Issue 5

IN THIS ISSUE

Join SSU wine club

Learn more about wine and network within the industry.

PAGE 7.

Insight from Olympians Olympic athletes visited the GMC to share their advice and stories.

PAGE 5.

Latinx Heritage Month SSU is putting on various events to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month.

PAGE 7.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 84 // ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 4, 2021

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

SSU launches budget plan to mitigate $11 million deficit ISAAC LOPEZ

STAFF WRITER

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has brought many cases of financial crises throughout its communities. Sonoma State University is one of the campuses suffering a major setback from the pandemic, as well as low student enrollment these past couple of years.

On September 17, 2021, SSU officials sent out an email to all of its employees regarding a new and reformed budget plan with an attempt to knock down its spending deficit of $11 million.

Schools have been found to be struggling from the pandemic as there are many campuses suffering from budgetary losses as they try to adapt to online learning. Sonoma State seems to be one California school suffering the most from a lack of enrollment despite many other California State campuses looking at a rise in their student numbers.

On Friday, Sept. 17, SSU officials sent out a new budget plan with the main focus on reducing its $11 million deficit.

They announced that they would do this by utilizing Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding, campus reserves, division year end balances, and one anticipated one-time savings in the current year. HEERF was passed in March 2020 by congress that initially administered billion of dollars to schools by the Department of Education.

Some notable information on their see SSU PREPARES on pg. 4

COURTESY // Instagram A CalFire helicopter releases a bellyful of fire retardant onto the fire in Petaluma.

Fire season raises anxiety for residents across Sonoma County MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER

Fall has begun to roll in, marking the beginning of what many local Rohnert Park residents and Sonoma State University students have come to recognize as ‘fire season’. Returning SSU students know that the next few months will likely be a challenge as the community braces itself for evacuations, poor air quality, and various other fire-related anxieties.

Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Cotati, and Petaluma experienced a close fire scare last week on Tuesday, Sept. 21, when a fire, now known as the Ormsby Fire, broke out on Ormsby Lane Petaluma.

The fire began around 1 p.m. at the

home of Petaluma resident Heidi Marks and quickly spread to the surrounding vegetation of eucalyptus, cypress, and juniper trees.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office sent out an evacuation order for zone SON5K1 Penngrove at 2 p.m. 900 homes were evacuated as residents were encouraged to remain calm and evacuate as quickly as possible while California Highway Patrol could be heard driving through the streets blasting hi-lo sirens to alert residents of the evacuation order.

With temperatures that day reaching over 90 degrees and the threat the sur-

see MORE FIRES on pg. 4

COVID-19 vaccination deadline approaching rapidly ISABEL EPSTEIN STAFF WRITER

Seawolves have until 5 p.m. on Sept. 30 to submit either proof that they received the COVID-19 vaccine or an application for an exemption to the “My Health Portal” on the online services dashboard. Those who are attending classes fully online should submit a request for the vaccine requirement to be waived by this date as well. Students who fail to comply with this deadline are at risk of facing disciplinary action.

On July 27, the California State University (CSU) announced that students, faculty, and staff accessing any of the Cal State locations and facilities are going to be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall term.

The goal was for all students to be fully vaccinated by Aug. 15, but because there was not adequate time between the announcement and the start of the semester for all students to be considered fully vaccinated, the CSU established the deadline of Sept. 30.

There were rumors that those who did not submit proof of vaccination would be subject to disenrollment from classes this semester. However, this seems to not be the case. The COVID Compliance Lead, Missy Brunetta said, “[Disenrollment] is the last thing we want to happen to any student. Instead, they will be subject to registration holds, meaning they will be unable to register for the spring semester.” With the registration process already grueling enough as it is, there is hope that this will be incentive enough for students to come into compliance.

According to a vaccination report from Sept. 24, there are 5,805 fully vaccinated students and 310 students who are exempt from the vaccine (these numbers are subject to change with the deadline fastly approaching). Overall, Sonoma State is at 85 percent compliance with the CSU COVID-19 vaccination policy when it should be at 100 percent.

In an email from Ryan Jasen Henne, the dean of students, he stated that, “Sonoma State has put in place public health safety protocols for students

who will be on campus attending classes...” As they are the majority, students play a critical role in keeping the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant to a minimum. It is just as vital for professors, staff, and administrators that see SEAWOLVES AND FACULTY on pg. 4

STAR // Payton Mullaney Junior Megan Lobao encourages students to take their daily health screenings to keep Sonoma healthy.

2 Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board

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

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

Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article:

“Olympic Gold Medalists share their stories at Women in Conversation event” Read the article on page 5.

Have an opinion?

We’d like to hear from you!

The STAR welcomes letters to the editor

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Sonoma Media Group. The weekly publication of the STAR is made possible by Instructionally Related Activities Funding.

Opinions

Opinions expressed in the STAR are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the STAR or SSU. The editorial reflects the views of the STAR Editorial Board on issues it considers to be of particular relevance to the campus community.

Letters to the Editor

Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 400 words will be allowed and must be submitted no later than the Friday before the publication date. Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts.

The STAR reserves the right to refuse publication.

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Sonoma State’s growing budget deficit affects faculty and students “The students suffer because classes they need to graduate may be cancelled for lack of funds. The full-time faculty suffers from additional work trying to make ends meet for students”

S

onoma State University has a steadily growing budget deficit. As of 202122, according to the budget report, the deficit is $11-22 million. The school has faced the COVID-19 pandemic and decreasing enrollment in the last few years, which are both contributors to lowering funds, but it would be ignorant to assume that a deficit this large is strictly the result of lowering enrollment and the pandemic. There is a structural issue when it comes to funding at Sonoma State that has led to a continually increasing deficit, which has been growing since well before the pandemic started.

Additionally, a lack of transparency on the university’s spending has become an issue.

As budget cuts increase and students are affected by the lack of funding at SSU, students are questioning where their money is going.

An $11 million deficit doesn’t just happen overnight, and many are curious as to how the school has let the deficit become so large.

Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications Julia Gonzalez stressed that the university is working to fix the deficit and said, “It is crucial to understand that this is a structural deficit. Although the one-time solutions will resolve the deficit this year, the University will continue to carry the base deficit each year until long-term structural solutions are identified...The President’s Cabinet and the President’s Budget Advisory Committee (PBAC) are beginning work to resolve the base deficit beginning in the 2022-2023 year.”

Students pay thousands of dollars to attend SSU, but don’t necessarily know where all that money goes. Three of the four students that commented on this issue felt they weren’t well informed on the university’s financial situation, and two students said they would want more specific information on university spending, in general. Nicole Jester, a fourth year art major said she is especially curious about where her tuition money is going when the school isn’t completely reopened and a lot of students are still remote.

