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Monday, Januar y 8, 2018

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California faces a teacher shortage for K-12 schools

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Jarod Urrutia @ CPMustangNews

The United States, and especially California, is facing a teacher shortage. More teachers are leaving the profession and less students are pursuing careers in teaching. The consequences of the shortage will be felt by upcoming K-12 students and thus the future workforce.

“We have a perfect storm of a number of factors,” Director of the School of Education and Department Chair of Kinesiology Kevin Taylor

said. “People leaving the profession, a big retirement push and in certain areas demand is growing — there’s more kids.”

According to Taylor — who is researching the coming teacher shortage — experts not only saw the shortage coming, but concede that the shortage is overdue thanks to the 2008 recession delaying the next en masse retirement by baby boomers.

This is reaffirmed by the Learning Policy Institute’s (LPI) Report Addressing California’s Emerging Teach-

E s t a b l i s h e d 1 916

er Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions, which Taylor referred to as a primary source for his own studies. According to the report, onethird of teacher loss in California can be attributed to retirement, especially given that 34 percent of teachers in California are older than 50.

“There is a steady bleed of teachers out of the profession,” Taylor said. “It’s definitely an issue that needs addressing.”

TEACHING CRISIS continued on page 5

ROCK THE VINE

SURF TEAM The Mustangs placed second at both the state and national championships.

Cal Poly seniors create the first wine farmer’s market in San Luis Obispo.

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CAL POLY SURF TEAM | COURTE SY PHOTO

YSABEL SULLIVAN | MUSTANG NE W S

BACK TO SCHOOL 2018 EDITION Mustang News

Content

TODAY ,S ISSUE

NEWS

COLLEGE-BASED FEES ...............................5

MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2018 VOLUME O, ISSUE 9

On The Cover

CALFRESH ...................................................6

CONTACT

BACK TO SCHOOL

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION...........................7 LAES OPENS DOOR TO ESCAPE ROOM ......7 LESSONS LEARNED.....................................8 AVOIDING WINTER BLUES ..........................8 NEW MEN’S BASKETBALL RECRUITS .........9

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EDITORS AND STAFF

OPINION

TRUMP AND TWITTER...............................16

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Naba Ahmed MANAGING EDITORS | Gina Randazzo | Brendan Matsuyama NEWS EDITOR | James Hayes ARTS EDITOR | Mikaela Duhs

SPORTS

OPINION EDITOR | Elias Atienza

MEN’S BASKETBALL TRANSFERS .............17

SPORTS EDITOR | Erik Engle SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATOR | Megan Schellong

KICKER CASEY SUBLETTE.........................17

COPY CHIEF | Bryce Aston

SURF TEAM ...............................................20

COPY EDITORS | Monique Geisen | Clarisse Wangeline | Jordyn White

The consequences of the teacher shortage in California will be felt by K-12 students.

Photo Illustration by Chris Gateley and Zack Spanier, Mustang News.

LEAD DESIGNER | Zack Spanier DESIGNERS | Jessie Franco | Tanner Layton

Welcome Back Mustangs!

Eat Drink American www.eurekarestaurantgroup.com 1141 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805. 903. 1141

EMERGENCY INFORMATION ABOUT DIABLO CANYON POWER PLANT

Welcome to Cal Poly. We are glad you have chosen to make San Luis Obispo your home. Situated approximately seven miles north of Avila Beach is Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP). DCPP is a nuclear power plant that generates approximately 10% of California’s electricity. Both PG&E and the County of San Luis Obispo have developed detailed emergency plans that would be used in the unlikely event that an emergency were to occur at DCPP.

If an emergency occurs at DCPP that requires you to take action, you will hear a steady siren for three minutes.

This means you should tune to a local radio or television station, or Marine Channel 16 while at sea, for emergency information and instructions.

Additional emergency information is in the current Emergency Planning Calendar, the current SLO County YP phone book, and at www.slocounty.ca.gov/oes.

Sponsored by the County of San Luis Obispo Office of Emergency Services and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Paid for by Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Madi Salvati Special to Mustang News

Dustin Platt looked tired. He had just finished his shift at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCPP).

“It’s been hectic,” Cal Poly alumnus Platt said.

“They don’t really know what to do with you as a new employee like me.”

Platt’s experience is just one factor in the DCPP closure, which will take place in 2025, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Not only will he have spent his first eight years of industry experience at a 40-yearold nuclear plant, but Platt will then have to find another job.

Other concerns voiced at public hearings about the DCPP closure ranged from the risk of radiation to what will become of nuclear waste after the plant’s been decommissioned to where renewable energy will come from next.

“I mean, that’s just the nature of the industry,” Platt said. “Everything’s old. It works, but it’s old. So I’m coming out with not a lot of current knowledge about other plants being built and how they compare.”

After graduating from Cal Poly, Platt joined Early Engineer Careers with PG&E at Diablo Canyon. He is now a part of the Rotational Engineering Program at DCPP, still in the middle of his very first rotation and still getting a feel for all the engineering positions at the plant.

Since DCPP announced their license would expire without renewal in 2016, the public has been concerned about the upkeep of the plant while costs are being cut. Questions were also raised about how PG&E would go about shutting down California’s only nuclear power plant.

Platt said he thinks the San Luis Obispo community is not fully aware of what’s actually happening at the plant.

“From just living in San Luis Obispo, I was kind of surprised because I didn’t see any public announcements that would reach a wide audience,” Platt said.

Like Platt, former PG&E employee Chris Hartz was part of the original permanent plant staff and said he does not feel the public’s concerns have been examined. He also said the true risk of shutting down the plant has not been addressed.

Most prominently, earthquakes could trigger a meltdown.

“One of the concerns with this plant is something similar to Fukushima,” Hartz said.

But Hartz wants the public to know that Fukushima wasn’t caused by an earthquake, and the possibility of a meltdown at DCPP is highly unlikely.

“People have made a big stink about Diablo Canyon and earthquakes,” Hartz said. “But it’s essentially impossible at Diablo Canyon.”

Because DCPP sits 85 feet above the bluffs, the odds of a tsunami getting past the breakwa-

ter are next to impossible. Additionally, no kind of wave could get past the water-tight doors to the generator.

A tsunami is what caused the real problem in Japan, but in Japan the plant was only 10 to 20 feet above sea level, Hartz said.

“There is no such thing as an 85-foot tidal wave,” Hartz said. “With that big of a wave, you would flood the entire county all the way to Carrizo Plain.”

With all of that said, as a former employee of PG&E, this miscommunication and heightened public concern are the core of Hartz’s frustration.

“A lot of people use [earthquakes and Fukushima] as an excuse for why the canyon should be shut down,” Hartz said.

Heather Matteson had a story similar to Hartz’s.

Matteson is currently in charge of all emergency procedures at the plant and has seen DCPP through countless highs and lows with the licensing process in the last eight years.

“When Fukushima happened, I was in the control room at Diablo Canyon,” she said. “I feel like a lot of us tend to be scared first. If we’re scared, our tendency is to say ‘no’ until we have more information.”

This is how Matteson used to feel about DCPP until she began working at the plant.

She was a member of the local activist group Mothers for Peace, which has protested DCPP since it was built in the late 1960s.

“Before I worked at the plant, I was on the mailing list for Mothers for Peace,” she said.

“When I decided to work [at the plant], I kind of went in as a spy because I had seen them protesting some pretty ridiculous stuff.”

When Matteson began to work at DCPP she thought if she found something wrong at the plant she would tell the Mothers for Peace and they’d really have something to protest.

