Mustang News October 4, 2022

IN THIS ISSUE

LEADERSHIP

Catherine Allen

Naomi Vanderlip

NEWS

Chloe Lovejoy Editor

Amelia Wu Assistant Editor

Carly Heltzel

Ashley Bolter

Archana Pisupati

Emma Montalbano

Jeremy Garza

Leila Touati

Kate McHugh

Owen Lavine

OPINION

Rebecca Caraway Editor

Grace Schweitzer

Emma Hoffman

Shelbi Sullaway

Neta Bar

Zoe Denton

Eli Winn Sarah Chayet

Erin Yarwood

Eden-Rose Baker

SPORTS

Diego Sandoval Editor

Miles Berman Derek Righetti

Kylie Hastings

Nick Bandanza

Matthew Ho

Noah Greenblatt

Jonathan Sze

Sergio Romero

Jack Bynum

Abraham Alvarez Jackson Inagi

ARTS & STUDENT LIFE

Emma Robertson Editor

Lauren Emo Editor

Sarina Grossi

Mia Anderson

Maya Aparicio

Delaney Jacobs

Kate Hernandez

Makaylah Kahn

DESIGN

Claire Lorimor Creative Director

Kayla Olow

Megan Anderson

Olivia Frazier

Jacob Boyd

Kaley Schneider

Rain Mazumder

Caitlin Calhoun

VIDEO

Brady Caskey MNTV News Director

Nate Mills Sports Video Director

Matthew Bornhorst Producer

Ari Lopez

Gabrielle Downey

Angelina Salgado

Madison Vernon

Avery Elowitt

Ethan Telles

PHOTO

Shae Ashamalla Editor

Maddie Harrell

Fenn Bruns

Kayla Stuart

Chloe Kern

Mia-Isobel Craig

Lauren Boyer

Bobby Groth

Ashley Spinoglio

Annabelle Fagans

COPY EDITING

Morgan Fitzgerald

Payton Swanson

Shalini Sinha

SOCIAL MEDIA

Lily Tenner Manager

Clover Hamilton

Alyssa Pacheco

Jackie Espitia

Sydney Spencer

Alina Jafri

Noel Lopez

Chloe Chin

Angela Passalacqua

Presley Allen

DATA & INVESTIGATIONS

Elizabeth Wilson Editor

Amelia Wu Victoria Bochniak

Jessa Rosenthal

Cole Pressler

Joshua Blank Jadyn Ellis

Brandon Kim Masato Nandate

Tejasree Kandibanda

EN ESPAÑOL

Yarely De La Cruz Editor

Bryanna Hernandez

KCPR

LEADERSHIP

Emily Tobiason Content Director

Lauren Boyer KCPR News Director

Maddy Worth Art Director

Zoe Boyd Programming/Music Director

David Aronson Marketing Director

DISC JOCKEYS

Zoe Boyd Director

Liv Collom

Jaxon Silva Melissa Melton

Nathan Jackson

Maire O’Toole

Arianne Landers

Jordan Bates

Emily Duncan

Charlotte Matthews

Alina Jafri

Cindy Nguyen Ollie Lamkin

Maile Gardner

Emily Tobiason

Joshua Maxin

Dante Erz

Samay Shah Maria Langlois

Penny Alioshin

Sam Kohn

David Aronson

KCPR NEWS

Lauren Boyer Director

Jordan Triebel Assistant Director

Nico Vinuela Assistant Director

Trevor Baumgardner

Ethan Telles

Liv Collom

Brady Caskey

Bochniak

Eden-Rose Baker

Natalie Levesque

Sophie Corbett

Zoe Boyd

Sarah McElroy

Presley Allen

Victoria Bochniak

Ashley Tuell

Jada Griffith

Maddie Harrell

Avery Ellowitt

Aidan Dillon

KCPR.ORG

Emily Tobiason Content Director

Cayley O’Brien Editorial Assistant Summer Fitzgerald Claudia Muñoz

Kaelyn Bremer

Sadie Beaumont Ashley Oakes Sydney Spencer Kate Lowpensky

Emmy Burrus Jaxon Silva Lily Tenner Maile Gardner Samay Shah Emma Hughes Alina Jafri Kaelyn Bremer Jordan Bates Emily Duncan Mckenna Rodriguez Natalie Venable Casey James

DESIGN

Maddy Worth Director Reilly Yuen Izzy Flint-Gonzales Cindy Nguyen

Josie Doan

Lexi Berryhill

Jaxon Silva

Ollie Lamkin

Maire O’Toole Penny Alioshin

Ella Tune

Raja Grossi

MARKETING & PR

David Aronson Director Charlotte Matthews Kailey Dodson Maria Langlois Sydney Osterbauer Dante Erz Nate Jackson Arianne Landers Jacquelyn Wong Emily Duncan

PODCASTING

Samantha Riordan Manager Ashley Oakes Cameron King Rachel Kupfer-Weinstein Jordan Triebel Kaitlyn Lam Avery Elowitt Cassie Duarte Sam Kohn Jacob Sarmiento Sophia Martino Emma Hughes

04

‘BE PROUD OF YOUR ROOTS:’ CAL POLY STUDENTS COMMEMORATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

06

‘LEARN BY BREWING’: CAL POLY CREATES ITS OWN BEER WITH LOCAL BREWERY

STORY BY Gabrielle Downey DESIGNED BY Caitlin Calhount

12

THE EXPERIENCE WE NEVER GOT: A THANK YOU NOTE TO THIRD-YEAR WOW LEADERS

STORY BY Grace Schweitzer DESIGNED BY Megan Anderson

15

BLUE GREEN RIVALRY

STORY BY Jonathan Sze DESIGNED BY Kayla Olow

MMG BUSINESS

THE KRISTIN SMART MURDER TRIAL HAS BEEN COVERED EACH DAY BY MUSTANG NEWS AND KCPR. AS THE TRIAL NEARS THE END, SCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW OUR LATEST COVERAGE.

