Sonoma State Star Issue 4

SSU students worry about ‘going out’ after drugging experiences

JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER

Editor’s Note:Thenamesofallthevictimsinthisstorywillremainanonymoustoprotecttheir safetyandprivacy.Alloftheseoccurrenceshavebeenverifiedandoccurredondifferentnights withinthepastfewmonths.Forthefullversionofthisstorywithanadditionalstudentdrugging account,refertosonomastatestar.com.

One victim was going to some bars in Cotati with friends. They got one drink at Spancky’s before crossing the street to 8-Ball, where they ordered a second drink. They remember feeling a little sick after sipping their second drink. Their friends, it was shared later, had left them alone for less than five minutes, but didn’t see them talking to anyone. They can’t remem ber how they got home, but recalled throwing up all morning and night.

A second victim arrived at 8-Ball early, trying to beat the college rush on a Thursday night. A feeling of nervousness rushed through them because they hadn’t been out since the pandemic and heard claims that someone they knew had gotten their drink spiked or roofied with Rohypnol. They thought to themself, “I hope this doesn’t happen to me tonight,” reminding themselves to be careful. Throughout the night, they got only one drink from the bartender and were cautious not to leave it unattended or with a stranger. Immediately after drinking, they didn’t feel okay. They were barely able to stand up and said they were “all over the place.” Noticing their actions, a friend took them home to make sure they were safe. They recalled their experience as “freaky.”

“I don’t get intoxicated that quickly ever, and I haven’t been so messed up I couldn’t stand be fore. I felt pretty ill for a few days.”

The second victim never reported this experience because they made it home safely, and that’s what mattered. Now, they wished they did, but they assumed the case wouldn’t get anywhere, so they just moved on from it.

A third victim was alone at the 8-Ball in Cotati when they believe were drugged. All they remember see DRUGGINGS on pg. 4

from the night is having one Corona while another man bought them a shot of tequila. The night got blurry following that drink. The victim said, “Somehow, I ended up wandering the streets of Cotati all alone, and I had like six to seven ubers I had gotten, and three of the addresses were ones I had never ever seen, but somehow I made it home safe,” they told The Star. They want to remind people to always be careful, and get drinks only from the bartender.

Food trucks are pulling in to SSU this week

KAYLE NORRIS STAFF WRITER

New food trucks are coming to Sonoma State University’s campus. SSU Culinary Services will be having one food truck per day sched uled Monday-Thursday from 11a.m. to 2p.m. every week until mid-Nov. These food options are meant to be affordable and accommodating to all SSU students.

Students can expect many different varieties of food trucks coming this week located in Salazar Plaza.

With the different variety of cultures bringing their food to campus, SSU students can explore their food palette and try different foods.

Some vendors you can expect this week are Adobos-n-more, Reggae Rasta, Sushi Shoubu.

Clown seen prowling on ring cams

NOAH CLARKE STAFF WRITER

Halloween has come early to Rohnert Park and this year, it’s in the form of a clown. Monday, Sept. 19, an unknown person wearing a white, full-face mask went door to door in M-section of Rohnert Park and spied on homes.

Reports of this clown initially came from residents who lived in the affected neigh borhood of M-section. Two ring camera recordings of the clown approaching front doors were shared on Facebook pages by community members.

At 3:01 a.m., the first incident occurred at the Emerald Pointe Apartments on Camino Colegio. The masked man approached the house’s front door, stood there for a moment, and then proceeded to leave

The second incident occurred at 3:09 a.m in the 1300 block of Miramonte Place. The masked individual walked up to the front door of the residence, stood there for a brief moment while grasping the doorbell camera, and then walked away.

In both incidents, the individual never attempted to enter the homes, tamper with any thing from the porch or yard, and did not appear to be armed. Rohnert Park Public Safety stated that, although this behavior is concerning, it is not criminal.

Alexa Chanta, a fourth-year Sonoma State University student, lives in M-section and shared her feelings about the news, “That is pretty much stuff of my nightmares. I’m ter rified of clowns. I don’t understand why people find it amusing to do stuff like this but it

Adobos-n-more is the first and original Filipino fusion food in Sono ma County. Reggae Rasta is Jamaican inspired food with flavors and spices influenced by people who have inhabited the island. Sushi Shoubu is Japanese food made with integrity. Sushi Shoubu is committed to serv ing great quality food without the use of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) or artificial ingredients. Also, everything from Sushi Shobuis gluten free, non dairy and non-GMO (genetically modified).

So far, students who’ve heard about the news have been excited and appreciative.

Madison Hernandez, a senior Communications major was very excit ed to hear about the food trucks coming to campus and appreciates how SSU is bringing some fun, alternative food options for students to try.

Hernandez said, “When I saw Adobos-n-more, my mouth almost started watering. I remember they had a pop up at the caf’ the other week and my roommate and I ate until we were stuffed.”

Lilia Alcazar, a senior Sociology major, is a huge lover of food trucks and is excited to see what new foods the campus will be able to offer. Al cazar said, “I like that SSU is bringing food trucks to our campus because it brings the students together, and there’s nothing better than comfort food from a food truck!”

