Sonoma State STAR Issue 9

SSU CALS professor, chair and dean resigns

CHARLES BARRETT STAFF WRITER

Sonoma State University Chicano and Latino Studies Department Chair and Dean Ronald Lopez stepped down from his position on Friday after a call to action from students.

The call to action began on a Google Forms survey and elaborated on students’ concerns about percieved inadequacies in the department. Ac cording to the survey, “Dr. Ronald Lopez has been deemed inadequate in fulfilling his duties as department chair and dean. Consequently, we ask for his removal and that he be held accountable in providing the students of the Chicano Latino Studies Department with his best efforts as an instructor, and academic advisor.”

The introduction to the survey also highlighted the need for updat ed curriculum, structure, organization, constructive feedback, graded assignments, and full rounded advising suggesting these qualities were also lacking from Lopez’s classes.

The introductory survey message concluded with a demand that Lo pez step down from his chair position and focus on providing quality education in the classes that he teaches. However, the writer of the mes sage made it clear that the intent was not to get Lopez fired. Instead, they wanted him to be held accountable for his actions as a professor.

Reviews on ratemyprofessor.com are more or less consistent with the concerns highlighted in the call to action. The average difficulty rating from all of the reviews written on him is 1.9/5.

Some reviews echoed the sentiment that he is disorganized as a pro

see RONALD

Housing facility for homeless opens in Rohnert Park

TYLER MELOAN STAFF WRITER

SSU permanently closes oncampus COVID testing site

KAYLE NORRIS STAFF WRITER

Sonoma State University is discontinuing operations of the COVID-19 on campus testing and screening center in the recreation center be ginning Nov. 1.

The recreation testing center has been open since February 2021 and has helped nearly 3,000 individuals with a total of 15,000 individual tests. Over the fall semester, in the last ten weeks, there have been less than 100 COVID tests administered.

According to a Sonoma State email, the decline in testing is due to the vast availability of testing resources, coupled with the decrease in COVID cases on campus and regionally. However, testing protocols will continue to be evaluated based on trends in positivity rates and case counts, including the evaluation of the need for on-campus testing.

Even though testing is decreasing, some students feel as if the cam pus should still keep all sites open in case of another spike in cases.

Alexander Kolshorn, a senior business major said, “COVID won’t be over, I feel bad because this makes it harder to find a COVID test.” Kolshorn believes it is too soon for the removal of this testing site be cause more contagious variants that can evade the new vaccines could evolve. “It is still important to get tested for COVID since these conta gious variants can cause a winter surge,” Kolshorn said.

I

n an effort to curb the rising number of individuals experiencing homeless ness in Rohnert Park, the city opened the doors to a new 60-unit supportive housing facility last Monday on Labath Avenue. The site, called, “Labath Land ing,” will act as an interim housing program to address the city’s estimated 250 homeless individuals and, per their website, will provide mental health counsel ing and job training to help residents become stable enough to eventually move out into permanent housing.

According to Assistant City Manager Don Schwartz in an article for the Press Democrat, the $15 million facility expects to house about 100 individuals per year. The city of Rohnert Park’s website states that each resident will gener ally stay for about six months. Meals, showers, laundry services and bathrooms will be available, in addition to a computer lab, garden and dog run. Round-theclock staffing will ensure that only residents will be allowed on the premises.

Jodecie Alaze Sanchez, a junior criminal justice major, feels as if the testing site was a great resource for students who needed to be test ed since many places were either costly or not locationally inconve nient. Sanchez said, “I know COVID is slowly going away, but it’s still a health risk to those with underlying health conditions including myself. I have used the testing center when people around me were sick or if I was feeling unwell.” Although Sanchez has not gotten COVID, having SSU provide these testing sites was a huge relief for her health and made her feel safer. Sanchez continued, “I think that the school should continue to provide testing sites just because you never know what the future might hold.”

Donald Lawrence Lincoln III, a freshman computer science major, is disappointed that SSU is taking away a testing site. Lincoln said, “I think it is too soon because I think some people are still worried about getting COVID. Even after the pandemic is over I might still get COVID so having those testing sites open is beneficial.”

Briana Wilson, a junior early childhood studies major doesn’t feel any particular way about SSU removing a COVID testing site because

COURTESY// cals.sonoma.edu

Students put out a call to action via Google Forms last week highlighting their concerns regarding CALS professor, dean and, department chair Ronald Lopez. In response, Lopez resigned from his positions.

COURTESY // City of Rohnert Park Local Government Facebook

A new housing facility for individuals struggling with homelessness has opened in Rohnert Park and will provide housing to around 100 people a year.

Editorial Board

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

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

Telephone: 707-664-2776

Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com

Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

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 par ticular 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 cam pus community in keeping with journalistic prec edents of other major newspapers, and may not be shared by all staff writers.

We voted; youshould, too

The STAR editorial board came together to look at this elections propostions and help inform undecided voters. For more informa tion on our recommendations head to sono mastatestar.com.

