Issue 11 by Sonoma State STAR

IN THIS ISSUE

Volunteer with JUMP JUMP is providing fun volunteer opportunities for students. PAGE 6.

Women’s soccer excels SSU women’s soccer wins second straight CCAA conference championship. PAGE 9.

Upcoming events ASP is hosting a number of events for Seawolves through November. PAGE 7.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 9. 2021 - NOVEMBER 15, 2021

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

COURTESY // @bismarckthenewf on Instagram Bismarck and the Sonoma State University Police pose at the SafeSSU Fair. SafeSSU provides a wide variety of resources for Seawolves to quickly identify and receive the care they need. COURTESY // @the_fullbright_program on Instagram A Fulbright scholar celebrates being apart of an award-winning international edcation program at SSU.

SSU launches SafeSSU to prioritize health and safety

SSU excels in international education; awarded Fullbright HSI Leader S

JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER

ISABEL EPSTEIN STAFF WRITER

t the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual conference held on Oct. 27, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) recognized Sonoma State as a Fulbright HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) Leader. Institutions that have demonstrated an exceptional amount of engagement with the Fulbright Program and have promoted Fulbright Program opportunities on campus during the 2019-2021 academic years were named a Fulbright HSI Leader. This is the inaugural year of this designation and was awarded to only 35 out of the 569 HSIs across the country, making this a prestigious honor. This new initiative is part of the U.S. State Department’s long-standing commitment to building diversity and inclusion not only in the Fulbright Program but within all of the ECA’s international exchange programs. German professor and MLL (Modern Languages and Literatures) Acting Department Chair, Dr. Michaela Grobbel said, “Congratulations to SSU! I am proud that our Department of Modern Languages and Literatures has been an

tudents, faculty, staff and various campus departments of Sonoma State have come together to launch an important website called SafeSSU. Members of the campus community can now simply access information essential to their safety. This new program focuses on offers and resources that will guide students on reporting sexual assault and harassment, information on advocacy, accessing counseling service and many more services, A campus-wide cross-divisional body has formed the SafeSSU Committee, which consists of partners from University Athletics, Divisions of Student Affairs, Facilities Management, Information Technology, Risk Management and Safety Services, Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and various other departments. ”The main purpose of the committee is to cultivate an inquisitive and inclusive campus community through thoughtful programming, promote personal wellness by educating the campus community while prioritizing the health and safety of all members, and educate the campus community about safety practices to prevent and prepare for any emergencies,” the Risk Management Team announced. SSU strives to create an environment where our students, faculty and staff are heard, respected, and supported. The SafeSSU program will support that mission and provide a programmatic approach to resource information for the campus community. One Seawolf, Mikayla Balleza, said, “I think that this program is a good addition to Sonoma State’s website. This allows for an opportunity for individuals to have an immediate outlet to go to if they have undergone anything within the campus or with anyone from the school as well. I really like how Sonoma is using their platform in order to create a safe environment for all individuals.” The process of creating SafeSSU was easier because of the collaboration with the different cam-

see DEPT. OF STATE on pg. 4

see SSU ATTEMPTS on pg. 4

SSU may discontinue use of Facebook amid controversy SIERRA HARVEY STAFF WRITER

or many students, when it comes to finding an on-campus club, event, or connecting with other students, the first place to look is the official Sonoma State Facebook page. However, the recent press about Facebook’s mishandling of private information, and deliberate spreading of misinformation, calls into question whether Sonoma State can continue directing students there. By continuing to have students access Facebook, some staff worry that Sonoma State is condoning the platform’s behavior and promoting it as a safe community for students. In a recent article she wrote for Inside Higher Ed, Dean of Arts and Humanities Dr. Hollis Robbins proposed that colleges and universities move away from Facebook entirely and create their own platforms for publicity and communication. This proposal centered around three key problems with the use of Facebook. “First,” Robbins wrote, “Facebook can no longer be considered a safe or neutral platform for anyone, let alone institutions with missions to educate people and correct disinformation. While individual users may still choose to use the platform, the many accusations against Facebook as enabling the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy--not to mention concerns about the well-documented human costs of content moderation--should give higher education leaders pause.” Her second point centered around Facebook’s convenience and how it has become an archival system for bulletins, announcements and milestones on campus. While it does save on cost as a totally free platform, it becomes its own archive and Sonoma State could lose those archives of information if Facebook malfunctioned. “But who is maintaining the files back at the institution? How would you go about celebrating a 10-year anniversary of a Facebook-engaged academic center without the onerous task of downloading and retrieving posters, photos and comments? And what if your access were lost?” Dean Robbins continued. Her third and final argument against continuing to rely on Facebook outlines why she feels now is the time to move away. The benefits of an institution-created platform, that could combine the features of a bulletin board, chat channels, and content moderation that doesn’t rely on users and staff to have to thoroughly review misinformation and even hateful content could change the way students and staff communicate online. That leaves the question of how to create a platform for the Sonoma State community of administrators, teachers, and students. Dean Robbins is looking for answers among student needs. “What we need is a platform for communicating to the entire Sonoma State community and growing this community. Before the internet and social media, there were posters, bulletin boards, and sites that see SSU DEAN on pg. 4

COURTESY // @santarosafirefighters on Instagram Fire season in Sonoma County comes to a halt as rain washes over the burn scars.

Santa Rosa Fire Department declares end to wildfire season

MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER

n Monday, Nov. 1, the Santa Rosa Fire Department declared an end to the city’s 2021 wildfire season which began back in May, far earlier than usual due to California’s statewide drought. This news comes following an increase in rain across Sonoma County, starting with light rain on Oct. 17 and growing to an ‘atmospheric river’ a few days later. More rain is expected this week. According to the City of Santa Rosa’s website, where the Fire Department’s official statement was posted, the city received around 11 inches of rain in the month of October alone, not relieving the threat of the drought but largely reducing the risk of the fire season. Despite this official end to the city’s fire season, the SRFD encourages the community to remain diligent in their efforts to reduce the threat of future fire seasons. “During the off-season, the Fire Department encourages residents, especially those who live within or around the City’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) area, to take steps to prepare properties in anticipation of an active wildfire season next see RAIN on pg. 4

2 Editorial

NOV. 9 - NOV. 15, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

COVID-19 virus may never go away; pandemic becomes endemic

THE STAR Editorial Board

Kylie Rose Lawrence, Editor-in-Chief Callie Adams, News Editor Moragh Graf, Opinion Editor Cheyenne Carroll, Arts & Entertainment Editor Myles Grabau, Student Life Editor Emily Cripe, Sports & Health Editor Isabelle Barkey, Photo Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Jayline Alvarado, Alexis Gonzalez, Jhery Mae Monteza, Adrienne Moon, Pedro Ortega Perez, Mary Helen Rowell, Dana Scacco, Joshua Silva, Addison Smith, Jessica Sternfeld, Clea Upcher, Daniel Dinerman, Isabel Epstein, Diana Ortiz, Payton Mullaney Photographers Nicholas Roth, Jake Morrissey, Ileana Aleman

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Telephone: 707-664-2776 Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article: “SSU excels in international education; awarded Fullbright HSI Leader” Read the article on page 1 & 4.

Correction from last issue In an opinion article from last week, titled “Director of Sonoma County’s Office of Equity steps down claiming racial discrimination”, the STAR addressed Person-Whitley with the wrong title in the headline. Her correct title is Director of Economic Development for Sonoma County’s Office of Equity. The headline for the online article has been updated.