A senior Biology major, Kai LaBarbera, is also very happy about the food trucks coming to campus since the last two years she feels as there haven’t been many food options for students. LaBarbera said, “With Charlie Brown closed and W&B (not sure what they’ve been up to) it’s really great to know that there are options on campus for students who do not have the meal plan for the kitchens.” It brings joy to LaBarbera knowing the culture is coming back to campus.

Shaila Banger, a senior Sociology major, loves the diversity of food they -are bringing to students. Banger said, “I plan to bring my roommate

STAR // Cec Fernandez

Many SSU students report being drugged at local bars within Cotati and Petaluma.

COURTESY //Facebook, Blue Rose

Ring cam footage taken of the man in a clown mask in M-section at 3 a.m. on Sept. 19

THE STAR Board

Nicholas Roth, Editor-in-Chief

Willow Ornellas, News Editor

Mikayla Fritzemeier, Opinion Editor

Cléa Upcher, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Rosalee Padilla, Student Life Editor

Javier Hernandez, Sports & Health Editor

Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser

Work your wage

Nicole Awwad, Charles Barrett, Devon Bly, Noah Clarke, Mariah Forster, Zachary Gonzales, Tyler Meloan, Jhery Mae Mon teza, Yareli Moran-Arteaga, Paul Munoz, Kayle Norris, Marie’sa Rumsey, Daniel Serrano, Chasity Spady, Calvin Zeljak

P utting in too much effort at work?

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Telephone: 707-664-2776

Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com

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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.

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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.

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Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be considered for publication based on relevance, accuracy and timeliness. 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 re sponsibility of the editor to check statements pur porting the facts.

Try quiet quitting, a new idea spread ing around social media. The name is misleading, as it doesn’t actually mean quitting your job. The term means doing the bare minimum of what is expected of you at work and not putting extra effort into your job.

The term quiet quitting began to spread after TikTok user @zaidleppe lin posted a video explaining the term. “You’re not outright quitting your job but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond. You’re still performing your duties but you’re no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life.”

Many comments on the video point out that this is the way work should be. This idea is also known as working to rule, meaning employees do only what is stated in their contract or in written rules. The rebranding of the idea from work ing-to-rule to quiet quitting is strange. It seems to imply that setting boundaries with employers about your work duties is almost equivalent to quitting.

So, why is this an issue? Gen z is con stantly being criticized for a lack of work ethic. Older generations believe that young adults are lazy and unwilling to put in the work needed to succeed. The problem with this is that the older gener ations were able to live off of the mon ey they made. In today’s economy, many people are living paycheck to paycheck but are getting criticized for not being further ahead in life.

A Sonoma State University student that wanted to remain anonymous said, “I think older people have a harder time subscribing to the ‘work smarter not harder’ mindset because they were sold the American dream, hook-line-andsinker. Every GenX aged person I’ve talked to about the quiet quitting concept cannot let go of the idea that this is the employee being lazy.”

This criticism by older generations is unwarranted. People are working, they are just avoiding extra stresses that make it harder to manage a healthy work-life balance.

The anonymous SSU student added, “I think quiet quitting as a concept is good and having a work life balance en sures the employees have better mental health over all.”

Why is doing the above and beyond the expectation in the workplace? Qui et quitting is about employees pushing back at their employers who are expect ing them to complete extra work without compensating them fairly. The work is still being done, employees are just no longer putting in extra effort that just leads to burnout.

Many part time jobs from large cor po rations do not value the work or time put in by their employees. If a job is not going to value their employees, why would employees value the job? Most jobs do not pay a high enough wage for employees to live off of, and they should not be expected to put their job before their mental well being.

Editorial Policy:

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

Staff Writers

Photographers

Adriana Gonzalez, Cec Fernandez

COURTESY // @ssucareercenter on Instagram

California cannabis taxes harm students

market is still thriving as a result.

TYLER MELOAN STAFF WRITER

When Proposition 64 passed in 2016, legalizing the posses sion, cultivation and use of recre ational cannabis for Californians 21 and older, many celebrated what they thought would mean massive tax rev enue, decriminalization, easy access to safe, lab-tested cannabis products, and the beginning of the end for the illegal market, the law enforcement of which disproportionately targets Afri can-Americans and Latinos.

But six years later, despite certain gains, the uniquely high taxes that the proposition placed on legal canna bis dispensary purchases have made products prohibitively expensive for those most in need, and the illegal

According to the Calif. Department of Tax and Fee Administration, $100 of le gal cannabis purchased in the city of Los Angeles before tax becomes $115 after the 15% excise tax, $126.50 with a local canna bis business tax of 10%, and $138.52 after a 9.5% sales tax. A tax analysis of this data by Leafly determined that depending on where one lives in the state, total taxes vary from 23% to 38%.

To put this in perspective, an article for The Mercury News reveals that the heaviest of those taxes, the 15% state excise tax, is on average only 0.25% for wine, and 1.5% for beer.

Jonah Raskin, former chair of the com munications and media studies department at SSU, and author of the book “Marijuana land,” described the flaws of this current par adigm, and stated, “The tax on cannabis has perpetuated the black market. It has threat ened the health and well being of people who want and need cannabis to deal with medical issues.”

