IN THIS ISSUE
Gun Violence
GMC
Volleyball
Is gun violence harming the Rap/ Hip Hop industry?
The Green Music Center celebrates its tenth anniversary
Two volleyball players earned CCAA player of the week honors
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SINCE 1979
VOLUME 89 // ISSUE 10 NOV. 8, 2022 - NOV. 15, 2022
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER
@SONOMASTATESTAR
Empty dorms, who’s to blame? CHARLES BARRETT STAFF WRITER
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COURTESY// @seawolfliving on Instagram SSU has been struggling to fill its on-campus housing. There appear to be many reasons for the lack of residents from low enrollment numbers to cost concerns.
onoma State University has had difficulty filling up all its dorms recently. The vacancies have led many to speculate what the cause might be. You could ask ten people and get ten different answers. Director of Residential Education and Campus Housing (REACH) Erin Hunter explained that SSU has seen fewer students so more vacancies are simply a byproduct of that. Hunter attributes much of the dorm vacancies to declining enrollment rates, COVID-19, and other variables. Hunter said, “Our current vacancies continue to be on the forefront of our minds. However, our priority right now is serving our current residential students. Beyond that, we continue to think about and plan for innovative and creative ways to better serve the Sonoma State community.” Despite the focus from REACH, high prices, slow maintenance request responses and less-than-ideal parking situations have led some students to live off campus. Cristian De Palm, a junior at SSU, is one of the students that moved off campus after experiencing dorm life. “For someone who is brand new there, the price isn’t that big of a deal as they are just being introduced to the university, but after that, it’s much more economical to find a place off campus,” De Palm said. He also shared that parking was often difficult in Tuscany and added that maintenance request turnarounds could have been faster. According to De Palm, the apartment he currently lives in is quicker at responding to requests than REACH. Shane Collins, a sophomore at SSU, also lives off campus for reasons similar to De Palm. Collins shared that he was not a big fan of the Residential Advisor system, and, like De Palm, he had an issue with the cost, describing it as “Way too expensive.” see CAMPUS HOUSING on pg. 4
SSU Interim President Mike Lee hosts first budget meeting KAYLE NORRIS & MIKAYLA FRITZEMIER STAFF WRITER AND OPINION EDITOR
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n Nov 3. Sonoma State University Interim President Lee hosted his first budget meeting after last semester’s scandal where a leaked budget document outlined dramatic cuts to SSU’s programs and schools. On Lee’s team were Associate Vice President for University Budget Lauren Lupei, Provost Karen Moranski and Vice President for Administration and Finance/CFO M. Monir Ahmed. President Lee felt it was important to share his thoughts about the university’s upcoming plans to SSU students. Lee opened up the discussion with a powerful statement of, “We are making a new, stronger, better Sonoma State.” As mentioned in previous STAR articles, the leaked budget proposal from last semester, titled “ Final Report,” outlined changes such as the merging of the School of Arts and Humanities with the School of Social Sciences as well as the discontinuance of many programs including German cultural studies, History MA, Nursing BS, Nursing FNP and the Hutchins program. It is unclear from this most recent budget meeting whether SSU plans on cutting programs or merging schools as mentioned in the leaked document. Their current plans rely solely on increasing enrollment and subsequently increasing revenue to the university. Lee explained how a big part of SSU revenue is connected to our enrollment. Even though Lee doesn’t like to equate students with a number, the system sets a target for how many students we need to reach and in the last 3 to 4 years that target has not been reached. SSU started to see a decline in enrollment in 2017-2018, though the first real large decline happened in 2019-2020. SSU has lost about 2,700 students and that results in the lost tuition revenue of about $15 million. As the new year approaches, SSU will see another decline in enrollment because the graduation rate is bigger than our student enrollment. During the meeting, Lupei explained that SSU has higher expenses than previous years, with price increases in insurance, rent, and energy costs, resulting in a $13.9 million deficit for this year. For this year’s deficit plan, SSU will be using the remainder of the higher education emergency relief or pandemic stimulus fund. Provost Karan Moranski spoke at the meeting about recruitment, and how SSU plans to increase enrollment. This includes deploying recruitment scholarships, which have had a big impact on the school. Moranski explained that without these scholarships for incoming students, especially transfer students, the university would be in much worse shape. University Registrar Sean Johnson is in the process of contacting over 1600 students that have dropped out over the last several years, and offering a smooth see BUDGET on pg. 4
COURTESY// canva.com Many Rohnert Park residents took to social media to discuss the apparent decrease in trick-or-treaters this year from other years.
Parent concerns lead to shortage of trick-or-treaters TYLER MELOAN STAFF WRITER
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f you have extra candy left over post-Halloween, you’re not alone. As fears over COVID-19 subsided ahead of Halloween, new concerns over high inflation-driven candy prices and rainbow-colored fentanyl quickly replaced them, leading many Americans to adopt alternative takes on trick-or-treating, or to opt-out of the holiday entirely. According to 23ABC Bakersfield, more than half of adult respondents in a recent survey said they wouldn’t be handing out candy this year, and one in four blamed inflation, which reached a 40-year high this year. It’s possible, some people simply didn’t have room in their budgets to participate, with candy prices up 13% over last year, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sonoma State students and other Rohnert Park residents seemed to also experience this phenomenon. Shannon Doyle, a second-year biolsee TRICK OR TREATERS on pg. 4
2 Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board
NOV. 8 - NOV. 15, 2022
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Times are changing...