Prop 1: Guarantee Abortion Rights In State Constitution [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 1: Proposition 1 looks to secure abortion rights in the state of California. It will embed into the California constitution. the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion and whether or not to use contraceptives, along with a promise that the state cannot act on constituent’s reproduc tive rights With all of the uncertainty after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the more pro tections we instill now, the less we will have to worry about our rights being taken away down the line. This proposition is backed by supporters like Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Diane Feinstein, and Hilary Clinton.

Prop 28: Arts and Music Education Fund ing [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 28: Proposition 28 requires California to allocate money from its public school and community college state budget to fund expanded arts programs in schools. This funding will prioritize low-in come students. 80% of the funding given to schools will be used to hire new art and music teachers and staff. This proposition is backed by famous names like Barbara Strei sand and Sylvester Stalone. Putting money into creative programs such as music and art will hopefully help to support mental health among students.

Prop 31: Uphold Flavored Tobacco Ban [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 31: Proposition 31 will put into action a law which was decid ed on in 2020. Senate Bill 793 bans the sale of flavored tobacco products and other asso ciated items. It is important to put the health of the people, especially our youth, before the money these sales could generate. The goal of this bill moving forward is to lower smoking rates in general, along with trying to bring down the data on young smokers. 80% of youth smokers start smoking with a flavored nicotine product. This proposition is supported by the American Lung Associ ation, American Heart Association, and the California PTA.

Prop 30: Tax Millionaires for Electric Ve hicle Programs [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 30: Proposition 30 will create a new fund which will assist California in lowering its greenhouse gas emissions, hopefully no later than 2043. This fund will be created by introducing a new tax on high income Californians. High income Californians will be required to pay an ad ditional 1.75% tax on any income over two

million dollars. The money will be used to fund Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV), as well as support wildfire prevention. 80% of the money will go towards ZEVs and assisting to create more infrastructure for ZEVs, and 20% will go towards wildfire response, in cluding hiring and training new firefighters. This proposition is supported by Cal Fire Lo cal 2881, California’s largest fire department and the second largest fire department in the USA, as well as California Environmental Voters.

Prop 26: Sports Betting at Tribal Casinos [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 26: Proposition 26 will al low in-person sports betting at trib al casinos and horse tracks in California. This proposition will also introduce new forms of gambling at tribal casinos that were previous ly illegal. With the money that these business es will be taxed to offer these new services, tens of millions of dollars will be generated for the state, as well as more money coming in for tribes. Patrons will now also have the option to sue a casino or race track if they feel gaming laws are being violated. These law suits may also generate money for the state. This proposition is supported by 27 tribes and tribal organizations, led by tribes with casi nos including Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, the NAACP, California-Hawaii state conference, and State Treasurer Fiona Ma.

Prop 27: Allow Online Sports Betting [NO]

Vote No on Proposition 27: Proposition 27 allows tribes and online gambling companies to offer online sports betting. Those partici pating tribes and online gambling companies will be required to pay regulatory fees to the state, along with payments into a new fund to address homelessness. This new fund would be called the “California Online Sports Bet ting Trust Fund”, which is used for state reg ulatory costs first, then the remaining money will be split: 85% to fight homelessness and gambling addiction, and 15% to tribes who are not involved in sports betting, so that they can still benefit from these new changes. In order for gambling companies to operate this new service, they will need to make a deal with a tribe. The proposition will create a new division in the Department of Justice in charge of regulating online sports betting; they will receive power both to watch over illegal betting, as well as to decide whether or not to add new forms of betting on differ ent areas of entertainment, like video games. This proposition is supported by FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and four other gaming companies, which are funding the measure; three Native American tribes; and the mayors of Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, and Long Beach.

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 lat er than the Friday before the publication date. Send letters to star@sonoma.edu, include your full name, year in school and city of residence.

Hating you is Yeezy; companies cut ties with Kanye West

STAFF WRITER ADRIANA GONZALEZ

For those who do not know Kayne West or aren’t on that side of the internet congratu lations, your algorithms saved you another headache. West, also known as “Ye,” is a famous American rapper that is known for being arrogant and saying whatever comes to mind without thinking. Although the media and his fans were able to sepa rate his music from his actions for a while now, It has come to a point where the comments West has been making are real issues that can harm people.

West said on the Drink Champs Podcast on October 16, “I can say an tisemitic shit, and Adidas can’t drop me.” Less than a week later, Adidas dropped its partnership with West. Since then various companies West was affiliated with have cut ties with him including his own talent agency, Creative Artists Agency, as well as Gap, Balenciaga, Skechers, TJ Maxx, Foot Locker, Donda Sports, and Christie’s who will stop selling Yeezy merchandise at their stores.

As a result, Forbes no longer lists West as a billionaire. Even Def Jam Records stopped working with West on Tuesday, making a statement that “there is no place for antisemitism in our society. We are deeply committed to combating antisemitism and every other form of prejudice.”

Media Rights Capital Entertain ment, the company creating West’s documentary, scrapped the project, saying that MRC Entertainment “can not support any content that amplifies his platform.”

At this point, West is targeting

groups and saying prejudiced things that have a real effect on people. Stu dents who are fans of West are sad to see him act like this. Specifically, Olivia Keeler, a third year at SSU has spoken about her concerns about West and how he is ruining his lega cy for attention that is hard to watch. Keeler explained that she is a big fan of West but “he has been causing con troversy for a very long time” and she could “separate his actions from his great music, but his recent antisemit ic comments were the last straw for me.”

