RE-LEARNING C AL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO ’S NE WS SOURCE
MUSTANG NEWS
RE-IMAGINING,
RE-TEACHING &
RE-ADAPTING
TO A NEW WAY OF LIFE. SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
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FRESHMEN PREPARE FOR SOCIALLY DISTANT LIFE ON CAMPUS Story by Catherine Allen Designed by Marta Lukomska
TIANNA ARATA: LEAVING HER MARK ON SAN LUIS OBISPO Story by Cameryn Oakes Designed by Von Balanon
HEALTH CENTER FAST FACTS
The Health Center is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students can call the Health Center at 805-756-1211 to make an in-person or virtual appointment. Due to COVID-19, walk-in appointments are not available. The Health Center offers free COVID-19 testing to symptomatic students. If you have symptoms, call to make an appointment. Results for COVID-19 tests are ready 24 to 48 hours after the test is taken.
TIMELINE: BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS Story by Cameryn Oakes Designed by Von Balanon
The Health Center can process COVID-19 tests in-house on a machine typically used to test for gonorrhea, allowing them to produce results so quickly.
WHAT IS STILL OPEN IN SLO?
If students rely on the Health Center for prescriptions like birth control but do not plan to live in San Luis Obispo in the fall, they can have their prescription sent to a pharmacy near them. For the time being, the Health Center cannot mail medication to student homes out of the area.
Story by Sophia Lincoln Designed by Grace Kitayama
PROFESSORS PREPARE FOR IN-PERSON CLASSES IN THE FALL Story by Kiana Hunziker Designed by Solena Aguilar
STUDENT ATHLETES: DIVISION I ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR FALL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SPRING Story by Adam Birder Designed by Nicole Herhusky
About 20 mental health professionals are available for students. Call 805-756-2511 to make an appointment with a counselor.
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MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
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FRESHMEN PREPARE FOR A SOCIALLY DISTANT LIFE ON CAMPUS
CONNOR FROST | MUSTANG NEWS Tables are placed six feet apart outside in the University Union to prevent the spread of COVID-19. BY CATHERINE ALLEN
It seems that students of the class of 2024 are desperately hoping to make the most of their freshman college experience, as many chose to live on campus in spite of virtual classes and COVID-19 restrictions. A poll posted on the “SLO Class of 2024” Facebook page showed about 234 students planned to live on campus as of Aug. 28 — accounting for 71 percent of the responses. For some, they said their classes helped determine whether they would live on campus. Freshmen received their block schedules Aug. 25 and had until Aug. 26 to defer their fall housing payments. When architecture freshman Avery Vuong found out all her classes would be virtual, she made the last-minute decision to stay home. Whereas Shannon Robinson’s schedule as a mechanical engineering freshman pushed her in the op-
posite direction. “I have two in-person classes and I’m really, really bad at doing all virtual classes. I just can’t learn that way and neither can a lot of other students which kind of sucks,” Robinson said. “I feel like being on campus will just help get me into that mindset of, ‘Okay, it’s time to work,’ rather than just being at home in my room.” Even a completely virtual schedule is not keeping some freshmen home. Animal science freshman Corrinne Jones said despite her tendency to get homesick, she decided to learn virtually from the comfort of her residence hall. “I really want to get away from home and experience that kind of thing on my own,” Jones said. “I love the area and I just feel like even though we’ll be in singles and socially distanced, I still want to experience the college life.” Though students will be kept at a
I love the area and I just feel like even though we’ll be in singles and socially distanced, I still want to experience the college life. CORRINNE JONES Animal science freshman living on campus
distance following social distancing guidelines, Jones said she is finding ways to stay connected to her peers. From following almost every Cal Poly page on social media and joining several group chats to even creating her own group chat for
freshmen from San Diego who are moving onto campus, Jones said she has been able to make new friends and stay connected with the Cal Poly community. Once students move in, Jones said she hopes for a more interactive experience. “I really hope that the RAs, clubs, faculty and staff in general make it as interactive as they can whether that be online or socially distanced outside, just trying to keep everyone that is living on campus still together and get that sense of college community even though we still have to be apart,” Jones said. On the frontlines of creating a positive experience while enforcing safety is sophomore Enrico Cruz, a Week of Welcome (WOW) leader, CORE leader and Residential Advisor (RA) for the Yosemite residence halls. While students cannot expect a typical college lifestyle, Cruz said many groups on campus host virtual
socials. He said this helps keep spirits high. “I look forward to them at the end of the week to hop on Zoom, play Scribble.io or just play paranoia or mafia,” Cruz said. “It seems silly but those are really fun and it’s really nice to have that. You don’t need to kick back and go to a party or something like that honestly.” Although Cal Poly is requiring all fall events and gatherings — whether on or off campus — to be virtual, students said they still expect to feel more immersed in the college community by living on campus. For those staying home, that sense of community may be put on hold until winter. “Staying home and seeing people virtually would result in me getting to know them in a work capacity, and once I come on campus I’m excited to get to know more about them as people,” Vuong said. “Of course, that doesn’t mean that I won’t learn any-
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ETHNIC STUDIES AB1460 now requires students to take an ethnic studies course to graduate
NEWS
MUSTANG NEWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
BY BRIANA WILSON
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1460 into law on Aug. 17, which will require all California State University (CSU) students to take an ethnic studies course to graduate. Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, all students will need to take a class in one of the following areas: African American studies, American Indian studies, Latinx studies or Asian American studies. Ethnic studies department chair Jenell Rae Navarro said the new bill is a “big win” for the department. “With every student taking an ethnic studies course, I hope they gain a historic scope of the multiple layers of injustice people of color have faced in this country, a present day understanding of relentless structural racism in the U.S. and a will to fight for a future that is just and equitable for communities of color,” Navarro said. The state bill was opposed with a proposal from CSU Chancellor Timothy White, which would have mandated that students take a social justice class. This would have allowed students to replace an ethnic studies class with gender or sexuality courses. The ethnic studies department was “only in favor of AB 1460” and will allow experts to teach relevant classes, according to Navarro. “The chancellor’s version would have allowed students to complete a so-called “ethnic studies” graduation requirement without ever taking an ethnic studies course,” Navarro said. “In fact, that version was very hollowed out because it attempted to be so wide sweeping that it was not even clear if the courses students would take would have to mention race at all.” There are some students who are not as excited about the new graduation requirement. Electrical engineering senior Blaise Bibolet said that he is worried about finding the time in his already busy academic schedule to take another required class. “I don’t take GE classes at Cal Poly because I don’t have time in my
CHARTER FISHING DURING A PANDEMIC
schedule and it’s cheaper to do it online through community colleges, so I don’t know how I feel about the new requirement,” Bibolet said. “I obviously think its something everyone should learn about, but it’s hard to find the time to learn it, especially as an engineer.”
With every student taking an ethnic studies course, I hope they gain a historic scope of the multiple layers of injustice people of color have faced in this country, a present day understanding of relentless structural racism in the U.S. and a will to fight for a future that is just and equitable for communities of color. JENELL RAE NAVARRO Ethnic studies department chair
Other students said they are happy about the new requirement. With renewed calls for racial justice throughout the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in late May, psychology senior Sophie Hoffman said she sees the new requirement as a step in the right direction. “Because California schools are composed of so many students from different backgrounds, I think it’s important that each student is exposed to at least one class involving ethnic studies content that will allow them to see the world through an alternate perspective,” Hoffman said.
SEAN GALUSHA | MUSTANG NEWS Since the reopening, the Harbor Patrol and Coast Guard have created new restrictions and policies to make sure fishing charters are safe. BY DAYTONA CLARKE
For companies offering various fishing charters and excursions based out of Morro Bay, COVID-19 restrictions meant having to shut down from March 15 to May 30, according to John Fox at Patriot Sportfishing at Morro Bay Landing. Fox is in charge of booking excursions, which range from sportfishing and whale watching to private charters and kayak rentals. Since their reopening, they’ve resumed excursions with reduced capacity on all 11 of their boats. “We just cross our fingers that they don’t shut us down if the numbers start getting bigger again,” Fox said. “That’s our biggest concern.” Fox said that the Harbor Patrol and Coast Guard enforced the closure and then assisted in the reopening process by providing new capacity limits and social distancing policies for the boats. With these precautions, Fox said he is not worried about any risks of resuming business and they just hope to continue booking excursions. Passengers on their boats have to maintain six feet distance from each other and wear masks unless
they are eating, Fox said. “If they don’t want to follow the rules, they don’t have to go fishing with us,” he said. Social distancing rules are put in place by the Harbor Patrol in Morro Bay since they manage a large portion of the waterfront. Eric Endersby is the harbor director for Morro Bay, and he said that implementing the rules for fishing charters, like those going out of Morro Bay Landing, has been an informative experience. “It’s been a challenge. Mostly it’s been an educational challenge,” Endersby said. “The challenge for us is largely communication and education, and letting people know what the changing landscape is as it changes.” Harbor Patrol manages the area of the waterfront down Embarcadero, which includes 30 leases and around 90 businesses. Since the reopening of about five of the major fishing charter companies at the end of May, Harbor Patrol has included communicating social distancing rules for fishing boats along with their usual code enforcement and boater assistance. Parks, recreation and tourism administration junior Dane Morris
has gone on two separate fishing charters since the beginning of COVID-19, and he said he appreciates the precautions fishing charters and harbor officials are taking that allow him to continue fishing. “I wasn’t really sure what my experience was going to look like going into charter fishing during COVID-19, but I was pleasantly surprised,” Morris said. “I wasn’t expecting the deckhands to be as concerned with COVID, but they were, which was great because they want to keep fishing also.” Morris’s most recent fishing trip was a full day trip out of Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego Harbor. Because boats are at half of their usual capacity, Morris said he has more space to cast his lines. Previously, fishing charters would involve being side by side with other people fishing against the rails of the boat. Now, everyone is at least six feet away from each other at all times. “It made a nice environment for me to go fishing and I felt safe and had a good time doing it, so that’s what it’s all about,” Morris said. “It makes me want to keep going back.”
