Volume 75 // Issue 1

Student Life: Potentia, a new tradition. Pg. 9

In this issue: Opinion: Racism rooted in our culture? Pg. 3 A&E: Midnight Improv lights up campus with comedy. Pg. 6 Sports: Athletes earn highest GPA in campus history. Pg. 10 SINCE 1979

VOLUME 75 // ISSUE 1

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

President Armiñana announces retirement Joseph Encinas Staff Writer

S

ince the California State University system began in 1857, no individual has served as president of their respective institution longer than Ruben Armiñana of Sonoma State University. Now entering his 24th year as presi-

dent of the school, Armiñana announced his retirement Monday, Aug. 24. He is not the only CSU President to retire as of late. Presidents from three other CSU campuses including San Jose, Chico and Channel Islands are also making switches and filling the position with new candidates.

When asked about the

factors that led to his retirement, Armiñana simply said “time!” He has exceeded the average average time of office held by presiding CSU Presidents by three-times the length of presidency, seeing as most remain in the position for an average of five to seven years.

Prior to Armiñana joining the campus, Sonoma

State was vastly different, according to many. The institution was primarily a commuter school with reentry students and on the edge of impending closure.

“He came on board when [Sonoma State] was just a shadow of itself,” said Andrew Rogerson, provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Now

you have the most amazing campus in the CSU system.”

Many students and faculty can agree Sonoma State has improved immensely throughout Armiñana’s 24 years at the university. But amid all the positive change resides the inevitable controversies, including a vote of no confidence in Armiñana’s leadership by SSU

faculty in 2007.

It’s hard to imagine Sonoma State as anything other than what it is now; a sprawling 269 acre campus covered with modernized buildings such as the Green Music Center and residential living that sits with much See RETIREMENT on Pg. 4

Greek life under fire after charters revoked Aubrey Anzelmo Staff Writer

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STAR // Megan Corcoran Sonoma State University student Taryn Wilmers showing that at Amy’s Drive-Thru no one is too old for coloring.

Campus embraces healthy living with Amy’s Drive Thru Rachael Newman Staff Writer

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ohnert Park has a new drive thru restaurant, and it’s the first vegetarian drive thru ever. Amy’s Drive-Thru serves all organic, vegetarian food. The restaurant opened July 20 and while it’s a drive through, customers also have the choice to dine in.

Sonoma State University students now have access to vegetarian meals on the go.

Amy’s Front of House Manager said the owners of Amy’s Kitchen are very interested in health all the way around, which is why they have a fully organic menu.

Amy’s mission is to serve nourishing health food as well as give more options to vegetarians, vegans, and those with gluten allergies.

Amy’s sells many frozen foods in stores locally and across the nation but the drive thru menu is different.

Austen Noelle, a Sonoma County resident, is a vegetarian and really enjoys the drive thru because there are very limited vegetarian options on the go, and the options she has are usually tasteless and bland.

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Her experience eating out is that many restaurants’ vegetarian dishes are salads or sides, not full meals, although Noelle has been able to find some.

Amy’s has some pretty reasonable prices.

Sonoma County has a scarce amount of entirely vegetarian restaurants according to VegGuide.org. Many

as of 2015, a figure that has more than doubled in the last seven years.

Amy’s establishment also has a live roof, which is commonly referred to as a green roof, or rooftop garden.

The manager at Amy’s Kitchen said the living roof, equipped with drought resilient plants, helps keep the restaurant cooler during summer, warmer in the winter and fuels the energy needs of the restaurant.

Elizabeth Bissiri, a Sonoma State student, has had difficulty finding healthy food on a college student budget and believes Amy’s Drive-Thru will benefit the college community.

“It is difficult finding healthy food on a tight budget, especially organic.

Around here organic STAR // Megan Corcoran options are scarce, The restaurant features a water tower that which is disappointcollects rainwater to water plants onsite. ing as a vegetarian,” said Bissiri. “Veggies and rice are an easy “Eating all organic places have options for vegetarian meal but the is very important when vegetarians and some same exact foods gets your diet consists of are vegetarian and old. Having a healthy, mostly vegetables,” vegan friendly but not vegetarian restaurant said Noelle. “As many many dining options is great, and the drive toxins we take in from have a menu for those thru is a plus.” the world, we need to appetites.

Amy’s Drive Thru be mindful of what we According to the is located at 58 Golf are fueling our bodies Raw Food World, Course Drive West with. Eating all organic roughly 16 million in Rohnert Park. For can be expensive, espe- Americans consider more information, visit cially for students but themselves vegetarian amysdrivethru.com

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wo Sonoma State University fraternities have had their charter revoked from the university.

An email sent last Friday by university President Ruben Armiñana notified all faculty and students of the cause of the revocation, stating it was “due to recent and past violations of the Student Code of Conduct.”

The exact code of conduct that was broken is remaining confidential.

As noted in the email, “Sonoma State does not tolerate activities that do not align with the core values and mission of the University. Should individuals or groups violate University policy in any way, they will be subject to the full judicial process through the University’s judicial affairs process.”

“It is our hope that the organizations remaining will critically evaluate their practices, values, and overall experience of their members,” said Heather Howard Martin, director of the Center for Student Leadership, Involvement and Service when asked how revocation of the two chapters affect campus life. “The departure of any organization, while challenging, can also be a really positive opportunity for groups to make the changes necessary for greatness.”

The Sonoma State Greek Community is anticipating an expansion in the near future.

In effort to bring two new Greek organizations to campus, the university began the expansion process last year with backing from unaffiliated members of the student body.

Currently, there are roughly 1400 affiliated Greek members at Sonoma State, making up approximately 18

percent of the student population. The Greek system is composed of 19 Chartered Organizations, including seven fraternities, and 12 sororities.

There has not been a new fraternity to join the Greek system since 2010.

Micki Estuesta, the Campus Life Advisor, has been working diligently to bring the new organizations to campus.

The expansion and recognition process is posted online via Sonoma State’s website for those with inquiry on the logistics.

According to Micki Estuesta, Sonoma State has received 12 fraternity applications, with hope to select one to two fraternities. Before the final one to two fraternities are chosen and approved, three or four fraternities will be invited to Sonoma to give presentations and participate in an open forum, in effort for any person in interest to review the exhibition of the fraternity.

These forums will be open to the public, including community members, faculty, and the student body to attend.

The goal is to bring organizations to campus that share the same values and principles as held by Sonoma State.

The finalization process of determining which organization(s) will best fit Sonoma is anticipated to take time, however, the goal is to welcome the new fraternities by the upcoming spring 2016 semester.

“All of us on IFC are extremely excited to help introduce additional fraternities to campus,” said Jovani Silva, the recruitment chair for the International Fraternity Council (IFC). “I think this expansion will be beneficial to both the Rohnert Park and campus community, and I am looking forward to see what the future holds.”

facebook.com Sigma Alpha Epsilon (pictured above) was one of the two fraternities to have their charter revoked after a violation of Sonoma State University’s code of conduct.

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Editorial

Sep. 1 - Sep. , 2015

sonomastatestar.com

THE STAR Editorial Board Brandon Stachnik, Editor-in-Chief Kayla E. Galloway, News Editor Jenna Fischer, Opinion Editor Ashley Mar tin, Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor Shannon Brown, Student Life Editor Kory Arnold, Spor ts Editor Brennan Chin, Photo Editor Edward Goquingco, Copy Editor Kyler Khan, Copy Editor & Marketing Director Jalissa Tello, Adver tising Director Connor Gibson, Distribution Director Eddie Blake, Editorial Car toonist Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Telephone: 707-664-2776

Courtesy // Eddie Blake

Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

Editor’ s Pick This week’s can’t miss article: “Luxury housing doesn’t address student needs” With the recent updates made on the University Housing district comes many an opinion. Staff writer Ryan Green not only offers his thoughts on the production luxury apartments, but his own alternatives to the contorversial project.

Read the story on page 3

Corrections/Clarifications The STAR values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication. However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know. Please report errors to the editor at star@sonoma.edu.

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Healdsburg Printing. The weekly publication of the STAR is made possible by Instructionally Related Activities Funding.

Opinions Opinions expressed in the STAR are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the STAR or SSU. The editorial reflects the views of the STAR Editorial Board on issues it con-

L

What to take away from Armiñana’s retirement

ast week, Sonoma State University president Ruben Armiñana announced his retirement after 24 years as the longest-serving president in the California State University System.

For some, Armiñana’s retirement may mark the end of the era and for others, a new beginning.

The year is 1991 and Sonoma State is nearing closure because of inconsistent and unstable enrollment. With an unpromising and unsettling future, Armiñana steps in and takes the university to new heights.

In the 24 years since Sonoma State has seen many changes - including the construction of the Green Music Center, Recreation Center, Student Center, upperclassmen dorms and the Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center. Despite these numerous additions. the university has seen during Armiñana’s tenure at Sonoma State, the controversies and the desperate need for new leadership throughout the years can’t be overlooked.

Never more was his future in question than in 2007 when Armiñana received a vote of no confidence via a campus-wide vote among faculty.

Whether the vote accurately represented the opinions of students is debatable, but what the vote did show was that the campus

climate had changed negatively under Armiñana’s leadership.