What goes on in West’s head will continue to be a mystery. He is not someone that should be using his platform to influence people with his hatred.

Another SSU student, Marcellus Sands, a communications major said he “mentally let Kayne go when he was trying to run for president” and that he realized West is not for the people. Sands also stated, “The one good thing he does is make good shoes.”

There are groups of people, par ticularly on Twitter, who agree with what West said when he made his antisemitic remarks. Twitter user @ Mattxiv posted an image of people on an overpass in Los Angeles with ban ners that read, “Kayne is right about the Jews.” The Twitter user sarcasti cally stated that “Kayne is just troll ing it’s not like everyone takes him seriously.” How this is affecting the Jewish community was clear from the comments left on the image. One Twitter user quote tweeted the image saying “This is not free speech. This is hate speech.”

West’s comments are giving an tisemitic groups a voice and a plat form. Fortunately, West’s social me dia accounts have been restricted, meaning he can no longer post, but his previous posts, that have not been taken down for violating community guidelines, are still available. West trolling for what he thinks is satire does not matter. People like West can not be allowed a platform to spread hateful messages.

BTS’s decision to honor draft sets precedent for exemptions

tary due to the previously mentioned legislation.

This legislation in question was passed in December of 2020, and allows K-pop stars to apply for tem porary deferment from their military service if they have received govern ment medals for domestic or global cultural contributions, such as the Order of Cultural Merit award BTS received in 2018.

the South Korean government will certainly miss the billions of dollars towards their economy at their peak.

However this sets a precedent for military service amongst the rich and poor alike. In this age of an in creasing class divide, it’s nice to see the rich being subjected to the same laws and regulations as everyone else.

This is especially true if they’re bringing money into the economy.”

Interestingly enough, according to a survey conducted by the South Korean National Assembly Defense Committee, “34.3% of Korean citi zens were opposed to exempting the band while 60.9% said they were in favor of it.”

The popular Korean band Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, have decided to hon or the South Korean military draft, despite previous legis lation, which allowed them to delay their required military service until age 30.

Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18-28 are required to serve 18 months in the mil itary. However, despite one of their members, Jin, being 29, he has yet to enlist in the mili

According to Fortune, a study conducted by the Hyundai Research Institute in 2018 estimated that the group was responsible for bring ing in 3.6 billion dollars USD to the South Korean economy. It is no wonder that the Korean government allowed them to delay their military service.

BTS is currently a seven person band consisting of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. The band will continue to bring in mil lions of dollars in revenue during their military service, nevertheless,

Despite the fact that they are likely giving up billions of dollars, it’s certainly a breath of fresh air that the band decided to go through with their military service. This sets a precedent for future pop stars, rich people, and other celebrities alike in terms of required service, and avoids the hypocrisy that seemingly comes with stardom.

When asked about BTS’s mili tary service this is what Sam Bisbee, a fourth-year statistics major had to say, “I guess if you have populari ty, it should be held off until it slows down, then they can go and serve.

Although this survey showed that many citizens wanted the band to stay together despite the required military service, it was the right move to not exempt the band from the conscription laws.

If they were exempt from man datory military service, it could have created a precedent where being sub jected to laws would be on the basis of popularity and celebrity status, a rather slippery slope when it comes to “requirements.”

It is respectable that the band de cided to go forward with their ser vice instead of asking for more leg islation to further delay it.

Asian American’s will be represented on American currency

JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER

After waiting so many years, the Asian community will be represented on U.S. curren cy, with Anna May Wong being placed on the quarter.

Wong is Hollywood’s first Chinese American ac tress and fought for the rights of Asian representation in the Hollywood film industry. When Wong starred in movies, the film industry underpaid her and gave her roles playing a stereo typical Chinese murderous vil lain.

Cheri-Ann Inouye, a

fall 2021 graduate majoring in busi ness administration with a concentra tion in marketing stated, “I personally think it would be amazing! Seeing some sort of representation of me on U.S. currency OR anywhere in the United States would be so much more empowering for the younger genera tions. The United States has gone a long time mainly showing one rep resentation— the newer generations will definitely be impacted.”

During the early 1900s, Wong had a difficult time landing roles be cause white people wore “yellowface,” wearing makeup to imitate Asian skin tone. To the film industry there was no point of using people of color because they already had someone mimicking and impersonating them.

“It’s always comforting to see rep resentation in our society, especially being an Asian American woman in the US.” said Mikayla Cessoli Oteye za, a spring 2022 graduate who ma jored in early childhood studies. She continued, “I think that there needs to be a lot more strategies and improve

ments to our society to normalize diversity through culture, gender, re ligion. This is a step in the right di rection.”

Representing people of color in our society is something that we need to improve on. Seeing a variety of different people anywhere is in spiring because it shows that anyone can overcome their challenges and through time things will get better even if it may not seem like it.

She is the fifth woman to be on the coin through the American Quarters Program, which is a four-year pro gram that commemorates the contri butions and accomplishments made by women in the US; starting in the beginning of 2022 and continuing on until 2025. One side has the name along with a picture of the woman and the back contains a George Washing ton design different from the usual quarters.