Fourth year Psychology major and former Peer Mentor Cory Coleman was sympathetic to the school’s position, noting that COVID-19 hit SSU hard. He said, “I’m also thinking from the perspective of the school...they’re doing so badly right now. I’m sure [students] would like [specific information], but right now...is like the least favorable time for [the school] to want to share information.”

On top of student tuition and fees, SSU gets a portion of the millions of dollars in state and federal funding the CSU system receives every year.

In fact, according to a memorandum written in February from Vice President for Business and Finance Joyce Lopes and Senior Director for University Budget and Planning Laura Lupei, “the state legislature.. restore[d] the $299 million that was cut from CSU budgets last year. This plan was announced as part of a $9 billion COVID-19 relief package for California.” The funding was reinstated for 2021-22. The school is receiving a healthy amount of funding from the state for the COVID-19 pandemic, so, the pandemic should not be a main contributor to the budget deficit.

There is another underlying issue.

The memorandum goes on to explain that this funding would help reduce the current deficit from “just over $15 million plus additional expenditures for initiatives to achieve our priorities... to $9.2 million.” The question

remains, why would the school ever allow the deficit to get that high in the first place? Where is the accountability in the school that allowed this to happen at the expense of students and faculty members?

As Gonzalez bluntly put it, “Deficits lead to reduced spending.” This makes sense, but then what is being cut? Any student who wants to know where their money goes should easily be able to find it, and it’s just not that easy to find specific information.

Although the university budgeting office provides a budget report on their website, when reading through it, more questions than answers are brought up. For example, the President’s office received $3.5 million in funds this year, or 2% of the university’s budget, but there’s no explanation on their website as to what exactly that $3.5 million pays for. It just says “President’s Office” when reading through the report.

That doesn’t feel like transparency - there’s no real information for students to go off of.

The report is too general, and no specific information on why that office needs so much money is provided in the report. Students deserve to know, and deserve to have specific information easily accessible to them. Without that, the school isn’t being held accountable, which may be one of the many reasons for the growing deficit in the first place.

While he was sympathetic to the school’s perspective on this issue, Coleman said, “I would personally value detailed information if they’re going to provide it at all, I think information is useless unless you have it detailed.”

Art Department chair Christine Renaudin explained how “reduced spending” affects her department.

“Students have less flexibility to complete their coursework and have to pay attention to stricter course rotations. We have had to stack classes, offering intermediate and advanced levels combined. We have not been able to hire new faculty to replace the recently (or not even so recently) retired faculty, which results in overwork for the remaining full time faculty members, who have to shoulder all services, including advising, and committee work,” she wrote in an email.

“The students suffer because classes they need to graduate may be cancelled for lack of funds. The full-time faculty suffers from additional work trying to make ends meet for students in need of extra units to graduate. So far, independent studies have not been compensated,” she continued.

Associated Students VP of Finance Justin Arenson said, “Any budget deficit is going to require the university to have serious dialogue about its priorities and options going forward.

However, Associated Students is committed to make sure the student voice is very much involved in those discussions.”

Regardless, the deficit is a systemic problem that affects students and faculty, and has affected them for years. It’s difficult as a student to be left with so little detailed information regarding university spending.

“From my point of view, as a long-time chair, the budget deficit at SSU is chronic, with some years better than others. I know a lot of the recent deficit has to do with a decrease in enrollment, but we have suffered from lean years for a long time now,” wrote Renaudin.

With a looming budget deficit of $11-22 million, it will be interesting to see how the SSU plans to correct it in the coming years.

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

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Seawolves return to the “friendly city” The entertainment

PEDRO ORTEGA PEREZ STAFF WRITER

A

s classes returned to in-person instruction, many students were excited to come back to Rohnert Park. Campus is slowly coming back to life and many students missed being there - and of course, some missed seeing Bismark walking around. They looked forward to the late night debate on whether to get Chick-Fil-A or In-N-Out. Driving around, there’s not much to signify any change in the environment. The shops are all the same, the street signs are exactly as everyone remembers, the only difference is students have been gone for a year. The sign that bears “Rohnert Park: The Friendly City” warmly welcomes longtime residents and students alike.

SSU students are part of the Rohnert Park community, even if they come from the central valley or southern California. They shop at the local shops and stores, eat at the restaurants, enjoy the entertainment, and even deal with power outages during fire season.

To some, Rohnert Park is a small city where not much goes on. But it is also a place where college students make some of the most iconic memories. It is a student’s first time away from home or even the first time buying their own groceries. It is all an exciting experience as they begin the new chapter of their adult lives.

But some of the residents of the friendly city don’t view the college population with the same excitement. Some com-

plain of loud parties, excessive drinking, and disrespected.

“I can honestly say there has been a noticeable change in the mentality of our residents—these last five years especially. I can tell someone that the parking lot is for permit parking only, and I’ll get a shrug and a ‘So what?’ as they walk away. I can ask someone to turn down the music because it is disruptive to the neighbors, and I will get a door slammed in my face and cussed at. The level of respect and common sense has declined to an almost immeasurable point.” said Julia, an apartment manager.

Julia and her family have owned apartments for over 30 years in Rohnert Park. She expressed how sometimes interactions with her tenants that attend SSU are not the greatest. Some haven’t respected her or the property.

“With the property damage, gatherings, and overall entitled feeling younger individuals have today, it is difficult to see the positive benefits these young men and women bring to Rohnert Park.

Years ago…yes. But not now,” stated Julia.

However, she also did express how those negative interactions do not define the whole college population: “Whereas that is the general overall view…there are exceptions to all generalities. Thankfully I have several amazing students here as well. I have a couple basketball players that always have a smile on their face and a ‘Hello’ to match. On the other hand, I have grown adults (non-students) that won’t mention a water leak until it floods the unit under them….I will say I am thankful for the wonderful SSU students I do have and just try to weed through the rest.”

Hope Nichols is a local barber who grew up in Rohnert Park and has provided her services to many SSU students.

“My personal experience with the college population has been positive.

Being a barber in Sonoma County, I benefit from the college students coming during the school season; It brings me more business. Growing up in the suburbs of Rohnert Park, I had a couple houses along my street that had multiple Sonoma state students living together and for the most part everyone seemed respectful,” said Nichols.

She also voices what she believes that SSU students bring to the table: “I think the college population is a huge part of the local community. It adds diversity to the city that is very crucial in creating a progressive environment for people of all cultural backgrounds to thrive...I think Rohnert park benefits from the Sonoma State students in many ways, one of which is building our workforce.”

The relationship between Sonoma State students and the Rohnert Park community is bittersweet depending on the individual’s experiences with another. It’d be unfair to say that all students are saints and that the students all get along with the local community.

However, negative does not represent the school population as a whole.

Sometimes college students are placed at a disadvantage because of the stereotypes that revolve around this demographic, such as the Greek life being out of hand, the sense of entitlement, the lack of respect because they are temporary residents in the communities, or that they are too young to make the right decisions.