ADVISERS

Claire Lorimor

BY Kate Hernandez

BY Kimberly Garcia and Liv Collum

BY Kaley Schneider

‘BE PROUD OF YOUR ROOTS’: CAL POLY STUDENTS COMMEMORATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

BY KATE HERNANDEZ

Business and accounting junior Joanna Gazcón paves the way for her family and other first-generation Cal Poly students, while holding her Hispanic identity close to her heart. Her reality is just one of the many stories that Hispanic Heritage Month highlights each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

As a daughter of immigrant parents, whose highest education was up to third grade, Gazcón said she feels grateful and empowered to take on college at Cal Poly.

“It felt like it came full circle — all the hard work, sacrifices and obsta cles my parents endured to give their kids a better opportunity in life, all the support I have from my family back in Mexico,” Gazcón said. “It all has never been taken for granted and I’m able to recognize how fortu nate I am to continue my higher education.”

For newly-admitted Hispanic Cal Poly students, some could be the first in their family to study at a university.

Due to COVID-19, Gazcón wasn’t able to be in the residence halls her first year. With the return to campus the following year, Gazcón’s second year was her first time stepping foot at Cal Poly.

“Having my parents there with me on that day held a very special place in my heart as I could see how proud they were,” Gazcón said. “Not only proud, but they were amazed by the campus since they were never able to experience this for themselves.”

The month highlights and honors Hispanic culture and traditions, with the opportunity to provide learning experiences. Some of the scheduled programming from Cal Poly included a food and community mixer, cafe con pan dulce, guest speaker presen tations and more.

An email sent out by Cal Poly’s Diversity and Inclusion team also announced the grand opening of Cal Poly’s Latinx Center, which will take place on Thursday, Nov. 10.

The idea of a month being observed arose from Latino activism in the 1960s of Latinos wanting recogni tion of their heritage and culture. Hispanic Heritage was originally

celebrated for a week in 1968 under the Presidency of Lyndon B Johnson.

It became a month until 1988 under the Presidency of Ronald Reagan.

Agriculture science junior Sophia Garcia shared their interpretation of Hispanic Heritage Month.

“Hispanic Heritage Month to me is the acknowledgement of our ances tors and what they have done for our community,” Garcia said.

One learning experience for Cal Poly students is discovering the meanings behind terms commonly used in the Hispanic community.

The term “Latinx” is one hallmark of the month.

Biomedical engineering senior Adrian Diaz shared a clarification for

the term “Latinx.”

“To all Cal Poly students, please be aware that Latinx does not only mean Mexican,” Diaz said. “As being a Mexican-American myself, I am aware that there are minority groups within the Latinx community.”

The term “Latinx” spans a wide net of cultures, countries and people, Diaz said.

“Latinx culture encompasses so many beautiful cultures within itself, from countries all over Latin America, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti and so many more,” Diaz said.

On Sept. 29, Gina Ann Garcia, a Hispanic Serving Institutions [HSI]

scholar, provided a keynote address where she discussed topics from her book, “Becoming Hispanic Serving Institutions.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, HSI “provides fund ing to institutions of higher educa tion to assist with strengthening institutional programs, facilities, and services to expand the educa tional opportunities for Hispanic Americans and other underrepre sented populations.”

Yet Garcia said HSI’s are, for many, “an unknown construct.”

“The meaning that you attach to it, is what you make it to be,” Garcia said. “HSI is to create spaces where we feel like we belong in such a way

we call it family.”

Encouraging students who iden tify as Latinx to honor their heritage, Diaz hopes students can embrace their culture.

“Be proud of your roots and where you come from,” Diaz said. “Take the opportunity of being a minority at a predominantly white institution as a form of empowerment. Our culture is beautiful, so embrace it and let it shine wherever you are.”

BOBBY

‘SIÉNTETE ORGULLOSO(A) DE TUS RAÍCES’: LOS ESTUDIANTES DE CAL POLY CONMEMORAN EL MES DE LA HERENCIA HISPANA

BY LIV COLLOM AND KIMBERLY GARCIA

Editor’s note: El artículo fue original mente escrito en Inglés. La traducción en Español fue hecha por Liv Collom y Kimberly Garcia.

La estudiante de negocios y contab ilidad, Joanna Gazcón, prepara el camino para su familia y otros estudiantes de Cal Poly de prim era generación, mientras mantiene su identidad hispana cerca de su corazón. Su realidad es sólo una de las varias historias que el Mes de la Herencia Hispana destaca cada año desde el 15 de septiembre hasta el 15 de octubre.

Como hija de padres inmigrantes que tienen educación básica, Gazcón dijo que se siente agradecida y empoderada de estar estudiando en Cal Poly.