Women they have chosen have made an impact in aspects such as arts, science, government, suffrage, and civil rights. The women being

honored will be from racially, ethni cally, and diverse backgrounds. The previous women who were engraved on the quarter are Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller and Nina Otero-Warren.

In a 1933 interview with Los Angeles Time, Wong said, “Why is it that the screen Chinese is nearly al ways the villain of the piece, and so cruel a villain — murderous, treach erous, a snake in the grass, we are not like that.” After suffering through a lot of racism in the Hollywood film industry, she decided to pack her bags, moved to Europe and starred in English, French, and German films.

Whenever a person of color is represented in society it’s always a big accomplishment. It took a long time to place an Asian American woman on the coin and it comes across as if the US is trying to compensate for the discrimination and racism Wong has faced. These quarters are a small step towards proper representation in the U.S.

DEVON BLY STAFF WRITER

The on-campus COVID-19 testing site, which has been open since February 2021, closed Nov. 1, after helping nearly 3,000 individuals and administered a total of 15,000 individual tests.

Student’s mixed reactions to closing of COVID testing site

continued from

at home tests are easily accessible for her. Wilson said, “I think it is unfortu nate for those who need it as a resource and it was taken away from them but I don’t feel it is too soon for them to remove the testing site since the shortage of at-home testing is gone.” Wilson does hope that cases do start to rise, that SSU would reopen the testing site.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, 396,620 people, or 80% of the population are fully vaccinated in Sonoma County. Additionally, the number of COVID cases across the county is consid ered low.

The student health center will still administer COVID tests for students who have symptoms. They will not be doing screenings. Employees and stu dents who are experiencing symptoms are still required to notify the COVID monitoring office of any COVID like symptoms.

You can make an appointment over the phone Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ronald Lopez steps down after student call to action

continued from pg. 1

fessor. For example, a review written in 2017 said, “one of the worst teach ers I have ever had. Doesn’t answer questions directly, asks students to write papers on topics he hasn’t taught yet and can not stay on topic to save his life. He rambles single class and he is so disorganized and monotone that even for a caffeine fiend like me, it takes all the willpower I have to not to fall asleep.”

A review from 2014 expressed frustration over both the course disorganiza tion and lack of challenge. “Easy class, just watch one movie a class, 3 essays and some quizzes, easy grading but can ramble off topic and unorganized but easy class,” the review said.

A review from 2013 mixed some of the positive thoughts that message had with some of the criticism. “He wasn’t bad and I wouldn’t say he was great. He is genuinely interested in the subject but sometimes he doesn’t translate that to his teaching methods. He often times goes off on a tangent or ramble that is somewhat related.”

Lopez, when asked about some of the grievances listed in the call to action, deferred not to answer, and instead wrote this in an email, “I stepped down as CALS Department Chair on Friday, Oct. 28, during a regularly scheduled department meeting. Any further questions should be addressed to Arts and Humanities Dean Edward Beebout, PhD.”

According to his LinkedIn, Lopez began working as an assistant profes sor at SSU in 2005.

Rohnert Park aims to curb homelessness with new interim housing facility

continued from

1

Rohnert Park’s Housing Administrator Jenna Garcia said that many cur rent occupants of encampments are “eager” to move in, and that she expects the units to be 90% occupied right away.

The facility is situated less than a mile south of Graton Casino and Re sort, which, according to the Press Democrat, vehemently objected to the city council’s decision to permit its close proximity.

Labath Landing serves an additional purpose, as the Rohnert Park web site details, in satisfying court rulings that require cities to offer temporary housing to people experiencing homelessness before any camping or over night parking laws can be legally enforced.

According to the Press Democrat, camps that continue to exist after occupants have been offered a spot at Labath Landing will be managed and made smaller by city officials, and occupants will be forced to com ply with new laws designed to reduce violence, waste and overcrowding. One encampment, located on Roberts Lake Road, is especially large and overcrowded. Complaints and safety concerns about the encampment from nearby businesses and residents greatly fueled the decision to establish the facility.

For many Sonoma State students, homelessness in the city has become palpable. Nataly Hernandez, a senior double majoring in early childhood studies and Spanish, said, “I think this is a great initiative as I’ve driven around Rohnert Park seeing many homeless in areas that aren’t the safest. I worked at an early childcare site near Commerce Boulevard, and I would always see a bunch of tents and many homeless communities located on that river bank.”

For Hernandez, what makes Labath Landing particularly promising are the additional amenities and services offered to residents, which distinguish it from a traditional shelter or drop-in day center. “... Not many communities offer [people experiencing homelessness] the resources to succeed, only a place to live,” she said.

The site was paid for and will be operated by the state’s Project Home key, a $3.6 billion program launched in 2020 that provides funding to local jurisdictions and tribal governments to repurpose motels for housing, as re ported by the Press Democrat. Schwartz says that Labath Landing is just the beginning, and that he’s continuing to work to create additional temporary and permanent housing in the area. Project Homekey hopes to fund the cre ation of over 10,000 units across the state.

