Los Angeles Loyolan October 25th 2017

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Bluff Investigates: Where is your donated blood really going?

LMU volleyball is growing, even if the stats don’t show it.

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New sexual assault reporting system made available to students Title IX office launches Project Callisto, an online program for reporting sexual assaults.

Sami Leung

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

Project Callisto, a survivor-centered program for reporting sexual assault, has come to LMU. The program officially launched last Thursday, Oct. 19, and is now live and available for all students. Project Callisto, founded by The University of San Francisco, features three key components: Record, Report and Match.

Record allows survivors to write down details of the incident in the comfort of their rooms and in the company of someone they can choose. The details of the incident are password protected and can only be accessed by the survivor.

According to Project Callisto’s website, survivors wait an average of 11 months to report their assault to authorities, during which valuable details may be forgotten.

Sara Trivedi, the Title IX coordinator at LMU, said she appreciates that the new program will allow students to record at their own pace in an environment they are comfortable in and with the ability to stop the report if they get overwhelmed.

“After I gave my report [to Public Safety], I said I did not want to go any further at that time,” Monica De Jesu, a junior communications studies major, said. “However, for the next three weeks I was continuously called and emailed

Sara Trivedi, LMU’s Title IX coordinator, hopes Project Callisto will provide victims with a safe place to report sexual assaults. by my SARA and Public Safety, which I understand is necessary, but the calls and emails were a daily reminder of what had happened. Overall, I was not impressed with how my situation was handled.”

The next feature, Report, gives survivors the option to send that report to Public Safety. Students still have a choice on

whether or not they want to pursue judicial action. According to Callisto, less than 10 percent of survivors will ever report their assault.

“I want to keep the student in control as long as we can, until the student makes that choice,” Trivedi said. “If you are experiencing or have experienced any kind

of sexual misconduct, you’ve already been in a situation where you are, by definition, out of control. The more we can give people those choices and empower them, that’s always my preference to do that for the students.”

See Sexual Assault | page 3

BTLS4SAM honors student Registrar initiates program The registrar office made the transition from CAPP reports to DegreeWorks this semester.

Olivia Round

Interim News Editor @LALoyolan

Matt Goddard | Loyolan

In the 9th annual BTLS4SAM event, the LMU community honored former student Sam Wasson, who died in a car accident in 2007. Wasson was a theatre student and the money raised goes to a work study student every year. This past year’s recipient was Maren English, a junior theatre arts major. “The LMU theatre community is filled with more love than I have ever been surrounded by and acts as a constant reminder to make Sam and his family proud,” English said.

This semester, students were introduced to the registrar’s new degree audit system, DegreeWorks, which will replace the CAPP Report. All students who enrolled during or after fall 2014 are now in this new program. For those students, from here on out, adjustments to students’ degree audit will take place in DegreeWorks only; their CAPP reports have been frozen. Students enrolled prior to fall 2014 — about two percent of LMU’s student population — will still be using CAPP, according to University Registrar Kathy Reed.

The change took place mainly for reasons of efficiency, according to Reed. “CAPP Report was created in 2001, and obviously in 16 years a lot of things change,” Reed said.

Elucian, the company that owns the system that LMU uses for student records, went through a major overhaul and no longer fully supports CAPP, according to Reed. The office saw this as an opportunity to move to a new system that created greater clarity for advisors and students alike.

See Registrar | page 4

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California officially approves third gender Non-binary people will officially be recognized by the state of California.

Kayla Brogan

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

California residents will now be able to register as “nonbinary” on official documents as of a bill signed Sunday, Oct. 15 by Governor Jerry Brown.

These documents include birth certificates, California state issued ID’s and driver’s licenses.

Residents will now be able to obtain legal documents that are representative of their identity.

This bill, known as the Gender Recognition Act, will go into effect starting on Jan. 1, 2018, according to the NY Times.

It is meant to make the process of changing one’s gender on legal documents easier by no longer requiring a doctor’s statement confirming that the individual has undergone “medical treatment for gender transition,” according to the L.A. Times.

“I am glad that the State of California is at the forefront of legislating measures that respect all gender identities,” Theresa Yugar, women’s and gender studies professor, said.

She added that she hopes more states will follow suit.

Senator Scott Weiner of San Francisco and Senator Toni Atkins of San Diego co-sponsored the bill, according to Esquire.

“With Gov. Brown’s signature on this bill, transgender and nonbinary people will now be able to identify themselves as they are, not as who society tells them they should be,” Weiner said.

The passing of this law shows a lot of support for the LGBTQ+ community, and more specifically the trans community, according to the Huffington Post.

While Oregon and Washington, D.C. have taken steps to make identifying as non-binary easier, California is the first state to entrench a third gender category into law. A similar bill to this one has been proposed in New York, according to CBS News.

CBS News also reported that any person who identifies with a gender outside of the male/ female genders can identify with non-binary, which serves as a blanket term. People who are born with ambiguous genitalia or sexual characteristics, known as intersex individuals, are also included in this law.

Mairead Sullivan, a Women’s and gender studies professor, said the non-binary option will “allow trans and gender non-conforming folks to safely navigate a world where an incongruence between

gender designation and gender presentation often elicit responses ranging from antagonistic confusion to extreme violence.”

Sullivan also said that she hopes this will spark a ripple effect in legislation across the United States but also believes that gender designation on official government identification serves little purpose.

Some have been concerned with how public schools, colleges and universities will accommodate for the non-binary gender option. New bathroom adjustments to comply with Title IX federal civil rights laws weren’t the only issue brought up, as questions about NCAA

regulations also surfaced.

As previously reported by the Loyolan, at the end of the 2016 spring semester LMU implemented eight different allgender restrooms throughout campus. This is only one step the University has taken to promote equality, according to President Snyder’s message regarding inclusion efforts.

Other steps being taken to support these initiatives include an Equity and Inclusion Task Force that President Snyder described, “will advance community training programs and address incidents when the dignity of community members is threatened or compromised.”

These actions taken on behalf

of LMU are an addition to several pre-existing support programs such as the Office of Intercultural Affairs, Campus Ministry and LGBT Student Service.

Rick Zbur, the executive director of Equality California, said, “Gov. Brown’s signature today has put California at the forefront of ensuring the dignity and safety of its transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming residents,” according to a press release on Oct. 16.

ASLMU President Hayden Tanabe said that LMU has a very active LGBT Student Service program, and that he is proud to attend an institution where they work so hard to ensure that “all are welcome.”

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via Matthew Williams

LGBTQ+ events on campus celebrate inclusivity, such as this display for National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.

The Landings

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KXLU celebrates with annual “Fundrazor” LMU’s FM radio station is doing a 10day 24 hour drive Kayan Tara

Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan

This fall, KXLU­­­­ ­­— LMU’s FM radio station — ­ celebrated 60 years since its founding.

Beginning with an annual Alumni BBQ on Sept. 24, KXLU also kicked off its annual fundraising effort, “Fundrazor” on Oct. 19, which runs until Oct. 28. The the event runs 24-hours-a-day for 10 days, with live in-studio performances.

KXLU is a free form, studentrun radio station. It is listenersupported and commercialfree. KXLU’s annual Fundrazor is an important event for the nationally recognized college radio station as it raises the operating budget, according to the annual Fundrazor press release.

As stated on its website, KXLU strives to give “under represented artists and musical genres” a voice through trying to consistently maintain its high programing standards.

By giving an opportunity to those who do not have a voice via the traditional mainstream circuit, KXLU presents a forum to support different artists and genres. KXLU broadcasts live 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

KXLU has a team made up of 85 students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members who are all volunteers, according to Lydia Ammossow, advisor to KXLU 88.9 FM Los Angeles, KLMU Online Radio and the Del Rey Players.

“As a proud alumna from the class of 1994, I have one of the best jobs on these blufftops. I get to shepherd along all of the creative goodness, with a healthy dose of imaginative chaos of KXLU and the Del Rey Players,”

Emily Sullivan | Loyolan

KXLU is raising money via a drive, those interested in pledging their support can call in from Oct. 19 through to Oct. 28. said Ammossow.

Working with the KXLU deejay team closely, Ammossow is moved by their “dedication and undeniably edgy pulse of the music scene.” KXLU strives to continue its legacy of including underrepresented artists, musicians and genres on a regular basis.

This year KXLU has surpassed the $40,000 mark in the fourth operating day, according to junior business management major, Ricky Barocio, the general manager at KXLU 88.9FM. “All of our Fundrazor dollars go straight into the budget that allows us to operate, update various things throughout the station, buy new DJ equipment, throw shows and other events all over L.A., and so on so forth,”

Barocio said.

According to Barocio, KXLU is unique as it is a large organization, having influence in the L.A. music scene, as well as across the U.S. and the world.

As general manager, Barocio has a 2017-2018 plan to expand KXLU’s presence on-campus through events such as KLMU’s Spooktacular on Oct. 27 at Dunning Courtyard at Burns and their annual indie festival in the spring. According to Barocio, KXLU is also looking into monthly residencies at the Thomas P. Kelly Jr. Art Gallery for the spring.

According to the annual Fundrazor press release, those interested in pledging their support will receive a variety of KXLU rewards, including

KXLU t-shirts, crewnecks, a new denim jacket, beach towels, Nalgenes, throw blankets, cooler bags, baseball hats, beanies, key chains, skate decks, pillowcases, backpacks, totes, messenger bags and an extensive range of CD and vinyl compilation packs.

None of the money raised is outsourced, besides music and food donations from Guayaki Yerba Mate, Sub Pop Records and Benny’s Tacos.

