C AL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO ’S NE WS SOURCE
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IF SLO GOES DARK
Public safety power shutoffs have affected nearly 1 million PG&E customers so far. Here’s what would happen if it affected Cal Poly.
OCTOBER 29, 2019
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HARMON ENDORSES SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT
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Austin Linthicum
President, Mustang Media Group & Editor in Chief, Mustang News
Cassandra Garibay
Danielle Lee
Emily Merten
Sam Spitz
NEWS Sabrina Pascua Editor Stephanie Zappelli Assistant Editor Rose Romero Ashley Ladin Michael Barros Maureen McNamara Hailey Nagma Ryan Burr Kylie Smith Lauren Walike Natalie Young Ethan Telles Colleen Margaret Bateman Sadie Rhen Aidan McGloin
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IN THIS ISSUE
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SPO R TS Naythan Bryant Editor Kyle Har Adam Birder Diego Sandoval Jack Clark Garrett Brown Alyssa Tierney Jordana Ginsburg Gabriel Arditti Brian Truong Sydney Finkel
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Social Media Director
PH OTO Carolyne Sysmans Editor Diego Rivera Kyle Calzia Alison Chavez Connor Frost Sofia Clark Jack Sann Andy Sherar Rachel Arabia Caroline Sliva Kylie Kowalske Luke Deal
KYLIE KOWALSKE | MUSTANG NEWS
Harmon said she was inspired by Sanders to run for mayor and campaigned for him in 2016.
CO P Y Amanda Simonich Francisco Martinez Eddie Railsback
BY LAUREN WALIKE
D ESI GN Solena Aguilar Director Von Balanon Samantha Shin Lucy Houghton Sophie Kroesche SO C I A L Lauryn Luescher Miranda Knight Kelsey Luvisa Cammy Okmin A DV ERT I SI N G & PR Alyssa O’Halloran Manager Victoria Coen Assistant Manager Shannon Weiss Assistant Manager Rachel Marquardt PR Manager Steven Nguyen Design Manager Justin Vermeltfoort HR Manager Grant Mitchell Distribution Manager Max Jenkins Ad Designer Elaine Do Ad Designer Von Balanon Ad Designer A DV I SO RS Jon Schlitt Student Media Manager Pat Howe Advisor Brady Teufel Advisor
4 What will happen in the event of a public safety power shutoff
San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) for president Tuesday, Oct. 22. Harmon joined more than 40 elected and previously elected officials across California, according to a news release from the Sanders campaign. Other mayors who have endorsed Sanders include Jesse Arreguin (Berkeley, Alameda County), Rochelle Pardue-Okimoto (El Cerrito, Contra Costa County) and Jose Gurrola (Arvin, Kern County). “We are proud to have the endorsement of some of California’s most progressive and dedicated elected officials and party leaders,” the campaign’s California director Rafael Návar said in the news release. “Grassroots change begins in our own counties and neighborhoods, and I have no doubt that with these leaders on our side, Bernie Sanders will become the next President of the United States.” Harmon said she campaigned for
6 It’s fire season in California, how can students be prepared?
Sanders unofficially even before his campaign began, and she said she was inspired by him to run for office. “In many ways, I wouldn’t be mayor of San Luis Obispo if it wasn’t for Bernie,” Harmon said in an interview with Mustang News. “I think it’s been great to have really dynamic and multilayered candidates, but I believe that Bernie is the right choice.” Harmon said she endorsed Sanders because he aligns with her values and others who “put people over profit.” “[Sanders] has been a voice and a leader on the social, economic, gender and environmental justice issues I care about,” Harmon tweeted. “I trust him to be the leader we need now more than ever.” Harmon’s endorsement is not the first time she has supported the Vermont senator’s presidential efforts. Prior to her election as mayor, Harmon was a Sanders delegate at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. While she said she was honored to be
8 Director of the cross cultural center moves on from Cal Poly
10 North Mountain custodian make students feel at home
a delegate for Sanders, Harmon said the convention itself was disappointing and highlighted the problematic nature of both the Democratic and Republican parties. “By the time we got to the convention, we had confirmation that the Democratic National Committee had done everything in their power to ensure that Bernie wouldn’t be the candidate,” Harmon said. “I think we all knew then that Hillary [Clinton] had no chance of winning.” At the local level, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), whose district covers both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties and parts of Ventura County, endorsed former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke in June. Harmon joins an already expansive list of politicians endorsing Sanders’ campaign. Most notably, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) both endorsed Sanders on Oct. 16 and Oct. 19, respectively. California will hold voting for the Democratic Party primary March 3, 2020.
15 The numbers behind the blue-green rivalry
INCIDENT NOT CONSIDERED HAZING AFTER INVESTIGATION BY UNIVERSITY Cal Poly says Beta Theta Ii leaders not aware of waterboarding incident BY RYAN BURR Cal Poly confirmed that a video shot in September 2018 showing a student being waterboarded at a Beta Theta Pi satellite house does not depict hazing, according to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier. Fraternity recruits were not involved, Lazier said, and the event shown did not take place at a registered fraternity gathering. The incident took place before Interfraternity Council recruitment started for the year. In addition, the university found no evidence that student leaders of the chapter were aware of the events shown in the video when it was shot. The Dean of Students Office began investigating in late September
2019 after the waterboarding video surfaced. Beta Theta Pi as a whole is not currently under investigation, and Cal Poly is unable to comment on investigations into individual students due to privacy laws. “Where misconduct has occurred, the university applies appropriate sanctions aimed at holding students accountable; educating them; and helping them to stay safe and healthy and to avoid future violations of university policies,” Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News. Architectural engineering senior Michael Trunko originally sent the video to Mustang News. He said the alleged hazing was not an isolated incident. In an interview with Mustang News, residents of the house did not comment on if waterboarding had occurred at other times.
Cal Poly Beta leadership was not available for comment. Hazing is defined by the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities as any activity that causes physical or emotional harm, degradation or humiliation during initiation into a student organization. “Hazing is not tolerated in our campus community,” Lazier wrote in the statement. “Cal Poly takes the health and safety of its students very seriously, and the university responds promptly and appropriately to all reports it receives of any activities that would threaten the health and wellbeing of any of its campus community members.” Most recently, Kappa Sigma was suspended for violations including hazing and conspiracy to haze effective until the end of last school
year. The hazing did not involve alcohol, but required pledges to answer questions about the fraternity and do push-ups for answering incorrectly In January, Sigma Pi was also suspended for underage drinking and hazing. Their suspension ended at the end of the 2018-19 school year as well. In October 2018, Lambda Phi Epsilon was discovered to have been forcing its pledges to do knuckle push-ups that left students’ hands bloody, as well as late-night ocean submersion and forced drinking. They were also found to have provided underage pledges with alcohol. The fraternity is suspended for a minimum of two academic years or until all past members have graduated.
NATURAL HEALING CENTER AWARDED PERMIT TO OPEN STOREFRONT IN SAN LUIS OBISPO
the city allows a maximum of three cannabis retail stores, according to a city news release. “Our city council really took a more careful and conservative approach to the rollout of the cannabis businesses,” San Luis Obispo Economic Development Manager Charlene Rosales said.