In the last ten years, Sonoma State has seen an increase in student enrollment by 42 percent with a decrease in the amount of tenure faculty.

The campus is known for its luxurious dorms and luscious landscapes. But when did the appearance of a college campus become a replacement for academics?

Sonoma State has the architectural resources to accommodate the increase in students with the recent addition of the Student Center, but how does a university account for a lack of professors and classes that adequately prepare students for their future after graduation?

The improvements Armiñana has brought forth at the university in the last 24 years are undeniably good for both the campus culture and its appeal to incoming students.

The campus is known for its luxurious dorms and luscious landscapes. But when did the appear-

ance of a college campus become a replacement for academics?

But shouldn’t a university also be known as a place of knowledge with passionate professors where students can widen their worldly perspective? With a 90 percent acceptance rate according to U.S News and World Report, Sonoma State is building a reputation as a university anyone can be admitted to, no matter GPA or academic accomplishments.

With Armiñana’s time at Sonoma State coming to a close, now is not only a time to reflect on the changes the campus has seen in the last 24 years but also look forward to the future.

This change in leadership comes at a time when the budget for higher education in California has rebounded and more resources are coming available. Sonoma State needs to give careful consideration of not only how it wants to progress as a campus but what kind of leader it wants at the helm.

In our view, our new president needs to not only set a vision that honors education – and the university’s commitment to students - above all, but pledge to adhere to that platform regardless of what comes in the years ahead. As the university moves ahead with searching for Armiñana’s successor, we will look for more opportunities to comment in the days to come.

Editorial Policy: The commentary expressed in the unsigned editorial represents a majority opinion of the STAR Editorial Board on a topic facing the campus community in keeping with journalistic precedents of other major newspapers, and may not be shared by all staff writers. The board encourages readers to write letters to the editor about all topics, including the editorial.

siders to be of particular relevance to the campus community.

Letters to the Editor Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 500 words will be allowed and must be submitted no later than the Friday before the publication date.

Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts. The STAR reserves the right to refuse publication to any letter and to edit for length. Letters must sign all contributions and the editor must verify the signer and the writer are one in the same through personal conference. To send a letter to the editor email star@sonoma. edu.

Have an opinion?

We’d like to read it.

The STAR welcomes and encourages letters to the editor and guest submissions. For more information, read the left sidebar for our policies on editorials and letters to the editor.

E-mail all opinions to

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Opinion

Sep . 1 - Sep . 7 , 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Luxury housing doesn’t

Benefits of quick, healthy food

address student needs

Ryan Green Staff Writer

B

rookfield Residential Properties Inc. has begun construction on a new residential complex on the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and Petaluma Hill road, just across the street from the Green Music Center.

The complex is planned to have over 1200 homes, an apartment complex, two parks, and a commercial center, encouraging a sense of community.

However, the current proposition for construction can be changed to better benefit Sonoma State University.

The construction that can be seen from the road is the site preparation for the first three of twelve neighborhoods, which will contain about four hundred single-family detached homes. These new neighborhoods together will be called the University District.

My question is, why would Brookfield Inc. plan to build an expensive residential neighborhood across from Sonoma State? Although the company has not yet determined the asking prices for these homes, they are expected to be more upscale than surrounding neighborhoods.

According to zillow.com, the median home value in Rohnert Park is well above $400,000, and is predicted to rise 2.2% in the next year. In addition to the new homes, a commercial center and two parks are to be built within the University District.

According to the North Bay Business Journal, the 100,000 square foot commercial center will feature various shops and restaurants, and the two parks will provide a total of 73 acres of recreational space. This semester has welcomed the largest freshman class in Sonoma State history with open arms, but with closed residential halls.

The total on-campus living space tops at a little over 3,000. Many of the nearly 1,900 new students and 7,000 returning students are struggling to find housing, and are willing to look as far

as Santa Rosa and Petaluma for a place to live.

Why wouldn’t Brookfield Inc. take advantage of the situation, and construct more affordable housing? Yes, there is an apartment complex, but it only has 218 units.

Even if each apartment housed four students, there would only be room for 872 of them. And how expensive would the units be?

The irony in naming these new neighborhoods the “University District” is apparent. These new homes are too expensive for students, and Brookfield Inc. should not ignore the obvious moneymaker by marketing homes only to wealthy tenants.

I propose a change to Brookfield Inc.’s plan. Instead of building all deluxe neighborhoods, a larger apartment complex should be built in place of a neighborhood. The apartments should not exceed two stories, in order to maintain the low building height of the rest of the community.

This semester has welcomed the largest freshman class in Sonoma State history with open arms, but with closed residential halls.

They could be arranged in a similar fashion to Sauvignon or Tuscany Village, with units varying in size and price to accommodate residents of all price ranges. An underground parking garage could also be built in the temporary runoff basin, providing parking for both residents and students.

While Brookfield Inc. is likely marketing these new homes to residents who are involved in the university, such as professors, administration, and concert-goers, I believe they should think towards the future, and invest in the construction of several affordable housing options for students.

With its commercial center and wide open spaces, the University District would become a haven for off-campus students, and provide a new and exciting scene for on-campus students.The project was first proposed in 2006, and has been changed several times since then by the Rohnert Park City Council, says the North Bay Business Journal. It can be changed again.

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Emily Johnstone Staff Writer

he opening of the organic vegetarian restaurant Amy’s Drive Thru in Rohnert Park has provided residents with a new, healthier eating option.

With the popular fast-food restaurant InN-Out right next door, Amy’s is trying to change the way people grab a quick meal.

The well-known frozen food brand Amy’s Kitchen has been around since the late 1980’s is now expanding to show customers that the company wants to revolutionize the quality of food that drive-thru restaurants serve. The process by which the food is prepared is different from many other fast food restaurants. Amy’s tries to use the freshest vegetables and highest quality pastas, grains and beans.

“I think Amy’s is a great addition to a college town because it gives students and even the families that live in the area a healthy yet inexpensive option for a quick drive-thru meal,” said Sonoma State junior Jenna Herzog. “Plus it tastes really good too.

The items on the Amy’s menu vary from different types of individual pizza, to meatless hamburgers and organic milkshakes to healthier drink options; giving customers the chance to not only change the type of food they eat while dining out, but also give them the opportunity to have healthier eating habits.

Now that there is finally a drive-thru restaurant dedicated to serving vegetarian food means those who choose the vegetarian lifestyle now have a place to get their fast food fix.

Even the design of the building reflects the values of the restaurant. With the use of solar panels, a roof made of living grass and a water tower to collect rain runoff, Amy’s is transforming the type of restaurants that can be found in Rohnert Park.

It is a place that not only looks after its customers, but also for the environment by trying to cut down energy and water usage.

The very look of the restaurant grabs people’s attention, which could be one of the reasons people would want to try it out.

Having a location built next to the casino also helps catch passing traffic of those headed to and from the area. I remember thinking it looked so out of place the first time I saw it, but now I think that’s one of its coolest factors.

“After living in Rohnert Park for many years, I’ve been noticing recently that the opening of Amy’s Drive Thru has brought a great deal of attention to the area,” said resident Kiki Winslow. “While I’m not vegetarian, I still believe that this was a wonderful restaurant to be built by us because it gives everyone the choice to eat healthier when they want a quick meal out.”

After driving by Amy’s Drive Thru multiple times, the long line in the drivethru makes it apparent that people are anxious to see exactly what’s so great about the restaurant. Not only are the choices better for our bodies, but they’re also better for our wallets. Most of the items on the menus are around only $5, making for a cheap meal you don’t have to feel guilty about after. Open daily from 10:30 A.M. to 10 P.M., Amy’s can be the go-to place for a quick lunchtime bite or a late night craving.

I believe that this restaurant is a positive addition to the community. With Rohnert Park growing and expanding, Amy’s Drive Thru is yet another place that will attract people to the area in order to try the food that’s stirring up commotion for its inexpensive, yet healthy options. People are coming from all over to get the chance to experience this restaurant can only help the area and surrounding businesses by bringing more business to the city.

STAR // Megan Cocoran

Campus still vulnerable to racism and ignorance

Florencia Hasson Staff Writer

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acism is an ongoing conf lict that college campuses around the United States have been combating since the cease of segregation. Sonoma State University is unfortunately no exception to this statistic.

According to an article from CBS News published this March, the Department of Education has stated that there has been an increase of reports regarding racial intolerance, from 555 reported in 2009 to 939 in 2014.

Why is racism still such a relevant issue on college campuses, and one that doesn’t seem to be getting much better?

Racism goes down to the root from which our country’s creation stems from since the discovery of the Americas by the Spaniards.

Now we pride ourselves in living in a largely multicultural country where we strive

to have acceptance of all types of people, despite their race, class, sexual orientation or religion.

Aren’t universities meant to be the birthplace of all sorts of ideas, where we expect to find progressive, forwardthinking young adults and an accepting environment for all types of people.

Upon my entrance to a party early this semester, a large confederate f lag stared me down from the wall. The f lag read, “The south will rise again.”

The site was blinding and I felt hot with rage. I acted upon impulse and tore the f lag down, then stormed out of the house with plans to destroy it.