“I’m really glad that I found KXLU because it gives me a space to practice my hobby and I get the cool perk of broadcasting it to my friends. Without KXLU I wouldn’t be able to have a place to practice mixing,” said Silvia Velasquez, a KXLU deejay and a sophomore humanities and French double major. “I think it’s

important for people to have a cool group like this because you also get to meet people. LMU has so many programs and I’m glad that we get one for broadcasting music.”

Programming schedules for KXLU, as well as the station’s live web stream, may be accessed on their website. A free KXLU application is also available to iPhone, iPad and Android users.

For more information, contact Lydia Ammossow, KXLU Station Director, at 310-258-4622 or lammosso@lmu.edu.

Those interested in pledging their support should call the station’s pledge line at 310.338.KXLU (5958) any time beginning Oct. 19 through Oct. 28.

A new reporting system takes affect Sexual assault from Page 1

The third option, unique to Project Callisto, is called Match.

It provides an opportunity for survivors to report their assailants only if someone else reports the same assailant. Survivors can enter the Facebook URL of their assailant in the program, and if the same name is reported by another person, the students’ names will be submitted to the University. However, students still have the option to not pursue judiciary action.

The program is currently not comparing results between campuses, but Trivedi believes that Callisto, currently in its third year of operation, is still developing and may add additional features over time.

According to Callisto, the times around Halloween, the end of the semester, spring break and graduation are when school’s Callisto websites have their highest traffic, suggesting higher rates of sexual assault during that time.

“My goal is to push this out now, but then to keep it in the

conversation so we get to a point where all students are aware that this is another tool that they can use,” said Trivedi.

Other campuses who have adopted the system include the University of Southern California, St. John’s University, Stanford University and the University of Oregon. Trivedi reached out to Project Callisto to bring it to LMU after hearing about it from parents, students and positive press of the original launch.

Project Callisto will be continually promoted by the LMU Cares office so that students know that it is one of many resources available to them, should they need it, according to Trivedi.

“I think the new online reporting system will benefit victims by letting them complete the form in a time frame they feel comfortable with,” said De Jesu. “It will also take pressure off of them with reporting what happened by not having four sets of eyes watching them.”

The website address is: LMU. CallistoCampus.org.

Lauren Holmes | Loyolan

Professors challenged to imagine a better world at 60 Second Lectures For 60 Second Lectures, an annual event co-hosted by the Loyolan and the Honors Program, seven professors were given one minute to deliver a TED Talk-style lecture on a topic in their field. Each year, the professors are given a theme to guide their lectures, and this year’s was “Imagine a World,” inspired by President Timothy Law Snyder’s goal to make LMU the center for global imagination. Each professor brought a different idea to the table, from Dorsey’s world where all children are given an access to clean water, to Hussain’s world where everyone truly loved their neighbors.

To read more on this event, go to laloyolan.com.

NEWS

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New program replaces CAPP report Registrar from Page 1

“DegreeWorks is a comprehensive and flexible platform that I think will make advising a lot easier for professors,” Allison Soeller, an assistant professor of communication studies and the advisor for the communications honors society, said.

Students are still getting used to the change, but others like Haley Fletcher, a junior computer science major, expressed appreciation for the simplicity of the program and the logical presentation of students’ un-met requirements.

Some students, however, had reservations about the new program, voicing concerns over the lack of a tutorial available to students.

“I called the registrar the other day to check on my early graduation, and they told me to look at DegreeWorks. But nobody explained the program to me and I found it really confusing,” Natalie Baughan, a senior economics major, said.

Through the Student View option, students can see the requirements still needed for their degree, placed in a format that is meant to be easier for students to access and understand, according to the LMU website.

“Because the platform is a bit more complex, there might be a learning curve initially, but I think it’ll be worth it,” Soeller said.

A series of new tools are now available to students, including What-If tab for students considering changing their degree, and Look Ahead

which helps students plan the courses they will take in future semesters. Another tool, Plans, is not currently functional for LMU students, but will be added for the 2018-2019 year, according to the LMU website.

Reed also believes DegreeWorks is beneficial for students with transfer work. In the traditional CAPP interface, the transfer courses were presented as a number, and the registrar office had to research to find out what school the student was transferring from and what requirement the course was fulfilling, Reed said.

CAPP reports will still be available to students, but they will not show any adjustments after Oct. 1, 2017 if you registered after fall 2014 or later, as mentioned before. As a result, it is not considered “an accurate display of your current degree audit status,” according to the LMU website.

For students graduating in 2017 or 2018, the University will look at both the CAPP report and DegreeWorks to ensure their degree is being awarded properly.

“The registrar office is committed to good recordkeeping for the students,” Reed said. She feels that feedback from the community has been beneficial, and advisors and deans have been good about sharing any concerns they have with the new program. “As a whole, the LMU community has been a partner in moving forward,” she said.

DegreeWorks has several new features to help students more efficiently navigate their academic careers.

LMU responds to free tuition at community colleges The first year of community colleges to be free for CA residents.

Emma Yee News Intern @LALoyolan

The first year of community college will now be free for students in California, according to a bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown on Oct. 13. The bill will be put into effect for the 2018-2019 academic year, and the free tuition only applies to first-time and fulltime students. The bill, created

by Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), was created to draw more students to community colleges who otherwise might be dissuaded due to costs, according to the L.A. Times.

“I definitely think it will encourage more students to attend, because I know the cost of tuition is what generally limits students to furthering their education,” communication studies major Sean Saavedra, a transfer student from community college, said. “More so, once they’ve finished their two years, I’m sure many will feel compelled to complete the rest of the two at a four-year. I know I was. [It was] financially more practical and convenient for me to attend my first two years at a CC before transferring to LMU.”

With 114 community colleges, California’s system is one of the largest and most affordable.

At many community colleges, such as Pasadena City College, residents currently pay $46 per credit, or $1,100 when enrolled full-time. Since 1986, lowincome students have been eligible for a full fee waiver. In the 2015-2016 year, 43 percent of those enrolled received financial assistance fee waivers, according to CNN Money.

The state will need to allocate $31.1 million more for community colleges to account for the expected increase of 19,000 more students. The bill being enacted is contingent on these funds being provided in California’s 2018-2019 budget, CNN Money reported.

“We are always monitoring state and federal initiatives to determine the impact on admission applications,” LMU Director of Transfer Enrollment Services Tom Gutto said. “This particular bill is still contingent on whether lawmakers include funding for it in next year’s budget.”

Gutto said that if the initiative goes through, LMU will find new ways “to engage our population to ensure we enroll our freshman and transfer classes every year.” He said that the numbers of students from out of state have grown recently and that it will continue to increase as more California residents take advantage of the free tuition at community colleges.

“I am proud to serve LMU,

where our mission has propelled us further than most private institutions are willing or able to go, especially when it comes to engaging the transfer community,” Gutto added.

Despite being tuition free, the costs of books, student health care and other costs that are typically associated with attending a higher education institution will not be covered.

Low-income residents in San Francisco will receive a stipend

of $250 to cover these nontuition costs. This is part of a larger effort by the city of San Francisco to make community college more accessible for all, with no restrictions such as first time or full time attendance, according to SF Gate.

“As a future educator, I can’t help but be overjoyed by the idea that students will be able to complete a year of higher education at no cost to them or their families,”

senior psychology major Darby Adams, said.

Adams believes that this step will help ensure that children in California receive a quality K-12 education as well as one year of free higher education and encourage children to achieve their goals.

“The only thing wrong with this bill is that it wasn’t around when I was in community college,” said Adams.

via WikiMedia Commons Pasadena City College is one of many community colleges across California that will give a free year of tuition.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

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Past, Present, Future: LGBT History Month

Past leaders parallel today’s trailblazers in the LGBTQ+ community.

Robyn De Leon

Asst. Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan

In celebration of LGBT History Month, activists from the past, and present and future are recognized for their influence in the community.

Milk was one of the first openly gay American politicians.

His political career changed society’s views on the gay community, and his constant activism in support of LGBTQ+ rights ushered in victories for the movement.

Milk’s win for the position of City-County Supervisor of San Francisco strengthened the LGBTQ+ movement and allowed him to protect gay rights.

He was essential in sponsoring an anti-discrimination bill that not only helped the LGBTQ+ community, but other marginalized groups as well.

Milk also spoke out against Proposition 6 (1978), which was mandated by then California state legislator John Briggs, a conservative, to prevent gay and lesbian individuals from working in the state’s public schools. Milk’s fight was successful, preventing the implentation of this proposition.

As a result of Milk’s devotion to the LGBTQ+ agenda, he not only brought long lasting change to politics, but also motivated the LGBTQ+ community to gather under one cause and continue the journey towards equality.

Sadly, Milk’s position as CityCounty Supervisor was cut short when Dan White, a former San Francisco City-County Board member, assassinated Milk.

Despite the outcome, Milk continued — and continues now — to inspire activists for the LGBTQ+ community.

Award-winning and nationally recognized transgender and Latinx activist, Salcedo, is the founder and president of TransLatin@ Coalition.

This organization is based in Los Angeles and focuses on supporting transgender Latinx immigrants.

Salcedo grew up poor with her single mother in Guadalajara, Mexico, and faced trials in her life that involved drug addiction, crime and violence.

However, her desire to better herself led to the evolution of her passion for activism and helping those in similar positions.

Through this evolvement emerged the TransLatin@ Coalition, only one of the many programs and organizations she has developed.

TransLatin@ specifically works towards bettering the lives of their community through civil rights, health care and social and cultural inclusion. It provides services like ESL classes, computer labs, leadership development and daily food distributions.

They also hold events like G.A.R.R.A.S., an annual fashion show that raises funds for their organization. This year, it will be held on Nov. 11 in DTLA.

Salcedo has made all this happen and more because she believes advocacy is the main component of her organization.