BY CHRISTINE LEE The San Luis Obispo City Council voted Tuesday night that the downtown Taqueria Santa Cruz Express location can stay open until 9:30 p.m. Earlier this year, the restaurant was mandated to close at 9 p.m. because of noise complaints from residents living above Taqueria Santa Cruz in The Mix building. It was previously open until 11 p.m. The Mix building on Monterey Street is four stories tall and has 14 apartment units above four businesses. All other businesses in The Mix are currently open until 9 p.m. “My issue is not with the Taqueria. My issue is with the intrusive noise generated by the taqueria and its negative impact on my daily life,” resident Amy Blalock said at a City Council meeting. The council decided that Taqueria Santa Cruz may stay open until 9:30 as long as the noise compliance thresholds are met. If these compliances are not met, the business must close by 9 p.m. In May, the San Luis Obispo City allowed Taqueria Santa Cruz to extend their hours of operation until 10 p.m. as long as exterior noise violations were resolved. Mark Henry, on behalf of other residents living in The Mix, filed an appeal on May 20 against the hearing officer’s decision to approve extended hours, according to a City Council Agenda Report. Since the restaurant had limited hours, the business saw a 40 percent decrease in sales, according to representative for Taqueria Santa Cruz Carol Florence. “They feel like they have a very loyal customer base and that customer base was coming to that restaurant because it was open to 11 p.m.,” Florence said. San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon said she believes that 9:30 p.m. is a good compromise time to land on. “If that works for folks, [the time] stays there, and if people want to bring this back to Council then they’ll have that opportunity,” Harmon said at the City Council meeting.
NEWS
Natural Healing Center will receive San Luis Obispo’s third commercial cannabis permit and is now the city’s second retail storefront to be approved for business, according to a news release. Natural Healing Center will be
located at 2600 Broad Street and is anticipated to open in 2020. This will be the company’s third location, with a store currently open in Grover Beach and a storefront coming soon to Morro Bay. While there is no limit on the number of non-storefront cannabis businesses in San Luis Obispo,
Resident complaints forced business to reduce hours
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
BY LAUREN WALIKE
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NATURAL HEALING CENTER | COURTESY
This will be the Natural Healing Center’s third location, with a store currently open in Grover Beach and Morro Bay on the way.
The first business to receive a retail storefront permit was Megan’s Organic Market, expected to open March 2020. Now that Natural Healing Center received the second permit, there is only one retail storefront permit remaining. Coastal Delivery SLO and Megan’s Organic Market SLO were the first two cannabis businesses to complete the background process and received their operating permits in September, according to the news release. The council approved an ordinance in May 2018 allowing commercial cannabis businesses to operate within the city after Proposition 19 passed in 2016. Businesses were able to apply for permits in January 2019. The city received 11 applications this year, which were scored by city staff according to criteria developed with input from the community. With one storefront remaining, the city will begin reviewing SloCal Roots’ application for the third spot. The next application period will start in January 2020.
CITY ALLOWS TAQUERIA SANTA CRUZ TO STAY OPEN 30 MINUTES LATER
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IF SLO GOES DARK EMILY MERTEN | MUSTANG NEWS
When enacted, PG&E de-energizes power lines in areas considered to be at a high risk of fire, in addition to any transmission lines that may feed the power lines in the affected region.
COVER STORY
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
Public safety power shutoffs have affected nearly 1 million PG&E customers so far. Here’s what would happen if it affected Cal Poly. BY CASSANDRA GARIBAY, ASHLEY LADIN & EMILY MERTEN The only things he prepared for the power shutoff were ice and an emergency glow stick. “Within a few hours people kind of started to realize that’s kind of a big deal. Our food’s gonna go bad, we’re not gonna be able to do anything,” Sonoma State sophomore Bijan Soltani said. “Panic sort of started to happen.” Soltani was one of 800,000 people affected by PG&E’s public safety power shutoff (PSPS) on Oct. 9. Although this shutoff was not the first of its kind, it was the most widespread at the time, turning off power to 34 counties across California. All power was restored within three days, according to PG&E. Since then, power was shut off to 35 counties starting Saturday, Oct. 25. The recent shutoff affected approximately 850,000 customers as of Sunday, according to PG&E. Up to 2.7 million customers may lose pow-
er, according to PG&E. The shutoff began just after the Kincade fire, broke out in Sonoma County. The blaze has reached more than 30,000 acres, according to Cal Fire. San Luis Obispo County has not been affected by a shutoff this season, but Cal Poly’s Department of Emergency Management and San Luis Obispo County Emergency Services recommend preparing for a shutoff now.
900,000+ Without Power What is a public safety power shutoff? “This isn’t your standard power outage where a couple buildings go down,” Cal Poly Director of Emer-
gency Management Anthony Knight said. “This is where an entire region goes down and the support structure we all rely on is potentially impacted.” When enacted, a PSPS de-energizes power lines in areas considered to be at a high risk of fire, in addition to any transmission lines that may feed the power lines in the affected region. High risk fire conditions include low humidity levels, dry vegetation and high winds — all factors in the recent PSPS. A PSPS can happen in San Luis Obispo County even if the weather locally is mild or rainy. Since the two PG&E transmission lines that power San Luis Obispo County connect to lines hundreds of miles away, highrisk fire conditions in the Central Valley could lead to a PSPS in San Luis Obispo, according to San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Anita Konopa. This means the electricity that usually powers necessities, including lights, refrigeration, gasoline pumps
and water will not be accessible during a PSPS. These basics will only be accessible with a backup generator, which has limited energy capabilities. A PSPS is expected to last at least 48 hours, but it can go on for as long as there is a high fire risk, according to PG&E. Once the risk is gone, restoring power could take a few additional days. PG&E workers will have to manually inspect every de-energized power line to ensure safety when turning power back on, according to Knight. “It’s not a switch we can flip and say, ‘Power’s back on everybody — resume normal operations,’” Knight said.
Why is it in place
According to a 2019 Cal Fire report, the October 2017 Tubbs Fire was started by electrical equipment near a residence — similar to power equipment used by PG&E. There were 17 other major blazes in Northern California during the
same month of the Tubbs Fire. Out of the 18 fires in October, 17 were attributed directly to PG&E power equipment by Cal Fire, according to Gov. Gavin Newsome at a 2017 news conference. PG&E implemented the PSPS program after the 2017 fires, according to Knight. Nearly one year later, the Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed 19,000 homes, according to The New York Times. Cal Fire determined the fire was started by failed PG&E transmission lines, according to a Cal Fire news release. PG&E expanded the shutoff program this year to include all transmission lines that feed into a zone with high fire risk. The expanded plan means more people are affected by the shutoffs, but it lowers the risk of fires. “I feel like nobody was gonna be happy with [PG&E’s] decision,” Soltani said. “If they did leave power on and there was a fire, they would’ve been screwed. But they cut power and everyone was pissed.” However, not everyone felt the
ASHLEY LADIN | MUSTANG NEWS
PG&E has identified three tiers of fire risk in California Counties. San Luis Obispo is tier two.
same. Sonoma resident Erin George lost her home in the 2017 Tubbs Fire and said it was jarring that the power shutoff happened on the two year anniversary of the fire. “There were lines wrapped around blocks to get gas, people were yelling at each other,” George said. “There was anxiety from the community that was affected, and there was a lot of fear in that moment.”