Like Hernandez, Kaili Spooner, a second-year communications and me dia studies major, is no stranger to witnessing homelessness on a regular basis. “Growing up in Oakland, all around me I’ve seen the streets become filled with people and tents on the streets, sidewalks and under overpasses,” she said. “It breaks my heart to see it constantly increasing.”

This recent uptick in local homeless populations has been sudden and significant. The 2022 Sonoma County census revealed a 43% increase in chronic homeless since 2020, no doubt due in part to the economic, health and employment ramifications of the pandemic. The county’s total homeless population now stands at nearly 2,900 people.

Seth Gillaspy, a third-year history major, also praised Rohnert Park for trying to tackle the issue of homelessness in a way that some cities have failed to. “Honestly I believe that trying to help the homeless is a good thing. In my hometown there is a large homeless population and I wish we would have done something for them,” Gillapsy said.

Spooner stressed that while Labath Landing won’t completely solve the issue of homelessness, it’s the first step in the right direction. “I think many people just need the resources, someone to believe in them and an extra push, and hopefully this facility can provide that for them.”

COURTESY // canva.com

The new Labath Landing housing facility is expected to be 90% occupied upon opening and will house individuals for six months at a time.

COURTESY // @alans_doodles Instagram

Arts & Entertainment

Sonoma State Sings! annual choral festival comes to Green Music Center

STAFF WRITER PAUL MUNOZ

The vocal talents of students from Sonoma County were on display in Weill and Schroeder Hall at the Green Music Center on Oct. 27 and 28. All participants were from different high schools and junior colleges who were brought together un der one roof to participate in a friendly, non-competitive event called the Sonoma State Sings Choral Festival to display their singing and vocal skills and also see what the SSU music department is like.

Around 9 a.m. the different choir groups were assigned time slots later in the day to perform three pieces. Each event ended with a concert where the students came together to perform their set prepared for the festival which also included a combined choral performance. The Seawolves also held a significant role in the Choral Festival which included performances from veteran performing art students who were previ ously guided by members of the SSU voice faculty.

Sonoma State Sings Choral Festival is an event to attract all local high school and junior college choirs to get an idea of what SSU’s music department has to offer. The groups of those who participated in the festival were to receive feedback on their performance from group adjudicators, or individuals who arbitrate during a formal dispute of various events. Still, in this case, there was no competitive manner, the festival aimed to have all of the performers display their talents.

During the festival students were put into groups based on the schools they were representing and their singing styles. There was a mix of different attire among the performers, ranging from students dressed in suits, ties and dresses to casual T-shirts and jeans. One of the students who performed both days at the event, Charlie Vasare jos from Novato High School, shared his thoughts on the event, “Being a first-time performer I am a bit nervous, but it’s nice to see different students from different schools taking part in the event as well.” Vasarejos said that the event was a good opportunity to learn more about himself as a performer and expand his horizons.

A participant who wished to remain anonymous also said that the event wasn’t just a place to sing but to actually be herself, “When I perform with my classmates,

I feel like we really can be a team.” She went on to say how it’s nice not to be in a competition but rather a supportive event that brings everyone together.

The different performances in the festival were organized by Dr. Cari Earnhart, SSU’s very own music professor. Her appearance at the event was not only as an organizer but as an individual who has compassion for vocals and choir just like all the students attending.

The Sonoma State Sings Choral and Voice Festival is an annual event that will continue being held by Sonoma State, and encourages students to come out and perform and take part in the festival and any other musical programs Sonoma State has to offer. The next performance at the Green Music Center will be Santa Rosa Symphony Jazz Greats & Tchaikovsky Nov. 5-7.

Seawolves showcase Halloween spirit at the climbing wall

STAFF WRITER MARIE’SA RUMSEY

Students got into the Halloween spirit a little early by attending a wall-climbing event while decked out in their costumes. The festive event took place at Sono ma State’s recreation center on Oct. 27.

The lights were dimmed low at the climbing wall to add a slightly spooky feeling. On top of that, different kinds of Halloween, hip-hop, and pop music played in the background. Near the primary desk for the climbing wall section featured pumpkin decorations, skeletons, and glow-in-the-dark sticks for all to use as accessories.

Amanda Davis, who is a sophomore and employee at the climbing wall, shared her thoughts on the event, “I love Halloween. Spooky season is my favorite. I really wanted to work this shift to be with my coworkers and wear costumes.” Davis contributed to the decorations and even helped some of her coworkers find costumes for the event to make it more fun to work.

At the top of the climbing walls were lingering ghost decorations. Just a few inches away from the ghost were pumpkin-themed buckets of candy from which those who climbed up could reward themselves. Attendees were both eager to get the candy and participate in climbing. Everyone was equally engaged in conversa tions with peers and the activity.

Before each climber started, safety measures were taken by switching to climbing shoes, receiving headlamps, and adding chalk to their hands to ensure grip for climbing.

There were a variety of costumes from banana peels, witches, hotdogs, and even gorilla costumes. Students seemed to put their best effort toward their cos tumes.