Besides starting TransLatin@ Coalition, Sacedo has collaborated with organizations like National LGBTQ Task Force, Casa de Esperanza and Transgender Law Center.

Salcedo’s activism has been recognized and commended with awards such as The Sol Award from National Latin@ AIDS Awareness Day, The Woman of Leadership Award from the City of West Hollywood, The West Coast Liberty Award from Lambda Legal and many more.

Currently, Salcedo has a documentary out about her life called “TransVisible: Bamby Salcedo’s Story.” The film was showcased at the 2013 Los Angeles Outfest LGBT film festival and won Best Documentary for the 2014 Long Beach QFilm Festival.

Sophomore film production and psychology major and secretary of the Gender-

Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Sam Cassidy is a notable LGBT activist at LMU. Cassidy primarily focuses on spreading awareness and helping people deal with personal struggles regarding their identity and experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, she has been invited to teach at workshops, conferences and summits regarding LGBTQ+ causes.

Cassidy was a guest spearker at panels such as the EASA Family Psychosis Workshop and Peerpocalypse Conference’s EASA YALC Workshop.

Some discussion topics from those events examined gender identity, sexual orientation, quasi-sexuality and the difference between sexual orientation and expression.

In addition to being locally involved, Cassidy has also connected with support groups in Portland.

Specifically, Cassidy was a support group leader for the transgender and mental health support groups at the Sexual and Gender

Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC).

“I really wanted to feel like I was making a difference in the LGBTQ+ community,” Cassidy said.

From the isolation she felt growing up, she hopes now to create an environment within LMU where the LGBTQ+ community can feel comfortable and accepted.

Cassidy hopes for a future of greater inclusivity at LMU. She plans to use her position as the Secretary of the GSA to incorporate more events for the community to encourage fellowship and unity.

Possible plans this year, Cassidy explained, inlcude taking LGBTQ+ students to art exhibits focused on queer themes and topics to further educate the community, or on bonding activities, like trips to the spa. She’s thankful that LMU has provided a budget and the resources for her to do many of the things she coudn’t do in high school.

Aurora Occeli | Loyolan

OPINION

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Kellie Chudzinski Editor-in-Chief

Elliot Britt

Managing Editor

Isabel Ngo

Managing Editor

Matt Gaydos Managing Editor

Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

We can’t afford to have poor voter turnout in 2018 elections Despite all of the values the U.S. claims have a long way until we reach reach full Global to uphold, a democracy cannot function Imagination), but in the greater Los Angeles properly when its citizens are indifferent to its area. This privileged attitude is based on the idea elections. Voter apathy in the U.S. is not a new that the laws and decisions made in D.C. will not phenomenon, particularly among young voters. affect us directly, or at least not right away. This In 2014, the Economist reported that only 41 way of thinking is dangerous. And even though percent of all voters and 21 percent of voters we generally understand its consequences, we aged 18-24 turned out for the 2010 midterm still see this political indifference among our elections. And it hasn’t gotten better since then. classmates, and in our friend groups.

2014’s elections brought out only 35.9 percent of Let’s say this situation is rare. There are plenty all voters, according to FairVote.org. That is the of people at LMU who care about national lowest since 1942’s midterm elections — which political and social issues, and many did register occurred in the thick of World War II. to vote and cast their ballots in the last election.

Going into the 2018 elections, we can’t allow But can we say the same about local elections? this to continue. For those Mid-term and other local who were expecting Trump to elections are often neglected “pivot” and for the presidency “Mid-term and other across the nation, but the to miraculously return to non-presidential truth is: This is where we can “stability” — as Republican start shifting the mentality Senator Jeff Flake said elections are often of political indifference. In yesterday to his colleagues on neglected across March, the Los Angeles Times the Senate Floor — that isn’t spoke with Angelenos who the nation...” coming. President Trump is called themselves “lazy” and at a 37 percent approval rating admittedly, “bad” for not and Democrats have a 14 percent margin in voting in mayoral elections. Others confessed the generic ballot over Republicans in a poll by they did not know the current mayor’s name CNN. Establishment Republicans like Senators or commented that national issues were Flake and Bob Corker have begun to speak out limiting local political coverage — therefore against the president’s wanton handling of contributing to the lack of public information. the executive branch. As CNN’s Chris Cillizza So there’s a sense of self awareness in L.A., but points out, these three factors are leaving the there’s no motivation or urgency to change this doors wide open for Democrats to win the indifference.

House like they did in 2006. But we, as citizens, As the next generation, we must make time still need to pull our weight. to educate ourselves on political organizing, The reality is that this era of political and the best, most direct way to start is to be corruption and unqualified executives is being active in our local elections. The Los Angeles perpetuated by an outlook that’s as close to County Registrar lists current and upcoming home as we can get. This is the outlook of elections clearly on the lavote.net website. As political indifference. It’s an attitude that’s for out-of-state Lions, and those who don’t widespread, not only in the privileged bubble call Los Angeles home, what can you do to get that is the Bluff (Sorry, President Snyder. We involved in local issues?

Freeing first year debt Martin McFly Peter Martin Opinion Intern @LALoyolan

C

alifornia Governor Jerry Brown signed a new bill into law on Oct. 13 that waives the first year of tuition at state community colleges. While the term “free college” sets off alarm bells for many Americans, there are certainly those that think the bill will have its benefits.

“I think it’s a good option to have the first year of college free because a lot of low income students do not have the option to go to a private college,” said freshman political science major Charlotte Cheng. “However, I think finding the money even just for the first year is a little unfeasible. I feel like it’s a question of if the benefits outweigh the detriments.”

In this case, the benefits far outweigh the costs. This new bill is a reasonable and affordable way to assist Californians seeking higher education.

To start, California already has one of the least expensive community college systems in the United States. According to CNN, California residents currently pay around $46 per credit or about $1,100. Waiving tuition for the first year at these schools will unquestionably cut into California’s budget, but with how inexpensive said year of tuition is already, it will hardly break the bank.

The massive scope of California’s community college system further helps to offset the costs of this new program. Governor Brown’s bill is expected to add up to 19,000 more students to California community colleges. This may initially seem significant, but it is just a drop in the bucket. The state has 114 community colleges with over 2 million enrolled students.

With so many students, tuition after the first

year can remain affordable even while the prices of private universities continue to skyrocket. This size of this institution also helps to divide the burden of providing free tuition to so many students.

The bill is expected to cost the state an estimated $31 million a year, but when divided between Christian Boggs | Loyolan 114 institutions, Governor Brown’s bill alleviates students from the chains of college debt. each California community college needs only an extra this tuition waiver to many students. Since $263,000. This is the kind of money that could 1986 the California community colleges have be saved reducing just one or two excessive offered free tuition to low-income students. For administrative salaries per school, an achievable many, this is not a bold new step; it is already a reality. According to the California Community and worthwhile effort.

Opponents of the bill have raised the concern Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 43 percent of that this program does not specifically target students enrolled in a California community low-income Californians. Other states that college received free tuition due to their lowhave implemented similar programs do not income status during the 2015-2016 school extend free tuition to families above a certain year. Students with waived tuition still pay for income level. In New York, community colleges all extra school services, and will continue to do and four-year universities are both free, but so under Brown’s new bill. These programs are excludes families who make more than $125,000 by no means uncharted territory — California a year. There are worries that wealthier students has been doing this for over 30 years.

Overall, this new bill is an equitable and who could pay tuition will no longer have to, cost-efficient method of providing a higher harming the colleges.

However, these fears are largely unfounded. education to more Californians. Will California The proposer of the bill, Assembly man Miguel serve as a model as other states move to make Santiago, pointed out during an interview with their own community colleges more accessible?

The Mercury News, “he rich kids aren’t the Only time will tell. ones going to community college who would This is the opinion of Peter Martin, a freshman political benefit from this.” science major from San Jose, California. Tweet comments Beyond that, California is already offering @LALoyolan, or email ebritt@theloyolan.com.

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OPINION

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Callisto empowers sexual assault victims Drop the Mike Michael Teasdale Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

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ne night during my senior year of high school, I was sitting in my basement playing Madden at 2 a.m. It was a regular night until I got an unexpected FaceTime call from a friend. We talked with some apprehension, as I wondered what this call was about and why it had to happen at two in the morning. It eventually came out that she’d been sexually assaulted — not once, but twice. In the most recent incident, a man twice her age lied and said he was a teenager, which she only found out after the incident.

My heart sank as I ran through my head exactly what to do in this situation. I suggested she report it if she was comfortable, which she was not. The first an incident took a year of interviews and investigation only for the state to decide not to prosecute because it was his word against hers. She knew that only six percent of rapists ever see a day in jail, even though less than 10 percent of rape reports are false according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Understandably, she didn’t want to go through that process again.

If she had access to the program now available to LMU students,

this man might have had his day in court. LMU just rolled out a program called Callisto, which allows victims of sexual assault to create an anonymous, encrypted record of any incident. The program guides students through a series of questions specifically written to help victims remember details about the incident, as well as guiding them on what steps to take next like how to preserve evidence.

The key to this, though, is that the report is timestamped and the victim can choose to proceed in a few ways. This is what my friend and so many other victims really need. A way to record details in the moment, when the victim is more likely to remember specifics, without the obligation to report right away. The website also gives victims two options if they elect to report the incident. They can report the incident directly to campus safety, or they can enroll in a matching program, where the report will only be released to campus safety if another person reports the same assailant.

I can’t stress how crucial this would have been for my friend.

She didn’t want to come forward because she was afraid she wouldn’t be taken seriously ­­— that she would go through the same hell she had in the past. Having a second victim to support their credibility makes prosecution more likely.

Additionally, according to Callisto, 90 percent of sexual assaults are done by repeat offenders.

