Mustang News Feb. 26, 2019

from Mustang News Feb. 26, 2019

**LESLEY LEWIS | COURTESY Carrizo Plain National Monument exploded in a super bloom in Spring 2017 after a particularly rainy season.**

A SUPER BLOOM MAY BE ON THE HORIZON

BY ABBIE LAUTEN-SCRIVNER & CONNOR MCCARTHY

More rainbows and a potential super bloom may be the reward for San Luis Obispo residents weary of the persistent rainfall and frigid temperatures. But for now, locals will have to put up with winter weather for a little longer. The National Weather Service predicts rain will return Tuesday evening and last through the weekend. There will be at least an 80 percent chance of rain during the day on Wednesday. There will also be a slight chance of precipitation Thursday and Friday with more rain likely over the weekend. This storm is different from last week’s that brought hail to San Luis Obispo County. Temperatures will be warmer then they have been with the high over the next few days, holding steady around the low-60s. The lows are a bit warmer as well compared to the last week with the temperatures hovering around the mid-40s. The more than 19 inches of rain measured at Cal Poly is well above the normal 12.88 inches usually measured at this time of year, according to the Cal Poly Weather Station. Throughout the Central Coast overall, rainfall

is 134 percent above average for the rainy season, which runs from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019. In early March, PG&E Meteorologist John Lindsey predicts San Luis Obispo may experience “pineapple express” conditions, marked by heavy rainfall and warmer weather. The pineapple express is an example of an atmospheric river, where sub-tropical moisture is transported north from the equator to the American West Coast.

Could a super bloom be coming? After this week, San Luis Obispo residents may possibly begin to enjoy the colorful and fragrant consequences of a wet winter: a potential super bloom of wildflowers in the Carrizo Plain and California desert. “Nothing is guaranteed, but I think there’s a pretty decent chance of having a great bloom,” Lindsey said. Dena Grossenbacher, a biological sciences professor with a focus in botany, agreed there are many factors in favor of conditions for a super bloom. However, it is still too early to know for sure, she said. “We’ve had good rains for keeping the ground moist for a month if not more, so that’s really good because it

means things have germinated,” Grossenbacher said. “The issue is, other things that determine whether there’s going to be a super bloom have to do with the temperature, and if it’s really cold things won’t grow very much.” The recent cold temperatures have caused frost, which could threaten the wildflower’s growth.

Even if the frost does not threaten the wildflowers, another risk to the super bloom is the presence of nonnative grasses, Grossenbacher said. “Some wet years end up just being what we call a grass year because it’s just all grasses that out-competed all the wildflowers,” Grossenbacher said. A potentially unexpected factor in favor of the super bloom are the 2018 wildfires in Southern California. “Those fires wiped out all the woody shrubs and what you get are these plants called fire followers,” Grossenbacher said. If there is a super bloom, its height will be during late March and into April. It will be apparent whether a super bloom is happening during the next three to four weeks, Grossenbacher said. “There will be nice flowers regardless,” Grossenbacher said. While Southern California and the Carrizo Plain are go-to destinations for wildflower viewing, Lindsey recommended a spot closer to Central California residents: Old Shell Creek Road on Highway 58, just 45 minutes from San Luis Obispo. It is Lindsey’s favorite.

HOW CAL POLY PLANS TO IMPROVE CAMPUS WIFI

BY ASHLEY LADIN

Cal Poly students depend on campus WiFi to keep their work (and Netflix queue) in order. Alison Robinson, associate vice president of Information Technology (IT) at Cal Poly, helps keep tabs on it. Robinson said WiFi use always spikes around finals week. On the last day of Fall 2018 classes, 40,329 individual devices connected to SecureMustangWireless, Cal Poly’s WiFi network, 1,968,592 total times. Split evenly, each device would have to reconnect to the network about 49 times. That is a lot of reconnecting. SecureMustangWireless is infamous among

students for being unreliable. Aerospace engineering junior William Yu said he often has trouble connecting to the network. “It sucks,” Yu said. “The connection is pretty spotty. The speed is okay, I guess. But the coverage from building to building is not very reliable.” Civil engineering junior Yanting Jiang said they get tired of the tedious reconnecting process. “I’ll be sitting right outside the library and have no WiFi,” Jiang said. “I have to disconnect and then reconnect and then log in again. It’s a hassle sometimes.” Workers at the IT help desk estimate they

receive about 10 emails or phone calls each weekday related to WiFi issues. However, there are some things they cannot fix.

Older buildings on campus have worse WiFi If you pay attention while walking to class, you will notice plate-sized white discs mounted on ceilings throughout every building on campus. Those are access points — they send out wireless signals devices can see and connect to. Not including the residence halls, Cal Poly has 1,422 access points. However, even though these access points look the same, their strength is dependent on the wiring behind them. Robinson explained that even though WiFi is a wireless network, it still needs physical wires for its foundation. The older the wires powering access points, the slower the WiFi will be. “Wireless networks are just an extension of a physical network,” Robinson said. “All wireless networks at some point become wired.” Older buildings on campus have older wires and thus slower WiFi. Per Robinson, the speed discrepancy becomes more noticeable when many people are trying to connect to the same access point, slowing down everyone’s connection more quickly.

SecureMustangWireless is not designed to work outside Students often drop connectivity while walking between buildings for class or sitting outside. When this happens, it is not because the network is being spotty. Since the campus has no outdoor access points, the network is not designed to work outdoors. Any WiFi connection received outside is actually a testament to how strong indoor access points are, which can sometimes extend beyond their intended reach. “If you walk outdoors and you’re connected to SecureMustangWireless, you’re using network that’s bleeding out of a building,” Robinson

said. “You can walk by an area where it’s bleeding out, but then you step around the corner and it’s gone.” A lack of outdoor access points means there is no campus infrastructure to keep WiFi connection steady while moving from one side of campus to the other. This is why students have to reconnect to SecureMustangWireless so many times in one day — each new building means a new connection.

The root certificate setup and renewal process is confusing Robinson said the IT help desk is regularly questioned about root certificate issues. Root certificates help keep the connection between campus WiFi and each device safe. However, the original setup process is nine steps and the certificate needs to be renewed every year to work, as well as when students update devices. Also, because the certificate is linked to Cal Poly portals, if students change their portal password, they have to reconnect to SecureMustangWireless using their new password.

How WiFi on campus might change Cal Poly’s IT Services chooses three to five priorities to focus on every four months. Starting in March, one of those priorities will be improving the WiFi customer experience on campus. “If there’s still something that’s a problem, keep letting us know,” Robinson said. “It sucks? Okay, that’s experience, but I can’t improve that. Let me know what you’re experiencing and we can keep looking at it and keep at it.” Some potential changes include simplifying the WiFi setup process, updating security certificates with less impact to users and adding an outdoor wireless network. “We’re here to help and we want to enable teaching and learning,” Robinson said. “And Netflix.”