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MALCOLM DAVIS
Remembered with love by friends and family BY BRIANA WILSON
NEWS
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
Out of breath and exhausted, Malcolm Davis and Daniel Groves headed back to their campsite in Yosemite National Park after hiking the 7.2 mile trail Clouds Rest. Groves was tired and looking forward to a night of relaxation, but Malcolm was not done yet. He decided to sprint up Half Dome, as he did not want to miss the views of the sunset he could catch up there. Two hours later, he arrived back at the campsite, stoked about his climb and the sunset. Business administration junior Malcolm Davis has been missing since June 9, when he went out spearfishing with friends off the North Kohala Coast of Hawaii. His friends and family have spent the past months reflecting on him and his impact on the communities he was a part of. Davis was a member of the Cal Poly Triathlon Team during his two years at Cal Poly. Jon Harmse, who has been coaching the Cal Poly Triathlon team for five years and has mentored hundreds of athletes in that time, said that Davis was an “extraordinary talent” and an even better teammate. “He could have gone further than anyone on this team,” Harmse said. “He just had this innate ability,
coupled with a desire to constantly learn and grow. He understood himself really well and was able to go on his own path.” During his two years on the team, Davis qualified twice for the USA Triathlon Nationals race and won the team bike race Tour de Donut. During practices, Davis would train with the “gold” group, the most advanced group, in all three sports. Although Harmse remembers his talent on the course, he said he was often more impressed with who he was as a teammate. “He was someone that everyone liked,” Harmse said. “We were always stoked when he was around just because he brought such a great attitude and positive energy.” Davis brought his excitement and passion to his relationships on the team as well, according to his big buddy, which is an older member who is assigned a younger member to mentor, Cole Cummins. He said Davis was the kind of person anyone could talk to, and he was always trying to make sure everyone was included and having a good time. “When I broke my femur I couldn’t go to any of the races, but Malcolm always made sure to FaceTime me when the other buddies were taking photos so that I still felt like I was a
CAL POLY TRIATHALON TEAM | COURTESY Davis competed with the triatholon team during his time at Cal Poly
part of the team,” Cummins said. Even before he came to Cal Poly, Davis was a standout athlete. During his high school years, he competed in numerous triathlons, placing eighth at the 2017 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Rotterdam. His friend from the youth triathlon circuit, Josiah Randerson, remembers Davis’ competitive spirit. “I’ve never met someone who was so loving and so driven,” Randerson said. “Everything he did, he did to the best of his ability and then some.” Davis left “the most positive
impact possible” on those he met, according to agribusiness junior Sarah Schulman, a friend he met in elementary school. “Some people can live 100 years and it feels like they only lived 20; Malcolm only lived 20 but it’s like he lived 100 years,” Schulman said. Davis was born in Seattle and moved to Hawaii in fifth grade, according to his mom Barbara Davis. Once they were in Hawaii, Davis developed an immediate love for surfing and diving, and he would spend as much time as he could
outside, Barbara said. Davis was the kind of person who could make the people around him appreciate life more and explore everything, Barbara said. He had a way of pushing people to try new things and be in the moment. “He had a way of rallying people to do things they never thought they could,” Barbara said. “His friends relied on him to get them out of bed and on the trail at 4:30 a.m. to get the best surfing. He did it all with fun and love and people couldn’t help but follow him.” An Instagram page, @alohaformalcolm, was initially set up to update his friends and family on search efforts. Now the page serves as a place for people to share positive memories of Davis. His family has set up the Malcolm Davis Memorial Fund to honor his memory and donate money to causes he was passionate about, including water safety, high school track restorations and youth scholarships.
WEEK OF WELCOME OVER ZOOM:
THE NEW ORIENTATION NORM BY MAUREEN McNAMARA
With the unprecedented switch to online learning in schools across the nation, many previously in-person activities adapted to this new virtual norm — including Cal Poly’s Week of Welcome (WOW), an orientation program for first-year and transfer students that takes place the few days before Fall quarter starts. New Student and Transition Programs (NSTP) has converted all the regular programming to an online form, and orientation leaders are required to plan for a week of entirely virtual events and activities. While move-in is planned to proceed as normal following the state and county’s recommended safety measures, all aspects of WOW, including grouping — where incoming students would meet up with their WOW leaders and fellow group
members for the first time — will all be conducted via Zoom. Both the freshmen who have decided to live in a single room on campus and those who have decided to stay at home for their first year will be emailed a Zoom link with their group number and their group’s meeting time before the start of the orientation week, business administration sophomore and orientation leader Luca Balbi said. The programming includes presentations, group activities and scheduled breaks. With the relatively recent confirmation of a virtual orientation week, many WOW leaders worked to create schedules and adapted to the new expectations for leading a group over Zoom meetings, Balbi said. Balbi said that he was worried that the lack of in-person events would create difficulties in keeping students engaged.
“Nothing beats packing five people into a car and driving to Morro Bay to go kayaking,” Balbi said. “It’s going to be so different.” When orientation leaders signed up last spring, they did so anticipating that WOW would proceed just as they experienced it. “Getting to experience an in-person WOW when I was a freshman really shaped my ideas for what I wanted my group to experience during their WOW,” psychology sophomore and orientation leader Arushi Tewari said. “I think it’s a little harder to make connections with others and transition to college life while still at home, so I just hope that I can be as supportive in the transition to college once my WOWies start living on campus.” Both Tewari and Balbi said they plan to have their groups eventually meet up in person, once it is deemed
MAUREEN McNAMARA | MUSTANG NEWS WOW leaders are known for wearing bright yellow t-shirts as they parade new students around the city. This year, they’ll still have the shirts, but in a different setting.
safe to do so, for the “traditional” WOW activities that many freshmen orientation leaders typically do with their groups. “I think that a lot of students are disappointed about having a virtual WOW, and understandably so,” Tew-
ari said. “I hope that if they give it a chance, then they’ll see that all the virtual WOW leaders are genuinely doing their best to make this experience as amazing as they can, given the circumstances.”
Q&A with an attorney fighting for fairness in jails BY BRIANA WILSON
Paula Canny is a criminal defense lawyer based in the Bay Area. Canny represented the family of Andrew Holland, an inmate who died in the San Luis Obispo County Jail in 2017. Since then, she has sought ways to make San Luis Obispo County a more just and fair place for all citizens. The following Q&A has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Can you talk about your campaign to get free menstrual products into California jails and prisons?
I met with a client who was on suicide watch in 2018. She was crying and said she started her period, but she couldn’t buy tampons and the pad she was provided wasn’t working. I called the county council and asked what their regulations were. I also looked at the minimum regulations for prisons which said women must be provided “pads and/ or tampons,” which bestowed on the sheriff the right to decide which product they would provide women. They were charging women 69 cents per tampon in San Mateo. I called the sheriff and said “change it or I’ll sue.” In San Mateo they changed it within 48 hours. I sent a public records request to the other counties and found out that
MASKS
most charged for tampons in the commissary. Most of the sheriffs didn’t even know it was an issue. Many changed their policies without me doing anything, but San Luis Obispo didn’t change their policy, so I sued them. After an editorial was published in the local paper arguing for free tampons, we finally got into litigation and I said I don’t want attorney fees, I just want these women to get what they need. Now, in the state of California, the sheriffs must make tampons and pads free of charge for inmates.
What do you hope happens in the future for the fight for female
d0 use
HOW MASKS PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
D0 not use Masks with valves or vents
Mask must have two or more layers of breathable fabric.
Masks withhold the spread of respiratory droplets, produced by coughng, sneezing, or rising your voice, which spread the virus to people near you. This is called source control – the use of protection to prevent the spread of the virus to others.
They allow excess air and particles to escape.
Face Shields
mask must completely cover your nose and mouth
They do not offer enough protection.
Surgical Masks
mask has to fit completely against the sides of your face
They should be reserved for healthcare professionals.
how to wear your mask Wash your hands before putting on your mask
Try to fit it completely against the sides of your face
Make sure you breathe easily
MARTA LUKOMSKA | MUSTANG NEWS BY ETHAN TELLES
WHAT MASKS TO USE AND NOT USE USE Masks have three essential characteristics that are necessary for use according to the CDC. • It must have two or more layers of breathable fabric. • It must completely cover your nose and mouth • It has to fit completely against the sides of your face and not have any openings. To take off a mask, hold onto the
NOT USE • Masks with valves or vents • Valves and vents in masks completely diminish the point of their original purpose of preventing the spread of respiratory particles outside of the barrier. These devices allow excess air and particles to escape from the port of the vent. • Face shields • Face shields currently do not have enough evidence supporting the utmost protection of respiratory droplets remaining within the device. Face shields should either be hooded or wrap around the user’s face, but again, are not recommended as a substitute for masks. They may be helpful when those with a deafness or hearing
The DA’s Office [District Attorney’s Office] is so powerful in San Luis Obispo. They get three times more
impairment need a transparent alternative for communication. • Surgical masks • Typical masks are not used for surgical protocol or respirators. Surgical masks are critical supplies that cannot be produced in bulk and should be reserved for healthcare professionals. Masks should not be used in replacement of surgical masks or respirators as they are not strong enough for the standard procedure, according to the CDC.
WHEN AND WHERE TO WEAR A MASK Social distancing and wearing masks in public spaces are the CDC’s two main recommendations for slowing the spread of COVID-19. Social distancing is defined by the CDC as keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who you may encounter in your daily routine. Six feet is still the recommended distance to remain from others in close quarters, especially inside.
