” said Steven Mortimer, who has been studying music at San Francisco State for two and a half years.

Borcea and Todorov said they eventually hope to record all of Mozart’s sonatas together and produce several albums. Borcea’s ultimate goal, however, is to teach music at a university.

“As musicians, we have all sorts of dreams,” Borcea said.

“But there comes a time to wake up to reality and get a job that will pay the bills.”

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG |

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

02.12.14

Exhibit features nine printmaking women from around the world

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BY ANGELICA WILLIAMS anwms@mail.sfsu.edu

NEW SF STATE exhibit in the Fine Arts Gallery, Progressive Proof: Innovative Prints from the

TONY SANTOS / XPRESS

PRINTMAKERS: Senior art history major, Mary Slinkert (left) and Maricelle Gonzales, senior studio art major (right) assemble letters to form phrases, which will be placed on the floor as part of Progressive Proof: Innovative Prints in the Fine Arts Building, Room 238, Friday, Feb 7.

The Progressive Proof art ference coming to the Bay Area -

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OPINION

02.12.14| GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Misconstrued defintions of love and romance lead to a falsely celebrated holiday

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF culle010@mail.sfsu.edu

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR jordanh@mail.sfsu.edu

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR haydee@mail.sfsu.edu

ART DIRECTOR hnall@mail.sfsu.edu

ART ASSISTANT ecaicedo@mail.sfsu.edu

COPY EDITOR briddle@mail.sfsu.edu

PHOTO EDITOR jac@mail.sfsu.edu

NEWS EDITOR bfocht@mail.sfsu.edu

NEWS EDITOR dmariuz@mail.sfsu.edu

A&E EDITOR lseward@mail.sfsu.edu

OPINION EDITOR agoolsby@mail.sfsu.edu

SPORTS EDITOR cuemura@mail.sfsu.edu

LEAD VIDEO PRODUCER raston@mail.sfsu.edu

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR wcarruth@mail.sfsu.edu

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR eer@mail.sfsu.edu

PRINT ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu

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BY DAVID MARIUZ dmariuz@mail.sfsu.edu

OVE: IT’S MORE THAN just a feeling. It’s a biological entity and one of the driving forces in life. Romance on the other hand, is the explanation we tell ourselves to describe these feelings.

According to SF State English Professor Bruce Avery, “We have a sheer biological need to procreate and romances are the stories we tell ourselves to make that biology seem meaningful, in a non-biological way.”

Valentine’s Day can be a confusing time of year because many people get romance tions are very different.

Love in one sense is strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, but it’s also attraction based on sexual desire, according to Merriam-Webster.

Romance is a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure or the supernat-

In “Something” by George Harrison he sings, “Something in the way she moves/ Attracts me like no other lover/Something in the way she woos me.”

It sounds very sweet, innocent and romantic when you only hear the song, but don’t actually listen to the lyrics.

Although, you don’t have to think too thing” is that Harrison is really referring to.

Another example is the now-classic romance movie “Titanic,” where one of the most memorable scenes is when Kate Winslet climbs onto the bow of the ship and Leonardo DiCaprio spreads both her arms out as if Of course this is before Winslet asks DiCap-

rio to “draw me like one of your French girls.”

Enough with the awful innuendos.

People often end up disappointed with love because their ideals about romance have us back to the origin of romance.

In the Middle Ages, people wouldn’t marry for love or affection but for real estate and heirs.

In fact, it was said that you actually marwife as part of the bargain, according to an article written by Washington State University English Professor Michael Delahoyde.

Passion was even forbidden by the Catholic Church because love went against the practical economics of marriage.

Then when courtly love came into existence later in the Middle Ages, the idea of marrying for love was even more preposterous.

During this time, marriage would happen within nobility to mateaccording to an article written

by Cal Poly English Professor Dr. Debora Schwartz.

Romance was conceptualized within the idea of money and wealth, which it still revolves around to this day.

a prose narrative with imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place that are usually heroic, adventurous or mysterious, according to Merriam-Webster.

They both involve physical attraction, which is caused by the belief that being with another person will make us complete.

The difference is that one is natural and the There are traditions associated with human attraction that help us understand how we feel about our biological needs.

However, they get falsely encapsulated in things such as books, movies, poetry and songs.

back to Valentine’s Day. If you’re paying for an expensive dinner with the hope of winning another person’s affection this Friday, keep in mind that it’s because you’re a romantic.