“I went into operating and was in training for the first 10 months,” she said. “My coworkers would get really annoyed because I asked so many questions.”

But to Mattheson’s surprise, she was and still is fascinated by nuclear energy today.

“I’m doing the right thing by helping this plant run and creating so much clean energy,” she said. “Even after that, I’ve gone through cycles in my career where I’m like ‘Holy cow, I should not be doing this, this is way too scary.’”

Like Hartz, she wants the community to know that the risk of disaster at DCPP is not as bad as people think.

“The perceived risk is a lot lower than anyone knows,” she said. “We’ll overreact to anything that happens.”

DCPP has gone 40 years without any accidents.

“It’s this amazing infrastructure that we shouldn’t waste,” Matteson said. “The community should stand up for it.”

3 MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

I M P O R T A N T

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant employees weigh in on impact of decommissioning

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A M E R I C A’ S M O S T T R U S T E D L A U N D R Y B R A N D

How college-based fees make some majors more costly than others Nestled within the financial section of the Student Center portal is an itemized breakdown of a Cal Poly student’s tuition and fees. Among these is the college-based fee, a predetermined amount that all Cal Poly students are charged on a quarterly basis.

The only deviant in the amount of this fee is the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). CLA students pay $120 less than all other colleges, according to a tuition and fees breakdown on Cal Poly’s website.

When college-based fees were first introduced, all colleges except CLA agreed on the same base fee. The then-dean of the CLA fought for a lesser base fee for liberal arts students. He believed that technology requirements for liberal arts students did not have the same expenses as those in other colleges.

According to current CLA Dean Doug Epperson, college-based fees increase slightly each year, maintaining the differential between CLA and all other colleges.

“If a college-based fee is raised three percent, for us it’s three percent of our base,” Epperson said. “For engineering, it’s three percent of their base, so what it does is it actually widens the gap over time with that increment system.”

TEACHING CRISIS continued from page 1

Retirement only compounds the greater issue of teachers leaving the profession at high rates for the last several years. According to the California Teacher’s Association, one in three teachers leave within seven years, 13 percent leave by the second school year, and 1 in 10 transfer teaching at high poverty schools every year.

“We ask a lot of newly minted, newly qualified and credentialed teachers with low wages, particularly in areas in California where the cost of living is so high,” Taylor said. “It’s a hard road to stay in teaching for 30 years. It takes a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of personal commitment and you’ve got to be intrinsically motivated.”

Resignations aren’t the only problem. Enrollment in California teacher preparation programs dropped 76 percent from 2001 to 2014. San Luis Obispo High School Principal Leslie O’Connor has seen this shortage first hand.

“Traditionally, six or seven years ago when I would put a job out there, and depending on social studies, math, whatever, you might have as many as 100 applicants,” O’Connor

In 2014, the CLA proposed raising the college-based fee base to match the amount paid by students in all other colleges. Their reasoning was that technology and equipment needs had become greater in recent years and that students could benefit from increased opportunities like assistantships, research support, conferences and paid research assistant positions.

The initiative was struck down by students by a three-vote difference.

You know how [graphic According to C L A As s o c i communication] has a ate Dean Debra Valencia-Laver, nice lab? We don’t really even if the colhave that.” lege-based fees EXPENSES PER MAJOR | were to be equali z e d, i nd iv i du a l to graphic design senior KELLY CHIU Kelly Chiu, printing, pacourse fees and out-ofpocket expenses would not per, art supplies and darkroom go away. Some majors are still photography developing materials left with additional costs for projects and are among materials that must be paid for materials leading to varying amounts of outout-of-pocket by each art & design student. of-pocket expenses for classes.

“The tools they have in the studio, but anything that’s liquid or chemicals or things that Art & design you use one time, you have to provide for Art & design students pay for most mateyourself,” Chiu said.

Chiu’s personal interests within her major rials and supplies out of pocket. According said. “Now we will see maybe 15 applicants.”

The LPI’s report cited a decrease in the number of teachers due to teacher layoffs during the recession, and increased demand for teachers, as some of the primary issues creating the shortage of applicants.

“I started going to recruiting fairs, and I went to one last year at Fresno State and there were 296 student–teacher candidates coming through,” O’Connor said. “I spoke to five, total. By the time they got to me in the building where the fair was at, many of them had already signed a contract.”

As for why there are fewer prospective teachers, Taylor recognizes a clear lack of respect for the teaching profession in American culture. This, combined with low wages and long hours, seems to be turning professionals away.

“I think a lot of our teachers struggle with a lack of respect for education, and students do as well,” Taylor said. “A lot of our teacher candidates report that when they told their family ‘I’m going back to school, I’m going to be a teacher,’ typical responses were ‘Oh,’ or ‘Why would you do that?’”

O’Connor agreed with this, saying that this lack of respect is reflected in pay of other entry level jobs, especially those requiring

STEM degrees.

“You come out with a college degree in engineering, or a college degree in math, or science or chemistry and you can probably get into any job you want to making minimum 50 or 60 thousand,” O’Connor said. “Meanwhile, teaching still requires a year of getting the credentials.”

Low pay for entry-level teachers is an even bigger problem in California, thanks to the ongoing housing crisis and the continually rising cost of living.

“I think it’s especially bad here because of the cost of living, to be honest,” O’Connor said.

“We have more graduates going into higher paying jobs, and I think there’s more higher paying jobs available in the state of California than any other state in the nation.”

These factors have all contributed to the teacher shortage in California, as well as the rising population of K-12 students. The student-teacher ratio in the state is the highest in the nation at 24 to one, while the national average is 16 to one. The LPI reports that collectively, California districts would need to hire 135,000 additional teachers to bring the ratio to the national average.

Taylor and the LPI agree while money is part of the solution, there’s more to it. The

MUSTANG NE WS | FILE PHOTO

Students in CLA pay less in college-based fees.

include photography. Cal Poly’s art & design department requires Chiu and other students to pay for their own photo developing supplies, unlike her community college where the chemicals were provided with tuition. She also found that technological resources were lacking for students in the graphic design concentration.

STUDENT FEE continued on page 6

LPI in particular recommends funding programs that incentivize entry into the teaching profession and assisting in entry, such as the CalTeach program “Funding is absolutely at the heart of the issue,” Taylor said. “We need to prioritize education as a society, as a culture. We need to see this is important and we need to strategically fund it.”

Taylor believes the coming K-12 students will suffer the greatest losses because of the shortage.

“As class sizes go up it’s going to be hard for teachers to help students succeed and achieve,” Taylor said. “The kids are going to suffer directly because they have less access to their teacher, and then they’re going to suffer indirectly because it’s a harder environment and their grades are going to suffer.”

Taylor and O’Connor both voiced their support for programs that would decrease class sizes and produce better qualified teachers.

“If we don’t educate youth well, they become the criminals of the future that ruin the society in which we want to live,” Taylor said.

“We aspire to be the greatest democracy in the world, and we have to educate our youth to live up to that because democracy is hard work and demands everybody participates.”

MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

Hayley Sakae Special to Mustang News

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CalFresh program tackles food insecurity at Cal Poly

FRESH FOOD

ERICA HUDSON | MUSTANG NE W S

| CalFresh offers information and aid to food insecure students at Cal Poly.

Mandie Geller Special to Mustang News

Cal Poly has created an outreach program to help spread awareness about a state resource called CalFresh that gives struggling students money to buy food at local grocery stores and the farmer’s market.

A study conducted by the California State University system in February 2015 found that one in four college students were food insecure. In response, CalFresh outreach programs were implemented on college campuses.