The owner of the house and f lag, a good acquaintance of mine, came running out. I angrily, yet respectfully, returned it and proceeded to get into a heated argument with one of his friends about my rash criminal actions for taking something that did not belong to me.

I was haunted by the image of that f lag and longed for an explanation as to why someone of university-level education, who lives an hour away from what is probably the most liberal city in the world would own such a f lag. I asked him if he could justify to me what the f lag meant to him.

He explained; “I think it

represents defiance to an ideal that you don’t agree with.

Other people might construe it negatively, but I don’t see it that way. Its symbolic, it doesn’t have to have a definitive ideal. That’s not what I see in it. I know the history, but I see the symbol of defiance.” This helped me better understand him and perhaps other confederate f lag owners out there, or at least I can only hope.

Having shared my story to a handful of friends who are Sonoma State students, they informed me that they too have seen a number of confederate f lags. SSU has had other incidents targeting the black community in the past.

Two years ago, billboards for a Black Scholars United event were defaced.

There have been countless acts of police brutality in California on college campuses such as UC Berkeley.

Across the U.S., students on college campuses should be the forerunners and spokesmen for the future of racial equality.

“Some colleges, more than others are taking action on the recent tragedies and racism that African American communities are facing, regarding the police brutalities and shootings,” said an African American Sonoma State student.

“At SSU I haven’t noticed students of any race protesting or speaking out against police brutalities, which is unfortunate. Though a fair amount of students here aren’t minorities and therefore don’t experience the degradation we (African American students) face so they don’t really care. They are bystanders.”

Do we want our campus to be known as a racially intolerant university, where students are singled out due to race? Is

that really what we should expect to find in 2015 on college campuses?

Perhaps the confederate f lag may not be an intentional bash towards African Americans, however, I believe it’s hard to argue that it isn’t a reminder of a dark part of American history and can be easily interpreted in that way.

How can we work as individuals and as a community towards the defiance of a racist America?

Courtesy // Gustavo Vasquez

Page 4

News

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Last week the university welcomed 1,900 students.

attending Sonoma will not affect class availability since we were given more money to accommodate for a student increase.”

Along with that fact she expressed how she “loves having more bodies on campus and seeing more faces around during the week.”

Residential life plays a huge role in the university’s growth so students and faculty began to question if we have enough housing to offer all the incoming students. In 2015, the Princeton Review named Sonoma State’s residential housing no. 12 in the nation.

The housing department gives students the choice to live in particular villages which include a theme for each.

From adventure living, to leadership and healthy living, students can find a place in the freshman dorms.

Certain villages, including the Sauvignon villages also come equipped with a kitchen. This allows students the opportunity to cook some of their own meals .

Morozumi also spoke of how class availability is affected by the influx of students.

STAR // Kaila Sanders “Housing is affected by the student increase because it is not guaranteed for all freshman,” said Morozumi. “However there has been some conversation on the possibility of more dorms being built or perhaps making the Tuscany and Beaujolais villages open to only freshman.”

Freshman pre-business administration major, Carley Chatterly said, “I’m really excited for recruitment coming up as well as possibly trying out for the soccer team next year!”

Freshman students also come to them to get the schedule and classes they Sonoma because of all the opportunities need. With more students, there may be a we offer to get involved. Not only can staff increase as well as a launch of more students get involved with Greek life but classes to offer to Sonoma State attendees. they can also join their choice of over 100 The university has continued to offer 46 clubs, attend our JUMP (Join Us Making bachelor degrees, as well as 15 master’s Progress) community service events or programs to choose from giving students join an intramural sport. the opportunity to excel in the university With all of the choices Sonoma State and beyond. has to offer, it has been made easy for Director of Residential Life, Cyndie freshman to find their place with campus Morozumi explained how “more students activities.

Campus welcomes largest freshman class in history Nikki Bridges Staff Writer

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ith Sonoma State University being known for its beautiful green campus, modern housing and student activities, the increased size of the 2015 fall freshman class seemed inevitable. Last week the university welcomed 1,900 students to begin their journey into college being the largest fresh-

man class in Sonoma State’s history.

A newly arrived freshman and sociology major, Maddy Carrier, talked about the welcoming experience she had during her first week of college.

“I like how it’s a smaller campus which means smaller classes and I’ll be able to get more one on one help with my professors,” said Carrier.

With the freshman class rapidly growing it could be more difficult for

RETIREMENT:

New president to be chosen Continued from Pg. 1

Courtesy SSU News Center The California State University Board of Trustees will conduct a national search for a new president of Sonoma State University in the coming months.

prestige in the national rank ings. perhaps one of the most notable advancements that the university has made comes in the form of residential housing. In 1992, when Armiñana began his adventure at Sonoma State, the school housed less than 600 of its students.

Now, over 3200 students lay claim to living on-campus in one of the best systems of dormitories the nation has to offer. The six residential villages boast suite-style living, housing 90 percent of the school’s freshmen class and 37 percent of all undergraduate students.

The influence of Armiñana can be found through all aspects of this higher education facility.

“Nothing gives me more pride than when I am approached locally and nationally, even abroad, by an alum who happily and proudly tells me that he or she went to SSU and how great that experience was,” Armiñana said at last week’s onvocation. “My eternal wish is that this expression continues for our present and future students.”

Since the beginning of his near quarter-century presidency, students have been at the top of the totem pole for Armiñana.

“I remember hearing [the president] addressing the incoming freshmen class of 2014. I could tell he had a deep appreciation for his school and students,” said Christian Casias, a sophomore Communication Studies major.

Throughout his time lead-

ing Sonoma State, there have been people who have disagreed with the practices and practical applications of President Armiñana, “To stay true to your vision, you can’t make everyone happy. He has stayed true,” said Rogerson.

Per his vision, Armiñana pushed his version of academic excellence that focused around curricular learning. Armiñana wants the students of Sonoma State to be prepared to solve real-world problems.

“The opportunity to do learning outside the classroom is enormous,” said Rogerson.

By July 1, 2016, a new President will be assigned to Sonoma State by the California State University Board of Trustees, which consists of 25 members, administrators and students associated with the CSU system.

As Sonoma State University inches closer to having a new serving president, the strides taken by the longest serving president in the CSU system history will forever be imprinted in the culture of the Rohnert Park campus.

The transformation of the residential life as well as academic rigor has solidified SSU as a viable campus for those seeking the college experience.

Armiñana has left some big footprints to fill, but he does have some words of wisdom for his successor; “I hope he or she has patience, takes the long view, and creates a long lasting love affair with the university,” said the long time president.

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News

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

News in Brief San Francisco, CA Last week, a man found $20 on the ground at San Francisco International Airport and used the money to buy two lottery tickets, one of which won him $1 million. The San Francisco Bay Area native, who works as bartender, intends to leave $20 bills on the street to bring others good fortune. The ticket was bought at a market in Millbrae and will receive $5,000 for selling a winning lottery ticket.

STAR // Megan Corcoran

South Central Alaska It was announced on Monday that President Obama has renamed the tallest mountain in the U.S. Formerly known as Mount McKinley named after President William McKinley, the mountain is now named Denali, in honor of the language of Alaska’s native people. The change in name is in part because of a promise President Obama made during his 2008 campaign to improve relations with Native Americans.

New Orleans, LA On the day after the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints hosted a preseason game featuring powerful messages aimed at commemorating the strength of the city in years after the hurricane.

Before the game, the team played a “Thank You New Orleans” message on video boards that had been seen on social media in the day prior. Since Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints and the Superdome have been symbols of the strength the city and its people displayed in years following the tragedy.

Milwaukee, WI A college senior in Milwaukee was able to invest $1,500 and turn it into $1 million over the course of three years.

The 21-year-old, Jason Pelts, was able to earn his return on investment by capitalizing on fluctuations in the stock market others did not anticipate and has been called a “business visionary” by Forbes.

Students can expect some changes with the dining options at Sonoma State University this semester.

Fall semester brings changes to campus dining Christine Edwards Staff Writer

S

onoma State University Culinary Services department is updating its menu offerings giving students something new to look forward to this fall. Their new executive chef who came on board last spring, is the driver of new menu creations, especially in the Kitchens.

The Director of Sales and Marketing of Entrepreneurial Activities and Campus Life at Sonoma State University, Ryan Ernst, said culinary services employs over 500 individuals, and that staff is always changing. He said, “[The department] remains committed to serving the campus community [and the university] won’t experience diminished service.”

Demitri Call and Aaron Owen, both senior physics majors at SSU believe the university is lacking on food options.

“The food is not consistent,” said Owen.

Both students hope to see healthier food options in the future

“It’s difficult and unreliable,” said Call. “They could do better.”

“An influx of dietary needs has been on the rise- vegetarian, vegan, glutenfree [and] being health conscience is in the forefront of what we do. We have healthy options in all venues at all times,” said Ernst.

Culinary Services is excited to announce many new and exciting changes to the department at Sonoma State this year. Under the direction of the newly appointed Chef Alex, there will be healthy options added to the menu offered at all dining venues across campus.