Charles Bordyis the director for the Legal Assistance Office with Associated Students at SSU. When asked if he felt that the relationship between Rohnert Park population and the SSU population, he stated, “I don’t believe the relationship needs to be mended as much as I believe that, as students, we can always do more to improve our relationship with our neighbors. It’s a working relationship that needs to go both ways. Neither our students, nor the community at large, stands to gain anything from a tense relationship between our two communities.”

Seawolves are students first but they are also neighbors, employees, and part of the Rohnert Park community.

As Bordy mentions, respect and effort is something that goes both ways.

Nothing fruitful will come from tension or ongoing passive aggression.

Sonoma State is represented in the way the students act off campus. SSU students should lead by example and demonstrate that they are capable of being great members and assets to the community. Likewise, local residents should be willing to have an open mind and not let the few negative experiences, if any, affect their whole perception

Gabby Petito case sparks coversation about missing POC

JAYLINE ALVARADO

STAFF WRITER

A

s the search for Gabby Petito’s boyfriend continues, one thing that this case starkly illustrates is the difference between people of color who disappear and white people who disappear.

The search for Petito blew up in the media. Within two weeks of her story going viral, her remains were found.

In contrast, people of color who go missing rarely get the amount of media coverage a white person does.

Gabrielle Venora Petito was a 22 year old Florida resident who was reported missing after her fiance, Brian Laundry, returned by himself from their cross country trip in their van. The search for the missing woman took off immediately. Soon after, her remains were found in Wyoming. Now,

Laundrie is considered a suspect in her homicide and is currently missing.

According to an article from the Great Falls Tribune, in the eight days that Petito was missing, “Three Indigenous people — Sterling Prinze Redstar, Markie Shea Williams and Cloelle Buck Elk — were reported missing in Montana. But most people don’t know their names.” In Wyoming, “710 Indigenous people were reported missing between 2011 and 2020.”

On Instagram, there’s even a page dedicated to missing and murdered indigenous people.

This is not to say Petito’s case isn’t important. Any missing person’s case is important to somebody; whether it’s the family, friends, or law enforcement. It shouldn’t mean that one case is more important than the other because of who they are, what they look like, or where they come from.

Natalie Wilson, co-founder of Black and Missing Inc, told ABC News, “Minority adults who go missing are often stereotyped as being involved in crime or violence, poverty and addiction, which takes attention away from their cases too.”

A big reason why the Petito case is so captivating is the role social media played in the investigation.

In an article for the New York Times, Kyle and Jen Bethune, who had been

traveling at the same time as Petito in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, reviewed the footage they had recorded.

They found that they indeed had captured the van that Petito and Laundrie had been traveling in. The surrounding area where the van had been filmed was where Petito was found.

Social media helped capture the public’s interest for a number of reasons, one of which being that Gabby Petito herself was a vlogger. Anyone could watch her most recent video to see where they were in almost real time. The host of the Affirmative Murder podcast, Alvin Williams said “We can play the game of, ‘Oh it’s because she was a vlogger’ and all those things, but we can also see that she is a Gen Z, blonde, petite girl, and that is what gets the clicks.”

Social media helped find a white woman’s remains, yet it hardly helps to find a missing person of color.

If people want to use social media to help find a missing person, that should include spreading awareness of people regardless of their backgrounds.

Podcasts like “Up and Vanished” that investigates missing person cases’ most recent season is focusing on that of Ashley Loring Heavyrunner, an indigenous woman who disappeared in 2017. Another podcast, “Affirmative Murder,” “Focuses on true crimes with

industry: a man’s world

ADRIENNE MOON STAFF WRITER

G

rowing up watching actresses on the big screen has impacted millions of people’s lives regardless of their gender and expression. Those portrayals have been seen in both positive and negative lights by the public. One of the many things that is discussed regarding the entertainment industry is the unfair treatment of women, as shown by Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney for unfair payment in her film “Black Widow.”

Throughout the years, the entertainment industry has been making an effort to portray women more accurately. Sophia Chakarevski, a San Diego State Student, stated, “I believe that women are slowly getting more respect and fair treatment surrounding the entertainment industry.”

In addition to women slowly getting better treatment, women are also able to take on roles that men were only allowed to portray for many years.

Chakarevski brings up a big issue: “I still know that there are unfair gender roles presented in the workplace, where women may be belittled or not taken as seriously.”

In terms of the stories that are told in the entertainment industry, Professor Dave, a professor at California State University Northridge states, “I believe the film industry should include stories reflected from around the world and not just a eurocentric view. There are plenty of women who have made a huge impact (on society, culture, economy, politics, etc.) from all over the world, but we are still getting some narrow reflection.”

Chakarevski also stated that she “thinks men still dominate and control most productions, but recently there have been more amazing female directors, producers, and actresses making their mark and their voices heard.”

There is a double standard in society that demands a lot from women. This can be translated into how actresses are able to express themselves. Khanh Dao, a student at Sonoma State University, states “[Women are] too emotional, but when a man does it, he is opening up. If you’re thin enough, then you don’t have a butt that everyone wants. Women are constantly getting nitpicked through how they dress, roles they play, etc.”

On the positive side, a lot of high-profile celebrities take on a “role model” persona, even if they did not intend to do so, states Professor Grudman, a professor at California State University, Northridge.

Dao expressed that it brings a positive light for society, “Young girls and women can look up to them and feel they can be in a powerful role as a woman.”

“When actresses triumph in the entertainment industry through advocacy and advancement, it has a positive effect on their audiences...especially females (of any age) who aspire to follow in their footsteps,” states Professor Grudman.

In the end, there is a conscious effort for women to be represented in film and television in a more accurate manner; however, there is still a long way to go. There is a huge effort and push for women to be able to tell their stories, and for POC and trans women to get the spotlight.

Black and brown victims.”

This case has helped missing people of color get some of the media attention they deserve, but there’s still a long way to go. Focusing on missing and murdered indigenous people’s story is a step in the right direction to ensure that the cases surrounding people of color are taken just as seriously as any white persons.

4 News

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Ileana Aleman The university has hosted on-campus vaccination sites in the past to encourage campus members to get vaccinated, such as this one last May.

STAR // Zena Bounsall Students were able to receive on-campus vaccinations last April to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Seawolves and faculty urged to receive COVID-19 vaccine as Sept. 30 deadline draws near continued from pg. 1

are not working remotely to be adhering to public health safety protocols as well.

Faculty and staff across all departments should be doing their part in keeping students and colleagues safe. Currently, employees have an alarming rate of 50 percent compliance with the policy. So far, 611 employees have reported to be fully vaccinated and only 21 have been granted exemption.

These rates could change, as employees who are represented by a labor union are currently negotiating terms between the University and the union.