SCOUT COFFEE CLOSED AFTER TRUCK CRASHES INTO SHOP

BY AUSTIN LINTHICUM

Scout Coffee Co. on Foothill will be closed for the next several days after a truck crashed into the shop at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. The vehicle was attempting to park in front of the entrance to Scout when owners Jon and Sara Peterson said the driver hit the gas instead of the brakes, demolishing the store’s glass windows and doors. There were no injuries to customers or the driver, who was believed to have been visiting from out of town and was driving a rental truck. “If it had been 15 minutes later, normally we have a line to the door,” Sara said. Scout frequently has a crowd waiting to order where the truck crashed, according to Sara. The crash was an accident, according to San Luis Obispo Fire (SLO Fire) Battalion Chief Ray Hayes. No arrests were made. Both the San Luis Obispo Police Department and SLO Fire were on the scene shortly after the accident.

“It hit at about as good a place as you could hit if you’re going to drive a truck into a restaurant,” Jon said. “That being the case, plus nobody hurt, is the real good news here.” The opening is being boarded up today and the full repair is expected to take several weeks. The truck was able to back out of the shop. All the building’s structural beams remain intact and the San Luis Obispo Building Department cleared the store for operation shortly after the accident.

The location on Foothill Boulevard is the second Scout Coffee Co. and has been open for just under three years. The Petersons said customers have been stopping by all morning and they are directing them to their downtown Scout location on 1130 Garden Street. “When things like this happen, it reminds us and makes us really appreciate being part of such a great community” Jon said. “This is a nice opportunity to remember how great the community is.”

**Students are hoping Campus Dining will make the switch to boxed water when their 10-year exclusive contract with Coca-Cola expires.**
CONNOR FROST | MUSTANG NEWS

STUDENTS LOOKING TO BRING BOXED WATER TO CAL POLY

RECYCLING CARTONS IS NOT POSSIBLE CURRENTLY ON CAMPUS

BY ROSELYN ROMERO

Six Cal Poly students are collaborating with eco-friendly bottled water company JUST WATER to reduce plastic waste by replacing all plastic water bottles on campus with boxed water. Agricultural business freshman Cassondra Richardson reached out to Youth Program Lead of JUST WATER Jackson Hinkle – who was also her former AP environmental science classmate at San Clemente High School. Richardson said she gleaned inspiration from Hinkle, who spearheaded the switch from plastic water bottles to boxed water throughout 63 elementary, middle and high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District through Team Zissou, an environmental action club at their high school. “It’s important that we get young people to lead these movements because we’re the ones who are going to be facing the consequences from plastic consumption and other environmental issues 50 years down the line,” Hinkle said. According to Richardson, their school district was able to reduce plastic waste by 9,000 pounds in the past year through Hinkle’s leadership. “If I can have that impact, it inspires me to think on a bigger level,” Richardson said. “If we can do this on a school district level, what’s stopping us from doing this on our campus of nearly 22,000 students?” Along with four other Cal Poly students – all of whom are freshmen and sophomores – Richardson and environmental management and protection sophomore Channing Simpson

jumpstarted their involvement with JUST WATER less than a month ago. The core group of students is looking to contact Campus Dining about working with JUST water after their 10-year exclusive contract with Coca-Cola, the manufacturer of Dasani water bottles, expires in Summer 2019. The group is still in the beginning stages of their public outreach campaign.

Richardson and Simpson said they already contacted the executive boards of a few sororities on campus about possibly collaborating and spreading the mission of JUST WATER.“ To get greek life involved is to reach 20 percent of the campus population, so we wanted to start working with them to inform the greatest number of students as we can all at once,” Simpson said. The six student ambassadors are planning on presenting the objectives of JUST water to more sororities, fraternities and campus organizations. Simpson, who is also a student recruitment assistant for Associated Students, Inc. (ASI), said she hopes to get ASI involved in JUST WATER’s efforts. Despite the students’ goal to bring JUST to campus in the next year, Registered Dietician and Sustainability Coordinator with Campus Dining Kaitlin Gibbons said San Luis Obispo County does not currently recycle cartons, meaning 100 percent of JUST WATER bottles on campus would go straight to landfill. While the university and the California State University (CSU) system as a whole are working toward a better solution, plastic water bottles are 100 percent recyclable and are not going into the San Luis Obispo County landfill if recycled, Gibbons said.

“For our campus, I don’t think [JUST WA- TER] would be the most sustainable option at this point,” Gibbons said. “As we move forward, the CSU system has made commitments to reduce the use of single-use plastic water bottles in the next five years, so we look forward to working with any student groups who may have ideas on that.” According to Gibbons, Cal Poly is leaning toward reusable water bottle options – such as “bring your own cup or water bottle” – because that will not generate any waste. Founded in the U.S. in 2015, JUST WATER aims to sell affordable and sustainably packaged water bottles, with each bottle costing about $1.67, according to the company’s online shopping website. This is 33 cents less than a Dasani water bottle sold at Cal Poly, which retails for $2, according to the Cal Poly Campus Dining website. According to their website, JUST water creates their 100 percent recyclable packaging using almost entirely renewable materials. One bottle is made up of 54 percent paper, 28 percent Brazilian sugarcane, 15 percent protective plastic film and 3 percent aluminum. The spring water used is collected entirely from Glens Falls in New York. The brand is certified by B Corporation and gathers their packaging paper from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. All JUST bottles are BPA-free. In an interview with the Associated Press, JUST WATER Co-Founder Jaden Smith said he wants to use the bottled water brand not as an acquisition for fame, but to inspire youth to “change the world.” But until Cal Poly can recycle cartons, it might not be the right change to make.

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS NAMES NEW DEAN

BY SABRINA PASCUA

Philip J. Williams was named the new CLA Dean, Provost and Executive Vice President Kathleen Enz Finken announced today. Williams previously served as a political science professor as well as director of the Center of Latin American Studies at the University of Florida.” Cal Poly is excited to welcome Dr. Williams as the new leader of our College of Liberal Arts,” Enz Finken said in a news release. “Philip brings a deep appreciation for Learn by Doing and the important role the liberal arts play in preparing students for success, along with a strong track record of diversity- and inclusion-focused education and research.” Williams began his career in 1987 as an assistant professor of political science at Truman State University in Missouri. He later became a professor of political science at the University of Florida, where he served as the department’s chair from 2004 to 2007. During his time at the University of Florida, Williams spearheaded efforts to promote diversity and inclusion as the director of the Center for Latin American Studies. According to the news release, the center aims to increase academic engagement, research and international educational opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean. In his role, Williams advocated for the support of undocumented students.” I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the college and eager to get to work expanding our cross-disciplinary efforts; enhancing hands-on learning and international opportunities; and attracting more faculty with diverse experiences to help prepare our students for success in the increasingly global and intercultural workforce,” Williams said in the news release. Williams visited Cal Poly Jan. 14 through Jan. 18 to participate in open forums. Mitchell P. Smith of the University of Oklahoma was also considered for the position. Williams succeeds Interim Dean Kathryn Rummell, who has fulfilled the dean’s responsibilities since August 2018. Former CLA Dean Doug Epperson retired at the end of the 2017-2018 school year after holding the position for six years.