Nicholas Roth, Editor-in-Chief Willow Ornellas, News Editor Mikayla Fritzemeier, Opinion Editor Cléa Upcher, Arts & Entertainment and Photo Editor Rosalee Padilla, Student Life Editor Javier Hernandez, Sports & Health Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Nicole Awwad, Charles Barrett, Devon Bly, Noah Clarke, Adriana Gonzalez, Tyler Meloan, Jhery Mae Monteza, Paul Munoz, Kayle Norris, Marie’sa Rumsey, Daniel Serrano, Chasity Spady, Calvin Zeljak Photographers Cec Fernandez, Zachary Gonzales, Mariah Forster
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his past weekend most states in the United States moved back their clocks one hour T when the time hit 2 a.m. to “fall back” and con-
clude the end of “daylight savings” for the year. With the exception of Arizona and Hawaii, the U.S. is back in standard time for the next four months until we “spring forward” in March. This is a yearly tradition that was first observed in the U.S. over 100 years ago in 1918. Recently, the topic of whether or not we should continue with this tradition has become a debate, with the Senate passing the Sunshine Protection Act in March of 2022. This new act would get rid of the yearly time changes and Americans would no longer have to move back their clocks. The United States would permanently stay in daylight savings time. Although as of today this act still needs to be approved by the House as well as President Biden to become a law. There is still an interesting discussion to be had on whether this is a good idea or not. The STAR asked students about how they
Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu
Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. 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. 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. Correction In last weeks issue on page one mistitled Dr. Ronald Lopez in a story, he was not the dean of the CALS Department.
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STAR // Javier Hernandez
felt about the debate, “I support the Sunshine Protection Act because it would make things consistent. We would no longer have to worry about changing the clocks. I really hope the President and the House pass the bill soon so it becomes a law,” said fourth-year John Bayer. An argument that is made by those opposing the bill is that the sun wouldn’t come out until very late in the morning. The main worry of this is that it could lead to more accidents in the morning when people are commuting to work in the dark. People who work outside could also be impacted by the dark mornings as they wouldn’t be able to start until the sun comes out. Fourth-year student Jaden Reiter said, “I personally am against the Sunshine Protection Act because of dark mornings. There will be so many people impacted including students, commuters and people who work outside that need sunlight to be able to do their jobs. I also can’t forget to mention the impact this could have on mental health with seasonal depression because of the longer, dark, cold winters.”
Letters to the Editor
e, the students of the Chicano and Latino Studies Department (CALS), are writing to address the importance of student advocacy, faculty support and to clarify any misinformation regarding the ongoing changes in the Department. This past week, we collaborated in drafting a Call to Action (CTA) Letter, addressing our concerns regarding the quality of education provided by the former Chair Professor Dr. Ronald Lopez of the CALS department. The dignity and respect of our community members is of utmost importance. Our intentions in addressing departmental areas of growth, demonstrate our commitment and care to the CALS department discipline, students and faculty. Being a traditionally marginalized field of study, we have to consciously and critically understand the possible negative repercussions upon our department. The SSU STAR must respect our efforts in maintaining discretion regarding internal affairs between the department. The publishing of this article has jeopardized our accountability efforts by publicly misrepresenting our intentions and perpetuating a harmful image of the department without recognizing their endless efforts of support. It is important to acknowledge that
the efforts and actions of one individual person are not representative of the entire department and discipline. Since addressing our concerns, the CALS department has continuously demonstrated their commitment in supporting and amplifying student voices. The Ethinic Studies Discipline and Curricula already lacks priority throughout the American Education System and Academic Institutions, a field of study primarily upheld by student activists. In our efforts of institutional and departmental accountability we understand the severity of addressing growth and development within our department in correlation to the possibility of more “budget cuts.’’ In our commitment in advocating for an equitable education at Sonoma State University, we must acknowledge and value the existing limitations of our marginalized field of study, like perhaps the CALS department barely affording printing paper. To the former students of the Chicano Latino Studies department who have actively advocated for department accountability, thank you for your advocacy and support, we could not have carried forward with this action without you. In Lak’ech, Students of the Chicano Latino Studies Department
Letters to the Editor: Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be considered for publication based on relevance, accuracy and timeliness. Submit letters of up to 300 words no later than the Friday before the publication date. Send letters to star@sonoma.edu, include your full name, year in school and city of residence.
Opinion 3
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Teen actor accused of queerbaiting; forced to come out
DEVON BLY
STAFF WRITER
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fter months of pressure from online communities and the media alike, the star of the television show “Heartstopper,” 18-yearold Kit Connor, came out as bisexual on Monday. In a tweet, Connor wrote, “Back for a minute. I’m bi. congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.” The television show “Heartstopper,” is a Netflix teen rom-com revolving around Nick Nelson, played by Connor, a high school rugby player who falls in love with his classmate Charlie Spring. Over the course of the eight-ep-
isode series, Connor’s character questions his own sexuality amidst his growing feelings for his previously mentioned classmate. However when Connor was spotted in public holding hands with his female co-star Maia Reficco, he was quickly attacked by fans, with many accusing him of “queerbaiting.” Queerbaiting, originally used by politicians to attack opponents, has been reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community and popularized by tumblr users in the 2010’s is, “A term used to describe the perceived attempt by advertisers or canon creators to draw in a queer audience and/or slash fans by implying or hinting at a gay relationship that will never actually be depicted. Queerbaiting is most often — but not always — applied to television and film.” At its core, the term queerbaiting was a well-intentioned term meant to protect the LGBTQ+ community from being fetishized and exploited by the film industry for profit. You can see elicit examples of this in television shows like “Sherlock,” where Holmes and Watson share many scenes during which there is romantic tension, and a relationship
between them is hinted at, but never truly explored. Something that attempts to keep LGBTQ+ viewers guessing, in order to keep them interested in the show. However, recently queerbaiting has morphed into something else entirely, with fanbases harassing celebrities for hinting at their sexuality or even simply doing something that is viewed as flamboyant. Recently countless celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Timothee Chalamet, and now Kit Connor have been wrongfully accused of queerbaiting, and pressured into revealing their sexuality. Simply put, a person’s sexuality is no one’s business but they’re own, and the way fans are treating these celebrities is a direct form of bullying and harassment. Someone’s sexuality is a very personal thing, and they should not be attacked to an extent where they feel forced to come out to the public. Ryan Harris, a fourth year sociology major said in response to Connor being forced to come out, “The job of an actor is to mold into any character, I think that was simply wrong.”