HOW TO WEAR YOUR MASK All masks should be worn in a select list of guidelines recommended by the CDC to maximize the effectiveness of the mask in whole. • Wash your hands before putting on your mask • Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin • Try to fit it completely against the sides of your face • Make sure you breathe easily • The CDC does not recommend the use of masks or cloth masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent The CDC does recognize some people are unable to wear a mask due to debilitation. People who don’t have to wear a mask include:
• Is a child under the age of two • Has trouble breathing • Is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance • As well as specific cases such as experiencing mental or physical incapitations, the updated guidelines recommend: • For deafness or hearing impairment, the CDC recommends clear masks to prevent excess spreading. If a clear mask isn’t available, switching to written communication, used closed captioning, or decreased background noise is highly recommended while wearing a mask • Those with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities and other sensory sensitivities should consult with their health advisor • Younger children may need proper size fitting for certain masks to wear it comfortably and effectively in school and large group settings. Education on the proper use of masks is highly recommended and necessary for the reduction of spread • Everyone should not wear masks if engaging in water activities where the mask can get wet. A wet mask can increase trouble breathing and can cause suffocation • Intense exercise, such as running, should be practiced in a location with greater ventilation. For example, wide, outdoor areas with minimal people are more protective than that of a gym area with a large group of people • Wearing a mask in some work environments may cause heat-related illnesses or safety hazards, such as using cautionary machinery. Workers should prioritize masks when in close contact with people, but can take them off when socially distanced
NEWS
The spread of COVID-19 has been shown and studied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to transfer as easily as having a conversation with someone. Along with sneezing, coughing or raising your voice, the immediate release of microscopic bacteria from opening the mouth, spread the virus to people near you. The virus then attacks the host’s respiratory system almost immediately to incubate the virus. Masks are important, especially in large groups, to withhold the spread of respiratory droplets, according to the CDC. This is called source control, which is the use of protection, such as masks, to prevent the spread of the virus to others in a
straps and release them from your ears. Masks should be regularly washed.
What do you think of the justice system in San Luis Obispo?
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
HOW MASKS PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
close vicinity. COVID-19 can be spread just as easily by asymptomatic carriers, which means wearing a mask should be properly used and prioritized when it is difficult to maintain social distance, even for people who feel healthy.
I really want to get a senator or congressman on board. I want there to be a representative who introduces a piece of legislation that says any custodial facility that receives federal money must provide women with free menstrual products. That way it becomes a regulation and the government is incentivized to do the right thing and give women what they need.
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funding than the public defender’s office. SLO Defenders doesn’t ask for more funding. There are ways they can redress this and it’s their obligation to do this. In 2017, San Luis Obispo had 1,585 felony cases, which is a lot for a county that size. There were only 19 jury trials; that’s under 3 percent, and most of those trials were handled by private attorneys. So when you have an indigent defense system that doesn’t try cases, then you have a problem because you have no check on prosecutorial power. I would never have sued them in this case if I hadn’t looked at a bunch of their cases to see that overall they don’t file motions, demand discovery or go out to the prisons.
MUSTANG NEWS
Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
inmates to have access to feminine hygiene products?
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OPINION
MORE THAN JOE:
WHY YOUR VOTE MATTERS Tessa Hughes is a journalism junior. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.
OPINION
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
BY TESSA HUGHES
With Nov. 3 rapidly approaching and the current state of our country, this year’s election may be one of the most pivotal to date, as many people’s livelihoods are on the line depending on who is elected to serve as our next president. Now, this time last year I didn’t think I would be advocating so hard for yet another straight, white, cisgender moderate male candidate (boooooorrrrrringggggg) yet here I am because I have to. Like most other Americans, I have no other choice. In this election, a vote for Joe Biden is so much bigger than just who is going to be our next president. We are voting for a completely new cabinet, a return to diplomacy, quality supreme court justices, a rejection of “Trumpism,” economic recovery, better public health and safety, pro-immigration and the first female Vice President. The current cabinet cultivated by Trump has been less than effective over the years and is primarily self-serving. The Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Andrew Wheeler, weakened environmental protections in the country in favor of the coal industry, recommended unsafe drinking levels in the water, ignored scientists, loosened various emission restrictions among other things. The list goes on for all the dangerous environmental impacts he has made for our country. The Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, grew up only attending private schools, consistently favoring them over public schools in her policy making and during the COVID-19 epidemic pressured schools to reopen (without a safe plan to do so) threatening to cut their funding if they did not open. The Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has effectively politicized his position, worsened the United States’ relationships with other countries and is currently under investigation for speaking at the Republican National Convention – something not sitting Secretary of State has ever done (speak at a partisan event while serving). The Attorney General, William Barr, has not held the executive branch of the government accountable for any wrong doings thus enabling an increasingly fascist presidency. Barr is currently being used as a weapon to combat Trump’s political enemies, not serving to protect the citizens of our country. On top of all of this, nepotism is running rampant through The White House. Ivanka Trump is an advisor
to her father, Jared Kushner (Trump’s son-in-law) serves as a senior advisor, and Donald Trump Jr. has sat in on a plethora of Trump’s meetings that pertained to his issues with campaign collusion from other countries. Additionally, at the 2020 Republican National Convention, half of the notable speakers are related to Trump! Even his least favorite child is getting a chance in the spotlight (looking at you Tiffany). Now, this would be different if any of his family had remotely any background in politics, but they have zero political experience, further proving his deliberate nepotism. Biden, if elected, is promising a return to diplomacy. He wants to improve international relations the Trump administration destroyed. His platform hopes to do this through many avenues including ending the United States’ support for the war in Yemen, respecting the intelligence community rather than relying on Russia, making reparations with Mexico, France, Australia, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom and reducing the tensions between Iran, North Korea and China. The next president-elect will also get to nominate at least two Supreme Court Justices given the fact that both Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer are pushing retirement age. If Trump is reelected, two young conservatives could be placed on the bench with the potential to serve for decades, potentially jeopardizing the protection of abortion, LGBTQ+ and workers’ rights. Even on a federal level, Trump has nominated almost 200 judges (the second most in U.S history, right behind Jimmy Carter) and could continue to do damage as these nominations help further his selfish agenda at a national level His agenda as president and the way he runs this country has become known as “Trumpism,” a new political ideology and style of government. The way he has conducted his job has undermined the constitution and tainted what was once a respectable job. His inexcusable actions include excessive force against protesters, defending white supremacists, silencing whistleblowers, withholding foreign aid in exchange for information, witness intimidation and abusing his political status to benefit his friends. He has also been spewing lies since his 2016 campaign and most recently lying to his people about the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. By electing him out of office, we as a country are rejecting his ideals and everything he has come to represent. Amongst his COVID-19 mishandlings, the Trump administration provided bail-out loans to companies across the U.S. in attempts to alle-
viate the financial burden the crisis caused. However, as he has done with everything, he butchered this for personal gain. Multiple of his family and friend’s businesses received these loans while hundreds of small businesses that actually needed the funding have shut down. The Trump administration prides itself on creating a strong economy, with a low unemployment rate, but the reality is that he inherited that economy the same way he has inherited everything else in his life, and just like with his past endeavors, he ran it into the ground. Under the Biden administration, the economic plan “Build Back Better” he proposed hopefully will bring back five million jobs, reverse the Trump corporate tax cuts and revive American manufacturing. Along with improving our economy, Biden is effectively working with past opponents Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to create progressive health and environmental policies to make our country safer for its residents. These are two areas that have been severely neglected and gutted over the past four years, endangering the lives of every single American. Biden wants to ensure safety through acknowledging facts and science, supporting the funding of programs such as Planned Parenthood, understanding the significance of leading health organizations such as WHO and the CDC, combating climate change, repealing the Title X Gag Rule and emphasizing the need to build on the Affordable Care Act. In addition to all the previously mentioned failed promises of Trump, one of his biggest promises — and one of the most racist and inhumane — was of the border wall and his immigration policies, including undermining asylum, imposing immigrant “wealth” tests and reducing refugee admissions. The way Trump has guided ICE, handled immigration and frankly just people of color from outside countries is despicable. Under Biden, those seeking refuge will be welcomed into our country in a humane, streamlined, dignified way, and the treatment of them established by Trump will be eradicated. It will be done so by eliminating the funding for the useless border wall, punishing ICE workers for inhumane treatment, protecting DREAMers and their families, ending family separation at the border and rescinding the “Muslim Ban.” He will also create workplace protections for immigrant workers, fast-tracking legal citizen status for children and essential workers as well as making it easier to attain citizenship for all immigrants, and, overall, modernize the U.S. immigration system.
A VOTE FOR BIDEN AFFECTS: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
IMMIGRATION
HEALTHCARE
SUPREME COURT NOMINEES
ENVIRONMENT
SMALL BUSINESSES & JOB GROWTH
DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES SOPHIE KROESCHE | MUSTANG NEWS
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Finally, a vote for Biden is virtually a vote for Kamala Harris, who if elected, would become the first female, the first African-American and the first Asian-American Vice President. Representation at that high of a political level would be revolutionary. It is true, Harris has a shady political history in regards to her time as a prosecutor, but it’s rare to find a politician with a clean record. Trump just so
happens to be one of the “untouchable” cases, while democrats continuously get scrutinized. This election is not the time to nitpick every flaw of Trump’s opposing candidates. The crimes he has committed and the way he has conducted himself over the past four years is disgusting and needs to be stopped. This impending election is so much bigger than who is going to be our
next president. It is about what legislation, policy, decorum and manner will be instilled and representing our country for the next four years. The presidency used to symbolize a leader that was a role model in our country, however, I don’t think that is the case anymore. In order to restore the dignity of the position, we need to restore the dignity of who is holding the title.
To claim political ignorance or to vote without regard for others is a luxury millions of Americans don’t currently have. America was founded on selfish ideals and this is the election to prove that we as a country are making progress to stray away from what is ingrained in our society. As a country, we need a new cabinet, we need progressive health measures, we need regard for science, we
need consideration of humanity, we need better decisions and policymakers, we need diversity, we need to think outside of ourselves. The year 2020 has been a disaster so far, but Nov. 3 is our chance to change that. Show up and vote like your life depends on it — because it does.
guidelines isn’t just encouraged, it’s mandated. In President Armstrong’s Aug. 25 email to the campus community, he made it clear that “Individuals or organizations that engage in behavior that compromises the health and safety of the Cal Poly community will be sanctioned, including possible suspension or expulsion from the university.” If you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Well, maybe Cal Poly isn’t being serious and won’t be that strict.’ To that, I say look no further than Ohio State University and Syracuse University. They have similar sanctions as Cal Poly and have thus far suspended hundreds of college students for violating university COVID safety protocols, with many of those students being suspended for off-campus partying. In that same Aug. 25 email, Presi-
dent Armstrong writes that “The biggest concern is… those who choose to participate in risky behaviors or group behaviors (i.e. parties).” If an outbreak were to occur because of a club or organization that you’re a part of chooses to indulge in such risky behavior, then get ready for chaos to ensue among students, parents, campus officials and the local community. How do I personally feel about coming back to Cal Poly? After living in my hometown for the last six months, I’ve missed San Luis Obispo and all my friends. But the college that I’m returning to won’t be the same one that I left back in March. Seeing university after university opening up across the country only to send students home a week or two later, I’m planning on packing lightly.
