Issue 6

IN THIS ISSUE

Stars on the field SSU women’s soccer team players have won consecutive awards.

PAGE 9.

Mitote Food Park opens

Dolores Huerta speaks

Food trucks gather at the Mitote Food Park to serve their community.

PAGE 5.

Dolores Huerta visits SSU via zoom to speak with students.

PAGE 7.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 5 OCTOBER 5, 2021 - OCTOBER 11, 2021

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

Conflict arises regarding funding for Theatre Arts and Dance

COURTESY // Tai Russotti

KYLIE LAWRENCE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

S

onoma State continues to face frequent onslaughts of budget cuts, which has stirred conflict regarding funding for programs between the Dean of Arts and Humanities Hollis Robbins and Theatre Arts and Dance faculty and students.

Though the Arts and Humanities program has been experiencing financial cuts along with many other SSU programs, it has one of the highest budgets on campus. The Center for Performing Arts is one of four permanently funded programs supported by Instructionally Related Activity funds, or IRA funds, that are paid for out of student fees. Through IRA, course fees, and donor funds, the theatre department at SSU receives more than 8 times the amount of funding than other departments on campus, such as Philosophy, English, Art, Communications, and more.

That accumulates to 15.91% of the entire IRA budget, which is just over $565,000 this year, making it the second largest California State University Theatre Arts budget.

Students and faculty within the program have repeatedly expressed discontent, anger, and fear towards the cuts, which led to two petitions being created in opposition of the budget cuts and reallocations this past month. “Save the Sonoma State Theater Arts and Dance/Music Departments From Unjust Use of Student Fees” was started by dance student Sierra Parkhurst and has gained 550 signatures in support, and “Statement of Support” was started by the Theatre Arts and Dance faculty and it has gained 154 signatures.

Students and faculty within the department say they are upset with Dean Hollis Robbins for cutting their budget and are afraid of losing their program. In the description for the petition, Parkhurst wrote, “The Arts and Humanities Dean’s uncommunicated decision to move large operational salaries from stateside to IRA (Instructionally Related Activities) funds, is directly impacting the education of Theater Arts and Dance/Music students...” She claims that theatre and dance students are struggling with a lack of resources to support “fully realized” productions, including costumes, tech support, a design team, and guest artists. She also adds that there was a cut of several staff members, resulting in faculty taking on an overload of work, and therefore impacting students ability to feel supported by faculty. Lastly, she calls for transparency about funding for students, and explains her fear of the program’s ability to exist under these conditions.

Dean Robbins, on the other hand, has defended her actions and said she is faced with reduced IRA funding due to a lack of enrollment and made the decision to move, not cut, a portion of funding from the program with the most financial support at SSU and to instead use student talent on the productions instead of hiring expensive outside professional services

Department chair of Theatre Arts and Dance Christine Cali has been very vocal about her discontent with the budget cuts recently made within her department, and she, along with other Theatre Arts and Dance faculty members, claim that Dean Robbins is the one to blame.

Theatre Arts and Dance faculty released a statement on use of student fees and a need for oversight of administrators, which stated, “Since well before the pandemic, [theatre and dance] students have come to feel their education is under threat, as their Dean has repeatedly restricted, denied, or repurposed IRA funding....These students fear that there will be no publicity to bring audiences to witness their work; that there will be no accompanists or guest designers, which are standard to theater/dance programs; and that the Dean will outright announce cancellation of the season.” At the end of the statement, they added, “Unless the university honors the students’ trust, Dean Robbins’ actions risk becoming the template for handling IRA funds across the university.” The statement was signed by 9 different faculty members within the Theatre Arts and Dance department.

According to the statement put out by the Theatre Arts and Dance faculty, Dean Robbins, “...repurposed 28% of THAR/DANC’s [Center for Performing Arts] IRA to pay permanent, full-time staff and management salaries.”

These salaries have been historically paid through state money, but with this new arrangement, at least half of the money will come from IRA funds, reports Theatre Arts faculty.