Part of a federally funded resource known STUDENT FEE continued from page 5

“You know, when you think of a graphic design major, isn’t a functioning computer lab kind of a main thing?” Chiu said. “You know how [graphic communication] has a nice lab?

We don’t really have that.”

Regardless of concentration, all art and design majors are also required to take certain courses with supplies that prove costly.

“We all had to have a certain amount of studio art classes, so obviously painting and drawing classes, those are all out of our own pockets. Those can get expensive,” Chiu said.

Architecture Architecture is one of the most expensive majors at Cal Poly because of materials required for models and other projects. Architecture junior Bradley Nissen said he spent at least $400 on supplies for all of his classes fall quarter.

as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Cal Poly’s CalFresh outreach program has helped about 230 students apply, with more than 100 in Fall 2017, according to nutrition graduate student and CalFresh outreach program leader Kelly Condron.

“We’ve seen student athletes, students from every major and background that have come in here looking for help,” Condron said. “I think it’s a bigger problem than students are aware of.”

When students come to drop-in hours, members of the outreach program guide them through the process of applying.

According to Condron, students looking “I’m taking a [class from a] professor that has us design and build nightstands, so I had to buy walnut, I had to buy steel rod, I had to buy concrete, foam work for all of that,” Nissen said. “Overall, I think the nightstand that I built was [more than] $200 just in supplies.”

Professors encourage students to use reclaimed materials, but Nissen said many architecture students end up buying more expensive ones because they look nicer.

However, students are not penalized for using cheaper or reclaimed materials because grades are more dependent on the look of the final product.

“It depends a lot more on how well it’s put together and some materials are easier to put together than others,” Nissen said.

Not all academic quarters in architecture prove as costly. According to Nissen, some studio classes require mostly digital work and fees associated with plotting. In those quarters, students can spend as little as $50.

But overall, the cost of being an architecture student tends to be substantial.

to apply must be permanent residents of the United States and residents of California.

Additionally, prospective applicants must be enrolled in at least six units, meet income requirements and meet one exemption.

If eligible, students undergo a phone interview after applying and must submit the necessary paperwork within a 30day window.

The outreach program also helps to spread awareness on campus by creating flyers, tabling and working together with other organizations. The program uses their Facebook page to post healthy recipes and alert students when they have a table in the University Union Plaze to provide information about food insecurity and signing up for Cal Fresh.

Political science junior Dezeray Cruz has been using CalFresh since last summer after she heard about the resource from her department. She believes the $125 a month she receives is enough and helps her eat healthier than she otherwise would have.

“The biggest thing for me is being able to go to [the farmer’s market and] eat organic, fresh food,” Cruz said. “Now I actually cook and meal prep instead of eating unhealthy, processed food.”

Partners of CalFresh in the San Luis Obispo area include Trader Joe’s, Vons, Food for Less and the farmer’s market. Condron said students can even buy seeds to grow their own food.

Cal Poly’s CalFresh program director Aydin Nazmi cited the complexities of the issue CalFresh seeks to address.

“Yes, [food insecurity] is undoubtedly a complex problem,” Nazmi wrote in an email. “Not only from the obvious lack of financial resources, but also more systemic issues such as such as the skyrocketing price of college tuition, unreasonable textbook costs, outdated financial aid algorithms, and in most of California, the cost of housing.”

Nazmi explained there are three main reasons why this massive, prevalent issue of food insecurity goes unnoticed. Firstly, food insecurity is not always outwardly apparent. Secondly, there is stigma surrounding food insecurity. Finally, because the issue can be personally and socially sensitive, many students who face food insecurity are reluctant to tell anyone, even their closest friends.

“Knowing that some of your expenses are covered can ease much of the psychological and social stress that come with not having enough to eat,” Nazmi wrote.

Hungry to learn Food science and nutrition professor and

Other services Students that don’t qualify for CalFresh are directed towards other resources on campus and in San Luis Obispo. Possible options include: 1. Food Pantry: Students can come in to the Cal Poly Pantry and can fill a bag with food that is available without being questioned. Items that are usually donated are packaged and canned foods, frozen meals and personal hygiene products. Drop-in hours are every Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Health Center (building 27, room 173B).

2. Meal Vouchers: Students can receive meal vouchers to use for all-you-can-eat meals at Metro 19 on campus.

3. Food Bank Coalition of SLO County: Members of the San Luis Obispo community can come pick up non-perishable goods.

Statistics Statistics senior Hans Schumann said statistics majors have little to no external costs associated with their department. Most everything is provided, including textbooks, software and other resources.

The statistics lab, known to statistics students as the “Stat Lab,” provides computers and free printing for anything related to the major. The Stat Lab also has textbooks needed for statistics classes, so Schumann hasn’t had to purchase any textbooks for his major.

“I actually haven’t had to pay for anything, really,” Schumann said. “Most of my payment for textbooks comes from other classes, like general [education classes] or if I actually want the textbook for later in life.”

Additionally, MiniTab, JMP, SAS and other industry software is provided on Cal Poly’s server at no cost to students.

“There’s one software that’s actually really, really expensive but we’re all able to download it on our computers for a year and you can renew it while you’re still here,” Schumann said.

“The software costs like $1,000 or something.

It’s something absurd.”

While Cal Poly’s website estimates tuition and fees at $9,432, the total cost of attendance may be more than expected, depending on choice of major and whether or not a student is in CLA. A list of estimated course fee amounts is available online.

“The university believes strongly in transparency and providing all available information to its current and prospective students,” university spokesperson Matt Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News.

According to Lazier, Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing style of education costs more in general, leading some majors and courses to require additional fees for materials and resources. The university implemented the Student Success Fee in 2012 to help alleviate some costs due to “waning financial support from the state.”

“The fees have helped maintain the quality of a Cal Poly education,” Lazier wrote. “Unfortunately, they do not cover all costs associated with Learn by Doing.”

Krista Balster-Gee @ CPMustangNews

As 2017 comes to a close and 2018 rolls around, many Americans begin the year with a set of New Year’s resolutions in hopes of bettering themselves. But these goals do not always last long. According to a report by U.S. News, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned

by February.

As discouraging as this may seem, in a study by University of Scranton, psychology professor John Norcross recorded that 77 percent of resolutions are successful in the first week and 44 percent of resolutions are successful in the first year. Although there is a decrease in the success rates over time, it is clear that it is possible to accomplish one’s new year goals.

So, what is the best way to ensure one stays committed to their New Year’s resolution?

Accoring to a report by Harvard Medical School, the key to successful behavior change is a positive motivation.

“One potential roadblock: too often we’re motivated by negatives such as guilt, fear, or regret. Experts agree that long-lasting change is most likely when it’s self-motivated and rooted in positive thinking,” researchers said. By selecting a resolution that is motivated by positive emotions and intentions, one can feel more encouraged and as a result, have more potential for success.

Often times, being encouraged by a goal comes down to what we choose as the goal and how we voice our goal. Choosing a specific goal can help to focus progress on one thing. If a goal is too broad, one might have difficulty choosing where to begin.

Additionally, the way a resolution is worded can affect the outcome. In the European Journal of Social Psychology, Phillippa Lally concludes that success in habit forming

Z ACH DONNENFIELD | MUSTANG NE W S

TIPS | While not many resolutions are successful past the first month, it can help to write out specific tasks to accomplish one’s resolution.

relies on replacing old habits for new ones.

If a goal is cutting out a bad habit, instead of beginning with “don’t,” “never,” or “stop,” try replacing that habit with a healthy one.

