Monday, Oc tober 2 4 , 2 016
E s t a b l i s h e d 1916
ELECTION EDITION
w w w. m u s t a n g n e w s . n e t
The Poly
Vote How students can control the local election
CHRIS GATELEY | MUSTANG NE WS
James Hayes @ jimbles_hayes
Nov. 8 marks an important day not just for the nation, but for the city of San Luis Obispo. On the second Tuesday of November — tandem with the national election — registered San Luis Obispo voters will be able to elect the mayor and two new City Council members. As it turns out, students make up a larger portion of these voters than most people realize. According to County Clerk Recorder Tommy Gong, almost a quarter of registered voters are student-aged voters. San Luis Obispo has 27,767 registered voters, 6,315 of which are between the ages of 18 and 24 — making up almost 23 percent of registered voters. Given that both mayoral and city council candidates are elected by majority vote, students have an incredible amount of impact when it comes to local elections. If students directed their votes toward one candidate, they could possibly decide the outcome of an election. Despite the amount of influence students have, there are candidates who are elected and ordinances that are passed that
students feel do not have their best interest in mind. Most notable is the controversial Rental Inspection Housing Program that was met with student and community opposition. But according to Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Jana Colombini, students should weigh in on city issues beyond the rental inspection program. “Unless you’re not going to be here next year, what you’re voting on in November will affect you next year,” Colombini said. “Why not make this community better for future Cal Poly students?” Cal Poly currently has around 21,000 students, according to Cal Poly’s projected 2016 numbers. If those students registered to vote in San Luis Obispo, that number alone would almost surpass the 21,452 non-18to-24 voters in the city. Colombini said Cal Poly students have a tremendous impact on local elections and should vote. “If we all get to get together and we all vote we can elect whoever we want in those positions,” Colombini said. “We can elect people who will make our experience in San Luis Obispo better.”
To make this happen, ASI has been promoting the Flex Your Right voter registration campaign that encourages students to register on their portal through the online registration platform TurboVote. “It’s a very easy way to register to vote,” Colombini said. “It literally takes five minutes. And I know that’s a little pitch line, but it actually takes five minutes.” TurboVote also shows how many students are registering to get an idea of how significant students’ votes are. “We can take that number to local politicians and candidates and say ‘Look at all the students we have registered. We are a big sway in the outcome, so please make sure you’re reaching out to students and making your campaign and your goals align with the goals of Cal Poly students,” Colombini said. Mayoral candidate Heidi Harmon hopes the current climate of the national election will inspire students to vote locally as well. “I helped lead the local Sanders campaign here and that got a lot of new people,” Harmon said. “We had been hearing from them how frustrated they were about the process and how a lot of peo-
ple had been feeling pretty down about Bernie not making it to the general. I wanted to remind those people that there is still a lot of work to do and that they hopefully won’t give up and not turn out.”
lots just to make sure they can influence this community into creating a better place for them to live and be a student in,” Colombini said. Combating voter apathy is dif-
Out of the
27,767
registered SLO voters (22.7%)
6,315
voters are Cal Poly students Colombini shares Harmon’s hopes that students find inspiration from the national election. “I would hope that, if anything, it would light the fire and make students want to go to the polls and want to submit their bal-
ficult, especially when dealing with 18-24-year-old voters who typically have low voter registration rates nationally compared to other age demographics’ — 58.5 percent compared to the other demographics’ 66 and
CHRISTA LAM | MUSTANG NE WS
Cal Poly football beats Davis see page 8
higher percentages, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But for San Luis Obispo students, sometimes the issue isn’t apathy. According to a Mustang News survey, some Cal Poly students hadn’t registered in San Luis Obispo because they are registered to vote elsewhere. Others didn’t feel it was worth voting. “I don’t feel like I’m educated on who is running and I also feel weird voting for things in SLO when I only live here part of the year,” one respondent said. However, Colombini implored students to vote if they have any issues with current policy. “If students are fed up with what’s going on in the community, if they don’t like a lot of these ordinances or a lot of these different policies that are being passed that are specifically either anti-student or affect their day-to-day lives, go to the polling station,” Colombini said. “If you’re not registered and you’re not voting, then don’t complain about what’s happening in San Luis Obispo.” The final day to register is Oct. 24. Students can register through TurboVote at www.calpoly.turbovote.org.
ILIANA ARROYOS | MUSTANG NE WS
Housing construction reactions see page 3
News 1-3 | Arts 4-5 | Opinion 6 | Classifieds 7 | Sports 8
NEWS 2
MUSTANG NEWS
Phonathon: The team behind Cal Poly donations
PHONATHON | COURTESY PHOTO WHO'S THERE?