Proposition 64 stipulates that this rev enue be used to fund services intended to offset the supposed consequences of legal ization, including drug addiction treatment centers, youth groups, child care, police de

partments, and environmental cleanup. But while these are worthy services, most are unrelated to cannabis, and it’s unclear why revenue generated from cannabis alone has to contribute so much more to these services than tax revenue from other products.

Raskin believes this revenue could be better spent elsewhere. “The taxes on can nabis should go to programs that educate the public about all aspects of cannabis; history, medicine, myths, laws. I don’t think the gov ernment has ever had a program to educate the public about cannabis,” he stated.

The high tax rates are especially dis criminatory towards students 21 and older, who are already struggling financially. And while they can purchase and consume alco hol on the SSU campus, they’re prohibited from even possessing, much less consuming cannabis products for medical or recreation al purposes on school grounds, under the Federal Drug-Free Schools Act and Univer sity Policy. Now, even if they were allowed to safely consume the products they need and want at school, they’re too expensive for many.

Raskin experienced these dangerous policies first hand. “When I was teaching at SSU, students who had [medical] recom mendations for cannabis had to go off cam

pus to use it. That’s nuts,” he stated.

For Ana Fingerson, a fourth year com munications and media studies major, the inability to access and consume cannabis, due to these high taxes and illogical poli cies, could’ve been detrimental to her health.

“I’ve known a few people in the past, includ ing myself, that have used marijuana to treat anxiety. When I was coming off of antide pressants I felt like I was fighting for my life, and even the smallest amount of cannabis I used daily helped me get through work and school and just be a normal functioning hu man,” she stated.

Raskin acknowledged the double stan dard that exists on SSU’s campus, stating, “Everyone on campus knows that residence halls are named after grapes and wine. This ‘normalizes’ use of wine. The residence halls are not named ‘indica’ and ‘sativa,’ for example, because that would be viewed as encouraging ‘drug use.’

Although these issues are localized, they’re the product of the larger problem of misinformation and dogma surrounding cannabis. One can only vote, and hope that common sense tax rates and institutional policies will be implemented sooner rather than later.

Social media’s impact on crediblity in news

of internet media as a quality source of infor mation. Jayleen Arredondo, a junior at Sono ma State University had her own reasons for why she uses a specific media outlet.

“To get my news, I always lean towards Twitter,” Arredondo said. “Twitter has al ways been my favorite place to get the latest news because it’s easy to navigate, straight to the point, and you can see other people’s opinions/ thoughts on the situation,” she continued.

Twitter for news because I can read all the subtweets, which gives me more insight into the news. Credibility is something that ev eryone should be looking for when getting their news.”

The credibility aspect, however, can be lost in some ways. Hot topics and fake news are what drive people to social media the most, making it difficult for one to put their phone down. This can also be its downfall.

Kopel, writers for Foreign Policy magazine, “ The world’s new, digital, and highly com petitive media environment has created fun damental problems in the business models that journalism relies on. Print products are in terminal decline; television audiences are plummeting.”

The rise of social media and its ad dictive algorithms has pulled peo ple away from traditional news sourc es. Radio, TV and print news are still around but social media has allowed for the average person to become a journalist.

Social media has become a main source to find news but this can lead to the spread of misinformation, clickbait, and can lead to a lack of credibility.

Students regularly go to a variety

Twitter has a way for people to get the most important parts of a story in just a cou ple sentences, which can be different from other traditional news articles. People want their news fast without having to read long paragraphs to get the gist of a story.

But sometimes the full story is within the traditional news articles. Often with the short captions, some facts and important context can be missed.

Arredondo explained what she searches and cares about in sources like Twitter.

“I definitely care if the sources are credible because people can be easily influ enced by what they see online.” Arredondo explained, “For this reason, I love going to

Alessandra Jennings, a senior at SSU shared her concerns about this style of news, “I will say that social media can be a large source of false information. A lot of the time, people are posting incorrect information just to get views or likes.” Jennings stated, “This is why people should not react to things on social media until they research it them selves. Not everything is true, and you can only get the full truth by doing the research yourself.”

While it is crucial for people to do their own research, the internet has made it al most impossible to not find a source that isn’t misinforming the viewers or catering to what they think will go viral.

According to Jimmy Wales and Orlt

Journalism has changed drastically since its expansion to the internet. Journal ists and companies are sometimes forced to steer towards news that will bring revenue rather than what is deemed “boring” news.

Not all media is putting out the wrong information or is less informative. There are significant advantages that come with social media being a news outlet, such as it allows for news to quickly reach a larger audience.

But it is important to have reliable news sources where news can be informative, in teresting, and not always driven completely by the next hot story.

Wales and Kopel bring relevant points that should be applied to fix media and how it should be, “Social media can bring local communities back into journalism, boosting transparency, accountability, accuracy, and quality.”

The importance of practicing radical self-care

radical self care can provide. But first, what is radical self-care?

Radical self-care is not drastically different from self-care but there are a few differences.

gram executive, credits Angela Davis for her understanding of radical selfcare. She quoted Davis, “Anyone who’s interested in changing the world must take care of themselves.”