Cali says that the department has, “...experienced not only the reallocation, but also the withholding of IRA stu-

STAR // Jessica Sternfeld A group of some SSU Seawolves pose at a Women’s rally last Saturday, where they protested the Texas ban on abortions.

Santa Rosa Women’s Rally decries Texas abortion ban and preaches unity JESSICA STERNFELD STAFF WRITER

T

he sound of the simple chant fills the square: “Pro Roe!” Cars blast their horns in solidarity as they drive past, spurned on by the protesters lining the sidewalk.

The crowd gathered there is diverse. Hundreds of people, old and young alike, all united in their cause of protest and solidarity for women’s rights. They carry signs like “A Woman’s Right to Choose Matters,” “Texas: where a virus has reproductive rights but a woman doesn’t!” and “I will not silently go back to the 1950s.” Some wear pink, others red, and a choice few wrap themselves in the color of their pride.

As the afternoon goes on, the hot weather slowly dwindles the crowd but the feeling is no less electric.

This was the crowd for the Santa Rosa Women’s Rally that happened on Saturday morning. The event was hosted by the Sonoma County Democratic Party.

It was one of over 600 similar events all taking place all across the country in protest of the Texas’s SB 8, which is currently the most restrictive legislation about abortion in the country.

SB 8 went into effect Sept. 1, and is the first abortion ban to have a private cause of action which allows private citizens to sue an abortion provider and, notably, anyone who helps a patient access that procedure.

The law has already been challenged by Dr. Alan Braid, a San Antonio obstetrician and gynecologist who has confessed to providing abortions after the ban was enacted in a editorial published in The Washington Post. So far no one from the state of Texas has sued him, but he has been sued by an Arkansas man as well as a man from Illinois.

Sara Feinman, a fourth-year student who attended the rally, talked about the imporsee PROTEST IN SANTA ROSA on pg. 4

see BATTLE on pg. 4

COURTESY // YouTube Students show their support for the Academic Talent Search and TRIO programs in a recruitment video for Sonoma State.

COURTESY // SSU NEWS CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro visited SSU Sept. 29 to speak to the Seawolf community.

SSU hosts open forum with CSU Chancellor Castro

JEFFREY AVIÑA STAFF WRITER

C

SU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro visited Sonoma State to participate in an open forum with the SSU community this past Wednesday, Sept. 29. Moderated by the Provost, Dr. Karen Moranski, the forum had questions that ranged from the COVID-19 pandemic to projects he is working on and a recent salary increase for CSU presidents.

The California Faculty Association was also in attendance, silently marching around the room and handing out flyers saying ‘Rights Respect Justice; Where is the CSU spending its money?’ The Union is very critical of the decision to increase Presidential salaries before calling for an increase for salary for faculty struggling financially in the pandemic.

The CFA is a union made up of faculty from all 23 CSU campuses that advocates for “quality education for our students, fairness for those of us who earn our living as teachers, and policies that ensure access to higher education,” according to the CFA website.

“We have a performance-based assessment which occurs every three years,” said Chancellor Castro in response to criticism in a press conference before the forum. “And upon successful review of the board of trustees see CSU CHANCELLOR on pg. 4

SSU receives $4 million to assist underserved students preparing for college MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State University announced back in August that the University would be receiving over $4 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Education for Sonoma State’s Academic Talent Search program, which focuses on assisting low-income and first-generation students preparing for college.

The University released a statement on Aug. 25, which provided further details on said grants: “By way of two federal Talent Search grants lasting five years, totaling $4,129,412, Sonoma State’s Academic Talent Search program will continue to identify and assist middle and high school students who have the potential to succeed in higher education. At least twothirds of the students in each local Talent Search program are from low-income economic backgrounds and families in which neither parent has a bachelor’s degree.”

The statement also included a quote from SSU’s Senior Director of Pre-Collegiate Programs, Susan Wandling, in which she emphasized that these types of grants from the Department of Education, “confirms that we are doing a good job helping our students prepare for and enroll in a college of their choice and that we have a solid plan to reach and serve eligible students with high-impact services.”