Sydney Harder @ CPMustangNews
Tucked away in Graphic Arts (building 26, room 110) lies a modest, yet mighty family. Composed of 50 students and led by three matriarchs, they contribute to the $2 million raised by the office of Annual Giving at Cal Poly, the office in charge of all gifts given to the university. They engage in about 27,016 phone conversations each year — one of them is likely on a firstname basis with your parent or supporter. Each conversatios is an extension of their core value: relationship-building. This is the familial dynamic of the Cal Poly Phonathon.
Melody Klemin, the Phonathon is a student-operated organization focused on reaching out to alumni and parents/supporters for pledges.
they support. “There are over 1,500 funds you can give to at Cal Poly and that’s something we really try to stress to the people who give. People find what really resonates with them,” Sandstrom said. Cal Poly Cares a resource that provides emergency grants for students unable to afford textbooks, housing or meal plans, is one of the many programs funded by donations gathered through the Phonathon’s efforts. Other programs not covered by tuition, but that reap the benefits of the Phonathon, include the 24hour study rooms at Kennedy Library, escort vans and free tutoring sessions. Ultimately, the calls go beyond the money raised. At the heart of each conversation, callers seek to build rapport and establish a student-donor connection, lead senior caller and business administration senior Katie McAndrews said. “I feel accomplished when I think about my phone calls where
Each of their conversations is an extension of their core value: relationship building.
Cold-calling supporters Overseen by Director of Annual Giving Chris McBride, Communications Specialist (and team mom) Cathee Sandstrom and Communications Specialist
Students make calls six days a week in three and a half hour shifts. Donors have the liberty to choose where their gift is allocated, whether it be to their former residence hall, the college from which they graduated or a club
| The Phonathon team cold-calls over 25,000 people a year to encourage donations.
I’ve been on the phone for 30 to 40 minutes with someone, just really getting to share my experience at Cal Poly and hear about theirs, [igniting] that excitement that we both share for Cal Poly,” McAndrews said. Donors also receive a personal “thank you” video from the student they spoke with on the phone. This unique trust and bond between callers and donors set the Phonathon’s cold-calling operations apart from typically impersonal solicitations. “We try to make parents feel comfortable and oftentimes we stress to our new callers that we may be the only person that [parents] ever talk to [on campus]," Sandstrom said. "A lot of parents and donors find that there are just a lot of nice, good students calling them.” New place, new team At the beginning of the year, McBride was joined by Communications Specialists Sandstrom and Klemin. Before then, the Phonathon was solely headed by McBride.
“It’s kind of amazing that one staff member with a really well-organized team was able to generate that kind of response,” Sandstrom said referring to the continual increases in donations. In mid-September, the Phonathon relocated from its cramped home in Jespersen Hall (building 116) to a spacious new headquarters in Graphic Arts. The larger space allows for improved management and efficiency. This wasn't the only change. The Phonathon staff also lost a significant number of students after many of them graduated last spring. “We’re in a unique turnaround period right now, as half of our team is new,” Sandstrom said. “Of those, some are freshman who are still learning about Cal Poly themselves, but it’s a really inclusive group. The students love it because there’s such a sense of community.” New callers are prepped for cold-calling through intensive training that involves learning each stage of the call, understanding the “negotiation ladder”
and communicating clearly with the donor. “It’s really quite a science. It’s not just this vague, ‘would you like to give?’” Sandstrom said. An enduring community Despite the changes in leadership, location and staff, the Phonathon team takes pride in its steadfast friendship. Staff members begin each shift by sharing the “peaks and pits” of their week, bringing diverse student perspectives and experiences together. “I always feel like I leave the shift in a better mood, feeling encouraged because of such great conversations I have with my coworkers,” McAndrews said. “It definitely lifts me up.” According to the Phonathon family, the environment offers not only a comforting place to work for students, but also a tight-knit group of motivated, encouraging peers. “I just want this to be where people want to come to work, so we can continue to get the cream of the crop applying to be a part of Phonathon,” Sandstrom said.
NEWS 3
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
There needs to be a shift in city administration. I think students feel they don't have a say in the community. KATHIE WALKER
ILIANA ARROYOS | MUSTANG NE WS REL ATIONSHIP PROBLEMS
| The construction of Student Housing South brought new challenges with the permanent San Luis Obispo residents and Cal Poly. Some residents don't like the traffic it may bring.
