Spring 2022 - Issue 10

IN THIS ISSUE

PG&E PG&E to pay over $50 million, due to the Kincade and Dixie fires.

PAGE 2.

Men’s Golf

Sexual Education

The Sonoma State Men’s Golf Team wins their first CCAA title since 2009.

PAGE 7.

Students express frustration about how sexual education is handled in schools.

PAGE 3.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 86 // ISSUE 10 APRIL 19, 2022 - APRIL 25, 2022

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

President Sakaki accused of retaliation amid claims husband harassed staff NOAH CLARKE AND MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER, NEWS EDITOR

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COURTESY // @judyksakaki on Facebook

he campus is still reeling this week from revelations reported Wednesday in the Press Democrat and Los Angeles Times that the California State University system paid $600,000 to former Sonoma State University Provost and Executive Vice President Lisa Vollendorf as a settlement for retaliation Vollendorf claims occurred after she reported several sexual harassment claims made against SSU President Judy Sakaki’s spouse, Patrick McCallum.

According to Vollendorf’s July 26, 2021, claim which was obtained through the CSU Chancellor’s Office, in 2018, “Several women affiliated with SSU approached Dr. Vollendorf with allegations of sexual harassment. The allegations -- all of which painted a cohesive picture of harassment – were against President Sakaki’s husband, Patrick McCallum, who was an active presence on campus, including attending many SSU - sponsored events attended by employees.”

The anonymous victims reported particular behavior commited by McCallum such as mentioning his sex life, running his fingers through one woman’s hair and making “inappropriate personal comments” according to settlement records the former provost’s attorney filed with system officials.

By CSU rules, managers are mandated to report allegations of sexual misconduct including harassment. After reporting the sexual harassment claims to Executive Vice Chancellor and General Counsel for the CSU, Andy Jones, Vollendorf claims she began facing retaliation from Sakaki.

President Judy Sakaki with her husband Patrick McCallum at the university’s annual holiday party.

see SAKAKI on pg. 4

Sakaki announces split from husband MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER

O COURTESY // senate.sonoma.edu The Academic Senate is the official faculty body to “provide opinion on matters affecting the University.

Leaked budget advisory group document shocks campus

WILLOW ORNELLAS STAFF WRITER

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dramatic plan outlining $5.5 million in budget cuts at Sonoma State University (SSU) created by an appointed campus committee was leaked on March 30, 2022 to the STAR and other groups, setting off a cascade of fearful reactions in the campus community last week.

Campus faculty and students have alleged that the leaked confidential report contained factual inaccuracies and dramatic changes to SSU programs, was made without adequate representation and without the knowledge of many high-ranking Deans, Chairs and professors. The committee also lacked a student representative.

The confidential draft of the Academic Affairs Budget Advisory Group (AABAWG) was leaked to the STAR via an anonymous source. The document titled “Final Report” proposes multiple long and short-term strategies for budget reduction.

The recommendations inside the confidential report include combining the School of Arts and Humanities with the School of Social Sciences as well as the discontinuation of multiple programs including German cultural studies, French, History MA, Nursing BS, Nursing FNP, Applied Statistics BS, Art Studio BFA, Music BA, Dance BA and the Hutchins Program.

The recommendations also suggest moving the Advising Center to Academic Programs, reimagining the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, moving IT to Administrative and Finance and creating a permanent budget advisory group for Academic Affairs. see BUDGET LEAK on pg. 4

n Sunday, April 17, new information was published from a rambling and inflammatory email sent by SSU President Judy Sakaki’s husband, Patrick McCallum, defending his behavior to “friends and family.” On Monday morning, President Sakaki announced she would be separating from McCallum, her spouse of around seven years.

The lengthy email released by The Press Democrat, was McCallum’s first public response since the allegations were brought to light. In it, amid many typographical errors, McCallum claimed lawyers had lifted the restrictions that were keeping both him and Sakaki from speaking out and sharing their sides of the story.

“When we first arrived I totally missed that a president spouse is perceived to have more power and influence that i had and I should of acted like i do with my staff or in a professional setting rather than feeling as a volunteer . I interacted with staff and students as if they were my friends.

Judy would hug everybody and after they hug Judy they would hug me. I am curious, outgoing , big personality , and had excitement as being a volunteer to help Judy and the campus (sic),” wrote McCallum.

In the email, McCallum denied the allegations brought against him and claims they were constructed in efforts to get Sakaki fired while also lashing out against Vollendorf and his sexual harassment accusers, saying they, “Used me as a way to get out their anger and efforts to get Judy fired.”

On Monday, April 18, Sakaki announced that she is separating from her husband.

In a statement which was released early Monday and published by The Press Democrat, Sakaki announced, “At this time, I have made the difficult personal decision to separate from Patrick. This past weekend, Patrick sent an inaccurate and unauthorized email to friends and family.

The email was sent without my knowledge or consent and does not reflect my viewpoint. I consider the matters between Dr. (Lisa) Vollendorf and me to be resolved.”

2 Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board Myles Grabau, Editor-in-Chief Maych Rowell, News Editor Emily Cripe, Opinion Editor Cléa Upcher, Arts & Entertainment Editor Isabel Epstein, Student Life Editor Nicholas Roth, Sports & Health Editor Dana Scacco, Photo Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Advisor

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022 sonomastatestar.com

PG&E to pay $55 million in settlement for Kincade and Dixie fires

Staff Writers Willow Ornellas, Addison Smith, Ana Fingerson, Payton Mullaney, Rosalee Padilla, Jacqueline Garcia, Javier Hernandez, Rachel Yetso, Jake Morrissey, Olivia Doane, Danny Serrano, Montana Lahey, Mikayla Fritzemeier, Noah Clarke

Photographers Holly Durfee, Khanh Dao, Tanner Ivey

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

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n April 11, Pacific Gas and Electric announced that they will be paying a $55 million settlement due to the 2019 Kincade Fire and the 2021 Dixie Fire. According to a release made by PG&E themselves, both fires were caused by faulty equipment. In the settlement, PG&E will have their criminal charges for the Kincade Fire dismissed, as well as no criminal charges handed out for the Dixie Fire. This deal was negotiated over many months, specifically by the district attorneys of the counties that were affected by the fires.