The department has rebranded the café in the student center, newly named Sip and will now offer yogurt parfaits and a variety of Noah’s bagels. And at the request of many students, Charlie Browns will now offer hamburgers in the afternoons and evenings, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday. Other additions to Charlie Browns options include tacos and quesadillas, as well as healthy choices such as a veggie pita and Asian chicken wrap.

Intervarsity reinstated by university system

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Anna Kehrlein Staff Writer

ntervarsity, a Christian fellowship organization at Sonoma State University, was derecognized as a campus organization last fall because of their failure to allow students of any faith to hold leadership positions within the club.

The fall semester has brought a change to Intervarsity across the entire California State University system and the organization is now, again, a recognized organization on CSU campuses across the state after much negotiation with the university system.

In 2011, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed passed Executive Order 1068 stating no campus will recognize any student organization unless its membership and leadership positions are available to all currently enrolled students at that campus.

“Intervarsity was established the second year SSU was in existence and we would like to be here for the long haul,” said Troy Tisthammer, a staff member involved with Sonoma State’s Intervarsity.

Tristhammer sees the organization as something that builds connections between people who don’t share the core beliefs of the group and those who do.

Ciara Smith, a sophomore communications major was unhappy when the university derecognized the organization last year. She credits the reinstatement of the club to the support they got from people and organizations across the nation as well as to the work Sonoma State students did last year to become

a recognized club again.

Intervarsity requires students to recite and affirm the clubs doctrine, to confirm they abide by Intervarsity’s Christian beliefs, which include being of the Christian faith if holding a leadership position in the club. This violates Executive Order 1068.

In 2013, the CSU Chancellor Timothy White realized that this Executive Order applied to all religiously affiliated organizations on campus, but granted them all exemption for the 2013-14 school year.

In 2014, Intervarsity’s Constitution required review as per Executive Order 1068, but the process was never completed, putting Intervarsity on the chopping block, not just at SSU, but on all 23 CSU campuses.

Intervarsity still existed in the 2014-15 school year, but as an off-campus association, unaffiliated with the school.

Members of the organization cite how Intervarsity had to pay $1,000 a week to meet at the Cooperage at Sonoma State.

Intervarsity was reinstated at the start of this semester, after negotiation with White. Their constitution was revised, until they reached a compromise both the organization and the CSU system agreed upon.

As a Christian organization, Intervarsity was granted exception from Executive Order 1068, much like the sororities and fraternities on campus, which discriminate gender. Intervarsity is allowed to have Christian leaders only as long as they keep and open recruitment policy.

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Page 6

Arts

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

The Improvaholics showcase their comedic addiction Justin Freeman Staff Writer

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t was exactly midnight, when Friday night and Saturday morning blend together, when 40 or so Sonoma State University students had packed themselves into Ives 76, a room that looks straight out of the movie Fight Club, sporting black walls, a black ceiling, and a black floor.

However, the performance that was about to begin, though, was anything but dismal. Suddenly, all lights went dark, save for a single spotlight shining down on the front of the room.

Silence settled over the crowd, and the Improvaholics took the stage: For the next hour, room 76 would be filled with nearly non-stop laughter, thanks to the zany antics of four eccentric improv-lovers.

These four individuals make up a small part of the larger Improvaholics group, a comedy-improv club made up entirely of Sonoma State students.

The show opened with a game that performer Ian Webb, a junior majoring in theater, called “Musical Tension.” A random song would come on through the speaker system and provide a soundtrack to which the Improvahol-

ics would spontaneously create a scene.

This was the first of many games, but no matter what game was being played, adaptation and imaginative wit were the tools of choice for the entertainers.

One scene took the form of a game show, in which the audience was allowed to ask their own questions of the performers. When a crowd member asked about how to cope with the death of his beloved goldfish, Improvaholic Meelina Galope slyly asked back, “Are you twenty one yet?”

Galope, a junior majoring in English, would later assume the identity of a troubled wannabe superhero, struggling with low self-esteem and the rejection of actual superheroes, such as Captain America. This character in particular evoked an audible sympathy from the crowd like no other, showing that the content of the group could go beyond clever jokes and delve into deeper, more relatable themes as well.

From sophomore Tiffany McGaughey’s sinister plot to poison all dinosaur lovers through use of popcorn, to senior Shelby Hotz’s role as a crazed, personality-split ventriloquist, the entire show featured one-of-a-kind episodes and goofy characters throughout.

The final game they played with

the audience was called “Sex is Like,” where audience members would shout out topics, which the Improvaholics would compare to sex using one-liners.

According to Webb, “Sex is like the DMV, because you wait forever, and still leave unsatisfied.”

After the show, while the Improvaholics were drying the floor (which was drenched from a game involving dunking heads in a bucket of water,) the actors gave their perspectives on the art of improv. McGaughey, who had never performed with the Improvaholics in front of a crowd before, said that “Improv is something you do everyday. It’s a great skill to have.”

Hotz added that improv “Helps you see outside the norm” and that practicing one-liners pays off when you’re in a debate or argument. When asked about what draws them to improv, Webb stated that “Everything’s up in the air,” while Galope maintained that improv was akin to “controllable chaos” and that she was attracted to the freedom of it all.

The general consensus between the four Improvaholics was that practicing improv is fun because nothing ever happens the same way again, and that improv skills translate over into many

other parts of life, such as public speaking and having trust in oneself.

Considering the sheer number of laugh-out-loud moments, the wacky personalities of the performers and the lack of an entrance fee, the Improvaholic’s showcase served as a much needed stress-reliever for SSU students after a long first week of class.

facebook.com The Improvaholics, a student group on campus, offered a free show to students on Friday.

Janet Hess: Not just a professor C assandra

owens

Staff Writer

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ith a gleam in her eye and pep in her step, Professor Janet Berry Hess went back to instructing after almost a year on sabbatical. Most educators take advantage of that time off for relaxation and vacation- but Janet spent her year educating herself further on what she calls “a personal journey.”

Janet has been a Sonoma State Hutchins Department professor for 15 years; she received a B.A. in History from the University of Iowa, her Masters in Law from Columbia, and earned her PhD at Harvard. She currently teaches a variety of Liberal Studies courses; currently LIBS 201: Exploring the Unknown, and LIBS 320C: African American Culture.

She has also taught the core course: Unblocking Creativity, a class that allows students to achieve dreams or goals in their life.

“I really found out who I was,” Hess said of her trip with an audible awe. “You have to find your own history,” she explained.

Before her PhD, her love for art began at an early age, as her father was an all-medium artist. African Art specifically appeals to her because of all the mediums she grew up with.

This familiarity allowed her to begin collecting the pieces that she loved from around the world. Examples of African American art and literature consume the walls of her classroom, as it corresponds with what students will explore in her course.

From 1988-1990 Hess made her way through Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa, collecting hand painted art and advertisements. Most pieces live with her, though she had recently donated three to her alma mater University of Iowa to showcase the beauty of African Art. She explains her love for her collection and says she “has an eye for popular culture” and that since African culture changes so rapidly, many types of art she owns may not be around much longer.

Being a woman of many trades, Hess has published two books this past year, publishing a total of three within the decade. Most recently she published “Osage and Settler: Reconstructing Shared History Through an Oklahoma Family Archive,” and “The Art of Richard Mayhew: A Critical Analysis with Interviews.”

Both books relate to her personal

passion for African and Native American cultures as well as her experiences exploring her own family history, and the history of the U.S. Hess credits a trip she describes as a “spiritual journey” as a great inspiration in her life.

Hess travelled through Oklahoma, where she made visits to Cherokee, Modec and Osage Nations.

She continued onto a self-planned Civil Rights tour where she made her way through Tennessee, visiting where Martin Luther King Jr. spent the majority of his life. She went on to the Natchez Trail towards New Orleans, and she traveled through Birmingham, Montgomery, Atlanta, and finished the trek in New Mexico and Arizona.

After traveling across the United States she realized that history was not only about other cultures and environments.

“I really found out who I was,” Hess said of her trip with an audible awe. “You have to find your own history.”

It’s clear that her life experiences and her passion for understanding is contagious , especially to her students.

“Janet Hess has impacted my life in ways I never could imagine a professor could. She showed me that I can embrace and achieve any dream I pursue,” said Riley Nichols, a former LIBS 201 student. “I have a greater appreciation of human diversity in the United States and internationally.

After taking her class, I truly believe I am a better person.”

When asked what lies ahead for her, she was reminded of her days at Harvard, when a professor created AfricaMap, a program that locates regions and gives access to ethnicity, language, and currency information.

What she plans to do is create a program with the same concept, but geared toward Native American nations. Hess explained, “It is my dream for the future.”

sonoma.edu Professor Hess of Sonoma State University is an avid traveler, art enthusiast, and author.

facebook.com The drama “Straight Outta Compton” released August 14, breaking records as the most succesful music-related biopic of all time.

Gangster-rap biopic sets box office record Natalie Aro Staff Writer

“S

traight Outta Compton” made a splash in the box office this month. Released on August 14, the film has made over $100 million worldwide— for good reason.

“N**gaz Wit Attitudes,” more commonly known as N.W.A., was a gangster-rap group formed by Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, and MC Ren during the mid 1980’s.

The movie focuses on their lives and their start in music. Coming from the streets of Compton, CA, a city that was known for violent crime, the group was criticized for depicting the disrespect of women and police, and the glorification of drug use.