Chloe Howard, a biology major, came as a ninja in tribute to being a big fan of Naruto, the main character in an anime adventure series. Howard expressed what the event did for her,

“This event is getting me in the spirit of Halloween because I have nowhere else to wear my costume. It’s nice to get out and show everyone my costume.” Howard didn’t have any big plans for Halloween so this event became an outlet for her. She further explained her love for climbing and being around friends. Howard stated the environment of the event was pure entertainment.

Carlos Calito, a communications major, shared why he wanted to attend the event, “I think it is fun to do climbing and mix it together with a tradition like Halloween. I feel that everyone is spirited tonight with wearing their costumes.” Calito continued, “This event is a good way to bring people together and do two things that we love.” Calito is also a part of the climbing club. He pointed out one specific sign which read, “Hate has no place here” with a red circle canceling out the word hate. For him, the sign describes the tone and atmosphere at the climbing wall.

The event itself offered students a chance to have a pre-Halloween experi ence in a unique way. Overall, the social event was filled with upbeat energy and seemed to create shared memories between the Seawolves in attendance.

For more climbing events like these please visit the Campus Recreation “pro grams” and “adventures” located on the SSU website.

STAR// Cec Fernandez

Local high school students get the chance to work with SSU music professor Dr. Cari Earnhart during the Sonoma State Sings Choral Festival on Oct. 28.

STAR // Zachary Gonzales

The festive group of climbers smile up at the camera decked out in their costumes during the Rec Center’s Halloween climbing wall event on Oct. 27.

STAR // Zachary Gonzales

Climbing wall employee Amanda Davis shows off her best witch pose during the event.

Student

Spirited Seawolves take part in Midnite Madness

Sonoma State’s Men’s and Women’s basketball teams jumped out with a big rally for Midnite Madness the night of Oct. 26th. The night was planned to celebrate the start of the basketball season. Lots of parents, students and other athletes gathered for the opener that was planned by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. The night consisted of entertaining games, dancing and basketball competitions such as 3-point contests and dunk contests.

SAAC President Keara Colombo wanted to carry on the tradition of Midnite Madness this year along with many other events she had planned for the Sonoma community. She led by simply explaining what the tradition is and the purpose behind it.

“Midnite Madness is a pep rally to kick off basketball season and recognize our sports teams. It’s a chance for the student body to come together to meet our teams, watch performances, and get hyped for basketball season! We had a great turn out at the event and our teams had a blast interacting with the campus community.”

Colombo put in many dedicated hours in planning Midnite Madness for the Sonoma State athletes and students. She was confident that this event would bring the community closer and it was also a great start for athletes going into the basketball season. There were other activities that included the athletes such as performing with the dance team. Some of the athletes at the end even included various tricks such as cartwheels, round offs, backflips, and the splits to end the song. The audience was cheering loud and was excited for the performance and the tricks they did.

In an interview with the STAR Colombo explains “Planning Midnite Mad ness took a lot of time. So many SSU clubs/groups were involved in the event. Our athletes practiced with the Sapphires dance team for a special performance. We filmed clips for the promotion video and met with faculty in numerous departments. As SAAC President I enjoyed putting in the hours to plan this event. I wanted this for our student athletes. They deserve to be recognized and I want to bring back the Madness tradition.”

DANNY SERRANO STAFF WRITER

The start of the night involved tabling with pizza for students, free gear, and props for the event. One of the events that was particularly fun to watch was the 3-point contest. As the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams set up, the countdown began and they competed in a close match. The crowd was screaming and cheering as the scores were very tight and both teams were hitting their 3-pointers making it exciting for their peers.

SAAC leaders Colombo and Vice President Brooklyn Jackson led the way of the night as they introduced their next competition, the dunk contest. A few members from the men’s basketball team competed against a couple fraternity members. There were many ups and downs of the coaches ratings when it came to the best dunks, but ultimately Jaylen Wells won the contest and a huge prize for first place.

After Midnite Madness, there were many people who were pumped about how well it went and excited after seeing the skills and entertainment from both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams. A lot of students showed up to support while showing their Sonoma pride as people had celebratory items like thunder sticks, noisemakers, glow products, cheer sticks, waterless tattoos and more.

Spotlight: Club Baseball

Alot of students have desires to revamp their sports careers. Club teams offer that opportunity. Club baseball had their first scrimmage this weekend against Sac ramento State University with a double header on Saturday and a game on Sunday. This was an important series to see where the strengths and weaknesses of the team are. SSU dropped the first game to Sacramento 24-1 and the second one 14-5.

The season begins in spring and the Seawolves will be playing schools all over the state. SSU will play schools like Chico, San Jose, UC Davis and others. The season starts Feb. 6, 2023.

Every year more and more students join the team from all different ages. Jake Morrissey, senior and communications major, joined the team this semester. He started at shortstop two out of the three games this past weekend. When asked how he felt about his performance this weekend he said, “This weekend was a wake up call for sure. We made a lot of errors and we couldn’t get in a groove. Sacramento is a really good team, but we could have beat them for sure.”

He went on to add, “I think it’s important to get out there and play good teams so we can see where we are as a team. We have a lot of work to do, but I’m sure we’ll be ready for next semester.”