The focus of that resolution is no longer on the bad habit, but instead on a new, healthy habit.

Another common pitfall for goal-setters is the lack of immediate progress. Sometimes the idea of a clean slate for the new year can be intimidating and when someone fails a resolution early, they may give up on it all together.

In these cases, it can be helpful to set one large goal, and then work toward it with a set of smaller goals. When training for

a marathon for the first time, an athlete usually builds up the distance of their runs until they can complete the full 26.2 miles.

Similarly, many big changes towards a resolution start with a series of small goals achieved gradually.

A lack of success or just a lack a perceivable or measurable success can lead to a sense of disappointment. But according to most psychologists, good habits take 3 weeks to form. In his book “Making Habits, Breaking Habits,” psychologist Jeremy Dean said there can be some variance to this idea.

“What this research suggests is that 21 days to form a habit is probably right, as long as all you want to do is drink a glass

of water after breakfast. Anything harder is likely to take longer to become a really strong habit”, says Dean.

If this research tells Americans anything, it’s that New Year’s resolutions are not doomed and that one cannot expect instant results for a goal that is meant to be carried out over an entire year.

There are so many ways a person can start improving their lives and the lives of others.

Whether it is a small personal goal or a big resolution, setting a positive, measurable goal and being patient can lead to amazing successes. And if you haven’t chosen a New Year’s resolution yet, it’s never too late to start; you have all of 2018 to achieve it.

LAES opens the door to escape rooms Jacob Lopez @ CPMustangNews

For Katie Breyman, liberal arts and engineering studies was the perfect major.

“I was having to choose between my studies and my interests. Liberal arts and engineering studies (LAES) gave me the opportunity to combine them,” LAES senior Breyman said.

Breyman took a class that helped her decide to pursue LAES. “LAES opened my eyes to how group projects can work well. It also introduced me to escape rooms, which completely changed the course of what I want to do with my life,” Breyman said.

Breyman’s hard work and love for her major is evident according to Katie Miller, a friend of Breyman’s, who observes much of Breyman’s day-to-day life as an LAES major.

“Katie is studying all the time. I would say she gets somewhat stressed by her major classes, but I know she loves what she’s doing,” animal science senior Miller said.

According to Breyman, there are other sets of challenges involved outside of keeping busy within the major.

“For me, at least, it is figuring out what goals are the best fit for me after graduation. That, and getting to know everyone in the major since nearly everyone has a different combination of concentrations, there are not as many chances to see other LAES majors in

class, with a few exceptions,” Breyman said.

But despite these shortcomings, including the immense amount of work, the major seems to be worth it for Breyman, according to Miller.

“I can tell she is really into and passionate about the subject matter and about what she is learning, despite the workload,” Miller said.

Preparing for a career with LAES Finally, the LAES major can set students up for their dream jobs.

“My dream job would be either a Disney Imagineer, or a designer of branded escape rooms, like escape rooms that are licensed by entertainment companies to promote a new release. Part of me just really wants to

design a Nancy Drew-themed escape room,” Breyman said.

Because of the potential opportunities her major opens up, Breyman feels confident in the direction she’s going.

Breyman’s studies don’t interfere with her life in a way that is troublesome to her, she said.

“I’ve found that LAES helped me balance my passions. I love theater and theatrical design, but I’ve also been into engineering for as long as I can remember,” Breyman said. “With LAES, I can bring together those two areas, and create something wonderful from it.”

Having a major that can unite passions together is a definite benefit for Breyman, and is part of the reason she chose to pursue LAES at Cal Poly.

MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | BACK TO SCHOOL | MUSTANG NEWS

How to stick to your New Year’s resolution

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MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | BACK TO SCHOOL | MUSTANG NEWS

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Lessons learned in your first quarter of college to carry on into winter quarter Anna Reck @ CPMustangNews

Entering college can be very challenging; adjusting to the increased workload, making new friends and learning new surroundings often becomes a lot to handle. Many students find themselves in a constant struggle to balance sleep, school and friends.

Don’t let a bad grade discourage you Almost every college student knows the struggle of bombing a test, especially in the first year. There’s no use in dwelling over that grade — it’s better to learn from your mistakes and move on.

“There’s always going to be more tests, and there’s always going to be another quarter,” computer engineering freshman Angello Parrolivelli said.

Get to know your professors Becoming familiar with your professor can help you understand the material and it strengthens your knowledge beyond class as well. Go over old tests with your professor to clarify any questions or discuss the subject you’re studying with them further if you’re thinking about graduate school. Professors are there for you, and Cal

Poly professors especially are incredibly eager to help students in need.

“Showing interest in their classes and going to office hours makes a world of a difference,” food science freshman Karen Master said. “I’ll definitely be going to more office hours in the coming quarters.”

Study frequently, cram less Although everyone knows it is never a good idea to cram the night before the test, it seems to happen frequently anyway. Spreading out your workload is the way to go.

“I found that my best method of studying was over time,” Parrolivelli said.

Master said organizing your time is important to studying.

“The quarter flies by very quickly. Through that, I learned about time management and the importance of staying on top of every class,” Master said.

Meanwhile, aerospace engineering freshman Jessica Boucher said she found that improving her study habits enriched her class experiences.

“It is so easy to just do the assignments for credit and move onto something more exciting than schoolwork,” Boucher said. “However, I forgot that I got a lot more out of the class

HANNA CROWLE Y| MUSTANG NE W S

LESSONS | Fall quarter teaches students a lot about study habits, breaks and time management. and got better grades when I went beyond just doing the assignments and really worked to understand the material and not just on the day before the midterm!”

Take a break Everyone knows the feeling that creeps up after hours of studying in the library. It can help to stretch your legs and walk a lap around the bookcases.

“I 100 percent made sure to take breaks in the middle of studying,” Parrolivelli said. “I usually found myself less productive overall if I didn’t.”

Short breaks during study time are always

Avoiding the winter blues Nick Dockery @ MNDockery

When the time comes time to put away the shorts and break out the winter coats, students often find themselves in a slump. With no motivation to go to class or go out, stress about midterms and finals can build. However, there are ways to beat these winter blues.

Something about winter just makes us tired and less productive. For some people, this feeling is more extreme and is an actual form of depression. The National Institute of Health calls this form of depression Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Symptoms and theories Symptoms of SAD are typically similar to that of clinical depression, mostly concentrated around the winter months and dissipating in the spring. Hannah Roberts, Assistant Director for Community Prevention and Outreach Services at Counseling Services, confirms that this is no exception for Cal Poly students.

“During November through February months, we see more students reporting symptoms of depression more often,” Dr.

Roberts said. “They are stronger during the winter months.”

Another factor that contributes to SAD and non-clinical winter blues is the academic stress of these winter months. Winter quarter comes with little to no breaks, just 10 weeks of rigorous workloads. Students often feel the stress and workload pile up by finals.

“Winter quarter is such a marathon with no breaks.,” Roberts said. “It all culminates in finals and people get burned out by the end. SAD symptoms can also appear during finals of fall. This has the potential to throw off your entire quarter, then it just spirals.”

It’s also common for students to lose their motivation due to this burnout. Graphic communication sophomore Mckenna Moura acknowledges the struggles winter quarter brings.

“I do feel a lack of motivation during the winter quarter,” Moura said. “There are more moments where it’s hard to keep a positive attitude about things in the winter quarter. Because of the weather I’m often stuck inside and can’t escape the study area for work or anything.”

There are many theories as to why SAD

persists during winter months more than anytime else in the year. Most point to the change in in natural light and temperature.