To this day, the members say that this was not the case. The film “Straight Outta Compton” was created to give a glimpse of what truly happened behind the scenes of the controversy.

Whether you were a faithful N.W.A. fan, a lover of Ice Cube as an actor, or completely new to hip-hop and rap culture, this movie is something that any adult can watch and learn from.

The movie starts with a graphic drug deal gone wrong. Although this is something we have seen before, it catches the audience and hooks them

for the rest of the 147 minute film.

Looking at this movie from a strictly cinematic point of view, one can see how much work truly went into every aspect of the movie.

Many scenes evoke a sense of awe, as the attention to detail in each scene is impeccably done.

For example, a raunchy hotel scene that has no cuts or edits allows the audience to move from room to room, throughout several scenes in the house., including a scene in which the audience sees a woman straddling a young Ice Cube.

The scene ends with one of the most iconic lines from Cube’s 1995 movie “Friday”, as he pushes the woman out of the room exclaiming “Bye, Felicia,” which led the entire audience into an uncontrollable laughter.

Not only was the cinematography something to be admired, the acting was as well. Most notably the portrayal of Ice Cube is memorable, as his reallife son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., was the actor chosen for the part.

He is the spitting image of his father, and he held nothing back in this movie, being the first of his career. Watching a son play his father will give anyone the fuzzies, especially with the passion he put into his performance.

With N.W.A’s hit album release of “Straight Outta Compton” came a

wave of supporters of the new rap era, but also a wide range of people who were completely unsupportive of their music.

Many felt that their lyrics were advocative of abuse and drug use, but this movie exposes the truth of about what was occuring in this community, rather than encouraging it.

Rapping was their way of spreading the word of the reality these musicians expericed everyday.

This movie hits deep while mentioning the beating of Rodney King, whose beating by Los Angeles Police outraged the public in 1991.

This event ultimately led to the violent L.A. Riots, an extremely relevant event to the film, as many of N.W.A.’s songs refer to police brutality and their personal experiences.

The movie follows the lives of each member of the group, notably the devastating death of rapper Eazy-E, who died of AIDS in 1995.

The film is emotionally fueled as a result of a scene in which Eazy-E is visited by members of the group while he is in a coma.

This film was embraced by critics and the public, as its message about the adversity these rappers went through to jump start their careers is riveting and very real. It not only provokes a great emotion from the viewers as well as entertains, but educates as well.

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Entertainment

Page 7

A very typical VMA’s Jerri Cohen Staff Writer

Commentary

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he MTV Video Music Awards (VMA’s), despite the station’s built up anticipation for a wild show, was relatively tame this year, with fewer off script stunts than in years past.

The pre-show kicked off with performances from Walk the Moon and popular Youtube entertainer Todrick Hall. Walk the Moon played their summer hit, “Shut Up and Dance,” while Todrick Hall performed covers of chart topping hits in his signature style. Nick Jonas busted a move with Kelly Osbourne, and became the major highlight of the pre show.

Nicki Minaj started the show with a bang. She performed “Trini Dem Girls,” adorned in a feather head dress and a sparkling red gown, her performance had unique elements of African dance. Taylor Swift joined her in a complementary red outfit and accompanied her in “The Night is Still Young” then rounded the performance out with her hit “Bad Blood.”

Miley Cyrus attempted to fulfill expectations that she would shock viewers as a host, and did so with outrageous outfit changes and multiple sex and drug references. She relied greatly on crude humor to get a reaction from the audience.

Rebel Wilson made an appearance as an introducer for Minaj and lightened the mood with some signature Wilson jokes about stripper cops.

“You think you’re getting arrested but all you get is a mediocre lap dance,” Wilson said after stripping off her own cop outfit.

Nicki Minaj struggled in her skintight gold gown to get on stage and accept her award for Best Hip-Hop Video. She thanked fans, her pastor and threw a slight at Cyrus for saying unsavory things about her to the press, prompting an uproar on social media.

Swift won Best Female Video and handed the mic over to her video director to make a long-winded list of thank-yous.

Kanye did not interrupt her acceptance.

Justin Bieber gave a dance centric performance of his songs “Where Are You Now?” as well as his newest hit “What Do You Mean?” Audience members roared their approval of the emotional performance.

Bieber was seemingly overwhelmed by the support, serving as a touching moment between the controversial pop star and his fans.

Big Sean, Kanye West and John Legend won Best Video with a Social Message for their song “One Man Can Change the World.” Big Sean thanked his grandmother and said, “If one person showed me one man can change the world, it was her.”

Tori Kelly performed a stripped down version of “Should Have Been Us” for the audience. She dazzled on stage, wearing a sparkling bodysuit and black blazer.

Kelly is relatively new to the music scene,

as her debut album “Unbreakable Smile” released in June. Kelly received a standing ovation from the entire crowd, as she was surely one of the best performances of the night.

Taylor Swift presented Kanye West with the Vanguard Award. This was a funny choice of presenter, as West infamously interrupted Swift’s acceptance of Best Female Video Award at the 2009 VMA’s. The incident initiated a public feud between the two, which has since been reconciled.

“If I had to do it all again what would I have done? Would I have worn a leather shirt? Would I have drunk half a bottle of Hennessey and given it to the audience?

If I had a daughter would I have gone and taken the mic from someone else?” West said of his incident with Swift on stage during his acceptance speech.

West also criticized MTV’s efforts to garner high ratings, and the nature of award shows in general. West finished his acceptance speech by saying, “And yes, as you probably could have guessed, I have decided in 2020 to run for president.” The jury is out on whether this claim is simply an over-the-top publicity stunt or an actual presidential bid.

Taylor Swift accepted the Video of the Year Award, filling the entire stage with her possy from the popular “Bad Blood” music video. The video is known for it’s star-studded cast of Swift’s girlfriends portraying action-movie-like characters.

Swift closed her speech with, “In 2015 we live in a world where boys can play princesses, and girls can play soldiers,” a very relevant comment as 2015 has been a significant year for the advocacy of gender acceptance.

For being hosted for the first time in two years, and by such a notoriously outrageous host, the VMA’s were on the tamer side in comparison to years past.

However, social messages were on the forefront this year as artists branch further into politics, quite literally, more than they ever have before.

facebook.com The annual MTV Video Music Awards aired Sunday, with the all too typical celebrity drama.

facebook.com Eisenberg stands the test of time with his often awkward characters.

Eisenberg: The thinking man’s Michael Cera Sean Curzon Staff Writer

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ast week saw the release of the comedic action flick “American Ultra” starring Jesse Eisenberg.

With this stoner comedy still in theaters and “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” due next year, now is a critical time in Jesse Eisenberg’s acting career.

Eisenberg in the past has had a career mainly acting in off-beat dramedies, but has grown into an Oscar nominated actor.

Eisenberg made his start on the sitcom “Get Real” (1999) and the comedy film “Roger Dodger” (2002) where he got the reputation as “that guy who’s not Michael Cera.” The nature of his early roles were similar to that of Cera’s, both all too often playing the awkward, geeky teenager. Add the fact that they both look very much alike and comparisons became unavoidable.

Eisenberg spent the next few years acting in small indie comedies until he landed the lead role in “Adventureland” (2009). “Adventureland” follows the misadventures of college student James Brennan, who is forced to work at an amusement park after his parents can no longer pay for his tuition.

Eisenberg played the role with his traditional awkward teen persona.

“Adventureland” was one of those comedies that were more quirky than laugh-outloudfunny. While not a huge success at the box office, it did garner good reviews from critics.

“Zombieland,” which was released

later that same year, was a clever spoof of the ever-so-popular zombie survival movie.

As opposed to most zombie movies, which try to present zombies as something new and frighting, the premise of the film centers on known rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse. Eisenberg plays Columbus, a neurotic nerd whose knowledge of Zombie movies comes in handy. Stylish directing and a fun script help make “Zombieland” a critical and financial hit.

The critical success of “Adventureland” and “Zombieland” along with normally choosing smaller indie movies pushed Jesse Eisenberg into becoming the thinking man’s Michael Cera. While they had similar roles, Eisenberg’s acting proved to be more diverse. He could show more arrogance in one role while he could be more neurotic and shy in another.

2010 saw the release of “The Social Network.” The movie chronicled the creation of Facebook and the legal battles that followed Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, played by Eisenberg. Both the film and Eisenberg received universal acclaim.

Eisenberg did a wonderful job bringing an angry arrogance to a man that firmly believes in his own hype, and wants the world to recognize it. Eisenberg was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best actor.

This role completely set him free of comparisons between himself and Cera.

Off-screen Eisen-

berg has been known to be sarcastic and have little patience for the press.

After the success of “The Social Network,” Eisenberg mainly stuck to more low-key roles.

He was a voice actor for a neurotic bird in the 2011 film “Rio” and its 2014 sequel starring Anne Hathaway. Considering that Hathaway plays Catwoman in “The Dark Knight Rises”, and Eisenberg is set to play Lex Luthor in the upcoming “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice”, these two casting choices made “Rio” the animated movie about super villains falling in love.