In an interview with the STAR Morrissey was asked how the loss felt and

what his emotions were while he was playing and he said, “It’s very demoralizing when a team can put up eight or nine runs in an inning. Makes it seem impossible to come back. Morale is a big part of baseball and when you steam rolled by a team like that, it’s very demoralizing.”

The team is composed of 16 members each bringing their own unique talent to the field. Their depth will help them be flexible throughout the upcoming season. This weekend proved just that. The team was able to work with two lineups for each game. Giving players the opportunity to play half the first game and then half of the next.

When asked how he is approaching the upcoming season, third year and business administration major Noah Portillo said, “My approach is pretty simple. I’m going to work my tail off this semester and practice as much as the weather allows me. I just want to be in perfect shape so we can get out there and win as many games as we can.”

The club team will continue to work this offseason and gain a sense of confi dence walking into the 2023 season. Their first game will be Feb. 6, 2023 against South Pacific, at Sonoma State. The games are played on the varsity field at Rancho Cotate High school located right behind the Zinfandel dorms.

Save a Seawolf: Alcohol Awareness Week

NICOLE AWAAD STAFF WRITER

As alcohol awareness week continues at Sonoma State, an interactive event was held in the Seawolf Plaza. Save a Seawolf Alcohol Awareness Week brings awareness and responsibility where alcohol consumption is concerned. This obser vance always takes place the week prior to Halloween, as we know that is a high risk time when it comes to college aged students and alcohol use/abuse/misuse.

Events that were being held consisted of a key pledge to not drink and drive that students had the option of pledging for. Pumpkins were being sold to raise money for club events, and an activity to attempt to pour the correct amount of liquid equiv alent to a shot.

One of the event directors from OPHD, Ricky Khanijow, explained what his table consisted of, “We’re with the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Dis

crimination. So we do exactly that. We help prevent harassment and discrimination. At this table, we’re asking students to pour a shot in a red solo cup, and then we measure that shot and we see if it’s actually shot or not. And generally it’s kind of like 50/50 people either get it or they don’t at all.” Khanijow also shared a program with the STAR known as ‘It’s a guy thing.’ “It’s me talking to anyone who wants to talk about what it means to be a man in today’s society, healthy masculinity versus unhealthy masculinity, and just all that, all that fun.”

Senior and psychology major, Lily Manshouri said, “I came out to this event to encourage people to acknowledge the importance of alcohol awareness and understand the importance of drinking and driving. Being in college, there is a lot of temptation around us and people forget about the dangers that alcohol can bring. I enjoyed partici pating in all the engaging activities and I pledged not to drink and drive by signing a key and hanging it with the rest of the keys. They also had Mario Kart on the big screen that students were playing, including myself.” It’s important to hold events like these as they do make an impact on people’s lives.

In an interview with the STAR Gabriela Magallanees shared the importance of her table. “Our booth consists of giving out paper keys to sign and students have a choice to pledge not to drink and drive. It’s important to offer a reminder to students on how dangerous drinking and driving is. Especially being a college campus I know some people think they can get away with it, this is where I came in and shared some logistic information on drinking and driving.” Seawolves always have eachothers backs.

If you’re looking for more support through Sonoma State, Mental Health and CAPS will be holding a drop-in group where you can co-create a supportive and affirma tive space, share common experiences, and deepen your self-understanding. This support group will be held on Tues. Nov. 1 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m in CAPS building 17.

STAR // Mariah Forster Sonoma State dance team takes over the court.

STAR // Zachary Gonzales

SSU student Shelby King tabling on behalf of OPHD.

Women’s Soccer three-peats on Senior Day

Last Thursday was a special day for the Seawolves’ Women’s Soccer Team. Not only was it senior day, but the team also clinched their third consecutive CCAA (Cali fornia Collegiate Athletic Association) regular season title, with their 3-1 victory over the San Francisco State Gators. Entering the day the Seawolves sat tied with Stanislaus State at the top of the CCAA table, with a record of 6-2-2, for a total of 20 points. Even though both teams won their final match of the regular season (bringing them to 7-2-2, with 23 points), the Seawolves earned the edge with a 4-2 head-to-head victory when the two teams met earlier in the season. This gives the Seawolves the number one seed, and homefield advantage for this week’s CCAA tournament.

The team got off to a blazing start in their match this past Thursday, scoring all three of their goals on the front side of the first half. Gaining command out of the gate was a point of emphasis for the Seawolves, with senior defender Krissy Keller saying, “Every team in our conference is going to have their best game against Sonoma State, so in preparation for this game we really wanted to take control of the game while staying calm.” It was a balanced offensive attack that used the entire pitch, producing goals from Annette Sotelo in the ninth minute, Julia Horner-Bell in the 16th, and Lexi Zandonella-Arasa in the 22nd. Andrea Lozano had a pair of assists as well. A sluggish first half for the Gators was somewhat salvaged by getting a goal before the half, with Britton Kerby finding the back of the net in the 37th minute, making things somewhat interesting. Plenty of chances were created by both teams in the sec ond half, but it ended up being more of a showcase for the goalkeepers, as neither team cashed

in their opportunities.