“I look at [the settlement] as doing the best that we could under the circumstances,” said Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch, via abc10.com. “Governor Newsom has decided that PG&E is going to continue, and so we are going to have to deal with PG&E in our community.”

When she says that Newsom has “decided PG&E will be sticking around,” Ravitch is referring to a 2019 law that was drafted in response to the fires, which offers PG&E financial protection from the cost of wildfire damage. The state law was advanced by Newsom and was drafted by the same law firm (O’Melveny and Myers) who represented PG&E for years, until about five months before the Camp Fire in 2018. The lawyers were paid $9.6 million for drafting this new law, according to abc10.com.

In exchange for the $55 million settlement, PG&E will have to strengthen their wildfire protection plans and will be forced to not only pay the residents affected by these wildfires, but also the six counties that were affected by them. These counties will include Butte, Lassen, Plumas,

COURTESY // Sacramento Bee

Shasta, Sonoma, and Tehama according to CNN. More than half of the settlement -- $35 million -- will go to nonprofit organizations affected by the wildfires, such as schools, volunteer fire departments, and community groups, according to PG&E and the Sonoma County district attorney’s office. Sonoma County will receive $7.5 million in civil penalties, and the other five counties will get $1 million each.

The recent settlement does not include the Zogg Fire that spread across Shasta County in 2020, as those involved are still unable to come to a consensus. Prosecutors charged PG&E with four counts of felony manslaughter for each person that was killed in the fire.

“In the Zogg case, PG&E’s actions caused the deaths of four people,” said Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett, via abc10.com. “ A civil settlement alone, such as the one reached in the Dixie Fire case, would not be sufficient to hold PG&E accountable for their actions.”

Under the terms of the new settlement, PG&E does not admit to any wrongdoing causing the Dixie and Kincade Fires. Prosecutors chose to settle rather than continue prosecuting, in an effort to “...maximize the return to the fire victims rather than seek criminal penalties,” according to abc10.com.

With this recent news, the public must now wait on the ruling for the four counts of felony manslaughter charged to PG&E in response to the Zogg fire. It goes without saying that the settlement money is appreciated. However, many survivors have lost everything in these fires, and it seems that PG&E just got off with a slap on the wrist for their mismanagement.

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

Opinion 3

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022 sonomastatestar.com

Why is there no hormonal birth control for men?

MONTANA LAHEY STAFF WRITER

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t has become almost a right of passage for anyone with a uterus, being prescribed hormonal birth control pills, and yet men still do not have a birth control pill of their own. The first solution doctors offer for nearly every ailment a uterus owner faces is usually hormonal birth control, despite the side effects list being about as long as the Constitution.

This concept brings to light a larger issue:

why is it the person with the vagina’s job to alter their body with hormone pills in order to prevent pregnancy? Why do men not share this burden?

While birth control is often able to dramatically improve the lives of people suffering from the effects of having a period, the benefits dont always outweigh the risks. The side effects of the hormonal birth control pill include weight gain, acne, mood swings, nausea, depression, and so many more.

People with uteruses generally start taking birth control pills at young ages and then stay on it until they are ready to have kids. The short-term side effects of the pill are widely discussed, but many seem to be in the dark about the alarming long-term side effects like blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes to name just a few. Even if you are in perfect health, the long-term effects of birth control pills will prevail.

An anonymous Sonoma State student said, “I find myself questioning the validity of having birth

control, procedures, pills, etc., predominantly for women. The simple biology behind reproduction proves men have more ability to cause pregnancy than a woman.” They went on, “While a man can impregnate many women at high volume, a woman can not produce that many children within that period of time.”

Recently, there have been trials for a male injectable hormone contraceptive, which could have been amazing for both parties, as it featured less side effects than traditional birth control pills. Unfortunately, the injection was stopped while in the trial stage because it was thought that the risks outweigh the benefits, the risks being those that people with uteruses are already facing everytime they use their birth control pills.

Mia Aponte, a Communications student at SSU, said, “As a result of birth control I have gained weight, been bed ridden for days at a time, experienced painful cramps, and sacrificed the health of my still developing body.” She contin-

ued, “In my opinion, there is much to reform in the world of birth control. To deem side effects for men as ‘too extreme’ while still allowing dehumanizing procedures to happen to young girls is a slap in the face.”

Another topic to add to the conversation is how the responsibility of being on birth control falls on women, when women aren’t the ones who can get someone pregnant. Not to mention the unwanted pregnancies that happen out of sexual misconduct and rape.

It is encouraging that while talking to a variety of people about birth control pills, almost every person knew there were serious risks associated with women using contraceptives. However, when researchers began trials of the injection on men, they were stopped because the men complained about mood changes and pain at the injection site.

The best solution would be for all men to have a vasectomy or use their own form of hormonal birth control, if it ever gets past the research phase.

al physical canine characteristics.

Purebred dogs have become increasingly popular in the United States; the American Kennel Club (AKC) reported a spike in purebred puppy registrations in 2022. Aesthetic alterations tend to include tail docking, ear cropping, and inbreeding to achieve traits jeopardizing the dog’s health.

For many purebreds and their owners, the adherence to extreme breeding standards has resulted in misery, with pedigree dogs suffering from both physical and behavioral problems. Dog shows like the Westminster or American Kennel Club annual popularize certain breeds based on who wins a blue ribbon—using the winning dog to continue the award-winning bloodline. This is done without regard for health issues they may pass along. “Dog shows need to be reconsidered. They only work to promote dog inbreeding. It’s animal abuse.” said Abril Gomez, a second-year Biology major.