Reactions to freshman housing show state of student-community relations James Hayes @ jimbles_hayes
Relations between the San Luis Obispo community and Cal Poly students have been strained for several years. With events like the Poly Royale riots in 1990 and the St. Fratty’s Day roof collapse in 2015 seared into the minds of long-term community members, it’s easy to see why some have a distrust for Cal Poly students.
However, some residents think the blame does not entirely lie with students. In fact, hidden behind the seemingly negative facade of the community are people trying to bridge the gap between Cal Poly students and San Luis Obispo residents. “People who live here are used to the fun neighborhoods made up of professors and kids riding bikes,” Alta Vista community member Kathie Walker said. “But things change.”
Walker has lived in her house on Fredericks Street and Kentucky Street for seven years. She has been involved in the San Luis Obispo community by seeking a way to bridge the gap between students and residents. For Walker, the construction of new student housing is a part of that solution. In May 2013, Cal Poly President Jef f re y Armstrong announced plans to build freshman housing at the intersection of Grand Avenue
and Slack Street — Student Housing South. The announcement was met with local pushback as longterm residents fought against the university's plans. Their concerns largely had to do with increased traffic at the intersection, student residents those neighborhoods and an increase in party related behavior. However, Walker thinks the creation of new on-campus housing will actually solve these issues. “I think a lot of the tension comes because students are living with the residents,” Walker said. She thinks that offering more on-campus options to students will improve the relations between residents and students. Unlike many who see the construction on Slack Street as an inconvenience, Walker sees it as a step toward a more cohesive San Luis Obispo. However, Walker’s home is not on the front lines of the construction. Sitting in the shadow of the skeletal frame of the new housing sits Charles E. Teach Elementary School, an accelerated learning school that Walker’s youngest son attends. At first, it may seem that the construction happening right across the street from classrooms would be a major distraction, but faculty at the school have the same understanding that Walker has. “Is it noisy? Yes,” school counselor Mary Kay Stratton said. “Do I understand? Yes.” In the front office of the school are cardstock flyers with “Cal Poly Student Housing
South Project Fact Sheet” lining the top. These flyers were made available to parents and faculty and provide a basic overview of the project. While the construction is not ideal, with dust and noise interfering with counseling, but Stratton has no resentment toward the university. In fact, after revealing that her eyes sometimes sting on windy days because of the dust, she chuckled and said, “That’s construction.” The project began in September 2015 with site and foundation construction. Building construction began in January 2016 and the project is scheduled to be completed in July 2018. The site is approximately 12 acres and will eventually hold 696 residence rooms, 492 parking spaces, 872 bicycle parking spaces, a solar system on top of the residential buildings or a parking structure and pedestrian walkways. All together, the project will cost $198 million. All of this information sits inside a small cubby, relatively untouched and gathering dust. This cubby is symbolic when looking at the greater issue, the issue Walker has been trying to resolve. “There is an unwillingness to engage with students,” Walker said. She said that Cal Poly held a mixer, allowing members of the community to come and discuss their concerns with a university liaison. “The people that didn’t come are the ones who have the most problems,” Walker said.
This construction has opened the door to a broader issue in San Luis Obispo, an issue of political reform. “The current city council needs to be more open,” Walker said. “There needs to be a shift in city administration. I think students feel like they don’t have a say in the community.” Landscape architecture junior Zach Streed thinks that students are taken into consideration often in community issues, but only when it benefits the city. “I think that we are often appeased for the monetary gain for the municipality,” Streed said. He also admits that he understands why community members may see students as just a form of revenue or inconvenience. “For those who have raised children and grandchildren here, I feel they are justified. I can’t say I would feel great about 5,000 people coming into my town and calling it home instantly,” Streed said. “Not everyone treats their home with the same respect.” For Streed, the addition of more student housing would have an impact on community relations, but it is not a permanent fix. “It will definitely have an effect, and probably aid in avoiding stirring the pot of problems that already exist,” Streed said. “But I feel like that segregation is just sweeping these issues under the rug and doesn’t tackle the root of the problem where ties have been severed.”