Love is free.

ART BY JORDAN CERMINARA

MULTIMEDIA ADVISER tucker@sfsu.edu

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ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu

XPRESS YOURSELF What was your most memorable Valentine’s Day experience?

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

CIRCULATION sbrowne822@gmail.com

STUDENT GRAPHIC DESIGNER asoiseth@verizon.net

The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words.

Letters are subject to editing.

Send letters to Annastashia Goolsby at: agoolsby@mail.sfsu.edu

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 Andrew Cullen at: culle010@mail.sfsu.edu

MAZIN MAHGOUB, JUNIOR

ALYSSA OCAMPO, SENIOR

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS MAJOR

KINESIOLOGY MAJOR

At a Sadie Hawkins Dance

ica, I learned about twerking I spent the next day limping

Photos by: Ryan Leibrich Reporting by: Lauren Seward

MARIEL CARBEMAS, FRESHMAN

BEN GERSHEN, JUNIOR

HEALTH EDUCATION MAJOR

POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR

I was grounded and stuck at home on Valentine’s Day but my mom was going to let my boyfriend come over to

I was all dressed up to go to a Valentine’s Day dance, but I thought nothing would happen even though it was

was supposed to come over

there were birds in the air everywhere and they pooped all over my hair and dress! I went home to change and go back out to dinner but I forgot my debit card and my date

I went to an underground hip-hop/art show in Oakland called ‘Tourettes Without Regrets” on Valentine’s Day where we were told to write our worst V-Day experience on a piece of paper and put pulled, we were to take a sh*t in a box of chocolates and name wasn’t pulled but I sh*t

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG |

02.12.14

OPINION

Valentine’s Day: Opposing outlooks on love

Avoid the corporate kiss of death on love’s holiday

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BY MADISON RUTHERFORD maddie@mail.sfsu.edu

E’VE heard it all: Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday, a Hallmark holiday, a day created by greeting card and chocolate companies to celebrate something that really should be manifested all year long.

It has suffered the same fate as Christmas – a day buried beneath so much consumerism that it is no longer associated with its original meaning or purpose. Feb. 14 is a “holiday” that many of us have pondered the basis of its existence, generally when we have no one to celebrate it with.

At least it does not condone alcoholism without any regard for historical accuracy or political correctness, such as Independence Day, St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo.

But what purpose does a day pervaded with chocolate, candy hearts, giant teddy bears and red roses serve in our society?

It doesn’t serve any purpose at all, other than to demonstrate the greed and narcissism ignorant enough to fall for a day all about “proving your love” through possessions.

You may be found with champagne by candlelight, or maybe in a Mission dive bar, surrounded by empty shot glasses. No matter the context, Valentine’s Day has a very obvious presence in our culture.

For single folk, the excessive post-Christmas presence of Valentine’s gear in every Wal Mart and Target throughout the country is a not-so-subtle wakeup call that you are alone. For some people it’s just another day, which is an idea the rest of the country should follow.

It’s not a real holiday unless we get school off. And unlike Martin Luther King Jr. and Christopher Columbus, the government apparently doesn’t

deem St. Valentine worthy of pausing the education system, so it really shouldn’t be such a big deal.

Why, you may ask? Well, let’s just examine several reasons why Valentine’s Day isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

The day is derived from an extremely depressing history beginning with the beheading of Saint Valentine on Feb. 14, 926 for illegally wedding Christian couples.

Then in 1929, the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred in Chicago between two powerful gangs. It was most violent and bloody gang While it is one of the most popular days of the year for olatiers, it is also a busy day for suicide hotlines.

Beginning around Valentine’s Day and continuing through spring, suicide rates increase nationally, Director of Suicide Prevention Service of the Central Coast Diane Brice said, according to City on a Hill Press.

In addition, two weeks before Valentine’s Day American jewelry sales accumulate 34 million tons of mine waste worldwide every year, organization Earthworks. Also damaging our environment and rapidly exhausting fossil fuels is the vast number of red roses being cut, sold and shipped annually from South America buyers’ needs to impress.