“Se siente como si llegué a un círculo completo. Todo el trabajo duro, sacrificios y obstáculos que mis padres han soportado para darle a sus hijos una oportunidad mejor. También tengo un gran apoyo de toda mi familia viviendo en México,” nos cuenta Garzon. “Todo esto no se ha dado por sentado y ahora he podido darme cuenta de que soy muy afortunada de poder continuar mis estudios.”

Algunos de los estudiantes hispanos de Cal Poly que han sido recientemente admitidos, pueden ser los primeros en su familia en estudiar en una universidad.

Debido al COVID-19, Garzon no tuvo la oportunidad de vivir en el campus su primer año. No fue hasta su segundo año estudiando en Cal Poly que conoció el campus.

“Teniendo a mis padres conmigo ese día es un momento muy especial para mi porque pude ver el orgullo de mis padres,” dijo Garzón. “No nomas estaban orgullosos de mí, pero también estaban asombrados con ver el campus, porque era una experiencia que nunca tuvieron.”

El mes celebra y honra la cultura y las tradiciones hispanas, con la oportunidad de brindar experi encias de aprendizaje. Parte de la programación de Cal Poly incluyó comida, una mezcla de comunidad, café con pan dulce, tuvieron present aciones de oradores especiales y mucho más. El Equipo de Diversidad e Inclusión de Cal Poly también anunció la gran inauguración del centro de Latinx de Cal Poly, que se abrirá el jueves, 10 de noviembre.

La idea de un mes de observación surge del activismo latino en la década de 1960 y viene de Latinos que quieran reconocimiento de sus herencias y cultura. La heren cia hispana fue celebrada primero durante una semana en 1968 bajo la presidencia de Lyndon B Johnson. Se convirtió en un mes en 1988 bajo la presidencia de Ronal Regan.

Sophia Garcia, una estudiante de tercer año de ciencias agrícolas, compartió su interpretación del Mes de la Herencia Hispana.

“Para mi, el Mes de la Herencia Hispana es el reconocimiento de nuestros ancestros y lo que han hecho por nuestra comunidad,” dijo Garcia.

Una experiencia de aprendizaje para los estudiantes de Cal Poly es descubrir los significados de la terminología usada en la comunidad hispana. El término “LatinX” es un sello distintivo del mes.

Un estudiante de la ingeniería biomédica, Adrian Diaz, compartió una clarificación para el término “LatinX.”

“Para todos los estudiantes de Cal Poly, por favor ten en cuenta que LatinX no quiere decir sólo mexi cano. Como mexicanoamericano, soy consciente que hay grupos de minorías entre la comunidad LatinX,” dijo Diaz.

El término “LatinX” incluye una variedad de culturas, países y perso nas, dijo Diaz.

“Los mexicanos no son las únicas personas que se identifican como

Latinx. La cultura Latinx incluye muchas culturas hermosas por varios países y todo Latinoamérica, como El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, Uruguay, la República Dominicana, Cuba, Haití y muchos más.”

Los eventos que ya han pasado incluyen un evento de Comida y Comunidad que fue el 22 de septi embre. Adicionalmente, el equipo de fútbol de los hombres de Cal Poly va celebrar la herencia Latina en el partido llamado Viva Los Mustangs en contra de UC Irvine el 2 de octubre.

El 29 de septiembre, la Dra. Gina Ann Garcia, académica de Instituciones de Servicio Hispano [HSI], pronunció un discurso de apertura en el que discutió temas de su libro “Convertirse en Instituciones de Servicio Hispano.”

Según el Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos, HSI es “una institución que propor ciona fondos a las instituciones de educación superior para ayudar a fortalecer los programas, insta laciones y servicios institucio nales para ampliar las opor tunidades educativas para los hispanoamericanos y otras pobla ciones subrepresentadas.”

Sin embargo, García dijo que las Instituciones de Servicio Hispano son, para muchos, “un constructo desconocido”.

“El significado que se le atribuye es lo que se hace que sea”, dijo García. “HSI es crear espacios en los que nos sentimos como si perteneciéra mos de tal forma que lo llamamos familia.”

Como resultado de animar a los estudiantes que se identifican como LatinX a honrar su herencia, Díaz espera que los estudiantes puedan adoptar y aceptar su cultura más profundamente.

“Siéntete orgulloso de tus raíces y de dónde vienes. Aproveche la oportunidad de ser una minoría en una institución predominan temente blanca como una forma

Evento especial el viernes, septiembre 30, con un orador invitado.

de empoderamiento,” dijo Díaz. “Nuestra cultura es hermosa, así que abrázala y deja que brille dondequi era que estés.”

BOBBY GROTH | MUSTANG NEWS

New Market Approved on Monterey Street

In close proximity to Cal Poly’s campus, one local business owner said he envisions The Hub to be a new “hot spot” for students.

BY JEREMY GARZA

After four months of delays due to San Luis Obispo resident concerns, a new community market is headed to Monterey Street — The Hub.

The market, spearheaded by local entrepreneur and Central Coast Brewing owner George Peterson, is a culmination of eight local business owners working together to create a space for all San Luis Obispo resi dents and tourists to enjoy.

But in close proximity to Cal Poly’s campus, Peterson said he envisions The Hub to be a new “hot spot” for students.

The market will feature live music, a coffee shop, kombucha store, an assortment of beer and seltzers, bikes available for rent and more.

“I could see myself really using this space,” liberal studies freshman Sierra Weisenberger said. “I like live music, and I could see me and my roommates going down there for that. I think it would be a good addi tion to the community.”