If a Shutoff were to take place at Cal Poly
Food on campus
Campus Dining has “multiple” diesel generators to keep their main facilities powered and keep food refrigerated, according to Cal Poly Corporation Communications Specialist Aaron Lambert. Cal Poly is prepared for a power outage for up to 72 hours. Campus dining has a three day meal plan for all on-campus residents, including options for people with dietary
Psychology senior Aava Salehi has Type 1 Diabetes and said keeping her insulin cool would be a top concern during a power shutoff. Insulin needs to be kept refrigerated when opened, Salehi said. “I would hope that if [Cal Poly does] have access to a power generator, they would prioritize people with diabetes who need to store their insulin because the effects and the repercussions of not getting enough insulin can be deadly,” Salehi said. One of Cal Poly’s generators will power the Health Center to continue essential functions, according to Lazier. Sierra Vista Medical Center also has backup generators, according to Konopa. However, Knight said students with medicine or prescriptions should make sure they have a sufficient stock in case they cannot get somewhere for refills. People with electronic assistant devices should make sure to keep devices near a full charge. “While it’s inconvenient for all
Although the university and the county have made plans, private companies such as gas stations and grocery stores are on their own for backup power. Since backup generators are expensive, not many private businesses are likely to have them, Konopa said. Konopa and Knight recommended preparing an emergency kit with a three day supply of water, backup medication and food. More information on kits is available at emergency.calpoly.edu and readyslo.org. After going through the first threeday PSPS, Sonoma State sophomore Bijan Soltani recommended having a backup light source. “That was a big game changer,” Soltani said. “Nobody else had a glow stick.” Soltani also said he was glad to be able to leave the shutoff zone. Knight suggested that people with cars should keep their gas tanks at least half full at all times. “Most of our gas stations aren’t on emergency power, so know you won’t be able to fill up your vehicle if you’re trying to get somewhere or get resources,” Knight said. If community members intend to drive or leave the area during a power shutoff, Caltrans officials said all stop lights should be treated as fourway stops until power has resumed. Konopa said she wants people to be informed about a potential PSPS so they can make a plan based on their needs and be prepared. Students can also sign up for text alerts about potential PSPS in the county by texting “ENROLL” to 97633. “The school is doing everything it can, the community is doing everything we can, but personal preparedness and awareness is huge,” Knight said. “This is real, this could happen.”
BY LOGAN KIMBALL California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized Pacific Gas & Electric after the utility shut off power for thousands of its customers for almost three days on Oct. 9. Now, California is seeing another massive power shutoff. In a letter to the state’s Public Utilities Commission, the governor confirmed the state would launch an investigation into PG&E’s decision to shut off power and its implementation of the Oct. 9 outages. He urged the company to provide $100 to affected customers and $250 to affected small businesses. “The scope and duration of this outage was unacceptable,” Newsom said. “It was the direct result of decades of PG&E prioritizing profit over public safety, mismanagement, inadequate investment in fire safety and fire prevention measures and neglect of critical infrastructure ” PG&E restored power to thousands of customers affected by outages Saturday, Oct. 12, almost three days after it was shut off due to critical fire weather conditions. Those affected included residents throughout the Sacramento Valley, the Bay Area, the North Bay and parts of the northern Sierra Nevada and foothills. PG&E reported approximately 738,000 customers were affected by the shutoffs. Those same communities faced another multi-day shutoff as a result of extreme wind events, according to PG&E. PG&E is already facing billions of dollars in liability for damages caused during the Camp Fire. Back in May 2019, Cal Fire concluded PG&E power lines ignited the blaze. In an attempt to prevent another incident, PG&E proactively shut off power to hundreds of thousands of customers lasting Oct. 9-12. Power shut offs occurred again Oct. 25, due to weather conditions that could potentially spark another fire. “We believe we made the right call on safety,” PG&E CEO Bill Johnson said at a news conference. “We determined we must have zero risk of a spark.” Although PG&E shut off power for public safety and fire prevention, Newsom said Californians should still be outraged over PG&E outages and that the power shutoff is not how things should work in the utility industry. “We have an antiquated system at PG&E that needs to be upgraded,” Newsom said.
COVER STORY
Knight said the Cal Poly Department of Emergency Management worked with 100 different groups on campus to create a plan focusing on maintaining public safety in the event of an outage. However, University Spokesperson Matt Lazier said he could not provide Mustang News with the plan because it is an “internal working document that is not intended to be shared publicly.”
Prioritizing health and personal preparedness
How to prepare
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
This isn’t your standard power outage where a couple buildings go down.
needs. The university did not say they will have enough food prepared for off campus residents. Poly Deli, 805 Kitchen and The Avenue will remain open during a power shut off. They would serve a modified menu and have assigned meal times in three-hour increments, Lambert wrote in an email to Mustang News. All other Campus Dining venues would be closed. Student will still need to pay with their PolyCard to get their meals. However, if electronic payment systems fail, Lambert said students will not be turned away.
GAVIN NEWSOM DEMANDS PG&E PAY CUSTOMERS
MUSTANG NEWS
Although San Luis Obispo was not included in the most recent PSPS starting Oct. 25, high heat and winds placed the county at an elevated fire risk. PG&E officials said they will try to give at least a 48 hour notice before a PSPS, but there is no guarantee.
Knight said they would notify the campus community as soon as they knew of a shutoff through PolyAlerts, social media notifications and campus-wide emails. Knight said it is very likely that class will be canceled starting the second day of a PSPS. Some classes may still be scheduled during the first day depending on when the shutoff occurs. Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News that upon notification of a PSPS, Cal Poly would broadcast the location of a community resource center. This center will have resources including information, cooling and limited charging capabilities. The resource center would be powered by backup generators. There are approximately 40 generators distributed throughout campus, according to Lazier. In comparison, the County of San Luis Obispo owns an estimated total of 30 generators, according to Konopa. Although backup generators have limited energy capabilities, Konopa said one generator can usually power “a couple” outlets in a building or a lift station, such as one for water use. According to Lazier, Cal Poly will prioritize the campus community’s health and safety, including livestock, campus infrastructure, and property.
of us to have a really hot house, if you’re on a ventilator and only have six hours of backup power and the power is going to be out for 36 hours, that could mean life or death,” Konopa said. Konopa said anyone who needs electricity for medical devices, such as people who use oxygen or people with diabetes who need to refrigerate their medicine, will be especially vulnerable if a PSPS happens. During the Oct. 9 shutoff, a person who was reliant on oxygen died 12 minutes after the shutoff in Concord, according to Newsweek. “First responders are not necessarily going to be able to come and rescue you with everything that could be going on,” Konopa said. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call 911 in an emergency, obviously, but the more prepared you can be on your own, the better.”
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HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR FIRE SEASON AT CAL POLY BY STEPHANIE ZAPPELLI
Get Prepared
Fire season has begun, and there’s a few things Cal Poly students should know to be prepared. Fire season is intensifying and getting longer, according to professor and geologist William Preston. The amount of land burned in California during a wildfire has also increased by 500 percent since 1972. “When [a fire] does light, it burns hotter, it burns very fast and often expands into one of these huge conflagrations that we’re becoming used to,” Preston said. Climate change appears to affect the length and intensity of fire season, Preston said. Over the last 100 years, California’s average temperature increased by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Preston. In 1972, Cal Fire needed about four days to control a fire. Now they need about 14 days, Preston said. Additionally, California’s dry season lasts even longer. In the 1970s, California’s rainy season started in October. Now, it starts in November or December, giving soil and plants more time to dry out and making them more vulnerable to fire. “We’re still really concerned about the wind,” Gutierrez said. “We ask that you be very fire safe if you’re out and about out in the wilderness.”
To prepare for an emergency, the San Luis Obispo Fire Department recommends making or purchasing a Go Bag, a 72-hour emergency kit. The bag should include enough food, water, medicine, blankets and clothing for 72 hours, a flashlight and important documents like a birth certificate, a Social Security card and an insurance card, Gutierrez said. Students should also pack a gallon of water a day per person. Gutierrez said students are recommended to have a personal evacuation plan. He said students should make a plan to stay with friends and family in other geographic areas during an emergency. He added that students should also know the location of manual pull station fire alarms, fire extinguishers and at least two exits out of their building, Gutierrez said. “It’s better to be prepared,” Cal Poly Emergency Management Director Anthony Knight said. “During that emergency, when you’re faced with a fight, flight or freeze mode, you’re going to be able to react versus freeze and not know what to do, and it’s for your own safety.” Knight recommended that students download evacuation route maps onto their phones to access during an emergency. Evacuation maps can be
found at the Department of Emergency Management website. Additionally, Knight said students should sign up to receive text messages from PolyAlert, a system that uses the Cal Poly database to send emails and texts about emergencies to students, faculty and staff, so they can receive emergency updates quickly and accurately.