SSU’s Academic Talent Search program is just one of the Department of Education’s Federal TRIO Programs. see $4 MILLION GRANTED on pg. 4

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

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Seawolf All-Inclusive Experience program leaves some Seawolves dissatisfied

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:

“Conflict arises regarding funding for Theatre Arts and Dance” Read the article on page 1 & 4.

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.

COURTESY // Sonoma.edu Sonoma State began a new housing initiative last spring to entice students to live on campus again.

I

f you are a student living on campus this Fall semester, chances are high that you know about the Seawolf All-Inclusive Experience (ALLEX) initiative. ALLEX is a newly-introduced program designed to reward housing residents with complimentary favors, including a $250 credit for learning materials, free parking this Fall, one daily free drip coffee, additional free events for students, and a myriad of housing-specific guarantees.

Last semester, when news of the ALLEX program reached students, Seawolves were divided. Some students were excited about the incentives offered to them in exchange for living on campus, but others felt that the school seemed to be bribing students to return, as they voiced their opinions to the STAR last March. Additionally, students not living on campus felt alienated because the ALLEX program is designed only for campus residents.

Some Seawolves are also unhappy because the email sent out on March 1, announcing ALLEX stated that “Culinary Services dining venues will be open,” but only the Kitchens and Sip, the campus coffee shop that closes at 2 p.m., are open this semester.

Now that the ALLEX program has taken effect, students remain disenchanted with the university’s efforts to entice them.

They primarily enjoy the free residential parking, but feel frustrated with the limitations of the other ALLEX benefits.

“I feel like the ALLEX ‘free coffee’ thing really only applies to one group of people: people living on campus that can be at Sip at any time and people who drink caffeine,” said a SSU third-year biology major. “There are no other venues open for food besides the cafeteria, and as for making more events free to students, events are not something that people can always go to if they’re busy, especially with students trying to balance their jobs, schoolwork, and lives.

I feel like the university’s resources could

be allocated in better ways if they were trying to make students feel more valued on campus.”

Another Seawolf ran into problems while using the $250 learning materials credit provided by ALLEX. A third-year anthropology major shared her experience, saying, “I ordered all my books through ALLEX and I had $60 left....It took forever for the books I ordered to get to me, and then I got an email that said the last book I ordered was cancelled.

When I went to pick up a different book, I asked why my last order was cancelled, and they told me I had insufficient funds. I asked how that happened because I was sure I had $60 left over. And they said that they had to give me two new textbooks instead of the used books I ordered, because they ran out of used books. I feel like they should have covered that cost themselves because I was not prepared to pay the price out of my own pocket for new books, when I specifically ordered used books so that the ALLEX program would cover everything. I felt so frustrated.”

And while the cost for room and board this semester decreased by 3.43%, according to collegetuitioncompare.com, the cost of tuition still increased, as it has been every year, even when classes shifted entirely to remote-learning and campus resources were severely reduced.

It is no secret that Sonoma State has had financial concerns for years, with declining enrollment, a multimillion dollar budget deficit, and the strain brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. ALLEX seems to be an effort to draw students back to on-campus living while spending as little as possible, and this fact was not lost on Seawolves.

Restaurants on campus are still closed, construction and tree removal mar the grounds, tuition is still increasing, and students do not feel pacified by the miscellaneous assortment of ALLEX benefits offered only to residents.

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.

COURTESY // Sonoma.edu One free coffee daily is included in the ALLEX housing initiative as a bonus offered to students.

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

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

U.S. administers COVID-19 booster shots while many countries still struggle

Online learning allows for personal growth among students

JAYLINE ALVARADO

ADRIENNE MOON

hile countries all around the world are struggling to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, the United States has just started allowing people over the age of 65 to receive a booster shot. Many question whether or not it would be more ethical to help administer vaccines in other countries rather than providing a third shot in the U.S. According to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker, Guatemala has administered 6.98 million doses of the vaccine which is enough for a little under 20% of the population. In contrast, the United States has administered 394 million doses, about 61% of the population. In Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo, 135 thousand doses have been administered, covering less than 1% of the population.