I wanted to tell them about George Floyd. I wanted to but I couldn’t. We aren’t supposed to discuss any sensitive, controversial or political topics at camp. We are told to tell the children to ask their parents about these matters. We are taught to shut these conversations down — as if any more information could hurt them or as if the truth would be too much of a burden to behold. But that burden rests with Black and brown people and it rests with their kids too. There is a level of cognitive dissonance in the rationale here. Adults shut down the conversations to stop them from knowing about racism, but the kids bring these topics up, so they must know. They want to know why the police are killing Black people. They want to know George Floyd’s story and we choose not to tell them — as if ignorance will somehow save them; as if they haven’t already witnessed enough racism in their short lives to know the answer. We were playing ‘Red Light, Green Light’ and we added in purple light just for fun. Green- go, red- stop, yellowslow and purple- dance. One of the kids started performing the lyrics and dance from “This Is America” by Child-
ish Gambino. He knew every word and every move. He must have seen the music video a hundred times to be able to replicate Gambino’s performance. The music video depicts the 2015 Charleston shooting where white supremacist Dylann Roof murdered nine innocent black people in the basement of a church. The video also showcases choreography that is reminiscent of Jim Crow Era minstrel shows. The final line of the song is: “You just a Black man in this world/ You just a barcode, ayy”. And yet we still argue that kids don’t know about racism in America and that they shouldn’t know. Maybe we choose not to teach our children about racism because we think it would be too difficult or uncomfortable. Maybe we don’t feel equipped to have those kinds of conversations. Or maybe it’s because white supremacy is much easier to uphold when we can plead white ignorance since birth. While ignorance may seem innocuous in a child, it becomes more and more dangerous with each passing year. A young, white, innocent, uneducated child grows into a white, ignorant, voting adult.
OPINION
THE FATE OF CAL POLY DURING COVID-19 Declan Molony is a business administration senior. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News. BY DECLAN MOLONY There are three things the universities of Notre Dame, North Carolina and Alabama all have in common: (1) They already began their fall semesters in August, (2) They introduced a hybrid of in-person and online classes and (3) They have all become hotspots for new outbreaks of the coronavirus. Within a week, these universities began reporting hundreds upon hundreds of new cases of COVID-19. The University of Alabama in particu-
lar has reported an impressive 1,000 cases after reopening but still has no plans to send students home. These three are but a few of the big-name universities that have failed at reopening safely. Will Cal Poly suffer the same fate? Seeing the headlines regarding the universities’ unsafe reopenings, I questioned whose fault it was. Was it the students’ fault for not practicing social distancing? At the University of Alabama, photos circulated on social media showing students crowding together outside local bars without face coverings or masks. Or was it perhaps the fault of the universities, entrusting socially starved 18-22 years olds to adequately follow public health guide-
lines? Universities across the country, no matter whose fault, the result is still the same: a huge influx of the virus into these locations, endangering the college and local communities. Will Cal Poly be the exception? Well, I do have some school pride and hope that our student populace won’t make the same mistakes as students at other universities. I can only hold myself accountable to these public health guidelines, but I cannot attest to the future actions of Cal Poly’s other 20,000 students. For the upcoming Fall quarter, each student has two options: stay at their permanent residence or return to San Luis Obispo. For those of us returning to Cal Poly, following the public health
OPINION
Nicki Butler is a psychology junior. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News. BY NICKI BUTLER
OPINION
months old can detect race differences. Between the ages of 2-4 years old, they can internalize racial bias. The youngest at our camp is 5 years old, so it’s safe to assume that all of them have preconceived notions about race and the ways it affects us. Naomi at five years old knows the police are killing Black people. She knows it so confidently that she shared it with the group with zeal. The awareness around racism that has been rippling across many during this time doesn’t start at 18 years old. Our children are aware too. They know racism and they’re learning about how it affects the world they’re growing into. They probe for more details at every turn. Their sponge-like minds soak up every bit of information and crave more every day. During storytime, 6-year-old Kayley said “Tell us a story about George Floyd.” I was shocked that they knew his name, but then again, how could they not know the name of a man whose murder ignited a massive conversation about race in America and sweeping movement for justice that has exposed racism in every place we look.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
“The police are killing Black people.” 5-year-old Naomi exclaimed after being called on. She said it with such vigor and passion. The words bursted out of her as she shared with the group. She said it the way that a child would answer a question, What is two plus two?: ‘Oh! Oh! Four!’ She knew the right answer. She knew the truth. Even though we weren’t talking about police brutality — even though we had never brought up the topic at summer camp before — Naomi knew. I work as a counselor for a city-run day camp in the town neighboring mine. I’ve worked there every summer for four years and each one has passed by quite similar, except for this year. I expected that to be so because nothing is normal this year. But I expected it to be the coronavirus that altered our camp so much. But really, COVID-19 didn’t make things that different.
Sure, we changed the pick-up and drop off zones in order to limit contact with parents and we took each child’s temperature every morning. We all wore masks and stayed six feet apart, but the kids were predictable as ever. They loved water games and dodgeball. Sometimes they opted to play with dirt and sticks rather than participate in a very expensive and well-planned activity. They laughed and fought and pushed each other and drew chalk mermaids and built poorly constructed forts out of hula hoops. They were kids; masks and temperature checks didn’t change that. But the other pandemic rocking America right now, the one that has been festering in our country since the first slave ships arrived in 1526, has changed them. Kids are innocent, naive and self-centered. Society pushes its youngest towards the center of the herd and blocks out as much bad as it can. While they barely understand the coronavirus, they understand racism. Many studies done by those who analyze race and child development have found that infants as young as 6
MUSTANG NEWS
I WANTED TO TELL THEM ABOUT GEORGE FLOYD
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TIANNA ARATA
LEAVING HER MARK ON SAN LUIS OBISPO
ANDY SHERAR | MUSTANG NEWS
Tianna Arata speaking at the #FreeTianna rally.
NEWS
MUSTANG NEWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
BY CAMERYN OAKES
Six years ago, Tianna Arata began her journey as an activist when she protested the death of Michael Brown in 2014. In July 2020, she was charged with five felonies and three misdemeanors for the events that occurred at a protest she organized. Here’s how she got there. Following the murder of George Floyd, 46-years-old, by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, Black Lives Matter protests ensued across the nation. George Floyd was arrested after a store clerk alleged he had used a counterfeit $20 bill. Once Floyd was arrested and handcuffed, former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. While Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck, Floyd became unconscious. It wasn’t until emergency medical services (EMS) came to the scene that Chauvin removed his knee from Floyd’s neck and EMS took Floyd to the hospital where he was pronounced dead after suffering a cardiac arrest. All four officers at the scene, including Chauvin, were fired the day after Floyd’s death. Chauvin was later arrested and has since been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
In response to the death of Floyd, protests erupted throughout the nation and San Luis Obispo joined in on the fight for racial equality.
Protest beginnings San Luis Obispo initially responded to the death of Floyd on May 30 with a solidarity event. Approximately 40 activists stood on the corner by the San Luis Obispo Police station, holding signs and raising their fists. This was just the beginning. The following day on May 31, R.A.C.E. Matters SLO organized a protest through downtown. Hundreds marched for the “Act Now for Justice” protest, including San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deanna Cantrell and two other officers. To kick off the protest, local activist and former Cuesta College student Arata spoke. “We [San Luis Obispo] lack diversity. We lack voice. We lack community, and it’s suffocating,” Arata said. “I feel every day in this town like I can’t breathe. I am being suffocated.” The protest included an eight-minute and 46 second moment of silence while everyone laid in the street. It ended peacefully. The second day of protests ended differently. For four hours, protesters marched throughout the city. At one point they entered Highway 101 and blocked
traffic in both directions for about 30 minutes. Cal Poly football quarterback Jalen Hamler was active in the protest. He said that the moment they occupied the highway felt like the moment that they were finally being heard.
We [San Luis Obispo] lack diversity. We lack voice. We lack community, and it’s suffocating. I feel every day in this town like I can’t breathe. I am being suffocated. TIANNA ARATA Local activist and former Cuesta College student
“That was the one thing that really sparked us to get going in this thing and it’s been just great to get out there and march with people in unity to make this town more positive and push for more diversity,” Hamler said.
Protesters were then blocked by law enforcement in riot gear at Walnut Street and Santa Rosa Street. After many protesters dispersed due to the blockade, about 200 protesters remained. Law enforcement gave the protesters a five-minute warning to disperse, yet many stayed. Chief Cantrell declared it an “unlawful assembly.” Tear gas, firecrackers and rubber bullets were used to disperse the crowd, deployed by officers who hours before had kneeled alongside protesters. Hamler, who was teargassed during the event, said it was due to a lack of communication between the protesters and law enforcement. He called it a crazy experience. A total of seven arrests were made. Afterward, more than a dozen protests were organized through July 21. Most were organized by students and student-athletes, including Hamler and Arata. “Others may feel like I should shut up and play football or just come to school and do what I’m supposed to do, but I feel like at the end of the day that we all have purposes outside of sports,” Hamler said.
July 21 protest Arata, who had participated and spoken at numerous protests prior,
helped organize the July 21 Black Lives Matter protest which started at 4 p.m. in Mitchell Park. It started with speeches from the organizers before protesters began marching through downtown. Arata helped organize the protest with her friend and local activist Melissa Elizalde. Elizalde said they were inspired to organize this as a protest had not happened since the last one they had organized on July 4. On July 20, one day before the protest, San Luis Obispo Sheriff Ian Parkinson said that he had never seen systemic racism in San Luis Obispo County. Although the protest was organized before Parkinson’s statement, Elizalde said that it “shifted the message” and influenced their protest. Police Captain Brian Amoroso told Mustang News in an email that Chief Cantrell and Arata communicated prior to the July 21 protest via text. Arata told Chief Cantrell that the protest would be peaceful. Elizalde recalled the day of the protest as one filled with high spirits, and it was an overall nice day. At its conclusion, Elizalde said she and Arata were left with a traumatic experience. At 7 p.m., protesters marched onto Highway 101, blocking both sides of traffic for about an hour. While blocking traffic, a motorist accelerated and struck a protester. Protesters retaliated and damaged the hood of the car and smashed the back window, which police say shattered on a four-year-old in the back seat. At around 8:30, after the protest had concluded and protesters dispersed, Arata was arrested by San Luis Obispo police officers while she was packing her car to leave with other protest organizers. In a video taken during the arrest, one witness said, “She is not resisting,” as Arata was placed in a police vehicle.