MARIAH FORSTER

Self-care is a phrase we hear a lot these days, especially on social media. Images of people taking long hot baths, lighting candles, and eating comfort food immediately floods the mind at the mention of practicing self care.

This type of self-care can be beneficial but it is only a tem porary fix. Instead, we should practice something that will stick with us long term, and that’s what

Radical self-care at its core is about taking care of oneself before satisfying the needs of others. Doing this gives you the strength to heal and move for ward with your life, according to Indi ana State University.

“Radical self-care is radical selflove. I feel that the practice of radical self-care is to listen to and validate your wants and needs without judgements,” said Terra Bransfield, fifth year double major in dance and psychology.

While self-care involves simple tasks such as getting a facial, eating a good meal, exercising, or watching your favorite netflix show, radical self-care focuses on making decisions that will help us heal our inner-selves and have a lasting impact.

Shelly Gomez, the senior HUB pro

It is especially important for those who identify as members of marginal ized communities to practice radical self-care in order to deal with everyday social challenges.

For Gomez, radical self-care be came a priority for her once she began her career in criminal justice. “I was working with young folks who had ex perienced severe trauma in their lives and It was important to me that I was healthy and able to show up as the best version of myself so I can offer the best support for them,” said Gomez.

Radical self-care is an act of self preservation, a way to stay true to your authentic self and to live fully.

The HUB Cultural Center on cam pus, aims to encourage students to be their authentic selves. Authenticity is

listed as one of the HUB’s core values on their website. “When the parts of ourselves and communities come to gether in authentic ways we are able to generate more power (energy) and ex perience greater vitality. When we ex perience this vitality we increase our capacity to heal, evolve, and act.”

Gomez believes that it’s important for everyone to practice radical selfcare, especially students because we juggle many responsibilities while try ing to figure ourselves out.

One way students can start practic ing radical self-care is by self reflecting. This allows you to identify what you have been prioritizing over your mental health. Once this is identified, you can start practicing prioritizing your well being.

Prioritizing yourself is not always easy. Gomez added, “This is incredi bly challenging. Learning to prioritize yourself, without feeling guilty, is a lifeskill that I believe is the most valuable.”

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

MARIE’SA RUMSEY

College students face recent spike in druggings

continued from pg. 1

A fourth victim, who reported the crime to Petaluma PD and it is an ongoing case, had recently turned 21 and was “going out” for the first time to a local bar to celebrate another friend’s birthday. This victim also had concerns ringing in the back of their mind about something bad happening, like the second victim. However, these concerns were easy to write off because the victim was in a group of six people, with four guys and two girls.

The night started for this victim at dinner in Petaluma, where they had one drink. Then, they walked as a group to Jamison’s Roaring Donkey. The victim and their partner didn’t want to stay out late, so they only got one drink at the Donkey, but after consuming only one-third of it, reality started to blur. “I know my tolerance, I’ve never blacked out, but on this night I had just a couple of drinks before I quickly got sloppy,” the victim said.

After a few minutes, they couldn’t remember the name of the bar, couldn’t walk a straight line, and their pupils were dilated. Their partner decided to take them home, and on the way they threw up all over themselves. After about 45 minutes, they were fully “blacked-out” and proceeded to throw up for the next five to six hours. “The next thing I thought about was how it might’ve happened to another girl. My partner got me home safe, maybe someone else wasn’t so lucky. It’s something I’ve thought about every night since.“ They are very grateful that their partner was by their side because without them they don’t think they would’ve made it out okay, and it is a hard reality to face.

This victim’s partner is the reason they made it home okay. They also shared their perspective of that night with the STAR. The partner described the experience as traumat ic. The partner supported the victim throughout the night, monitoring for symptoms of overdose as they tried to formulate a plan. They acknowledge that taking the victim to the hospital would ultimately be expensive and traumatizing for everyone. “I decided that, if they began to deteriorate any further than just throwing up and forgetfulness, I would call an ambulance. Thankfully, they stayed stable through the night,” the partner said.

They want to remind everyone that the moment something feels off or suspicious, get yourself and anyone you came with out of there because in the end it’s better to miss an experience than risk something serious. “Also, another important word of advice for caring for someone who is potentially a victim of drugging, make sure they lay on their side no matter what or how much they complain, the risk of suffocation from throwing up while on your back is very high” stated the victim’s partner.

People getting their drinks spiked with drugs is nothing new to Sonoma County. Since April, several local publications have been reporting on the multiple accounts of druggings taking place at Duke’s Spirited Cocktails in Healdsburg. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, as of Aug. 31, former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, has had 14 sexual assault or misconduct accusations against him. Many of these victims claim Foppoli used “date rape” drugs on them. In 2012, a 14-year-old Santa Rosa girl died of overdose from Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHP), a drug part of the “date rape” class.

To prevent your drink from being spiked, Sonoma State’s Police Chief Nader Oweis advises students to place a lid on their drinks (if they can), never leave any drinks unattend ed, don’t accept drinks from strangers, and make sure you go out with a group of people you trust. Most importantly, be aware of your surroundings.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has been drugged, report it to the estab lishment’s manager and police. Get tested as soon as possible, because depending on what you were drugged with, it can leave your system in as little as eight hours. Also, always have someone you trust with you to ensure you’re maintaining your breathing and your condition isn’t getting worse. Finally, Oweis encourages students to utilize the resources available on campus such as Counseling and Psychological services (CAPS), the health center, and campus police department.