ARTS 4
MUSTANG NEWS
Condemning categories: Why labels don’t matter Rebecca Ezrin @ CPMustangNews
“There was no running water in our homes. Women had to wait until darkness to use the woods for toilets, because they were not allowed to go outside during daytime.” These are the words of Hill Krishnan, recalling his experience growing up in India. Krishnan speaks eagerly over the phone, not from India, but from New York. He currently works in the city as an assistant professor at Yeshiva College, one of his many employers. Krishnan was also a political science professor at Cal Poly during the 2014-15 school year. Krishnan visited Cal Poly on Friday, as one of nine speakers at TEDxCalPoly. His story perfect-
ly aligned with the theme of the conference—“Plot Twist.” Krishnan was born in the village of Dohnabur, in southern India. He grew up with a mother, a father and two brothers. The caste he belonged to is called Marabars, which translates to “bravery” in English, but is often associated with robbery in Indian society. When Krishnan was a teenager, his father started a paper business that collected old newspapers and redistributed them to paper mills. With the money made from this new business, Krishnan and his family were able to move from their village to a nearby town named Coimbatore. It was here that Krishnan was first exposed to higher caste members. He saw them studying. Krishnan wasn’t focused on
HILL KRISHNAN | COURTESY PHOTO PRESIDENTIAL | Krishnan spoke with Bill Clinton on aerial bombing.
school; he was more of a class clown. He recalls his higher-caste, lighter-skinned teachers beating him for his failing performance. Krishnan particularly remembers a high school teacher who would punish the students with the worst grades in the class; Krishnan was often included in this group. “When my paper came around, I would have to get in front of the classroom. He would use all his might and unleash on my palms,” Krishnan said during his speech at TEDxCalPoly. “Standing there, receiving 15 to 20 lashes, is something you don’t forget. Every time that cane hit my hand, it felt like a thousand watts of electricity passing through my body. It was hard to resist tears.” Time after time, Krishnan would go home at the end of the day with no signs of achievement and swollen knuckles. Then things changed. “I didn’t believe that I could do any better until the day that the speaker came to our school. He told us that we could set goals and reach accomplishments,” Krishnan said. The speaker talked about the College of Engineering Guindy, one the oldest engineering schools in India. It is one of the six affiliates of Anna University in India. “I said, ‘Well, that’s where I’m going,’ and the whole class broke out into laughter,” Krishnan said. When Krishnan returned home that day, his mother was caught off guard by the vibrant look on his face. Starry-eyed, Krishnan shared his aspirations with her. She encouraged Krishnan to work hard to achieve his goal, one that would hopefully be able to provide for the family. However, not everybody was as supportive. His schoolteacher told
HILL KRISHNAN | COURTESY PHOTO INSPIR ATIONAL
| Krishnan urges people to tear off the labels that society gives them, just as he did.
him not to reach too high. “I could not lift my head and look him in the face,” Krishnan said. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but he was asking me to conform to the labels I had been given.” Krishnan hung the words “Get Anna” on his wall at home, motivating him to continue pursuing his dream. Krishnan did well on the state exams required for college entry. He was accepted to several local arts schools, but no engineering schools. Still set on his dream, Krishnan spent an extra year trying to get into Guindy. Frustrated and helpless, it was Krishnan’s mother who gave him the encouragement to keep going. Krishnan started studying 18 hours a day, sleeping during the other six. This routine lasted for almost a year leading up to his exam. Krishnan’s inexhaustible fight paid off. He scored a perfect score in mathematics and got a 98 percent in sciences on his entry exam. Krishnan was accepted to his dream school. “I laminated that score and carried it in my pocket every day,” Krishnan said. “That was the greatest lesson of my life. I don’t need to live by the labels that others give me.” In 2001, Krishnan received
his B.S. in medical engineering from Guindy. After graduating from Guindy, Krishnan turned his attention to applying for graduate school in America. Before taking the GRE, he studied English for about four years, something that he especially struggled with. After failing the foreign language exam twice and struggling to get a visa, Krishnan embarked on a journey to a country that his family couldn’t place on a map, with nothing but $1,200 that his father lent him and a single bag. Upon starting graduate school at New York University (NYU), Krishnan was barely scraping by in America. “I had $35 in my pocket. I lived in the library and showered in the gym. I moved to a friend’s place and was able to eat at a pizzeria for free for a year because I knew the owner,” Krishnan said. In 2003, Krishnan received his masters in ergonomics and biomechanics. In 2009, Krishnan became a U.S. citizen. That same year, he went back to NYU to earn his second masters in global affairs. In 2014, Krishnan earned his PhD in political science from Boston University. During the process, he reached boundless new heights. Krishnan taught at three colleges, including Brown Univer-
sity. He spoke with Bill Clinton on the ethics of aerial bombing and with former British Prime Minister David Cameron about nuclear weapons. After receiving his masters, Krishnan moved to California to take a teaching job at Cal Poly. He taught 11 courses during the 2014-15 school year in both political science and sociology. He built such a network of support that students protested when Krishnan did not receive tenure. During his time at Cal Poly, Krishnan wrote a memoir called “Caste Away.” It is in the top 100 best selling books on Indian history and biographies on Amazon. Krishnan left Cal Poly in 2015 to move back to New York, where he continues to teach. “I was told I am not an intellectual, so I ripped that label and re-wrote, ‘I am an intellectual,’” Krishnan said during his TEDx talk. Krishnan is a strong advocate in believing that each individual holds the power to dictate his or her own life. “This is the same kid who stood in front of the class and received those beatings passively, [now] actively standing in front of my university class and encouraging my students to identify and fight labels others have given them,” Krishnan said in his TEDx talk. “Who writes your life story?”