I like live music, and I could see me and my roommates going down there for that.

I think it would be a good addition to the community.

trying to do something that we can all enjoy,” Peterson said.

The Hub will occupy a vacant building adjacent to a residen tial neighborhood, which was the primary cause of concern for individ uals attending the city council meet ing. The building was formerly occu pied by Daylight Home and Garden, which is an indoor and outdoor furniture and decor store.

Although the building is separated from any residential areas by San Luis Obispo Creek, some residents nearby are concerned about how The Hub would affect the neighborhood.

entered the picture.

“At the May 11 planning commis sion hearing, several of the commis sioners stated that they thought the project was exempt from Ordinance 1651 and approved the project,”

Novak said at the Sept. 20 meeting.

“We feel that the proposed proj ect uses are not compatible with the adjacent residential uses and lack adequate buffering to mitigate potential offset impacts.”

SIERRA WEISENBERGER

Liberal studies freshman

SLO resident Hana Novak grew worried when she heard word of the partners’ plans to get the business approved, as she lives close to the prospective site. She claimed the business would not be in compliance with Ordinance 1651, which rezoned where tourist attractions and busi nesses could be located in 2018.

During her speech to the council, Novak spoke on the changes to her lifestyle that may occur if the city grants an exemption to The Hub like increased traffic, noise and light disturbances. The city council voted to reject Novak’s appeal.

The business owners aim to bring in a blend of locals, students and tourists to all enjoy the “artistic and active lifestyle community that has made SLO famous.”

“We have a whole team of forward thinking individuals that want to be part of this … all local, and we’re all

“I was very involved with the craft ing of 1651, which is the ordinance that affects this area that replaced the old one. It was due to the incred ible advocacy on part of the neigh borhood and they were very specific because they’re concerned that a hotel was coming in,” Vice Mayor Carlyn Christianson said.

The rezoning settled concerns for many residents, until The Hub

The Hub will open at 1701 Monterey Street and the businesses – Central Coast Brewing, KROBAR Craft Distillery, Nautical Bean Coffee, Art’s Cyclery, What The Truck Mobile Cuisine, Lone Oak Seltzer, SLO Axe and Whalebird Kombucha – hope it will be a massive success and useful space for Cal Poly students and SLO residents alike.

“We’re just excited to be part of Monterey Street,” Peterson said.

More information will soon be available at www.centralcoastbrew ing.com.

THE HUB | COURTESY

The existing building intended to house The Hub, obtained from The Hub project plans.

Council Member Andy Pease reviewing concerns brought forth by Hana Novak.

George Peterson elaborating plans to ensure The Hub will not affect nearby resident’s way of life.

‘IN IT FOR EACH OTHER’:

‘IN IT FOR EACH OTHER’:

UNDERSTAFFED SLO DAYS TEAM RAISES CONCERNS OF UNPAID OVERTIME

BY ELIZABETH WILSON

This story comes from The Hill, a team of data analysts and reporters focused on investigative stories at Mustang News. Visit mustangnews.net to read more stories from The Hill.

For liberal studies junior Lindsay Gonor, Cal Poly Orientation’s SLO Days program symbolizes the connection between incoming fresh men and students already adjusted to college.

It was maintaining a positive expe rience for these first-years that kept Gonor from quitting SLO Days when she and other employees faced disorganized schedules, long hours and missed pay for overtime.

“We had each other,” Gonor said.

SLO Days is a two day orientation for incoming students running from July to August, and either in-person or virtual. The intent of the program is for students to “make connections” and learn about resources available, as stated on the SLO Days webpage of the New Student and Transition Program (NSTP).

SLO Days consisted of seven on-site student employees over summer compared to last year’s team of about 14.

This summer, Cal Poly staff required orientation student employees to work more than eight-hour days with delayed breaks and were reluctant to respond when students complained. It took three students quitting SLO Days and voicing concerns to admin istrators in order for the university to address its mismanagement.

In July, complaints filed in to Student Affairs. The three employees who quit did not want to be named in this story for fear of risking reconcili ation pay promised by the university.

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Debi Hill and Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey both met with students.

The three employees who quit did not want to be named in this story

for fear of risking reconciliation pay promised by the university.

University spokesperson Matt Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News that these conversations are “to ensure that students are prop erly informed about employment rules and regulations and properly compensated for time they worked.”

That’s because, according to Lazier, some students didn’t take their 15-minute breaks correctly. Some students said they “did not feel comfortable leaving their SLO Days assignments for a break.”

Lazier said students are eligible for overtime when they work more than 40 hours in a week, but not when they work more than eight hours in a day.

The Summer Crew Contract bound student employees to a Session 1 schedule from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. and a Session 2 schedule from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., with students alternating sessions each day.

It is required by California law for employees to receive a break at the four-hour mark of working and a meal break for at least a fivehour shift, with the break occurring before five hours. Break violations, such as receiving a break late, enti tle employees to one hour of wages for each day there was a violation, according to the state’s labor laws.

The Cal Poly Student Employee Handbook states that students can only work 20 hours with classes and 40 hours without, and they cannot work more than eight hours a day.

SLO Days leaders were sometimes working more than 14 hours in one day.

NSTP considered this overtime as volunteer work, unpaid, and over time hours are not mentioned in the Summer Crew Contract. The student handbook does not allow students to be compensated for unused breaks.