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Sonoma Media Group. 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 considers 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 400 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.

STAR // Kylie Rose Lawrence

t’s been almost two years since COVID-19 touched ground in the U.S. and nothing has been the same since. Social media, the news, classes - the discussion of when the pandemic will end is everywhere. But a new reality, one that everyone has been afraid of, may be upon us now. The World Health Organization has recently suggested that the Coronavirus will stick around for longer than we thought. Executive Director of the WHO Emergencies Program, Dr. Mike Ryan, stated, “I think this virus is here to stay with us and it will evolve like influenza pandemic viruses, it will evolve to become one of the other viruses that affects us.” After a rollercoaster of mask mandates and vaccinations, the news is unwelcomed to say the least. This pandemic has served as the leading cause for one of the worst mental health crises the world has ever seen; there’s been a global switch to online classes, devastating losses, and too much pressure put on healthcare workers. Throughout the pandemic, many people have asked the question: If the right protocols had been taken right at the beginning, would the pandemic be at the point it is now? Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, stated, “We had a chance in the beginning of this pandemic. This pandemic did not need to be this bad.” But how could anyone have known the right way to go? Nobody in the past century has seen anything quite like this virus. When the madness amidst lockdown first started, most people assumed the virus would die out relatively soon, as the Spanish flu of 1918 did. Nobody could have predicted that COVID-19 would be this deadly and last this long. While it is suspected that the virus is here to stay, some sense of normalcy is likely to return. The seasonal cold and flu are considered “endemic,” meaning the viruses that cause them regularly circulate through individuals around the globe. The

assumption among scientists is that COVID-19 will gradually become endemic as more people build immunity through vaccination, exposure, or infection, according to an article by Nature. “The ultimate fate of a virus depends on how well it maintains its transmission. Generally speaking, viruses that are highly contagious, meaning that they spread really well from one person to the next, may never die out on their own because they are so good at finding new people to infect,” stated an article by The Conversation. The article goes on to explain that most of these endemic viruses have a transmission rate of about two people, while COVID-19 has a transmission rate of six or seven people. This is why it’s so hard to predict when it will start to diminish. “The virus that causes COVID-19 has not yet settled down into these predictable patterns and instead is flaring up unpredictably around the globe in ways that are sometimes difficult to predict.” While everything seems to be going against us in our attempts to end this pandemic, there is hope on the horizon. The flu and seasonal cold are illnesses that nobody bats an eye about, though at one time nobody had any immunity to these viruses either. As more people get vaccinated, get their booster shots, and stay safe and healthy, the easier it will be to thwart the virus. While it is unlikely we will ever be able to eradicate COVID-19, there is a new hope of it being just another seasonal illness that we have to take mild precautions for. As of now, it seems like the pandemic will last forever; we’ll never be able to go out without masks or hand sanitizer ever again. It seems like this has become our new normal. Hopefully, soon we will be able to settle back into our “old” normal routine as the virus slowly becomes endemic. As research continues, it’s important to keep in mind there is much to be discovered in regards to a cure. In the meantime, the most we can do is continue to follow CDC guidelines and get vaccinated.

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.

Opinion 3

NOV. 9 - NOV. 15, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Sonoma County revisits dark history of forced sterilization

DIANA ORTIZ

STAFF WIRTER

alifornia’s long and dark history of forced sterilization was practiced freely by society throughout California during the 1930’s and 1940’s. It is difficult to imagine that this iniquitous and abusive practice was once normalized and accepted in the familiar area of Sonoma County, however, it shows an example of how the United States government has always and continues to try to control the bodies, health, and reproductive rights of women and people of color, especially Latina women. In 1891, the doors of the California Association for the Care and Training of Feeble Minded Children opened for the first time and went on to later be called Sonoma State Home. The clinic also went on to become perhaps the most occupied institutional sterilization center in the U.S with an estimation of over 5,000 sterilization requests between 1919 and 1952, according to the Press Democrat. Located in Eldridge in Sonoma County, Sonoma State Home was advertised as an asylum for children and young girls who needed additional care and support. However, evidence suggests that a majority of

Sonoma State Home’s operations involved involuntary sterilization. California passed a legislation allowing state-mandated sterilizations in 1909 and ten years later helped lead other states such as Indiana to spread the practice of eugenics. Eugenics refers to the shaping of human reproduction to maximize attractive features, and was a very common practice during the late 1900’s. The practice aimed to eliminate the possibility of reproduction from people that were deemed unattractive by the state. These “unattractive” features were mostly ones found on nonwhite people. The practice gained attention in several other states, leading to thousands of involuntary sterilization cases throughout the country as the government was successfully modifying the bodies of innocent people. Records and evidence show that although it was never explicitly suggested anywhere in the legislation that permitted these operations, they were based in “classist and racist” ideology, as stated in an article published by the Press Democrat. The writer of the article also stated, “Those singled out for sterilization overwhelmingly came from the lower economic classes, and especially from immigrant communities.” This is a huge example of federal and state laws made with the intention to hurt and disable people almost always being aimed at disadvantaged communities to help ensure that they remain underserved and facing poverty. Similarly, in Los Angeles in the 1960’s and 70’s, Mexican and Mexican-American women were coerced into signing forms of sterilization at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. Some of the women were unable to speak or understand English and others were

Lifted mask mandate sparks questions for students

simply lied to in order to get them to sign the documents. According to the Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation, “State-sanctioned sterilizations reached their peak in the 1930s and 1940s but continued and, in some states, rose during the 1950s and 1960”. The sterilization incidents concerning the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles occurred during the later part of the eugenics movement in the 1960’s. However, reproductive rights haven’t disappeared from society. Today, people are still fighting all over the world to have control over their own bodies. Taking a step back, it is easy to see the comparison between the Mexican and Mexican-American women who were traumatized by the hospital in Los Angeles and the women in Texas who are currently fighting for their own reproductive rights. The law states that if you’re six weeks pregnant, you cannot have an abortion in Texas. The law was first introduced in May, went into effect in September, and has since then been the subject of many political conversations sweeping the country. Today, California is getting closer to paying living victims of the involuntary sterilization conducted by Sonoma State Home and other sterilization clinics like it with reparations. There is also still hope that Roe vs Wade can be upheld against the Texas abortion law, similar to how they helped fight for the Chicana women in Los Angeles. For over a century now, Latina women have had to deal with the government asserting themselves in laws concerning their reproductive rights and at a moment like this, many look to the California government to step up for the men and women who are being stripped of their rights in Texas.