Eisenberg’s latest movie, “American Ultra” follows the misadventures of a stoner who discovers that he is a CIA sleeper agent.

The film is a fine action spoof, but a bit forgettable as the box office sees similar movies almost constantly. The dialogue is fun and the action is well executed, and Eisenberg does a great job playing a doofy loser as well as a threatening killing machine.

What is set for the future for Jesse Eisenberg? Quite notably, he is set to play Lex Luthor, Superman’s arch nemesis in the widelyanticipated DC comics’ movie. There is only one trailer to judge, but it has been enough to stir up excitement among hardcore fans.

He seems to be playing Luthor with a bit of an unbalanced manicness, that certainly suits a guy who sees a man who can lift a tank, and thinks “Yeah, I can take him.” We will have to see.

Everyone’s ready for The Weeknd Noe Felix Staff Writer

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Review

t comes to no surprise that this summer’s radio airwaves were dominated by up and coming star The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye).

Many found it difficult to change radio stations without hearing the Michael Jackson infused “Can’t Feel My Face” or the bass heavy “The Hills.” Notably, both songs are currently on the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100.

With summer coming to a close, the Weeknd released his sophomore album “BBTM,” which is arguably one of the best R&B albums of the year.

“BBTM” marks a huge landmark for The Weeknd, as it is his first step into mainstream music. The album consists of songs that take after modern R&B, but also ones that have The Weeknd’s signature dark and moody atmosphere that fans know from his “House of Balloons” and

“Echoes of Silence” days.

“BBTM” also has the most musical features of all The Weeknd’s work. He brought along singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, alternative artist Lana Del Rey, and British singer Labrinth to add some flavor to his much-anticipated album.

Most remarkably, this album shows a softer and, at times, more loving version of The Weeknd than his fans are use to.

Songs like “Earned It,” show him being willing to love and to work for affection. “You make it look like it’s magic/‘cause I see nobody/nobody but you,” he croons in the more romantic song.

“As You Are” depicts choosing an emotionally hurt woman, and accepting her for being herself. “Show me your broken heart / and all your scars / baby I’ll take you as you are,” he sings over a smooth synth.

It wouldn’t be an album from The Weeknd without songs about drugs and sex. One of the album’s highlights is the Kanye West co-produced “Tell Your Friends,” in which he sings about being

reckless and braggadocios. He is blunt about the things he is known for: “I’m that n**** with the hair/singing ‘bout poppin’ pills / f***ing b***hes / living life so trill.”

However, it’s that sense of confidence that appeals to listeners everywhere.

The track features a mellow beat that is sure to be a fan favorite.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the entire album is the dark and moody, guitar driven duet with Ed Sheeran called “Dark Times.”

The song is a story about late night drunken bar fights and failing to keep one’s promises. It paints the bleak picture of a man stuck in a bad part of his life, unable to move out of this moment in time.

“Drunk too much / you know what I’m like,” Ed Sheeran sings reinforcing the fact that he spends his nights out, causing trouble.

“In my dark times / I’ll be going back to these streets / promising everything I do not mean,” The Weeknd moans over the atmosphere set in by the guitar.

“BBTM” surpasses The Weeknd’s first album, “Kiss Land,” with ease. It is a

more cohesive album that is sure to please both old fans and newcomers alike. There is something for every R&B loving enthusiast out there. The Weeknd is shaping the new ear of R&B with his unique voice and songwriting abilities.

facebook.com The Weeknd released his album “Beauty Behind the Madness” on August 28.

Page 8

Student Life

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Poet Sonya Renee Taylor talks body image

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facebook.com Sonya Renee Taylor delivers a powerhouse performance, discussing life and body image through spoken word.

Olivia Hunt Staff Writer

onya Renee Taylor’s voice echoed off the walls of Person Theater on the evening of August 26. “The body is not an apology,” she said in a powerful tone.

As soon as she stepped onto the stage, her enthusiasm shined. However, this isn’t the first time Taylor has made her audience light up.

She has been promoting her movement, “The Body Is Not An Apology,” internationally since 2011, and has also visited prisons, homeless shelters and mental institutions. Hercompany’s content reaches about 200 thousand people weekly in over 147 countries.

Her goal is to impact communities with activism surrounding radical selflove and empowerment through social justice.

Not only is she a spoken word artist, but an author, humanitarian, social justice activist and educator. She has won multiple national and international poetry slams and released her first book in 2010 entitled, “A Little Truth on Your Shirt.”

Despite her rising success during the past decade, Taylor has set aside time to causes that she has been committed to since her teenage years. She was the former Capacity Building and Training Director for the Black AIDS Institute—the nation’s only HIV/AIDS organization focused solely on the HIV

epidemic in black communities and she has served on the National Board of Directors for the arts and activism organization, Blackout Arts Collective.

Taylor is also a teaching artist for an organization in San Francisco that works with incarcerated, at-risk and mentally ill youth in locked and alternative facilities.

Before she begins, Taylor urges everyone to be active participants during her slam poems. “It’s an exchange of energy,” she says, “like mono.” Once she is concentrated and the audience’s claps and laughter subside, she delivers profound advice about reveling in the small things in life.

Part of one poem reads, “No matter what you do or create, regardless of how much money you make, the greatest gift you will ever receive is letting the universe teach you how to be delighted.” The topics of her poems range from relationships, life, sex, self love to social issues. She instills powerful teachings in the audience throughout her performance and explains, “My work is like taking us on a journey of what it’s like to be human.”

During intermission, she took questions from the audience. When asked about her favorite part of poetry Taylor explains, “The power of it. That ability to be razor sharp with language and split someone open is profound to me. The fact that language has that sort of power is enthralling and appealing to me.”

Sophomore Kylie McCabe asked, “How do you get money from being an activist?” To which Taylor while laughing said, “You don’t! But we do have a digital magazine, social network forums, workshops and community building. What’s important to us is that we are transforming people’s lives.”

When asked why she wanted to become a slam poet, Taylor responded that she didn’t even know it had a name until her boss at work asked people to get involved in a poetry related assignment, to which she reluctantly agreed.

She recalls that she was viscerally nervous and was shocked when people came up to her after asking where to get copies of her poems. said Taylor, “It’s that feeling when Pepe Le Pew falls in love with the skunk and chases her around.”

Taylor then tells the audience that she proceeded to go to an open mic every night for the next ten years. She ended her performance by emphasizing people’s ability to make a change, “Get your words out of the journal and into the world. The world needs your thoughts, they are important and vital.”

Sophomore Taylor Newman said that she “was moved by the performance” and was “thoroughly pleased” that she attended the event.

Bringing the movement “The Body is Not an Apology” to Sonoma State was a step forward in empowering students to dedicate themselves to a social issue that resonates with them.

Rec fest gets students moving E

Samuel Davis Staff Writer

xcitement and thrills are in full swing as the fall semester starts with a new era of the Recreational Fest. This event, which was formerly known as Sun Fest, begins the launch of a newly found tradition for the Rec Center.

Rec Fest has its own celebratory night, which brings in a large turnout of guests and students.

300 iPod armbands were given out in the first hour according to Mo Phillips, Associate Director of Student Development at Sonoma State University. The Rec Center team wished to move away from the Sun Fest name in order to gain attention throughout the student body as a recreational college campus event. They wanted to show that there are many ways to get active for students who normally do not have time for it in their schedules.

There were six activities the students could chose from including rock climbing, sumo wrestling, human bowling, melt down, dual latter and bubble ball soccer.

This event was more than just a time for activities, rather a bonding for students to come together as a community and get to know each other.

The Rec Fest team was delighted for the turn out they had, and feel they got the message across to the student body about the many ways to get active at the Rec Center. “Part of the activities you see today are the sumo, the bubble ball, human bowling, melt down, are showing folks that were trying to do more things that are recreational, more active, by using activities that are normally not offered in this space,” said Phillips. Rec Fest was promoting all the great programs it has to offer. “Rec Fest was more of a recre-

ational thing, last year no one knew what Sun Fest was, so we wanted to change it up,” said Eddie Espejo, one of the leaders of Rec Fest. “We wanted to show students what the Rec Center has to offer with in motion classes, intramural and adventure classes. Espejo was pleased with the turnout this year as well. “There are a lot of students here, many new faces enjoying what the Rec Center has to offer,” he said.

Freshman student Hayley Conoway struggled with the dual latter challengeand as she fell over, her friends watched in a polite laughter. “I love [Rec Fest]. It is super fun, I love how they have these games. It gets everyone involved and they have fun. It’s just a great way to start the new school year.”

In front of Rec Fest was a huge human bowling alley setup with life size bowling pins and bowling ball. As one student gets into the caged metal bowling ball, his partner must push him as he rolls into the pins.

Freshmen Max Montoya said,“It was a lot of fun, it hurts just a little bit, it was slightly uncomfortable, but I would do it again.”

The most talked about activity was Meltdown. As students went into a huge inflatable pit, a propelled log would come around and knock over the participants.

This gained viewer attention as the crowd gathered around this activity to watch the students jump over the propelled log to see if anyone was able to stay on their feet.

With a new year brings change and Rec fest’s new title gives students a taste of the active lifestyle that can be experienced all year long. By the Rec team having these special activities, it brought the student body together in an interactive way.