This website is also able to circumvent mandated reporter laws that require certain individuals like teachers to report potentially dangerous situations, regardless of the victim’s wishes. This was a huge issue for my friend, because she wanted to tell someone at the school about her experience to explore her options, but unfortunately, the law mandates that in that type of situation, school officials are required to alert the authorities. This type of system could be instrumental in raising the reporting rate, which is only about 40 percent, according to RAINN. I don’t blame sexual assault victims who don’t come forward, especially not right away. Along with the trauma of the actual assault, there is an immense amount of shame and doubt placed on victims. They often feel like they are presumed to be lying by the courts, as attorneys try to pick holes in a story that may have occurred months or years in the past. Just ask my friend, who was a part of the massive percentage of people who are forced back into the shadows because they could not prove their claims. She has to block it out now, carrying the weight of being a victim on her shoulders every single day. Had she had Callisto, her story may have been different.

This is the opinion of Michael Teasdale, a freshman marketing major from St. Louis, Missouri. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email ebritt@theloyolan.com.

OPINION

Page 8

Non-binary option, a win for LGBTQ+ Jenny from the Block Jennifer Lee

Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

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very important step in gender identification equality was taken this past week when California passed a bill to add a third gender option to ID documents.

The state will soon be the first to allow people to identify as nonbinary on birth certificates and driver’s licenses. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are celebrating everywhere as this comes as a small step toward their fight for acceptance.

In the past, the process to declare oneself as non-binary has been incredibly arduous and entailed getting “a physician’s affidavit stating that they had undergone treatment for the purpose of gender transition,” according to a New York Times article by Christina Caron. The Gender Recognition Act, signed by Governor Jerry Brown, will allow people who identify as intersex or non-binary to request a new birth certificate with the third gender option simply by stating that the new gender aligns with their gender identity, whether they are transitioning physically or not.

In an ideal world, transgender and non-binary people should not have to worry about hiding their true selves, but if their safety is at stake,

Kay Reilly | Loyolan

Non-binary people have always been a part of society, but now the government is actually validating them. who can blame them? For students at LMU, this comes as a call to accept those who aren’t in the realm of what one might be most familiar with.

ASLMU President Hayden Tanabe said that the LGBT Student Services on our campus is led by an excellent staff that works tirelessly with a dedicated group of students to ensure that LMU remains an institution where all are welcome.

Tanabe added that their most recent and successful initiative was to install gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. This is great news for

the LGBTQ+ community because it is a step toward the inclusivity that seems to be so hit-and-miss in our current social climate.

According to Caron, some groups, including California Family Council, have criticized the bill over the worry that public schools will have to pay for creating non-binary sports teams, as well as the worry that this could lead to identity fraud.

The problem of adding a third gender-exclusive sports team could easily be solved by making all teams gender-inclusive. Using the logic

of groups like the California Family Council, that would save money because schools would reduce the number of teams that must be made.

The whole point of creating various terms for identifying oneself is to reset the dichotomy ingrained within our social mindset. The current legal gender map alienates all sorts of people, whether it be a girl who wears men’s clothing or an intersex person who dresses androgynously.

As far as preventing identity fraud, that is definitely a case-by-

case basis. The vast majority of those who go through the process of changing their gender identity do so for personal and safety reasons.

“When your ID doesn’t match your gender identity or expression, it can expose you to potentially dangerous situations,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California, in a USA Today article.

People who are intersex and nonbinary are extremely susceptible to both online and in-person harassment, which can lead to self harm and suicide attempts, which LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to experience. Transgender death rates reached an all time high in 2016 according to GLAAD, with 14 deaths of transgender women of color occurring last year in the U.S. A trans woman who is labeled as male on her legal documents will automatically be outed and at risk for harassment and bullying, whereas if her birth certificate lists her as female, no questions need to be asked. While some people want to change their gender identity to embrace their true selves, others don’t have the privilege of being able to be out and safe.

Bottom line: This legislation is a sign that, even now, unity is still within our reach.

This is the opinion of Jennifer Lee, a junior screenwriting major from Sacramento, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email ebritt@theloyolan.com

laloyolan.com Page 9

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

By Christian Boggs, Staff Cartoonist

UNNECESSARY JAPES

By Cameron Woodard, Staff Cartoonist

SMUG SUNDRIES

Check out more Loyolan cartoons online now!

Visit

LALoyolan.com/cartoons and catch up on your favorites!

By Kay Reilly, Staff Cartoonist

life+arts

laloyolan.com Page 11

Allison Crawford | Loyolan

These fall drinks are not only yummy, but they’re easy to find for all of your seasonal needs. Whether it’s pumpkin spice, apple flavored or totally classic, there are options for everyone.

I’m here for the boos: a fall cocktail review Cory’s Content Cory Hutchinson

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @lajollahutch

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or a lot of people, the fall season is about pumpkin spice lattes, infinity scarves and scary movies, while somehow mentally preparing for Christmas as well. Yet, for others, fall can be about fun cocktails and flavored beers when going out with friends. When you’re going out, you can get funky and put on your best bar shoes, or you can get spooky and throw on a $10 sexy lumberjack costume — either way, fall is basically the best season all around.

Whatever you end up doing, some LMU students have some helpful suggestions on what to order when you do venture out into the L.A. bar scene with your friends. Whether you’re more conservative or adventurous when it comes to trying new things, these drinks will brighten up your season until winter comes along — and then we do this whole process of finding fun drinks all over again.

I promise, the winter roundup will have nothing to do with pumpkin spice — but this definitely will.

6. Pumpkin spice beer For those beer and cider fans out there, if you’re looking for a fall twist, then these two drinks will have you feeling boozy and bold.

First up is the pumpkin spice beer trend that has been slowly taking over bars in L.A. — recommended by senior communications studies major Kasey Sobierajski.

Not all venues will have it, and there are quite a few brands you can try, but if you know what kind of beer you like and you’re willing to try something a little out of the park, then this flavored beer is a fantastic choice.

You may be thinking that pumpkin spice beer is the most horrendous thing that’s ever been created, but a lot of people really enjoy the taste and tons of magazines are categorizing the drink as a must-try for the fall season this year.

5. Kahlua pumpkin spice hot chocolate This drink is for those of you who can proudly go for a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks and post it on Instagram. The Town&Country magazine featured recipe calls for kahlua pumpkin liqueur, four cups of whole milk, a half cup of granulated sugar, a half cup

of unsweetened cocoa poweder, a cup of pumpkin puree and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice — with the option of whipped cream and marshmallows for toppings.

While this drink is a very rich addition to your fall cocktail repitoire, it brings a whole new vibe to hot chocolate. All you need now is a pumpkin spice candle and a movie marathon featuring, “Practical Magic.”

4. Townhouse Cider If you’re strongly against the pumpkin spice trend, Sobierajski also recommends trying Townhouse Cider, a cider that is only made from a fermented apple and “is a really great taste in terms of fall drinks,” she said. “Even if you’re not a beer drinker, both of these options are worth trying because they’re not really typical things that you’d find in a grocery store or something.”

3. Apple cider mimosa An amazing fall cocktail recipe that I saw pop up on my Pinterest feed was an apple cider mimosa. The recipe — from delish.com — sounds pretty odd: two tablespoons of caramel, two tablespoons of cinnamon sugar, one cup of apple cider, eight

ounces of caramel vodka, one bottle of champagne and apple slices for garnish. This sounds like a drink for somebody with a sweet tooth, but it seems like it has a lot of potential if you’re really looking to celebrate the fall season. If you’re not into this option, Pinterest is always a good place to go for a variety of seasonal cocktails and party planning ideas.

2. Moscow Mule For a more classic twist on fall cocktails, senior political science major Fassa Sar recommends ordering a Moscow Mule.

Although it’s a pretty standard drink that shows up on a lot of bar menus, the ginger beer gives the drink a nice balance to make it taste a little more seasonal than a martini. Personally, I’ve heard a rumor that Astropub at Whole Foods in Playa Vista makes a fantastic Moscow Mule. If tipsy grocery shopping doesn’t sound fun to you, then I don’t know what will.

1. Farmers market margarita For another more classic take on fall, senior communications studies major Meredith Kurey suggests trying the farmers

market margarita at Sol Cocina in Playa Vista.

“It’s not exactly a fall drink, but it’s definitely worth trying because it has a lot of flavor and the presentation makes it a great Snapchat moment,” Kurey said.

While you’re at Sol, you can also try the many amazing dishes they have on the menu. Although it’s a bit pricey, it’s a great restaurant to go out to with your friends or for a date — especially if you stumble upon one of their live music nights.

Whether you’re planning for a night in or a bar crawl, at least you have a good idea of what’s out there, and there’s plenty of opportunities to try these drinks before fall ends and peppermint schnapps hot chocolate becomes the new normal. I know a lot of people who say, ‘I’m never drinking again,’ or ‘I can’t, I’m on a diet,’ but I think they’ll have to make some exceptions for these.

On the bright side, the LMU gym is free if you’re trying to work off the calories from a long weekend, and the spin classes will absolutely kick you into shape — so go out and get a drink or two anyway.

This is the opinion of Cory Hutchinson, a sophomore sociology major from Palm Desert, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

In 2014 a group of LMU students passionate about the Fair Trade movement passed a resolution that supports Fair Trade products within the mission and policy of LMU. WHY FAIR TRADE? Fair Trade works to enable indigenous artisans, workers and farmers to develop sustainable livelihoods in their traditional rural environments through worker-owned cooperatives and family farms.

As a Fair Trade University, we are committed to educating the LMU community and upholding the Fair Trade Commitments throughout campus.