The vast number of modern breeders are in it

for the money, producing purebred dogs worth 2,000 to 7,000. French bulldogs are one of the most popular pure breeds and one of the most unhealthy ones. Suffering from breathing problems due to their smushed noses and vision problems caused by their wide eyes, specific human selected characters are done through inbreeding. The breed can hardly reproduce, as all Frenchie puppies have to be delivered via cesarean section due to their large heads being unable to fit through the birth canal.

The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is a popular breed—with families paying hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars per puppy. Unfortunately, the Cavalier King Charles is the dog breed that carries the most disease-causing genetic mutations, ranked as the second most wanted dog in the US in 2021. “Current aesthetic standards for our fourlegged best friends are literally becoming their death,” said Erick Lewis, fourth-year English major.

The breed has been negatively affected by years of inbreeding – putting it at higher risk for heart disease. Half of all Cavaliers will develop mitral valve disease by age five, a severe heart condition that leaves the dogs susceptible to premature death. By the same age, up to 70% will suffer from a debilitating neurological disorder in which the brain is too large for the skull, causing severe pain in the neck and shoulders and damage to parts of the dog’s spinal cord. Most purebred dogs today are at high risk for numerous inherited diseases.

To reduce the lack of diversity and health problems, breeders need to stop breeding following dog show standards and stop prioritizing aesthetics that cause suffering .

It’s not necessarily wrong to value a dog’s aesthetics, but dog owners and breeders need to acknowledge their aesthetic desires’ impact, and come to terms with the immense power they can have over dogs’ bodies and livelihood.

enough?

Although it is required, each state gets to choose how they present the topic of sex ed and how much information they give to students. While these topics can be uncomfortable to teach, especially when a younger audience can’t fully comprehend the seriousness of it, it is still important to make the information available in case one encounters such topics before the “appropriate” age.

“Sex ed in my school only talked about the bare minimum, like what a penis and vagina looks like, how to make babies, birth control, condoms, etcetera. I always felt they could’ve elaborated on human sexuality, different kinds of sex, what to do in case of sexual assault, tips and tricks, hookups, and sexuality in general, since it is a spectrum,” said Rogel Noel, a fourth year Psychology major at Sonoma State University.

It is understandable that some fear teaching

about sex because they feel it could be more influencial in making “bad decisions.” In reality, sex ed actually does more good than harm. Sexual education is a broad term used to describe education for human anatomy, sexual reproduction and other aspects of sexual behavior. It is not just the education of sexual intercourse. Providing students truthful information and giving them a space to feel comfortable asking questions will only help them understand how to make healthier decisions when it comes to sex.

If students aren’t being taught sex ed at home or at school, they’re going to find it elsewhere.

Through the internet, porn, or even their friends.

These places could be teaching them false information or giving them the wrong impressions of sex.

Education helps build confidence.

Sexual education isn’t just about what sex is and how to have it. It teaches life skills like safety when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases and

infections, how to avoid pregancy, if necessary, as well as the importance of consent and respecting consent. Concepts like respecting boundaries, asking before touching as well as where and who to go to if they feel uncomfortable are appropriate to start implementing young. It doesn’t have to be taught in an explicit way for younger kids, but can definitely be brought up in a way to start the conversation.

Sex is very taboo in western society, yet it is so common. It’s seen in most television and movies, heard in all genres of music, and read in millions of books and magazines. Why are we not teaching our students about safe sex due to fear of pregnancy and the dogma of bad behavior?

In a country that takes pride in individual rights, why not acknowledge that humans are driven by their will and morals. Schools should be a place for each to come and ask their questions without fear of judgment.

was not named in the article, but the claims Heard made echoed previous ones she’d made against him during their divorce in 2016, thus Depp claims it damaged his reputation.

Following these allegations, Depp was asked to resign from the third “Fantastic Beasts’’ movie, which premiered over the weekend with another actor in his place. This news came out after Depp had lost a libel case in 2018 against British newspaper The Sun. The Sun had published an article that referred to Depp as a “wife beater.” Fans were outraged to hear that he had been dropped from the film. Depp was also dropped from Disney, and thus all future “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. Depp has starred in five “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies and a petition online is demanding his return to the franchise.

Heard is still active in Hollywood, even though many people believe that she is the real abuser. Depp claimed that, during a fight with Heard, she threw two wine bottles at him and the tip of one of his fingers was cut off by the glass.

There are also images of Depp with bruises on his face, and an audio recording where Heard admitted to being violent and hitting Depp.

Depp was married twice before Heard. His ex-wives, Winona Rider and Vanessa Paradis, are both on Depp’s side and stated publicly that he was never abusive during their marriages.

Paradis said in a statement, “I am aware of the allegations which Amber Heard has publicly accused Johnny of for more than four years now. This is nothing like the true Johnny I have known, and from my personal experience of many years, I can say he was never violent or abusive to me.”

Domestic abuse and violence affects over 12 million people a year. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, “1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men is a victim of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes.”

An anonymous Sonoma State student said, “People do not take abuse seriously. We think

men as unbeatable things that nothing bad can really happen to especially when it comes to sex and any harm from women. I think maybe part of this is because we don’t take women seriously.

Our society can’t believe women can really hurt people.”

The Sonoma State community knows all too well what it’s like to be caught up in a sexual harassment scandal. On April 13, news broke that the California State University paid $600,000 to settle a harassment and retaliation case against Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki’s Husband, Patrick McCallum. Sakaki announced Monday that she is separating from her husband.

Since Depp is a public figure and his name was not mentioned in the essay written by Heard, winning will be difficult. In order for Depp to win the lawsuit, he has to prove that Heard’s essay was false information and that she acted with actual malice. The trial began on April 11 and is expected to last three weeks and is being aired on Court TV.