Renowned photographer Henry Horenstein to speak at Cal Poly Nicole Horton @ CPMustangNews
Notable photographer, author and filmmaker Henry Horenstein will be speaking at Cal Poly this Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Construction Innovations Center (building 186, room C303). Horenstein works as a photography professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, but is more than just an educator. Throughout his remarkable career, Horenstein has published more than 30 books, such as monographs “Animalia,” “Close” and “Show.” He
was also the creative mind behind “Honky Tonk,” a documentary survey of country music during the late 1900s,
Horenstein’s photographs have touched the lives of people around the world. which has been presented at galleries nationwide, including the Smithsonian National
Museum of American History and the Annenberg Space for Photography. Horenstein’s presentation will showcase samples of his photographs and films accompanied by insights into the inspirations behind his pieces. The art and design department will present Horenstein. Horenstein’s photographs touched the lives of people around the world. His lectures lit fires in aspiring artists and, in his most recent endeavor of documentary filmmaking, he is sure to have the same compelling effect. To learn more about Henry Horenstein and his work, visit www.Horenstein.com.
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ARTS 5
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
Cutting through the red tape with TEDxCalPoly
FR ANCES MYLOD-VARGAS | MUSTANG NE WS PLOT T WIST
| Attendees filled the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center on Friday, Oct. 21 to see nine speakers tell their own “Plot Twist” stories at the first ever TEDxCalPoly event.
Carly Quinn @ carlyquinnMN
Red was everywhere on the night of Friday, Oct. 21, as the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) filled with excited members of the community, ready to watch the sold out TEDxCalPoly. TEDx is an independent branch of the well known nonprofit TED, an organization devoted to sharing ideas, usually through short talks by a diverse mix of speakers. TED started as a private dinner party held once a year, but has since expanded greatly with the creation of TEDx, sprouting thousands of TEDx talks around the globe in 2015.
In the PAC lobby sat a giant red “X” with the sentence “If I couldn’t fail, I would...” Attendees could fill in the blank. Aerospace engineering junior Angela Wong wrote “become president” on the “X.” “Besides engineering, I looked into becoming a leader in a way of marketing and communications,” Wong said. “Plus I’m Asian-American and that would be awesome to have an Asian-American female president.” The “X,” following the conference’s theme “Plot Twist,” was waiting to be filled with the plot twists of attendees. Nine speakers took the stage Friday night, each with a “Plot Twist” story of their own. Starting off the night with a
brilliant and chilling speech, kinesiology senior Nicole Huffman had every member of the audience on the verge of tears and on the edge of their seats. She proposed a plan of action to prevent sexual assault before it happens, through education, awareness and normalizing the topic, all with a fiscal incentive. Huffman explained that for every one dollar the government spends on preventative measures, five dollars are saved. The money saved could include expenses for imprisoning a rapist or providing healthcare for a survivor of sexual assault. Huffman said that by investing in these preventative measures, the United States is saving money in the long run. The speech received a stand-
FR ANCES MYLOD-VARGAS | MUSTANG NE WS CREATING THE MAGIC
| Cameron Wiese was one of the organizers that brought TEDx to Cal Poly.
ing ovation, yet Huffman said she was nervous before, during and after she spoke. “I took a class with an amazing professor about educating people to encourage them to want to be healthy and make healthy choices,” Huffman said. “The approach I take now is absolutely fueled by my experience at Cal Poly, because if I had not taken that class I wouldn’t have the unique fiscal perspective that I do.” Huffman hopes to have a career in the field of preventative medicine. She is the head of awareness and education at Cal Poly’s online platform for sexual assault survivors, Current Solutions. Environmental management and protection senior Jordan Miller, host and founder of “The Nightcap with Jordan Miller,” took the stage as the third speaker with a bit of comic relief. Miller’s energy and charisma had the entire audience booming with laughter as he played out the evolution of teenage dancing, titled “Dancing Through Puberty.” His story started in his awkward middle school years and landed in his present-day experiences at Creeky Tiki in downtown San Luis Obispo. While Miller’s message was discretely delivered, it was clear: vulnerability is the only thing that leads to improve-
ment. While allowing oneself to be vulnerable and experience new situations may be uncomfortable, it gives way for im-
Our minds are our
biggest limitation and
once we overcome that road block, we are
capable of so much.