As a society, should we really be policing peoples’ sexual orientations? Why must we force people to out themselves in order for their sexuality to be socially acceptable? Meghan Lettow, a fourth year business major said, “It’s honestly really sad that he felt forced into coming out. No one should have to feel that way, figuring your sexuality out is a deeply personal process and honestly be difficult to come to terms with. I totally understand the need for LGBTQ+ actors playing those characters, but there needs to be some sort of understanding that just because an actor plays a queer character, that doesn’t mean you can go ahead and pester them about their sexuality.” In the case of Connor, he’s an 18-year-old actor, and he was forced to admit that he was bisexual because he played a character that shared that sexual orientation. One’s sexual orientation oftentimes develops over time, it’s part of discovering who you are as you grow up. We must allow people to explore their sexuality at their own pace, instead of forcing them to publicly choose a label.
Gun violence continues to harm rap/hip-hop community
JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER
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un violence in the music industry, specifically the rap and hip-hop community is something that is normalized, and artists constantly have to worry about their safety. In a blink of an eye their life can be taken away from them. Many are dying at such a young age, and two rappers have been shot the past two months. This has been an ongoing problem in the United States, and so many rappers have lost their lives at such a young age. They should be able to go out into the world
without thinking they’re going to die at any moment. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 393 million guns and according to Pew Research Center, as of 2020, 45,222 people have died from gun-related injuries in the US. Each day about 53 people are killed by a firearm in the US. Brittney Glor, junior majoring in biochemistry stated, “After seeing so many lives of popular rap artists be lost to gun violence it is clear that there needs to be change in this country.” Glor described that many rap artists have lost lives due to gun violence demonstrating there needs to be change by having stricter regulations about who can own firearms. “Seeing that both of these rappers were also African American is so heartbreaking and shows that there is so much hate in this country and that we are so so far behind from where we need to be,” Glor stated. Takeoff, a rapper part of the trio known as Migos, was shot in Houston at 810 Billiards and Bowling alley where a private party was being held. An argu-
ment escalated and the next sound people heard were gunshots fired from at least two weapons. The Harris County medical examiner determined that Takeoff died from, “penetrating gunshot wounds of head and torso into arm.” There were about 40 people at the scene but many left, possibly out of panic, and no one wanted to stick around to give a statement. Takeoff was a well-respected man in Houston so there was no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time. Makeda Racines, a sophomore majoring in computer science stated, “I think that gun violence in the rap/hip-hop community is very normalized when it really shouldn’t be. It makes me sad to think about how these talented artists got their lives and careers cut short for no reason.” Rapper PNB Rock was shot on Sept. 12, at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles while having lunch with his girlfriend. The Los Angeles Police Department thinks that the shooter arrived shortly after PNB Rock’s girl-
friend posted their meal, along with the location of where they were at, while they were wearing expensive jewelry and other valuables. The shooter fled the scene after taking PNB’s jewelry off leaving him on the floor drenched in his own blood. How many lives have to be taken until action is done? Most people who possess guns want it for protection but it does more harm than good. Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the US and there are many mass shootings that occur whether it be at restaurants, bars, schools or movie theaters. It is difficult for people to feel comfortable anywhere they go because it’s not safe anywhere. At times, the rap/hip-hop community gets a bad reputation and artists around the country need to be cautious and increase security presence. There are many talented individuals in the industry that people love and respect, impacting lives everyday. Society tends to forget that celebrities are normal human beings too with lives and family to come home to.
But this procedure is not affordable for everyone. Anyone familiar with a bottom surgery, particularly Jenner, should be aware that the transition period does not occur overnight. There are several requirements you must meet before undertaking the procedure. Jenner should be aware of this because she is a transgender woman herself. Mulvaney, like Jenner, is a member of the transgender community. Mulvaney is a well-known Tiktok creator and activist who documents their transgender journey. The Insider explained that Jenner tweeted out to Mulvaney between October 26 and October 27, including one in which Jenner incorrectly identified the TikToker by referring to Mulvaney using he/him pronouns. Jenner then went on to accuse Mulvaney of being a weirdo for exposing her bulge, when Mulvaney has just recently begun her transition. Mulvaney’s TikTok audience is best familiar with her “Days of Girlhood” series, which she started to chronicle her experiences as a transgender woman. Day 233 marks Mulvaney’s discussion of
Jenner’s Twitter posts. Mulvaney’s reply was extremely calm and composed. Mulvaney responds to Jenner’s unpleasant comments on her TikTok by saying that although they both, “have very different perspectives on most things,” she would have been willing to sit down with Jenner to find common ground. This is why she is looked at as an idol by the LGTBQ+ community, particularly the transgender community, and is familiar with the TikTok star. Riley Bornstein, a fourth year student at SSU sees Mulvaney as a part of the community and is not so much a fan of Jenner. Bornstein explains their frustration towards Jenner that she is “extremely out of touch with the ordinary middle-class individual and the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole.” Bornstein continued, “being trans might appear a million different ways and that is only the business of the person themselves.” Mulvaney had no ill intention when creating the video on which Jenner commented.. Mulvaney stated in her response video that she was embarrassed and only
“wanted to reclaim my body in a positive way.” Mulvany explained, “Now you’ve taken that and turned it into something really ugly.” Nadia Hernandez, a third year SSU student, expressed her thoughts on Jenner. “She [Jenner] is publicly saying that we must not allow people to think it’s okay to be trans and not get gender reassignment surgeries.” Hernandez then explains how this can be very harmful to the LGTBQ+ community especially the transgender community because “they are constantly being policed on their existence and this continues to morph the societal lens which further stigmatizes transness.” Mulvaney is breaking barriers for her transgender peers. Mulvaney is still quite new to her journey since she is only on day 233. Thanks to her nine million Tiktok fans, Mulvaney just had a meeting with President Joe Biden to talk about her transition and transgender difficulties in the U.S. Mulvaney will continue making positive content, documenting her days of girlhood.