ACADEMIC SENATE HAS HAD ENOUGH OF LOSING ELECTRONIC DATABASES

BY KAILEY O’CONNELL & SAMANTHA SPITZ

Students are slowly losing access to their library databases — and the Academic Senate is asking for them back. LexisNexis, JSTOR and Kanopy are just a few of the many databases that the California State Universities (CSUs) determined the system can no longer afford to provide. However, Robert E. Kennedy Library has continued to fund them out of pocket. For LexisNexis alone, the library currently pays $40,000 per year. On Feb. 4 at the Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) Board of Directors meeting, College of Liberal Arts Librarian Brett Bodemer

said the statewide Academic Senate passed a resolution calling for the Chancellor’s Office to increase funding for the Electronic Database Collection. “If our ASI could be the leaders in that, I think they might recognize the gravity of the situation,” Bodemer said.

According to the CSU website, these databases were once stored in the Electric Core Collections (ECC) funded by the CSU system to supply students with the same access to resources. Across all 23 CSU campuses, the base funding for ECC has remained at a static $5 million since 2008. According to Bodemer, this amount loses huge value each year due to inflation — about one fifth of its value ($975,000).

“People don’t think about the library so much,” Bodemer said. “Then all of a sudden, when they can’t get their resources, they go, ‘Woah.’” When CSU cuts certain databases from the ECC, campuses that wish to maintain access must bear the price. LexisNexis was cut three years ago, but due to high user demand, Kennedy Library was able to maintain access by diverting funds from other electronic content. LexisNexis is not the only database the library supports on its own, however. The premier journal, Nature, as well as titles from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, have risen since 2015, costing $105,000 over the span of four years. There is a high demand for database use, especially in some of the classes offered at Cal Poly. Principles of Marketing (BUS 346) relies heavily on library databases as students are required to use at least five of the 10 marketing databases in their marketing plan project for the class. “The databases allow students to learn how to use data to make evidence-based decision-making early in their college career with the hope the skills and knowledge will both transfer and grow as students go through their program, independent of their concentration,” Orfalea College of Business marketing professor T.J. Weber said. According to Bodemer, ASI is working on a resolution in support of the CSU Academic Senate resolution to increase funding, but for now funds still remain minimal.

**LexisNexis, JSTOR and Kanopy are just a few of the many databases that the California State Universities (CSUs) determined the system can no longer afford to provide.**
LUKE DEAL | MUSTANG NEWS

**Students in the sales minor will take several new courses, in addition to other business electives.**
AUSTIN LINTHICUM | MUSTANG NEWS

NEW SALES MINOR ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2019-2020

BY KYLA OSBURN

Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) is accepting applications now for the new sales minor set to start Fall 2019. Administration, faculty and staff collaborated to form the minor after noticing a need for more sales-related curriculum, according to professor Lisa Simon. “We saw a need to give students a stronger foundation in professional selling skills,” Simon said. “[The minor] will offer [students] an opportunity to launch their sales careers with a tool kit of knowledge and skills already prepared for them.” The 28-unit minor will include three brand new required courses: Professional Selling Skills (BUS 347), Technology-Based Professional Sales (BUS 348) and Current Topics in Marketing (BUS 450). In addition to the three core courses, students pursuing a sales minor will have to select four of the 19 pre-approved elective courses to take. The elective courses offered come from a variety of departments including Wine and Viticulture, Industrial Manufacturing Engineering and Graphic Communication. The application process consists of an online questionnaire and an interview with Simon. Only 40 students will be selected to participate in the sales minor for the 2019- 2020 school year. Simon encourages students of all majors to apply. Simon will go over the details of the minor at an information session Thursday, Feb. 28. The information session will be taking place at 11 a.m. in Business (building 3, room 209). “If you are an engineer selling a plan or an idea to a client, if you are in finance, selling an idea to your supervisors and managers, if you are a writer selling what you are writing to a publisher, everybody is in sales. So, the skills that students would pick up through the sales minor are applicable regardless of the career that student enters,” Simon said.

CAL POLY MADE $1.8 MILLION FROM DECLINED APPLICATIONS IN 2016-17

BY RACHEL MARQUARDT

Cal Poly has been ranked No. 26 in the nation for making the most money off of declined applications in the 2016-17 year, according to a recent study by LendEDU. During the 2016-17 year, Cal Poly had a total of 48,162 applications and admitted 14,202 freshmen and transfer students. This resulted in $1,867,800 made from declined applications. Data for the study was gathered through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

Application fees can range from $10 to $150, according to LendEDU Research Analyst Michael Brown. Cal Poly’s fee is $55, the same as all California State Universities (CSU). Prospective students from California may qualify for a CSU application fee waiver

based on income. However, with the median parental income of $152,900, Cal Poly’s students come from the wealthiest upbringings in the CSU and UC systems on average. The study does not account for the cost for applications to be reviewed by admissions staff. “Fee revenue is meant to offset the costs to the university,” University Spokesperson Matt Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News. According to Lazier, the increased revenue is due to the influx of applications brought in each year. In Fall 2018, Cal Poly received a record 65,507 applications and enrolled 5,307 new freshmen and transfer students. “Money generated from application fees comes to the respective institution as revenue,

not profit,” Brown wrote. “The price of paying a professional to review applications is transferred to the applicant or his or her family in the form of an application fee.” CSU Chancellor’s Office Public Affairs Manager Elizabeth Chapin Hetherington said another important factor to consider is the revenue from application fees is a very small percentage of the campus’ total operating budget. “Systemwide, tuition is the same for all CSU campuses, however the cost of attendance does vary by campus due to the addition of campus mandatory fees,” Hetherington wrote in an email to Mustang News. “These fees are set by each campus. They are the reason why the cost of attendance at Cal Poly is more than other CSU campuses.”

