Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Volume LXXVII, Number 91
Giselle Ayala
Brandon Huang
Brett Olson
Jacob Van Staaveren
July 12, 1994 - April 5, 2013
Feb. 4, 1993 - Feb. 10, 2013
Dec. 24, 1991 - Sept. 2, 2012
Dec. 16, 1989 - Aug. 30, 2012
As Cal Poly mourns the loss of another student, the community is faced with a new question: How to cope in the face of
‘MANY TRAGEDIES’ ARYN SANDERSON
asanderson@mustangdaily.net
AUG. 29, 2012
Physics senior Jacob Van Staavern collides with a truck while skateboarding in San Luis Obispo.
AUGUST
THE YEAR IN REVERSE
isn’t one enormous tragedy, it’s many enormous tragedies,” Morrow said. “Each one is a huge loss, so multiplying that by the amount of students affected just this year is really tragic.” Morrow understands the impact of losing members of the Cal Poly community. The death of Huang in February drove her to seek counseling. “Can I tell you a secret? I’m proud of it,” Morrow said. “I have no regrets, and I have no shame. It was exactly what I needed then. I told President Armstrong the next day, and he highfived me and told me that’s The Mustang Way.” The Mustang Way began in athletics and was quickly accepted by the Cal Poly student body. The initiative explains 12 standards Mustangs should hold themselves to, including leading by example and accepting responsibility.
APRIL 15, 2013
APRIL 10, 2013
Brandon Huang’s toxicology report shows he had alcohol in his system, but cause of death is still unknown.
APRIL 9, 2013
AUG. 30, 2012
Van Staavern is pronounced dead at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center from fatal injuries.
see DEATHS, pg. 2
SEPT. 2, 2012
Theatre arts sophomore Brett Olson goes missing while at the annual Labor Day Float in Chico.
MARCH
Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office says Ayala’s injuries are consistent with a fall from a cliff.
APRIL 6, 2013
Ayala’s body is found in the surf by a jogger. Cal Poly is alerted once the body is identified.
Help is here
APRIL 5, 2013
While in Santa Barbara for Deltopia, sociology freshman Giselle Ayala goes missing.
FEB. 13, 2013
A candlelight vigil for biological sciences sophomore Huang is held in the University Union Plaza.
FEB. 10, 2013
NHA HA/MUSTANG DAILY
Huang is pronounced dead at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center shortly after arriving. Cause of death is not released.
LIGHT A CANDLE: The Cal Pol community has seen four memorials for deceased students this year, beginning with a memorial for theatre arts sophomore Brett Olson in early September.
SEPT. 9, 2012
After hundreds comb the area, Olson’s body is found by search and rescue teams.
SEPTEMBER
SPORTS, pg. 8 Granger anchors Cal Poly’s starting pitchers
SEPT. 17, 2012
Students and faculty gather for Olson’s candlelight vigil. Speakers include friends of the deceased student.
SEPT. 25, 2012
Cal Poly holds a belated memorial for Jacob Van Staavern.
OCTOBER
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FEB. 9, 2013
OCT. 2, 2012
Toxicology reports reveal Brett Olson had alcohol and cocaine in his system. Cause of death is listed as drowning.
University police respond to call for medical aid in Poly Canyon Village, where police found an unresponsive student — later revealed to be Brandon Huang.
NOVEMBER
Tomorrow’s Weather:
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FEBRUARY
The Mustang Way also says Mustangs belong to “one community.” Because of this interconnectedness and the intimacy of the Cal Poly community, each death’s impact is amplified, Morrow said. In the wake of each death, ASI, Cal Poly administration and Counseling Services worked together to address the far-reaching impacts of losing an integrated community member. The challenge became addressing all affected community members to publicize available help, Morrow said. At least 50 percent of the students Morrow talked with did not have a direct relationship with the deceased students, but nonetheless were shaken, she said. “Counseling isn’t just available for
APRIL
The Cal Poly community gathers for Giselle Ayala’s memorial. Speakers include several of Ayala’s local friends and family.
JANUARY
S
ociology freshman Giselle Ayala’s death two weeks ago marks the most student deaths at Cal Poly in a fiscal year in the past six years. Ayala became the fifth student death of the 2012–13 fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, when she allegedly fell from a cliff at Deltopia, an annual spring break party in Santa Barbara. In September, physics senior Jacob Van Staaveren died in a skateboarding accident. Two weeks later, theatre arts sophomore Brett Olson died at the annual Labor Day Float in Chico. An undisclosed student committed suicide off campus in February and biological sciences sophomore Brandon Huang died the same month of undetermined causes. This is the most student deaths since the 2006-07 fiscal year, when there were eight student deaths, and in 2003-04, where there were 14. These years had a high number of auto accidents, according to Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey, who oversees programs including University Housing and Student Life and Leadership. Humphrey is no stranger to dealing with student deaths, though. As Dean of Students at the University of Arizona, he saw between 50 to 75 students die in a span of three to four years, he said (by comparison, University of Arizona has approximately 40,000 undergraduate students, whereas Cal Poly has approximately 19,000). The number of deaths at Cal Poly this year did, however, shock Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Katie Morrow. “I think it’s really easy to say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so many student deaths,’ but I keep reminding myself that this
DECEMBER
INDEX
Opinions/Editorial..............6 News.............................1-3 ClassifiedsComics.............7 Arts...............................4-5 Sports.................................8
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