If found guilty of drugging a victim, the person could face anywhere from 16 months to three years in jail.

Man in clown mask haunts Rohnert Park residents

continued from pg. 1

scares the crap out of me, especially when it’s right around where me and my roommates live.”

Based on home surveillance footage, the man was wearing either a mask or some sort of cosmetics to resemble a clown. Students and observers identified the suspect’s facial appearance to resemble movie character Captain Spaulding from the 2005 film ‘The Devil’s Rejects’. In the film, Spaulding is depicted as a vulgar and murderous clown.

“I recognized the mask and knew it was from a movie or something” said fourth year SSU student Drew Schivo. He continued, “I don’t understand the appeal or at traction to some people in going door to door at three in the morning and scaring people. The guy might just be a maniac. If he returns I hope he’s caught, but it would be ideal if he doesn’t make another appearance.”

There has been some history in America of people dressing up and attempting to scare community members. Back in 2016, there was an influx of clown sightings across the nation. These were reports of people disguised as evil clowns in commu nity settings, such as near forests and schools. At the time, a 16-year-old boy was fatally stabbed by a masked man back in Pennsylvania during the mysterious trend. The suspect was later identified as 29-year-old Avery Valentin-Bair. Bair was charged with third-degree murder and aggravated assault.

Rohnert Parks Public Safety Department encourages anyone who sees something suspicious to contact them at (707)584-2600 and refer to case #22-3696.

SSU moves to upgrade the campus power grid

DEVON BLY STAFF WRITER

Sonoma State University has begun the process of renovating the electrical power grid on campus, with the first phase of trenching and surface restoration likely to be completed by Sept. 24.

This construction project, taking place at the intersection of Sequoia Way and West Redwood Drive on campus, has caused sporadic traffic diversions.

In an email Robert Eyeler, the Interim Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications wrote, “This project is a part of the campus electrical upgrade, this particular portion is called the 12kV Switchgear upgrade. It will serve [as] a piece of a larger effort to upgrade the aging electrical infrastructure on Campus as well as provide a foundation to other projects including the coming Solar Ar ray with energy storage and the Campus Microgrid project.” Eyler noted these statements should be attributed to SSU staff members, not solely him.

According to Automatic Switch Company Power Technologies, a switchgear is, “a broad term that describes a wide variety of switching devices that all fulfill a common need: controlling, protecting, and isolating power systems. This defi nition can be extended to include devices to regulate and meter a power system, circuit breakers, and similar technology.”

Furthermore, according to A.S.C.P.T., “In the event of an electrical surge, switchgears interrupt the flow of power and protect the electrical systems from damage.”

This project is welcomed by Sonoma State students, despite the diversions it’s caused. Given how SSU experienced loss of power on three separate occa sions in April of this year and the fact the electrical grid is over fifty-years-old.

Eddie Rakosky, a second year business marketing major said, “I think it’s pretty cool they’re making positive changes on campus, [electrical] power is always a good thing.”

Cameron Deleeuw, a third year engineering Major said, “From solar, the power would be abundant during summer, exactly the time the grid usually blacks out due to excessive heat. Depending on the power output, I believe this would be a positive for Sonoma State’s campus as a whole.”

In terms of fulfilling the needs of students, according to SSU staff in Eyler’s email, “In the short term, this will provide reliable electrical power distribution to the campus. In the long term this is a fundamental step in reaching sustain ability goals and a continuum of campus operation during catastrophic events.”

This project towards SSU’s climate action plan which, according to their website, “identifies goals, strategies, actions and metrics for achieving carbon neutrality, improving regional resilience to climate change, and infusing sustain ability into the curriculum.”

The project is working towards this goal by providing the groundwork and supplying the power for the solar array and campus microgrid projects, projects which serve to provide Sonoma State with a cleaner, more reliable source of energy.

This project is the first step towards providing a cleaner, more reliable source of energy to SSU’s campus, and will hopefully work to amend campus blackouts from happening at all.

Students look forward to new food options

continued from pg. 1

-with me to maybe try Sushi Shobu & Reggae Rasta.” Banger hopes to also see Greek and Italian food trucks in the future.

Lauren Antoni, Interim Director of Culinary Services stated, “ We have one or two more surprises coming that you’ll just have to keep your eye on Seawolf Living to find out!”

STAR // Cec Fernandez

Construction to upgrade the power grid has been taking place in the front of the school since the beginning of the semester.

Friday Night Live: Ice Cream Social

STAFF WRITER ZACHARY GONZALES

Agroup of sociable Seawolves got together and created lifelong memories at the “Fri day Night Live” event hosted by Student Involvement on Sept. 23. The event took place on campus at Weyden & Brewsters located in the Student Center. An array of board games were scattered across the tables including Jenga, Yahtzee, Catch Phrase, and Con nect 4. More than a dozen students participated in the activities and indulged in Cold Stone Ice Cream-courtesy of the event planners.