Why Cal Poly would need to evacuate When a situation on or near campus threatens life safety, Cal Poly enforces an evacuation, Knight said. If an emergency threatens only a section of campus, then only buildings in that area will be evacuated. For example, Cal Poly evacuated Fremont Hall in 2017 because rain and loose soil threatened the building with a mudslide, according to Knight. If an emergency threatens the safety of the entire campus, then all buildings on campus will be evacuated. For example, if a wildfire was approaching Cal Poly, the whole campus would need to be evacuated, Gutierrez said.
How the evacuation works In the event of a fire emergency, students will be notified of the evacuation by fire alarms, then the University Police Department (UPD) and firefighters will immediately di-
rect students where to go, according to Knight. If Cal Poly anticipates that a fire will endanger campus in a few days, they will issue an evacuation order through PolyAlert. “During an actual emergency, if we’re talking about a large scale disaster, it’s incumbent upon you to get out when we ask you to,” Gutierrez said. “The last thing we want to worry about is students inside dorms. That puts us in jeopardy and it’s just a different ballgame when we have to worry about lives.” Throughout the course of the evacuation, students would receive updates through PolyAlert and the Department of Energy Management (DEM) Twitter and Facebook pages. The University Police Department (UPD) would also deliver information through the radio at AM 1610, according to the Cal Poly Emergency Operations Plan. Additionally, local, state or federal officials can activate the Integrated Public Alert System, which sends alerts to phones in a certain area even if they are not registered with the PolyAlert system, according to the Emergency Operations Plan. If students have questions during an evacuation, they can contact university officials through a hotline, an interactive website or through an
email address that will be announced during the emergency, according to Cal Poly’s Evacuation Annex Plan.
Where to go when you leave your building In the event of an evacuation, UPD, firefighters or Building Emergency Response Coordinators would guide students to one of Cal Poly’s three evacuation areas – Highland Drive, Grand Avenue and California Boulevard. Each evacuation area has a specific evacuation route to prevent traffic, but Cal Poly can also open up Mt. Bishop Road to alleviate traffic, according to the Evacuation Annex Plan. For a small scale emergency that affects only a few buildings, evacuated residents would be relocated to other residence halls on campus. During a campus-wide evacuation, residents would be relocated to hotels partnered with Cal Poly. If hotels fill up, Cal Poly would coordinate with the Red Cross to set up shelters for residents in San Luis Obispo, according to the Evacuation Annex Plan. Cal Poly has also partnered with bus and shuttle companies to provide carless students with transportation during an evacuation. Carless pickup points would be located near evacuation zones.
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
ARCH STUDENTS FINISH PLAN TO REBUILD PARADISE AFTER CAMP FIRES
SOFIA CLARK | MUSTANG NEWS
The student project focused on establishing a new community after the destruction the Camp Fire caused just under a year ago.
NEWS
BY HAILEY NAGMA
Architecture students put the finishing touches on a six-month project to envision how Paradise could rebuild after the 2018 Camp Fire. The idea for a reconstruction effort began in Stacey White’s junior studio class less than two months after the
start of the Camp Fire – known as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history. In early June 2019, the students presented their work to residents of both Paradise and San Luis Obispo. Both communities shared they were supportive of and impressed by the students’ efforts. These positive
responses gave students confidence in knowing their project mattered, according to architecture professor Kent Macdonald. “We were dealing with people who were still a bit shell-shocked, so there was some hesitation from a few people about not being pushed too far, too fast,” Macdonald wrote in an email to
Mustang News. “This was their town, after all. But in the end, everyone we met from Paradise was gracious, and I think also a bit curious.” For six months, White’s and Macdonald’s students designed and modeled potential structures to replace those lost in the tragedy. Alongside physical infrastructure, the project had a strong community focus – a direction set after the students visited Paradise in January and February of this year. According to a news release posted on the College of Architecture and Environmental Design’s (CAED) website, students involved in the project consistently describe their work as “resilient.” The designs include a recreation center to house various community activities, as well as a fire station combined with a rock climbing gym. Architecture lecturer Maggie Kirk’s class of seniors also contributed through the production of drawings and designs for net-zero residential homes. Members of the Paradise community showed interest in the house designs, which used the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) certifi-
cation model, Kirk said. This model was new to her students and allowed them to learn the complexities of a net-zero design. Macdonald said he wants the relationship with Paradise to continue and that this project fosters a learning experience enhanced by service. “I would hope that this could grow into something more permanent,” Macdonald wrote. “Over the years, there has been talk of establishing a community design center here – a place off-campus where students could work under the guidance of faculty and professional staff on projects of benefit to the community.” That goal, however, is overshadowed by the financial requirement to build a facility. “Such an effort takes enormous financial support and long-term commitment,” Macdonald wrote. “The Paradise project, a one-time effort, still required the support from a very large community of people – and a very generous donation of one firm, WRNS in San Francisco.”
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ALISON CHAVEZ | MUSTANG NEWS
Seng said he like to see student’s reactions to the robot wheeling around campus. JOHN SENG | COURTESY
John Seng created Herbie the robot with the help of students after two attempts and 16 years.
COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSOR CREATES ROBOT ‘HERBIE’ TO BOOST CAMPUS MORALE BY SYDNEY SHERMAN
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
With googly eyes watching and candy ready for the taking, “Herbie,” is the latest representative of the computer science department, according to his creator and computer science professor John Seng. “I’ve always thought that our com-
the finish. The three computer engineering students working on the project with him are seniors Angelique Bonilla, Amanda Krysl and Daniel Jones. Seng said Herbie may or may not be a student, but they are certainly roommates. “This is like his dorm room,” Seng
bie, I think, through the years,” Seng said. “I have a lot of big plans for him.” Seng is never too far away from the robot, but he said he enjoys watching the reactions of people passing him by. “I try to hide when I’m running him,” Seng said. “There have been people who come up and they are just confused.” One girl, he said, came up to the robot asking where its parents were. “Another guy, the other day, he was looking around and he asked me, ‘Are you his parent?’’’ Seng said. Then he responded yes.
CROSS CULTURAL CENTERS DIRECTOR MOVING ON AFTER THREE YEARS
CROSS CULTURAL CENTERS | COURTESY
Bryan Hubain said he is leaving Cal Poly feeling ‘hopeful’ as he prepares to leave Cal Poly for the University of Utah.
BY JAKOB MCQUADE
NEWS
puter science department needed a robot,” Seng said. “Once I put the face on, it took on his own life.” Seng worked on this project on and off for many years, having tried it twice during his 16 years at Cal Poly. Finally, he said he decided he would do the bulk of the project himself, and then bring students in for
said, motioning to his office. “He kind of lives on campus and does different things — I just call him like a Cal Poly friend.” The robot itself is controlled by a series of codes Seng created and gets around the building via cameras built into the front of the structure. Herbie uses a database of pictures to locate and match up where he is in the building and to detect obstacles in his way. If it ever gets into a jam, it makes an “R2-D2-esque” beeping noise, or spins around in a circle until it can redirect itself. “There’s a lot of potential for Her-
After serving as associate dean of students and director of the Cross Cultural Centers for more than three years, Bryan Hubain announced he is leaving Cal Poly. Hubain will take on a new role as the associate vice president for stu-
dent development and inclusion at the University of Utah in about six months. Hubain’s announcement came at a crucial time given the current climate of Cal Poly’s campus. The Cal Poly Experience (CPX) survey results released Oct. 17 revealed that that minority individuals do not feel a strong
sense of community or belonging on campus. Hubain said that CPX is just one key factor that will help guide the work of the Cross Cultural Centers, as well as the university. “I feel hopeful. There is not much that is surprising from the CPX results shared recently,” Hubain said.