Designer dog breeders belong in the dog house

JACQUELINE GARCIA

L

STAFF WRITER

ast week the Westminster Kennel Club hosted its popular annual dog show, where purebred dogs of all shapes and sizes got to strut their stuff in front of discerning judges. However, many of the purebred dogs are, or soon will be, in poor physical health—the result of an emphasis on aesthetics during breeding as opposed to favoring function-

America’s sex education standards need to be amended

ANA FINGERSON

T

STAFF WRITER

oday, sexual education is only required in 29 states in the United States of America. Out of those 29, only 13 require accurate sex ed to be taught. It was only recently that California, one of the more progressive states, started requiring comprehensive sex ed.

In 2016, the state passed a law mandating it in all public schools, but is this

Depp sues Heard for defamation amid career turmoil

MIKAYLA FRITZEMEIER STAFF WRITER

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fter years of back and forth abuse allegations, brutal headlines from the tabloids and being dropped from various big name roles, Actor Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife and fellow actor Amber Heard for defamation. Depp filed the lawsuit after Heard wrote an essay for the New York Post in 2018 that implied she had been a victim of domestic abuse. Depp

4 News

Budget Backlash continued from pg. 1

On page 12, the document outlines the suggestion to discontinue the Hutchins Program, followed by the suggestion to create an Honors College/Program within Hutchins, which seems to be contradictory.

In a well-attended Academic Senate meeting Thursday, April 14, Provost Karen Moranski described the 29page document titled ‘Final Report’ as “working notes.”

“At the onset, the Working Group created a ‘Draft - Confidential Final Report’ with the intention of shaping it throughout the budgetary process. The Working Group’s meeting notes and discussions were translated into the body of this draft document,” Moranski said in the Zoom meeting. “There were many ideas in this draft document that were to be removed or further analyzed before the report was to be publicly shared. This review process was still taking place when a copy of the draft report was shared with people outside of the Working Group.”

The AABAWG committee was created in December of 2021 by Moranski with consultation from the Chair of the academic Senate, Lauren Morimoto, according to the document, to ensure that the University achieves a $5.5 million budget reduction by July 2022. Moranski said, with the exception of lecturers, the budget reductions were hoped to be done without laying off staff.

Jo-ann Dapiran, Senior Budget Analyst, was tasked to staff the group. Emily Acosta Lewis, Chair of Academic Planning and Resource Committee (APARC) and an associate professor in the School of Arts and Humanities and Mike Ogg, Senior Director of Budget and Planning for Academic Affairs were asked to co-chair this committee. Morimoto was asked to represent the Academic Senate and to be a faculty representative for the School of Social Science and Technology. Nominations went out to the Structure and Functions Committee of the Academic Senate which chose the remaining representatives from each school: Kaitlyn Springmier (Library), Fawn Canady (Education), Karen Thompson (Business and Economics), David McCuan (Social Sciences), Troi Carleton (PBAC representative and Social Sciences), Mike Visser (Business and Economics), Tai Russotti (Administrative Manager for the School of Arts and Humanities). The staff position, Loriann Negri, Director of the Writing Center, was elected by the Staff Council. None of the individuals on the committee have degrees in Organizational Leadership.

In the Academic Senate meeting, questions surrounding the leaked report were addressed. Moranski said the committee was not hand-picked. “There was a Structure and Functions process, so I do want to make sure that people know that the governance process was followed for the faculty on that working group,” Moranski said.

In the Academic Senate meeting, Moranski said, “The budget advisory working group has made no, and I want to be very clear about this actually because there are rumors going around, has made no recommendations for program discontinuance.” She continued, “They have not made recommendations about cutting programs, they have suggested that as a campus we find ways to add alternative funding for programs where we can.”

By combining the School of Arts and Humanities with the School of Social Sciences, Sonoma State would become a college of Arts, Humanities, and Social Science, to achieve a small savings of $285,000, a fraction of the total $5.5 million goal for the committee. The Working Group document states, “By creating Colleges, it would allow SSU to move to a more traditional model of the university organization wherein there are Colleges (large academic units) and Schools (small to mid-sized academic units).

Further adding to speculation and concerns, committee co-chair Emily Acosta Lewis sent an email to Arts and Humanities faculty on the morning of Thursday, April 14, prior to the Academic Senate Meeting. The email read, “If you saw the budget email, you’ll see that we’re combining the school of social sciences and arts and humanities. It will happen soon. Troi [Carleton] will be our new Dean. She’s wonderful and cares. She has messed up with some things, but she is a fair, honest, and kind person. I hope you all give her a chance.” It is unclear what new Dean, Troi, has ‘messed up.’

In response to this email, Arts and Humanities Chair, Ed Beebout, formulated a response signed off on by all of the department chairs. “The Council of Chairs and the Curriculum Committee of the School of Arts and Humanities unanimously reject the process that has led to the decision to merge the School of Arts and Humanities with the School of Social Sciences, and condemns its lack of transparency,” the email stated.

Despite Acosta Lewis’ email memo, Moranski said in the Academic Senate meeting that no decisions have been made when A&H Professor, Dr. Elizabeth Burch asked whether Troi Carelton, the current Dean of Social Sciences, would be taking over as Dean of both the School of Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities when Dean Hollis Robbins parts ways with SSU at the end of this semester.

“We’re just going to have to stop, take a deep breath, and go back several steps to have the conversations that need to be had. It’s really unfortunate that anytime severe, extreme budget cuts have to happen, the fear, anxiety and even the impulses to protect our own turfs make it hard to have conversations,” Moranski said.

Faculty Chair, Stefan Kiesbye said, “For me, the A&H Representative was in fact handpicked. There was no selection process that started out, and it’s not to throw shade at her [Emily Acosta Lewis] at all. It’s just that there was no election process. My trust in the process is pretty shot after what happened last year in the area of the repopulation of the campus where I was being lied to in meetings, where things were being hidden. The decisions were made and these open forums were only held basically to save face.”

Five of the seven committee members were handpicked, no one from Arts & Humanities was allowed to apply for the committee.

Letha Ch’ien, from the Arts History department, said, “If we have fewer Arts and Humanities seats, we have less of a voice on committees. We can’t advocate for our students the same way, we need a Dean who understands our unique concerns and as you said, we have unique needs and unique voices.”