Senior Jocelyne Gerardo shared her opinion on the matter:

“It is slightly concerning that not all faculty and staff are vaccinated when the school placed such an emphasis on students to be. I do believe though that professors and other staff members will make the right choice in keeping students safe.”

Brunetta said, “We strongly encourage everyone to get their vaccination information uploaded to My Health Portal as soon as possible. If students have questions or concerns about the safety of the vaccine, please contact the Student Health Center, another trusted medical professional, or refer to the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine safety information page: https://www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety.html.”

More fires in Sonoma County this Fall continued from pg. 1

rounding vegetation posed with the rapid spread of the fire, over 150 firefighters were called in while CalFire aircrafts were seen making water drops and providing aerial support.

Luckily, by 2:40 p.m., forward progression of the fire had ceased, and ground crews were able to begin cleanup. By 3:30, the evacuation order had been lifted and residents were allowed to return to their homes.

The fire had spread across 15 acres, damaging Marks’ home along with several other outbuildings.

Marks and her family were not harmed and only one firefighter was reported to have experienced minor burn-related injuries.

A second fire, called the Fremont Fire, was reported the next day, the first day of Autumn, Wednesday, Sept. 22, near Sonoma and Napa County lines.

The vegetation fire, which started around 2 p.m., burned over 116 acres and was not fully contained until the following morning.

Fortunately, the fire was not close enough to be a threat to any homes or buildings so no evacuation was needed.

The causes of both fires are currently under investigation by CalFire.

For many returning SSU students, fires like these bring back negative memories of all the damage caused by fires in the area over the last few years.

“The fires last week made me super stressed.” said Abby Reitman, a fourth-year creative writ-

ing major at SSU, “I smelled the smoke before my roommates did and I immediately started Googling ‘fires near me’. I had the worst flashbacks to the fires two years ago where we were evacuated for over two weeks; and I started thinking about where I’d go if we got evacuated. It was really freaky and I’m not looking forward to fire season this year.”

The uncertainty each day possesses this time of year has students constantly on high alert.

Maddie Green, a fourthyear political science and Spanish double major at SSU, explained that a lot of the stress comes from trying to figure out where to go in the case of an evacuation.

“I mean for me, my hometown is only two hours away so I know I have somewhere to go if a nearby fire does cause us to evacuate.” said Green, “However, with the scare last week I got out of class and saw my roommates had texted about getting their stuff together to possibly evacuate, so it is definitely stressful around this time of year knowing we could need to grab our stuff and go on very short notice. For instance, I went home this weekend and because we are at that time of year, part of me was a little concerned that we’d be given an evacuation notice while I’m out of town and I wouldn’t be able to grab my stuff. Things like that-the fires--are definitely on people’s minds this Fall semester.”

COURTESY // BUDGET AND PLANNING OFFICE In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns, university-wide expenses are increasing.

SSU prepares to repair budget deficit with new plan continued from pg. 1

$136.3 million budget plan include explaining their revenue percentages as 59% coming from state allocation, 28% from student tuitions and mandatory fees, as well as 13% coming from recovery costs.

They also show that the majority of the expenses, $127.5 million, are toward university-wide departments and programs, Academic Affairs, and Administration and Finance. The remaining money goes toward Student Affairs, the President’s Office, University Advancement, and the Green Music Center.

While this budget plan has come out just recently, there are already some students who find these expenses a little surprising.

“I think $2.4 million in the President’s Office is surprising,” says SSU student Manuel Ponce. “I’m not sure exactly what it means but it doesn’t sound too efficient. However, I think more money should be focused on student affairs, especially how students should be and are the main focus of what a university stands for. So I think that $3.7 million just isn’t enough for what it is.”

While the main focus of this whole situation is to ease off on spending in order to overcome this $11 million deficit, many argue that the focus of this should be to close down on the low student enrollment problem.

When asked what actions could be done by officials and students to bring efficient enrollment rates back on track, the third-year business major had much to say.

“I definitely think that they should have a lot more in-person classes and stop giving that option online,” explains Ponce. “Even though many people do take advantage of that and do like it, I don’t think it’s financially good for the school to have that. I also know for a fact that there are a lot of students that took breaks from school because it was going to be online and they feel like they can’t learn at their best doing that. So, I think that just by finding a way to overcome that and getting students to want to come back to campus can help the school overcome this huge deficit.”

SSU officials are also encouraging campus community members to engage with their President’s Budget Advisory Committee representatives as well as attending the Fall budget and planning forum in October to learn more about the budget deficit, the one-time solutions, as well as how they are going to work on the base deficit. The 2021-2022 campus budget can be accessed through the Openbook Portal.

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Arts & Entertainment 5

Olympic gold medalists share their stories at Women in Conversation event at GMC

COURTESY // (Photo Will Bucquoy/For the Press Democrat) Olymipic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi (right) and Brandi Chastain (left) spoke about their personal journeys during Sonoma County’s Women in Conversation event at the GMC last Wednesday.

COURTESY // (Photo Will Bucquoy/For the Press Democrat) Residents from all over Sonoma County attended the GMC event, which focused on women succeeding in sports.

DANA SCACCO

STAFF WRITER

T

he Green Music Center hosted Sonoma County’s Women in Conversation on Wednesday, which amplified the experiences of three successful women in professional sports. Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi, Brandi Chastain, and Kerri Walsh Jennings shared their personal journeys as female Olympic athletes and discussed the life-lessons they learned.

Women in Conversation is sponsored by the Press Democrat newspaper as a forum for women to share stories that support and motivate female community members. The GMC often provides a venue for Women in Conversation with aims at inspiring conversations between students and the community. To participate in Women in Conversation, head to socowomenevents.com.

The event included a public pre-show expo from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. which had several food trucks and wine vendors. The conversation portion of the event started at 7 p.m. and each athlete spoke about their lives and professional careers. After the introductory speeches, the athletes were joined by a female moderator for a Q&A panel.

Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, spoke first. She described what each Olympic medal symbolizes to her, “Bronze symbolizes that there are no shortcuts in life. Silver represents that you must face new challenges and set goals. Realize that being uncomfortable is okay. Gold symbolizes to never give up. Trust yourself that you can achieve anything and keep going.”

Olympic soccer player Brandi Chastain emphasized why speaking at the event was so special for her, “I’m really lucky to be here tonight because my very first college away game began right here at Sonoma State. It was a game that started my college soccer career, and one I will never forget.”

Chastain expressed that it is crucial to experience failure, “The most important thing is to fall down. Falling down is our greatest opportunity to get up and get stronger. If you play it safe, you aren’t going to get better. Be open to self evaluation, and question if you were the best version of yourself that you could be.”

Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings was scheduled to speak in person at the GMC, but Jennings attended the event remotely due to not fulfilling the GMC’s COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements.