“It shows that we have work to do.” Although Hubain said more work needs to be done, he said he is proud of the Centers’ efforts thus far. He said his experience at Cal Poly has been favorable, and his team within the Cross Cultural Centers made him feel supported and celebrated. “My biggest accomplishment at Cal Poly would be my existing team in the Cross Cultural Centers,” Hubain said. “I see this as an accomplishment because of their collective reach and the impact that they have and will have on the lives of students at Cal Poly, minorities or otherwise.” Senior Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Kathleen McMahon said she will miss working with Hubain. “Bryan will be greatly missed but has left a lasting impact on the [Cross Cultural Centers], our students, the Dean of Students staff and the University as a whole,” McMahon said. “Bryan is a wonderful person and has taught me a great deal in the past
three years.” Hubain said he wanted to leave Cal Poly on a positive note, and he added that his move is a milestone in regards to diversity and higher education. “I am honored to have been selected as the new associate vice president for student development and inclusion at the University of Utah,” Hubain said. “The appointment I received is an opportunity that most people of color do not get in higher education.” Moving forward, Hubain said that he believes the campus climate can be improved, but he said this problem is not unique to Cal Poly. “It does not change the fact that as a campus, we have experienced some intense and, at times, hateful acts,” Hubain said. “This is also not separate from a country that is grappling with a history of oppression, hate and change. Cal Poly is a reflection of what is happening nationally. We are also grappling, and we should never stop.”
CHANCELLOR WHITE SAYS GOODBYE TO THE CSU AFTER 7 YEARS
CSU | COURTESY
White’s last day as CSU Chancellor is June 30, 2020, but this could change depending on the timing of the search process.
BY ETHAN TELLES & SABRINA PASCUA Timothy P. White, the seventh chancellor of the Cal State University (CSU), announced his retirement Tuesday, Oct. 22. The CSU Board of Trustees will begin a search for White’s replacement
in hopes the new chancellor will be appointed by the end of the current academic year, according to a news release. White will remain chancellor through June 30, 2020, but could change depending on the timing of the search process and his successor’s start date. White became chancellor in 2012
after serving as the chancellor and professor of biological and biomedical sciences at the University of California Riverside. Since being hired, the CSU’s general fund increased from $2.3 billion to $3.6 billion and the CSU student population grew to about 480,000 students. Under White, the CSU launched
Graduation Initiative 2025, an initiative to increase graduation rates to help eliminate opportunity and achievement gaps. Graduation rates for first-time and transfer students have reached all-time highs. President Jeffrey Armstrong wrote in an email to Mustang News that he feels fortunate to have worked with White. “I consider myself fortunate for the opportunity to work closely with a chancellor so dedicated to the CSU’s mission of offering a worldclass education to California’s students today in order to provide the workforce required for the state’s continued prosperity,” Armstrong wrote. One of White’s major goals was to increase diversity among university leadership across the CSU system. White led searches for 21 university presidents and appointed 12 women. More than half of CSU presidents are women, in comparison to the one-third of female college and university presidents across the country, according to the release. White also spearheaded an initiative to study food and housing secu-
rity among CSU students. The study showed that about one in four students experience food insecurity. At Cal Poly, 27 percent of students are food insecure. To combat the problem, White led an initiative to add a food pantry at all CSU campuses, according to the CSU website. Armstrong added that White’s leadership contributed to the success of Cal Poly’s hands-on approach. “I have appreciated Chancellor White’s keen interest in Cal Poly’s ‘Learn by Doing’ programs, as well as his unwavering support of our efforts to maintain and enhance our academic and co-curricular offerings,” Armstrong wrote. White’s retirement announcement came soon after UC President Janet Napolitano revealed she will resign August 2020. CSU Board Chairman Adam Day announced today that a special committee of trustees, The Trustees’ Committee for the Selection of the Chancellor, will lead the process to appoint the next CSU chancellor. The committee will conduct a listening tour in November and December across the state.
THIS IS YOUR NEW
PARKING PERMIT
Cal Poly is changing the way the campus parks for the better. Thanks to license plate recognition (LPR) software you no longer need to display a parking permit because your license plate is now your permit. LPR is an efficient way to track parking throughout campus and create a better parking experience for the Cal Poly community. To learn more or to update your parking account, visit parking.calpoly.edu/LPR
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Center for Research & Innovation Open Forum In anticipation for construction of the William and Linda Frost Center for Research & Innovation (naming pending Board of Trustees approval), Facilities Management and Development invites you to attend an open forum session. The sessions are intended to provide answers to questions about the construction project, how occupants in adjacent buildings will be impacted, and what steps are being taken to minimize disruption. Additionally, project support staff will be available to speak to classes or at department meetings. To schedule, please contact Jessica Hunter at jhunter@calpoly.edu. For project information, follow Inside CalPoly and visit our website at: https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/ planning-capital-projects/projectnews/frost-center/�
SESSIONS TO BE HELD: Tuesday, October 29: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Building 33, Room ,285
Thursday, October 31: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Building 33, Room 285
RUSHING TOO FAST Some potential new members feel as though sorority recruitment should be longer BY KIANA HUNZIKER
As fall sorority recruitment came to an end earlier this month, students who completed the process advanced from potential new members (PNMs) to new members and will soon be initiated into their chosen chapters. However, some students were surprised by the emotional and physical struggles they faced in the process to get there. “I didn’t think it was going to be as long of days as it was or as terrifying as it was,” agricultural and environmental plant sciences sophomore Emily Margetta said. Margetta completed the recruitment process in Fall 2018.
“I thought we were just going to go through house tours and talk to some of the girls, and that it would be very chill, but it definitely feels more like a job interview, ” Margetta said. Students voiced concerns about the lengthy time commitment sorority recruitment requires, as events can span the entire day, starting around 8 a.m. and ending around 9 p.m. Since the process takes place within the first two weeks of classes, it can be overwhelming for freshmen who are just beginning to adjust to college life. Liberal studies freshman Genevieve Kessler dropped out of recruitment after the first day, partially
11
because she said she felt it was too difficult to balance with her academics. “I had a speech due on Monday, and I was reciting and practicing my speech in between the houses,” Kessler said. Lead Coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Interfraternity Council (IFC) Advisor Shawnna Smith said that the council is always trying to improve the process and has considered increasing conversation time. Smith said PNM’s have voiced frustration over the lack of time given for conversations with members of each house, a process that can be crucial in helping PNM’s decide which sorority they want to join. “We want to give them more opportunities to get to know more members, so they can see if it really is a good fit,” Smith said. “I think one of the challenges with this recruitment process is that it’s so short, and they have to make really quick decisions on brief conversations.” To help combat the problem during
stayed in touch with Tiedemann. “That’s the hardest part of my job, when the kids leave,” Tiedemann said. But each year, he starts from scratch, giving every new student his all.
longer to mature here if I hadn’t met him,” Maddox said. On the day of his friend’s passing, Tiedemann could sense something was off with Maddox. “John saw me and instantly knew something was wrong, so he came over to console me,” Maddox said. “He sat with me for over an hour, apologizing, sympathizing, and relating to similar experiences he has had with death. I came away from our talk feeling as if I had just spoken to a family member.” Big or small, his actions have certainly made a change in his community. He left a 28-year career in business to be at Cal Poly, where he said he feels he is doing the work he was always meant to do. “Sometimes it’s just the little things that make people’s day,” Tiedemann said. “Maybe in the overall scheme of things it’s not that big a deal, but for somebody, at the right time, maybe it is a big deal.”
Reaching beyond North Mountain
‘THEY’RE MY KIDS’
North Mountain custodian makes students feel at home RACHEL ARABIA | MUSTANG NEWS
Tiedemann is a friendly face for the North Mountain residents.