No students were on the committee. Moranski said that a student representative from Associated Students was requested, however, no responses to the request were received. It should be noted that a student representative was requested on Feb. 24, meanwhile, the AABAWG group deadline for formulation was December 6, 2021. This suggests there weren’t intentions to have a student on the committee from the start.

An important detail about the Working Group document surrounds the data used throughout it. For one, there are no provided dates or information pointing to where the data used in the document was referenced from, with the exception of one table that referenced data from 2020 and another referencing data from 2021, and some of the information in the document has been revealed to be inaccurate.

Moranski stated in an email that the data included in the draft report came from reports generated by Academic Affairs. “Prior to publishing a final report, the data will go through a secondary review by Financial Services and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness,” Moranski said. “The report is still in draft form and the secondary review has not yet occurred.”

Pertaining to the incorrect information within the document Moranski said, “There is no false data in the report. The data were acquired through the PeopleSoft system and through the Tableau system so it’s data that is accurate for the institution but we have different ways of calculating data and so there often are debates about data.”

In the Senate Meeting, concerns were raised by associated student member Christina Gomez about whether a single dean would be able to sustain the workload created by merging the School of Arts and Humanities with the School of Social Sciences. “I know it didn’t seem like a big deal but they already say that the deans are stretched really thin with the work that they’re doing now,” Gomez said. “I don’t want to call anybody out but they already said in one of the schools that they’re struggling with everything that’s going on and then now to put them together, I don’t understand how one dean will be able to handle it when one Dean can’t handle one school right now.”

Several SSU academic budgets are significantly inflated in comparison to other academic budgets. Most academic budgets are anywhere from $250,000-$4 million. The budget for the Department of Business is nearly $8 million. None of the Working Group recommendations for budget adjustment pertained to the Department of Business.

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022 sonomastatestar.com

CSU’s $600,000 settlement

“Immediately upon being spoken to, President Sakaki began a campaign of retaliation against Dr. Vollendorf, demanding that Dr. Vollendorf subject herself to inappropriate, unprofessional and retaliatory activity,” read the claim, “Dr. Vollendorf was forced to leave her position as SSU Provost, rather than continue to be subjected to this hostile and retaliatory behavior.”

The day after the news reports appeared, a statement was released to the campus community expressing that the claims made against both Sakaki and her spouse were “without basis,” denying any retaliation and stating, “The complaints about President Sakaki’s spouse were addressed in April 2019, and no similar complaints have been reported to the Chancellor’s Office or Sonoma States’ Title IX Office since that time.”

Later that day, Sakaki issued an apology to faculty and staff during an Academic Senate meeting with more than 150 people in attendance.

Sakaki began the meeting by reading off her official statement: “Sexual harassment, discrimination, or retaliation in any form are unacceptable on our campus, at the CSU or anywhere, and I take seriously any allegations of this kind of behavior at Sonoma State University. I am very proud of our work to transform the campus culture into a more student success oriented, inclusive, diverse and safe environment. The record shows that at SSU and throughout my 40+ year career in leadership positions in the California State University and University of California systems I mentored and supported numerous students, staff, faculty and administrators in their career advancement. This certainly included Dr. Vollendorf. Let me be clear: I would not and never have retaliated against any person who raises concerns or questions my decisions. The claims of retaliation are utterly without basis. Out of respect for Dr. Vollendorf’s privacy, I do not feel it would be appropriate to comment further. I was surprised and saddened to learn of the allegations against my spouse.

While no formal claims were filed, the Chancellor’s Office led and oversaw investigation into those allegations, and not SSU or me. Although he denies engaging in any inappropriate behavior, it was important for him and me to learn about these concerns. There have been no complaints since we were informed of the concerns.”

Sakaki then opened up the meeting for questions where many staff and faculty members were able to voice their concerns.

Napoleon Reyes, chair of SSU’s criminology and criminal justice department, asked what many members of the community have been wondering, why was McCallum allowed continued access to the campus given the allegations made against him.

Sakaki responded that she was not made aware of the accusations until later on, despite the claim filed by Vollendorf stating that both Sakaki and her husband were made aware of the allegations back in 2019.

“I didn’t know, I wasn’t briefed on the situation until much after, and then when I was told, I was told that there was an investigation done by Title IX person. I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that the Title IX officer came to campus and spoke to the people and then I was told there was no finding.”

Jennifer Mahdavi, SSU professor and graduate studies coordinator expressed that these recent allegations have left her feeling unsafe.

“I don’t feel safe in my role as a faculty member at Sonoma State right now. I don’t feel safe to advocate for my students and that word, retaliation, those allegations of retaliation are really triggering for me. I don’t feel safe and I don’t feel good,” she said.

Despite Sakaki’s willingness to take questions and listen to concerns, many members of the community were left unsatisfied with her answers that were viewed as largely deflective.

“I wanted to be fair to you and give you a chance to explain and answer the allegations, but based on your answers, all I’m hearing are deflections. That you were told to do this, and you were told to do that, or that you didn’t know anything about what was going on,” said Napoleon, “To me, there is this pattern of lack of accountability and lack of transparency that continues and it is demoralizing to me as a faculty member at Sonoma State and I’ll be straight will you, I have lost my confidence in your leadership here at Sonoma State University.”

Sonoma State University’s Instagram page was flooded with comments and calls for Sakaki’s resignation.

A recent graduate commented on the statement the university had released writing, “Your statement is pathetic and dismissive. All you’re doing is protecting Judy and her perverted husband’s asses, so don’t pretend like it’s anything else. It’s time this shitshow university was shut down, Sincerely, a very ashamed alumni.”

Another student commented, “So you’re telling me the money my tuition has funded went to cover up sexual harassment allegations? During Sexual Assault Awareness month? What a joke this institution is. Continuously disappointed by how this university fails to support survivors, but unfortunately never all that surprised. And since when are the university and President Sakaki the ultimate champions of justice? Denial doesn’t institute any sort of fact.”