BROUGHT TO LIGHT

DESPITE CITY FOCUS ON LIGHTING, ONLY ONE NEW STREET LIGHT PROJECTED TO BE INSTALLED IN 2019

BY JORDAN DELFS

It was 8:03 p.m. Dusk had settled in, but not so much that one’s eyes could adjust to the darkness. Industrial technology and packaging juniors Ben Simon and Ryan Meffert stood on Hathway Avenue talking on the sidewalk. As they were talking, a biker rode by on the other side of the street. The flicker of his bike light caught their eyes and they followed it for a second. After turning back to their conversation, they heard brakes screeching in the direction the biker was headed. A car had narrowly missed hitting the biker as it pulled out from its spot parked along the street. The darkness of Hathway had enveloped the biker — despite his bike lights — and left him vulnerable to the dangers of the unlit streets. San Luis Obispo City officials said they have heard complaints of 16 places where lights are needed around Hathway Avenue, but they are only planning, for now, to install one new light. “This is disappointing — one light a year is not going to do anything,” Meffert said. “I feel like they could at least put in a little more effort with the budgeting for that. To have them conclude to put up only one street light is upsetting.” Mayor Heidi Harmon published a letter in Mustang News prior to her re-election. In this letter, Harmon acknowledged the student community by recognizing their complaints and requests for new lighting. “Many students also expressed concerns about their safety and sexual assault,” Harmon wrote. “That is why in my first year as your mayor, I kept my promise and tripled the city’s street light budget to create new street lights and cut branches from blocking existing light sources.” Although this sounds promising, in an email to Mustang News, Harmon explained the plans for the lighting budget in detail. There are currently 16 locations in queue for new street lights. These locations are determined by request and how well they conform to city standards. Despite Harmon’s campaign platform, which emphasized her understanding of students’ desire for safety, the budget allocated only allows for one to two new street light locations per year. At this budget’s rate, it could take as many as eight to 16 years just to address the locations that have already been identified. Currently, the one planned light with budget allocation will be at the corner of Hathway and Via Carta in Spring 2019. “It’s crazy how a place so densely populated with students, where safety is such a huge concern, isn’t seeing basic or adequate lighting,” biological sciences junior Hannah Barta said. “I shouldn’t feel

unsafe on a five-minute walk home at 7 p.m.” Barta lives on Hathway and said she believes the lighting situation needs to be appropriately addressed. “It’s frustrating because there is an idea that the city is taking action to do what is safe for us, but there is still nothing being done,” Barta said. “I appreciate [Harmon’s] listening and initial effort, but I definitely think there’s more that could be done and more action taken in a timely manner, especially since she made it such a big part of her

It’s crazy how a place so densely populated with students, where safety is such a huge concern, isn’t seeing basic or adequate lighting. I shouldn’t feel unsafe on a five-minute walk home at 7 p.m.

platform.” As students leave campus and turn on the corner of Via Carta onto Hathway, many can be seen pulling out their phones and either calling someone to have a familiar voice accompany them through the dark or using their flashlights to illuminate the sidewalk in front of them. “I almost always call someone when I am walking home,” Barta said. “Sometimes, I literally pass by my friends and don’t even recognize them because it is so dark.” Meffert and Simon voiced their concerns with the current situation and proposed lighting plan. Meffert, who rides his skateboard to and from campus, said he has nearly been hit by a car several times — despite lights on his board and backpack — or ran over a rock or pothole and almost lost his balance. Simon said cars often do not see pedestrians either. “It’s bad for everyone — cars can’t see on the sidewalks, and there’s usually large packs of people walking,” Simon said. “It’s too easy to not see what’s on the sidewalks or what’s in the street.” Civil engineering sophomore Jenny Dyer researched the lighting situation and conducted a survey to understand current standards and feelings surrounding the issue. “I wanted to research this topic because when I walk home I get super sketched out,” Dyer said. “I am in the library until 11 or 12 every night, and I change the way I walk home and add five to 10 minutes on my walk just because I care about my safety.” Dyer found that while 84 percent of Cal Poly students walked on Hathway at night, an even greater 91 percent felt unsafe walking home due to the lack of lighting, and a whopping 95 percent said they would feel safer if there were more lights

on the street. According to her research, Hathway Avenue is 2,176 feet from start to finish, starting behind the Recreation Center and stretching to Campus Bottle. There are seven LED lights along this path, each giving off a diameter of 60 feet of light. This information reveals that despite the plans for a new light, there will still be roughly 1,700 feet of darkness. Dyer contests Harmon’s plan because she believes one light per year is not enough — particularly

the installation on Hathway and Via Carta. “This is an attempt to solve the problem, but it’s only going to fix one tiny section,” Dyer said. “Most people use almost all of Hathway or different unlit sections off of Hath[way] to get home.” Dyer said being a woman makes the situation worse for her, not knowing who or what is in the dark and not being sure of how well she could fight someone off. “I know [Harmon] was trying to appeal to people, but this is just an attempt to grant peoples’ wishes without fixing the problem,” Dyer said. University Spokesperson Matt Lazier said that Cal Poly is doing what it can. However, as a public agency, the university is only capable of advocating for policies within their jurisdiction. In an email to Mustang News, Lazier explained that Cal Poly is required by the City of San Luis Obispo to install lighting along the sidewalks on Slack Street as it borders the yakʔitʸutʸu living community. He said the university will also be adding a new street light at the corner of Grand Avenue and Slack Street for improved lighting at that intersection and along that walkway in order to comply with city standard spacing requirements. In addition, Cal Poly will also replace the existing lighting along Slack Street as it borders the newly developed living community. Lazier also said this was an agreement made in relation to the development of yakʔitʸutʸu. It remains unknown if Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo will continue to take action at other locations in response to the pleas of the community. “I also feel like behind the Rec[reation Center] is one of the most well-lit areas,” Simon said. “There has to be something more they can do.”

FROM #BLACKLIVESMATTER TO BLACK LIBERATION

INCLUSION STARTS WITH ME TEACH IN CONCLUDES WITH KEYNOTE FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR

BY LAURYN LUESCHER

Author and assistant professor at Princeton University Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor spoke about black politics, social movements and racial inequality at the Performing Arts Center on Feb. 21 to conclude the Inclusion Starts With Me Teach In series, which focused on diversity and inclusion. Taylor is the author of “From #BlackLives- Matter to Black Liberation.” According to Associate Dean for Diversity and Curriculum Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, the Political Science Department chose Taylor to be the event’s signature speaker because of her reputation as a renowned public speaker and the topics her works explore. “We always try to pick someone who is both renowned in their field and also someone who is current and talking about important things,” Teramoto Pedrotti said. “We make sure that we have different perspectives that the students can relate to and she seemed to fit all of those different categories.” Prior to Taylor’s appearance at Cal Poly, students and faculty engaged in a book circle to get familiar with her work before the presentation. During her speech, Taylor talked about the current political climate and its effects regarding racial, social and economic inequalities. Taylor said that while having people in politics who represent what we want and need is crucial, social movements are also a key factor in making a change in society. “Movements not only create the possibility