STAR//Brennan Chen Rec fest has numerous activities for students to participate in, including life size bowling and rock climbing.

Preview: involvement and service fair Nicole Detmers Staff Writer

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ith about twenty-five tables filled with on-campus resources for students, the Academic and College Success Fair provides an opportunity to view multiple avenues offered at Sonoma State in one place.

“The great thing about this event is that it is brining resources across campus into one central location,” said Carina M. Buzo, Coordinator for Campus Life Programming & The HUB, “Students can search for specific resources on sonoma.edu or visit offices individually.”

The College and Academic Success Fair is the first of it’s kind at Sonoma State, displaying a multitude of services that the school has to offer.

Unlike the Career Fair, all vendors will be internal within Sonoma and according to Buzo, coordinators hope it will become a staple event to kick off the school year.

“This is not a career fair in that it is not a collection of application processes and opportunities for internships or paid positions,” said Buzo, “This is a collection of resources and services that are on campus to help students be better students.”

Those tabling will include engagement opportunities through Associated

Students, Campus Life and Center for Student Leadership, Involvement and Service (CSLIS).

Other services like Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) as well as the Health Center, and Disability Services for Students, will have tables promoting overall student well being.

Academic tables will include the Writing Center, University Laboratory, and the Seawolf Scholars Program.

“This is a fair that truly focuses on making sure SSU students have access to the spectrum of services and people that are on campus to support them as whole people and students, to make them more successful in the classroom,” said Buzo. “These services and offices

are here, willing, skilled, and invested in helping students. We want students to know these services are available to them.”

The Seawolf Living website boasts that this event is for all students, new and returning, declared or not, to learn about majors and opportunities available within the school.

Students will have opportunities to meet professors and examine some of the departments and programs that exist around campus.

The Academic and College Success Fair will take place on September 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Seawolf Plaza, across from the Student Center.

Student Life

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez Potentia was created as a way for new students to feel welcomed by returning students and faculty. When the sun went down, returning students lit candles and passed their flames onto new seawolves.

Potentia welcomes new Seawolves Christina lofranco Staff Writer

“T

his power of one can ignite a flame in others; a flame to make drastic change on our campus. As one community we can define our college experience,” said Associated Student President Brandon Mercer to first time students at the new campus event, Potentia.

Potentia was created by a committee from the Campus Life and Student Affairs to welcome incoming freshman and transfer students to Sonoma State University. “[Returning students] met for about four months to come up with the concept and massage it into what it became,” said Associate Director of Student Development, Mo Phillips.

Potentia began with local Jazz band, The Dixie Giants playing throughout campus housing villages as they led a parade of new students to the commencement lawn. “I kept tripping over my feet because the band was right behind me and I kept looking over my shoulder to see them, I was so engrossed,” said freshman Kendra Clark as she recalled Monday evening.

Once at the commencement lawn,

the new students were welcomed by President Ruben Armiñana, Chair of the Faculty Dr. Senghaus, and Mercer. These key speakers helped welcome nearly 1,900 freshman-the largest in Sonoma State history.

The sky transformed into a beautiful sunset, and countless students stood together listening to the speakers discuss excellence, integrity, respect and responsibility. Toward the end of the ceremony, returning students formed a ring around the new students, welcoming them to the Seawolf community.

Each speaker offered their respective advice and motivation. “As these esteemed leaders have outlined tonight, you carry your own history, you come from your own communities, but now you are a Seawolf,” said Mercer. “That title comes with a great deal of power to make a true difference in the lives of others. Here at SSU we use that power to look out for each other, to think of us not me, and to think of how we affect the entire community with every decision we make.”

The circle of returning students lit candles that illuminated the lawn and offered a sense of comfort to new community members. “Potentia was amazing. Having students help light my candle and having the pleasure of passing on my

Preview: academic and college success fair Lawrence Ricardo Staff Writer

A

s new Seawolves wrap up the first week at their new home, the process of finding a good balance between school, sleep, good nutrition and social life begins. The Center for Student Leadership, Involvement & Service (CSLIS), Join Us Making Progress (JUMP) and the Center for Community Engagement and Career Services welcome all students as they sponser the yearly Involvement and Service Fair on September 8 at the Seawolf Plaza. Between the hours of 11:30am and 1:00pm, students are encouraged to come browse through different organizations the students and school have to offer.

The integration of school-run organizations and student-led clubs allow for anyone to find their own niche within the student body. Marina Briones, senior and current trip-leader for JUMP’s Alternative Spring Break said, “It’s a new chance for several students on campus to find that special place they feel they belong.”

Not only is it a good event for the prospective new members, but it is great publicity for clubs. B Natural (The Seawolf Singers), one of the participating clubs at the event, recruits members every year who are interested in the love of arts and performance but don’t necessarily have the time or resources to major in music or theatre. “I hope that the involvement fair will help B Natural gain a

flame to others truly felt unifying. I really felt welcomed by the staff and other upperclassmen and started to feel at home in my new surroundings,” said Clark.

Illuminated faces of joy came together last Monday night and although this was a first time event, coordinators like Phillips are already planning how to make it even more impactful next year. “[We want to] start late so you can see the blue and white glow sticks or luminary bags, and another really big thing I would like to see change next year is that the continuing students are waiting as they enter the commencement area and cheering for the new students/giving them high fives. I think that could be fun and powerful,” said Phillps.

The event came to a close as senior Gabe Duran sang and played guitar on stage while students joined together to laugh, sing and make new friends. “[We wanted to] welcome the new students and for our continuing students to participate in that welcome, [and we wanted to] focus on the potential they all have individually and what that can bring to the community as a whole,” said Phillips.

Phillips also noted that the down to earth feel was possibly more effective than previous formalities in greeting incoming students. “We used to do a more

formal convocation for the students years back but I think that the message of welcome got lost in the pomp and circumstance of the event. It was too formal,” said Phillips. “We wanted Potentia to be organic, for people to meet each other, for continuing students to welcome new students and for it to have some symbolism tied in. Some sort of ritual or right of passage.”

Mercer ended his speech in a way that seemed to resonate over the glow of candles in the crowd, “We must instill a sense of excellence, integrity, and respect, but more than anything else, responsibility to ourselves and to our community. Because as Uncle Ben told us all in Spiderman, ‘With great power, comes great responsibility’.”

Upon reflection of the event Mercer said, “The attendance and energy from students to connect with each other was exactly what we wanted to see. I hope the purpose of this event grappled with students and it continues for years to come as a Seawolf tradition.”

Although this event had never been done before, a new Seawolf tradition has been created. New and returning students will remember it as a time of great comradery and motivation leading into a new chapter.

little more notoriety and support on the campus,” said Margaret Hawkins, current president of B Natural. While it is primarily an event for clubs to find potential new members, Hawkins sees value in other ways. “I also hope that it helps B Natural connect with other groups within the community to potentially collaborate with in the future.”

Not only is the event geared towards club members, but it also helps to employ students who are looking for work within the student body. Associated Student Productions (ASP) will be at the event to recruit students who are interested in event planning on campus.

Most recently, ASP put on the back to school event, Big Nite. JUMP will also lend their time to recruit individuals looking to make an impact in the local community. Alternative Spring Break, one of the JUMP programs, takes place during Sonoma State’s Spring Break, and brings students out to surrounding areas to learn and enrich themselves with different global issues. “What better way to recruit people interested in community service than the involvement fair?”, Briones questioned.

Students can take advantage of the free food. Culinary Services and Sonoma State Enterprises teamed up to provide hot dog lunches as the students journey through the different display tables. “Our school definitely knows the way to a student’s heart: free food,” said Shaitra Ken, a graduating senior.

Ken has had her fair share of involvement at our university including being apart of The executive board of Black Scholars United (BSU), the step team called The Tribe, acting in Facing Our Truth and even studying abroad for a year in Spain. Now she currently works for the HUB which focuses on fostering a campus environment of mutual respect and appreciation for underrepresented students and groups.

The Involvement Fair has something for everyone and will take place on September 8 from 11:30am to 1:00pm in the Seawolf Plaza.

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Sports

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

sonomaseawolves.com 290 student-athletes who make up SSU’s intercollegiate athletics program combined to earn a 3.037 GPA for 2014-15 -- the highest department

Seawolves Athletics Earn Higest GPA on Record Aubrie Tolliver Staff Writer

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etermined, self-disciplined, and focused—these are just a few of the traits that athletes must possess in order to be successful in their particular

sports.

Student-athletes at Sonoma State University who competed in the 2014-2015 school year were not only able to apply these qualities to their respective sports, but to their academics as well. In fact, they did it better than any other group of student-athletes in the history of the university.

The 290 student-athletes from the total of 14 men’s and women’s teams at SSU earned a cumulative GPA of 3.037, the best the athletic department has ever seen. The previous record was 3.034, which was set by the 20092010 athletes.

Athletic Director Bill Fusco says that, to the Athletic

Department, this achievement, along with graduation, is one of the most important accomplishments that athletes can achieve.

“The academic success of the department lies squarely on the shoulders of our student athletes,” said Fusco. “They are the ones that manage their time to handle and balance the heavy workload of academics and intercollegiate athletics.”