provement and learning. “I never really thought I wanted to be a comedian, per-se,” Miller said. “One day, it just clicked; I have to go for this.” While on the path to graduating, Miller discovered his passion for spreading a message through entertainment. He hopes to pursue careers similar to Jimmy Fallon of “The Tonight Show” and John Oliver of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” some of his influences. Another TEDx speaker was Hill Krishnan, an assistant professor at the City University of New York and retired Cal Poly professor. Krishnan came from small beginnings in India to achieve countless successes, including his PhD in political science from Boston Univer-
FR ANCES MYLOD-VARGAS | MUSTANG NE WS INSPIRING THE MASSES
sity. Krishnan’s story of determination despite what boxes others put him inspired many that night, as he received a standing ovation. Before he decorated himself with degrees, Krishnan was a low achiever in school. It was only when he realized that he defined his own capability that he succeeded. Krishnan urged the audience to not let other people’s views determine how you view yourself, but let it motivate you to surpass the goals you have for yourself, just as he did after coming to America. “It’s like a magical dreamland that I was going to,” Krishnan said.“My parents thought, ‘OK you scored a goal to some far away phenomenal country,’ but it was hard at first.” In 2015, Krishnan received outstanding support in a petition from his students at Cal Poly to be rehired in a tenure position. While the position was not given to him, Krishnan continues to have confidence in his work and in himself. Finishing off the night was Carissa Phelps, founder of the Runaway Girl foundation, which helps young girls in troubling situations find a way out. Phelps talked about the magic and freedom an eight-year-old has inside of them when they believe in themselves. Phelps explained that everyone should have the heart of an eight-year-old when achieving their goals. She shared her own experiences with astonishingly confident kids, including a fearless child undergoing a hand replacement surgery. Similar to Krishnan, Phelps thinks that our minds are our biggest limitation and once we overcome that road block, we are capable of so much. “Everyone wants to make an impact on the world, and it’s hard,” Phelps said. “But I want them to know that they’ve got it, they’ve got everything that it takes inside of them.” Besides running her organization, Phelps speaks around the country to inspire people, especially young women, to make the best life for themselves. She also raises awareness for human trafficking. Because of Friday night’s success, organizers psychology senior Cameron Wiese and economics senior Eli Burch said they plan on making TEDxCalPoly a yearly tradition. “It was fun. Stressful, but fun,” Wiese said. “It’s a great learning opportunity for me and everyone here and I’m happy we could give that to other people.”
| TEDxCalPoly organizers psychology senior Cameron Wiese and economics senior Eli Burch plan on making TEDxCalPoly a yearly event.
OPINION 6
Props on the Props
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Brendan Abrams @ CPMustangnews
BROADCAST SPORT PRODUCER Clara Knapp BROADCAST SPORTS DIRECTOR Allison Edmonds
Brendan Abrams is a liberal arts and engineering studies junior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News editorial.
SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATORS Suha Saya, Kristine Xu PHOTO EDITOR Chris Gateley OPINION EDITOR Neil Sandhu HEAD DESIGNER Zack Spanier
Everyone is fired up about the presidential election. Seriously people, we all already know who we’re voting for. Anyone who says they’re undecided is either lying, named Ken Bone or prematurely taking advantage of Prop 64’s intention to legalize weed. The campaigns themselves, while fascinating from a social perspective, are completely inconsequential at this point. So let’s shift focus to the votes that truly count, the ones that might soon make a difference in our daily lives as Californians and San Luis Obispans. In other words, let’s talk props (and measures). Many of us seem to forget that alongside those two big names and the auxiliary names, which allow us to imagine we have more than two political parties in our system, exist a collection of proposed laws specific to the state of California or San Luis Obispo County. What follows is a rundown of some of the standouts from that group.