of changing our material conditions by exerting the force of many upon the intransitives of the few, but social movements create arenas were we ourselves can be transformed,” Taylor said. “The mass movement breaks us from the isolation of everyday life.” Journalism freshman Kiersten Stevens said that the presentation really held her attention and that she found the issues discussed to be very relatable. “Taylor was really inspiring and grasped the attention of [the] audience really well,” Stevens said. “My favorite part was when she talked about how the country is run by people that have money and have never faced the problems that most Americans face.” In regards to Cal Poly’s climate, Taylor said students need to talk about politics and ideas together in order to figure out what is going on in the world. “Activists don’t come from activist heaven,” Taylor said. “Activists are made and created through not just struggle but connection and reading and understanding.” Teramoto Pedrotti said her biggest takeaway from the speech was when Taylor talked about not limiting your possibilities. “I think one of my favorite things about working on a university campus is that students are very idealistic, which is a wonderful thing, and I think for me it helps me to not put limits on what I think can be done,” Teramoto Pedrotti said. “I think that’s partly what Dr. Taylor was saying last night — to not limit yourself by what you think can be done before you try something, or before you ask for something, or before you demand

something, and I thought that was very powerful.” Teramoto Pedrotti said she was heartened by the turnout from both faculty and students and their participation in Taylor’s presentation. “I think that really kind of reflects the interest students have in hearing different perspectives and also our continued value for diversity and inclusion on this campus,” Teramoto Pedrotti. Taylor concluded her speech by saying that we cannot create a change in this world unless we work together to create a change. “Once you have caught a glimpse of freedom or tasted a bit of self-determination you can’t go back to the old ways established under a racist, capitalist regime,” Taylor said. “Another world is possible, but we are the only ones who can create it. No one is coming to save us — we must join together to save ourselves.”

SHABANG ANNOUNCES START OF SPRING LINEUP

BY KAILEY O’CONNELL

Ticket sales for Shabang Reborn, a San Luis Obispo music and arts festival became available Monday, Feb. 25. The festival will return to Laguna Lake Park May 4, providing event-goers with three amplified stages and more than 25 live acts until the sun goes down. Ticket prices will increase from $28 to $32 online before the festival, where tickets will be $35 at the door. Hosted by local production groups Respect the Funk and SubSessions, Shabang began in 2014 as a small Cuesta Ridge concert. Now, it has become a bi-annual festival, attended by 4,000 people in Fall 2018. Graphic communication junior and Shabang volunteer coordinator intern Celine Do has attended the festival three times, and anticipates the number of attendees to double this spring. “It’s a very unique experience that you can only get in San Luis Obispo,” Do said. “There is a lively and carefree atmosphere that makes the event something to look forward to.”

Cal Poly alumnus and Respect the Funk founder Nate Doherty said Shabang has transformed into a cornerstone of San Luis Obispo music culture. “Shabang Reborn is going to be a multiverse of different environments and experiences that will reflect the amazing features of our town, San Luis Obispo,” Doherty said. “Expect a day of wonder and adventure as we all work to create something truly amazing.” Doherty and other Respect the Funk members will direct the creative vision for the upcoming festival. According to Doherty, attendees can expect secret parties, mobile art cars, art installations, games and performing artists. Business administration senior and Co-founder of SubSessions Wes Berger said he looks forward to playing a larger role in creative planning, marketing, booking and stage management for Shabang. “I am most excited to see the audience’s response to seeing what Respect the Funk and the San Luis Obispo community are capable of at this point in time,” Berger said. “I think this is a beginning for a lot of very big things to come on the Central Coast.” Not only does Shabang offer a platform for young artists to showcase their ideas, but also an opportunity for volunteer nonprofit organizations. The festival donated a portion of their proceeds to San Luis Obispo County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in the fall. “I’m most excited to see how many people get involved this year and to see how we can give back to [San Luis Obispo],” Do said.

BUILDING A SURFBOARD OUT OF RECYCLED WOOD FROM THE PISMO BEACH PIER

**This will be the first board Malachi Edland has made, and he has spent hours researching the best techniques for the smoothest ride.**
EMILY MERTEN | MUSTANG NEWS

In Summer 2018, during the reconstruction of the Pismo Beach Pier, old wooden planks from the original pier were put up for sale. Aerospace engineering junior Malachi Edland did not want to put these good resources to waste. Already having an old foam surfboard at home, Edland decided to upcycle the board using those wood planks. “They were literally throwing them away,” Edland said. “It was cool because when I went, I got one of the last ones.” The old pier was constructed in the 1920s and refurbished in the 1980s, making it decades old. Edland bought two 10-foot long planks of wood and strapped them to the top of his car. Wood that was once walked on by thousands of tourists and locals will now be walked on by just Edland in the form of a longboard — and he said he plans to surf it right next to the new pier. The first time Edland went surfing was at Pismo Beach on a foam surfboard with encouragement from his friends. While school and work can be overwhelming for Edland, he still makes time to get in the water. “It’s always nice because you feel like you’re improving every time,” Edland said. Over winter break, Edland decided to put his plan into action and set up a workspace in his bedroom. He spends his downtime

shaping and gluing the individual pieces of wood. This will be the first board Edland has made, and he has spent hours researching the best techniques for the smoothest ride. “It is pretty calculated,” Edland said. “It’s not like I’m using some random glue. I’ve looked at a lot of articles on building surfboards. There’s all these things that you wouldn’t think about that much.” Edland has spent countless hours and money dedicated to perfecting the board. With a budget of around $900, Edland believes what he will gain will exceed the monetary cost. “I think getting experience out of something is worth so much more,” Edland said. “I could go out and buy a surfboard if I wanted to, but that’s not really the point, so much as kind of making something myself.” This surfboard is not the first of Edland’s creations. His passion for construction has allowed him to build many pieces in his bedroom and customize them to his liking. This includes his desk, a shelf that fits his computer perfectly and even his own bed frame — which has a television attached to it. When asked why someone should bother with the investment of making a board rather than buying one, Edland said there is a lot more thrill in using something you have made yourself. “You could go out and buy something and know that someone engineered it in a great

way, but I didn’t come here to buy things other people made,” Edland said. “I came to Cal Poly to make stuff. When I go out in the industry, sure it’d be great if I learn from Cal Poly what plane to buy or what space company to trust — but at the end of the day, what I came here to do is to go make those things.” Though the process has been long and tedious, Edland said he loves every minute. He often sets up items to glue before class, work and sleep, constantly making slow and steady progress toward his long term goal of completion. “It’s really a gratifying experience even for how much of a mess I made in my apartment,” Edland said. “People complain about work all the time like it’s a bad thing. Even with my major, people will talk about school like it’s something you have to get through. Honestly, it’s one of the best times in our lives. If there’s ever a time I was going to make a surfboard and go ride it, it would be here at this school.” Most professional surfboard shapers calculate every inch and ridge for the best maximum performance. But Edland’s main goal is simply for his board to float. “I really wanted it to be something I could do myself,” Edland said. “That’s the cool thing about it. Even if it’s not going to be perfect, I did it all on my own. As long as it doesn’t sink.”