Proud supporters of Fair Trade products on campus include: • Green Mountain Coffee Cart • Einstein’s Caribou Café • WHHL Starbucks • The Lion’s Den • Coffee Bean and Tea Cart • Iggy’s Diner • Bookstore • Lair Marketplace • Campus Department Break Rooms

Interested in getting involved?

Come to the Oxfam Club Meeting on Monday nights @7:30pm on the second floor of CSA and join LEO!

life+arts

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Muddled but horrifying: ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ Just Jacob

Jacob Cornblatt Life+Arts Intern @laloyolan

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here are few things in this world as unsettling as anticipation. The best horror and suspense films are the ones that tap into an audience’s anticipation of the worst possible outcomes and creates a feeling of pure dread. No distribution company has emphasized this more than A24, whose horror films all use slow burns to instill fear in the viewers’ hearts.

It’s in their hearts where A24’s newest film begins. A black screen, followed by an unbroken shot of a beating heart. It beats for two unadulterated minutes as we are forced to stare directly at it.

Nothing remotely special happens with it, but the anticipation that something could is what starts us off with a scare.

“The Killing of a Sacred Deer” marks filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos’s second venture into the U.S. box office, following his sleeper hit “The Lobster.” The film follows heart surgeon Steven Murphy, a man whose life is turned upside down by a fatherless boy named Martin, whom he takes under his wing. Giving any more information about the plot treads into spoiler territory, so I’ll just leave it at that.

Colin Farrell plays Murphy, and his performance fits the idiosyncratic style of Lanthimos’ five other films: monotonous, direct and deprived of any expressed emotion. There are scenes where Farrell breaks

Lanthimos’s code and cries or whines — arguably his worst moments — but he does well overall with the character.

Nicole Kidman, who plays his wife, and Barry Keoghan, who plays Martin, are the true stars here. Some of their dialogue is clunky and out-of-place, but they roll with it and make their presence known. They remain omnipotent over the two-hour film — though that can be credited as a success

by Lanthimos and his editor — and never hold back their power.

The performances outweigh the screenplay, which was written

by Lanthimos and his longtime collaborator Efthymis Filippou.

The fundamental problem with the writing is the unbalanced tone.

Usually, they create incredibly dry and preposterous dialogue, which fits Lanthimos’s peculiar directing style, but with “Sacred Deer,” they attempted to bring their strange worlds to the horror genre. They did well for the most part, but the sprinkled, sardonic quips and boisterous retorts feel completely random. The more quiet, subtle scenes are where the writers truly build suspense.

There was also a notable difference between this and Lanthimos’s other films. With “Dogtooth,” “Alps” and “The Lobster,” Lanthimos places his stories in a slightly different world than our own — worlds where the societal structure is the same, but the way people interact isn’t. “Sacred Deer” doesn’t do this. It’s a far more grounded story with fantastical elements embedded within it.

This dissapointed me, but I can’t knock the movie for it, due to the fact that it is its own film.

via A24

Have a better horror movie suggestion for Halloween? Email tgage@theloyolan for a chance to be featured in a future article.

This was also Lanthimos’s fourth time working with cinematographer Thimios Bakatakis, who once again does a wonderful job. The frames are painted with poignancy and purpose, while keeping the

director’s individualistic tone constant. There’s a disjointedness between the the static and mobile shots; however, that’s the fault of the production design.

The sets were built for static shots in “Sacred Deer.” Nothing

feels realistic — the locations were relatively empty, and everything was spotless. It all has a point in developing characters, but it only works when taken from certain angles. When the camera moves through the rooms, the world felt phony. This could be what the production designer was going for, but its ends don’t justify its means.

“Sacred Deer” is definitely a scary film; it boils deep into your skin for the perfect disturbance. Its point, on the other hand, isn’t as successful. There is an abundance of surface-level themes that can be read into (e.g. the effects of imagined power, the role of the female in our society, the pain of guilt), but the overall argument isn’t fully fleshed-out.

Through the smaller motifs and themes, Lanthimos hints towards an overarching discussion of masculinity. He often reverts to observations about primitive sexualization and a lust for power, but I can’t dig out what Lanthimos was trying to say. He threw mud at a wall to see what stuck, and it shows.

I know I complained about many aspects of “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” but I was really impressed by many other aspects of it. The editing and structure, for example, are excellent. The film as a whole never surpasses good, however.

It’s absolutely worth seeing, but only after you’ve ventured into the other wonderful releases from the last few weeks. [Jacob’s score: B-]

This is the opinion of Jacob Cornblatt, a freshman film production major from Gaithersburg, Maryland. Email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

‘The Rules of Magic’ will leave you spellbound Bakers Bits

Hannah Baker Life+Arts Intern @laloyolan

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alloween is just around the corner, and hopefully you’ve got the perfect costume all planned out and it’s sitting dutifully in your closet waiting for the moment you can slip into it. There are many things to anticipate this Halloween — the costume parties, the haunted hayrides, and most importantly, the long awaited season two premiere of “Stranger Things”.

Putting all of those aside, if you’re in search of that one extra spooky, eerie thing to push you over the Halloween edge, look no further. Alice Hoffman’s novel “The Rules of Magic” is the perfect Halloween read while you patiently wait for Oct. 31 to arrive.

The novel revolves around the Owens family — who’s been cursed dating back to 1620 when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Fast forward hundreds of years later, to New York City at the peak of the 60s. Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique and contain characteristics similar to her ancestor, Maria. Franny is

via Simon and Schuster Publishing

Read any amazing books recently? Send your reviews to tgage@theloyolan for a chance for your work to be featured online or in print.

difficult and stubborn but a sight to see, with skin as pale as milk and hair as red as blood. Jet is beautiful and shy but possesses the power to read other people’s thoughts.

Finally, Vincent is alluring to all who come within ten feet of him and began looking for trouble as soon as he could walk.

As soon as her children could comprehend what she was telling them, Susanna laid down some ground rules. They were to never walk in the moonlight, never to wear red shoes or anything black for that matter, no cats, no crows, no candles, and no reading books pertaining to magic. The most important rule, however, was that they were not allowed, under any circumstances, to fall in love.

But when her children decide that they want to escape their mother and her rules for the summer, they go visit their Aunt Isabelle. She lives in a small town in Massachusetts where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong.

Franny, Jet and Vincent uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth about who they are and why they possess other worldly capabilities. While they are staying with her aunt, Isabelle’s only rule is be true to who you are. Once back in New York City, each one of them begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse. The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot

escape the pains of the human heart. Through their adventures, they rely on one another and their strong sibling bond.

“It’s a book that you get completely engulfed in. It is compelling and enchanting.”

This novel is the prequel to Hoffman’s bestseller, “Practical Magic.” That being said, you do not have to read that book first to understand what goes on. By no means is this novel a page-turner in the sense that you feel the need to skim over sentences to find out what happens next. Instead, it’s a book that you get completely engulfed in. It is compelling and enchanting.

The characters that Hoffman creates are fascinating and multilayered and as the reader, you care about them. With family being a main theme of this novel, as well as love and the bond between siblings — it is also about finding the magic and strength within you.

This is the opinion of Hannah Baker, a sophomore communication studies major from Minneapoils, Minnesota. Email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

life+arts

laloyolan.com Page 14

Event Roundup: Halloween happenings in L.A. Midnight in Paris Paris Shepherd Life+Arts Intern

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ith Halloween being on a Tuesday this year, it isn’t an ideal night for celebration. We all know that the beginning of the week doesn’t guarantee that same turnout that the weekend would because the majority of us are busy cramming for last minute midterms or writing research papers. Luckily for all of us, we happen to live in a city that’s constantly buzzing with activity, and because of that, there’s always time to make last minute plans.

Here’s a compilation of the best last minute plans L.A. has to offer: Museum of Death ($) 6031 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood.

If you’re in the mood to learn all there is to know about death and those that brought it on themselves and others before their time, swing by the Museum of Death. This collection of artwork, videos, execution device replicas, taxidermy and so much more aims to educate the general populous about all things death and what it sometimes entails.

If you’re hoping for a peaceful death, this isn’t what you’ll find here. The focus of this museum is morbidity, so if you have an interest in anything related to death and gore, I recommend going. Although this attraction seems like it would last only for the duration of October because of how nicely it goes with the Halloween theme, the museum is open year-round and on a daily basis. This shows that humans’ intrigue with death will forever remain a part of the living.

A ticket for an hour-long tour will cost you $15; however, you are encouraged to stay as long as you’d like. Supposedly, the haunting footage shown here runs for hours.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery: The Legacy of Posada ($) 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood.

This will be Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s 18th annual Dia de los Muertos festival, which takes place one day only on Oct. 28. This is an all-day event, from noon until midnight, that you won’t want to miss.

Not only does this event feature a multitude of commemorative altars created by members of the community for their ancestors and loved ones, it also features performances by hundreds of costumed Aztec ritual dancers, as well as music and other theatrical performances. I attended this event a few years ago and was taken aback by the cultural richness of this event.

There is definitely something for everyone to enjoy with a variety of attractions and entertainment, I strongly recommend attending the celebration if you have $20 to spare. Make sure to bring cash though, because their website asks for guests to have exact change upon entering.

Rooftop Cinema Club at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre ($-$$) 1615 Vine St, Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Venture a little further to DTLA and experience a film like you never have before. This venue pairs L.A.’s iconic cityscape with a film of your choosing. What better way to get into the spooky spirit of Halloween than by settling into a comfy deckchair, popcorn in hand, while waiting for your favorite scary movie to begin? The point I’m trying to make is that there isn’t a better way.

This theater has handpicked some of the most iconic horror films like “Scream,” “Carrie,” and “The Shining,” while also keeping some Halloween classics like “Hocus Pocus” and “Beetlejuice” in the lineup.