Orientation employees also tracked eight incidents of receiving breaks either late or not at all. For example, some students working as

Supporter Guides claimed they went eight hours and 15 minutes without receiving any breaks on day two of SLO Days, according to documents obtained by SLO Days employees.

Cal Poly’s Student Employment Handbook allows supervisors to determine when breaks can be taken.

One SLO Days leader this past summer said that, despite being enrolled in summer classes, they still worked nearly 40 hours a week. They never received an email informing them to work less hours, but wasn’t sure if this was because they never told NSTP they were in two summer classes to begin with. They asked to remain anonymous to protect future chances of being an orientation leader.

then they would be like, ‘Oh, wait, no, like, this is actually how it’s gonna work,’” they said. It was “very unorga nized” for the SLO Days Leader.

Other people shared frustrations through an approximately 20-person group chat without pro staff over the app Signal, an app which encrypts messages, keeping them private from other parties. Despite shared frustrations, not everyone quit because they wanted to see if the experience got better, the SLO Days Leader explained.

FORMER ORIENTATION LEADERS SAY THEY WEREN’T SURPRISED EMPLOYEES QUIT THIS YEAR

Years before Gonor was a SLO Days Leader, others like her wanted to step forward and give back to new students. Yet they experienced simi lar poor treatment and a lack of communication from professional staff.

When anthropology geography alum Cassandra Smith attended Cal Poly, she knew that she wanted to be involved on campus as much as possible. So, becoming a SLO Days leader the summer after her first year was a “no brainer,” she said.

Mechanical engineer senior Chloe Chou also wanted to give incoming students the positive experience she had during her own orientation. However, she didn’t feel that positiv ity when she was a SLO Days Leader in 2019.

“Given a lot of the ways I was treated, I did not want to go back,” Chou said.

The schedule was “very frustrating” for Chou who said that she put more hours into the job than she signed up for.

Students often worked more than 40 hours without being paid for overtime. Lazier said students are eligible for overtime when they work more than 40 hours in a week, but not when they work more than eight hours in a day.

“We were told that essentially, we’d be working 40 hours,” Chou said.

“During this time, though, it was implied that we would be spending more than 40 hours.” She added that there was a potential to “gain addi tional hours” during weeks 40 hours were not scheduled.

CASSANDRA SMITH Anthropology and geography alumn

This student said employees quit ting left more work for remaining staff. While they considered quitting as well, they said they had a sense of guilt for the pile of work that would be left on their peers’ shoulders. But if a larger group of workers walked out, they would have joined.

The communication surrounding overtime pay was not clear to them, as they were told different answers each time. “We would ask questions, they would give us an answer, then,

Smith reapplied to be a SLO Days leader the following year but was not accepted back into the program. Smith felt this was due to “favorit ism” and because she went against the norm when discussing different topics.

She brought up the fact that Cal Poly was a predominantly white institution (PWI) and framed her experience around being a white woman in the College of Liberal Arts.

“I wasn’t gonna lie about things and be like, ‘this is the happiest place on earth,’” Smith said. “I was very open and honest about like, ‘Here’s the things that make Cal Poly really sucky.’”

Smith went on to be a WOW leader in 2016, 2017 and 2018 – she gradu ated in June.

Not only was the schedule demanding for Chou and others, but the uniform left a bad taste in her mouth. She said that orienta tion leaders were required to wear an “aloha shirt” — a green polo with lighter green hibiscus leaves embel lished across it.

With Cal Poly recently dealing with a blackface incident a year prior and just finishing the yakʔitʸutʸu dorms, the intent appeared to be a “cop-out,” culturally speaking, according to Chou.

Chou told NSTP staff her concerns with the uniform. She was told the group would hold a discussion on the shirts in one of their meetings — but that was continuously postponed.t

On the Friday before the last SLO Days session, NSTP held a meeting where staff repeatedly encouraged all students to wear the shirts, but ultimately told students the shirt would be optional, Chou said.

I wasn’t gonna lie about things and be like, ‘this is the happiest place on earth.’

Collin Marfia shares his experience as a 2022 SLO days leader.

SLO DAYS LEADERS WANT TO SEE STRUCTURAL CHANGES WITHIN NSTP MOVING FORWARD

History junior Collin Marfia wanted to do SLO Days this summer to give back to the students as well – and the perk of free housing – but soon became “disappointed” by his expe rience. Like others, he faced long schedules and a poor experience.

The night of Session two, Marfia

$clocked out at 9 p.m. Around 10:30, he recalls an OLT intern asking him to do overtime. He declined, explain ing that his dog passed and great grandmother was in hospice care. While his team understood, Marfia said, the professional staff carried on as usual with “no support.”

“I went through two major life events within the span of three days and there was just absolutely no support or any words of encourage ment from the upper leadership, and just seems kind of a business as usual,” Marfia said. “Keep on trekking.”

Although there were adjustments after the three employees quit, some changes were left unaddressed, according to Marfia. Breaks were not added until Session 9, and he only received reconciliation pay for the month of July.

Communication from NSTP staff was often verbal, and would change often. NSTP staff verbally told Marfia and other employees that they would receive pay for days that they worked over eight hours, and then for weeks they worked over 40.

He ended up receiving pay for six

hours of overtime for the entire time he was a SLO Days Leader.