Tianna’s arrest and case Arata was booked in the county jail around 11 p.m. where she stayed for just two hours after being released. Her bail was set at $75,000, but she was released without bail due to COVID-19 precautions at the facility. Arata is now facing a total of eight charges: four felony counts of false imprisonment, one felony count of conspiracy and three misdemeanor counts of participating in a riot, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and unlawful assembly. Chief Cantrell said that all charges they recommended are lawful and appropriate and the police department stands by them. “The facts are, Tiana Arata was arrested for her own actions, for her own behavior, for her own decision,” Chief Cantrell said. “She broke sev-
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eral laws. She committed several crimes.” One of Arata’s attorneys, Curtis Briggs, called the charges “extremely bogus” and “completely retaliatory.” Briggs explained that other charges Arata may face, such as vandalism, are not supported by the law, as she cannot be charged with a crime someone else committed and she did not participate in. “These charges really were designed to intimidate her and for the police chief to save face,” Briggs said. Briggs learned about Arata’s case when her family contacted him. He was immediately interested in the case, as it is what he calls a “cause case,” or an opportunity for him to insert himself in a worthwhile cause. In Arata’s case, he’s working to assist the Black Lives Matter movement. He said that he is offering Arata pro bono legal services, meaning he is not charging Arata for any legal fees. Any money donated to Arata aids in other fees such as Brigg’s travel and housing expenses when aiding in the case. It is important for Briggs that his legal team does not take any money to represent Arata, he said. “It’s a way for us to give to the Black Lives Matter cause,” Briggs said. Briggs said he hopes this case will have a national impact and show law enforcement how not to treat Black Lives Matter protesters. Arata’s legal team is composed of attorneys from different areas. Joining him are other national civil rights lawyers and San Luis Obispo criminal defense attorney Patrick Fisher. Briggs said it is important to have a local attorney on their team due to
their rapport in the community. Briggs said that Arata’s civil rights have been violated as the charges impede on her first amendment rights and are targeted at her due to her race and her strong influence in
The whole reason we started this in the first place was so that SLO could be a great place to live for everyone that comes here. No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love. MELISSA ELIZALDE Local activist and friend of Tianna Arata.
the community. Arata appeared in court Sept. 3, yet District Attorney Dan Dow has not decided on whether or not to pursue the recommended charges against her as of Aug. 29. Briggs said he is confident that Arata will receive a full acquittal, as she is “factually and theoretically innocent.”
The Free Tianna Movement In response to Arata’s arrest, the Free
Tianna Coalition formed. The organization’s main goal is to convince District Attorney Dan Dow to not pursue the recommended charges against Arata. Elizalde worked to create the coalition in just two weeks, seeking mentorship from Patrisse Cullors-Brignac, co-founder of Black Lives Matter. Social media has aided the coalition in gaining support nationally, garnering more than 19,000 signatures on their petition against the charges as of Aug. 29. “The whole world is watching,” Elizalde said. Organizations that have joined the coalition include local groups such as R.A.C.E. Matters SLO and Women’s March, San Luis Obispo. National organizations, including Don’t Shoot PDX in Portland and Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, have also joined in support. At the Aug. 25 #FreeTianna press conference and rally organized by the coalition, local and national activists gave speeches in support of Arata and the dropping of charges against her. The press conference began with a speech from Arata’s attorney, Briggs. He had three requests: the dropping of charges against Arata, termination of Police Chief Deanna Cantrell and for San Luis Obispo citizens to keep an open mind about the case. At a virtual press-conference, Chief Cantrell called Briggs’ request for her termination as “off-base.” Two days later, Chief Cantrell announced her transfer to the City of Fairfield as Police Chief. The recruitment process began in May and her last day with
Arata at a protest June 4.
NEWS
Elizalde is also the campaign manager for the Free Tianna Coalition. Being thrown into the national spotlight has not been a pleasant experience for Elizalde. She said she receives constant harassment online and in-person, increasing tremendously since Arata’s case has gained national attention. Although her experience has been traumatic, she said she has found a support system with Arata and Arata’s mother as they work through their trauma together. Since the July 21 protest, Elizalde has moved out of the county to attend school. She declined to disclose where in order to ensure her safety. Although she has moved, her best friend’s story is still prevalent around her and it is something that she has been able to speak more about. For example, a protest was marching through her neighborhood and she heard protesters talking about Arata. She walked up to them and talked to them about Arata. It was a “crazy experience” for Elizalde, she said. As Elizalde and Arata have spent numerous hours together over these past months, organizing and marching in protests, they have grown to know each other inside and out. Elizalde described Arata as “positive and warm,” and capable of making anyone feel safe. “[Arata] really just advocates for everyone and just wants a community and a country where everyone can just coexist,” Elizalde said. Together they have a saying: “All lives won’t matter until fat, Black, trans women’s lives matter.” This is meant to encompass all the social issues they are fighting for, and that they won’t stop fighting until everyone’s voice is heard. “The whole reason we started this in the first place was so that SLO could be a great place to live for everyone that comes here,” Elizalde said. “No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love.”
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
SLOPD will be Sept. 30. Other notable activists that spoke at the press conference included Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, and Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. “I want to be very clear that this struggle that we are engaged in, this struggle that Tianna is forging here in San Luis Obispo is not a theoretical struggle,” Abdullah said. “This is a struggle about real lives, about real people.” Hundreds of activists were present at the press conference, some traveling hours to attend. When Arata took the stage, she explained her experience since moving to San Luis Obispo at age 16. Arata said that she moved frequently as a child, and while growing up as a constant outsider, she felt it was critical to be inclusive and to show love and hospitality to all people. “My passion, my goal and my energy is directed towards enacting change,” Arata said. “I want to be able to provide the courage to let people flourish, to take down these systems that are failing every marginalized community.” After the press conference, the “Embracing the Joy” rally was held with live performers, music and more speakers. The rally was inspired by Arata’s claim that her joy can never be taken away from her. “We wanted to make our voices heard in a peaceful way and show that, you know, there is Black and brown people in this county that do experience racism,” Elizalde said. “But we also can show how, you know, we still are joyful.” Elizalde and Arata both organized protests, some on their own and some in collaboration, but Elizalde said that they were stronger when they worked together. The duo became friends about three years ago, but it was not until they began protesting together in May that they became “best friends,” according to Elizalde.
MUSTANG NEWS
DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
Arata with fellow activists and friends.
DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
MAY
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MAY 30
About 40 activists in San Luis Obispo stood on the corner in front of the police station in solidarity with Floyd. Each time the traffic light changed, cars would honk in support of the protestors.
TIMELINE
MAY 31 DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
OF BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS
Police Presence. May 31.
MAY 25
George Floyd, 46-years-old, died after law enforcement knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd became unconscious and emergency medical services transported him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead after suffering a cardiac arrest.
BY CAMERYN OAKES
MAY 26
Hundreds of people protested in Minneapolis in response to Floyd’s death.
A protest that started with a speech from Tianna Arata led hundreds of protestors through downtown San Luis Obispo. “We [San Luis Obispo] lack diversity. We lack voice. We lack community, and it’s suffocating,” Arata said. “I feel every day in this town like I can’t breathe. I am being suffocated.” Only 2.1 percent of San Luis Obispo County’s population is Black; 22.8 percent is Hispanic or Latino, 4 percent is Asian, 1.4 percent is Native American and 88.8 percent is white, according
SEPTEMBER
MUSTANG NEWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
SEPTEMBER 3
Scheduled court date for Arata.
AUGUST AUGUST 14
The Free Tianna Coalition was formed to demand the charges against Arata be dropped.
AUGUST 20
The San Luis Obispo Democratic Party released a statement demanding District Attorney Dan Dow to not pursue the charges against Arata.
AUGUST 25
NEWS
ANDY SHERAR | MUSTANG NEWS
Local and national activists attended the #FreeTianna rally to support the dropping of Arata’s charges.
The #FreeTianna press conference and rally is attended by hundreds
This is about love, this is not political, this is a human rights issue. MICHELLE ARATA Local teacher and mother to Tianna Arata
of activists. Speakers include local and national activists who called for the dropping of charges against Arata. Arata’s attorney, Curtis Briggs, called for San Luis Obispo police chief Deanna Cantrell to step down. “This is about love, this is not political, this is a human rights issue,” local teacher and Tianna Arata’s mother Michelle Arata said. “My daughter’s life is at stake, her future is at stake. She is my world, do not
take her from me.”
AUGUST 27
San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deanna Cantrell announced she would be leaving her position to be the police chief of the city of Fairfield. Cantrell started the recruitment process for her new job in May, according to a press release.
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to the 2010 census. “Someone asked me what it’s like to be Black, and I still have the same answer for them. I love it, it’s dope,” local poet Anton Bird said in his speech. “But I have to address something, that’s just as painful. I’m terrified … I’m scared to dress a certain way because I’m afraid of ruffling the feathers of people who don’t have open minds, so they might think something of me because they chose to see the color of my skin before they saw me as a damn person. I’m terrified just to be me, to simply be me.”
JUNE JUNE 1
San Luis Obispo protestors marched onto Highway 101 and blocked traffic. Partway through the protest, it was declared an unlawful assembly due to public safety risks, Police Chief Deanna Cantrell tweeted. After exiting the freeway, they were stopped by law enforcement in riot gear, who asked protestors to disperse during a standstill. After giving them a warning, law enforcement deployed tear gas, firecrackers and rubber bullets into the crowd. A total of seven arrests were made.
JUNE 3
A student-led protest marched through downtown. The protest ended peacefully.
JUNE 4
DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
About 200 protesters marched against police brutality on May 31.