Local cannabis farmers cutting corners on growing permits

JESSICA STERNFELD

STAFF WIRTER

ew guidelines released by Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase allow certain groups to go mask-free indoors. A press release from October 21 states that the new orders will “allow certain stable groups of people, such as those in gyms, classes, and offices, the option of lifting the mandate on wearing masks indoors if they verify that all members of the group are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.” Notably, the same announcement clarified that “it does not allow proof of a negative test as a substitute for proof of vaccination.” Despite this order, Mase stated, “We must continue to wear our masks in most indoor settings in order to limit the spread of the virus during the coming winter months.” This announcement goes hand in hand with an October 7 announcement of clear guidelines for lifting mask requirements, which include 80 percent of the total population being vaccinated. College classes are highlighted as an example of a group that could feasibly be maskless and on paper, they are a prime example of potential “indoor gatherings of 100 or fewer people” with verified COVID-19 vaccinations. But is this likely to affect Sonoma State classes? But with Sonoma State being part of the Cal State system and under the same jurisdiction, it’s unlikely, even if masklessness becomes more widespread across Sonoma County, that we’ll see it adopted in the near future. The other question is how new information released by the CDC on Wednesday will affect the October 21 decision. The latest CDC COVID-19 transmission maps show that all of the Bay Area has backslid into at least substantial transmission, with Sonoma County in particular at high transmission. But according to Dr. Monica Gandhi, a UCSF infectious disease expert, these results show that Sonoma County is actually where it needs to be. “Highly vaccinated regions are always going to look like they are in the red,” says Gandhi. “This is an artifact of how we define community transmission.” Gandhi also says that while these transmission numbers look scary it “actually just shows the right people are [getting tested].” But just looking at transmission rates may be enough to scare some people, or even the county, off from lifting the mask mandate in certain spaces. Sonoma County cases are peaking again; going from a seven-day average of 24 new cases when the new guidelines were released to a seven-day average of 72 new cases. This is especially concerning with the upcoming winter, which, judging from last year, is bound to cause a serious increase of cases. As we inch ever closer to a second full year of this pandemic, the masking and vaccine situation feels more and more frustrating. Those of us who are masking correctly and getting vaccinated are doing everything “right,” but at this point it feels like there’s nothing more we can do. It’s the people who are holding out from doing the bare minimum that stop society from returning to normal. But what if masks are the new normal? Even if the seemingly never-ending pandemic somehow does draw to a close, will we be anxiously waiting for the virus to strike again? This pandemic has created an entire world of traumatized people. Even those who won’t be able to remember the pandemic will still feel its effects. And yet, those who publicly voice their distaste for this situation are the ones doing the least about it. For now, all we can do is hope we reach that bare minimum, that 80 percent, that will at least lead us in the right direction back to normal.

ALEX GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER

ineyards are what Sonoma County has always been known for, but as a different kind of green landscape takes root, something new may become the hit of the county. Marijuana is quickly becoming a hot industry in wine country, and this boom is a direct result of some very wise legal counsel. In order to keep their businesses afloat in Sonoma County, cannabis growers are going out and using Ministerial permits to start cannabis growing outdoors, rather than going through the CUP process. The Ministerial permit violates Sonoma County’s cannabis ordinance, as well as avoids the consideration of the environmental impacts that cannabis operations can have within the area of operation. The Ministerial permit allows for the growth of product by the operator to occur as the permit allows that the proposed project (in this case, marijuana operation) complies with established standards set forth. Ministerial permits are Sonoma County growers’ way of bypassing the more traditionally ethical Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process. The CUP process is a permit that allows the growth of agricultural cannabis in Sonoma County. Growers tend to avoid the CUP process, as it is rather time consuming and expensive compared to other methods. It takes over two years for the CUP permit to be issued, and it costs over $30,000 in financing to register for the permit application. The explanation behind both its expensive and time-consuming process is that, due to the amount of overview the CUP process requires, there is a waiting period and a handful of fees that come along with it. It first goes through a specific environmental review, then it would be a public process, which would then be looked over through public notification and within a public hearing, and if approved, the operator receives the green light to move forward with its plan. A Ministerial permit makes the CUP process look dated in a way, as it costs almost nothing and takes a miniscule amount of processing time. The Ministerial permit costs less than $5,000 and takes 3-4 months for review. The review itself doesn’t require a project-specific environmental review, public notification, or public process as the

permit can be made and received privately, therefore making it the obvious choice over the CUP permit. This has led to Ministerial permits becoming the primary method for companies to be able to run their operation, as the ministerial permits allow companies to bypass the necessary process that needs to be run both by the state and the county. The Sonoma County Neighborhood Coalition states that CannaCraft, one of the many applicants, turns the permits that were given to the minority to an extensive majority as 63 of the ministerial permits were issued to operators this year alone. CannaCraft applied for 28 of the 63 applicants, which is a violation, but they filed for the permits through different names and LLC’s. Not only is the permit limited to one per corporate name and LLC, which CannaCraft violates, but CannaCraft would be over the outdoor cultivation limit that’s prohibited against Ministerial permits. The operator is able to have no more than 10,000 square feet of outdoor cultivation use on any one parcel of land per project. CannaCraft over-steps these boundaries with the culution, as CannaCraft-related businesses have a total of 160,000 square feet of cannabis cultivation, which not only is a violation, but would be negatively impacting the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) set within the state. CEQA is defined by California’s government as, “...to avoid, reduce or prevent environmental damage, and foster an informed and transparent public decisionmaking process by providing information to decision-makers and the public concerning the environmental effects of projects either undertaken or approved by lead agencies.” It would be in Sonoma County’s best interest that they immediately voided the permits the county issued to it’s applicants that violate the regulations set forth in state. Violations like what CannaCraft managed violates the safety of not only the environment, but shows how flawed our County is by letting such applicants receive these permits. Officials in the County must have accountability, but also reform to not let a growing problem like this happen again in the future.

4 News

NOV. 9 - NOV. 15, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Dept. of State recognizes SSU as Fullbright HSI Leader continued from pg. 1

COURTESY // @santarosafirefighters on Instagram Santa Rosa firefighters work to extinguish one of many brushfires that have plagued Sonoma County in the past months.

Rain brings end to fire season continued from pg. 1

year,” read the SRFD’s statement, “Residents are asked to maintain defensible space around the homes by addressing new growth of vegetation that includes brush and tree limbs.” The statement also included a comment on this year’s fire season from Chief of the Santa Rosa Fire Department, Scott Westrope. “Fires were driven by weather, critically dry fuels under drought conditions and ranged from small spot fires to 50 acres in size. We planned and prepared for a busy season and thank our community for maintaining defensible space and keeping seasonal grasses cut and in compliance with our Weed Abatement Ordinance,” stated Westrope. On Nov. 2, with an end to the city’s fire season, the SRFD also suspended their annual weed abatement inspection, which required Santa Rosa residents to keep their weeds and seasonal grasses down to a height of four inches or shorter. Following the SRFD’s statement, PG&E said they would be pausing their fire prevention plan which involved power lines turning off when anything made contact with them. While the plan was successful, it angered many Sonoma County residents as it resulted in an increase in power outages and sudden blackouts that could last up to hours. This 3-month prevention plan, which began back in September, was largely a result of PG&E’s involvement in the 2019 Kincade Fire which resulted in over 77,000 acres being burned, hundreds of homes lost, and around 200,000 people forced to evacuate. CAL Fire had concluded the fire was started by a PG&E transmission line that broke due to high winds. In April of 2021, 33 criminal charges were filed against the company. On Wednesday, Nov. 3, it was announced that PG&E had reached a $125 million settlement with California’s energy regulator over the tragic 2019 Fire. A statement from the California Public Utilities Commission broke down the distribution of the settlement funds. “Under the proposed settlement, PG&E shareholders would pay a $40 million penalty to California’s General Fund and incur an $85 million permanent disallowance for cost recovery for the permanent removal of abandoned transmission facilities within its service territory, for a total of $125 million,” read the statement. While other Sonoma County City Fire Departments have yet to release any statements addressing an end to their city’s wildfire season, this news, along with the rain, comes as a welcomed relief to many Sonoma County residents who face the severe threats of wildfires each year.