BY OLIVIA MONFORTE
ever done.” Mathematics sophomore Sidra Knox also lived in North Mountain last year. Being a Southern California native, she said she did not have a rain jacket and was afraid to get her dress wet for a fundraiser. “John, being the sweetheart that he is, let me borrow his bright yellow raincoat for a whole week, and even offered to let me keep it for longer if I needed,” Knox said. “Every time I get to see John, my day becomes infinitely better.” Even after moving off-campus, Knox and Golubovich said they both
RACHEL ARABIA | MUSTANG NEWS
Often, Tiedemann will feed peanuts to the birds during his round.
STUDENT LIFE
“They’re my kids,” John Tiedemann, the white-haired, gentle-mannered North Mountain custodian, said. But he was not talking about his two biological children — rather the 480 freshman living in the residence halls he cares for. While he only cleans 20 of the bathrooms in North Mountain, he said he makes a point to reach out to everyone who lives there. “While my job as a custodian is important and valuable, it’s not the primary reason I do this job,” Tiedemann
said. “I want to make a difference in their lives.” Tiedemann said most of his day consists of lots of little acts of kindness. Art and design sophomore and former North Mountain resident Cristina Golubovich said he bought her SloDoCo donuts out of the kindness of his heart. “The first time he did it, he told me he had to show me something in the custodian’s closet down the hall,” Golubovich said. “When we got there, he pulled out an individual donut box and handed it to me. It was seriously one of the sweetest things anyone has
It is not just the students of North Mountain that Tiedemann has connected with. “The first time I met John, I saw him from far away, walking on the second floor,” Knox said. “All of a sudden, he pulled something out of his pocket, threw it into the air, and a bird swooped down and caught it before it landed.” As he does his rounds, Tiedemann throws peanuts for the birds of North Mountain. “I call them my wingmen,” Tiedemann said. “Some of them I can feed by hand. The rest I just throw it, and they can catch it in mid-air. Sometimes it gets a little annoying. I’ve created quite a following.” Tiedemann said it without looking even the least bit annoyed. Mechanical engineering sophomore and former North Mountain resident Justin Maddox wrote an essay about the custodian for his English class. “I think the prompt was to write about someone [who’s] making a change in their community,” Maddox said. “As soon as I got that prompt, I knew who I was going to write it about right away.” Maddox described Tiedemann helping him cope with the loss of a close friend and helping him mature into the person he is today. “It definitely would have taken me
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
appearances between each house. “Whenever there was a mirror in one of the houses or a reflection, we’d just be looking at ourselves,” Kessler said. “Like that’s so shallow, and it’s none of the girls’ faults – I did it myself. But it’s how that process makes you feel.” Despite these experiences, students said they enjoyed getting to know other PNM’s in the recruitment process and seeing them around campus. They said some changes they would like to see are shorter days, expanding recruitment over a longer period of time, more bonding activities and more personal conversations and interactions. “I wish I could tell people who are upset about being dropped or are about to rush [that] this has no reflection on your personality at all, you know?” Kessler said. “If you want to do it, that’s awesome for you, if you’re gonna push through it. But try not to let it affect you emotionally or mentally.”
MUSTANG NEWS
fraternity recruitment, IFC said they planned to span rush over two weekends in order to create a more flexible schedule for students. Students claim conversations are not only brief, but are also limited to topics which many feel resemble surface level questions, such as a PNM’s major, which dorm they live in or if they are enjoying life in San Luis Obispo. Some students also told Mustang News they feel as though recruitment can be superficial because PNM’s are encouraged to wear certain clothes that many said they do not typically wear. “We go over what we should wear and how we should do our hair and makeup, and even though it’s not technically required – it is required,” Margetta said. “It just feels kind of superficial, like I’m not truly putting my face out there. Yes, I look like this sometimes, but on a day-to-day basis, this is not who I am.” Kessler said she remembered watching PNM’s touching up their
PUZZLES & HOROSCOPES
CLUES ACROSS 1. Third-party access (abbr.) 4. This (Spanish) 8. Goals 10. Something to do lightly 11. “Great” North Sea Empire legend 12. Iced or chilled drink 13. Weight units 15. Immune system response 16. Groundbreaking German pharmacologist 17. Milk-supplying companies 18. Enjoyable distraction 21. Doctor of Education 22. Type of submachine gun (abbr.) 23. Curved shape 24. Brew 25. The 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet 26. Advanced degree 27. Shock rocker 34. Enthusiast 35. Quiet’s partner 36. Hijacked 37. TV’s once needed them 38. Brings together 39. Narrow piece of wood 40. Paths 41. Monetary unit 42. Wings 43. Soviet Socialist Republic
CLUES DOWN 1. Gear 2. Outer part of a bird’s wing 3. Good luck charm 4. Removing from memory 5. Group of seven people 6. Records 7. German river 9. “Last of the Mohicans” actress Madeleine 10. Ancient Greek war galley 12. Nonsensical speak 14. Title of respect 15. Cast out 17. Have already done 19. Wood-loving insects 20. Analog conversion system (abbr.) 23. Pokes holes in 24. Waiver of liability (abbr.) 25. Sea cow 26. Protein coding gene 27. Where boats park 28. The top of a jar 29. Fitting 30. German city 31. Martens 32. They’re all over the planet 33. One that nests 34. Coming at the end 36. Croatian coastal city
ARIES – March 21/April 20 Aries, this week may start off somewhat unbalanced. Work may be demanding more of you, and you’re finding it tough to even out the field. By midweek you’ll regain control. TAURUS – April 21/May 21 Make the necessary changes in your life to get back on target, Taurus. These goals may run the gamut from fitness to career. Put the future in focus. GEMINI – May 22/June 21 You may be inspired to do something creative but don’t know where to focus your attention just yet, Gemini. Look to Sagittarius as a good source of inspiration. CANCER – June 22/July 22 Cancer, this week you may be unable to keep everything as organized as you would like. Take a cue from someone you know is always organized. LEO – July 23/Aug. 23 Take control of a situation that comes to light this week, Leo. No one seems willing or able to grab the reins, but you can be an excellent leader in this situation. VIRGO – Aug. 24/Sept. 22 Expand your social circles and you may meet some influential people, Virgo. This can help spread the word about your stellar reputation and open doors to opportunities.
*See answers at mustangnews.net/games-answers/
LIBRA – Sept. 23/Oct. 23 Libra, after you get through an exciting event, life may slow down for a little while. But you can find plenty of ways to infuse some excitement into your days. SCORPIO – Oct. 24/Nov. 22 You cannot seem to focus your attention on one thing for more than a few minutes, Scorpio. Random thoughts, however distracting, can inspire new ideas. SAGITTARIUS – Nov. 23/Dec. 21 Sagittarius, you may like to tackle projects all by yourself, but sometimes letting someone else get the job done frees up opportunities to recharge your batteries. CAPRICORN – Dec. 22/Jan. 20 It may finally be time to get serious about getting out in the job market once more, Capricorn. Whether you’re looking for a new job or returning after a hiatus, retool your résumé. AQUARIUS – Jan. 21/Feb. 18 While success brings you many things, it can feel lonely at the top, Aquarius. Surround yourself with associates who can be a sounding board and offer assistance. PISCES – Feb. 19/March 20 Take time to listen more and speak less, Pisces. Doing so allows you to make a better assessment of what those around you need and want.
OPINION
despite power outages
IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY
BY OLIVIA PELUSO
Olivia Peluso is an English senior and Mustang News opinion editor. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News. I’m sure you’ve heard about the PG&E blackouts that occurred in the last month. As of Sunday, Oct. 27, 850,000 PG&E customers were without power due to a potential wildfire threat and the ongoing Kincade fire. While San Luis Obispo county is not expected to suffer a blackout, the email sent to alleviate our stress from the Cal Poly Department of Emergency Management made sure to mention that while the threat is low, it is also still a possibility.