Killing trees has even become a tradition for Valentine’s Day with approximately 145 million cards being sent in the U.S. this year, Director of Communications for Greeting Card Association Kathy Krassner said. Apparently, hitting that special someone with

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Embrace the cheesiness of red hearts and chocolate

BY LAUREN SEWARD lseward@mail.sfsu.edu

When most people think of Valentine’s Day, they imagine one of three things: a doe-eyed, heart-sharing half of a relationship; a sad, usually female, single person; or the anti-Valentine’s Day propagandist who likely than earning another follower on their Tumblr blog.

However, many neither giggle nor cry when Feb. 14 rolls around. Instead, many of us young singles ignore the annual pity party and appreciate the holiday for the blatant cheesiness that all ages are meant to enjoy.

Come Valentine’s Day, some women put on a red dress, catch a taxi to a crowded restaurant or bar and proceed to drink a few too many sangrias, which eventually leads to a failed attempt at public swing dancing. Some friends stay in to celebrate and drown themselves in red wine ART BY JORDAN CERMINARA and video games.

Others cuddle up in bed for the evening to watch “A Cupid’s bow also means hitting Walk to Remember” and fall the ozone layer. asleep early in preparation for Whether you are giving work the next day. your whole heart to someone Not all single women treat or just wholeheartedly celebeing single on Valentine’s brating single awareness day, Day as a curse. Logic-based it doesn’t change the fact that reasoning is not thrown out the Valentine’s Day is a bogus holwindow and replaced with the iday shrouded in commercialfear that you are forever alone. ism and ignorance. Though it’s The holiday has continued year virtually harmless to eat a few after year because of its ability conversation hearts or become to make people feel like teenagsomeone’s secret admirer, this ers in love again and participate holiday is founded on quesin fun, sugarcoated events. tionable morals.

However, what really grinds Try something different this my gears is the fact that people year and simply spend time can get upset because of the with the one you love or give holiday. This isn’t Christmas, the money you would spend people. There isn’t a full turkey feast expected to feed two booze stuffed animal to someone who actually needs it. Really spread You don’t have to spend $80 to the love instead of buying into secure a table at a local bar and the wasteful and just plain stucount down until midnight in a pid traditions of this contrived scratchy, sequin dress. day of affection.

Often, couples will get in

tations of Valentine’s Day. Tim Smith from Yahoo Shine gives his readers multiple tips on how on Valentine’s Day. cards and candy to embracing the fact that “she has expectations,” Smith and many others attack the negative side of the holiday from all the wrong angles.

Who cares if your significant other didn’t drop $120 on a cliché, heart-shaped, fake diamond necklace from Target?

Cities like San Francisco offer free and fun alternatives to standard, expensive dinners, such as the annual Valentine’s Day Pillow Fight that draws an average 1,000 attendees who “lovingly beat the crap out of each other,” according to FunCheapSF. This year, Harwinton Consolidated School in Connecticut has placed a candy ban on the Valentine’s Day card exchange. How dare they.

Principal Megan Mazzei said that the school is “working to encourage healthy practices, as well as manage food choices in classrooms where food allergies are present in order to maintain a safe environment.”

If kids can’t expect to be on an all-day sugar high come Feb. 14, why bother getting out of bed? Bans such as this are another reason this country is slowly, yet surely, ripping the joy out of Valentine’s Day. America, don’t get frustrated

by Valentine’s Day. Don’t be dramatic. Don’t go to bed angry didn’t give you the perfect evening or because you don’t have a the red, the candy (unless you attend Harwinton) and the inescapable cheesiness of Feb. 14 this year, simply because it’s fun.

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02.12.14| GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Defense paces SF State to second win streak of season CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE

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LINED UP: ERICA MARQUEZ / SPECIAL TO XPRESS

TRACK AND FIELD

Four Gators qualify for Division II Championship meet

BY HALEY BRUCATO hbrucato@mail.sfsu.edu

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HE SF STATE indoor track and

LORISA SALVATIN / XPRESS

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LOOSEN UP:

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I really don’t know how I did it, I was actually really stressed out before the meet and I had a lot going on that week.

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Tiana Wills

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SPORTS

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG| 02.12.14

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

RACHEL ASTON / XPRESS

DISHED: Michelle Sutton makes a pass while being covered by Cal State LA’s Aiwekhoe Okungbowa and Tina Fantroy during their game at The Swamp Saturday, Feb. 8.