Openly transgender TikTok user bullied by Caitlyn Jenner
ADRIANA GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER
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n October 26, Caitlyn Jenner publicly humiliated Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender Tiktok user that gained popularity by sharing her transition process. Jenner called Mulvaney out in a video for not properly covering up their bulge. According to a Forbes article, the average cost of transgender surgery at The Philadelphia Center for transgender surgery is between $25,600 and $24,900. In terms of money, Jenner may have the ability to get this procedure, or any procedure for that matter.
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Inflation could be resulting in less trick-or-treaters continued from pg. 1
STAR// Cec Fernandez The cost of living on campus appears to be the biggest deterent for students. For a given academic year, the cheapest on campus living option is $10,178 which requires students share a room.
The struggle to fill oncampus housing continues continued from pg. 1
The least expensive option for living on campus still comes in at $10,178 for the academic year. For someone who doesn’t want to share a room, the least costly option would be a Sauvignon Single averaging $12,731 for the academic year. Currently, individual rooms in Rohnert Park are rented for an average of $900-$1200 a month, which would even out to about $9,000-$12,000 per academic year. Logan Knowlton, a senior majoring in psychology, has opted to live off campus every year because he didn’t see the value in the dorms. “It sucks not having as much of a social circle, living off campus, but at least I’m able to do whatever I want without worrying about an RA getting mad at me,” Knowlton said. “The question of living on or off campus is an easy one to answer. I have a yard, a garden, a dog, a kitchen, and more for cheaper rent than I’d be paying in the dorms.” Sean Boren, a senior communications major, still lives on campus for a variety of reasons, on being they like living around other students. “I think the dorms are a solid alternative to living off campus as they offer apartment-style living with the benefit of living amongst other students,” Boren said. Boren also saw more reason to stay, believing that the amenities such as heated floors and private bathrooms are significant upsides to the dorms. “There’s not much to dislike besides general maintenance things going out such as wall outlets, lamps, certain lights, etc., which is still just a quick fix once a maintenance order is put in,” Boren said.
STAR// Kayle Norris SSU is focusing on increasing enrollment as a way to prevent falling into another year of budget deficit.
SSU shares updated budget strategies in recent meeting continued from pg. 1
pathway to come back to SSU, hoping to increase enrollment. A student attending the meeting shared that they were from the central valley, and that there was no outreach by SSU. The student then asked what the university’s outreach program looks like since the Central Valley is a hub for cultural diversity. Moranski explained that the university has recruiters in the central valley, and that this semester, we had outreach in Colorado, Hawaii and Washington. SSU is looking to continue recruiting in additional states that have schools that are a part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange program (WUE). The WUE provides tuition savings for students. According to Moranski, there has been an 18% increase in out of state students attending SSU, specifically an increase in enrollment from states in the west. Time will tell whether these outreach strategies prove to be effective at increasing enrollment.
-ogy major, said, “I’m in a lot of Facebook groups for my local towns, including some back home. There were tons of people sharing how disappointed they were that they got very few or even no trick-or-treaters.” Jorge Romero, a third-year electrical engineering major, explained that Halloween landing on a Monday this year was another likely cause of the low turnout. Romero also pointed out the recent sightings of prowlers, clowns and mountain lions in the area could have impacted the trick-or-treating numbers too. One resident of Rohnert Park’s D-Section took to Nextdoor, posting, “Where are all the trick-or-treaters?” In anticipation of a possible lack of participants in this year’s trick-or-treat, some Nextdoor users created an online map ahead of time. The map allowed other locals to list their homes as viable trick-or-treat destinations, so parents could take their kids to neighborhoods with houses that had guaranteed sweets. Recent months have also seen widespread media coverage of the fentanyl scare, which took the place of razor blades and needles as this year’s main parental fear about tampered-with Halloween candy. According to NPR, the opioid has garnered massive attention since the Drug Enforcement Administration released a statement in August warning the public about brightly-colored fentanyl pills that resemble candy, now called, “rainbow fentanyl.” The SF Chronicle reported that data released by the federal government this year estimated that 108,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2021. And while the DEA warned that the colorful pills were intentionally created by drug cartels to appeal to children, many experts disagree. In an article for KTVU FOX2 News, Daniel Ciccarone, a professor of addiction medicine and substance abuse expert at the University of California San Francisco, said, “There’s no one who is trying to addict our children accidentally or on purpose. The reality is that we have a lot of American adults who use fentanyl, some of whom are dying. But Halloween is going to be as safe as it’s ever been.” Candace Karren, a third-year criminology and criminal justice major agreed. “I have heard about the fentanyl scare, but I also heard there wasn’t much data to back it up,” she said. “We have had conversations about checking candy for years without much outcome.” Despite this, Carlos Calito, a third-year communications and media studies major, said, “This year, the local school districts sent out a PSA about fentanyl warnings, so I know a lot of people were cautious about trick-or-treating. In my area there was zero activity.” In the NPR article, Dr. Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist, emergency physician and addiction medicine specialist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center added that, “[Fentanyl] also seems to have become heavily politicized because this is a very tense election year with very intense partisan politics.” Elliot McKrell, a third-year economics major, also sees the fentanyl coverage as a political move. “I think this Halloween candy craze is just fear mongering so people will want heavier security and have higher disdain towards border conditions,” he said. “It honestly could even be what Trump runs on in 2024 and the seeds are just being planted now.” Still, the narrative about fentanyl winding up in children’s candy this year was convincing enough to cause many parents to seek out what they viewed as safer alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating, most notably that of “trunk-or-treating.” This new variation involves decorating one’s car rather than one’s house, putting candy in the trunk, and getting together with only trusted friends and family in a safe location, taking kids from car to car to collect their sweets. Doyle voiced her support for the idea. “I think trunk-or-treating is a great alternative for those who are worried about all the dangers of today’s world,” she said. “It may be easier to stick on the safe side of keeping celebrations to just friends and neighbors.” Emma Parks, a third-year Hutchins liberal studies major, added, “It stills gives children the opportunity to get out of the house and socialize, as well as the independence from parents, as they normally watch from afar.” Regardless of whether this year will prove to have been an anomaly in terms of the impact of inflation on candy sales and participation, it’s clear that fears over the dangers of traditional trickor-treating, whether substantiated or not, will remain a staple of the American Halloween experience.