As of Sept. 20, 2021, the GMC implemented a new policy that all audience members, staff, and artists must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for all indoor seating.

Jennings shared her story and revealed that at one point of her career she lost sight of her own life and family, “Everything made me want the end result of winning, and I soon lost touch of my life. I almost lost my family and my husband because I wasn’t focused on them or the present. I have learned and realized that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. Breathe and be in the present moment.”

Audience members included a wide range of Sonoma County residents.

Local business owners, highschoolers, SSU students, and SSU student athletes were among some of the attendees.

A Napa Valley high schooler and her mother attended the event and mentioned the importance of female athlete recognition. “My daughter plays volleyball at her highschool and when I told her about this event she wanted to attend right away. I think it’s crucial that people realize and understand that women are capable and strong enough to be athletes. We are both so excited to be here and listen to the stories of these incredible women,” said the high schooler’s mother.

Courtney Jack, a fourth year early childhood studies student and a member of SSU’s women’s softball team, attended with her fellow teammates. As an athlete, Jack gave her perspective on the event, “The event was awesome. It was a very authentic exchange between the three Olypmians and all the individuals in the audience. I am a huge fan of Kerri Walsh Jennings so it was great to hear her words of wisdom and listen to her stories.”

Jack explained why other SSU students should attend events on our campus like Women in Conversation, “I think students at SSU should take these opportunities to come to these events and hear these amazing stories and adventures. Women in Conversation served as a moment to learn from others and have tough conversations about change. There is a lot to gain by witnessing these events.”

Sierra Moffett, an SSU softball player and third year Early Childhood studies major, attended the event and voiced a similar perspective to Jack.

Moffett said, “ I came out of this event feeling very inspired and empowered. I loved every part of it and I became more aware of how important it is for women to have a voice. Every person has a story, and the different lessons these women learned opened a larger, meaningful conversation on our campus.”

Petaluma beer garden hosts weekly live music from local musicians

CLÉA UPCHER

STAFF WRITER

N

estled in the heart of downtown Petaluma, beside the bank of the Petaluma river, lies Brewsters Beer garden. Concealed behind a wood-slatted fence is an all-outdoor concept with room for over 350 guests. The restaurant hosts live music events performed by a range of local musicians on Brewsters’ stage every Sunday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Last Thursday evening, they hosted the local band Pacific Vibration, a “...Cali/Island reggae band from the San Francisco Bay Area,” according to their website. The strumming of the ukulele mixed with the vibrant sounds of the acoustic guitar formed a harmony of soft, mellow reggae with a twist.

Walking through the front entryway, guests are greeted by rows of large picnic tables, with trees planted throughout the patio area. To the left is the “Chicken Coop”, Brewsters’ to-go bar, where they serve local beers, craft cocktails, homemade barbeque sauce, and branded merchandise. There is an elevated wooden stage covered by a pergola, its backdrop is a huge brick wall. “[My favorite event is] the live music... We’ve got a lot of amazing local bands. I’m a musician myself, so having an amazing venue like this to be able to play in, it means a lot for musicians. It’s that really cool outdoorsy, family-yet-party vibe,” said Robin, a server at Brewsters.

In addition to reggae, Brewsters hosts bands from a range of genres, like bluegrass, soul, rock, country, and blues, to name a few.

“We like that whole neighborhood vibe where everybody comes in and makes it their home here. We really love that,” said Robin.

Across from the stage is a bocce court, there is a fire pit, as well as a covered eating area equipped with a full bar, more picnic tables and bar tops, and televisions displaying the day’s sporting events.

“I am interested in going to Brewsters in Petaluma. I’ve never heard of it or been there, but it sounds like a fun experience. I would bring my friends along…” wrote SSU senior Evelynn Harra in an email.

“I am now excited to go to this place with my roommates! The music

and food aspect calls my name, I am a huge sucker for a good time with good company,” wrote SSU junior Azucena Ferrusca Lopez in an email.

Brewsters’ “open-air dining” is advantageous in the time of COVID-19, as guests can enjoy a safe excursion outdoors.

Brewsters hosts other events in addition to live music. Every Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the restaurant hosts a Bingo night, and Wednesdays are trivia nights, also hosted from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Upcoming seasonal events at Brewsters include Oktoberfest during the first weekend of October. There will be live music, German-inspired dishes and beers, as well as various competitions throughout the event.

STAR // Cléa Upcher Pacific Vibration, a reggae band from San Fransisco, performed at Brewsters Beer Garden in Petaluma last Thursday.

6 Student Life

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Associated Students host Open House event ADDISON SMITH

T

STAFF WRITER

STAR // Ileana Aleman AS business office manager Christina Gamboa and SSU student Paige Carter welcome all students to the open house to talk to them about what AS does for Sonoma State students.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Second year SSU student Yesenia Verduzco was excited to attend the AS open house.

his past Wed., the Associated Students hosted an open house to welcome students to meet the AS officers. All of the branches of Associated Students were ready to present themselves to SSU students and show what they do. Going around the room, they had the JUMP branch available, the banking branch, and the head government branch who talked with the STAR to discuss their plans for the future.

The open house provided students with a small glimpse into what Associated Students do for SSU. It also gave AS the opportunity to show off what they have been working on, events planned, and volunteer work for anyone brave enough to apply themselves. One of the big benefits of attending an event such as this one is the opportunity to correspond with the officers directly to have your voice heard. Associated Students is all about hearing the voice of the common student, as they want to emphasize and put forth the messages of “student run, student led” government.

One of the first questions asked when you entered was, “Are there any events you would like to see on campus?” They want to show you that they are there to serve you and not the other way around. They want to take the time to get to know students and work with them and for them instead of being seen as this “higher power” above all the regular students.

The JUMP organization handles volunteer work, and offers the opportunity to sign up to hear more about what they do within the AS program.

JUMP Community Connections Director Rhiannon Philippi discussed what JUMP does and how someone can get involved, stating that, “JUMP provides opportunities for students to get off campus, learn about the community, and gain real world experience. We also work closely with Lobo’s Pantry, which is an amazing resource for students to get free food and hygiene products.

Students who want to learn more about JUMP can email batesme@sonoma. edu, or visit our office on the second floor of the student center, across from The Hub.” JUMP, and other programs within ASP, offer great ways to get involved and opportunities to work in a small group to reach a goal and make decisions that will affect the whole school. Each program offers the opportunity to build and host exciting events that will eventually be enjoyed for years to come by the many students you can market to.

Associated Students is a student-run, student-led organization, funded by student fees. Associated Students offers students the opportunity to get involved in a big way on campus. The best way to get in touch with Associated Students is by visiting their office on the second floor of the Student Center, and they welcome all interested students to get involved with their programs. From hosting events and getting involved with city partners, to showing Sonoma State students everything they can do to get more involved on campus as a whole, the Associated Students Open House was a big hit in every aspect.