“A third of my paycheck was taken out for taxes because they classified that as overtime,” Marfia said. “It was

CHLOE CHU

Mechanical engineering senior

changes, such as adding more staff on the leadership side so that there is less work for everyone involved.

“Our staff just wasn’t big enough. Our groups are too big. It was hard to manage them at times,” Marfia said.

Employees interrupted by work during sleeping hours must be compensated, the Code of Federal Regulations writes. For the hours worked outside of scheduled time, a pay one and a half times their hourly wage is required for those who are employed longer than the number of hours agreed upon each week. Uninterrupted meal breaks must also be provided to employees.

Since the three employees quit, other students have said conditions improved.

Lazier previously wrote in August that how breaks were instructed was not clear to employees who were “not taking their 15-minute breaks correctly.” Employees’ schedules were since reworked.

Student Payroll also reviewed student timecards to determine which students would be owed reconciliation pay for working during breaks or in overtime.

Cal Poly has since granted recon ciliation pay, but it was “not enough,” according to Marfia, who received six hours in reconciliation pay.

“I feel like I wasn’t fairly compen sated for my work,” Marfia said.

Despite facing some issues with SLO Days, Gonor said it didn’t change how she felt about her commitment to the program next year. She hopes to take her experience and make changes for future employees – the team aspect she emphasized prior.

“I really enjoy orientation and new students and bonding with them and creating that culture,” Gonor said.

“And I also just have a lot of improve ments that I would want to make…I am considering going up and trying to better orientation for next year.”

frustrating.”

Marfia will not be doing SLO Days next year or WOW because of how NSTP has been structured. He feels there needs to be many internal

“The university is committed to ensuring that students are paid for time they have worked,” Lazier told Mustang News.

Cal Poly Human Resources and

NSTP Director Andrene KaiwiConner has not responded to multi ple requests for comment on what changed since the employees quit, at the time of publication.

Given a lot of the ways I was treated, I did not want to go back.

COLLIN MARFIA | COURTESY

WE NEVER GOT: THE EXPERIENCE

A THANK YOU NOTE TO THIRD-YEAR WOW LEADERS

BY GRACE SCHWEITZER

Grace Schweitzer is a psychol ogy junior and opinion colum nist for Mustang News. The views expressed in this piece don’t necessar ily reflect those of Mustang News.

Two years ago, my fellow incom ing first years and I found ourselves sitting behind computer screens, either stuck at home or sitting alone in their dorm rooms far from home during their Week of Welcome (WOW).

What was supposed to be a week of excitement and community-building soon became a sad reminder of the state of the world and a reminder of the online, solitary year to come. The memory of the week remains vague in the minds of the now third years — for there was no true opportunity to make strong connections with those in our group.

The pandemic forced incoming first years to endure a week of virtual introductions that no other Cal Poly students had ever experienced since the start of this tradition. Some students decided this would not be the end of their WOW journey and volunteered as future leaders.

As a new WOW for the incoming freshmen took place, wowies were finally able to be fully in-person during the long-held tradition of WOW that, for over 60 years, incom ing students got to be a part of. For older students who had already moved in, excitement could be heard on the streets of San Luis Obispo. Soon, as social media was taken over by the excitement of WOW, many third years found themselves reflect ing back on the week that was taken from them along with the connec tions they never got to make their first week of their first quarter.

This year, a handful of third years

took it upon themselves to gain back this experience they never got by becoming WOW leaders.

Many emotions fueled this choice: a sense of having lost out, a desire for community building and excite ment, and maybe even a little jeal ousy. These third years finally got back what they and others missed out on, a week of sightseeing and all the great memories we never got to make those two years ago.

With the incoming freshmen, some third-year Cal Poly students joined in on the true experience that is the Week of Welcome. Although their reasons for becoming WOW leaders differ, the impacts of being a critical part of WOW were quite similar.

This year, Nowak was able to see first hand what the long standing tradi tion of WOW was meant to look like. Even though his experience was one of a leader, he got to partake in the community building and fun that he and many others were deprived of two years ago.

Each year, incoming freshmen get to explore campus and the city of San Luis Obispo during a week packed with different activities, people and opportunities that help them feel like true college students for the first time since moving onto campus.

WOW is meant to not only intro duce the campus to freshmen and transfers, but also help them create bonds with those that share inter ests and majors. This means during the first week of school students already have connections through out campus when they need support or just a good laugh.

Without this first week of being introduced to peers and the city that will be our homes for the next four to five years, incoming students two years ago were forced to seek their own connections and learn about their new homes on their own while still adjusting to being away.

Brandon Nowak was one of these few third years who joined in on the excitement of WOW this year by lead ing a group of 25 incoming freshmen.

“It was really cool to have a WOW experience — I never had a WOW experience,” Nowak said. “I gave wowies the experience that I would’ve wanted.”

For Nowak, the desire to “show the incoming freshmen the places and the experiences” he didn’t get, drove him to become a WOW leader.

With the fears of the pandemic and the uncertainty of the year ahead, the WOW experience that was offered two years ago did little to provide a stable and safe space for incoming first years. And for those who decided staying home was the best option, those needed first year connections were almost never established. The third years who injected them selves into the experience of WOW this year were finally able to see what the 60+ year long tradition at Cal Poly was supposed to give us. The energy and memories may have been made two years later, but they now exist in the minds and hearts of these third years.

I gave my WOWies the experience that I would’ve wanted.