Roberts has also seen students experiencing symptoms due to the way they go to class and do work.

“I try to talk to students about the byproducts of our modern lives,” Roberts said. “We are in seated positions in non-natural lighting all day. By the time classes are over and we head back home, it’s already dark outside.”

Getting up from your desk when studying and going out to get fresh air can be very beneficial for fending off winter blues and helping to lessen the effects of SAD. Treatments and prevention Like many health professionals, including the National Institute of Health, Roberts recommends exposure to natural light along with conventional ways of fighting depression.

“Waking up early is a good way to maximize daylight intake,” Roberts said. “Even 15 minutes walking between classes can help. Exercise and activity can help. Light therapy is also an option.”

According to the National Institute of

helpful. However, longer breaks, consisting of socializing and exercising, are also necessary.

Make sure to always fit in ‘you’ time.

“Taking care of your mental and physical health is equally important, and I’ve learned that I should always make time to go to the rec [Recreation Center] or just hang out outside,” Master said.

College isn’t about being the perfect student.

Students need to make sure they’re staying healthy, both mentally and physically. Ultimately, balancing your physical and mental health is the best thing you can do for your GPA, class performance and social life here at Cal Poly.

Health, recommended treatments for SAD include light therapy.

“Light therapy has been a mainstay of treatment for SAD since the 1980s … Symptoms of SAD may be relieved by sitting in front of a light box first thing in the morning, on a daily basis from the early fall until spring,” according to their website.

Even sitting by the window during class can help. Studies show that the intake of natural light has a positive impact on our mental state, so it’s important to get as much as possible during these winter months, when the sun is up less often and smothered by cloudy days.

Because the symptoms and causes of SAD are similar and related to depression, many of the things you do to prevent one can prevent the other. That means exercise and nutrition. Moura’s plan for de-stressing is as simple as taking the days as they come, and focusing on the little things.

Counseling Services is also always ready to tackle depression with students, and Roberts encourages anyone with symptoms to visit their Emotional Wellbeing Workshops.

It’s important to recognize that the feelings and symptoms we all may experience can be seasonal, and that we don’t need to suffer through the winter months with stress and depression. Beating the winter blues can be as easy as getting a bit more sunlight.

Josh Ortlip @ CPMustangNews

The Cal Poly men’s basketball team has high hopes for the 2018-19 season with the addition of two incoming freshmen recruits. Daxton Carr and Junior Ballard are both looking to make a big impact for the Mustangs during the 2018-19 school year.

Head coach Joe Callero looks forward to the distinct roles each player will fulfill during their time as Mustangs.

“Both Daxton and Junior can shoot the 3-pointer. They are good scorers and have good size for their positions. Junior is quicker and stronger than most [high school] guards so he should compete for playing time as a freshman next year,” Callero said.

Carr brings size and versatility to the court

RILE Y’S HOTSHOTS | COURTE SY PHOTO

Carr, a 6-foot-7-inch senior from Highland High School in Pocatello, Idaho is ready to make an impact for the Mustangs as a freshman. Callero is looking forward to seeing Carr fulfill his potential as he finishes his high school career.

“Daxton will need to add some muscle over his first year to battle with the big men under the hoop. As he gets stronger he will be able to guard both forward positions,” Callero said.

Carr said he is determined to improve before next fall so he is prepared to play at the college level.

“I think that I can bring a lot of defensive intensity and a solid defensive presence. I also need to get a lot bigger and more physical before I can play at the next level,” Carr said.

When he visited the campus, Carr felt that Cal Poly offered a great environment for him to develop as a player.

“Watching practice and seeing how hard everyone works is something that I really want to have when I go to play in college,” Carr said.

Ballard’s speed and strength will contribute to the Mustangs Junior Ballard, a 6-foot-3-inch guard who transferred to Modesto Christian High School for his senior year, is also expected to make an immediate impact for the Mustang’s 2018-19 season. Callero said he expects Ballard to use his speed and strength from his time in high school to play at the college level.

“Junior is quicker and stronger than most [high school] guards so he should compete for playing time as a freshman next year,” Callero said.

With his size and strength, Junior is already able to compete at a high level.

“I was once told you can’t teach playing hard, and whenever I’m playing or in practice I’m going to do it with passion,” Ballard said.

The work ethic Ballad applies to his game and improvement as a player will fit well with the Mustangs’ program.

“What I like about the team at Cal Poly is that they are anxious to get better. I just love being around the environment.

The coaching staff is straightforward and I really appreciate that. I think we are going to mesh well together,” Ballard said.

As the Mustangs compete this season, Cal Poly will be looking forward to building off this year’s success with the growth of the team next year. Callero not only looks forward to Carr and Ballard’s contribution on the court but also off the court.

“We loved these recruits because they are both very unselfish and team oriented guys,” Callero said.

9 MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | BACK TO SCHOOL | MUSTANG NEWS

Two new men’s basketball recruits coming in Fall 2018

MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | ARTS FEATURE | MUSTANG NEWS

12

Rock the Vine: Students organize San Luis Obispo’s first wine farmer’s market Ysabel Sullivan Special to Mustang News

The beer garden buzzed with the sounds of cornhole bags hitting gravel, glasses clinking and a sea of excited conversation. It was a diverse crowd: Cal Poly sweatshirts, cowboy hats and dressy wine-tasting attire all came together for an afternoon that embodied Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing motto.

For their senior project, Cal Poly agricultural communication students Alex Broedlow and Emily Rosa put on the first-ever San Luis Obispo wine farmer’s market. Rock the Vine took place Nov. 17, with 19 local wineries and cideries setting up shop at SLO Brew’s new location by

the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.

This senior project was no 80-page research paper. The idea was to arrange a farmer’s market-style event, a place for small-scale boutique winemakers and cideries to share their products with the public.

“We wanted to take two things we feel San Luis Obispo is loved for and known for — the farmer’s market and the wine country — and combine the two,” Rosa said. “Events such as these are starting to be done in the wine industry, but [San Luis Obispo] has never done this locally before.”

Developing Rock the Vine The students worked for 11 months in collaboration with Johnny Kenny, the marketing

director from SLO Brew. They had local professionals with expertise in wine — such as Lannon Rust, Mike Dawson and Adam Montiel — mentoring them through the process.

“It’s a pretty amazing feeling when you see an idea come to life in the form of a fantastic event. Rock the Vine exceeded our wildest expectations,” Kenny said. “People from all over came together to create something amazing.”

The two students’ passion for agriculture and wine stems from where they grew up: Rosa on a family dairy in Hanford, California and Broedlow on a livestock ranch in Modesto, California.

“We wouldn’t be the people we are today without having been raised surrounded by agriculturalists,” Broedlow said. “This event

was a token of our appreciation to the small business owners and ranchers that work so hard to bring an amazing product to life. It is the same for these winemakers: they are passionate about their products and we wanted to give them a larger opportunity to share it with the public, and for people to enjoy it.”

Experiencing Rock the Vine A crowd cheered as the giant Jenga set they were playing with tumbled to the ground.

Some winemakers sat down with guests, talking wine over long boards of smoked brisket, sausage and pretzels. A long-haired musician strummed his worn-out ukelele as he walked through the crowd.

13

YSABEL SULLIVAN | MUSTANG NE W S

| Ni ne te e n l o c a l w iner ies p ar t icip ate d in t he f irst R o ck t he Vine.

GREG LL AMA S | MUSTANG NE W S

SLO BREW | The event took place at SLO Brew’s new location, near San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.