JULY 21
When I say combat racism, I don’t just mean combating people who are racist, I mean combating the systems of racism, developing nonprofits, you know, changing curriculum in schools, fighting against environmental racism. XAVIER MOORE Local Activist
can’t wear yourself down with hatred, you have to be positive and look at what you have accomplished; take it one step at a time.”
JUNE 5
Students for Quality Education (SQE) and Cal Poly’s Black Student
Union lead a protest. The protest was initially discouraged by other activist groups, because SQE said they would respect a “diversity of tactics.” “We are peaceful and nonviolent, but we don’t condemn people who choose not to follow the police’s orders,” an Instagram post read. The protest was later promoted when SQE and the Black Student Union clarified the protest would be peaceful, and the protest ended without any violence.
JUNE 8
Tianna Arata, Jalen Hamler, Xavier Moore and RACE Matters SLO hosted a “Call to Action” protest.
JUNE 16
SLO City Council declared racism a public health emergency. This allows the city to allocate funds towards public health issues that affect marginalized communities. “We want all people to feel honored and respected, and, at this time, the Black identifying people of color are not feeling that,” Councilmember Erica A. Stewart said on behalf of the council. “We want to figure out how we can continue to help as a council, and as a city.” City Council collaborated with young activists Xavier Moore, Jalen Hamler and Tianna Arata to create the ordinance. “There’ll be more funding for programs that combat racism,” Moore said. “When I say combat racism, I don’t just mean combating people who are racist, I mean combating the systems of racism, developing nonprofits, you know, changing curriculum in schools, fighting against environmental racism.”
WEDNESDAY Y, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
Tianna Arata was arrested at a protest she organized after protestors blocked traffic on Highway 101. Arata faces charges of five felonies and three misdemeanors.
people, because Black joy is important, it’s vital, and it’s what can keep this movement going.” local activist Tianna Arata said. “You
MUSTANG NEWS
JULY
NAACP slo county, RACE Matters SLO and Cal Poly Black Faculty and Staff organized a protest of about 3,000 people through downtown which ended peacefully. “This is not just about George Floyd, this is about all the injustices we face every day, systematically,” R.A.C.E Matters SLO Founder Courtney Halie said. Local activist Tianna Arata said that in addition to protesting and advocating for systematic change in SLO, she wants to help build a community of Black people to come together to support each other in joyous times, too. “We don’t want to just unite for rallies and protests, we want to unite just to have a group Black
DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
Protesters stopped by police in riot gear. June 1.
DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
SOLENA AGUILAR | MUSTANG NEWS
NEWS
Protestors blocked traffic on the Highway 101 before police arrested Arata.
Local activist Jaden Hamler and his sister walk through a crowd of protesters June 4.
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THE HOOF - OPINION
Greek life community responds to COVID-19 The Hoof is a satire column created to find the humor in the daily life of Cal Poly students. If you’re looking for news, this is not it. If you’re looking for sports, this is kind of it, because we’re having a ball. Ha. Puns. Declan Molony is a business administration senior. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News. BY DECLAN MOLONY
Dear beloved brothers of our established order, Hello, my name’s Declan and I’m the president of the fraternity Alpha
No Betas. The threat of the coronavirus is real and poses a significant risk to the greek life community should we choose to carry on with our usual fun and games. It’s our job as brothers in the greek community to ensure a safe and successful Fall quarter. Now, this is no average Fall quarter. There are many unique problems that will impact our fraternity’s normal way of life. At Alpha No Betas, we’re all about innovation, and I am more than excited to share with you several new initiatives that our brothers have created. If there’s one thing the boys at Alpha No Betas are known for, it’s
that our parties are sick. However, our signature beer bongs do not currently comply with social distancing guidelines. Some engineering brothers figured out with some extra tubing and a little bit of duct tape, we could extend our beer bongs to create 6-10 feet of social distancing between responsible party goers. What if you’re not a beer bong kind of person, but still want to get wasted without fear of being exposed to the virus? Don’t worry, we thought of something for that, too. Part of this year’s budget will go towards buying stylish wine bags with straws long enough to go under your mask so you can safely get plastered with
the bros. Speaking of beer, we will no longer be buying Coronas for our parties. We will instead be exclusively buying Modelos to show our opposition to this virus. Over the years at Cal Poly, we have witnessed other greek communities make poor decisions when it comes to appropriate party themes. After completing Alpha No Betas’ cultural sensitivity training over the summer, I had to confront our party planning committee to cancel our karate-themed ‘Kung Flu’ party. Rush will be different as well. Some of the senior brothers in our chapter have voiced their concerns
that they won’t be able to haze ‘get to know’ incoming pledges. To them, I say don’t worry. We will be shifting our hazing ‘getting to know’ pledges into an online format this year. Finally, I’d like to address what President Armstrong said in a recent email to the Cal Poly community. He stated in terms of public health this fall, “the biggest concern is likely… those who choose to participate in risky behaviors or group behaviors (i.e. parties).” I would not be surprised if President Armstrong was directly addressing Alpha No Betas and the rest of the greek community with that statement. But with the new guidelines that I’ve listed here, I think we’re going to be able to have a great Fall quarter.
WHAT IS STILL OPEN IN SLO? BY SOPHIA LINCOLN
dining, curbside pickup, deliveries and take-out orders. They are also featuring new family-friendly orders including their “family platters” and their “eat and reheat meals.” The family platters offer a wide range of food that can feed up to 10 people. The full-service bakery is also still taking orders. They may also be found on the delivery apps ChowNow, DoorDash, Grubhub and UberEats.
Urbane Cafe
THE HOOF
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020
urbanecafe.com. Urbane Cafe is currently still open and taking orders. They are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and are currently offering takeout and curbside pickup. One way to order is through their app which can be downloaded via Apple Store or Google Pay. The app also features rewards and discounts. Delivery orders can also be made through Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats.
SLO Brew
slobrew.com/the-rock/ SLO’s favorite brewery and taproom is currently still open to customers, and they’re also taking orders for takeout and delivery via Doordash. They are now open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and have created a new, specialized to-go menu featuring family meals feeding up to eight people, as well as add-ons and to-go beers and spirits. They are now offering online purchases of their craft beers and more with free shipping anywhere in California at slobrewingco.com.
Linnaea’s Cafe 805-541-5888 linnaeas.com
The oldest coffeehouse in SLO is currently still open for outdoor dining. They are open Sunday through Wednesday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. They are taking phone orders for curbside pickup. In addition to their organic shade-grown coffee and espresso beverages, Linnaea’s Cafe also serves breakfast and lunch items as well as desserts. All of their menu items are vegetarian and they also have vegan and gluten-free options.
Woodstock’s
woodstocksslo.com Woodstock’s Pizza in SLO is
Novo GRACE KITAYAMA | MUSTANG NEWS
continuing to take orders online. Orders may be made for pick-up by phone, online or in-person. Woodstock’s is also still offering
larger catering orders for essential workers in SLO. Family and student meals may be found on their website.
Splash Cafe splashcafe.com
Splash Cafe is still offering outdoor
Novorestaurant.com (805) 543-3986. Novo in downtown SLO is currently still open for outdoor dining, and they are taking orders for delivery or curbside pickup. They have also started offering groceries daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with fresh produce,
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take-out meals, cocktails, sweet desserts and more.
Cool Cat Cafe coolcatcafe.com
Cool Cat Cafe in SLO is now offering delivery, outdoor dining and curbside pickup. They are open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., although they do not offer deliveries from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Though they are closed on Sundays, their Pismo Beach location is open all seven days of the week. In addition to their food menu items, they are offering “adult” milkshakes along with other alcoholic beverages and whole pitchers of margaritas for pickup. Cool Cat Cafe has also adopted several measures to ensure that their locations are sanitized and free of germs.
Nautical Bean
805-543-3559 (Los Osos Valley Road) 805-439-4683 (Parker Street) Nautical Bean is currently still open and serving customers at its two locations in SLO from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. They are still serving all menu items and are offering outdoor seating.
SLO Provisions sloprovisions.com
From their specialty sandwiches
to family-style dinners and homebaked goods, SLO Provisions is currently still offering all regular menu items as well as daily and weekly specials. Outdoor dining is now available and orders can be made for curbside pickup or home delivery. SLO Provisions has also added a selection of frozen items which customers may reheat and eat in their own homes. For now until further notice, they are open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bon Temps Creole Cafe bontempscreolecafe.com
Known for its southern hospitality and traditional Cajun cuisine, Bon Temps Creole Cafe is currently still open and serving their complete breakfast and lunch menu. They are open for socially-distanced indoor seating and outdoor seating as well as for takeout and catering. Bon Temps is dedicated to ensuring that their restaurant environment is fully sanitized for breakfast and lunch guests and they are frequently performing precautionary measures in order to do so.
SLO Oriental Market (805) 544-8599
Located on Monterey Boulevard in downtown SLO, the family-owned asian grocery shop is currently
open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are also taking orders for curbside pickup via phone and their Instagram page. In addition to basic groceries, the shop also features specialty items and imported goods. SLO Oriental Market greatly appreciates and values each customer that chooses to support their small local business especially during these uncertain times.
Madonna Inn madonnainn.com
Located on Madonna Road, the historic hotel is continuing to offer their hotel services as well as offering to-go orders from their restaurants and deliveries from their bakery.
Montaña de Oro Montaña De Oro State Park is partially open for visitors to continue to enjoy. Islay Creek Campground is closed along with Spooner Ranch House, environmental campsites and horse camps, but some of the sights that are still open are Pecho Valley Road and turnouts, the Sandspit lot and Spooner Cove lot. California State Parks asks that visitors wear a face-covering and practice social distancing while at Montana De Oro State Park. Additionally, no congregating will be permitted — this includes gatherings, picnics and
parties. If the park is too crowded, visitors may be asked to leave.
Avila Valley Barn Avila Valley Barn is continuing “to provide open space, ice cream, roasted corn, BBQ and produce for our community for as long as it makes sense and is safe,”according to their website. All usual food offerings are still available in addition to some new “GrabNGo” options including their Barn Box and Butcher Box. These boxes contain produce and dairy as well as Cal Poly meats, according to KSBY. They are providing walks through their orchard, according to their site. Health precautions taken by Avila Valley Barn include a 24-person limit at their stand, hand sanitizer stations throughout their property and plexiglass walls at registers. Additionally, customers are required to wear masks at all times and practice six-foot social-distancing. Employees are required to wear masks and gloves at all times and are sent home if they experience any symptoms.