I think it’s a good thing. Being without power and water is frustrating, but to potentially save homes and neighborhoods from the heartbreaking aftermath of wildfire is a worthy sacrifice. The blackouts are intended to prevent power lines from sparking wildfires in windy weather, and the blackouts are occurring only in areas with extreme wind and an extreme threat of fire. Nonetheless, in the event Cal Poly should lose power for two or three days, I urge you to not get too pissed off. Three showerless, powerless days are not going to be anything more than a grand ‘ol inconvenience. Losing a home, town or acres of wildlife to a fire is undoubtedly worse. The alternatives are nearly
SAMANTHA SHIN | MUSTANG NEWS
incomparable because the outage seems so minuscule in the face of true, arduous destruction. Year after year, we learn that these fires are incredibly difficult to maintain and incredibly disastrous. Why not do what you can to minimize harm? PG&E has been found guilty of nearly two dozen different wildfires, and recently filed for bankruptcy
in the face of liability charges that could reach $30 billion. Yes, perhaps the three-day outages may be superfluous, but there is one thing for certain: PG&E equipment has been directly traced back to the initiation and escalation of wildfires that have, in turn, destroyed neighborhoods and ecosystems. Whether you like it or not, PG&E is woven
into the fabric of San Luis Obispo’s infrastructure. If the company fears their power and transmission lines may play a part in worsening the situation, just let them turn the power off and try to not hate your life too much. I do understand that businesses, especially those in the food industry, will suffer some heavy losses without refrigeration for three days. Again, I present the same rationale: the aftermath of a fire is far worse than sacrificing the contents of your fridge. When boiled down to mere dollar signs and numbers, a fire is still far worse for a local economy than three days without commerce. Better safe than sorry. There, I said it. We will be given 24-hours notice in the event of a blackout, which leaves everyone enough time to frantically buy two gallons of water and eight boxes of Cheez-Its to sustain themselves. Count your blessings! Most days, I hear students fishing for reasons to skip class and not shower. It’s not the end of the world.
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OPINION
THE MISALIGNMENT OF IMMEDIATE ACTION BY BRENDAN MOONEY
Brendan Mooney is a communications senior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.
33
VAPE RELATED DEATHS
MASS SHOOTINGS
150,000 CLIMATE RELATED DEATHS
can afford to make a change the option to do so. In both cases, the mass shooting and climate change response, the solutions only make the problem worse. Bullet-proof binders and backpacks create a rhetoric that says this will keep happening. Increasing firearms increases likelihood of gun related accidents and perpetuates violent acts. When taking the life-cycle of a Tesla being built, shipped and eventually retired, the carbon footprint is still incredibly high. It is undoubtedly a step forward, but only to those who are wealthy and cognizant of their carbon footprint. Let’s imagine that immediate action had been taken on these issues as it had been in the case of vaping. Firearms would be taken off the shelf, manufacturing of firearms would decrease, and with less supply, those who desire a firearm would have to work much harder to prove they are stable enough to own one and would pay a much higher price. In the realm of climate change, the U.S. would acknowledge the research, news media would not promote fabricated controversy and clean air standards would increase. This would push the U.S. to incentivize the use of renewable energy, making it cheaper and accessible to all citizens. Although I cannot say for-sure, it seems as though these two responses would do a much better job at saving innocent lives.
OPINION
creation of vaping bans. I also recognize this instance as one of the first times we have witnessed immediate
ation of electricity, manufacturing of products and transportation of goods. Here we see consumer goods causing a large amount of death, from 33 vaping-related deaths according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), to 283 mass shootings in only 244 days according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), to an estimation of 150,000 climate change-related deaths yearly according to the Health and Environment Linkages Initiative (HELI). What separates these issues is the way in which we respond and attempt to stop them. In the case of vaping products, fruit-flavored nicotine was immediately taken off of the shelf, but with the other two issues we have only seen an increase of products as a way in which people can protect themselves. This fall, as kids were getting their back to school shopping done, the U.S. saw bullet-proof binders and backpacks hit the market. The U.S. also saw many people and organizations, such as the National Riffle Association (NRA), explain that an increase in guns would help civilians protect themselves. In terms of climate change, we have seen the emergence of companies such as Tesla and and products such as metal straws. Instead of limiting emissions, creating clean air standards, adhering to the Paris treaty and supporting sustainable development, the response has been to give people who
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
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action when lives are at stake in several years. It seems as though polarization of the general public is often the culprit behind a lack of immediate action. Through writing this article I hope to depolarize these three issues, and see them for what they are: public endangerment that calls for immediate action. I am not arguing that a ban on flavored e-tobacco should not happen, or that these lives lost are not worth the creation of new laws. I am frustrated by the lack of immediate action on issues that have claimed thousands of more lives than vaping. I am frustrated that my mother, a high school teacher, must have bulletproof windows in her chemistry lab. I am frustrated that I, a 21-yearold male, contemplate whether or not bringing a child into this world is child abuse due to the exponentially changing climate that supports all life on this earth. All three of these issues have resulted in innocent deaths that are a product of consumer goods available to the general public. As aforementioned, the vaping related deaths have been linked to fruit-flavored nicotine products that attract non-smoking teens. Domestic terrorism, although a product of many factors, is made possible by lack of gun control laws and widespread distribution of firearms. Climate change is accelerating through the high output of carbon dioxide and other emissions from cars, gener-
MUSTANG NEWS
Recently, the Trump administration declared a ban on fruit flavored e-tobacco products in the wake of several vaping related deaths. This response is both appropriate and necessary – when lives are at stake, especially those of adolescents, action must be taken. Yet while I support this ban, I am also deeply frustrated by it. In response to the mass shooting that occurred in El Paso, Texas, Trump responded with a long statement on August 5. In his response, he focused on the identification of early warning signs, the glorification of violence in our society, mental health laws and finally that firearms must not make their way into the hands of those who may potentially commit these acts. This shooting, which killed 22 people and injured many more, brought forth grief and the loss of many lives, but no ban on the device that was responsible for the killing. In the wake of activism by Greta Thunberg and the continuous emergence of scientific research on manmade climate change, the president responded by labeling climate change as a “hoax” and publishing a mocking tweet directed toward Thunberg.
At the core, vaping, domestic terrorism and climate change are unrelated issues – yet they are related through the way in which our lawmakers and the general public responds. I applaud our administration for taking immediate action in the
14
CAL POLY OFFICIALS MEET WITH NCAA OVER TEXTBOOK SANCTIONS
Appeal decision expected in December or January after Cal Poly completes final step in appeal NCAA appeal timeline Deadline for parties to file rebuttal
Parties declare intent to appeal Committee on Infractions response to written appeal due
Origional decision
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30
days
days
Deadline to file written appeal
30
days
Oral argument held in front of the Infractions Appeals Committee
14 10 10
days
days days
1-2
6-8
months
weeks
Appellant response to enforcement due
Infractions Appeals Committee releases its report
NCAA enforcement staff submits materials after rebuttal SOLENA AGUILAR | MUSTANG NEWS
BY AUSTIN LINTHICUM
Cal Poly is nearing the end of the NCAA appeals process after being forced to vacate records broken by student-athletes who were given
extra scholarship money. President Jeffery Armstrong, Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey and Athletics Director Don Oberhelman went before the NCAA Infractions Appeal
Committee on Thursday in Indianapolis for oral arguments. This is the final step in the appeals process, according to the NCAA. A decision from the NCAA is expected in December or Jan-
uary, according to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier. Cal Poly was sanctioned by the NCAA on April 18 for giving extra textbook stipends to student-athletes. The NCAA found a total of 72 student-athletes across 18 of 22 sports received an average of $225 in extra stipends. Because of the pending appeal, Cal Poly gets to keep the wins and records for the time being, according to the NCAA. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the Mustangs will be forced to vacate records from the 2012-13 season to Fall 2015 due to the student-athletes receiving improper stipends. Cal Poly vs Pacific in the 2013 Women’s Basketball Big West Tournament final at the Honda Center in Anaheim. This is one of the records Cal Poly stands to lose. Ian Billings | Mustang News Oberhelman said there was never an intent to violate NCAA rules. He also said the university self-reported the violations when the is-
sue was discovered. “Cal Poly has cooperated in every way with the NCAA throughout this process that began in 2015,” Oberhelman said in a April news release. According to Cal Poly Athletics’ statement, the NCAA reversed a previous decision that allowed for student-athletes to receive book stipends in the way Cal Poly had used in October 2015. Cal Poly immediately contacted the NCAA after learning about the reversal. In order for Cal Poly to have its punishment overturned, the Infractions Appeal Committee must find information that is contrary to the original investigation or that Cal Poly did not violate the NCAA’s rules. The decision can also be overturned if the committee finds that a procedural error took place during the investigation, or if a NCAA Committee on Infractions member abused their discretion when originally penalizing the university.