integral part of International Education at SSU by providing the necessary linguistic and cultural skills for students interested in Spanish, French, and Germanspeaking countries.” Fulbright is an academic cultural exchange program where graduate students, scholars and professionals get the opportunity to study, pursue research and professional projects or teach a language for an academic year in a foreign country. Fulbright was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by U.S. Senator, J. William Fulbright, as a way to increase mutual understanding and to help foster relationships between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. At the conference, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs Ethan Rosenzweig took a moment to congratulate and thank the leadership of the designated institutions for recognizing the impact of the Fulbright program. “To our Fulbright program advisors and all of the faculty, administrators and staff on the frontlines who advise, support and recruit future Fulbrighters, you are our heroes. Your work optimizes the values of why we all come to our jobs each and everyday-to ensure that our students have every opportunity to excel beyond goals that they may have never believed were ever obtainable,” said Rosenzweig. The program promotes cultural exchange through one-on-one interaction in the classroom, in the field, at home, and in daily activities which help participants gain a better understanding of other people’s perspectives and ways of life. Fulbright is currently active in more than 160 countries with Sonoma State hosting two Fulbright students and one Fulbright foreign language teaching assistant (FLTA) who are all from Germany. SSU is currently the only University in all of California that has an active Fulbright FLTA Program with Germany. The university has had a FLTA on campus every year since 2010 which is the first year that SSU implemented the program. This year, Sonoma State welcomed Yasemin Schünemann who is from Nördlingen, Germany. Schünemann is currently completing her Masters of Education in German and English at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. “Assisting Dr. Grobbel during the German language courses, as well as teaching advanced classes has improved my role as a future teacher and given me the courage to be creative during lessons and for future lessons,” said Schünemann. She also encourages students to look into the Fulbright program and Fulbright FLTA positions as it is “a great opportunity for sharing your culture and language with others while teaching and trying out new things” and also allows one to learn more about themselves. The beginning of International Education Week starts Nov. 15 where students will be able to explore international programs and learn about the benefits of international education. Schünemann will be hosting two Zoom events; one that addresses the immigration of Turkish guest workers in Germany and another addressing the question, “What does it mean to be German?” where the Fulbright students will share their experiences growing up in Germany. These events will take place Nov. 17 from 11-12:00 noon and on Nov. 19 from 10-10:50 a.m. To apply for a Fulbright Scholarship, students must apply through Sonoma State University’s Global Engagement Office. The SSU Fulbright program advisor, Hope Ortiz, will then evaluate the application and conduct an interview prior to submitting the final application.

SSU Dean wants to build new platform for communication continued from pg. 1

community members would go to and expect to see posters. So the key feature would be that community members would go there (or easily find themselves there) and find information about events and the community generally. Could we have a digital bulletin board as well as some old fashioned “real” ones? I think so,” she said. However, in her experience not all faculty is on board with moving away from Facebook. Facebook has been a platform for people to provide insights or share opinions with family, friends and fellow scholars, which is why it’s difficult for many people to give up the community they’ve built and change to a different platform. However, the benefits of an institution-built platform, as Dean Robbins points out, could lead to a safe and endlessly customizable platform that serves the community it was built for. One way to create this platform is taking user-friendly features from existing platforms and incorporating those features into a platform that works specifically for Sonoma State students. Some students have been turning to Discord in order to supplement classroom communication and connection during online semesters. Discord is a server-based platform originally created for gamers, but its popularity has expanded to include communities of artists, clubs, and even study groups. Fourth year student Omri Assado, a business marketing major, has been creating and customizing servers for almost four years. He discusses the endless customization properties that are missing from other chat platforms available and the third-party content moderation missing from Facebook. “The ability to organize and sort everything in a server is definitely conducive to creating an environment where people can find the information they use quickly, as well as reach out to tutors or teachers within a server if they don’t understand something,” Assado said.“There are many ways in which you can customize security and moderation for groups. You can auto-censor words and report it to the administrator, you can change security levels in servers to require various levels of authentication. This isn’t to mention the many different bots that you can incorporate into a server to provide additional layers of security and moderation. It’s hard to even compare facebook to it. As someone who used to run a Facebook page, it’s like night and day when it comes to how well you can manage a server.” This takes content moderation out of the responsibility of the hands of the users, and the security is customizable, so a casual server to organize study sessions would look vastly different from one designed to hold a class or webinar. Fourth-year student Michelle Jones is a part of several Discord study groups this semester. “Since most of us are so close to our phones at all times anyway, and considering the ease of installing and setting up the Discord app, it becomes a convenient platform for quick and short communications between classmates. It is also nice to have a space for the students to talk virtually.” The idea of direct communication between students and university is one that Dean Robbins hopes to include in an institution-built platform, which Jones commented could even help everyday student life. “I do like the idea presented by the Dean of Arts and Humanities of returning to internally-developed (or at least built) communication platforms. The university would be able to choose a host with privacy protections far more comprehensive than those of Facebook or even Canvas. One feature I would want to see moved over to such a platform from Canvas would be the list of people in our classes. Having the ability to identify a classmate and then message them provides a measure of reliability. We know we can figure out which Holly or Johnathon we are supposed to be communicating with, rather than guessing through SSU’s gmail search feature or having to contact a professor.” Getting to pick the features that work best for students isn’t just convenient, but could provide real positive change for students especially in the era of online learning. Ultimately, the decision of whether to continue relying on Facebook, move to a platform that better serves the campus community’s needs, or build an entirely new one is left up to administrators and students. The choices made by this student body and administration will impact how future students and staff communicate and continue to shape our campus environment.

COURTESY // SSU News Yasemin Schünemann, a Fulbright Foreign Language Assistant from the University of Stuttgart, helps students studying German at SSU and acts as a cultural ambassador on campus.

SSU attempts to create a safer campus for Seawolves continued from pg. 1

pus departments. The implementation and execution of the Safe SSU website as a one-stop shop is a credit to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and Risk Management and Safety Services, who were vital in leading the charge to refine the site’s resources and safety information. In a previous article for the STAR, Chief Police Nader Oweis said, “From a safety perspective, I think people are afraid to call so sometimes they’ll delay in calling and by then the situation may get worse. We’re trying to provide these resources, whether it’s SAFE, the Mobile Support Team or one of the resources on campus, because we want to keep people safe.” Safety concerns can be reported to Environmental Health and Safety about office, lab and fire safety issues including any environmental concerns. Students, faculty, staff, and as well as campus visitors may submit a safety service request work order to Facilities regarding any unsafe, or hazardous conditions they may see around campus. However, visitors can submit maintenance requests to risk@sonoma.edu. Please include the location of the concern on campus, the date you saw or witnessed the concern, and any other information that can help SSU resolve the issue. Any acts of violence witnessed should be reported to the Sonoma State Police Department, and afterwards will ensure the witness is safe. The officer will ask questions about the incident so that they will be able to understand the situation and direct those involved to on-campus local support services. The Care Team’s focus is to offer supportive intervention and guidance to any students who appear to be struggling and help restore their lives academically and personally. The Risk Management Team has encouraged members of the SSU community to explore and familiarize yourselves with everything that SafeSSU has to offer. If students need to report anything, call Sonoma State Police Department at (707)-664-4444.