In order to be eligible to play, NCAA student-athletes are required to be enrolled as a full-time student, meaning they must take a minimum of 12 units each semester.

Along with the time and effort needed to devote to these classes, athletes must also make time for their practices and competitions, which can add up to over 15 hours per week.

The balancing act between academics and athletics is difficult for many student athletes, however, senior softball player Amanda Llerena believes that developing proper time-management skills has proven to play a crucial role in academic success.

“I would say that a difficult part about being a student-athlete is managing your time between practices and classes,” said Llerena, “but it helps to have coaches and teachers that understand your situation and will work with your busy schedule to help you succeed.”

As stated by Llerena, coaches also play an important part in the academic success of their athletes.

In addition to mid-season progress reports, some coaches throughout the athletic department require their athletes to attend extra study sessions on a weekly basis.

“Our coaches have done an amazing job recruiting student-athletes to this campus that are motivated and committed to doing the best academic work possible and achieving the ultimate goal of graduation,” said Fusco.

The women’s track and field team possessed the best GPA amongst the 14 athletic teams, sporting a 3.348 GPA. Women’s cross country came in second place with a 3.340 GPA. Men’s tennis and women’s softball finished third and fourth in the rankings with 3.289 and 3.239 GPA’s, respectively.

sonomaseawolves.com Brandon Lee and Nicolas Daniels earned All-America Scholar honors this year.

Brandon Lee and Nicolas Daniels Earn Div. II All-America Scholar Honors Tommy Call Staff Writer

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olf balls will be tee’d up on the fairway for the upcoming Sonoma State University Men’s Golf season, and not only will the Seawolves have talented golfers on the course, the team will feature two Division II Academic All-American scholars.

In July, The Golf Coaches Association of America announced SSU golfers Brandon Lee and Nicolas Daniels were chosen as Cleveland Golf/ Srixon Golf Division II All-American scholars for their outstanding achievement in the classroom and on the golf course.

In order to qualify for this prestigious award, the student athlete must shoot an average score of 78 per match and maintain a minimum 3.2 grade point aver-

age.

This will be the second and third All-American Scholar golfers that head coach Val Verhunce has had on his team while coaching at SSU. “They’re just great kids on the golf course and in the classroom,” said Verhunce.

“They are doing what’s right for their team and the university.”

There are 312 Division II schools across 45 states, with 200 of the schools carrying men’s golf programs.

There were 91 men’s golf student-athletes selected as All-American Scholars, with two of them, Lee and Daniels, from Sonoma State. Five other golfers were chosen from the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Nicholas Daniels transferred from Santa Rosa Junior College and is from Windsor. Daniels

represented the Seawolves on the scorecard all season long with the third best scoring average during the past season.

Brandon Lee, a junior from Alpharette, Georgia, is coming off a big season for the Seawolves. He was named Ping Golf NCAA Division II All-West Region Golfer and was also named an All-CCAA golfer this past season. He competed in the Division II Nationals at the Rock Barn Golf Spa in Conover, North Carolina, where he placed 33rd overall.

This season, Lee and Daniels look to lead the Seawolves golf team to their first CCAA title since 2009.

Their first match of the fall will be The Oredigger Invitational on Monday, September 21, in Denver, Colorado.

The Seawolves will then return home to Rohnert Park for the Sonoma State Invitational at Foxtail Golf Club on October 13.

Sports

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

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SSU Alum Promoted to Assistant Coach “They are more important to me as a human first, soccer player second,” said Langwith

Olivia Lucchese Staff Writer

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en Langwith, a soccer player at Sonoma State University from 2007-09, has continuously showed his love and support to the program throughout the years by coming back to help with the team each season since gradutating.

Through his dedication and leadership for the program, he has recently been promoted to the assistant coach position under head coach Marcus Ziemer.

“Working with young people has to be my favorite part about coaching, all the energy it brings and different personality traits, everyone is so different and I love learning how to coach these unique men and I get to know them on a personal level,” said Langwith.“They are more important to me as a human first, soccer player second.”

Langwith replaced Shawn Percell as assistant coach, although Percell is still involved in SSU athletics in his new role as Business Operations Manager.

Langwith began playing collegiate soccer at the University of Kentucky where he had a great start to his career.

He played 16 of UK’s 19 games, starting six of them as a freshman for the NCAA Division I Wildcats in 2005.

Halfway through his career, he transferred to Sonoma State and scored nine goals in his first season, adding six assists in 47 career games for the Seawolves.

During his junior year in 2008, he was the fourthleading scorer for the CCAA-champion Seawolves, netting five goals and tallying three assists.

For his senior year at SSU in 2009, Langwith scored four Goals, during two in the CCAA championship game against arch-rival Cal State Dominguez

Hills.

“Not everyone gets to coach at there alma mater,” said Langwith. “I love Sonoma State and their coaching philosophy, their mentality is gritty, hard working, passionate and winning; but winning with style.”

Langwith is extremely excited for the upcoming

2015 season along with the rest of the coaching staff.

“I like to take one day at a time and if I can get everyone dialed in with a plan working for each other, with each other, then I expect nothing but great things to come this season,” said Langwith.

Langwith has made it clear through his dedication and great attitude that he will be an incredible addition to this coaching staff as an assistant.

This upcoming season, Langwith expects his players to be just as excited and ready to play as he is.

“Ben has been a fantastic addition to our program,” said senior Dylan Stafford. “He is inspiring with his coaching and is someone I really look up to.”

facebook.com Langwith will now take on new role as Assistant Coach for the 2015 season.

Seawolves Sports Thursday, Sept. 3 Women’s Soccer at Central Washington 3:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Simon Fraser 5:00 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball at HawaiiPacific 10:00 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 4 Women’s Volleyball vs. Saint Martin’s (at Laie, HI) 4:00 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs. BYU at Hawaii 10:30 p.m.

sonomaseawolves.com

Scott Alexander, O’Koyea Dickson, and Thomas Lee are nearing the big show after successfully making it to their respective Triple-A affiliate teams.

Three Fromer Seawolves on Verge of Major Leagues

Saturday, Sept. 5 Women’s Volleyball at Chaminade 4:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Fresno Pacific 5:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer at Western Washington 7:00 p.m.

Courtesy of sonomaseawolves. com

Justin Barrientos Staff Writer

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s the end of the regular season for Major League baseball dims near, there are three Sonoma State University alumni currently battling their way through the minor leagues, chasing their shot at the big show.

Scott Alexander, O’Koyea Dickson, and Thomas Lee have all been honing their skills at the lower levels and have made their way up to their respected Triple A ball clubs, one step away from the majors.

“I came to SSU because I knew that there was a solid chance of making it to the next level.”

Each one of these young men has had a different journey on the way to achieving their dream of playing professional baseball.

Thomas Lee, the only undrafted prospect, had the most decorated career as a Seawolf, as he still holds the school record for strikeouts with 214 and innings pitched at 242.1 for the program. He is also the only one of the three athletes to have started and finished his career as a Seawolf.

He is currently under contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and played for their Triple-A affiliate the Memphis Redbirds, however, he was sent back down to the Double-A Springfield Cardinals .

O’Koyea Dickson was drafted after only one season at SSU, going in the 12 round to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In his single season at Sonoma, Dickson earned several accolades and was the team’s of-

fensive leader as well as winning a Gold Glove for his defensive prowess.

Senior pitcher Wade Berryhill recalled seeing Dickson taking batting practice during one of his visits to SSU, referring to Dickson as a “beast.”

“It felt like after every other swing, the ball would leave the yard,” said Berryhill. “Seeing that he had that kind of power four years ago, it’s crazy how he hasn’t made his way into the majors yet.”

In his current season with the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Dickson is batting .265 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs. Scott Alexander was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6 round of the draft after one season at SSU. A left-handed relief pitcher, Alexander has worked his way up to Triple-A Omaha, getting called up mid-season last year and pitching for them the entire season this year.

He is 2-3 on the year, with a 2.56 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 41 appearances for the Storm Chasers.

Throughout the history of the Sonoma State baseball program, there has been only a small handful of ballplayers who have defied the odds and made it to the professional ranks.

Making the major leagues is something every young ballplayer dreams about from little league all the way up until whatever stage their playing career comes to a close.

“I came to SSU because I knew that there was a solid chance of making it to the next level,” said senior outfielder Adam Manzer.

“Coach Goelz is even able to give us the opportunity to play in front of major league scouts to try and make that goal become a realistic possibility.”

As these young men continue to pursue their dream of playing for a Major League ballclub, Sonoma State should be continue to be proud their growing achievements as they attempt to put Seawolf baseball on the map.

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Photo

Sep. 1 - Sep. 7, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Brennan Chin A group shot of the staff writers, photographers, and editors of the Sonoma State STAR newspaper.

STAR // Connor Gibson SSU men’s soccer team runs a practice scrimmage.

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez Freshmen Alexis Casado (left) and Amanda Weddle (right) participate in Potentia.

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez CSAs Kayla Brown (left) and Conrad Halverson (right) prepare to welcome the freshmen class at Potentia.

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez Upperclassmen gather at Commencement Lawn to welcome the freshmen class at Potenia.