COURTESY // canva.com A variety of factors appear to have influenced the proportion of trick-ortreaters this year. Locals are hopeful for more participation next Halloween.
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Arts & Entertainment 5
University Art Gallery presents digital art exhibitions ‘OK’ and ‘Superbia’ by emerging women artists MARIE’SA RUMSEY STAFF WRITER
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n a new exhibit at the University Art Gallery, art is presented in an advanced form by utilizing digital and electronic media. The opening reception consisted of two solo works: OK by Allison Berkoy and Superbia by Jessye McDowell. New meanings between art and technology were explored in unimaginable ways at the University Art Gallery. The complex yet intriguing pieces are available for all to see, starting with the opening reception, which took place on Nov. 3. As visitors walked into the gallery their attention was immediately captured by a display which provided information regarding who the artists are and a detailed description of the concept of their artwork collection. Numerous attendees took time to read it and get some background on what they would be seeing in the gallery. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks were offered near the entrance as well. Throughout the reception, visitors gazed curiously at each piece of artwork before moving to the next. Some works from both collections were separated as certain digital pieces required limited light to be viewed. For some, this is what fascinated them most about the exhibition. Emily Dougherty, a senior, expressed her eagerness to attend,“I saw it while it was still in the process of installation so that made me interested in it. I thought it was really interesting, especially the CGI (Computer Generated Imagery).” Alma Gonzalez, a senior, expressed her interest in digital art which made her want to attend the exhibition, “As an art major it is nice to see different mediums. I have started doing more digital work but nothing like this. It makes one think to start exploring more as an artist.” She also pointed out how this style of art is a new era,“I don’t think it is talked about as much, especially in a gallery setting. Since covid, digital art has been more frequent. It is nice to see it in a gallery which is more intense.” The collections were intended to make the viewer question what is being presented to them. Cece Johns, an art studio major, had never seen CGI before coming to the exhibit. This made Johns reflect on what she learned, “I’d say some [takeaways] are to keep an open mind and evolve as an artist.” Johns further explained what art means to her, “Art is a way to express yourself and is a creative outlet. It is a good way for me to work through and focus back on reality a little more.” Interim President Mike Lee made an appearance at the gallery opening, and provided his thoughts on the importance of exposure to art and creative
expression, “I think as a university we want to encourage creative work. When we have this on campus for students to be exposed to, it expands your horizon in terms of not being fixated with a limited way of thinking about art.” Lee went into detail about how the true beauty of art is how we are able to see different forms and ways of art. He stated, “That is what enriches our life.” For more information, please visit the University Art Gallery homepage located on the SSU site. The digital art exhibit is available for all until its last day on Dec. 11.
STAR// Zachary Gonzales SSU student Phoenix Koff appreciates a digital art piece created by Jessye McDowell during the exhibition’s opening reception on Thursday at the University Art Gallery.
Green Music Center celebrates 10 years PAUL MUNOZ
STAFF WRITER
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or the past year, Sonoma State has held various musical events with artists from diverse genres and performing styles. This year, just about every musical event at the Green Music Center (GMC) is showing support for the venue, which has become a landmark of Sonoma County and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this season. Sonoma State’s Green Music Center serves both the public and the university, and is committed to educational access and prowess. The Green Music Center is known locally as one of the places to be to witness creativity and enjoy musical performances through yearly scheduled artists and guests who represent various unique genres. According to the board members and staff of the Green Music Center’s message on the GMC website, “The mission of the Green Music Center is to present the most compelling artists of our time, to investigate ideas, and to provide access to diverse artistic experiences that educate, connect, and inspire
Courtesy // gmc.sonoma.edu The Green Music Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary season this year. The GMC first opened in September 2012.
Sonoma State University and neighboring North Bay communities.” The GMC was constructed to bring everyone within Sonoma County together to “...explore and enjoy the things that move and inspire us.” The GMC has become a place recognized by larger audiences around the county for the world-renowned artists that have performed within the halls of the GMC, such as California’s very own rock band The Beach Boys. Seawolves seem to be enjoying the events of the 10-year anniversary season of the GMC, which first opened in September 2012. Students of Sonoma State are not only some of the first informed about upcoming events, but theyalso receive reduced admission to all events, giving all students a chance to enjoy what the GMC has to offer. Seawolf Jason Altamirano shares his thoughts on the GMC and his interactions with it during his last year at Sonoma State, “Since my freshman year at SSU, the GMC has been one of my favorite spots on campus. I have always had an interest in the performing arts but since I never actually took part in it myself seeing different bands performing at the GMC made me realize my passion for music.” Even students who have not spent much time at the GMC feel as if it plays a significant role in the Sonoma State community. Alexis Gonzalez, member of KSUN Radio, said even though he has only been to the GMC for a few musical events and graduation ceremonies he feels that without the GMC there wouldn’t be as much of an appreciation for music and arts in Sonoma County as there is today, “Ten years of an important foundation such as the GMC shows how far music has come in Sonoma.” Along with the recognization for the 10-year anniversary of the GMC, a schedule with various performers and musical artists during this anniversary season is set through the rest of the year and will continue through the 2023 new year. The musical lineup with not only consist of existing bands and artists but introduce debuts of upcoming stars such as Las Cafeteras Present Hasta La Muerte A Day of the Dead Celebration, Laurie Lewis and Men of Note, Nobuntu, and various other artists performing throughout the month of November.