CAPS reopens on campus, encouraging students to use in-person services

JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER

A

t this point in many college students’ lives, they should be encouraged to explore and discover themselves. Mental health problems can affect many areas of student’s lives resulting in negatively impacting relationships with loved ones, decrease in physical health, losing track of academics, and reducing their quality of life. While maneuvering these situations alone can be difficult and confusing, students are often encouraged to reach out to the campus community for counseling services.

Counseling and Psychological Services’ main purpose is to support student mental health and well-being. In order to fulfill this goal, they offer training, outreach, consultation, referral, crisis intervention, short-term individual and group counseling for all students. students pay all different kinds of fees, and currently enrolled students can utilize CAPS, which is fully paid-for in their tuition.

If students would like to schedule a new or a returning appointment, they are encouraged to contact CAPS at 707-664-2153, Mon. through Fri., during the office hours of 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m to 4 p.m. They are located directly behind Salazar Hall in the portable building 17A. While it takes some time to build trust with counseling professionals, students are welcome to express any concerns and experiences they may have, at their own pace. Students can disclose any information to their counselors that they feel comfortable with, and everything that students discuss with their counselors is kept confidential, except when there is abuse present or harm to someone else or yourself.

CAPS provides single sessions, intake appointments, and ongoing therapy sessions. Single session appointments last within 45 to 50 minutes, targeting non-urgent concerns, and students will be able to choose what problems they want to focus on. As a result, the counselor will aid you in gaining insight, strategies to address the concern, explore coping mechanisms, and how to get help in the future. Intake appointments are for students who want to discuss ongoing therapy with CAPS, and last within 45 to 50 minutes. This process includes a review of the students psychological medical history and evaluation of current symptoms. CAPS will then assist you in coming up with a treatment plan that may or may not include outside resources. After intake sessions, ongoing therapy sessions may be provided lasting within 45 to 50 minutes or even shorter. Since CAPS uses a short-term model of care to address issues, the number of sessions varies on the students needs to better serve the needs of all SSU students. At the end, a follow-up appointment can be made after each session.

As of 2021, Sonoma State has roughly about 8,649 students, but only 9 counselors at CAPS. The ratio between the two is high. With that being the case, many students have to book appointments in advance to secure their spot because it fills up quickly, or they end up being on the waitlist in case something opens up. In addition, there is no guarantee that students will be able to speak to the same counselor

STAR // Brandon Sparks Visit the brand-new CAPS office behind Salazar Hall in 17A to speak to a professional for counseling and therapy.

as before. It is difficult for students to be comfortable sharing because most likely every time students go, a new person will be appointed to talk with them.

What happens when a student’s needs are urgent and they must speak to someone? Dr. Laura Williams, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, stated that, “in order to prevent this situation from happening, and be able to still provide services for students that are in crisis, students who are not in crisis may have to wait longer for first individual appointments. They may have to space out their individual appointments, or they may also be limited in the number of sessions that they can have. However, students will still have unlimited access to groups and workshops.” Dr. Williams also affirmed that CAPS sees students in true crisis the same-day they present for services. And once the crisis stabilizes, CAPS would help students in obtaining a higher level of care through the means of outside providers. Furthermore, CAPS are continuously looking for additional funding for counseling staff to better serve their students.

CAPS acknowledges that the last few years have been stressful for students and it’s normal to feel additional stress, anxiety, and depression along with other mental health issues. CAPS wants to remind their students that they are not alone, and there to support you.

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Student Life 7

SSU highlights local wineries with wine club on campus

DANIEL DINERMAN STAFF WRITER

STAR // Sarah Gallagher A recent break from intense fires in Sonoma County has allowed for the grapes at St. Francis Winery and Vineyards to grow without damage from smoke and fires.

S

onoma County is home to some of the worlds finest wine selections, and our county has some of the best conditions for the cultivation of grapes. As a result, people come from all around the world to search for different kinds of wines from the area. With over 400 unique wineries in the county, it is no surprise that Sonoma State has one of the best Wine Business Administration programs in the country. When it comes to wine on campus, students have the ability to access the Wine Spectator building and take a look at the living and growing grape vines that line up outside of the building. However, do students have the ability to actually enjoy and learn about the precious fruits of our land and truly experience the wines that come from a result of our location? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wine on-campus has been a difficulty to find. However in the near future, our Sonoma County wines will become something for students to enjoy, learn about, and have access to with the Wine Club on-campus.

Like most clubs on campus, The Wine Club struggled with activity and maintaining numbers throughout the pandemic. However, now that students are back on campus and student/club life has been building up again, the Wine Club is now holding meetings for any student or faculty member on the final Wednesday of every month. Food and Wine are provided at meetings, and they will offer mostly red wines from various Sonoma wineries with a handful of different foods to create a basic palette for students. Representatives from different wineries in Sonoma County come to show off their wines, and donate bottles to the club, making the wine pairing experience something accessible and easy for students to attend at a price that makes sense for students.

When asked about her goals, the president of the Wine Club and senior on campus, Caroline Evans mentioned that she wants, “to educate people of SSU about the wonders of wine and its beautiful diversity. Even if you aren’t twenty-one, you can still come to meetings to smell and learn about different wines, and also network and

meet some important people in the field.” She was excited for the club to be holding in person events and is happy to meet new people interested in the field.

The first Wine representatives will be from Viansa Wine and Tasting, a local winery founded in 1990, named after Vicky and Sam Sebastiani. Since all bottles are generously donated to the school, the wine club does not know exactly what is going to be offered until the days of the tastings, but they are expecting a mixture of mostly red wines and a variety of Italian wines.

The Sebastiani family first migrated from Italy to America in 1880 and landed in Sonoma County shortly thereafter. His knowledge of wine would later turn into a wine dynasty and one of the only alcoholic distributors during the prohibition era that stayed open. Over a century later Chris Sebastiani, the fourth generation and representative of Viansa will be presenting more about his family history and providing more information about the winery all while literally providing the fruits from their hard labor during Wine Club meetings.

Another family-owned wine conglomerate that will be presenting for the Wine Club in November is Gallo, who now own over a dozen wineries in California and Washington. They will be coming to campus to not only present wine and other products, but to explain some of the roles they need to be filled within their wineries. With one of the best Wine business programs in the country, it is no surprise that Gallo is in search of SSU students and those interested in Wine culture or Wine business.

All Wine Club events will take place on the final Wednesday of each month in the Bennet Valley Room on the second floor of the Student Center. There will be a 5$ entry fee at the door, and all proceeds will go to the food provided at each event and to the budget of the club. The more people to show interest means the higher likelihood of the club being able to travel to different wineries in the upcoming future.

If students are interested in wine, wine business, or marketing with different local wineries, then the Wine Club will be the perfect fit.