Ticket prices vary from $19 to $29 depending on which seat you choose. Although this definitely costs more than your average theater, you’re paying for an experience that you’ll never forget.

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Clowns ($$) 4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles.

Come out to Griffith Park if you’re daring enough to experience this year’s clown-themed haunted hayride that takes place in its supposedly haunted woods. This event could quite possibly ruin the classic pumpkin patch hayride memory we all experienced as kids. The recent upsurge of clowns has definitely not gone unnoticed this year, presumably because of the recent revamping of the ‘90s supernatural horror drama, “It.” Regardless if you thought the movie was scary or not, clowns will never cease to be creepy.

If you’re in the mood to spend $35 on a fearful evening, then you have until Oct. 31 to do so. The attraction runs from 7 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and runs until 12 a.m. exclusively on Friday and Saturday. It also recommends that you arrive early to avoid long lines and potential ticket sell outs.

The Queen Mary: Dark Harbor ($$) 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach.

Who doesn’t want to spend an evening touring a notoriously haunted ship, while also getting to experience some of the best aspects of any Halloween event?

The Queen Mary’s Halloweenthemed Dark Harbor event has it all. Attractions include seven terrifying mazes that will keep you on your toes, spirits that hang around this old haunt for the sole purpose of scaring the living, sinister drink concoctions and an array of dining options. General admission for this event is a little pricey at $39, but there are lots of discounted tickets available if you search around. Also, parking at the Queen Mary is out of the question, so what I would recommend doing is taking advantage of the Dark Harbor Express boat service. This not only allows you to park at the Aquarium of the Pacific at a cheaper cost, but it also includes a free round trip boat ride with the purchase of a Dark Harbor ticket.

This evening event is open now

Aurora Occelli | Loyolan

Be sure to check out these hot Halloween spots in L.A. this 2017 fall season. and won’t conclude until Nov. 1, marks of affordability, accessibility get if you choose to attend any one so there’s still time to experience and overall appeal to LMU students. of these events, even if you’re not a the frightening world that is Dark Keep in mind, also, that although fan of thrills.

Harbor. it’s October, not all your Halloween I wish you all a safe and happy Even though these are just a celebrations need to be scary — ­ Halloween, and please don’t forget few events L.A. boasts during th don’t unserestimate the milder to check your candy before eating it. autumn season, these stand out as events. Ultimately, this exciting This is the opinion of Paris Shepherd, a the best for us broke college kids, holiday is about people coming junior communication studies major from thrill seekers and Halloween lovers. together and having a good time. Ventura, California. Email comments to These events have the distinct That’s exactly what you’re going to tgage@theloyolan.com.

life+arts Five ways to be wholesome this Halloween

laloyolan.com Page 15

Young & Jaided Jaida Macklin

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan

L

ast week, I wrote an article about what Halloween costumes not to wear.

After the publication, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a lot of criticism as well as praise – I know, backwards – regarding said article.

Inspired by some of the comments, this week I’ll be focusing on what costumes people can wear. However, in no way do I regret or apologize for what I said before. I just figured I should give as I take.

With all of that out of the way, here are some costume ideas for those who are still perplexed as to what to wear!

1. Fictional Characters Last week, the source of a lot of outrage was my statement that non-black people shouldn’t dress up as black characters.

A friend of mine even said it was unfair. Now, while I think ‘unfair’ is a stretch, I can see some of their points. In the end, I’ve thought it over and would like the clarify my statement.

Anyone can dress as another character of any ethnicity as long as they’re not changing

Aurora Occelli | Loyolan

Below are just a handful of the many costume ideas that you can choose from that will not offend or disrespect entire groups of people. Have fun. their physical characteristics you supposed to be?” respond get, because housing costs are 5. Blast from the past or appropriating the culture of with a flirty, “The [insert gender out the roof. If this meme isn’t said ethnicity. Their race should pronoun] of your dreams.” Then for you, there’s so many more to An idea that never gets old is never be a part of your costume. proceed to collect their number. choose from. costuming as someone living in For instance, my friend spoke This is foolproof and just in time, a different era. ‘70s? Grab a pair of a time she saw a girl of Asian seeing as how cuffing season is 4. Couples Costume of circle shades, flare out pants descent dress up as Dion from right around the corner. and a tie-dye shirt. ‘50s? Two Clueless for Halloween, but she For the past couple of days, I’ve words: poodle skirt. ‘80s? Tease didn’t do blackface or get braids.

3. Popular 2017 Meme seen so many couples costume your hair, find a black leotard and She simply wore her outfit and suggestions on Twitter. Many are add some neon accessories like slayed. So if you can pull it off Draw on a mustache, slick ridiculous and just for jokes, but fishnet stockings, leg warmers without being offensive, hats off your hair back, throw on some it inspired me to put the idea in and a headband. Or base your to you. sunglasses and a white v-neck here. Convince your significant costume off a fictional character and pretend to dramatically other or a friend to collab with from another decade.

2. The person of someone’s sprinkle a dash of salt or carry you this Halloween! From iconic No matter what you dress up as dreams around some salt and really couples like Yorkie and Kelly this Halloween, make sure to have sprinkle it. Warning: this may from the San Junipero episode of a great, safe time!

Dedicate this Halloween result in bad luck. Everyone Black Mirror to simple concepts to getting a boo (and not the will instantly know the popular like PB & J, there are so many This is the opinion of Jaida Macklin, scary kind). No matter what meme you’re referencing. If ideas for you to choose from! And a sophomore English and theatre arts you’re actually dressed as, when they don’t, they must have been if you can’t think of any good major from Chicago, Illinois. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email someone asks you, “What are residing under a rock. Which I ones, just go on Twitter. comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

laloyolan.com Page 16

Bluff investigates: Blood Visiting dad ends drive really for vampires up lost on campus Jenny Lee

Nosferatu’s Apprentice

A dad visiting his kids gets lost on LMU’s massive campus.

Selfless donations are really being used to pay for campus protection.

Sami Leung

This week on Bluff Investigates, our head detectives decided to focus their efforts on the blood drive organized by service organizations on campus, and what they found will shock you!

Apparently, the purpose of this annual “blood drive” isn’t to donate to injured people in need of blood. LMU administrators take this blood so selflessly given by students wanting to do the right thing, and they give it to a cult of immortal vampires. These vampires are the real protectors of the school, and have been since Loyola University was founded in the 1800s, according to our sources. Public Safety is just a front to keep prospective students and parents from questioning LMU’s shady methods of security.

“The vampires are much cheaper than hiring real security guards,” said an anonymous source.

“The vampires only require all the blood we get from the drive as payment for their protective services. Real officers would require so much more effort.”

The vampires don’t interact directly with students, with only

Cameron Woodard | Loyolan

Vampires have been taking LMU students’ blood donations for decades.

a single representative coming out during the day to collect the blood for payment of services.

The Bluff tried to reach out to that representative for comment, but we weren’t able to find their haunt.

Made up of approximately 44 vampires, the cult rotates shifts and protects LMU from everything from erroneous squirrels and rodents to unique weather of any kind. This is the most legitimate explanation for our lack of definitive seasons and relatively low

population of wildlife on campus.

“I actually prefer this arrangement,” said Bella Coollen, a sophomore film and television major, when told about the university-vampire covenant. “As long as I’m being protected and I don’t have to interact with the humans in the public safety office, I’m good.”

Join us next week on Bluff Investigates for the juicy truth about what’s REALLY in your Lair food.

Needs Constant Validation Gary McCombs, father of two current LMU students, was reported missing one week ago by his wife and children. Public Safety is currently investigating the situation.

McCombs came to LMU to visit his son Kevin McCombs, a freshman film production major, and his daughter Chelsea McCombs, a senior English major.

The family is very concerned because Gary has a terrible sense of direction.

“We were just walking to grab dinner at the Crimson Lion, when he went off by himself to look for a designated smoking area,” said Kevin McCombs. “When I tried to tell him where it was, he put a finger to my lips and told me he could find it himself.”

McCombs was last seen wandering towards University Hall.

Security footage from the date in question shows him on the bottom floor of U-hall trying to engage students with puns and finger guns before he disappears from view.

The McCombs children have asked their fellow students to take five

minutes out of their day to search all the possible hideouts on campus.

“He refuses to ask directions no matter where we are,” said Chelsea McCombs. “One time we got lost hiking in Yosemite and we passed seven park rangers before he let us ask one of them for help.”

While the kids are upset, they both remain hopeful that he will be found. Their mother, on the other hand, seems somewhat angry.

“He’s not helpless,” said mother Farrow McCombs. “I’m sure he has stumbled across several students and maybe even P-Safe officers that he could ask for directions, but instead he would rather cause all this drama.”

Public Safety has been doing everything in their power to help.

“As part of our investigation, we have put up signs around campus asking people to call in if they have any information on McComb’s whereabouts,” said Harrison Dilly, the Public Safety officer in charge of the case.

After sweeping the entirety of University Hall, Public Safety is unsure as to what their next step should be. Their best lead is a few black cigarette butts in front of the History Department “We are pretty sure we spotted him once, but when we called out his name, he walked the other way,” said Dilly. “At this point it almost feels more like hide and seek, and I don’t think he wants to be found.”

Spooky Halloween costumes for the spookiest LMU Lions Bluff presents the top rated scariest costumes for Halloween.

Casey Lee

Spoopy Fidget Spinner

H

alloween is right around the corner, and we know you don’t want to be the one wearing something lame and basic, or something that looks like you put too much time into. Maybe you’re stuck between something provocative or something scary.

Maybe you’re trying to win a contest at LMU for scariest Halloween

costume, but you don’t want to go as your GPA because it’s been done before. Look no further — the Bluff has done some intense psychological research and made a list about what scares LMU students the most.