6 Student Life DANNY SERRANO STAFF WRITER
NOV. 8 - NOV. 15, 2022
sonomastatestar.com
Black and Brown in Blue: Kevin Kilgore
D
uring the tenth session of Conversations with Black and Brown in Blue, Chief of Police Nader Oweis sat down with newly elected Deputy Chief of the City of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety, Kevin Kilgore. Kilgore gave amazing insight into the variety of departments he has worked for and his upbringing. He also touched on his plans moving forward on how the department is going to try and recruit more LGBTQ+ and what that looks like specifically. Kilgore began his policing career in 1997 in a suburb of Cincinnati as a Deputy Sheriff. It was there where he found his future husband. Years later in 2006, they made the move out to Los Angeles, CA., working at the University of California Los Angeles. Kilgore mentioned he made this decision because when he mailed in his resume, the background investigator called him and asked, “I don’t know what I’ve got to do, but what do I need to do to get you here?” The welcomingness was very appreciated by Kilgore. It was at that point Kilgore knew where he was going to move. Kilgore also talked about the transition from working in a town to a university. He found it very similar. In an interview with the STAR, Kilgore expanded on this experience,“What I found very quickly was that the university environment was its own city within itself. No matter how large or small the university is.” Kilgore is a big advocate for hiring officers from all types of backgrounds. He mentioned that having people with all different types of experiences will help make the department as diverse as it can be. He also went on to talk about having a good relationship with citizens. “Customer service is one of the things we struggle with. Building that relationship with community members… education and enforcement is truly something that we need to move towards,” said Kilgore. Senior and Business Marketing major, Ashay Chutke, has attended multiple sessions of Black and Brown in Blue. However, this one was his favorite. Chutke said that
it was very interesting to see through the lens of a LGBTQ+ officer. A perspective he had not ever heard of before. “All police officers are extremely brave. But, in my opinion, officer Kilgore is a lot more brave. Hearing his backstory and everything was very inspiring,” said Chutke. He went on to talk about how tough it must have been growing up in a conservative area. Chutke also mentioned, “... it’s nice to know that we are protected by a department that is inclusive when it comes to hiring. That shows me they are prioritizing a diverse department and gathering people from different backgrounds. I think that’s important so officers can see situations from alternative perspectives.” Kilgore is on the forefront of creating the most diverse department he possibly can, in hopes to create the safest environment for the community. Kilgore gave very insightful plans for the future of policing in Rohnert Park. He said he will focus heavily on recruitment and educating the officers about positive engagement with community members. Kilgore has great ideas and plans to guarantee a blissful future.
COURTESY // @sonomastatepolice on instagram Students and police officers join together for a photo.
SSU students empowered in self-defense class
CHASITY SPADY STAFF WRITER
STAR // Mariah Forster Student Involvement members instruct Seawolves to get into a defense stance.
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he end of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) inspired Student Involvement to host an empowering self defense class on Nov.3. This class offered students the opportunity to learn more tactics on how to defend themselves. The instructors brought forward many different tactics to the class that involved situational skills that could potentially help prevent future dangerous circumstances. One of the lessons introduced was ‘the five principles of self-defense’. The first principle is to ‘yell’, meaning to use your voice to speak up for yourself and others. It is important to express your boundaries clearly. The second principle was ‘think,’ meaning to use your head and listen to your intuition. The third principle was ‘run’ and this is when a person decides they need to leave an uncomfortable situation. The fourth was ‘fight’, where you use the hard parts of your body against vulnerable targets. Lastly was ‘tell’ and that meant to heal and share your story in a safe space with someone you trust to support you. During the event Madgelena Diaz, who led the class, was very strict on the fact
NICOLE AWAAD STAFF WRITER
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that people are by all means entitled to defend themselves, but the idea ahead of time is to always try to diffuse the situation so it does not lead to the worst. Diaz has traveled all around to teach the art of self-defense because she believes that it is an important skill to develop that a lot of people may need at some point in their life. In an interview with the STAR Diaz described why she enjoys teaching these classes,“Being able to travel and share this knowledge has been really rewarding. Being able to have these conversations in different communities and also making it accessible to different communities is the real goal for us.” In the class, the instructors introduced different stances that should occur before self-defense mode. The first one was the comfort stance; a stance that is normal for a person and when they feel comfortable. The second stance was the awareness stance which they taught involves having good tall posture with both your hands held, fingers not intertwined, and resting around the belly. In the awareness stance, the instructors focused on maintaining balance while keeping an eye on the surrounding area and on people. The idea of these stances are to abate further violence and to create a safe space. During the class, Diaz discussed the usefulness of these stances. “These techniques are not just for violent situations, but in just setting boundaries in general. When you are trying to understand what they are telling you, and what’s happening. It’s when you’re not trying to escalate or be confrontational. Also with the awareness stance, it is the grounding of being close to the belly because that’s where your intuition stems which adds to the grounding and aware mentality.” Diaz travels and spreads knowledge of empowering self-defense because she knows that it is a skill that’s very valuable to all communities. She wants to spread awareness to more people who need these tools. Diaz ended the class by saying, “I want people to really feel empowered, to know that they have a right to defend themselves and to also remind them they do have these tools.”