MEN’S SOCCER QUALIFIES FOR BIG WEST TOURNAMENT
SPORTS
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
BY FRANCISCO MARTINEZ
KYLE CALZIA | MUSTANG NEWS
The Mustangs opened the conference season with two losses before earning three consecutive wins to clinch a tournament appearance.
While Cal Poly lost on the road to UC Irvine 2-0 Saturday, Oct. 26, the Mustangs punched their tickets to the Big West Conference Tournament for the first time since 2015. Cal Poly (7-7-1, 3-3-0 Big West) secured a spot in the tournament after UC Santa Barbara’s game against CSUN finished in a scoreless draw. The Anteaters (7-5-5, 4-1-1 Big West), who sit atop of the table, benefitted from two goals from midfielder Christian Gutierrez. Gutierrez first scored in the 36th minute after a pass from Anteaters defender Seamus McLaughlin put Gutierrez in prime position. The midfielder directed his shot to the right and past sophomore goalkeeper Carlos Arce-Hurtado for the Anteaters’ first goal of the night. In the 78th minute, Gutierrez scored a firecracker of a goal from
30 yards out to double the Anteaters’ lead and secure victory. The Mustangs were just limited to two shots-on-goal during the game. Senior midfielder Diego Alonso gave Cal Poly its first shot on goal after just 34 seconds in the first half. Alonso’s shot, however, was thwarted by Anteaters goalkeeper Ford Parker. 67 minutes elapsed before the Mustangs’ next shot on goal from senior forward JoeMack Leonardo. His shot in the 68th minute was also saved by Parker. UC Irvine outshot Cal Poly 17-6 in the game as the Anteaters logged four shots on goal compared to the Mustangs’ two. Arce-Hurtado secured two saves in the game to bring his season total to 34 saves. Cal Poly will host Blue-Green rivals UC Santa Barbara at Alex G. Spanos Stadium in the final game of the regular season Saturday, Nov. 2. A sellout crowd of 11,075 is
expected as the game has reached maximum capacity every year since 2011. A win or draw against the Gauchos can allow the Mustangs to host a first-round tournament game Wednesday, Nov. 6. Kick-off for the home leg of the Central Coast derby is at 5 p.m.
KYLE CALZIA | MUSTANG NEWS
Junior midfielder Emmanuel Perez goes for the header
A RECENT HISTORY OF THE SOCCER BLUE-GREEN RIVALRY
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Home field advantage
Both Cal Poly and UCSB win more matches on their home turf
60% Cal Poly Draw UCSB 40%
20%
CONNOR FROST | MUSTANG NEWS
San Luis Obispo
BY HAILEY NAGMA & SADIE RHEA
A clear home field advantage
justments to the time of the game to accommodate for the holiday. Despite lower numbers, attendance saw a bump at the Men’s Soccer game against Cal Poly this season on Oct. 5 as the match brought in nearly 10,000 fans. “We’ve not had a top-20 program the past three years,” Vom Steeg said. “This year, we do. So, consequently — not surprisingly — we do [have] 10,000 people at the game.” The Mustangs go head-to-head with the Gauchos again on Nov. 2 in one of the biggest rivalries in college sports. Free student tickets can be picked up in the Julian A. McPhee University Union (UU) Plaza or at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) ticket office starting Monday, Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. A valid student ID is required to pick up a student ticket. Students cannot pick up a ticket
with anyone else’s ID, according to Assistant Director of Athletics Communications Chris Giovannetti. After Monday, tickets will be available at the PAC on Tuesday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Wednesday through Friday from 12-6 p.m. Once the allotment of free student tickets have been claimed, students can still purchase tickets for $12. Although the Blue-Green Rivalry game holds a special place in Mustangs’ hearts, every game this season plays a significant role in the team’s advancement to the Big West Tournament. “Every game has had importance,” Sampson said. “Every game, especially now in these final three games, will take on even more importance in a year where anybody can beat anybody else on any given day.”
SPORTS
MENS SOCCER | CONNOR FROST
Senior midfielder Jose Rivera fights for possession of the ball in the 2018 edition of the Blue-Green Rivalry
Attendance at Cal Poly vs. UCSB games
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2019
The energy the Blue-Green Rivalry brings to Cal Poly’s campus is unmistakable and felt by the fans and team alike. However, the idea of a home field advantage rings true for both Mustangs and Gauchos. Cal Poly has taken home 58.33 percent of victories in Alex G. Spanos Stadium while UC Santa Barbara has won 60 percent of matches played at Harder Stadium. Men’s Soccer head coach Steve Sampson accredits the Mustangs’ success at home to the spirit of the
rivalry. “I know that since I’ve been here, especially at home, we’ve had fairly good results against Santa Barbara,” Sampson said. “So I think because of the atmosphere, because of the significance of the game, extra effort goes into getting a result.” Beyond the ambiance that a Blue-Green rivalry game brings, both teams are used to playing in contrasting circumstances, according to UC Santa Barbara Men’s Soccer head coach Tim Vom Steeg. Whereas Harder Stadium has a larger, more open layout, Spanos Stadium is a narrow field built for American football. “You’ve got these two dimensions of a game that’s played on a tight field that’s got people hanging over the sides, and a lot of set pieces,” Vom Steeg said. “So, to me, it’s almost a completely different game.” Lower Game Attendance at UC Santa Barbara Since 2011, Cal Poly has sold out all 11,075 seats in Spanos Stadium for the Men’s Soccer game against UC Santa Barbara. However, average attendance at UC Santa Barbara’s Harder Stadium started decreasing in 2015. The lower numbers in Santa Barbara could be due to the lockdown of the UC Santa Barbara campus during the Halloween weekend. According to Vom Steeg, the “Halloween disaster” prevents community members from coming onto the campus and can also force ad-
MUSTANG NEWS
Known as “The Greatest Rivalry in College Soccer,” the Cal Poly-UC Santa Barbara Men’s Soccer game is the most anticipated game of the season for both fanbases. With the universities residing less than 100 miles from each other, thousands of spectators fill Spanos Stadium every year to cheer on their home team. Since the rivalry began to develop in 2007, the Mustangs and the Gauchos have met on the field 25 times in regular season games and twice in the playoffs. Of those matches, Cal Poly holds eight wins while the Gauchos hold twelve. The teams have also tied seven times to round out a total of 27 games. Only five of the last 24 meetings between the two teams have
been decided by more than one goal. And while UC Santa Barbara carries the all-time series lead at 26-15-8, the Gauchos have won just two of their last eight matches against Cal Poly.
Santa Barbara
Senior goalkeeper Simon Boehme delivers a kick during the Blue-Green Rivalry last season. The Mustangs won in Spanos Stadium 1-0.