Sonoma State celebrates Latinx Heritage Month with PUERTA and other events

SIERRA HARVEY STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State students walking into the first floor at the library are greeted by the colorful mural painted on the first floor. The mural depicts migrant workers, activists and serves as a memorial for César E. Chávez. This month is Latinx Heritage month, where we reflect on the history, leaders, and culture of those with Latinx heritage. This month the perfect time that we, as a community, can ask ourselves: Is Sonoma State doing enough to support its Latinx students?

Sonoma State is an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) certified campus, meaning that we have a 25% or higher Latinx population within our student body. While the school offers different programs to their Latinx students, like PUERTA and Summer Bridge, we are left to wonder if these programs are being utilized by students.

PUERTA is one of Sonoma State’s programs geared towards Hispanic/Latinx students. It stands for “Preparing Underrepresented Educators to Realize their Teaching Ambitions,” and seeks to provide support for Latinx students pursuing a career in education.

According to Director Khou Yang-Vigil, she seeks to provide students with “a sense of belonging,” and she also believes that “Sonoma State is not doing enough to support the community as a whole for Latinx students.” She describes common issues or challenges in the Latinx student community, which include “leaving home, as well as having families that may not understand how to navigate college life, or know what their child is really doing.”

Coming into their fifth year, PUERTA has helped students with financial support (ranging from grants for books to aid with food insecurity), as well as academic support and social support. PUERTA will be hosting events, such as the upcoming Latinx alumni panel on Fri. Oct. 1 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m on Zoom, for those who are now in teaching credential programs, to share their experiences. In the future PUERTA and similar programs will be looking for more ways to celebrate Latinx student’s cultural identity and academic success.

Bianca Gutierrez, a third year Biology major at SSU, joined PUERTA her first semester on campus after feeling overwhelmed by the new challenges of college life. Gutierrez is a first generation college student, stating that she “came with practically no knowledge of what to expect and how my life would change.” However, with PUERTA, she found a community of students with the same experiences, able to support each other and understand what she was going through. “Without PUERTA, I would not have felt the connection or felt represented in the school- the school itself does not celebrate Latinx culture without PUERTA,’’ Gutierrez stated.

Gutierez also feels that PUERTA is a good influence on the student body as a whole, and striving for more diversity and educational understanding at all levels is crucial especially in a state as diverse as California. Making Sonoma State’s student body aware of the PUERTA program’s mission is important for students to feel a sense of community and belonging.

Nataly Hernandez is the Senator of Diversity at SSU, and she identifies as a Latinx/ Hispanic student. “Being a Latinx/Hispanic student at SSU is very difficult. Stepping into a predominantly white institution came with a major culture shock. It was difficult finding my niche on campus when there were no places where I felt like I could belong.” Hernandez, like many Latinx students, was underwhelmed by the lack of diversity on campus.

She adds that, “class sizes are also very small and within my major I am often the only

STAR // Ileana Aleman Loteria night consisted of several bingo-esque rounds, with the hostess explaining to students the new pattern to aim for in each round.

Hispanic student.” In coming to college, students gain many things, new friends, a sense of independence, and a community dedicated to learning- however it shouldnt come with the loss of culture for our Latinx students. Like Gutierrez, Hernandez did find a program on campus that allowed her to meet other Latinx students. Sonoma State has programs like Summer Bridge, which allows students to find their niche by connecting students with similar backgrounds and ethnicities.

Working with AS, Hernandez is optimistic about her future. She sees improvements and passion about inclusivity from students and staff around her. She goes on to state, “with growing university wide education on DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion), I see a lot more community for Latinx/Hispanic students through Summer Bridge and through the CAASE office. For the month of Sept., students should be encouraged to learn from Latinx cultures and respect them, not just one month out of the year!”

Sonoma State should strive to maintain the inclusivity that it practices during Latinx Heritage month beyond Oct. 15, to serve the community as an example of what an HSI is.

8

Health

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Sonoma State extends COVID-19 testing services to Seawolves’ loved ones JAKE MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER

O

n September 21, Sonoma State opened up their testing facilities to family and household members of students and staff.

This move benefits a large number of people, not only on Sonoma State’s campus, but in the local community as well.

The move to extend the testing center’s resources to family and house members came as a response to the large number of students complaining about how hard it is for their housemates to get tested.

When students and staff are dealing with COVID-19 exposures within their house, their housemates sometimes end up waiting four or five days to get their results. These people being eligible to be tested on campus eliminates this problem.

“Currently, our testing center is getting results out within 48 hours,” said Missy Brunetta, director of emergency service and associate risk manager at Sonoma State, “They are often much faster than that too.”

With wait times being decreased by about 50 percent, less students will need to miss class due to exposure within their households.

In addition, less staff members will need to miss teaching their class, or doing on campus work.

Brunetta spoke to the testing company, Avellino, and they assured her that it would be no problem to take on more people for testing.

In order to get tested, students, staff and their household members will need to register with the testing company. They can do so at https://avellinocov2.com/patient/register.

When registering, everyone needs an ID and their insurance information, for billing purposes. After registering, people can make their appointment. Everyone also needs to bring an ID and insurance information to their appointment.

Please note that the testing center on campus is not meant to test people who are symptomatic or feeling sick. It is meant to test people who may have been exposed, or those who need frequent testing for sports, work, etc. Anyone who is feeling ill should seek help from their medical provider as soon as possible. Students who are feeling symptomatic should go to the health center on campus and not the testing center.

Sonoma State opening their testing center to family and household members of their students takes stress away from community testing sites, which are overfilled right now. Faster results for COVID tests is key to controlling the spread of the virus throughout the community.

“I know a few students here who live with their families,” said Jacob Cohen, a third year Business major. “I think this is a good way

STAR // Payton Mullaney Megan Lobao showing off her vaccine shot in front of SSU’s COVID-19 testing site.

to keep them safer.”

As long as testing times stay as prompt and rapid as they have been, this plan seems to be very beneficial for the school. Less students and staff will need to miss their in-person classes and activities, if their housemates can get tested at Sonoma. This also takes a chunk of the population out of the community testing centers, which should help them work more efficiently. Anyone within the same household as any member of Sonoma State is now eligible to receive testing on campus.

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4 , 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Sports 9

SSU’s Softball team pitcher Jesse Dupuis warming up at practice for the upcoming fundraiser game against Dominican Universtiy.

STAR // Ileana Aleman

Sonoma to face Dominican in annual 100-inning fundraiser game

NICHOLAS ROTH STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State Softball plans to return to the diamond for a 100-inning fundraising exhibition game against North Bay rival Dominican University on Oct. 1 at Sonoma State. The game will start at 10 a.m. and go far beyond the usual two hour time slot. The two teams will also be competing to see who can raise the most money for their respective programs, according to SSU Athletics.