Get hired with ‘Real Time Recruiting’
SU hosted a ‘Real Time Recruiting’ event on campus to give students the opportunity to find employment. Seawolves met with a variety of companies that offer part time and full time jobs as well as internships. This intimate setting allowed for relationships to grow and connections to flourish. This event took place in Seawolf Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. last Wednesday. Peter Figoni from a private security group explained a little about his company. “I work with Barber Security Group, a private security group, centralized in Nevada, serving the community all the way from Sonoma down to San Mateo area.” Figoni went on to explain what kind of employees they are trying to hire. “We’re looking for quality guards, good students and people looking to learn. We are hiring every day of the week and we’re excited to bring a new generation of people interested in guard work or really just interested in giving back to the community.” The variety of jobs that are hiring are endless and there is something for everyone. The event was very intimate as the coordinators would personally give you a one on one rundown of what their company offers and the requirements needed. Many students popped in and out of this event because it offered them an opportunity to get their foot in the door. Sonoma State student Payton Stanberry who is a senior and business major said, “this event really stood out to me because with graduation being right around the corner,
it’s important I start looking for jobs. One company that interested me was Artizen Staffing which is a women owned company. They have been around for 20 plus years and work throughout the United States, but look more within Northern California. I think this could be a good starting point for me to gain experience working at an intimate company and further build connections with the staff. This could eventually lead me to other job opportunities if I wanted in the future.” Another student spotted at a booth, Juliet Malconian who is a senior and Business major as well, said, “I walked around the booths for a few minutes kind of confused on who to approach but after getting a feel for them, I decided to talk to a company called Brown in Writing, which is a commercial wholesale insurance brokerage firm.” Malconian went on to describe why she was interested in that particular company. “ It is essentially a more intimate insurance company for businesses. I think this could be helpful as a business major to get a feel of the commercial world and see what it may offer me. Events like this are really helpful because they are almost doing the work for me and showing up and giving me options of jobs that are actively hiring.” Students are up and active looking for jobs as graduation approaches. This won’t be the only opportunity for job fairs on campus. Stay tuned on Seawolf Living to hear about upcoming job fairs this semester and next. Even if you may not expect it, this may be the opportunity of a lifetime to find your dream job and future career.
Sports 7
NOV. 8 - NOV. 15, 2022
sonomastatestar.com
Athletes Spotlight of the Week:
Kiana Richardson & Kaden Young
COURTESY // Justin Ferrari From left to right: Outside hitters Kiana Richardson and Kaden Young were named CCAA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week after taking down two nationally-ranked opponents. CALVIN ZELJAK STAFF WRITER
espite some hiccups along the way, it has been a solid season for the Sonoma State women’s volleyball team, who are hitting their stride and getting the D recognition they deserve at just the right time. Not only did the team go 2-0, with
wins over nationally ranked teams Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino during the week of Oct. 24-30, but freshman Kaden Young and senior Kiana Richardson were named CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) Player of the Week, for defense and offense, respectively. The freshman, Young, has had an immediate positive impact for the Seawolves on the defensive side, with her elite instincts and athleticism. She had at least 15 digs in each of the two matches, and recorded 31 digs across eight sets overall, for an average of 3.9 digs per set. She also served up a pair of aces in the wins. Despite being just a Freshman, Young ranks sixth in the CCAA with a total of 290 digs, averaging 3.77 per set. Her average is good for eighth best in the conference.
“The season has gone really well. I’d say the team is meeting the goals we set out to accomplish at the beginning of the season, which was to make the CCAA tournament. Our expectation is to win the tournament but even if we don’t win, as long as we play as hard as we can that’s all that matters. We just want to play our hearts out for the seniors on the team,” said Young. Richardson has served as a leader for the team the entire year, and it looks like she still has her best volleyball in front of her. For the week she finished with 34 kills to just 14 errors over 82 total attempts, giving her a .244 attacking percentage on the week. She had 19 kills versus Cal Poly Pomona and 15 against San Bernardino, finishing with an average of 4.25 kills per set on the week. In addition to her work attacking, she also registered 10 blocks, four digs and three aces. Richardson sits in the top five in the CCAA with 3.61 points/ set and 250 total kills, while also sitting just outside the top five, at sixth in the conference, with an average of 3.01 kills/set. Of her play, Richardson said, “I’ve been playing this sport for a long time and I notice that I always perform much better when I don’t have many expectations for myself.” She continued that focusing on having fun brings out her best performances. Richardson talked about how “The season has been a pleasant surprise.” The Seawolves have gone 19-7 on the year, with a 12-6 record in conference play. A big part of their success can be attributed to the camaraderie within the locker room. “Our team is so friendly, nice and inviting,” she explained. “Our team had very high expectations coming into the season due to how well we did in preseason,” she added. “Sometimes that created a disadvantage for us when the season rolled around, but we pushed past the hard moments and are doing awesome.” SSU enters Thursday’s CCAA Tournament with the number five overall seed. The Seawolves will be hoping for a measure of revenge in their opening match, which will see them paired up with Cal State East Bay, who defeated the Seawolves on Nov. 3, 3-1. “Before the last time we played them we were tied with them for fourth place,” said Richardson. “I think that those losses will definitely fuel our team to push past our limits and hopefully result in a well deserved win for the postseason.” A win would set up a match on Friday against Cal State San Bernardino who is certainly the team everyone is chasing given they’ve won the last six CCAA tournaments and 17 of the last 22 conference titles. The Seawolves have already found success by playing with clear heads and will continue to carry this mentality into the postseason. Richardson emphasized this, saying “Anything past our regular season would be a success for us,” adding “We’ve been so successful and it’s really exciting.”