OUTREACH COORDINATORS Hayley Sakae, Claire Blachowski WEB DEVELOPER Jon Staryuk STAFF REPORTERS Sydney Harder, Megan Schellong, James Hayes, Connor McCarthy, Elena Wasserman, Allison Royal, Cecilia Seiter, Brendan Matsuyama, Austin Linthicum, Sabrina Thompson, Nicole Horton, Carly Quinn, Greg Llamas, Olivia Doty, Frances MylodVargas, Mikaela Duhs, Francois Rucki, Tyler Schilling, Erik Engle, Michael Frank, Tommy Tran COPY EDITORS Quinn Fish, Bryce Aston, Andi DiMatteo DESIGNERS Kylie Everitt, Aaron Matsuda, Tanner Layton OPINION COLUMNISTS Elias Atienza, Brendan Abrams, Brandon Bartlett
Not an Ass
Measure J
This time, only one measure made the ballot for San Luis Obispo County. You may have seen the cryptic signs propped up on lawns (or even, and this is true, being towed on trailers at Bike Night) asserting “Yes on J” or “No on J” and little else. Well, what is J? J is short for Measure J, which is short for a 32-page proposal involving taxes and transportation. To spare you an afternoon of reading legalese, Measure J proposes a sales tax increase of 0.5 percent for a period of at least nine years, which would bring sales tax to 8.5 percent in San Luis Obispo, and 8 percent elsewhere in the county. All the funds raised from this additional tax would go directly to improving transportation throughout the county in multiple ways. In San Luis Obispo, a large portion would pay for residential road improvements, and smaller sums would accelerate the creation of new and improved pedestrian and bicycle routes, including safer routes to the Cal Poly campus. I see this as a splendid and necessary idea (have you traveled on some of these awful roads lately?) with the potential to benefit everyone, at a relatively low cost to each individual citizen. Verdict: Yes on J. Now, the props:
MUSTANG NEWS
Fiscal conservatives will cringe at this insult to trickle-down economics, but I say anyone making that much money will not be strapped for cash after having to contribute a little more to the public pool. Verdict: Yes on 55.
brings hundreds of millions of dollars to the state every year. Verdict: It’s a toss-up. Choose based on your affinity for mandated safe sex.
PHOTOGRAPHERS Matthew Lalanne, Sophia O’Keefe, Hanna Crowley, Samantha Mulhern, Andrew Epperson, Christa Lam, Kara Douds, Iliana Arroyos ILLUSTRATOR Roston Johnson ADVERTISING MANAGERS Maddie Spivek, Kristen Corey ART DIRECTOR Erica Patstone PRODUCTION MANAGER Ellen Fabini MARKETING MANAGER Ross Pfeifer ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Clara Howley, Levi Adissi, Trevor Murchison, Carryn Powers ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Jacqui Luis, Habib Placencia, Kelly Chiu DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Dylan Ring FACULTY ADVISOR Pat Howe GENERAL MANAGER Paul Bittick
PROP 56
Prop 56 adds a $2 tax to cigarettes on top of existing taxes. This also affects other tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes. Proceeds would help pay for healthcare for low-income residents and preventive education on tobacco products. As a nonsmoker with a disdain for cigarette smoke, I’m incredibly biased here, but adding this tax should be a no-brainer. Smoking cigarettes is a personal liberty, but it is a habit that should be discouraged at all costs. It’s harmful to smokers, people in the vicinity of smokers and air quality. Why not make a dual impact with one tax and encourage healthy behaviors while providing care for those in need? Verdict: Yes on 56.
PROP 63
Prop 63 prohibits the possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, and implements background checks for any sale of ammo. No hunter or skeet shooter needs large-capacity magazines, so this should be a positive change for anyone looking to improve their chances of not being a mass shooting victim. In addition, it’s only sensible that background checks should be required to obtain the component of a gun that makes it dangerous. This is slow, NRA-opposed reform, but reform nonetheless. Verdict: Yes on 63.
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PROP 54
Prop 54 requires bills proposed in the California legislature to be posted on the internet 72 hours before they are voted on, and mandates recording legislature proceedings. This should increase the transparency and accountability of our lawmakers, allowing voters and news organizations to be better informed, at minimal financial cost. Verdict: Yes on 54.
PROP 55
Prop 55 renews a tax on people making more than $250,000 per year. The extra revenue will continue to be put toward primary and secondary schools and healthcare.