The game won’t be a regulation seven inning game, but one continuous game that will last 100 innings. When asked about player health concerns due to the amount of pitches, Head Coach Jennifer Bridges-Mannwieler had this to say: “This is the unique part of the game, it is played with a pitching machine for both sides, so we don’t actually use our pitchers on the mound.

As you can imagine, no matter how big your pitching staff, 100 true innings is about 14 full softball games. So we use the machine and the batters get one swing. We play 12 outs at a time on defense/offense before we switch. These rules clearly speed up the pace of the game and make it possible to get the innings played in one day.”

Playing 100 innings with this format will allow the players to get lots of reps, while competing, but without the stress of an official game. “When you play 100 innings, 7 innings a game seems like no big deal,” said Senior Catcher Jordyn Martinez, “The 100-inning game has previously stayed fast paced and I think that prepares the defense for the next play, and prepares the offense to get the job done early on.”

This is the 10th annual fundraiser game against Dominican University, who will be traveling from San Rafael to Sonoma State for the game. “We have played Dominican for a number of years now so it’s just become a tradition to kick off our fall season with our nearest local D2,” said Coach BridgesMannwieler.

The funds from the game will be going directly back to the softball pro-

gram to help with travel expenses as well as equipment. “The money will go directly to the student athletes and our program. There are a number of items that we use fundraised money for. Subsidizing our equipment budget to provide the overall best experience for the student athletes. Ultimately, improvements to our facilities, like windscreens, batting cages, bullpens and dugouts, are a high priority as well,” explained Coach Bridges-Mannwieler.

Previous fundraising events for the Softball program have not been possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic and safety concerns, so this fundraising game is critical for Sonoma softball. “It means so much to us. Due to the pandemic and safety reasons, there have been some fundraisers we typically do that we couldn’t over the past year. So, this money being brought in will be beneficial for the athletes,” said Martinez The 2020 softball season was cut short due to COVID-19, but before the season ended, Sonoma was well on their way to another tournament appearance. After starting 1-4, they rattled off twelve straight victories, including a sweep of Monterey Bay, according to SSU Athletics.

Since 2020, Sonoma has added two recruiting classes who Coach BridgesMannwieler feels optimistic about for the upcoming season. “From day 1, we talk constantly about the type of team we want to be, the level of play we want to produce and continuing our streak of success. I know these individuals joined this program to obtain the highest level of success, and hopefully that means another go at conference champs and post-season.”

Martinez echoed the sentiment, with excitement about the two new classes, as well as the upcoming season. “We’ve only gotten stronger with the two classes that have come in since our last run. I’m super excited to see how this team does, and I expect nothing but great things from this year’s team.”

To donate to the fundraiser, please visit www.sonomaseawolves. com/100innings.

Seawolves thrash Chico State in weekend volleyball match

ALEX GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER

O

n September 24, Sonoma State’s Volleyball team came out hunting for a win against Chico State. They not only dominated, but also came out winning all 3 sets back to back inside the Seawolves’ den.

The first set of the matches showed what was to come in the upcoming sets for the Seawolves. The Sonoma State Seawolves lead the first half, all the way towards the end, as a rally between the two teams concluded with the Seawolves ending the set 25-21.

As both teams entered the second set, the Seawolves continued to show dominance moving forward, making it to five, fifteen, and twenty points before Chico’s Wildcats, who trailed behind. With the Wildcats not being able to keep up, Sonoma State claimed the second set 25-21.

The final set started off neck to neck between the two schools, as Chico’s Wildcats trailed behind SSU by one or two points until both teams tied at 9-9.

STAR // Payton Mullaney The SSU Women’s volleyball team dominated in their match against longtime rival Chico State.

Seawolves managed to make it to 10 points first and they created distance by scoring six consecutive times, making the score 15-9, with the Seawolves leading. This led the Wildcats to use their timeout. The short break helped Chico to recover a few points, but the Seawolves widened the gap by rallying the score 21-14. Then the Wildcats proceeded to make a comeback and the score quickly became as close as 23-20, with SSU barely leading. The game came to a close fully when SSU scored the match point, ending the game with a score of 25-21.

The momentum the Seawolves’ brought to the court proved to be too much for Chico State’s Volleyball team. Head Coach Grassl said, “We played hard the whole match, we did a good job when we didn’t play perfect first contacts to stay in rallies until we had a good opportunity, we blocked great and served great I mean I can’t complain, this was a good night for us.”

Grassl mentions how this match was an important one, and also the best match for one of his players all season, Amy Trephan, who sat out eleven hundred days due to her two shoulder injuries. Grassl stated how “[Amy Trephan] waited a long time for this and that was the best/most offense she had in any match - she blocked amazing.” Trephan averaged eleven points and nine kills in the game.

Stats don’t lie, no matter who you ask. It is clear that Sonoma State was the more dominant team over Chico State. Seawolves’ stats were above the Chico Wildcats in all categories of the game, ranging from points, service aces, kills, digs, blocks, and assists respectively.

Jaden Krist, an outside hitter for the Seawolves’ volleyball team, gives her thoughts on how she thought the team performed that night. “I was very satisfied. They played really clean, there wasn’t a lot of errors, and we went for every ball - that’s all we could really ask for.”

Krist continued, explaining how it felt good “...to come out with a win. It was a close game the last time we played them, so getting the sweep this time felt really good.”

This match gives Sonoma State students something to be excited for. The team and fans are hoping that the Seawolves can continue to deliver dominating performances like this past weekend. Their next home game is Thursday, Sept. 30, where we can watch them hopefully dominate Cal State Monterey Bay.

10 Photo

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 4, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Fall festivities begin in Sonoma County

STAR // Diana Ortiz Families enjoy the fall festivities at the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch on September 26, 2021.

STAR // Diana Ortiz Local pumpkin patches welcome back families with friendly faces.

STAR // Diana Ortiz The Petaluma Pumpkin Patch & Amazing Corn Maze opened their doors this past weekend in celebration of the first week of fall.

AS open house welcomes students STAR // Diana Ortiz Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are for sale at the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch.

Sports are in full swing

STAR // Ileana Aleman Student government coordinator Jesse Magaña and records assistant Katara Shipton answered any questions students had about AS and the AS office during the open house.

STAR // Ileana Aleman SSU’s softball team gets ready for their upcoming 100-inning softball game.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Paiger Carter, ASP event director, greeted all of the students on their way into the open house.

STAR // Payton Mullaney Seawolves huddling up during a time out, preparing to dominate the Wildcats 3-0.

STAR // Payton Mullaney Sonoma State’s women’s volley ball team took on Chico last Friday night and left the court with a win.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Student government president Noelia Brambila and senator of student resources Kyle Brame explained what student government does to help students on campus at the open house.