6. Sodexo Food Whether it’s the sushi that seems to make more people sick than it actually feeds, or it’s the crunchy thing you found in your soft food, Sodexo food can be pretty scary to even the strongest of stomachs.

5. Your Bank Account While trying to avoid that scary Sodexo Food, you ended up draining your checking account on Chipotle

and Mendocino Farms. You say it’s a six-figure bank account, but we all know four zeros in front of the other numbers doesn’t count. So try not to empty out those last couple cents on this Halloween costume.

Your paycheck is still a week away.

4. Tuition Bills You know when you get that bill from a restaurant that says $45, and you get scared about how much more it’ll be after the tip? Well imagine that, but the cost is $45,000, and you barely have 45 cents to your name.

3. Fidget Spinner There’s nothing inherently scary about a fidget spinner, except for the fact that you got caught up in that fad.

Let’s just hope you didn’t actually pay for the fidget spinner you’re putting on your shirt for a costume completely lacking imagination.

2. Last Night’s Hook Up So you hooked up with someone last night, thinking there’s no way you’ll ever see them again, and then you saw them the very next day. Yeah, that’s the feeling you’re trying to get people to experience. Just hope they were attractive, so you’ll be dressed up as a sober 7/10, rather than a 3/10.

Abby Pollak | Loyolan

Students model what strikes terror at LMU: Sodexo and tuition.

1. Your future A blank resume. Three looming interviews. Your future is a dark and empty place that truly strikes fear into the heart of any graduate.

Freshmen and sophomores may not be as affected, but wear this costume to any senior event and you’ll be guaranteed to win scariest costume.

Kevin Chan | Loyolan

This missing poster has been distributed by P-safe to raise awareness.

The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.

SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 17

Lions dig deep for upcoming matches

Megan Karbowski | Loyolan

There were many ups and downs in the game against the No. 18 University of San Diego, but in the end the young Lions displayed they can compete with the best in the conference.

After two losses the women’s team looks towards a brighter future.

Matthew Rodriguez Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan

After losing their last two games against No. 18 University of San Diego (USD) and No. 8 Brigham Young University (BYU), the women’s volleyball team find themselves in a difficult position with their conference record of 5-5 and fourth in the WCC. Last year, the Lions found themselves in a very similar situation, losing two close games consecutively, to these two teams. However, the Lions recovered from those two defeats, winning five of their last eight games, but unfortunately failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The Lions have adapted to the loss of many seniors and star player Sarah Sponcil, showing they can compete at a same if not higher level than they did last year.

“The girls that returned were really open to new coaching [and] to new teammates,” Head

Coach Aaron Mansfield said. “I think that’s a big reason why our team chemistry is so strong.”

However, according to his players, Coach Mansfield deserves lots of credit too. He entered a program with many faces leaving and kept it at the same competitive level, while also improving the team.

“The team needed direction and we were a little bit lost,” setter Tess Reid said. “When we met Aaron all of us unanimously thought this guy was really cool.

We felt really fortunate that he ended up here. Aaron has done a great job handling our low numbers, injuries, fatigue [and] everything we’ve been talking about. I think the culture is a lot more positive.”

While the team has lost many players in the past year, their performance has remained steady. The Lions have performed well on offense, tallying 1,047 kills so far in the season compared to their opponents’ 962, per the LMU Lions website. The team outperforms their opponents in nearly every category recording 13.2 kills per set to 12.3 and the sheer amount of attacks, with 2,631 to 2,552. The Lions have also been serving the ball very

well tallying 133 aces to their opponents’ 70, and 1.7 aces per set to 0.9. Along with their offense, the Lions field many of the opponent’s attacks. The Lions surpass their opponents in amount of digs, with 1022 to 900 and 13.1 digs per set to 11.5. Also, the Lions outperform their opponents in the setting category as well, recording 990 assists to 906 and 12.7 assists per set to 11.6.

“Our two setters are two of the best setters in the conference,” Mansfield said.

“They’ve done a really good job leading in their own ways.”

Based on their stats, The Lions have two of the best setters in the conference with sophomores Tess Reid and Jessie Prichard. Each have recorded above 400 assists.

With a stellar offense and defense, the issue lies with the amount of errors and missed blocks the Lions concede every game. In this ongoing season, the Lions have recorded 471 attacking errors, 83 more than than their opponents, along with 158 service errors compared to 146 and 34 blocking errors to 20. The only category of errors that they have the advantage in are service reception errors,

recording 70 compared to 132. The Lions also trail their opponents in solo blocks by 21 to 36, in block assists 284 to 386, total blocks 163 to 189 and blocks percent 2.1 and 2.4.

With these thoughts in mind, the Lions have devised a game plan for the future of this team.

Mansfield said that the ways to reduce the errors are to educate the attackers and teach them the difference between a good swing and a great swing. He also said hitting errors revolve around trying to do too much on offense.

Although there is room for improvement, Mansfield also said that he is satisfied with his team’s performances. He said they have improved throughout the season and for them it is a very big deal to get better, even by just one percent every year.

Contrary to popular belief, statistics do not always give you the full picture. Although the Lions were swept by USD, each set was close. Each set had a differential of either three or two points. LMU played a very similar game against BYU, taking a top 10 team through the entire five sets.

“I think the pain that this team felt from those two losses

has motivated them to try to change and to get a little better,” Mansfield said. “There are a lot of positives we took away from the weekend… we executed at a level that was higher than what we normally do. If we can continue executing at that level I feel like we have a good shot to win.”

The women on the team reflect the same thoughts as their coach. Senior defensive specialist Kristen Castellanos and sophomore outside hitter Savannah Slattery shook their heads as their teammate Reid echoed similar sentiments.

“There’s a lot of growth happening,” Reid said. “Every single day we’re getting better.

I think it’s something really special about this team.”

According to Mansfield, it’s important for the Lions to treat each game like it’s their last moving forward in the season.

Mansfield said they do not want to look too far ahead and to compartmentalize each match — they want to just to play the way they know how.

Slattery outlined exactly what the Lions need to do to progress in the WCC: “We have to win.”

SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 18

Paying for ‘America’s Favorite Pastime’ Sports Intern @LALoyolan

T

he last time the Dodgers played in the World Series, the gas price was 96 cents per gallon, the average house cost roughly $112,000 and “The Cosby Show” was the top TV show in the country. That was 1988, and times have surely changed.

If your parents are anything like mine, you’re probably sick of hearing them talk about the ‘good old days.’ They are right about one thing though: watching the Dodgers on TV didn’t cost them a penny.

Let’s start with some TV history. Back in ‘the day’ there were only three networks that broadcasted television for free, like radio, over the airwaves: ABC, CBS & NBC, joined by Fox in 1986. In those “good old days” all sports, especially the baseball playoffs, were aired for free on free broadcast TV – you didn’t need to pay for cable to watch the events. This year, almost all the MLB playoffs games were aired on cable channels like TBS, Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. If

everyone in Los Angeles who owns a television, a significant portion of which are at least casual Dodger fans.

However, due to the unbending argument between cable and local television, “about

Therefore, this phenomenal Dodgers season has been torturous for many Angelenos.

The Dodgers have had an incredible season, being called “by far the best defensive team in the majors” by CBS Sports,

two-thirds of the households in Los Angeles haven’t been able to watch the fruits of this largesse during the regular season because they don’t have the premium Dodger cable channel,” according to the L.A. Times.

and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1988.

The blackout hasn’t killed fans interest to watch the games, despite difficulty accessing them for the past four years.

Fans still want to watch.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

LAW SCHOOL

TEACHING MATHEMATICS

ELEMENTARY

SECONDARY EDUCATION

DOCTORATE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

MBA

THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

ACCOUNTING

LOYOLA

SOPHY AND LEADERSHIP BILINGUALELECTRICAL EDUCATIONENGINEERING

WRITING FOR

YOGA STUDIES EDUCATIONAL STUDIES

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

THE SCREEN

HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING

SPECIAL EDUCATION

WRITING AND PRODUCING FOR TV

EXECUTIVE MBA

This is the opinion of Izzy Berrent, a freshman marketing major from Los Angeles, CA. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email tdevries@theloyolan.com.

COUNSELING PHILO ADMINISTRATION

HIGHER EDUCATION

ADMINISTRATION

According to the L.A. Times, the 10-game KTLA package averaged 378,000 households reached, roughly five times the 79,000 households attracted by the average SportsNet LA broadcast.

Charter promotes Spectrum as the only place LA locals can watch the Dodgers. Their advertising even boasts “No Spectrum? No Dodgers!” Still, many Dodgers fans are not switching to Spectrum. Cannot happen unless DirecTV loses a large sum of their subscribers.

They don’t air the Dodgers “industry analysts say, there is little incentive for [DirecTV] to pay Charter for the right to carry SportsNet LA,” according to the L.A Times, meaning that nothing is likely to change in the short term.

While it may best to leave The Cosby Show in the past, this opportunity to watch the Dodgers in the World Series is a welcome break in the norm.

It harkens back to a time when houses cost less than tuition does now, and when you could root for the Dodgers for free.

EDUCATION

Izzy Berrent

you couldn’t afford cable TV and wanted to watch the MLB playoffs, you were out of luck; except for the handful of games that aired on Fox. In Los Angeles, the issue is even more complicated. For the fourth year in a row, there has been a Dodgers blackout on local television due to a dispute between Charter Communications — who own Time Warner Cable and sell cable under Spectrum — and other providers like AT&T who owns DirecTV. Thankfully for Dodgers fans, though — who have so patiently watched the past few seasons through ESPN updates, Twitter feeds and occasional aired games — the World Series will be aired on Fox, giving Angelenos the opportunity to watch their boys in blue chase a championship.