Avila Beach Avila Beach, Olde Port Beach and Fisherman’s Beach in Avila Beach remain open and require visitors to wear masks and practice social distancing. Additionally, lodging properties including hotels and vacation rentals, are currently open along with retail shops and
various restaurants that are offering outdoor dining, curbside pick-up and delivery. Until further notice, Avila Pier is closed, along with the swings and slide on Avila Beach, the fire rings on Olde Port Beach and the Fish Cleaning Station on Harford Pier. The hot springs and water slides at Avila Hot Springs are temporarily closed, as is the Central Coast Aquarium, although they are planning to reopen soon, according to their website. There are no gatherings in groups of ten or more permitted on the beaches and there will be no barbeques or bonfires allowed until further notice, according to Avila Beach’s site.
Pismo Beach Pismo State Beach, which includes Grover Beach, the Ocean Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and Shell Beach (south of Pirate’s Cove), is currently open to local visitors for walking, jogging, hiking, biking and more. Visitors are required to wear masks and practice social distancing and they may be asked to leave if the beach is too crowded. Additionally, there are no gatherings allowed and vehicular access is temporarily closed. This means that there are no open parking facilities and parking on roadways is currently prohibited to protect public health, according to the Pismo State Beach website.
OPINION
Sophie Corbett is a journalism sophomore. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.
to the point, they cover the basics of what you need to know and they usually take less than two minutes to read. They make learning about complex issues not as daunting. In addition, an Instagram feature that allows you to save posts makes it easy to refer back to these posts in the future. It’s easy to see why Instagram infographics have become so popular. Now that people are constantly reposting these infographics to their stories, it has become trendy to care about social issues. In fact, this Instagram trend has been criticized for being too trendy, resulting in people reposting infographics just to hop on the bandwagon, not because they’re truly devoted to the cause. Even if someone shares an educational resource to their story for purely performative reasons, a follower of theirs might click on it and gain some genuinely valuable information. Regardless of why you’re sharing something to your
Instagram, you’re still spreading the message to a wider audience. While performative activism is problematic, in this case, it can still have a positive impact. Now let me be clear: sharing a cute infographic to your Instagram story and calling it a day is not going to start a revolution. That’s where action comes in. But before action, comes education, and that’s where Instagram infographics come into play. Many social issues are just too nuanced and complex to explore fully in one Instagram post, but it can be great for learning the basics and can be used as a jumping-off point for further research. Instagram infographics have been especially influential in spreading the word about particular issues among college students. So while Instagram infographics are not going to solve the world’s problems, they just might educate young people who can.
OPINION
If you’ve been on Instagram in the last few months, then you’ve probably caught wind of the latest trend: infographics that discuss important social issues. If you’re not on Instagram, these aesthetically pleasing multi-slide Instagram posts act as mini PowerPoint presentations that serve as educational resources for a variety of topics. Many people repost these infographics to their stories to share valuable information with their followers. Instagram infographics have become a resource for many and are changing the way young people share information. While Instagram infographics are not new, they rose to popularity in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as a
followers, covers topics from plastic pollution to third party voting to the war on drugs. Infographics have been instrumental in exposing people — especially young people — to issues they might not otherwise know about. College students are notorious for being apathetic towards social and political issues, and infographics are changing that. Someone who doesn’t typically keep up with current events or research social issues might be much more likely to click on an infographic that a friend has shared to their Instagram story rather than a random news article. Peer pressure is a strong motivator because let’s be honest, no one wants to be out of the loop. If all your friends are talking and posting about a particular issue, you’re going to want to know what’s up. Furthermore, infographics are extremely accessible. Not everyone has the time to sift through a hefty news article, and infographics offer an alternative to that. They’re short and
WEDNESDAY Y, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
BY SOPHIE CORBETT
way to quickly spread information to the general public about protests, racism in America and dismantling white supremacy. Aside from education, these infographics provided concrete ways for people to advocate for justice and get involved with the BLM movement. Several months later, they’re still going strong. In fact, not a day goes by where I don’t see at least a handful of infographics that people I’m following have reposted to their stories. While infographics originally became popular to spread information relating to the BLM movement and anti-racist material, they now cover just about anything pertaining to social and political issues. In the past few days I’ve come across infographics titled “Explaining Why Black on Black Crime Doesn’t Exist”, “What is Toxic Positivity?”, and “Fast Fashion Is Killing Our Planet”. One of the most popular infographic Instagram accounts, @soyouwanttotalkabout, which boasts a whopping 1.3 million
MUSTANG NEWS
Instagram infographics: A source for change
INCOMING FRESHMEN COMMENT ON COMING TO CAL POLY AMID CORONAVIRUS COMMOTION BY SYDNEY SHERMAN
Cal Poly limited on-campus housing to singles for the 2020-21 academic year as a precautionary measure in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, housing no more than 5,150 students — most of which are incoming freshmen. As for classes, Cal Poly plans to offer roughly 12 percent of their 4,300 classes — about 511 sections total. Fewer than 6,000 students will be taking at least one in-person class in the fall, President Jeffrey A rmstrong wrote in a campus-wide email. “The classes being offered in-person were identified by the faculty as being difficult or impossible to offer virtually,” Armstrong wrote. Incoming materials engineering freshman Joshua Yepiz is one of the few students who was placed into an in-person class, however, he decided to stay at his permanent residence in Livermore fall quarter. He said he could not justify paying housing and dining fees for the quar-
ter, only to take one in-person class. “It just didn’t make sense to me,” Yepiz said.
Just knowing how college is and how college kids are, I don’t know how much social distancing and safe practices will be actually there. RYAN ANDERSON Incoming biological sciences freshman
The class, Introduction to Materials Engineering Design I (MATE 110),
is once a week and will be able to provide virtual accommodations for Yepiz and other students who choose to stay off-campus. “Virtual classes aren’t ideal, but I don’t think there’s any better alternative anywhere right now,” Yepiz said. He said he is optimistic about the way Cal Poly has decided to implement things and wants to come to campus winter quarter if things are better. Biological sciences freshman Ryan Anderson ultimately decided to live in the dorms at Cal Poly. “I felt even if it was modified, I should really get that freshman experience and get to live in the dorms,” Anderson said. The last day to defer from housing was Aug. 26, 2020, and Anderson said he felt that it was the right choice to house people in single rooms. Anderson said he feels that he can socially distance and still have a good time, although he is a little worried about how long it will last. “Just knowing how college is and
how college kids are,” Anderson said. “I don’t know how much social distancing and safe practices will be actually there.” Anderson said he was bothered by Cal Poly’s inconsistent communication about housing throughout the summer. “Things are just always changing for them on their end, but that also means that we have not gotten much information,” Anderson said. Students living on campus had been receiving information about housing periodically throughout the summer, but didn’t get housing assignments until Sep.1, 2020. This year, housing assignments will be based on the student’s college, rather than residential learning communities in years prior. Business administration freshman Kevin Fryay said he also plans on coming to Cal Poly, although his classes will be all online for the fall. He is currently taking classes through Cal Poly’s Quarter Plus program, where students have the op-
POLYPICKS HOUSE HALF PAGE
portunity to earn eight units of class credit prior to the start of fall quarter. The program is fully virtual this year. Fryar said he likes his classes so far and he said his professor is available to answer questions and clarify, which helps to make him feel like it is in-person. Fryar said he is excited to move into the dorms and get the most out of his virtual classes. “I’m excited to go into it with an open mind and meet as many people as I can while still staying safe,” Fryar said. Students were told that after the ten-week period, they would be moving out of the dorms and to pack their things up, according to Fryar. “I’m kind of looking at it like a tenweek vacation,” Frayr said. “We have no idea how long we are going to be there and then we are going to end up coming back to that really long break.”
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PROFESSORS PREPARE FOR IN-PERSON CLASSES IN THE FALL BY KIANA HUNZIKER
EXAMPLES OF IN-PERSON COURSES:
NEWS
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
Industrial Manufacturing Engineering: 10 courses in-person Horticulture and Crop Science: Outdoor lab components to be held in the agriculture fields
After receiving approval from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, Cal Poly announced its plans for Fall quarter on Aug. 12 in a campus wide email. The university plans to hold about 13 percent of the quarter’s 4,300 sections in-person, and professors have modified their courses to uphold safety guidelines while preserving hands-on learning. The Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) department plans to hold approximately 10 courses
in-person, including a combination of introductory level and upper-division courses. IME department chair Daniel Waldorf will be teaching Fundamentals of Manufacturing Engineering (IME 330) in the fall, an upper-division course which will offer an in-person lab. The course teaches students about manufacturing processes such as casting, plastic molding and laser cutting. Traditionally, students create products using machinery and engineering software during the course’s lab time. However, the effects of the coronavirus pandemic have caused Waldorf to redesign the course to comply with health guidelines. “It’s really caused me and other lab instructors to kind of rethink what actually happens during a three hour lab,” Waldorf said. The lab’s computer analysis component has been transitioned so that it can be done remotely, cutting the time students spend in the lab environment to an hour in an effort to minimize exposure. Specialty software used by students, which previously was only accessible via on-campus computers, will now be available to students on their personal computers and accessed through a login. “That [software transition] has been a big shift in the past six months at Cal Poly,” Waldorf said. In addition to sanitizing lab equipment and requiring the use of masks, the lab will be divided into time slots with students taking turns, allowing
only one small group in the lab at a time. “Breaking up the class into sections allows us to take only six students at a time and we can be much more socially distant,” Waldorf said. “They come in and maybe spend only 45 minutes or an hour on the machines, and then the rest of the lab they’re doing on their own.” In the Horticulture and Crop Science department, only the lab components of courses will be offered in-person, nearly all of which will be held outdoors in the agriculture fields where social distancing can be maintained, according to department chair Scott Steinmaus. The only indoor in-person lab will be Plant Pathology (BOT 323) and precautions such as face shields, open windows and doors and sterilization procedures between classes will be implemented, according to Steinmaus. “Training will be provided to all students in all labs to prevent [COVID-19] spread. … We are all applied biologists who understand a thing or two about disease and we will err on the side of caution,” Steinmaus wrote in an email to Mustang News. However, in the weeks leading up to the start of Fall quarter, the specifics of fall courses were still being worked out by many departments. “Planning for fall quarter is so fluid right now as the college responds to the ever-changing circumstances caused by the coronavirus that faculty aren’t able to comment at the
moment,” Communications Specialist for the College of Science and Mathematics Rachel Henry wrote in an email to Mustang News. Cal Poly previously stated it will still provide a virtual option for students who are unable or unwilling to take an in-person course. However, some students have voiced concerns that offering both an in-person and a virtual version of a course places an unnecessary burden on professors who must adapt to these courses as well as on students who will receive an inconsistent learning experience. “Forcing professors to adapt these classes for both in-person and online [instruction] will be a burden on them and will almost certainly result in wildly different experiences for the two mediums,” aerospace engineering junior Nick Ogden said. Instructors are also preparing their in-person courses to switch to a completely virtual format should circumstances change during the quarter. In that circumstance, IME 330 students would substitute their handson lab experience with video demos on their lab topics. “We’ve got a welding instructor who is outfitting himself with a full body cam and you get to see and do what he’s doing,” Waldorf said. “Instructors are going to a lot of degrees to give a really good experience to the students.”