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sonomastatestar.com

Arts & Entertainment 5

Theatre Arts puts on collection of one-acts from playwright Suzan-Lori Parks

CLÉA UPCHER

STAFF WRITER

he Theatre Arts department put on a collection of one-act plays called “365 Days/ 365 Plays” from esteemed playwright SuzanLori Parks, the first African American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. The performances streamed virtually from Nov. 4 to Nov. 7. The 18 plays chosen for these performances reflect on the concepts of beginning, middle and end. Between 2002 and 2003, Parks challenged herself to write one play a day for an entire year. “[The plays] touch on rampant capitalism, identity, bigotry, and the human search for significance. [Parks’] year’s examination of humanity reveals something that is never perfect, but always striving,” wrote Director Danielle Cain in the show’s program. “[Cain] picked the specific pieces in this show and molded them to bring light to certain problems that we see every day in society. From racism to police brutality and misuse of power, to mentions of drug use and hints at abusive relationships,” wrote Annaliese Van Sickle, a third-year Theatre Arts major, in an email. “As the director, I was given the opportunity to suggest shows over the summer. We chose Suzan-Lori Parks’ ‘365 Days/365 Plays’ be-

possible with traditional in-person theater. The video recording and streaming format allowed performers to use a green screen and sound effects to add emphasis to the work of the actors. Cain explained how they choose productions to put on during the semester, “Some things the department considers are acting and design challenges for the students, how shows correlate to the department curriculum, how it will serve the wider SSU audience, and how a play relates to current events.” Cain also mentioned that the department looks for “Immediacy, challenges, variety, [and] fun,” when deciding on entertainment options to offer. “I loved working on this show! Having done theatre over zoom for the past year and a half, there has been a deep desire to finally be back on a stage of any kind while acting with my peers…” Van Sickle continued. Third-year Communications major Mariah Forster shared their thoughts about working on this play in an email, “My experience working on this show was a positive one. The first day I came to rehearsal, our director Danielle and all the cast members were very welcoming. They made me feel that I belonged

cause it’s crucial for students to hear and consider the experiences of playwrights of color. Parks writes with compassion, humor and sharpness about living in America. The collage aspect of the play lends itself to interesting casting options, and use of digital backgrounds,” wrote Cain in an email. “This show was meant [to evoke] a response that surrounded discomfort and further thinking about the state of our world at the moment. Throughout the whole piece, we were making a statement in so few words,” Van Sickle wrote. The play included a variety of features that would not have been

in the show and that my opinions matter, which I really appreciated.” The sense of community found in the SSU theatre department is shared by other actors in this play, like Daija Temple, third-year Theatre major, who said in an email, “This was my first show at Sonoma State so I went into it very curious about what we would be doing but I really enjoyed the work that I did. Danielle and Gabe (the directors) did a really good job at making everybody feel comfortable and have an enjoyable time.” To check out more of what SSU’s theatre community has to offer, visit the department site at theatreartsanddance.sonoma.edu.

COURTESY// Danielle Cain The Theatre Arts Department hosted an online performance of 18 one-act plays written by playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. Parks had written one play a day for a year, exploring controversial topics.

COURTESY // Danielle Cain The online format of the performance allowed students to use a green screen and sound effects to bring their performance to life. The performances streamed from Nov. 4 to Nov. 7.

“This show was meant [to evoke] a response that surrounded discomfort and further thinking about the state of our world at the moment. Throughout the whole piece, we were making a statement in so few words.”

Practice makes perfect for the Jazz Orchestra at weekly Jazz Forums

ADRIENNE MOON

STAFF WRITER

he SSU Music Department held a Jazz Forum on Wednesday with guest Lisa Mezzacappa. The department holds forums every Wednesday from 1 p.m to 2:45 p.m. This session was led by Ian Carey at Schroeder Hall in room 1029. Jazz forums are classes that expose jazz majors and guests to different styles of jazz. Dr. Douglas Leibinger, the director of jazz studies said, “There is a beauty and complexity within jazz that cannot be seen in other genres of music, it is like the deep, endless ocean where there is a mystery to it.” For Wednesday’s jazz forum, the jazz orchestra worked on one song to perfect. The orchestra broke down the song and practiced each individual part. According to Ian Carey, the jazz band director, this is the best way for the orchestra to practice their music. “Jazz teaches people to tackle big problems, and put them into smaller parts. By breaking them down into those smaller parts it makes it easier to take on what an individual felt was such a hard and difficult problem originally.” During the event, there was commentary and constructive criticism from guest Lisa Mezzacappa, a San Francisco-based composer, bassist, bandleader, and producer. When commenting on the orchestra’s work, she said, “You guys did a great job of capturing the dreamy, nostalgic, moody quality of the song… You guys perfectly expressed it with your arrangements, the beautiful intensity.” Mezzacappa provided insight as to how the jazz orchestra can grow as musicians. “A lot of times an exercise like this can be very fun because it

makes you practice at different intervals,” she said. “You also practice different techniques… this becomes a process for experimentation and exploration, and trying to get into those corners so that you can surprise each other and yourself.” The forums allow the Jazz Orchestra to practice in a judgement free space, and to get feedback from Jazz professionals. For more information on their weekly Jazz Forums, visit the Seawolf Living webpage.

COURTESY// Jana Duncann The SSU jazz forum took place on Nov. 3 in Schroder Hall at the GMC. Students in the Jazz Orcestra practiced a song and recieved feedback on how to make their performance better. The forums are held every Wednesday.

6 Student Life

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sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Isaac Lopez During Friday Night Live, students were able to bring home the rewards and prizes that they won following the Kahoot! trivia night. This is one of many events hosted through Associated Students throughout the month of November.

ASP hosts “Friday Night Live” event JEFFREY AVIÑA STAFF WRITER

ust this past week, SSU kicked off Friday Night Live, which is an interactive event hosted in the Seawolf Plaza. Extended into Weyden and Brewster’s, Friday Night Live’s trivia night awarded a number of prizes to lucky winners, all consisting of Sonoma State gear. Four rounds of trivia via Kahoot! left Henry Hartwell, freshman and newcomer, victor of the night. Events just like this one aim to get students involved on campus, as well as give students a social night out with friends. The theme of the night was centered around foreign countries, and Hartwell was able to clinch the win on a trivia round about the seven ancient wonders of the world. “This is actually the first time I’ve come to an event like this,” said Hartwell. When asked whether or not he would come back, Hartwell replied, “Definitely.” For winning first place, Hartwell won a blue Seawolf duffle bag. The two runners-up were two second-year students, Robert Wiles and Jennifer Martuscelli, who are part of a larger group of students that came to the last trivia night and other Friday night events on campus. “We try to go to all the different trivia events going on on campus,” said Martuscelli. “It makes me feel smart and I just like to chill,” joked Wiles. SSU Friday Nights are weekly events hosted by Res-

idential Advisors (RAs) to help students living on campus to become more active in the community by creating bonds with their neighbors, meeting new people, and forming relationships with their RAs. The other types of events held during Friday Night Live included Movies on Lobovision, and Open Mic nights, which have both proven to be favorites among students. The event was hosted by third-year Residential Advisors Natalie Roberts and Jamairé Limbrick, as well as Hailey Glass from Student Involvement. Student Involvement (SI) helps and organizes many of the clubs and organizations on campus, including Greek life on campus. SI caters to all of the 120 different organizations and clubs on campus. They also list resources on their website related to club financing, obtaining grants, and the necessary paperwork needed for chartering and travel. “We put on a lot of weekend events as well,” said Hailey Glass on the responsibilities of working in Student Involvement. “The one tonight (Trivia), Craft Nights on Saturdays, and fairs in the plaza as well are just a few that Student Involvement hold for students..” “[Friday Night Live] is also an opportunity for RAs to connect with their residents,” said Natalie Roberts, who also served as one of the trivia night hosts. “It can help residents become more comfortable with branching

out and going to more events on campus.” One of the more popular events, Craft Night, takes place at 7 p.m. on Sat., at Weyden and Brewster’s. Materials are supplied by Student Involvement and participants are given free rein to what they can create. Past projects have included terrariums, mug painting, pumpkin carving, and even ornaments in time for the holidays. “It’s a great way to destress, have fun, meet new people, and bond with students on campus,” Says Roberts on Craft Nights. On Nov. 12, Friday Night Live will be hosting an Open Mic Night, which will also be taking place at Weyden and Brewster’s starting at 8:00 p.m., and lasting until 10 p.m. Open Mic Night will be hosted by Student Involvement and ASP. Weekly emails are sent out containing a list of the week’s events as well as events done by your own village RA. Friday Night Lives have proven to be a favorite for students, and serve as a great way for students to make the most of their college experience while interacting with the campus community. For more information, students are encouraged to follow @seawolfliving on social media or visit the Seawolf Living and ASP websites for future events being hosted by SSU’s on-campus organizations.

