Sports psychologist helps athletes get heads in game. SPORTS, pg. 8
Volume LXXVI, Number 110
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
www.mustangdaily.net
Behind the scenes: MultiCultural Center MERCEDES RODRIGUEZ
Campbell said. “It can sometimes be a challenge.” One such challenge came in 2008 when a group of students defaced the Crops House with racist and homophobic slurs and symbols. Campbell said following the incident, the Center met with students and then-President Warren Baker in order to navigate a plan of action. She said when it comes to dealing with diversity, students should not be afraid to ask questions. “I just think that within their career at Cal Poly, students should come to one event and see what the MCC is all about,” Campbell said. Joy Harkins is one of the individuals who makes these events possible. She has been the MultiCultural Center coordinator since last fall. Her job is to advise, support and educate students, faculty and staff about cultural resources. “In the short time that I’ve been in this position, I’ve become aware that a lot of people are not aware of what we are and what we do,” Harkins said. The Center receives state general funds, and the programs they put on are funded by Instructionally Related Activities Fees students pay at the start of each quarter. These fees, not related to Associated Students, Inc. or tuition, pay for learning opportunities outside of the classroom, such as Engineers Without Borders. Though students pay in part for the programs put on by
mercedesrodriguez.md@gmail.com
When the MultiCultural Center opened its doors Jan. 15 — Martin Luther King Day — in 1981, it was initially only supposed to function as a lounge where minority students could hang out. “Students of color didn’t have a place to meet and talk,” coordinator of MultiCultural Programs and Services Renoda Campbell said. “They wanted to see people who looked like them.” Though the Center has grown to become more than just a lounge, offering programs and services for all students on campus, Cal Poly diversity (or the lack thereof) remains. With an undergraduate population of 62.8 percent white students, according to the most recent 2011 PolyView study, Cal Poly does not qualify as one of the most diverse California State Universities. In contrast, California State University, East Bay’s University Profile for 2012 states their university is 21.6 percent white, while San Diego State University’s recent demographics show a campus whose undergraduate students are 37.8 percent white. The MultiCultural Center is dedicated to providing cultural resources and meaningful dialogues about diversity as a part of Student Life and Leadership. Student Life also organizes Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR), greek life and the Pride Center. “We have a long way to go insofar as making it a staple in the Cal Poly community,”
see MCC, pg. 2
Poly
101
The present and paths: part 2 DYLAN HONEA-BAUMANN dylanhoneabaumann.md@gmail.com
This is the final installment of a two-part series on the Cal Poly “P,” which features the present and paths of the big “P” in the hills above campus. The Cal Poly “P” is one of the school’s most noticeable landmarks. Whether it is green for Earth Day or rainbow-colored for Pride Week, the “P” stands proudly on the hill, even though few know much about it. Present and recent “One day I was asked why the ‘P’ had changed, and even though I’ve been here for so long, I didn’t really know how that process
was done,” said interim vice president of university advancement, and executive housing director Preston Allen (who has been at Cal Poly for 19 years). “I decided to post the reason for the changes and to share a bit of history about the ‘P’ on the student affairs website.” Along with the school mascot, “Musty” the mustang, the “P” is the school’s top hallmark, Allen said. Every time a change to the “P” is approved, Allen posts who got approved and includes the dates their design will be up. “It’s bigger than most people think, and it’s real costly to paint back,” Allen said. “That’s part of the reason they have the procedures.” The “P” tab on the student affairs website with all information relating to the “P” is above the sexual assault report and recom-
mendations tab. Cal Poly custodial and events manager Don Popham said getting permission to decorate the “P” during a certain time is based on a first-come, first-serve basis. He said the Pride Center most recently obtained permission and decorated the “P.” Psychology alumnus and Americorps member who serves with the Pride Center, Brittni Kiick, was the supervisor while students representing the Pride Center painted the “P” rainbow colors. The “P” is painted rainbow colors every year during pride month, Kiick said. Kiick said it took approximately three hours for eight students working with the Pride Center to paint it. “It’s something that the students look forward to as a volunteer opportunity
with us,” Kiick said. “The weather was hot that day but it was definitely something that they enjoyed, and it was fun.” Though the students had fun painting the “P,” there were some minor setbacks that made it so they had to spend extra time painting it. “I think the students were amused by the fact that the ‘P’ had been painted and repainted so many times,” Kiick said. “You’re no longer painting on the concrete, you’re just painting on the paint. You’d paint on a section, and it would just sort of fall off. It was more amusing than a burden. It just shows how often people use the ‘P’ to advertise to the campus community.” Kiick said it took approximately three hours see THE ‘P,’ pg. 2
GRAPHIC BY MELISSA WONG/MUSTANG DAILY
Candidate Q&A: Sit down with Nha Ha SEAN MCMINN
seanmcminn.md@gmail.com
Nha Ha, a biomedical engineering senior who decided last Wednesday to run as a write-in candidate for the Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) presidency, talks about accessibility to students, his plans for the California State University (CSU) and how he hopes to secure a come-frombehind victory this week. Though Ha’s opponent, social sciences junior Katie Morrow, had the advantage of early campaigning, the former Mustang Daily photographer said he believes this week will be key in gaining votes.
SEAN MCMINN/MUSTANG DAILY
Biomedical engineering senior Nha Ha is running for Associated Students, Inc. president as a write in candidate.
You spoke in the debate about your experience with different clubs and organizations you’ve been
CHECK OUT
ARTS, pg. 4
MUSTANGDAILY.NET
New restaurant hits Foothill Boulevard.
for articles, videos, photos & more.
involved with. How have these changed your perception of Cal Poly? Being in so many different clubs gives me a wider perspective of how there are so many different aspects and students here at school instead of just a narrow view. Say, if I was only in ASI government, then I’d only know those types of people. If elected, you’ll be the cochair of the Student Success Fee allocation committee. How important is student voice in deciding where that money goes? Being the co-chair, I would make sure the students know half of the committee is composed of students and that their voice goes a long way. The first round of money is
Tomorrow’s Weather: high Showers
64˚F
low 54˚F
already going to be set this spring, so we would basically be planning for the future. So I would have to make sure everybody knows where the present money is going and that’s not where it’s always going to be. I’d like to have open forums and talk to different groups of people to see where they’d like to see the money. Also, I’d have to talk to teachers to make sure it’s just not the students, but it’s also the teachers that need to understand, too. Kiyana Tabrizi and Morrow chose not to take a stance on the Student Success Fee. If there’s a similar controversial issue that comes up while you’re president, what would you do? As ASI president, I think it’s important not to take a stance
INDEX News.............................1-3 Arts..............................4-5
just to not influence anybody’s decision. Because everyone should have their own opinion about it. My stance would be to better inform everybody. If you think you knew better than the students about how something should be, would you feel comfortable telling them what you think? I wouldn’t try to dictate how their decision should be made. I would just try to inform them in a better way. Because if they’re illinformed, it’s not their fault. The CSU has been putting pressure on schools on the quarter system to switch to semesters. The president and provost both are currently in favor of this, what see HA, pg. 2
Opinions/Editorial...........6 Classifieds/Comics..........7 Sports..........................7-8