With graduation around the corner, Decision Day on April, 23, and struggles around low enrollment, there is concern around how all this controversy will impact the university as a whole.

“I think it’s embarrassing, I think it’s inexcusable, it’s troubling, and it’s shocking, said Lauren Morimoto, chair of the faculty and head of the kinesiology department.

“On the other hand, there are some really good people here who do good work, and I’m not going to pretend like that doesn’t occur just because we have this series of situations coming up. That’s not to say I condone what happened, I’m not saying it was handled properly, but my focus is forward because I am focused on what is good for the institution and for our students.”

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022

sonomastatestar.com

Arts & Entertainment 5

Friday Night Live hosts Girl Scout cookie Bingo ADDISON SMITH STAFF WRITER

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he Friday Night Live events hosted by Student Involvement, or SI, at Weyden and Brewster’s have become a staple for many students who are looking to have a good time on campus during the weekend.

This most recent Friday, W&B hosted a Bingo night with the opportunity for students to win up to 12 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Each winner went home with a box of assorted Girl Scout cookies, purchased by SI before the most recent cookie season ended.

A group of students participated in bingo, with three other students hosting the event itself. The room was full of students ready to take each other on and win as many boxes of Girl Scout cookies as they could to stock up and munch on after the event and over the weekend. The event started around 8:10 p.m. when more students entered W&B and signed in to sit with their friends or sit alone with music of their own to accompany them for the night ahead.

Once everyone was settled in and ready to go, each student was able to grab one bingo card for themselves as well as one for each member of their group if they had one. At the front of the room, the two hosts sat ready at the gravity pick spinner, the commonly used machine for bingo balls to churn up and spit out a number for the caller to read. Each round had a different theme and players were strictly told by one of the hosts, Hailey Glass, a fourth-year childhood studies major, “Don’t clear your boards unless one of us tells you to, because you’ll be missing out on easy prizes if you do.”

Once players were poised and ready, the bingo balls started rolling. The first round started with a standard bingo line, five across. After a student shouted bingo, they went up to claim their prize. The prizes included different variations of girl scout cookies: Tagalongs, Samoas, Thin Mints, Do-sidos, Lemon Ups, and Toffee-Tastic were just some of the options presented for the winning students throughout the hour-long event.

After the standard bingo game, the second round required players to create intricate shapes, such as the addition symbol, with the numbers that

STAR // Holly Durfee Sonoma State students, Vanessa Gonzalez (left), Amanda Avelini and Kevin O’Brien enthusiastically pick up their prizes after winning a round of bingo on Friday.

were called. After the second round, one or two blackout rounds were done to finish out the set. In total, there were about 12 rounds of bingo, which ended up being won by a handful of students.

The games continued into the night with many more students getting the chance to shout “Bingo!”, some tying with others and going to rock, paper, scissors to decide who would claim the prize. The event ended when all twelve boxes were picked out by the winners with one student, Andrea Vanderschoot, a fourth-year criminal justice major, saying, “This was a great way to de-stress and forget about my responsibilities, as well as getting the chance to win some Girl Scout cookies which was a nice twist to just regular bingo.”

Friday Night Live events are held every week and hosted by Student Involvement for every member of the Seawolf community to enjoy.

Student Involvement’s Getaway Trip crosses the Golden Gate ROSALEE PADILLA STAFF WRITER

STAR // Rosalee Padilla San Francisco’s Union Square stands out for SSU’s Saturday afternoon Getaway Trip, hosted by Student Involvement.

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ith finals slowly approaching, and students looking for ways to destress, Sonoma State’s getaway trips offer a way to do just that. On April 16, students had the opportunity to experience shopping in Union Square. This event was put on by Student Involvement at SSU. If you are looking for upscale retailers, shops like Louis Vuitton and Chanel are just a walking distance away from the main square. You can grab a quick cup of joe from the coffee stand in the square and make your way to the five

story tall Macy’s. Located directly adjacent to Union Square Park, Macy’s is filled with an array of clothing options and household items.

Restaurants surround the area next to Union Square Park. There is a range of options for cuisine, anything from sushi to italian. A Cheesecake Factory is located inside of the Macys, with a designated elevator that takes you directly to the restaurant on the top floor of the building. There is a great view that overlooks the city.

If you are looking to take a trip down memory lane, there are cable cars that travel all around the city. A cable car turnaround is located directly in front of Union Square so after purchasing tickets in the square you can hitch a ride on any of the passing cars. The cable fares are reasonable and you are able to experience the city in a whole new light.

Union Square Park also has outdoor tables and chairs available for anyone to use so you can enjoy the city and watch the hustle and bustle of San Francisco pass by.

Shopping isn’t the only perk of traveling to Union Square, there are also a lot of other fun activities to partake in. Looking to experience the fine arts? Art galleries are located on the outskirts of Union Square Park. Anyone is encouraged to enter and discover a new piece of artwork.

Abigail Anous, an Early Childhood Education major at SSU offered her perspective on the trip, “I ventured to Westfield San Francisco Centre to shop for my sister’s birthday. I was thoroughly pleased and satisfied with the expansive centre, which had an excellent variety of stores. I’m thankful Sonoma State offers these getaway trips, I recommend taking advantage of them. You get to travel to a nice destination with no transportation costs.”

Union Square is not only a good vantage point to see the array of retail stores, on occasion it also serves as a venue for live entertainment. On April 23 artist Anthony Arya, whose music falls under the folk rock genre, is set to perform at Union Square Park. And on April 30 jazz singer, Alvon Johnson will be taking the stage.

This marks the start of the spring concert series that Union Square Park puts on.

Live music will be available every Saturday for anyone who cares to listen.

Student Involvement puts on multiple getaway trips throughout the semester.