JUMP offers volunteer opportunities

DANA SCACCO STAFF WRITER

UMP (Join Us Making Progress) is a program within SSU’s student-run Associated Students where students are able to become involved with helping to provide for their local community. JUMP aims to provide community service opportunities for all students, giving them easy access to put their foot in the door for their community. JUMP is fully student-led and run, and the program is divided into two coalitions, including: Community Connections and Days of Service. The Community Connections coalition offers students semester-long service opportunities with local community partners, such as Rohnert Park’s Evergreen Elementary School and Santa Rosa’s homeless shelter, The Living Room. Days of Service offers one time volunteer events working with more community partners like, Goatlandia, Forget Me Not Farm Children’s Services, and Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue. JUMP’s “Study Buddies” program is a part of the Community Connections branch, which is a semester-long volunteer program in which SSU students tutor Evergreen Elementary schoolers in the first-fifth grade. Victoria Lopez, a second-year Early Childhood Studies major and the Head Coordinator of Study Buddies, described how the program works, stating that, “during the first few weeks of semester, we table and contact students who are in need of community service hours. This semester, many people reached out to me and I developed a group of 15 SSU Study Buddy volunteers. We go to Evergreen Elementary twice a week and provide tutoring sessions and homework help for all subjects. We get a lot of volunteers who want to become teachers and are using these hours towards their teaching credential.” Lopez elaborated on why the program is significant by saying, “I want to be a special education teacher, so Study Buddies is very helpful in developing strategies for teaching other younger students. This program allows people to make long lasting bonds and connections, while getting students involved in their community. It gets students who plan to be teachers out into the field and they are truly giving back to these elementary students.” JUMP’s Community Service and Basic Needs Coordinator, Meredith Bates, is the professional staff member that assists JUMP students and oversees the program. She explained her passion for community service by stating, “I have always had a passion for educating myself on how to best show up for my community. As someone who needed support for basic needs growing up and throughout my college

career, the support I had both inside and outside the classroom was crucial to my success. Now as a professional, I want to be there for students who also need that same holistic support as they navigate their own path to graduation.” JUMP will be hosting its annual Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week from Nov. 15-19. This is one of JUMP’s biggest events, with each weekday featuring multiple volunteer opportunities and activities. On Mon., Nov. 15, JUMP will host an on-campus blanket making and movie screening event from 6-9 p.m in Ballroom B. Students will be provided with materials to make tie-dye blankets which JUMP will donate to local homeless shelters. On Tues., Nov. 16, JUMP will have a Pop-Up Pantry event in Seawolf Plaza from 12:30-2:30 p.m., which will provide free food items to all SSU students. On the same day from 5-6 p.m., JUMP will host a zoom session teaching students how to cook recipes using Lobo’s Pantry items and participants will even have the chance to win cooking equipment during the session. JUMP will also present a homeless-activist speaker panel, in which activists will share their experiences and address homelessness in the Rohnert Park community. This will take place on Wed., Nov. 17, on-campus in Ballroom B from 5-7 p.m. These are just some of the featured Hunger & Homelessness Awareness events and there will be more local volunteer opportunities throughout the week. JUMP will be tabling for Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week outside the Seawolf Plaza the week of Nov. 8-14. Rhiannon Philippi, a third year Hutchin’s student and JUMP’s Community Connections Director, shared her experience working with JUMP and explained why the program is important. She said, “this is my third year with JUMP, and I can’t imagine my college career without it. Students can learn more about JUMP by looking at our website, visiting the front desk on the second floor of the student center across from The HUB, or by emailing jump.cc@sonoma.edu.” Bates gave her insight on why students should be involved with JUMP and provided more resources for students wanting information by conveying, “I believe students should get involved with JUMP as it is an opportunity to support your community, but also to grow your leadership. For students wanting to learn more about JUMP, you can reach out to me at batesme@sonoma.edu and I can connect you with the service program you are looking for. Follow us on instagram @as_sonoma for event updates or feel free to reach out to me via email.”

COURTESY // @as_sonoma.edu JUMP aims to let students know what types of volunteer opportunities are available each semester.

COURTESY // Adriana Gonzalez Sonoma State Students participate in volunteer work at Forget Me Not Farm in Santa Rosa.

Student Life 7

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sonomastatestar.com

Upcoming events in November for Seawolves to participate in PEDRO ORTEGA PEREZ STAFF WRITER

ssociated Students Productions (ASP) is Sonoma State’s biggest studentled group on campus, and they provide a ton of resources to enhance the college experience for all students. In the upcoming weeks of November, ASP will be hosting a number of social events for students, as well as community service opportunities. In these following weeks, ASP has a number of events planned for the remainder of the Fall 2021 semester, in an effort to keep students engaged with their campus community. These upcoming events include a comedy bingo night with guest comedian Pete Lee on Nov. 12, another Paint and Sip event on Nov. 18, a Tie-Dye Mania event on Nov. 9, and much more. On top of these much-anticipated events, students will have opportunities through JUMP (Join Us Making Progress) to get volunteers within their community for Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week. Eliseo Fragoso Jr., a student at SSU, attended a Paint and Sip night event just a few weeks ago. In this event, students were able to release some of their stress by painting on a canvas, as well as drinking some wine if they are 21+. According to Fragoso, he was able to paint “a decent looking painting of pumpkins while listening to music with friends,” and the event has proven to be a favorite amongst other students. Evelyn Munguia, another SSU student, has also attended quite a few ASP events on campus this semester, stating that it has helped her rebuild some of her social confidence that she had lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Munguia stated, “They were fun! It’s a nice way to get out and interact with others since most everything has been online for the past year and a half.” Maia Madrigal-Hernandez, an event director for ASP, expressed her excitement from seeing their events gain traction amongst students. “All year, the thing that has excited me the most about these events is just seeing so many students. This past year and a half have been hard, with being stuck at home, and finally being able to have the “real” college experience on campus again makes me so happy.” Being that the program is student-led, it allows for students to decide what they would like to see, as well as what they can see themselves participating in. All events and ideas are curated by students for students, helping to allow a more accurate representation of what students would like to see. ASP encourages students to pitch their own ideas for events, and MadrigalHernandez explained how students can go about doing so. “Every other Weds., we

COURTESY // @as_sonoma on Instagram Redwood Empire Food Bank is one of many volunteer opportunities that JUMP (through Associated Students) offers students so they can help out the community.

have an event director tabling in Seawolf Plaza, and students can go up to them and write down any idea that they might have. Also, our office is on the second floor of the student center, and students are welcome to visit and let us know their ideas. We can also be reached through Instagram, @as_sonoma.” While ASP aims to host events that enhance student life, some students might feel discouraged by going to events due to possible safety concerns. However, ASP reassures students that they have been following a rigid and strict safety structure for all in-person events. Mariah Atkins, the program coordinator for Associated Students, stated that “We are being as careful as we can, and we have been working with CES and Risk Management to ensure that our events are in compliance with COVID-19 protocols. For all of our events, students are required to show us their clearance screen and check-in via Engage to keep track of attendance. Upon check-in, AS ensures that everyone is wearing their masks indoors and being safe, while also providing hand sanitizer for participants’ safety.” For students’ first semester back in over a year, Sonoma State has aimed to make sure that all students feel heard and are able to get engaged with the campus community. Make sure to check out everything that Associated Students has to offer for the month of Nov., and stay tuned for more events throughout the semester.