First year student Katie Galinis explained how she heard about the Ice Cream So cial, “I was in Verdot [village] with my friends, and a group of kids started yelling about free ice cream so we followed them.”

There were a multitude of toppings and ice cream flavors including cookie dough,

she felt comfortable attending was “Paint by Numbers” hosted by Student Involvement, where Seawolves were able to make their own DIY art piece.

The office of Student Involvement aims to provide events that students would want to participate in. The student worker who supervised the Friday Night Live, Tia Booker, explained that there is a group of six students (including herself) who collabo rate to put on events such as the Ice Cream Social. Booker emphasized the importance of being actively involved in the campus community, “There is always a reason to show up. Regardless, there will be people who are willing to conversate, everyone is super inclu sive.”

Student Involvement primarily puts on weekend events. On top of the Friday Night Live (FNL), this past weekend, SSU put on a getaway trip to Six Flags Discovery King dom with discounted admission for students. To be in the know about upcoming events

chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and even lemon sorbet.

The seawolves participating seemed eager and excited to beat their peers in a friendly competition of board games. That night, the most popular game that was played amongst students was Jenga. As the night went on Weyden & Brewsters, Jenga blocks crashed onto table tops and laughter emerged from the crowds of friends.

A transfer student in attendance, Michaela Wang, gave a word of advice for people who may be nervous to show up to Student Involvement events, “Take a leap of faith. Leave your dorm or wherever you are living and do it!” Michaela and her friend group attend events that are put on by SSU every week. Their favorite event that has occurred at Weyden & Brewsters so far is Grocery Bingo.

At the Ice Cream Social, there were Seawolves ranging from first time fresh man to fourth year students. These events are typically free and are a great way to interact with the Sonoma State community. If students just starting out on their college journey are hesitant to attend these events, first time freshman Mikaili Thomas sug gests, “Show up to activities that you know you will like.” Thomas said the first event

STAR // Cléa Upcher Friday Night Live always has a fun, inclusive, engaging activity ready for students each week

Culture and Conchas for Latinx Heritage Month

STAFF WRITER NICOLE AWWAD

Another beautiful day on campus brought festivities to celebrate Latinx Heritage month, which runs from Sept. 15. to Oct. 15. Culture and Conchas was put on by Associated Student Productions (ASP) on Sept. 22 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and offered students a chance to watch a performance by Ballet Folklorico Sarita, a Mexican dance group from Windsor. Along with the performance, ASP also gave out conchas, which are a Mexican sweet bread. The name “concha” means “shell” in Spanish, which is how they got their name, because of the shell-like pattern of streusel baked onto the top of the bread roll.

During the first half of the event, Ballet Folklorico Sarita performed a few traditional dances. The second half of the event was an informal class teaching students how to per form this style of dance.

Maia Madrigal, ASP member and fourth year biology major and Spanish minor, said, “We brought this to campus because it is Latinx heritage month right now, so it’s import ant to show the students who might not know of the culture a little bit about the Latino culture.”

It seemed that even students who were just passing by Seawolf Plaza were pleasantly surprised by the performance. Third year double communications and economics major, Jason Hill, said, “I came out here first because I heard the music and everybody was crowded in the Seawolf Plaza, then I walked around the corner. I didn’t know this was happening and I saw them dancing. I thought, “Whoa, that’s pretty cool.” So I stopped and watched and I was adequately entertained by what I saw which was very impressive…I got to learn more about Hispanic culture today.”

Another student was passionate about this event and was stoked to come out and sup port her culture. Yasmin Esquivel, fourth year sociology major, said, “I came out to this because I feel being on a predominantly Caucasian campus, events like this are really important to come out to and support all cultures. It’s crucial to show that we are all here to support each other as well strive for higher education.”

The next event celebrating Latinx Heritage Month will be “Farmworkers - Photo graphs, Prints, and Paintings” on Thursday Sep. 29 from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. at the University Art Gallery, showcasing portraits of Sonoma County’s grape harvesters by award win ning, Santa Rosa photojournalist Erik Castro.

“There is always a reason to show up. Regardless, there will be people who are willing to conversate, everyone is super inclusive.”

STAR// Cec Fernandez

Sorority sisters Brenda Guzman-Hernandez and Iris Melissa Vasquez enjoy dancing in the plaza at the Culture & Concha event Sept. 22.

STAR// Cec Fernandez Ballet Folklorico dancers start the show at the Culture & Conchas event on Sept. 22.

STAR // Cec Fernandez

Students are excited to receive a concha at the Culture and Conchas event Sept. 22.

Umoja Queens group strives for unity and community

PAUL MUNOZ

Sonoma

State University offers a variety of clubs and organizations to be a part of on campus and this week a new club on campus had their first meet ing. Seawolves were encouraged to visit the Hub on Sept. 20 to take part in the gathering of the Umoja Queens.

The Umoja Queens group promotes themselves as a safe space for Black identified womxn to be comfortable and express themselves. The origin of the group comes from the club’s creator Cookie Garrett who started the group in 2018. Umoja happens to be one of the principles of Kwanzaa that represents unity. The Umoja Queens have cultivated an environment to reflect this “unity” by promoting strong relationships between all standing members of the group.