This offers a way for students to discover more of the surrounding area and beyond, as well as meet new people and get more engaged on campus. Attending a getaway trip is an opportunity to decompress and experience new parts of the city.

The next getaway trip is going to be on April 26. Students will get to travel to San Francisco to watch the Giants play the Oakland A’s.

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Student Life

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022

sonomastatestar.com

Students participate in human rights workshop PAYTON MULLANEY

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STAFF WRITER

ith events designed to create spaces for faculty and students to be able to grow and educate themselves, the Social Sciences department presented The Oxford Consortium for Human Rights (OCHR) workshop for this sole purpose. Held in Healdsburg, 10 SSU Social Sciences attended the event from March 31 to April 3.

The OCHR provides seminars on human rights, global conflict, humanitarian aid, peace building as well as related subjects that are teaching and research based. Their website states that, “Our aim is to understand and develop constructive solutions to the problems of today, drawing from scholars and students from a wide variety of disciplines.”

Out of the 10 students that attended, three were sponsored by the first generation office and three faculty members were sponsored by Troi Carleton, the dean for the school of social sciences.

Carleton stated “Our students came up with great ideas for addressing the wildfire season and impact on students.” Wildfire season is such a prevalent issue in Sonoma County, so having students address this topic is important for the SSU community.

Sonoma State students have been evacuated from campus two times within the last four years. In the past, there have been a lot of miscommunication between the students and the school due to the unforeseeable nature of fires in Sonoma County. Having a meeting on this topic allows the university to understand what students need in order to thrive personally and academically during times of evacuations.

One of the students that was able to attend was Yodite Gebre, a first year graduate student obtaining her Masters in Counseling. Gebre said, “The workshop helped me acknowledge the different experiences and moments in my personal life that accumulated together over the years and made me want to be an advocate for others. It also taught me the importance of hearing and including other stories of people who are directly impacted by the social issues I want to bring awareness to.”

Gebre was among the students who came up with ideas to address fire season and the impact on students, which stems from the personal experience she has as a student. Gebre also went on to say, “This workshop opened my eyes to how social and political human rights issues don’t only exist far away in other countries but are right here in my immediate surroundings that need more voices brought to it. I was given the formula of what it takes to create a successful campaign and I am forever grateful and only hope to spread this knowledge

COURTESY // oxfordconsortium.org Students gather at the Oxford University Consortium to discuss diverse experiences and action on global politics.

more.”

Another student, Orleana Plytas, who is a first-year Sociology major and president of the sociology club, stated, “ In my life I have lacked empowerment of possibility. However, I feel grateful for the professors and the dean for supporting my participation in the workshops. They gave me confidence to receive the message of the workshops. Their belief in me gave me the ability to support, encourage and inspire others to see themselves capable in the work of equitability and equality.”

The Oxford Consortium workshop raised awareness about the significance of people’s experiences and how they might provide insight into human rights challenges that remain prevalent in Sonoma County, such as climate change and farmworker rights. Students who attended this workshop walked away feeling inspired by the speakers as they shared their success stories of assisting marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Cast your vote for Associated Students elections

OLIVIA DOANE STAFF WRITER

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onoma State’s Associated Students elections begin this week which means students are able to vote for the students of their choice that they believe will best represent our campus. This year’s elections will take place April 19 and 20 through a link sent to students’ SSU email.

The university’s student government is in place to “serve students through awareness, advocacy and representation”, as stated on their website.

Student’s voices are vital in enhancing the campus community and being a student representative can ensure that your peers’ voices are heard.

Students are encouraged to run for positions or vote in the elections. The upcoming elections that students will be voting for this year are for the Corporate Board of Directors.

Sonoma State’s Associated Students Governments Coordinator, Jesse Magana said, “In order to run for an elected position students must attend a mandatory candidate information session, submit an election code, and complete several other tasks.”

This week’s elections will feature five SSU students, ranging from first-year students to seniors. Yasmin Esquivel, Nataly Hernandez, Taylor Rozek, Salvador Ochoa and Celine Rubalcava are all candidates in this upcoming election. To vote, students will receive an email starting on Tuesday at 8 a.m., with a link that will forward them to the ballot where they can vote.

“After students vote they can come out to Seawolf Plaza or Pearson Lawn to receive a free tote bag or stainless steel cup,” said Magana, hoping to encourage students to vote for the student of their choice.

This year’s candidates have written bios to help Sonoma State’s student body get to know them better.

Yasmin Esquivel is a proud first-generation Latina and a third-year Sociology Major. She is a member of Lambda Sigma Gamma Sorority. When asked why she wants to run for a position, Esquivel said, “I am running for AS President because I want to create and be a support system as we all strive for a higher education.”

Nataly Hernandez is running for Executive Vice President. She is a first-generation college student, majoring in Early Childhood Education and Spanish. She previously held the position of Senator for Diversity. Hernandez said that she hopes to “create fortifying connections between students, staff and faculty, embed resolutions of change and above all, serve as the representation of change and advocacy for the students.”

Taylor Rozek is an incoming senior from Sacramento, California and is running for the position of Vice President of Finance. “My biggest goal as Vice President of Finance is to improve communication between students and the Associated Students body,” said Rozek. “I plan to always be available for in-person meetings, update students whenever I can and most importantly implement or alter current issues on campus.”

Salvador Ochoa is a first-generation fourth-year college student and transferred to Sonoma State from Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) in Fall 2021. His declared major is Applied Mathematics. Ochoa is task-driven and

COURTESY // @SonomaStateAS on Facebook Justin Arenson, current Vice President of Finance, shares his favorite part of being on Associated Student government.

very passionate about his work and is always open to working with others towards their goals. Previously he was the Inter-Club representative for the Engineering Club.

Celine Rubalcava, a third-year Criminology and Criminal Justice major who came from a low-income single-parent household is running for Senator of Diversity and hopes to bring more inclusivity to the campus.

“Being a first-generation college student has been an unforgettable journey so far. Despite all the challenges, I have kept a positive attitude and a smile on my face, and I work diligently towards bringing people together,” said Rubalcava.