BRANDON NOWAK Cal Poly junior

MIA-ISOBEL CRAIG | MUSTANG NEWS

One freshman looks into the fire while toasting his marshmallow.

SHAE ASHMALLA | MUSTANG NEWS

MIA-ISOBEL CRAIG | MUSTANG NEWS

WOW leaders attend the Club Showcase with their wowies to introduce the freshmen to the numerous clubs on campus.

MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH AND THE INDOCTRINATION OF SILENCE

BY ELIJAH WINN

Elijah Winn is an environmental earth and soil science sophomore and Mustang News opinion columnist.

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.

You don’t have to be trapped in the facade of emotional masculinity. There should be more of a will ingness to foster environments, among men, that radiate warmth and hospitality so men are more willing and comfortable to open up. According to the Centers of Disease and Control, In the United States, an average of 10 percent more women receive mental health treatment than men, a discrepancy that in no doubt exists because of the long history of seeing women as ‘hysterical’ and men as characteristically impassive.

We have to start addressing the mental health struggles of men, and the a According to the Centers of Disease and Control, In the United States, an average of 10 percent more women receive mental health

treatment than men, trauma and hurt shoved under the rug for centuries. It starts by opening up and creating communities where emotions are not a weakness, but a strength.

To paint a picture, I have recently gone through a tumultuous time in my life, experiencing one of those quintessential heartbreaks. During the first week, I struggled silently. After my day-to-day attitude lost its effervescence, I was capsized on a lonely island of my own making. I wrestled with my silence daily and finally, it all came out to the right person— A person that I had never opened up to before.

To say that I talked with him would be an understatement. For two hours, I emotionally vomited on someone after hours and days of confining myself to silence. Sitting there, slightly dazed, I had several revelations.

The baseless masculine indoctri nation of silence is cruel. It can ruin relationships; it can ruin people; it can ruin lives.

While there is a fine line between

opening up to someone and purely seeking pity, I would argue that pity in the first stages of any sort of emotional pain can be beneficial. It is so exclusively human to want pity and one should not be afraid of it. However, relying too much on it can be dangerous and addictive.

It may seem like you’re burdening people with your struggles or like people don’t care, but they do. The act of inviting others in is simple, yet still incredibly difficult. Sometimes things aren’t okay and that is okay to admit.

Vulnerability and openness is not failure. The true test of a man is being able to open up and lean on others during troubled times.

It seems that men neglect to share, either from assumptions of “no one caring” or the adherence to tradi tional societal notions. It should not be inherently masculine or feminine to want or seek help. It is, however, inherently damaging to restrict that human need based on the gender of a person.

The first step is speaking up. It takes more courage to speak up than to shut down and keep silent.

Weakness and shame should not be cast on men who seek help by other men. It takes a strong man to accept help, however most men are often trapped by societal restraints. In college, a huge failing of men today is the determination to adhere to traditional male stoicism in the face of trauma and sadness. Vulnerability and openness is not failure. The true test of a man is being able to open up and lean on others during troubled times.

ELIJAH WINN | COURTESY

“MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE:”

INDIE ROCK BAND EARTHSHIP TALKS MUSIC, INSPIRATION AND PERFORMANCES

BY SYDNEY SPENCER

Meet the band of four Earthlings taking on San Luis Obispo’s indie music scene: Earthship. Biology senior and lead singer Caitlyn Shank, microbiology senior and guitarist Spencer Grant, graphic communi cation senior and drummer Lauren Gibson and interdisciplinary studies senior and bassist Will Murphy have acquired adoring local fans through their “diet punk with a splash of indie” tunes.

Earthship first began jamming together back in March of this year.

In collaboration with Art & Soul — a monthly craft fair dedicated to gath ering local artists and connecting the LGBTQ+ community — they were able to perform their first show at Queer Prom on May 20. The event was filled with drag performances, local vendors and other musical groups.

As the new school year kicked off and students flocked back to San Luis Obispo, so did their show list. Within the first week of the academic year, the band played in downtown San Luis Obispo with Maya Allaire at Milkroom.

Earthship’s music does not follow a “strict genre” and is often inspired by nature, according to Gibson.

“We are all really drawn to nature and it just comes out even if we don’t want it to,” Shank said.

One particular creature that has caught the attention of all band members is Shank’s light brown, small mutt, Sofia. She serves as the inspiration behind their song “Doggus Boggus” and is a permanent feature of band practice.

“If I’m playing, sometimes I’ll go up to her and she just stares at me, unblinking,” Grant said.

The band explained their emphasis on collaboration with song writing and performances.

“We all seem to usually be on the same page in general, it’s just the perfect amount of pressure,” Shank

said. “We all want to dedicate our time and want to present something good, but at the same time, there isn’t pressure on eachother.”

On occasion, band members will even swap their instruments during a performance, allowing the song to produce a different sound; “We have all talked about going in a circle and switching instruments,” Gibson said.

As for now, the band has been working its way into the indie music scene through their monthly perfor mances centered around “fun for the audience.”

The band has performed alongside other, older local bands around San Luis Obispo, such as Kiwi Kannibal and Couch Dog. Gibson can also be seen performing with another band known as Hose.

“Doggus Boggus” is not their only original piece. During recent perfor mances, they have played “The long and winding roadhead,” which Shank said is one of their best songs. They have written a few other songs, “Phish’n Trip” and “Wonderland,” which are in the process of recording and producing.