Seawolves SPEAK!

PAYTON MULLANEY

“How did you spend your Halloween this year?”

STAFF WRITER

ast year, many students were spending their Halloween at home, quarantined, and with their families, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, many students were eligible for the vaccine, so students were able to employ a new sense of normalcy when it came to celebrating this year. The university offered several different safe and social events to engage students, aiming to curate a more social holiday to make up for last year. Unlike last year, students were able to go out to bars again and hang out with friends in costumes, and all children in the area were encouraged to go trick-or-treating. Although there are still some restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of students were staying as safe as possible, with many still wearing masks in public. While this year’s Halloween has been vastly different than it has in

years before, having an opportunity to dress up with friends and spend time together is no longer a thing of the past. Dressing up with your friends is part of the college experience, and it was a breath of fresh air to be able to do so again. This year, freshman and sophomores were finally able to have their first in-person college Halloween, and juniors and seniors got another chance to go out with a bang, before the fun of college holidays came to an end. Thankfully, many students stayed safe and had a great time celebrating their Halloween. Even during a pandemic, the spooky holiday looked different for all sorts of students. From going out to bars, to staying at home handing out candy, to decorating cars for “trunk or treats”, SSU students were able to make the most of Halloween this year.

“I recently moved into a new house with my fraternity brothers, so it was great to be able to spend Halloween with them this year.”

“Every year, it’s tradition for my family and I to check out the pumpkin patches, but this year I was able to spend this tradition with my roommates!”

-Dylan Galvez, Sophomore, Business Major

-Taylor Mitchell, Freshman, Kinesiology Major

“This year, I decorated my car for my church’s trunk-or-treat. At night, I was able to hand out candy to all the trick-or-treaters that came to the house!”

“This year, I went to a car show with my buds, and it was so fun to see everyone dressed up and getting into the Halloween spirit.”

-Aliyah Arreola, Freshman, Undeclared

-CJ Graham, Junior, Communications Major

“It was my first year spending Halloween in Rohnert Park, so I spent some time roaming the city with friends in our costumes.” -Aslyn Eells, Sophomore, Wine Business Major

“I was able to see my sister for the first time in a while, so we just spent some time going to bars and reminiscing for Halloween this year.”

-Brett Hardin, Junior, Business Major

8 Health CAPS offers weekly support groups

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sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY// @caps_ssu on Instagram Counseling and Psychological Services hosts an array of group sessions each week.

COURTESY// @caps_ssu on Instagram One of the many group sessions offered by CAPS is meant to help couples work through issues.

COURTESY// @caps_ssu on Instagram The Womxn of Color Collective is a long-standing support group that CAPS hosts every Wednesday.

ADDISON SMITH

STAFF WRITER

he Counseling and Psychological Services offered on campus is diverse and far-reaching in scope. Many different services are offered through their website by appointment or drop-in session via zoom. CAPS offers such check-ups as group therapy, individual counseling, relationship therapy and much more. One of the many counseling services offered on campus is relationship counseling, whether that be for an individual or individuals going through a tough time in their relationship. The on-site counselors utilize a “short-term model…for two or more currently-enrolled SSU students who are having difficulty within their relationship” according to the Counseling Services website. Ryan Ristine, a third year music major, said, “All I know about CAPS is what’s in the title Counseling and Psychological Services. Otherwise, I don’t know what they do here on campus. I don’t even know where to go for CAPS and I have lived on campus every year since I started Freshman year.” He went on to say, “...to better market to students I feel as if they could try to expand their social media presence or put info in the handouts students receive at the beginning of the year.” The full scope of what CAPS does for students is largely hidden behind the very little publicity they get on campus. They might table once a week or use word-of-mouth to establish their presence on campus, but they hardly get air-time on Lobovision or in The Kitchens. The team is full of talented and well known professionals in their respective fields, anywhere from a licensed psychologist like Laura Williams, PsyD to a psychotherapist like Kathy Ortiz-Cobian. The CAPS team claims to be here to help any student in need, whether it be through group drop-in sessions or other small group therapy sessions.

Wren House, a fourth year Art major, said, “I think caps is a good jumping off place for students…They’re a nice resource to get into the idea and functionality of talk or group therapy.” CAPS services offer group drop-in sessions throughout each week either through zoom or in-person. For example, one is called Mindful Self-Compassion: Pathways to Self-Acceptance, Inner Strength, and Resilience.They also offer a session to deal with a toxic or painful family life called Not The Perfect Family (Process) Group. The first group meets every Monday at 2 p.m. via Zoom while the second group meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. in building 17A, the portable location behind Salazar Hall. CAPS also offers more resources virtually if the student is currently away from campus or too far to visit campus for some of the sessions. One of the resources is YOU@ SONOMA. YOU@SONOMA is available through the student login portal on the student page in the portal. It’s a simple sign up and an individual can immediately start doing Self Checks which the program will use to lead to peerreviewed evidence-based articles, videos, and resources offered by SSU. The algorithm does this through three pillars: Succeed, Thrive, and Matter which are foundational terms to get the help needed to thrive on Sonoma State’s campus. Overall, The Counseling and Psychological Services offered at Sonoma are vast and helpful resources offered on campus for Sonoma State students. These are useful resources and can be seen as cost-effective as they are offered free on campus and only requires an appointment be made either through their phone number at 707-664-2153 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and noon or between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. or emailing them at caps@sonoma. edu.

STAR // Ashley Cobb While the “Being Latinx” event will be virtual, the HUB is still open periodically for other events and drop-in visits.

STAR // Julissa Espana The HUB is a safe place for students of all backgrounds to gather and have open discussions.

HUB event aims to destigmatize mental health in Latinx community

JAYLINE ALVARADO STAFF WRITER

he HUB Cultural Center is hosting an event that will hopefully create a space for Latinx students to start a dialogue about mental health surrounding the Latinx community. “Being Latinx: Destigmatizing Mental Health in the Latinx Community” will be taking place on Nov. 23 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is the second event of a three part series which first took place on Oct. 12. It’s an event for students that explores cultural challenges around mental health and on access to resources it also delves into “how to process heavy reliance on faith/religion versus therapy, and gender and sexuality within the Latinx community.” Fourth year student Ivana Guadalupe Hernandez Leon said, “I think this event can help a lot of students who are going through tough times and they can learn that they are not alone,” and that others could be going through similar experiences. The series is a collaboration between the HUB and CAPS and is meant to be a space for students to make a community and mutual support network with other students as well as self-care. The event is hosted by Senior HUB Program Executive Shelly Gomez. According to the event page, communities across the globe “face cultural barriers when exploring mental health, one of them being the Latinx community.” Gomez stated on the event page that it was important for students to meet with CAPS professionals who also identify as Latinx or Hispanic in a setting that’s more comfortable.