Sports

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022 sonomastatestar.com

Athlete Spotlight of the Week:

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Kieran Fara

COURTESY // mcla.us Senior Kieran Fara has been a critical piece for the Sonoma State mens lacrosse team since he arrived on campus.

DANIEL SERRANO

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STAFF WRITER

n Saturday April 16 the Sonoma State men’s club lacrosse team honored their seniors after their hard fought loss to Nevada Reno. The Seawolves lost in triple overtime to the Wolf pack, 10-11.

Being a division one team is no easy task, as that’s what the boys team record represents at 3-9 on the year. However, one senior has been through it all. Throughout his

freshman year, COVID-19, and now this year, Kieran Fara has been one of the most resilient of them all. Fara, a senior and Geography environment and planning major has been through thick and thin with his team.

Throughout his career, he has had plenty of supportive figures in his life who have been at his side through the best and worst times. Fara said, “My parents have been extremely supportive throughout my career, from the constant encouragement, to the huge amounts of time and money they’ve spent on me growing up.”

Having a supportive foundation to fall back on is essential in a players career and creates confidence.

Fara still has the same passion for lacrosse that he did when he first started as a child. He started playing in third grade and has loved it ever since. He believes that his competitive personality has allowed him to continue playing at a high level and motivates him to get better everyday.

A day in the life of Fara is simple, after he wakes up he grabs a bite to eat before heading to his morning classes. After those are done, he grabs another quick snack before going to practice. When practice is over, he starts on his homework before having another meal. He tries to mix in a workout in between homework and practice if he has time. During his down time, he watches television and plays video games.

Prentice Lohr, a freshman economics major had this to say about his former teammate, “Kieran showed so much dedication to the team it was insane. He was one of the guys that led the team by example. His love and support for the team was unreal. He was always the first one to practice and the last one to leave. Leading the warm ups, and getting on guys for not showing up or not giving full effort. It’s going to look a lot different without having him on the team but, if we show half the dedication he did, we’ll be just fine.”

Fara’s impact on the lacrosse team was very big and he will be missed. Teammates and coaches will miss him, but Fara looks to graduate this semester with his degree. He has hopes of getting a job in urban planning post-graduation.

Seawolves win first CCAA title since 2009 JAVIER HERNANDEZ STAFF WRITER

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he Sonoma State Men’s Golf team are champions once again after winning the CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) Championship last week. The tournament was held at Yocha Dehe Golf Club in Brooks, Calif from April 11 to April 13 and saw the Seawolves be crowned champions for the first time since 2009. The five golfers on the Seawolf roster were freshman Aidan Oliver, sophomores Nick Friedman and Jack Greene and juniors Thomas Jenkins Jr. and Griffin Pace. The team finished with an overall score of 21-overpar 885 after three rounds with their score being 10 strokes better than second-place Chico State.

The Seawolves opened the first round of the tournament with tough weather conditions playing a major factor. With the tough conditions set aside, the team still had a solid first showing with all five golfers shooting in the mid-70s for the par 72. Friedman led the way for Sonoma State with an opening score of even-par-72 with it being the only even-par score of the first round. The team finished the round with a seven stroke lead and an overall score of nine-over-par 297.

With round one in the books, the team maintained their lead in the second round with the help of Jenkins and Pace. Jenkins shot twounder-par 70 with seven birdies. While Pace shot an even-par-72 with four birdies and one eagle. The final team score for the round was seven-over-par 295.

“I think my competitiveness takes over in those stressful situations.

I don’t like to lose, and if I can control it, I’ll fight very hard to win,” said Pace when asked what he credits for his success when the team needs him the most.

“I think these guys are all in it for each other, not just themselves.

And you know we have had success over the years because of that and I feel like this team is just following the suit,” said Head Coach Val Verhunce on what makes this group so special. “We are one of those teams where it’s important how we play and how we compete but I think it’s more important that we continue to support each other.”

The Seawolves continued their excellent play in the third round which ultimately led to them wrapping things up and winning the tournament. The round was again led by Pace and Greene. Pace shot twounder-par 70, while Greene shot one-under-par 71 for the round. The team’s overall score for the round was five-over-par 293.

The final individual scores for the tournament were led by Pace as he finished two-over-par 218 which tied him for second place in the

COURTESY// @sonomaseawolves From left to right: Assistant coach Matt Medeiros, Thomas Jenkins Jr., Jack Green, Griffin Pace, Nick Friedman and Aidan Oliver pose for a photo after winning the CCAA Championship on Wednesday April 13.

tournament. Jenkins finished tied for seventh with a score of five-over par 221. Greene finished tied for 11th with a score of six-over-par 222. Oliver finished tied for 18th with a score of 12-over-par 228. And Friedman finished tied for 30th with a score of 18-over-par 234.

“It feels really good, all of the hard work and adversity has paid off just in time for the postseason. It makes all of it worth it. The early morning workouts and the constant grind. It just feels really good knowing we’re in good form heading into regionals.” said Pace The Seawolves will now prepare for the NCAA Division Two West Regionals in Pueblo, CO on May 5. For more information on the team make sure to head over to sonomaseawolves.com/sports/mens-golf.

8 Photo

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2022 sonomastatestar.com

Student Involvement hosts getaway trip to Union Square

STAR // Rosalee Padilla The Heart of San Francisco statue in Union Square on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

STAR // Rosalee Padilla SSU’s Student Involvement hosted a getaway trip to Union Square on Saturday.

Sonoma County families celebrate Easter in Sebastopol

Families gather around and prepare to embark on their Easter egg hunt journey in Sebastopol on Easter morning.

STAR // Holly Durfee Sonoma County families keep their eyes out for Easter eggs during the hunt in Sebastopol on Sunday.

STAR // Holly Durfee

STAR // Holly Durfee Local Sebastopol sisters embrace and snack on candies at the annual Easter egg hunt in Ives Park.