The Umoja Queen members who have been a part of the groups the longest, began with brief self introductions. New members/guests went around the room introducing themselves and telling everyone a bit about who they are and what they studied. Once introductions were done everyone transitioned into a typical friendly exchange.

Students and faculty members alike talked about their favorite Netflix shows, what they had done for the week and what upcoming, school organized events they planned to attend. The gathering of the Umoja Queens ended with a discussion about time management and great resources on campus that will set students up for success with their studies throughout the year.

The Umoja Queens created a community where students can feel re laxed and have fun but can also discuss serious topics from the perspective of Black women in Sonoma County. According to the United States Census Bu reau the Sonoma County African American population is around 2% of the total population, being one of the less diverse populated counties in California.

Jennifer Eden, one of the leading members of Umoja Queens said “As a black person at Sonoma State whether you’re a student, faculty member, or a staff member like myself, we’re a tiny community.” Eden then said that being a black woman can be isolating in a community where black people only make up a small percentage of the population, so she wants to spread the word of a

place where people of the same racial background can come together and not feel so alone.

Eden also addressed that some people in Sonoma County don’t understand the per spective of what it’s like to be from a minority group, she ended her informative ex change by saying “It’s nice to see people like us.”

The Umoja Queens want to create a sanctuary for not only Sonoma State Stu dents but also for all Black women in Sonoma County. They hope to continually in crease the number of members in their organization. Even though their club states they’re a group for Black women, weekly meetings are open to all seawolves on cam pus. Umoja Queens meet every Tuesday in the Hub on the SSU campus from 12 to 1 p.m. and for those who are not available to make physical appearances, participants are always welcomed to join via zoom.

Seawolves SPEAK!

This week, students were interviewed by the STAR about budgeting and finances

Life is constantly changing, and because of that students consistently have to make tough decisions regarding finances. Last week the STAR ran an edito rial article discussing the difficulties of growing up and budgeting while in college and learning to navigate the real world. Recent economic changes have caused many things that are necessities for students like gas, housing, and food to become much more expensive and hard to get. With this in mind, it was the perfect opportunity for us to chat with some students and get their varying perspectives and experiences managing their lives and finances during this time.

Q: “What is the hardest part about budgeting as a student?”

A: “Probably gas and groceries to be honest. Especially if you don’t really know how to cook for yourself just yet, meal prepping can be really difficult. And so when you’re trying to figure out what to get when you make yourself dinner you might buy too much or not enough and have to take multiple trips to the grocery store, or things will go bad faster than you expect to.”

Q: “So how has the increase in gas prices impacted your commute from San Rafael?”

A: “So before I used to spend like $60 per month on gas, and now it’s double. I had to cut back on some expenses, like I used to go to three gyms because I do Jiu-jitsu, so now I just kind of cut it because it’s expensive.”

Q: ”What is the hardest part about budgeting as a student?”

A: “Getting paid once a month. And then groceries here, I’m not used to the pricing because I’m from the Central Valley and things are slightly cheaper.

Especially gas. They have to make things cheap in the Central Valley because no one wants to live there so that’s how they swallow you in.”

- Kyle Sousa, Senior, Psychology Major

Q: “Do you live on or off campus, and what impact did finances have on that decision?”

A: “Off campus, and pretty big. It was mostly just deciding to live with family to save some money. I’m from San Francisco and was going to a Junior College in Kenfield so I was living at home. I also have two jobs. I’m a personal trainer and a class instructor at the rec center, and I am a personal trainer and front desk staff attendant at another gym in Novato.”

- Christian Giver, Junior, Communications Major

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez Umoja is a principle of Kwanzaa that represents unity and community.

- Astin Smith, Sophomore, Early Childhood Studies Major

- Thamara Santos, Senior, Pschology major

CALVIN ZELJAK STAFF WRITER

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez Adriana Gonzalez

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez

Sonoma goes low to win home tournament

CHARLES BARRETT STAFF WRITER

The Sonoma State men’s golf team celebrated as if they had “just won the lottery” after a strong finish to win the NCAA Regional Preview title this past Tuesday. The celebration was great. But after the first two days of the three-day event, it didn’t appear as though Seawolves would have much to celebrate. Then the Seawolves came storming back from behind.

Going into the third round, the Seawolves found themselves in the middle of the pack. Not the start that they anticipated going in. Head Coach Val Verhunce, when asked about the slow start said, “I was a little surprised how we came out flat the first two rounds.”

Verhunce-coached teams are known for their ability to rebound after less-than-ideal starts. In order to finish where they wanted to, the seawolves had to do just that. Verhunce prefers to focus on the positives when down. He shared some of his thoughts about his message to the team, “The message is usually fairly consistent. Ultimately can you focus on what you did well today and not really what you did poorly, and let’s just apply all those things that we did well to the next round.” This thought process would end up paying divi dends in round 3.

The Seawolves turned things around in round 3 of the competition and would go on to finish first. The results were good, but this is not something that happened by accident. Verhunce expressed that the preparation for a big event such as this one begins on day one of practice. Verhunce detailed the preparation, “It’s about managing expectations and man

aging time and making sure that everyone was in a good place going into the event.”