GREG LL AMA S | MUSTANG NE W S

These activities were part of the students’ vision for the afternoon. They even designed commemorative Rock the Vine wine glasses and ordered 300 to gauge how many guests, winemakers and volunteers were at the event. The event sold out, and they reached their maximum of 300 guests after just a few hours.

Broedlow and Rosa had a lot riding on them that Sunday. From their mentors to their parents who were in town along with the winemakers and their guests, there were a lot of factors at play.

“I [had] been stressed all week. From making sure the wineries have everything they need, to getting out the last push of the marketing materials, posters, all that stuff,” Broedlow said. “Not to mention that on top of it all we [had] midterms all week.”

Fostering businesses with Rock the Vine Most of the wineries and cideries at the event

don’t have tasting rooms of their own, and used Rock the Vine as a place to put out their product and stories.

Kathleen Zaninovich is the co-owner of Tlo Wines located in Paso Robles, one of the wineries without a tasting room.

“We have a special place in our heart for senior projects,” Zaninovich said. “Our kids went to Cal Poly, and our wine actually started with our daughter’s senior project in 2011.”

Zaninovich’s daughter, Avery, is an agribusiness graduate and elaborated on her project.

“I made a business and marketing plan for our company and designed the wine label,” Avery said. “Thus Tlo was born.”

She explained that the family is Croatian, and the name on their label has a lot of meaning to their business. Tlo is a Croatian word that translates to “terroir” or ground, earth, soil, topography and climate, all the natural elements that enhance the flavor of the grapes.

As Tlo was pouring a few tables away, Two Broads Ciderworks, a San Luis Obispo-based brand, had their own line of attendees waiting to taste.

“We heard about the event from all the promotion online and posters around,” Maggie Przybylski of Two Broads said. “Last minute we called and said, ‘We want in!’ And we’re so happy we did.”

Behind-the-scenes, challenges and reflections Despite seeming to run smoothly, there were many hurdles the students had to work past to make Rock The Vine a reality.

The largest was getting the event permitted legally on the property.

“The hardest part of it all was dealing with [the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control],” Broedlow said. “There was so much that we had to go through to get this event permitted, because technically the SLO Brew Rock is a brewery

and doesn’t have the license to pour all that wine on a regular basis. We had to get a permit for the day, which took months to sort out, and follow strict guidelines on how the day played out. We’ve never dealt with that before.”

Broedlow and Rosa hope to continue the event, possibly expanding it to include wine case sales as well as local artists, chefs and family-owned businesses. The experience itself was a great payoff for the work they put in.

As the sun began to set over Rock The Vine, the sky was striped with shades of pink. The musician strummed his ukelele one last time as guests finished their final glass. The Cal Poly seniors sat back and smiled at what they had accomplished.

“The day in itself was unreal. It honestly turned out better than we ever could have expected,” Rosa said. “It was an experience I’ll never forget, and I’ll forever be grateful for the people who made it such a success.”

MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | ARTS FEATURE | MUSTANG NEWS

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MONDAY • JANUARY 8 , 2018 | OPINION | MUSTANG NEWS

16

Trump and Twitter: This bird has flown Max Reichardt @ max_reichardt

Max Reichardt is a communication studies senior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed in this column do not reflect the viewpoints and editorial coverage of Mustang News.

More than five years ago, Barack Obama had just won re-election over a guy named after a baseball glove. Most of us were saying our goodbyes and getting our affairs in order before the impending Mayan apocalypse, predicted to take place Dec. 21, 2012.

Through all the noise, a lone voice, almost forgotten, cried out to the internet masses in chilling prophecy: “I love Twitter… it’s like owning your own newspaper--- without the losses.”

The author? None other than future president and Twitter abuser Donald Trump, then — and now, arguably — most wellknown for his signature phrase, “You’re fired.”

Today, Trump’s Twitter feed is his personal propaganda machine — and it works like a charm. His Twitter use has been the subject of scrutiny since long before he was a candidate, back when he was merely a reality TV personality. Celebrities, like many of us, enjoy Twitter as a social network that is uniquely able to keep up with the seemingly endless flow of information we encounter through the vehicle of our smartphones. With its initial design of a 140-character limit, retweeting and quoting of other tweets, the platform sought to keep blurbs of information and media small and palatable for a constantly-scrolling audience.

Though the character limit was recently doubled, Twitter’s design continues to be an effective mean of reaching a large audience immediately and with impunity. Despite countless high-profile reports of harassment, threats and toxic community interaction not unique to Trump, Twitter has remained lax about removing individual tweets and suspending accounts that violate their terms of use, citing newsworthiness in some cases. Earlier this year, in a brief respite from the trolling, a former Twitter employee deactivated Trump’s account as a joke on his last day — a move which was met with heaping praise from parts of the internet community.

For Trump, Twitter is the venue of his dreams, a place for him to sound off on any and all topics to his nearly 44 million followers, many of them likely bots. Anything is fair game: Hillary Clinton, CNN, Fox News, nonexistent Time magazine offers, crowd sizes, feuds with “ungrateful” basketball dads, attacks on dissenting mem-

bers of Congress and pretty much anything else. However disjointed, inflammatory and ridiculous Trump’s tweets are, they are invaluable in attracting one of his favorite things in the world: attention.

Trump constantly criticizes cable news — except for Fox — and mainstream newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post for being “fake,” likely because of their generally unfavorable coverage of him and his administration. He believes the mainstream media is antagonistic to his agenda, and that they will do anything in their power to invent or spin stories to discredit him. Twitter is his “own newspaper,” as he quipped years ago, and is his most direct means to reach his most loyal “followers.”

The crazy part is that the mainstream media picks up even the most ridiculous Trump tweets and runs with them as if they are, as Twitter claims, newsworthy. If they want to expose him as flippant, reckless, immature and downright rude, they have succeeded.

It’s easy to share the anguish and frustration of the media, and I don’t blame them for pushing back against a buffoon who belittles them almost constantly.

Yet, the media he so despises is playing into his hand and spreading his message to even more people, as Axios pointed out. Twitter is the place for Trump to reach young people and journalists, who then pass off his message to cable news, news websites and other social networks like Facebook and Instagram with a more global reach­— for example, Facebook has about two billion users, compared to Twitter’s 330 million.

Twitter enables Trump, and sometimes Social Media Director Dan Scavino, to instantly broadcast whatever is on their minds to millions. It’s one of the best ways for Trump to reach a younger audience, as more than three times as many young adults (aged 18 to 29) online use Twitter, opposed to users of Trump’s aged (65+), according to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey.

Trump’s tweets may seem funny or inconsequential at times, but we have to recognize the vast and very real impact they have on our world. We are tuned in to the Trump channel 24/7, and I think that’s just how he likes it.

My advice to you? Be smart, and don’t buy in. Resist. Question both Trump and the media narrative alike, and don’t be satisfied until you research things on your own. Recognize the immense consequences of the President’s social media use, and do not take it lightly — conservative, liberal or in between.

Hannah Avdalovic Special to Mustang News

Victor Joseph was the highest scoring player on the Cal Poly men’s basketball team last year, with 372 points during the 2016-2017 season. Marcellus Garrick is the third-highest scoring player on the men’s basketball team this season with 98 points as of Dec. 30. These two stars have waited a long time for a spot in the limelight.

Senior guard Joseph and junior guard Garrick are both transfer students who had career-high performances in their junior college experiences.