This fiasco began in 2013 when Time Warner formed a $8.35 billion deal that bought them rights to Dodgers games for the next 25 years, and created SportsNet LA – a cable channel strictly for the Dodgers, according to Michael Hiltzik from the L.A. Times.

Ten of the 162 Dodger’s games were broadcast on KTLA – meaning only six percent of games were available for

CATHOLIC

Gettin Bizzy

EDUCATION ENGLISHSCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY BIOETHICS CIVIL ENGINEERING

READING

INSTRUCTION

FILM AND TVMARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPYEDUCATION PRODUCTIONENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

LMU Graduate Open House Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017 Loyola Marymount University graduate.lmu.edu/openhouse2017

SPORTS

laloyolan.com Page 19

Women’s basketball picked highest in Elliott’s era The fifth place ranking is the highest in six seasons.

Miles Thomas Sports Intern @LALoyolan

This past Wednesday, the LMU women’s basketball team was projected to finish fifth in the West Coast Conference women’s basketball preseason poll at the WCC Basketball Tip-Off event in Las Vegas. The preseason rankings were selected by voting from the conference’s ten head basketball coaches. The Lions are coming off a season with an overall record of 1416, and a fifth place finish in conference play with a record of 9-9. The Lions are led by Head Coach Charity Elliott, entering her sixth season with the Lions.

The fifth place ranking is the highest position LMU has been projected to finish since 2011 and highest preseason ranking since Elliott was hired. LMU was able to achieve this ranking despite losing key starters Leslie Lopez-Wood and Jackie Johnson, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder last season. Elliott has led LMU to two fifth place rankings in the conference in 2013, as well as last season in 2017.

This year’s team will feature many new faces taking the court.

Two incoming transfer players, redshirt junior guard Gabby Green from Cal, ranking in ESPN HoopsGurlz’s top 15 players nationally at the end of her prep career, and redshirt junior center Josie Buckingham from Minnesota who, at 6’5”, is the tallest Lion player since 199899. The Lions will also welcome four freshmen players, guards Aiyana Barnes and Chelsey Gipson along with forwards Jasmine Jones and redshirt freshman Britteny Reed.

As for the other teams in the WCC, defending conference champion Gonzaga, who swept LMU last season in conference play, received eight first-place votes to claim the top spot of the preseason poll. Last year’s third place team Saint Mary’s ranked second and received two firstplace votes, followed by last years second and seventh place finishers BYU and San Diego ranking ahead of LMU, rounding up the top five in the preseason poll.

Junior guard/forward Cheyanne Wallace was voted by the conference head coaches to the All-WCC Preseason Women’s Basketball team. Last season, Wallace earned 2017 AllConference honorable mention following a strong season where

she averaged 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game with the Lions, ranking second on the team in each category last season. She is the team’s leading returning scorer, rebounder and leader in steals this year following the graduation of forward Jackie Johnson.

The team will look to have fluid ball movement from last season’s team leader in assists, junior guard Andee Velasco, who averaged 5.9 assists per game.

Velasco averaged eight points per game and played in all 30 games for the Lions. The team will have only one senior player on this year’s squad, guard Makenzie Cast, who has three years of experience with the Lions.

At the beginning of training camp Coach Elliott provided positive insight on the overall talent of this year’s team.

“We added some significant talent. Our chemistry has been fantastic,” Elliott said, adding that this team has “more depth than we’ve had in the past.”

LMU women’s basketball will open the season with an exhibition game against Occidental College on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in Gersten Pavilion. The team’s homeopener will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 21 against the University of Arizona, at 7 p.m.

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West Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll

Information Compiled by Matthew Rodriguez, Assistant Sports Editor

Graphic by Chloe Cunningham | Loyolan

Team

Points

1

Gonzaga University

79

2

Saint Mary’s College

72

3

Brigham Young University

68

4

University of San Diego

54

5

Loyola Marymount University

48

6

Santa Clara University

39

7

San Francisco University

36

8

University of the Pacific

28

9

Pepperdine University

14

10

University of Portland

12

SPORTS

SCORES UPDATE W. SOCCER

LION SPORTS

LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | October 25, 2017 | laloyolan.com

M. SOCCER

0-0 T

VOLLEYBALL

at BYU

vs. BYU

3-0 L

M. WATER POLO 9-5 L

vs. Portland

3-0 L

vs. San Jose State

Follow us on Twitter @laloyolan for up-to-date scores.

Page 20

Preseason ranking a blessing in disguise for Lions Big Time Timmy Jim Tim De Vries

G

Sports Editor @LALoyolan

enerally speaking, a basketball team — or any team for that matter — never wants to be ranked last in a poll. With last week’s release of the West Coast Conference (WCC) Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, that’s precisely where LMU men’s basketball finds themselves.

For the young Lions, being picked 10th out of 10 teams in the conference may not be the ideal place to start the season, but it would be premature to view the poll as a definitive, realistic expectation for LMU this year. If anything, it gives LMU a freedom to play and improve with each game without the pressure of producing consistent results. Simply put, the Lions have nothing to lose.

Selecting the poll each preseason is somewhat of a formulaic process, one that can produce flawed results. In principle the selection system is a logical one.

Each of the ten head coaches in the conference votes on each of the other nine teams in the conference, effectively ranking them on their own. The maximum number of votes for any position in the poll is nine. Because there are nine spots in the rankings, a first place vote is worth nine points, a second place vote worth eight, and so on.

This season, Saint Mary’s College received eight of nine first place votes. Reigning conference champion Gonzaga University ranks second, snagging eight second place votes and the final first place vote.

The selection structure is fine for the most part. It’s the information that the coaches receive as a basis for the selections which fails to paint a precise picture of the conference as it truly is.

According to Head Coach Mike Dunlap, there is an emphasis placed on returning players and results from the previous season.

Generally speaking, the existing bodies of work displayed by teams’ returners are the only legitimate terms for comparison, so it’s both easiest and most reliable to use them as a basis for judging teams at the beginning of a new season.

“No one else in the league lost four starters,” Dunlap said. “I know and believe that we will be better than that and we are better than that, but it’s what you do, not what you say.”

On the flipside, freshmen and transfer athletes have nothing but highlight tape, word of mouth and statistics from their previous basketball tenures to judge by — at least in terms of the poll. This is the reason that the Lions are tenth.

The reason is not because they will be drastically worse than every

other team in the conference, as the rankings suggest, but because 10 of the team’s 14 players will be recording their first minutes in an LMU uniform.

The majority of LMU’s team has been ranked and voted on in the context of the WCC without ever setting foot on a WCC basketball court. It’s the preseason, it’s too early to know anything for certain about the Lions. In a larger sense, with the ever-changing nature of college basketball, how can you say

“...it gives LMU a freedom to play and improve with each game without the pressure of producing consistent results.

Simply put, the Lions have nothing to lose.” anything for certain about teams in general?

Even the best of programs have off-years, and the college basketball world thrives on Cinderella stories.

For this season, at least, I don’t necessarily see LMU as being one of said Cinderellas, but because of the relatively unreliable nature of such polls, last place is a fine place for a young team like the Lions to be — perhaps contrary to what we might naturally think.

According to Dunlap, the focus for this team — one which lost seven players, including four starters from a year ago — is simply to learn the system, learn how

“It’s the information that the coaches receive as a basis for selection which fails to paint a precise picture of the conference as it truly is.” to play with one another and to focus on improving each day. The expectation is one of work ethic and dedication to what Dunlap is trying to accomplish, not one of a certain win total.

By ranking last in the conference, the pressure to maintain a certain standing falls away altogether. For the Lions, this means that they get to play basketball and, hopefully, enjoy a free-flowing style of play. This

quality is often lost in the world of bracketology, RPIs and a coaching climate dictated by how many games you win and the players you attract.

While Dunlap’s “process over results” philosophy has certainly caught on with the team and will allow them to look past the 10th place ranking, receiving the cellar spot in the WCC preseason polls may also serve the Lions in a second way. Not only does it remove any external pressure to perform from the shoulders of the team, but it serves as a form of basic motivation— albeit one that is “cheap,” Dunlap believes, if his team is truly focused on daily improvement.

For the players, however, it’s easy to understand how they might take the selection as a personal slight. Senior center Petr Herman, one of the most experienced players on the LMU roster, sees his new, young team in a hopeful light, and sees the last-place ranking as a chance to prove a lot of people wrong.

“Everybody’s working hard,” Herman said. “It’s tough losing a lot of starting players, but these guys are learning really fast, and they’re coachable.”

The 6-foot-11 senior described how the willingness to learn and to buy into the system has served the team well during tranining camp.

In the past, Herman thinks this was not always the case, and so the learning curve was longer. “These guys,” Herman said about the 20172018 team, snapping his fingers, “these guys pick it up real quick.”

On the court, this would ideally manifest itself in a team that moves the ball, spreads out scoring, is focused on communication on the defensive end and with the primary scoring threats from last season graduating, the LMU players will certainly be a more balanced team until primary scoring options emerge, as they naturally do. The extent to which this style of play will benefit them, and how the team will execute come game time are yet to be seen, but that’s just fine for the Lions.

Certainly, the team will have a level of expectation for itself as the season progresses. An abysmal record — one that a last place team might have — would doubtfully sit well with the program. If the Lions continue to improve, then Dunlap is right in assuming that the results will speak for themselves. If they do, this preseason poll will be altogether meaningless. With the season opener just 10 days away, the Lions will look to glean what motivation they can from it, and flush the rest.

“We don’t want to get bogged down in these things,” Dunlap said.

“We have work to do.”

This is the opinion of Tim De Vries, a junior mechanical engineering major from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email tdevries@ theloyolan.com.