Seawolves come up short in CCAA final NOAH CLARKE
STAFF WRITER
nearly three month long season filled with hard work, sweat and tense emotion came down to final showdowns on home turf for the SeaA wolves. But despite the season-long effort, it was a matter of one goal that
made all the difference for the Sonoma State Women’s soccer team. This past weekend, the SSU Women’s soccer team suffered a tough loss to Cal State Los Angeles, 1-0 in the CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) tournament title game. Following their 2021 CCAA championship season, the Seawolves came out this year as an even more refined version of themselves and hungry for a title win. That was the goal, but the 32 person team fell just short of the championship they were reaching for. On Nov. 4, the Seawolves faced Chico State in the semi-finals, a team they lost to earlier this season 3-1. The 4th ranked Wildcats would prove to be a tough competitor, demanding a tenacious performance by the Seawolves to win in overtime 2-1. Midfielder Julia Pritchard commented on the battle they faced last Friday, “I’m proud that we kept fighting until the final whistle, even though they scored we kept going. Going into the game we knew it was going to be a battle, Chico always puts up a fight, so we had to be ready for that.” The Seawolves were out shot by the Wildcats 6-1 in the first half and a corner kick netted by the Wildcats was waved off by the officials for offsides. The Seawolves caught a tough break of their own, when Lexi Zandonella-Arasa scored on a breakaway chance as time ran down in the second half. Video review verified that the ball didn’t hit the net before time expired, so the game remained scoreless at the half. The Seawolves came out stronger in the second half, putting six shots on net and orchestrating stronger attacks. Additionally, the Seawolves drew 11 fouls in the second half, while only committing five. Despite the grueling match, the two teams were scoreless by the end of regulation. In overtime, Chico State broke the seal first on a penalty kick to take the lead. Despite the deficit, the Seawolves remained focused, poised for a comeback to keep their championship hopes alive. It took SSU little time to strike back, as Pritchard found the net on a miraculous shot in the 1st minute of second overtime. Pritchard spoke on her game tying goal, “We only had 10 minutes left so I knew I had to start hitting shots and the first one I did happened to go in. After that goal I felt another one coming, and sure enough we got another one to win it.” Pritchards game tying goal would breed an entirely new wave of confidence for the Seawolves heading into the last 9 minutes of overtime. The women’s team pressed forward until midfielder, Annette Sotelo drew a crucial call inside the penalty box. The penalty kick was taken by none other, Zandonella-Arasa. The team’s scoring leader would find the net on the shot and ultimately secure the team’s win, sending the Seawolves to the CCAA
STAR // Cec Fernandez Lexi Zandonella-Arasa dribbling the ball foward against Chico State. Zandonella-Arasa eventually scored the game-winning penalty kick to send the team to the final.
finals match. There was only one thing that stood between the women’s soccer team and a CCAA tournament title, and that was Los Angeles State. The skies cleared on Nov. 6 as the stage was set for the finals match. The two teams battled in the first half and the Seawolves appeared to produce more offensive chances as they out-shot the Golden Eagles 10-5 by halftime. Midfielder Julia Betti spoke on the team’s start, “I think our first half was one of our better halves in possession this season. In a championship game it’s hard to keep calm and I’m proud of the way we played the first half despite the final result.” It was scoreless as the second half began, but within a blink of an eye, LA State drew first blood. The Golden Eagles wasted no time as forward Melody Landphear found the net in the first minute of the half. With 44 minutes left in regulation, the Seawolves searched desperately for an equalizer. Between the 70th and 80th minute of the match, the team recorded 4 shots on target. The Seawolves mustard up everything they could to find a goal of their own, but come the 90 minute mark it just wasn’t enough. LA State stormed the field, celebrating victoriously winning their third tournament title in program history. Following the loss, Zandonella-Arasa shared her thoughts on the finals game, “I think a key takeaway from today’s game is that when we possess, we’re a really good team. The moment we start to play direct we kind of lose our ability to make something happen.”
8 Photo
NOV. 8 - NOV. 15, 2022
sonomastatestar.com
Women’s Soccer defeats Chico State in semis
STAR // Cec Fernandez Seawolf number seven, Lexi Zandonella-Arasa, blows past a Chico State defender during the SSU Women’s Soccer game on Friday. (see more on pg. 7)
STAR // Cec Fernandez Students cheer joyfully on the bleachers for the Women’s Soccer team during their game against Chico State on Friday. (see more on pg. 7)
STAR // Cec Fernandez Seawolf number ten, Krissy Keller, squares up to the defense and prepares to drive past. The team defeated Chico State 2-1 on Friday. (see more on pg. 7)
STAR // Zachary Gonzales Visitors to the University Art Gallery discuss digital art during the opening reception for two solo exhibitions: “Allison Berkoy: OK” and “Jessye McDowell: Superbia”.
STAR // Zachary Gonzales A woman observes McDowell’s digital art piece titled, “Future Sets (between small creatures lie vast distances)”, during the exhibition opening on Thursday.
STAR // Zachary Gonzales A large group of art enthusiasts gather in the University Art Gallery to view works from two emerging women artists, Allison Berkoy and Jessye McDowell. (see more on pg. 5)
Art Gallery holds opening reception for digital art
Student Involvement empowers Seawolves with self defense class
STAR // Mariah Forster Students listen carefully as instructor Madgelena Diaz explain the five principles of self defense. (see more on pg. 6)
STAR // Mariah Forster STAR // Mariah Forster Seawolves enter into their defense stances, as an instructor An instructor steps in to adjust a student’s defense stance during the course on Thursday Nov. 3. (see more on pg. 6) models the correct form. (see more on pg. 6)