**WAY TO WELLNESS**
EMILY MERTEN | MUSTANG NEWS

UNUSUAL HIKING SPOTS IN SLO

BY EMILY WERNER

Emily Werner is a kinesiology senior and ASI Student Manager of Fitness and Wellness.

Bob Jones Trail

This paved, 5-mile trail starts at Ontario Road where you can park at the park-and-ride lot. Along this walk or run to the ocean, you will pass by hundreds of mature oaks, vineyards, and a playground. There are numerous benches along the way where you can stop and enjoy the fresh air. This trail is ideal during the rainy season as it is paved. Along the trail, you will pass by dogs on their daily walks, babies in strollers, and even some rollerbladers. To get to the start of the trail: Exit U.S. Highway 101 at Avila Beach and head west. Turn right on Ontario Road (Avila Hot Springs). Go past the KOA campground and you will see a parking lot off to the right. The trail starts right across the street.

Johnson Ranch

Right off Highway 101, this 3.7-mile loop of open space is a great place to get away from your busy schedule. This hike is not too strenuous and is accessible for all fitness levels. You can even pack a picnic and stop halfway on a grassy patch and enjoy the peaceful scenery. To get to the trailhead: From San Luis Obispo, take Highway 101 south to exit 198 for Higuera Street. At the bottom of a horseshoe bend in the off-ramp, turn left into a parking area for Johnson Ranch.

Reservoir Canyon

If you are looking for a challenging, longer hike, Reservoir Canyon is perfect for you. This 5.4-mile hike ascends 1,350 feet to breathtaking views of the entire city of San Luis Obispo. Along the path, you will pass by waterfalls, bridges, and see amazing views of the Santa Lucia Mountains. To get to the trailhead: From downtown San Luis Obispo, take Highway 101 North for approximately two miles to Reservoir Canyon Road (an easy-to-miss road connecting to the freeway). Turn right and drive half a mile to the trailhead parking area at the road’s end.

OPINION

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

THE REAL IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS

BY LILLY LEIF

Lilly Leif is an English sophomore. The views expressed in this letter to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News. This letter has been edited for clarity.

In a time where social media controls so much of what we are trained to believe, want, and think, few people have more power on us than influencers. While the internet used to be a place to watch mindless Youtube videos, it is now a place where you can broadcast to anyone who will tune in about your entire life. We are constantly refreshing and scrolling to see what we’re missing out on, and who better to inform us of what the latest trends are than Instagram influencers. Simply put, Instagram influencers are those who have proven their credibility by accumulating masses of followers to showcase the exquisite food, unique destinations, and insane activities they experience. However, this culture

of influencers has led to a toxic following of social media users who blindly devote their lives to these influencers. This following has also proven to have several negative psychological effects. Perhaps one of the most iconic examples of the power that influencers have on millennials is the disastrous Fyre Festival. Recently, both Netflix and Hulu released documentaries breaking down what exactly this event was and where it went wrong. Essentially, Fyre Festival was supposed to be a glamorous music festival in the Bahamas with the biggest names in music, luxury villas, food, and two million dollars worth of alcohol. While little to no details were released about the festival, its creators were still able to sell roughly ten thousand tickets with luxury packages ranging from $500 to $100,000. How were they able to do so? All due to the magical powers of Instagram influencers. The creators of the festival gathered a handful of the world’s most powerful influencers and shot footage of them partying in the Bahamas. After, each was paid to post one photo on Instagram promoting Fyre Festival. Kendall Jenner was paid $250,000 to simply post one picture informing her followers that Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music would be headlining the festival, prompting thousands

This culture of influencers has led to a toxic following of social media users who blindly devote their lives to these influencers.

to believe that Kanye himself would be performing. Countless other big names like Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin advertised the festival. From that point on, tickets sold Wthemselves. Millennials were entranced by the lifestyle they could have at this festival and wanted so badly to fit in. With a simple post, thousands of people were absolutely hooked by the idea that they too could live the same life as an influencer for the weekend, despite the evident lack of planning or details about Fyre Festival. When the festival ended in disaster, many were left wondering how so many people bought into the ludicrous idea. It all came down to the power of social media. What happens when we are so caught up in how others are living their lives, desperately trying to follow in influencers footsteps? The Royal Society for Public Health published a study ranking various social media platforms and their effects on mental health, and Instagram ranked last among these platforms due to its higher correlation with depression,

anxiety, FOMO, and negative self-identify. Influencers sell nothing but a lifestyle unattainable without copious amounts of money. In fact, the influencer market has a two-billion dollar value now. We fail to recognize that these influencers are making huge sums of money for promoting that lifestyle. There is a very unfair advantage despite the nonchalance with which influencers project their lavish lifestyles. Obviously, influencers have the freedom to do these amazing things simply because brands are paying them to. That is the deceit that lies in influencer culture. Clearly, it would be unfair to compare the average person to someone like an Instagram influencer due to the massive financial discrepancy. This ultimately feeds into negative self-perceptions as people sit and wonder why they can’t attain a following, or constantly go cliff diving and eat $15 acai bowls every day. Most average people don’t receive brand deals and paid promotions. So why are we so easily influenced by people over social media? We sit around scrolling on our phones, living our mediocre lives so when we see all these beautiful people doing the unattainable, naturally we want to be like them. When we see these people having the time of their lives, we feel worse about ourselves and strive to mimic them. I’m sure

we’ve all gone somewhere just for the geotag, or posted a picture of our aesthetically pleasing food despite how mediocre it tasted in actuality. Or perhaps gone to a party, lingered by the wall and taken a few snapchats while “Sicko Mode” plays for the fifth time. As long as our phones are present, we don’t have to be. While we scroll through our Instagram feeds, seeing all the people that we are led to believe are living better lives than us, it is difficult to not feel lonely or lesser. I, for one, am aware I feed into this culture sometimes. Of course, I feel down when I see someone vacationing in Santorini telling me I can have that life if I buy a certain brand of coconut water that tastes

like soggy cardboard. Instead, I’m cramming for a midterm and shotgunning another coffee in my tiny overpriced apartment. Even in the process of writing this article, I have paused at least twenty times to check social media as if my life depended on it. However, it’s important to remember that a fulfilling life does not require flaunting our paid promotions, and that there’s nothing wrong with feeling upset or confused about what direction our lives are going. We’re in college and none of us have everything figured out. So next time you see someone telling you how healing crystals can change your life, remember you’re getting a college degree and it’s okay to feel dissatisfied from time to time.