Marcellus Garrick Garrick’s basketball career took off after a standout season at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. He started 24 of 30 games, led the program with 15.9 shots per game and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. His impressive statistics caught the eye of men’s basketball head coach Joe Callero.

“When someone is close by in the state, we can watch their progress,” Callero said. “We try to focus in California. If we can find a great transfer student, we can really evaluate their progress and development.”

Garrick started his basketball career at Cal Poly by making his mark with the team and in the community. During the first two games of the season against Stanford and UC Berkeley, Garrick made all seven of his 3-point shot attempts.

Garrick attributes his confidence and success to being able to play at the university level.

“It has helped me mature,” Garrick said. “We

have really good leaders. Vic [Victor Joseph], Josh [redshirt junior forward Josh Martin] and Don [junior guard Donovan Fields] have all helped me grow.”

Victor Joseph Joseph was named “Southern California Community College Player of the Year” after he led Chaffey College in Foothill Conference play with 21.3 points per game, raising their record from 45-18 to 48-17. During his rookie year at Cal Poly, Garrick was the leading scorer, averaging 12 points per game.

Joseph also had a standout game versus UC Riverside last year, when he scored 26 points and made a career-high of six 3-point shots.

He also scored in the double figures 18 times throughout his inaugural season on the team.

“College basketball is a different physicality and a different type of game that you have to adjust to,” Joseph said. “My two years at junior college prepared me to play at Cal Poly.”

It has not always been so glorious for Joseph, though. Junior college athletes don’t typically get the amenities and perks of a university player. Transfer students feel a different connection after sharing the experience of playing at the junior college level.

“We all have similar experiences even though we all came from different junior colleges,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t easy to say the least and we all feel like it’s a blessing to be here. We don’t take any day or any game for granted.”

While playing for Chaffey College, Joseph did not drive to games in charter buses. The athletes did not get multiple pairs of shoes, uniforms or other gear. This all changed after coming to Cal Poly.

“It’s just great being out here and getting away from the inner city,” Joseph said.

A former junior college transfer player himself, Callero said he notices this difference in transfer players as well.

“I think there’s a lot of respect that they have,” Callero said. “They appreciate things.

They appreciate having a really good meal.

They appreciate having two or three uniform and multiple pairs of shoes because they know what it’s like to not have that.”

Building a community with transfer students The men’s basketball team has a family-like bond. Callero talked about the relationship and understanding that transfer players have.

“It’s not about where you came from,” Callero said. “It’s about where you are going and what you’re doing to make that future bright.”

While the players are focusing on winning this season, with a goal of getting back in the NCAA tournament, Callero is intent on fostering commitment and building the players’ characters.

“What we want to do is continue to build that bond, that chemistry and that commitment, that no matter what the score is, what the injury is or what the weather is, we are still family, we are still committed to academics, we are still committed to high-character activities and we are committed to improving every day of the year as a basketball team,” Callero said.

Both Garrick and Joseph look forward to making an impact on the scoreboard this sea-

ILIANA ARROYOS | MUSTANG NE W S

son, but their eyes are always on the future.

“I want to go pro,” Garrick said. “I just want to play basketball forever or as long as I can.”

Joseph foresees himself pursuing a career in sports communication if playing in the NBA is not a possibility.

“You always have to have a backup plan,” Joseph said. “I’m a communication [studies] major so I either want to go into sports broadcasting or even coaching.”

Sublette puts the ‘foot’ back in football

CAL POLY ATHLETICS | COURTE SY PHOTO

Dan Dempster DanDempsterMMJ

Each player on a football field has their role.

Quarterbacks lead the offense. Running backs drive the offense forward. Wide receivers break

the game open with big catches. Linebackers lead in tackling. Safeties deal huge hits over the middle of the field.

Kickers? They just kick. Or so it seems.

The task of kicking on a collegiate football team is no simple undertaking. One mistake could mean the difference between winning and losing. Even though kickers are only on the field a few times each game, success is expected 100 percent of the time.

Cal Poly junior kicker Casey Sublette is tasked with both place-kicking and punting, putting him on the field more often than the average kicker. Although this isn’t very common, this is not what sets him apart from other kickers in college football.

Sublette is ambipedal, meaning he can kick with either his left or right foot. This gives the Mustangs a rare advantage on special teams.

Sublette has been building this skill almost his entire life, starting as young as 3 years old

when he played soccer. He would kick a small foam ball against a screen 100 times with each foot every day to gain consistency with both his left and his right.

“My dad would always tell me, ‘If you want to be a good soccer player, you’ll have to play with both feet,’” Sublette said.

Through his daily practice, Sublette became effective with both feet. Despite being naturally right-handed, he grew to be more dominant with his left foot when kicking off the ground, which explains why he has always done placekicks with his left in football.

Early in his football career, he would only punt with his right foot. This was the case until his junior college career at El Camino College, where he completely changed his style as a punter.

“Once I got there, we played around with hitting some stuff with the left foot in order to throw off coverages,” Sublette said.

The coaching staff at El Camino had a rare opportunity to develop an ambidextrous punter and made the most of it. Sublette added a new tool to his belt as the team got him to try something new: rugby-style punting.

Many teams in collegiate and professional football are starting to add variety in their kicking games, most notably employing the rugby-style punt. Instead of a traditional-style punt, where the punter takes one or two steps forward before kicking the ball, the punter will roll out to the side of his dominant foot and kick the ball with a running start. Rugby-style allows the punter to deliver an end-over-end kick while avoiding oncoming pressure.

Sublette transferred to Cal Poly in 2016 with his newly developed skill. This added a whole new dimension to the Mustangs’ kicking game.

CASEY SUBLETTE continued on page 21

MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

Transfer students Garrick and Joseph stand out in first half of men’s basketball season

17

PUZZLES Sudoku Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a

sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Guess Who?

Word Scramble

I am a legendary physicist born in England on January 8, 1942. I gained renown after creating a cosmotology that relied on the unification of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.

Rearrange the letters to spell something pertaining to crafts.

*See answers at mustangnews.net

N A D E L C

CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

1. Make ale 5. Residue 8. Female parent 12. Succulent plants 14. OJ’s judge 15. Czech river 16. Embarrassing predicament 18. NHL legend Bobby 19. Sunfish 20. One who acclaims 21. On the __: running away 22. Oklahoma’s “Wheat Capital” 23. The Golden State 26. Merrymake 30. Siberian nomads 31. Pock-marked 32. Baleen whale 33. Leaf-footed bug genus 34. Treasure 39. Tanzanian shilling 42. Changed 44. Intestinal pouches 46. Walked in a celebratory way 47. South American mountain chain 49. Jai __, sport 50. Consumed 51. Firm 56. Pubs 57. Leafy drink 58. Cured 59. Northern wind of France 60. Tax collector 61. Respite from the sun 62. American spy Aldrich 63. Central Standard Time 64. Myanmar ethnic group

1. Crush 2. Razorbill genus 3. “Full House” actress Loughlin 4. Bluish green 5. Garlic mayonnaise 6. Attacks repeatedly 7. Secretion 8. Special instance 9. A handsome youth loved by Aphrodite 10. Tree genus in the mahogany family 11. Israeli city 13. Formed a theory 17. Remove 24. Type of light 25. Repeats 26. Certified public accountant 27. River in eastern France 28. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

29. Special __: military group 35. Ribonucleic acid 36. Not even 37. Power transmission belt 38. Doctor of Education 40. Type of nerve 41. Types of tops 42. Large primate 43. Flooded, low-lying land 44. Gritty 45. Gets up 47. Stake 48. Not the most 49. Swedish rock group 52. Expresses pleasure 53. Expression of boredom 54. Queen of Sparta 55. Where Adam and Eve were placed at the Creation

HOROSCOPES ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 It is time to take a relationship to a new level, Aries. You are confident you know just the way to accomplish this. Enjoy the excitement that comes with this new beginning.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, many things are on your plate, but you don’t feel overwhelmed at all. In fact, you’re ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs one.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Recreation is the name of the game this week, Gemini. Coming off of a busy period, you are anxious to put your feet up for a few days. Book that vacation right now.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Use your intuition in regard to others’ feelings this week, Cancer. Give someone who needs it a little leeway, and your thoughtfulness will be appreciated.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, if you think change will do you some good, then it is time to make it happen. Embrace the excitment that comes with making changes.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Thanks to a spark of creativity, your plans may change this week, Virgo. Grab someone who is up for an unexpected adventure to join the journey.