Plant Pathology: Indoor in-person lab
13% of the quarter’s courses will be held in person.
ALISON CHAVEZ | MUSTANG NEWS About 13 percent of classes will be taught in person in the fall, including chemistry labs, engineering labs, studio art classes, and other classes that cannot successfully be taught online.
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CAL POLY MEN’S SOCCER FACES AN UNCERTAIN SEASON BY DAYTONA CLARKE
If this were any other year, Cal Poly’s Men’s Soccer players would have made their way back to San Luis Obispo in August to prepare for another season. Practices would have begun in the summer and games would be planned for the fall. Due to COVID-19, however, all 45 Men’s Soccer players, along with many other Cal Poly athletes, are left unsure if their season will even play out. On July 29, the Big West Board of Directors voted to postpone fall
It would put me at a disadvantage because I don’t want to go to Cal Poly for my graduate school, but I feel like I would be pressured to stay. JACOB LINDBERG Mechanical engineering senior on the men’s soccer team
New NCAA rules The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is offering all fall-sport student athletes an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it. Cal Poly Athletic Director Don Oberhelman said this puts senior athletes in a difficult position, as they have options to extend their time and play another season.
“Most athletes are weighing that idea of ‘Do I want to come back, do I want to spend a whole other year of my life dedicated to the sport that I love?’ or ‘I’m 23 years old and I’m ready for the next chapter,’” Oberhelman said. Jacob Lindberg, a mechanical engineering senior on the team, said he still figuring out where the decisions about their season will leave him. He plans on pursuing a Master’s degree after finishing his undergraduate degree, however he said the possibility of having another year of eligibility to play for the team leaves him conflicted. “It would put me at a disadvantage because I don’t want to go to Cal Poly for my graduate school, but I feel like I would be pressured to stay,” Lindberg said about if he were to get another year of regained NCAA eligibility. Although, Lindberg said his priority is finding the best possible graduate program for his major and he does not plan on continuing with soccer after this season.
Staying connected Despite the uncertainty about how their season will play out, the priority is the health and safety of the team, according to Sampson. He said that even though they aren’t able to practice together, the soccer players are still making an effort to stay connected with each other through the wait-
ing and uncertainty. Higgins said he, along with other older members of the team, are doing their best to rally the others, whether that be through FaceTime, group messages or calls. They would normally have the opportunity to get to know new players during the players-only “Captain’s Camp” practices in the summer. Instead, current players are assigned a new player to check in on them and get to know remotely. However Higgins said it is still sad that incoming players do not get to have the same bonding experiences. “All of those team bonding experiences that we’ve done in the past won’t be there. That would be the biggest thing we’re missing out on,” Higgins said. Sampson also said the bonding the team is missing out on may affects how they play together. “They might be physically fit with all the work that they’re doing, and I am confident that our guys are really working hard, but to gain game rhythm and even training rhythm takes quite a while,” Sampson said. “Even though we’ve been having Zoom calls constantly and I think the guys are getting to know each other from a distance, we all know it’s really not the same as them having the opportunity to do it in person.”
SPORTS
sports competition through the end of the calendar year. The ruling indefinitely postponed the Men’s Soccer season along with the other Big West fall sports. The Men’s Soccer team would normally start playing matches by early September, but it is now unclear whether there will be a 2020-2021 season at all. The decision on whether fall sports competition is possible for a spring return will be made at a later date. Currently, the players are unable to practice in person. “For our seniors ... I think all of them would prefer to play in the spring, and then after the spring
“It would just be sad to think that I’d already played my last game with this team that I’ve poured my entire life and soul into these past four-plus years.”
WEDNESDAY Y, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
STEVE SAMPSON Head coach of Cal Poly men’s soccer since 2014
season, be in their best form if they wanted to go pro,” Sampson said. Sampson has been with the team since 2014, leading them to 28 victories, including a signature win over the rival UCSB Gauchos in the famous Blue Green rivalry game in 2017. He said he is concerned about how the players will be affected by having a shortened season, especially for those that are going into their last year with the team. Last year, the team ended the season with seven wins and nine losses, finishing fourth in the Big West conference. COVID-19 restrictions may limit their season to only eight games, if they are only allowed to play within their conference. This leaves senior players with the possibility that their last season will include half the amount of game time they were used to. Recreation, parks and tourism administration senior Kenneth Higgins is approaching his fifth year on the team. He plays midfielder and was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team during his first year at Cal Poly. After finishing his degree this year, Higgins hopes to play professional soccer. Higgins said that, if the season were to be postponed to next year, his last game would have been in the middle of the season last year during which he took an elbow to the face and walked away with a concussion.
MUSTANG NEWS
For our seniors ... I think all of them would prefer to play in the spring, and then after the spring season, be in their best form if they wanted to go pro,
DIEGO RIVERA | MUSTANG NEWS
Forward Noah Boettiger runs down the right wing at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
Cal Poly Football is staying prepared for a potential spring season
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BY KYLE HAR
K YLE CALZIA | MUSTANG NEWS Quarterback Jalen Hamler evades the Sacramento State defense.
Big Sky Conference postponed football until spring on Aug. 7. Despite the looming question of whether the football team will get to play in the spring or not, the Mustangs have stayed focused and prepared. “When the opportunity presents itself to play, we are going to keep working and be ready to play,” firstyear head coach Beau Baldwin said. Redshirt sophomore quarterback
Jalen Hamler said that it is important for the team to continue to train despite the uncertainties of their season. “You must adapt to this new lifestyle,” Hamler said. “You must stay disciplined and focused through all of this.” The coaches have adapted to this “new lifestyle” by checking in on the players a few times per week and coming up with creative Zoom topics to discuss during meetings, according to Baldwin. Creativity is the only challenge he has faced so far in his first year as Cal Poly’s head coach. Baldwin said he finds it “not difficult” to manage the team because of the team’s maturity and the players’ willingness to complete voluntary workouts on their own. “You are in charge of who you wake up and see in the mirror every day,” Baldwin said. “Everyone has to be really dedicated to themselves because we are all spread out.” Leaders on the team like Hamler and redshirt senior linebacker Matt Shotwell have also been encouraging their teammates to work hard and push themselves during the pandemic.
“As a leader, you try to tell guys to keep their heads up and to not get complacent,” Shotwell said. “We are trying to push [the team] as much as we can to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel.” At the end of the tunnel, the Mustangs hope there is a spring season where they hope to redeem themselves after going 3-8 in 2019. The Mustangs recorded victories against the University of San Diego, Southern Utah University and the University of Northern Colorado. The Mustangs also came close in a number of games as three of their eight losses were decided by six points or less. “I felt like we dropped the ball on a lot of big games last year,” Hamler said. “At the end of the day, we have to do what is best to get back on that winning track.” The Mustangs will look to record their first winning season since 2016 in the spring. However, a spring season would look different than a normal fall season, as the Big Sky Conference confirmed on Aug. 13 that non-conference football games will not be permitted during the 2020-21 academic calendar year.
SPORTS
MUSTANG NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
STUDENT ATHLETE PROTECTIONS Division I announces protection plan for fall championships in spring BY ADAM BIRDER
The Division I Board of Directors adopted new protections for college athletes due to COVID-19 on Aug. 21. Among the new protections was the decision to give all fall-sport student athletes both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year to complete it. The board also approved four more council-recommended protections for all college athletes: Schools are prohibited from reducing or canceling scholarship funds for any athlete from any sport that declines to participate due to COVID-19. Schools are prohibited from requiring athletes to waive legal rights regarding COVID-19 as a condition of participation in athletics activities. Flexibility in the progress-towarddegree requirements will be given to any student athlete who does not enroll full time in the fall 2020 term. Financial aid for fall sport senior student athletes who use the
additional year of eligibility will not count against team limits in 20212022. The protections are effective immediately. Schools are also required to review insurance coverage for all fall sport student athletes. The board also determined that Division I will work toward having smaller-scale fall championships in the spring. The decision came after more than 50 percent of schools participating in NCAA fall sports canceled or postponed their seasons. Cal Poly Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer as well as Men’s and Women’s Cross Country all had their seasons postponed by the Big West Conference on July 29. Cal Poly Football had their season postponed by the Big Sky Conference on Aug. 6. The Division I Council, Division I Competition Oversight Committee and the Division I Football Oversight Committee were directed by the board to work on models for championships for the impacted fall sports. The board stressed that fall
championships should only occur in the spring if local, state and federal health guidelines are met. The NCAA has not yet set rules for the fall sports planning to hold a season in the spring. Athletes can resume voluntary workouts beginning Sept. 14.
All fall-sport student athletes are given both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year to complete it. Schools are prohibited from reducing or canceling scholarship funds for any athlete from any sport that declines to participate due to COVID-19
DIEGO RIVER A Outside Hitter Maia Dvoracek combines with her teammates to make a block.