**SLO Craft Beer Fest hosted more than 2,500 guests and 50 businesses on Feb. 22 and 23.**
CAROLYNE SYSMANS | MUSTANG NEW

BEERS, BRATS & BOOTHS

BEER FEST HOSTS 50+ BUSINESSES

BY MICHAELA BARROS

Live music, unlimited beer and food drew in more than 2,500 people to the ninth annual SLO Beer Craft Festival at the Alex Madonna Expo Center on Feb. 22 and 23. More than 50 businesses showcased their beer and food. The fest included a wide variety of both new and veteran businesses. Libertine Brewing Co., for example, has attended for three years. Jen Jacobsen of Libertine said she loves the event’s emphasis on local breweries. “Our company strives to do local events all the time. We are a part of wine and beer programs with everyone in this area. So that’s the biggest thing I think, to get everyone to shop local.” Head organizer Mike Gasbarra said he has noticed people have higher expectations for their craft beer and food than they seemed to have in the past. “I think that interest in craft beer has definitely increased over the years. People expect more from their food and drinks than in the past. They care about where they’re made, how they’re made, and that they’re fresh and flavorful,” Gasbarra wrote in an email to Mustang News. Bang the Drum, BarrelHouse Brewing SLO, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, SLO Brew and Central Coast Brewing

company were only a small selection of the distilleries at the Expo. Restaurants Fatte’s Pizza, Woodstock’s Pizza, Just Baked, Sweet Zulu and the Greasy Wiener provided unlimited sliders, pizza slices, sausages and cupcakes. The event attracted a wide range of age groups. Many Cal Poly students spent the weekend at the festival. Kinesiology senior Chelsea Barry said she appreciated the event’s affordability. “I think that the SLO Craft Beer Fest is a great opportunity for young adults and also older populations to come here and have beer and food that’s unlimited at a reasonable price all at one location. It’s a really fun atmosphere,” Barry said. Gasbarra wrote that this year the festival added a large tented area outside of the Expo to offer an alternative area to hang out. He wrote that the new tent addition was well received and that he was very satisfied with the festival’s outcome this year. “I think people had a great time and maybe learned a couple of new things about craft beer. That’s what we hope for each year. It didn’t hurt that the weather was perfect!” Gasbarra wrote. “In the future we hope to continue to offer people a chance to learn a little more about craft beer in an interactive way.”

WOMEN'S GOLF'S ELIZABETH SCHOLTES

BY BRIAN TRUONG, KYLE HAR & PRERNA ANEJA

Freshman Elizabeth Scholtes tied for first place in Cal Poly Women’s Golf ’s second place finish at the Battle at the Rock in Riverside on Feb. 11. The Alameda, California native has a 74.1 scoring average with four rounds of par or better.

Mustang News: What got you into playing golf? Elizabeth Scholtes: One of my friends invited me to play in Nike’s Junior Golf camp over the summer, and I just really enjoyed it. So I kept it up after that. I was 12.

MN: That seems like a late age to start playing a sport.

ES: Yeah, I started kinda late, but I really enjoyed it, so I just kept working at it. It was just something I was really passionate about.

MN: What made you choose to come to Cal Poly?

ES: Other than the phenomenal academics, I really love the people here and I love the town. MN: What do you like about practice? ES: I kind of like being alone sometimes. It gives me time to reflect while putting myself in something and working toward a goal. MN: What keeps you wanting to play golf? ES: Golf is actually really frustrating, but there are always one or two shots every round that just feel really good. I feel like it’s those shots that make me want to keep playing, just so that I can keep having those good shots, even though that doesn’t happen.

MN: What frustrates you about golf and how do you handle the frustration?

ES: You want the shot to be perfect, but most of the time, that doesn’t happen. So it’s frustrating when you don’t execute properly. I know that being frustrated or angry at the shot that I just hit isn’t going to help me with the next shot, so I just have to move forward and move on from what happened.

MN: What’s been your biggest obstacle so far?

ES: I think my biggest obstacle has been balancing school and golf. I love golf, but school is also really important. Studying while missing midterms and traveling has been really difficult for me and something I have had to adjust to.

MN: You had a 4.69 GPA in high school while playing golf. Has that been harder to keep up in college?

ES: It was definitely easier in high school because I wasn’t missing many midterms or big tests that are worth so much of my grade. But I think that the professors here are a lot more accommodating and the tutoring that is available to me has been really helpful, which makes it easier for me. Like this next week, I’m missing three days of class and I’m missing two midterms, so I have to figure out how to plan for all that and reschedule everything.

MN: What were your goals coming into Cal Poly in golf and life in general?

ES: The main reason I wanted to play golf in college is because I knew that it was something I couldn’t give up. I love competing and always improving, so I didn’t have a specific

goal when I came here, but I know that whatever I learn through golf can be applied to other parts of my life. I think that’s a big reason why I decided to come here. I guess the goal would be to learn more about myself and how I can improve in golf and other parts of my life.

MN: What’s your mindset like on the course? Like what’s going through your mind on the course?

ES: Our coach has been working with us a lot on what we think from shot to shot and in between holes. I really try not to think about golf while I’m walking from shot to shot. Something that my coach told me a while ago was to sing the ABC’s backward, so I’ve become pretty good at doing that. Another thing I think about is my next shot, like what do I need to do to execute it the way I want to. I really try not to think about the outcomes as much as the execution of the actual shots. MN: What’s been your favorite moment at Cal Poly so far? ES: It didn’t exactly happen to me, but a few days ago, my roommate got chased by turkeys. She was very traumatized by that, and I just find it really funny. I’ve had a few encounters with turkeys before, so I’m just waiting for it to happen to me.

MN: What’s your favorite breed of dog? We’ve heard you really love dogs.

ES: Oh my gosh! I love dogs. So I have a Brittany spaniel, so I feel like I have to say that my favorite type of dog is Brittany.

MN: But if you could have any type of dog…

ES: I think golden retrievers are really, really nice and sweet. Yeah, every time I see a dog, I’m like, “Oh my gosh! A dog!” That’s another thing I think about when I’m on the golf course. If I’m unhappy or something, I think about my dog. At home. Sleeping.

MEN’S BASKETBALL UPSETS HAWAI’I FOR SECOND CONFERENCE WIN

BY NAYTHAN BRYANT

Cal Poly Men’s Basketball pulled off an 88-80 upset victory against University of Hawai’i on Saturday, Feb. 23. The victory is not only the second conference win of the season for Cal Poly, but comes after a loss to the same opponent just nine days prior. Senior point guard Donovan Fields registered a game-high 28 points as the team shot 14-24 from the threepoint range to secure the home-court victory. Hawai’i forward Zigmars Raimo opened the scoring with a jump shot from the field seconds into the game. However, six points from Fields within the opening three minutes propelled a 9-5 lead for Cal Poly (6-19, 2-10 Big West). After a 7-0 run by the Rainbow Warriors (16-11, 7-6 Big West), freshman forward Daxton Carr hit a deep three-pointer to even the score at 12- 12. According to head coach Joe Callero, Hawai’i is one of the best teams in the west coast when it comes to on-ball defense. As a result of Cal Poly’s 74-47 loss to UC Irvine on Feb. 21, the Mustangs were forced to make some adjustments

to their attack. “We tried to push the pace and fastbreak a little bit more,” Callero said. “If we didn’t have that, we tried to attack off the second or third pass without a screen. The third thing, we said we have to establish a post-game by throwing the ball into [Garoza], [Jaakkola] and [Hollingsworth] and letting them go one-on-one in the post. Fortunately, all those things helped us.” From that point, the match was evened six different times until the halftime whistle was blown. With twelve combined lead changes in the first half alone, neither side could mount a lead greater than five points without the opposing team pulling themselves back within range. Field’s layup with just over a minute left in the half saw the game even at 38-38. Yet, Hawai’i converted at the last opportunity with a jump shot, concluding the first half with a 40-38 lead. In the half, Fields went 4-8 from the field for nine points. Sophomore forward Karlis Goroza and Carr each added six points.