Libra, a financial windfall has given you some extra spending money. While you may want to splurge, the practical side of you knows some saving is in order.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, some things may be beyond your control this week, and that is okay. The measure of success will be how well you can adapt to the changes ahead.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Home improvements may be in your future, Sagittarius. Projects could be just what the doctor ordered to chase away any feelings of cabin fever that may develop.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, although the digital age has taken over, this week you might be ready to unplug for a while. Stock up on some books that can fuel your imagination.

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AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Lend an ear to someone who has to get a few things off of his or her chest, Aquarius. You do not have to offer solutions. Just being there will be assistance enough.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Don’t leave any stone unturned when seeking a solution this week, Pisces. The least expected avenue may be the right one.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23

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MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

20

It’s a swell life on the Cal Poly Surf Team

CAL POLY SURF TE AM | COURTE SY PHOTO

HANG TEN | Landscape architecture student Kainani Gruspe shows impressive form while surfing in Hawaii. The team competes at several beaches, such as Cardiff, Ventura, Santa Cruz and more.

Megan Healy @ HealyMegan

At 5:30 in the morning, “the boys” are jolted awake by the ring of their alarm clocks. They pack their wetsuits, load up their boards and head to Morro Rock before the sun has even peaked over the watery horizon.

Upon arriving, the eager surfers jump out of their car to look at the ocean and size up

SHRED

the swells one by one. They note the wind blowing the water offshore, creating hollow, barrel-like waves.

Stoked by what they see, they suit up, wax their boards and hit the waves for a quick surf “sesh” before their 10 a.m classes.

The competition Members of the Cal Poly Surf Team don’t just hang ten with friends. They have a goal:

CAL POLY SURF TE AM | COURTE SY PHOTO

| Environmental protection and management senior Kala Buthman nails a backside snap.

to take home gold at the state and national competitions, and they have come close a few times before.

The team competes five times a year, opening in La Jolla, San Diego then traveling to other popular California surf destinations such as Cardiff, Santa Cruz, Huntington Beach and Ventura.

Fifty-one members are officially on the team but only 27 actually compete. They are split up into three teams (A, B and C) composed each of six men, two women and one longboarder.

Each athlete competes in a heat where their top two waves are scored by a panel of judges.

Surfers can receive high scores from certain maneuvers such as aerials.

“It’s not a sport where a ball just goes into a hoop, there is some subjectivity,” construction management senior and Cal Poly Surf Team President Brendan Donovan said.

Their toughest competitors are Point Loma Nazarene and, of course, Blue-Green Rival UC Santa Barbara. According to Donovan, it’s a friendly rivalry.

“When you’re out in the water it’s all serious but like when you’re on the beach everyone’s all happy to see each other,” Donovan said.

The lifestyle The Cal Poly Surf Team is more than just a competitive sport, it’s a lifestyle and passion for many of its members.

Some picked up the sport as a pastime after coming to San Luis Obispo, while others, like Donovan, have been shredding the gnar since they were just 8 years old.

“Surfing has been my place where I can escape from anything,” Donovan said. “It’s

super therapeutic.”

Surf team practices offer a bit of a different experience. They only practice a few times a week individually or with a few other teammates so as not to intrude on local surfer’s waves.

“They’re pretty relaxed, mainly it’s just to like get to know the kids and have fun surfing because that’s why we all surf in the first place,” environmental management and protection senior Kala Buthman said.

Buthman, a Hawaiian native, quickly felt at home with the team when he was a freshman and has been surfing alongside his fellow Mustangs ever since.

One of Buthman’s friends, art and design junior and team photographer Eric Hatch, doesn’t compete but raved about the club’s inclusivity of every skill level.

“All the kids on the team are super rad,” Hatch said. “If it wasn’t for these guys, I definitely wouldn’t have woken up this early to go out surfing.”

For an extra bonus, parts of the team traveled and surfed in Indonesia this past summer.

The season ahead The Mustangs placed second behind Point Loma, who has taken first at both the state and national championships the past two years.

But Donovan is aiming to build the team’s competitive and social side during his second term as team president.

“It’s been really rewarding especially to see all the new kids joining the team and making a bunch of friends because we have such an awesome club and awesome team,” Donovan said. “I kinda feel like their dad or something.”

CASEY SUBLETTE continued from page 17

21 MONDAY • JANUARY 8, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

Consistently unpredictable “There’s never a consistency to it,” Sublette said.

“When you throw off their comfortability, they can’t really make plays.”

While most teams look for consistency in their kickers, Cal Poly uses Sublette to create inconsistency. Punting in football seems rather predictable, but the other team cannot be certain what the Mustangs are up to when Sublette is on the field.

“They don’t know which way you’re going to go,” Sublette said. “They can’t necessarily always stack a certain gap because if they do that we can just audible to go the other way.”

Along with changes in direction, Sublette can also deliver different types of punts for different situations, such as low line-drives, spiraling punts with hang time or end-over-end kicks.

End-over-end kicks are used when the punter is trying to pin the ball deep in enemy territory without going over the goal-line for a touchback. The ideal end-over-end kick hits the ground and pops straight up, giving the coverage team ample time to down the ball.

This is where Sublette is most effective. Out of his 69 punts, 24 landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. None of his punts went for touchbacks. Cal Poly was 17th in the FCS in net punting, which speaks to not only Sublette’s play but also the effective coverage of the special teams. Sublette’s best game was arguably against Weber State, in which the punter placed four punts within the Wildcats’ 10-yard

line, two of which were downed within two yards of the goal line.

Sublette also takes on place-kicking duties.

On kickoffs, the Mustangs ranked first in the Big Sky conference for kickoff return defense, allowing less than 18 yards per return. Sublette was seven of nine on field goals and converted 100 percent of his point-after attempts. Although he scored 25 points fewer than last season, Sublette led the team in scoring in 2017, totaling 11 more points than senior wide receiver Kyle Lewis.

Kickers can win or lose the game for their team. They’re either the hero or the reason for failure. For this reason, kickers are under immense pressure to create the same result every time they step on the field. So many things can go wrong with a kick; the snap, the hold, the drop, the strike, the defensive pressure - the list goes on. Kickers create a nearly impossible standard of perfection and consistency for their performance. Repetition after repetition, kick after kick, punt after punt, kickers look to attain a status that is nothing short of indubitable reliability.

This is why the kicking positions in football are the most specialized. Having an athlete focus on one skill makes sense if you want them to develop that skill as best as they can.

This, in turn, heightens expectations, as they should be experts in whatever they are practicing. Sublette conversely embraces his variety of abilities and the volatility that comes as a result. He doesn’t practice just place-kicking or just punts, he does both and takes it to the next level.

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