While the occasion certainly called for celebration, the focus has quickly shifted back to business for the Seawolves, as they prepare to make a deep run in the postsea son. Keller emphasized there were plenty of positives to take away from the game, but also things to improve upon for continued success. “Despite the win I think we had a solid first half, which is something we have struggled with in the past. Moving forward we know it will be important to put together 90 minutes,” said Keller. “We hold our selves to a high standard, so we are always looking at what we could do better moving forward. Even if we win.”

The Seawolves will begin postseason play on Friday, with a CCAA Tournament Semi-final match against Chico State at Seawolf Soccer Field. If things go according to plan this will be just the beginning of the squad’s postseason journey. A victory on Friday would mean a chance to play for the CCAA Tournament Championship Sunday on home turf, before getting a chance in the regional tournament. Success at the regional level is something the Seawolves are capable of according to Keller who emphasized, “We feel the region is open this year and it has been something we have strived for during my four years here at Sonoma State.” She explained that the key to success is going to be turning weaknesses into strengths. If the Seawolves can do so, winning a regular season title on senior day could be just one of many great moments in a magical season.

Volleyball takes down No. 22 and 19 ranked teams in the nation

Trephan shared some thoughts with the STAR following the team’s win this weekend, “Beating CSUSB and Pomona this weekend was a huge confidence booster for our whole team and it proved that we can deal with powerful teams.”

Trephan continued, “It was really nice winning, especially because it had a big impact on whether or not we were going to make it into the CCAA and NCAA tournament.” The senior setter leads the team this season with 469 assists and is second in points with 253.5.

Head Coach Bear Grassl also provided some insight following his team’s performance, “We have won ten out of 11 games, and the Pomona and San Bernardino matches were the toughest opponents that we have played. We have been excellent on both sides of the ball.”

Highlighting the night was the celebration of senior players Megan Trottier, Jessie Hobbs and Angel Gamboa. All three of the senior team mates have been part of the team since 2019 and have made an impact in the program over the course of their careers.

The win following last weekend leaves SSU with an overall record of 18-6 and ranked second in the CCAA standings. The Seawolves in their current position move forward poised for a postseason appearance next month in the CCAA tournament.

NOAH CLARK STAFF WRITER

The Sonoma State Women’s Volleyball Team on senior night came out de termined facing Cal State San Bernardino at home on Saturday. In the spirit of senior teammates’ last home game, the Seawolves played with great pride and took down the 19th nationally ranked Yotes with a score of 3-1. This was the team’s second victory over a ranked opponent over the past week.

SSU won the first set 25-18, with a total of 18 kills and two blocks. The second set was taken by the opposing Yotes with a score of 25-20. The Sea wolves dug deep to bounce back in the third set and win 25-16. The team continued their strong play to seal the deal and win the fourth set 25-16.

Paving the way for the Seawolves was outside hitter Kiana Richardson who led the team with 19 points and 15 kills. Jen Trephan continued her strong crusade against the Yotes, orchestrating strong passes and leading the team with a staggering 31 assists.

Coach Grassl explained his team’s goal and mindset heading into their last two games, “Our greatest goal is to maintain our composure under stress, we understand that our opponents will make good plays and we must absorb those, and respond with a clear head looking forward to our next opportunity.”

Grassl continued, “We have shown great strength in staying focused this season, at one point this year we were 8-5 and had lost four in a row, but we kept focusing on our next opportunity and our team responded with great results.” The Seawolves have displayed a great deal of tenacity and grit this season, placing themselves in a strong position.

The Seawolves hit the road this Thursday riding their four game win ning streak for their second to last game against Cal State East Bay. The Seawolves will look to take revenge against the Pioneers, a team they lost to earlier this season 3-1. For more information on the team make sure to head over to https://sonomaseawolves.com/sports/womens-volley ball?path=wvball

STAR // Mariah Forster Players gathered to congratulate Annette Sotelo as she opened up the scoring for the Seawolves.

STAR // Cec Fernandez

The Seawolves setting up for a kill during an intense point in the middle of their game against Cal State San Bernardino.

CALVIN ZELJAK STAFF WRITER

STAR // Nicholas Roth Senior players (left to right) Julia Pritchard, Krissy Keller, Julia Horner-Bell and Makenna Mcadoo.

COURTESY // Alec Bevan

The team celebrates as they clinched their third straight CCAA championship after their victory over San Francisco State.

Midnite Madness celebrates the start of a new sports season

STAR // Zachary Gonzales

Seawolves took advantage of the unique opportunity to race in Mario Kart on the big screen outside of the Recreation Center during the Save a Seawolf event on Oct. 27.

STAR // Zachary Gonzales

A group of students gather to play Mario Kart on the giant screen outside of the Recre ation Center during the Save a Seawolf event at the Seawolf Plaza on Oct. 27.

STAR // Mariah Forster

SSU cheer brings the energy to the floor as they showcase their routine during Midnite Madness on Oct. 26. (see more on pg. 6)

STAR // Mariah Forster SSU athletes and dance team strike a pose at center court during the Midnite Madness festivities on Oct. 26. (see more on pg. 6)

STAR // Cec Fernandez

students

the table at the Boards

Brews event on Oct. 27.

STAR // Cec Fernandez Tucker from AS helped students understand the game of Catan. Winning this game got students a $50 giftcard.