While the Mustangs carried a deficit into halftime, senior guard Marcellus Garrick said the team never lost their confidence and energy.

“We said that if we can keep the same energy that we had in the first half, in the second half, we’d win the game,” Garrick said. “And that’s what we did.” That energy was apparent at the start of the second half, when Garrick and Fields each knocked down three-point shots to give Cal Poly a 46-40 lead. However, Hawai’i pulled within one point on three separate occasions. A three-pointer from Brocke Stepteau brought the score to 49-50 at the 15 minute mark. One minute later, Stepteau’s layup positioned Hawai’i within one-point yet again, this time at 51-52. A 14-5 run by Cal Poly granted them the first and only double-digit lead of the game at 66-56 with 10:00 remaining. However, the back-andforth nature of the match stayed consistent. Hawai’i’s Samuta Avea converted a pair of free throws with just over five minutes left to bring the score within one-point for the final time. That is when Fields, Garrick and sophomore wing Mark Crowe each knocked down vital three-point shots with minutes left on the clock. After the Mustangs added two free throws from

Carr and a layup from junior guard Job Alexander, the final score concluded at 88-80. Fields said he hopes the win will serve as momentum for the Mustangs leading up to their finals set of conference games. “It’s definitely a big win for us, especially since we’re chasing UC Riverside by three wins, so now we have two,” Fields said. “We just have to keep racking up these wins and hopefully this will give us a lot of momentum for these last couple games.” Fields led the Mustangs with a game-high 28 points and added four assists. Garrick went 4-7 from the three-point range for 16 points. Carr followed up with 10 points off the bench for the Mustangs. By the end of the match, Cal Poly recorded season-highs in four different categories - total points, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and three-point shots converted. Following their victory, Callero said he believes Cal Poly is capable beating anyone in the Big West Conference. “If you work on your craft, I don’t care if you’re a musician or an artist, if you believe in your craft and you have confidence in it and you put time in it, eventually you weather the storm,” Callero said “And I think our guys weathered the storm tonight and got through the other side.” The Mustangs are back on the road for their next match against Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, Feb. 28.

TEAM EFFORT IN SCORING LEADS TO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL’S WIN

BY BRIAN TRUONG

Cal Poly Women’s Basketball snapped a fourgame losing streak with a 69-58 win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Feb. 23. Through an all-around team effort in scoring, the Mustangs (5-18, 2-10 Big West) broke out in the second half to take down the Titans (12- 12, 4-7), who were coming fresh off of ending their own six-game losing streak. “After that Thursday game, it was tough for us,” Vesela said, referencing the Mustangs’ loss in double overtime on Thursday, Feb. 21. “We were all sad and kind of mad, but that fueled us for this game.” The matchup against Cal State Fullerton remained scoreless for the first 3:30, until Cal Poly broke out to a 4-0 lead after a layup by senior center Devin Stanback and a jump shot by junior forward Hana Vesela. The Titans went on a scoring run to take a 6-4 lead. Sophomore guard Malia Holt broke up the run to even the score and added a layup to give the Mustangs a 10-8 lead. A three-pointer by the Titans’ Hannah Thompson gave Cal State Fullerton a 11-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Junior forward Alicia Roufosse opened the scoring in the second quarter to retake the lead for the Mustangs at 12-11. Cal State Fullerton kept firing from beyond the arc, stringing three three-pointers to continue to contest Cal Poly’s lead. Freshman guard Maddie Willet’s jumper pushed the Mustangs’ lead to 21-17 with 5:40 until halftime. Another three-pointer by Thompson helped the Titans cut the Mustangs’ lead down to 28-27 at halftime. “The third quarter has been a problem for us, but I think we really adjusted,” Vesela said. “I think it was the energy. We just really wanted to come out strong and to make a statement, and we did.” The Mustangs held the Titans scoreless while building a 9-0 run in the opening 2:30 of the second half. Cal State Fullerton finally got on the board with 7:11 left in the quarter, but Vesela responded to maintain the Mustangs’ lead at 39-29. “In the second half i was focused on being open and finding windows and other teammates for their shots,” Vesela said. “It was really nice to be up there and being hyped.” Back-and-forth scoring allowed the Titans to close the Mustangs’ lead to 43-36 with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter. Titan guard Raina Perez made two layups in the Titans’ 6-1 run to cut the Mustangs’ lead down to just 44-40 at the end of the third quarter. However, Cal Poly pulled away again in the fourth quarter. Vesela opened the scoring with a jumper for a 46-40 Cal Poly lead. Vesela added two more jump shots to build a 54-45 lead with 7:03 remaining in the fourth quarter, and

the Mustangs never looked back. Cal Poly held its largest lead of 13 points with 4:30 left in the game. Vesela and Roufosse both scored 10 points each in the final frame, as Cal Poly took the 69-58 win. “It was pretty fast-paced but it was just a lot of fun, going in there, playing my game and trying to contribute as much as I can to help us win,” Roufosse said. “I was just enjoying every moment of it.” Roufosse lead the Mustangs and tied her career-high with 17 points. She went 6-12 from the field and picked up seven rebounds coming off the bench for the Mustangs. “I was just seeing a lot of open looks,” Roufosse said.” It was from quick ball rotations and all the players were being really selfless, making that extra pass so that really helped me get open.” The Mustangs outscored the Titans 41-31 in the second half. Cal Poly’s highest point total in 10 games was due to contributions from all across the roster. Nine of the 11 Cal Poly players got on the score sheet. “When you have the points spread, shared, amongst different players, then they’re all figuring out ways that they can make their contributions,” Minaugh said. “No one is forcing the ball, that is really what I felt was obvious today, that we had really good flow.” The win moves Cal Poly into a tie for last place in the Big West Conference with UC Santa Barbara (6-20, 3-10). Looking to take the last spot in the Big West Tournament, the Mustangs will travel to play the Gauchos in a must-win matchup on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m.