Another factor that the Seawolves had to face was the weather, particularly on day one of the competition. The team made a concerted effort not to let the weather impact their performance. Verhunce talked to his team about it, saying, “Let’s not let the weather dictate our emotions and our mental game. I think it kind of served us well.”

Verhunce believes that his players were able to come from behind due to both their physical and mental skills. None more than sophomore Colin Huang, who would go on to win CCAA Golfer of the week. The sophomore was making his first start and made his presence felt. Huang shot a 10-under-par 206, finished t-2nd individually and led the team with six birdies in the all-important third round.

When asked about Huang, Verhunce gushed, saying, “I was not surprised at all. He’s mature beyond his years as far as age and even in his role as a golfer. He has a unique per spective that I don’t see too often, especially in a freshman. Sometimes I don’t even see it in a senior.”

The team was understandably elated after the day three comeback. Verhunce detailed his perspective of the team after the victory, “After the tournament, they were crazy. It was like they had just won the lottery type of thing; I mean, it was fun to see the energy, the love, and support for each other. It was exciting to be around, and they deserved to be excited. They did something they knew that they could and to be able to reach that pinnacle and capture that title like they did.”

Taylor Johnson: A day in the life

CHASITY SPADY STAFF WRITER

Women’s basketball player Taylor Johnson gives insights into what an average day looks like for a student athlete; from working early morn ings for a jump start in her future career to balancing schoolwork and bas ketball training on a daily basis.

Johnson starts off her early mornings around 6 a.m before most col lege students wake up. Most student athletes avoid work outside of school to focus on their training within their sport and schoolwork maintenance. Johnson on the other hand dedicates her free time toward putting in extra outside work so that she can be more knowledgeable in her future.

Johnson explains “I currently work at Santa Rosa Orthopedics as a Physical Therapy Aide aside from playing basketball and school. I’m work ing part time right now, but I love my job.”

Balancing time in between a long schedule of studying and training is difficult for any student athlete. Johnson’s busy schedule includes her having to prioritize what’s most important and maintain that focus day in and out.

“Working, practice, and school can be a lot sometimes but I’ve found a way to balance my time with it all,” said Johnson. “Being a kinesiology major, there is a pretty large workload when it comes to school. I spend a good amount of time studying each week for my classes, especially for labs. It’s really important to manage my time with school, work and basketball and finding time to get homework and studying done.”

After work at the Santa Rosa Orthopedics, Johnson proceeds to ded icate herself to her craft, Sonoma State Basketball. She explains how much basketball has meant in her life, the reason why she is able to continually grind, and why it motivates her daily.

“Basketball is something that I’ve loved ever since I was little. It provides me an escape from the outside world and is a place where I don’t have to think really about anything except the game. I get really excited for games and nothing really ever beats the feeling of winning a good game. Basketball has also provided me with some of my best friends, and I’m so thankful for that,” Johnson explained.

Johnsons’ busy schedule continues with her basketball training. She has to manage practice and weight training while having to incorporate re covery as well to be able to repeat her routine the following day.

“Weight training occurs three times a week and it’s one of my favor ite parts of the week. Weight training is pretty intense, we lift a lot of heavy weights and try to reach PRs each week. For conditioning, we do a lot of continuous sprinting and different running intervals but it’s really been pay ing off in the pre season so far. Practice is each day and consists of different

drills and scrimmages each day. All of my teammates and I love to compete so we have challenges each day to see what team can win, which makes practice a little bit more fun,” said Johnson. “For body recovery, I really like doing ice baths and rolling out my body. I get pretty sore from basketball so whatever I feel like I need, whether it’s a heating pad, ice, or just stretching, I like to get it done when I have time to.”

Everything within the day of Jonhnsons’ life consists of hard work and dedication and it is one person’s representation of how difficult being a student athlete can be. She lives this schedule everyday and still manifests positivity consistently throughout it all.

COURTESY // Evan Roehrig

(From left to right) Lucas Happy, Nick Friedman, Colin Huang, Griffin Pace and Sean Markham pose after winning the NCAA Reginal preview at Foxtail Golf Club.

COURTESY// Cielo Gonzalez Taylor Johnson posing during a team photoshoot ahead of her senior season.

COURTESY // Evan Roehrig Sophomore Colin Huang was named CCAA Golfer of the Week after placing sec ond individually in the tournment.

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Culture, conchas and dancing at Seawolf Plaza

Ballet Folklorico Sarita performers toss their skirts while performing for students at Culture and Conchas, in the Seawolf Plaza, on Thurs day, Sept. 22.

Students are excited to line up for free conchas, courtesy of Associ ated Student productions, from Tia Maria Panaderia, a Santa Rosa neighborhood staple.

Seawolves look to the stage as Ballet Folklorico Sarita members instruct students on this traditional dance style, allowing students to meet new people while learning more about Latinx culture.

Ballet Folklorico Sarita members take center stage to take a bow after their 30 minute performance at Seawolf Plaza, for a crowd of enthralled Seawolves.

STAR // Cec Fernandez

STAR // Cec Fernandez

STAR // Cec Fernandez

STAR // Cec Fernandez