SF State fails to gain ground in conference

BY TAYLOR LONIGRO lonigro@mail.sfsu.edu

After a large victory against Cal State Los Angeles Jan. 3, SF State’s women’s basketball team suffered a surprising loss 67-55 during last weekend’s game..

The Gators couldn’t make a comeback as CSULA’s bench outscored their entire team, dropping them to 8-8 in CCAA and 12-10 overall.

“It just didn’t make any sense because we beat Cal State LA by (23) at their home last time,” Van Sickel said. “So it was kind of surreal because I thought we were going to smash on them.”

With the loss, SF State could in the conference and now sit one game behind Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State East Bay. Guard Angela Van Sickel led the Gators with a total of 17

points, scoring 13 in the second half.

“I thought the second half, offensively, we played a little bit better,” head coach Joaquin Wallace said regarding the team’s overall efforts.

“We came into the second half with one assist and eight points, which was better.”

Turnovers were a problem for the Gators all game, as they couldn’t take care of the ball and committed a season-high 19 turnovers.

Guard Katie Batlin scored 12 points with eight rebounds, while forward Lauren Varney scored 11 points with nine rebounds.

Cal State Los Angeles forward Aiwekhoe Okungbowa led the Golden Eagles with a game high of 26 points.

The Golden Eagles have had SF State’s number the past

couple years, as the Gators’ win earlier this year improved them to 1-5 against CSULA since the 2011-12 season.

SF State beat the Golden Eaagainst them in three years.

The Gators played the night before when they trumped the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros 66-53. Katie Batlin and Lauren Varney led the game against the Toros, scoring 16 points each.

“It was all about energy tonight and we just didn’t have it,” Van Sickel said. “We have only won one Saturday game this season. We are just so tired from our Friday games and need to learn to get past that.”

SF State will host two games next weekend, Feb. 14 and 15 against Humboldt State University and No. 16 ranked Cal Poly Pomona.

Dean’s list honors athletes who juggle school, work and sports

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BY TAYLOR LONIGRO lonigro@mail.sfsu.edu

EING A student is a fulltime job in itself to most, but some students not only excel in school but also are able to accommodate athletics and jobs.

One hundred nineteen fulltime student athletes were named to the department of athletics honor roll by keeping up a minimum GPA of 3.0. Out of those students, 94 of them achieved at least a 3.25, earning them dean’s list recognition.

Colt Reichl, a sophomore on SF State’s men’s soccer team, achieved a 3.6 grade point average, landing him a spot on the University’s dean’s list.

With a previous semester on honor roll, this is Reichl’s recognition. He stated that it is schoolwork and athletics, but it is possible with a sense of time management and self-discipline.

“Everything is doable,” said Reichl. “I haven’t had a teacher that has asked more of me than I can give, but if you don’t put the time in and don’t do the home-

work, it will be hard for you.”

The baseball team was well represented as they led the sports with 20 of their players making the list. Only six players on the team were unable to attain honor roll status.

Almost all of the student athletes named to honor roll and the dean’s list claimed that time management was the key component to balancing all their responsibilities.

Landing a spot on the dean’s list four years in a row, Angela Van Sickel balances the responsibilities of an athlete, a full-time student and a part-time employee as the intramural sports manager for the campus recreation department. “It isn’t easy,” she said. “It takes a lot of honesty and self-discipline.”

“I just have to just be honest with myself,” said Van Sickel.

“If I have too much homework, then I can’t practice basketball that day. I am here on an academic scholarship, so school has When it comes to completing homework assignments and tests, one would think that traveling would obstruct student

athletes’ essential study time, but it is surprisingly easily arranged.

Without excusing any of the workload, professors adhere to student athletes’ schedules by being lenient on attendance as long as they schedule turn-in dates ahead of time.

“My professors are all pretty understanding to my situation while I am traveling,” Reichl said. “A lot of times I just ask if it is okay to take the test while my coach watches over me, and usually they’re pretty accommodating.”

Professor Mark Calkins of comparative world literature and classics explains that working around student athletes’ travel schedules is not usually stressful haven’t missed important tests in the past, but if they did, alternatives can easily be arranged.

“Most student athletes I have had as students bring the focus and discipline they need as athletes into the classroom,” said Calkins about the drive his student athletes had. “My experience is that student athletes are in general somewhat more conscientious about their schoolwork than many other students.”

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