As well as addressing cultural barriers, the series aims at providing “a supportive space to help reduce stigmas and promote wellness for Latinx students.” Executive Director for mental health nonprofit Humanidad Therapy & Education Services Nubia Padilla said to the Press Democrat that barriers faced by the Latinx community are unspoken and cultural, and that come from a colonialist mentality that what we get is enough. A 2017 Insider survey found: “Nearly 70% of Hispanic respondents believe that depression and/or anxiety is caused by a ‘personal weakness or failing.’” Nataly Hernandez, a third-year student said, “The HUB is a space where students are able to express themselves without the fear of judgement or constraints of society. Advocating and sharing events about the HUB can bring more students in to bring diversity on campus.” Hernandez Leon also said, “Being a first generation student, it does become harder for us because our family may not understand what we are going through. But, I have realized that support for us is everywhere.” Events like these create conversations about mental health in safe spaces for students. These are conversations that students might not have elsewhere. Information about the event can be found on the HUB’s website. “Being Latinx: Destigmatizing Mental Health in the Latinx Community” aims to bring awareness to mental health, which is something that’s heavily stigmatized in the Latinx community.

NOV. 9 - NOV. 15, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Justin Ferrari Third Year Jenn Trephan had a season high of 5 aces against Stanislaus State on Friday night.

Sports

COURTESY // Justin Ferrari Volleyball won both of their weekend games over Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State.

Women’s volleyball sweeps critical weekend of games T NICHOLAS ROTH STAFF WRITER

he Sonoma State volleyball team capped off a long road stretch with two big wins over Cal State Stanislaus and longtime rival Chico State, doing their best to secure the last spot in the CCAA playoffs. With the two victories, the Seawolves are currently in fifth place in the conference heading into the last week of regular-season games. Sonoma entered Friday needing to beat Cal State Stanislaus, the other team vying for the last spot in the CCAA tournament, only separated by a half-game. They arrived in Turlock ready to play, handily beating the Warriors in four sets 3-1. Sonoma was led by Senior Outside Hitter Kiana Richardson, who had 15 kills. In the victory, junior setter Jenn Trephan also had a standout performance with 30 assists and a seasonhigh, five aces. “The Stanislaus game was the biggest of the season. It was the difference between going to the postseason and not,” said head coach Bear Grassl on the importance of the win over Stanislaus. Sonoma started the match strong, winning the first set before losing the second by 10 points, 25-15. They adjusted after that, winning the next two to seal that match and the tiebreaker over Stanislaus going into the last week of the season. The Seawolves have been on the road for four straight games ending with a match against rival Chico State the day after driving to Turlock and taking care of business against Stanislaus State. “I don’t think the travel affects us much. However, there are some crowds that are extremely hostile and so keeping our composure during difficult moments is paramount. And we are getting better at that,” said Grassl on the amount of travel his team has done lately.

It was clear the travel was not much of a factor for the Seawolves as they beat Chico in five sets in a back and forth match, making them 3-0 against the Wildcats this year. The Wildcats and Seawolves traded sets all the way to Chico winning the fourth set to force a fifth, where Sonoma squeaked out the victory. “Beating our rival in their home gym was very exhilarating because the games on the road are some of the toughest to play since we’re in a gym that we are not used to. Beating a team that you’ve always been neck and neck with makes the victory so much more rewarding,” said sophomore Defensive Specialist Dylan Copeland on the victory. Sonoma’s final three games will be at the Wolves den against first place undefeated San Bernardino, second-place Cal State L.A., and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Seawolves need to win only one game of the remaining games to secure a playoff spot. Coach Grassl had this to say on what they need to do against the tough slate of teams this week: “This SSU team has been the most aggressive serving team in the conference, which has led to some great defensive showings. If CCAA teams are allowed to handle the ball cleanly, they will score. So we must keep pressure on them from the service line.” With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Seawolves are looking to play as if there’s nothing to lose. “In the short time we have left, some of our team goals are to just play the hardest we can for the remainder of the season and use the time we have left to play like we have nothing to lose.” Said Copeland. The Seawolves return to action Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. against Cal State San Bernardino at Sonoma State. They play Thursday and Saturday also at Sonoma State.

Women’s soccer remains victorious

Freshman Lexi Zandonella-Arasa leads the celebration of Sonoma State’s second straight CCAA conference championship.

COURTESY // Scott Kimmelman

ISAAC LOPEZ

STAFF WRITER

n Nov. 4, the Sonoma State women’s soccer team accomplished one of their biggest goals that has many SSU fans cheering with joy. Following their victory at San Francisco State, the women’s team managed to win their conference by getting first place in their CCAA division standings for the second season in a row. After a whole year off with the 2020 season being canceled due to COVID-19, the Seawolves showed no signs of regression as they won their conference, with a conference record of 8-3 and an overall record of 134. After winning the conference by two points from second place Chico State, the Seawolves ended up sitting on top of the table with 24 points racked up, while also maintaining a 0.727 CCAA PCT. While many people would argue that the Seawolves won the conference comfortably, it was indeed a close and very interesting season. In one of their tournaments on Oct. 29, the Seawolves had lost their second match in a row with both losses coming with a score of 1-0 to Chico State and Stanislaus. The seawolves also found it frustrating that both goals by

the opposing team came within the last couple of minutes of regulation. However the team never lost focus as they went to grab another victory as they hosted Cal State East Bay on Halloween. The last goal of the game, made by Alyssa Silva, secured a 3-0 victory as well both of the team’s leading goal scorers getting into the scoring action as well. Lexi ZandonellaArasa and Malia Falk each made their fifth goal of the 2021 season. Then, on Nov. 4, the team had finally reached their goal of winning their second consecutive conference title after defeating San Francisco State on their home turf. The ladies won a comfortable 3-1 match with goals coming from Julia Pritchard, Julia Betti, and Victoria Chavez. With Sonoma State winning the conference, the Seawolves have now made it to the CCAA Championship Tournament that starts on Nov. 7. The Seawolves are hoping to make more noise as they get ready for tougher opponents with a potential game occurring on Nov. 12.. To stay up to date with stats and game days, head to the SSU Athletics website for a full calendar.

10 Photo SSU women’s soccer wins CCAA title

NOV. 9 - NOV. 15, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Scott Kimmelman Head coach Emiria Salzmann celebrates with her team of happy Seawolves after a victory over San Francisco State that won them the CCAA title.

COURTESY // @juliaaabetti on Instagram Student athlete Julia Betti moves the ball up the field during one of the games this past weekend.

COURTESY // @juliaaabetti on Instagram SSU’s women’s soccer team, offically CCAA champions, celebrate as a team.

Seawolves volunteer at local animal shelter

COURTESY // rpanimalsservices on Instagram Volunteers helped out in multiple ways, including helping to clean some of the outdoor enclosures at an animal shelter.

COURTESY // rpanimalsservices on Instagram Seawolves gathered to get ready for their next task at the animal services center.

COURTESY // rpanimalsservices on Instagram A group of students from Sonoma State volunteered at the Rohnert Park Animal Services animal shelter this past weekend through JUMP.

COURTESY // rpanimalsservices on Instagram Students were able to provide socialization for the animals that call the shelter home.

COURTESY // rpanimalsservices on Instagram SSU volunteers sorted though donations while helping out the Rohenrt Park Animal Services shelter.