CORRECTIONS
PROP 60
Prop 60 would mandate that performers in pornographic films wear condoms, and also that porn producers pay for regular medical exams and tests for performers. This is a mixed bag. Porn production is illegal in every state but California and New Hampshire. Producers would probably have to bite the bullet and succumb to regulation, which might be considered a victory for the rights and safety of the performers. However, the performers are consenting adults who should hypothetically be able to look out for their own health. More questions arise with regard to the cost and effectiveness of the regulation. How easy is it to catch that sort of thing before it happens? It also may not be a great idea to do significant damage to an industry that
PROP 64
Prop 64 aims to legalize the possession, use and sale of marijuana by adults over the age of 21. Similar to the laws in Washington and Colorado, this places taxes and safety standards on marijuana sales. It’s about damn time. This could bring the state upwards of $1 billion in revenue each year, and will allow adults who were going to use pot anyway a safer, legal method of obtaining it. This should also drastically reduce drug-related arrests and convictions, reducing strain on our prison and court systems. Verdict: Yes on 64. And stop pretending weed is dangerous. As a Californian, your vote may not count for much in the presidential race, but it sure as heck matters for the props and measures. So when you enter that church or middle school auditorium on Nov. 8, be sure to vote the right (or left) way; informed.
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MUSTANG NEWS
Cal Poly wins 2016 Battle for the Golden Horseshoe Ayrton Ostly @ AyrtonOstly
The Cal Poly football team won 21-16 against UC Davis at the Alex G. Spanos Stadium Saturday night, winning the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe during homecoming weekend. For a team that averages 37.3 points per game, the Mustangs (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky) had trouble
finding a rhythm on offense against a surprisingly stout UC Davis (2-6, 1-4) defense. The Mustangs managed just 144 yards by halftime, with the Aggies winning 9-7. The Mustangs opened the game with multiple first downs before senior quarterback Dano Graves fumbled on a pitch to senior slotback Kori Garcia. UC Davis’ defensive end Anthony Baumgart recovered the fumble and took it 61 yards for a touchdown to put the Aggies up 6-0. From there,
it was a defensive struggle on an unusually low scoring game. UC Davis came into the game with the seventh ranked rush defense in the Big Sky conference, but held senior fullback Joe Protheroe to just 95 yards on 27 carries. Cal Poly’s offensive line struggled to get a good push on the UC Davis defensive line, leaving Protheroe, Garcia and junior slotback Kyle Lewis with few running lanes to take advantage of. On the other side, the Mustangs, usually pretty stout against the run, allowed the Aggies to run the ball up the field with rel-
ative ease before coming up with stops in the red zone. Graves broke through from one yard out to score a touchdown in the second quarter to finally put the Mustangs on the board and give them a 7-6 lead. On the ensuing possession, the Aggies’ running back Manusamoa Luuga broke a long run that would have been a touchdown if junior defensive back BJ Nard hadn’t chased him down at the 8-yard line. Senior linebacker Chris Santini punctuated the Mustangs’ goal line stand with a sack on third down to hold the Aggies to a field goal, the final
score before halftime. After halftime, the Mustangs still had trouble in the running game. Graves was hit multiple times when handing off to a running back as Protheroe and junior fullback Jared Mohamed both had trouble churning out more than a few yards at a time. The Cal Poly defense clamped down hard in the second half in response to the offense struggling and forced a punt on the Aggies’ first possession in the third quarter. From there, Graves orchestrated an eight play, 45yard drive capped by breaking three tackles in a 14-yard rumble into the end zone. That gave the Mustangs the lead they’d keep for the rest of the game. With 8:18 left in the fourth
CHRISTA LAM | MUSTANG NE WS UP THE MIDDLE
| Senior quarterback Dano Graves looks to cut back on the run against the UC Davis defense. Graves finished the night with 45 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.
quarter, the Aggies got the ball back after the Mustangs couldn’t pick up a yard on fourth and one. Down five with this much time gave the Aggies a good chance to march down the field and score to make it a much closer game. But senior linebacker Joseph Gigantino had other ideas. On second and 10 from the Aggies’ 30-yard line, UC Davis tried a flea flicker to catch the defense off-guard. Gigantino reacted immediately and ran through to sack quarterback Ben Scott and force the Aggies in to third and 23. On the next play, he nearly had an interception over the middle of the field to force the incompletion and the Aggies to punt. Given a strong stop by the defense, the offense responded in the best way possible. Lewis broke through an arm tackle in the second level and sprinted for a 91-yard touchdown run to give the Mustangs a 21-9 lead with 2:54 left in the game. UC Davis scored on a five yard pass to cut Cal Poly’s lead to 2116 with under a minute remaining but the Mustangs recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock on for a win in this year’s homecoming game. This win keeps the Mustangs fourth in conference and will likely move up the FCS rankings from their No. 17 ranking. Next up for Cal Poly is a road matchup at Sacramento State (1-7, 1-4) next Saturday. With the way their defense played in the win against UC Davis, the Mustangs look like they have the components of a team that could be hard to beat in the coming weeks.