Earthship is dedicated to creat ing “music for the people,” while

honing in on unique lyrics and upbeat performances — giving the people of SLO something new to dance to.The band has yet to record and produce music on listening platforms, however those interested can keep up-to-date on shows at their Instagram, @earthship.slo, and website, the next one being Oct. 7 at Bang the Drum.

Earthship is dedicated to creating “music for the people,” while honing in on unique lyrics and upbeat performances — giving the people of SLO something new to dance to.

LILY TENNER | KCPR

RIVALRY BLUE GREEN

Cal Poly opens Big West con ference play with a dominant 4-0 victory over UCSB

Cal Poly women’s soccer started their Big West conference campaign on Thursday, Sept. 15, defeating UC Santa Barbara 4-0 at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

The Mustangs (2-5-2, 1-0 Big West) went wire-to-wire, surviving some early threats from the Gauchos (26-0, 0-1 Big West) to pick up the win.

sophomore midfielder Peja Balanon lofted a shot over the goalkeeper and into the side of the netting for her first career goal for the Mustangs, doubling the lead to 2-0.

Balanon wasn’t done yet, as in the 70th minute, she received a cross from fellow sophomore midfield er McKenna Carbon, and volleyed a shot to the left side of the goal to make it 3-0 Cal Poly.

BY JONATHAN SZE

The Blue-Green Rivalry is one of the most historic rivalries in college soc cer, as Central Coast foes Cal Poly and University of California, Santa Barbara have faced off against one another for decades.

In September, the men’s and wom en’s squads played inside Alex G. Spanos Stadium and the crowds were treated to late-game heroics and fireworks from both sides.

Men’s soccer suffers a heart breaking loss at home to UCSB 2-1

Cal Poly men’s soccer lost in the Blue-Green rivalry game to UCSB by a score of 2-1 on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

The Gauchos (5-1-2) tripled the shots on target by the Mustangs (0-70) and controlled the ball in the Cal Poly half for the majority of the game in front of the near-sellout crowd of 10,392.

UCSB started the scoring in the 18th minute, as Gaucho defender Caden Vom Steeg floated a cross in front of Cal Poly and UCSB players alike before finding the right foot of Gaucho forward Alexis Ledoux on the back post, who put the ball into the back of the net for the first goal

of the night.

Cal Poly redshirt freshman mid fielder Richie Garica saw a yellow card for a reckless hand to the face just before the break, and his team mate, sophomore defender Logan Thralls, picked up a yellow for a late challenge just after halftime.

The Gauchos took their 1-0 lead into the half, as the Mustangs couldn’t get much going offensively.

In the 72nd minute, junior mid fielder Tony Ruiz had Cal Poly’s best open play chance of the game, but he could not get a solid strike on the ball, and Gaucho keeper Leroy Zeller collected the loose ball.

With a chance to put the game away in the 85th minute, the Gau chos’ Filip Basili put a cross into the box that found the head of Finn Bal lard McBride, who scored. However, the Mustangs were saved from going down 2-0, as McBride was called off side.

With less than five minutes to play, the Mustangs pushed forward and in the 89th minute on a center ball, freshman forward Isak Clausen was barreled into from behind by Zeller in the box and won a penalty.

Sophomore midfielder Nathan Col ley then stepped up to the spot with all the pressure on and the crowd on their feet. Colley took his run up to the ball and slotted the penalty to the

bottom left corner of the net just out of the reach of Zeller’s gloves for his first goal of the year and evened the game 1-1.

With that goal, the Alex G. Spanos Stadium crowd erupted.

“I just took myself back to the back yard when I was a kid, the training at home,” sophomore midfielder Na than Colley said. “I’ve done that shot thousands of times in my life, but to do it in front of that many people is obviously a lot different.”

The goal left 1:25 on the clock for either team to take advantage of be fore possible overtime. On the UCSB kickoff, they quickly worked the ball into the attacking half. With 12 sec onds left to play, Jorge Aldana lofted the ball into the box. Salvador Agu ilar, on almost the exact spot where McBride nearly put the game away in the 85th minute, put an exclamation point on this matchup by heading home the match winner, leaving the home fans speechless.

The Gauchos stormed onto the field in celebration, and the celebra tion for the visiting rivals only con tinued when the final horn sounded.

“To have that many emotion swings, them scoring first, us picking up the goal, and then to give it up late is obviously a really sad thing,” Colley said after the match.

To have that many emotion swings, them scoring first, us pick ing up the goal, and then to give it up late is obviously a really sad thing.

NATHAN COLLEY Sophomore midfielder

The scoring started in the 13th minute, as senior midfielder Camille Lafaix received a pass from freshman defender Camryn Penn and prompt ly put it off the right post and in for her second goal of the year, putting Cal Poly 1-0 in the lead.

Then in the 62nd minute, off an errant touch by a Gaucho defender,

To cap off the scoring, senior mid fielder Megan Hansen received a grounded pass off a Cal Poly free kick taken by senior midfielder Monser rat Hernandez Marquez and put it off the crossbar and in for her second goal of the year and for the fourth and final goal of the Mustangs 4-0 victory.

“My defense killed it today, they kept us so connected, so moti vated,” sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel said. “They make my job super, super easy.”

Watch recaps of the men’s and women’s UCSB games here

ANNABELLE FAGANS | MUSTANG NEWS Nate Folley’s penalty shot finds the back of the net.

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