An article for Nature stated, “If people over the age of 50 received a booster shot in the 11 richest countries they would use up 440 million doses of the global supply. That number doubles if all the high income and upper-middle income countries do the same.”

Recently, Axios reported that the U.S. won’t allow entry of international travelers who have received the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

This decision affects millions who will receive the Sputnik V vaccine because, “Russia has plans to distribute its vaccine to around 70 countries.” This could mean people won’t get vaccinated because they’re being refused entry elsewhere. There’s also questions about how effective they are against variants of the Coronavirus.

According to Nature, a San Francisco-based health policy organization, “Finds that low-income countries won’t achieve substantial levels of protection until at least 2023, at current vaccination rates.

Almost all of the roughly 3.2 billion mRNA vaccine doses expected this year from manufac- turers Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have been purchased by the United States and Europe, according to the London-based analytics company Airfinity,” and that pace of vaccination in low-income countries needs to increase 19-fold to inoculate 40% of those nations’ populations by the end of the year, the report says.

With the USA and Europe buying up vaccines for people to receive a booster shot, they’re making it more difficult for people in other countries to even receive their first shot. Within the United States, former Director of the Center for Disease Control, Dr Thomas Friedman, found that, “Among Americans who said they were willing to get the vaccine, the higher a person’s income, the more likely the person was to be vaccinated.” The New York Times also stated that the virus will continue to circulate and that it could, “Mean a concentration of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in low-income, disproportionately non-white populations.”

A lack of vaccinations in the United States and elsewhere in the world will result in the Coronavirus continuing to spread. With that, the threat of another variant developing comes, as seen with the Delta variant. While trying to avoid more outbreaks that will prolong the pandemic, it is important to ask if the U.S. should be outreaching with the vaccine.

ith all the ups and downs that the American education system can endure, it is no question that one of the biggest shifts was the closing of schools in 2020. For educational institutions, this meant having to transform and grow along with their students as online learning became the new norm.

Annalise Scialabba, a senior at Sonoma State University, stated, “[The shift] was both positive and negative. The positive was that I was able to do classwork on my own time, which made the lessons easier to learn.” However, she also considered this a negative, “I would get distracted and wait until the last minute.”

Switching to online classes was a time to slow down for many students, yet the circumstances might not have been the best given how many people were suffering to adapt and continue to suffer.

Olivia Smart, a senior at SSU, shares her opinion on the negative side of online learning, stating that it’s hard, “Not being able to focus as well and having to adapt in a different area while doing school so far away from my [sorority] sisters and friends.”

Contrary to Smart, Nathan Salimi, a junior at SSU, viewed the lack of distractions as a blessing because he was able to have the time to push himself physically and mentally, “[With the] little peopleto-people contact that I had, I was better able to focus on myself and grow as an individual.”

However, Salimi stated he and his friends had “The lack of desire to learn from school after the classes went online.”

“It can be very disconnecting in a sense... technology has really helped! Being able to facetime, text, or call people has really been the only thing getting me through this tough time. Without this kind of technology, learning and connections wouldn’t be possible!” says Smart.

Many students took the change to online classes as an opportunity to explore passions and hobbies outside of school work. Others, however, felt that the work load only got heavier.

Scialabba was unable to focus on other passions, “My brain was full of things I had to do for school.” As a result, online learning became more stressful, and she was completely isolated at home due to all her courses being completely online.

Smart, however, liked the flexibility of her new schedule, appreciating, “The opportunity to have a job and hold a high position in my sorority.”

Salimi stated, “This gave me the freedom to put more time into the activities that I enjoy.” Salimi was also able to, “Work more and pursue my passion of investing in the stock market with the money I was making from work.”

While many schools are returning to in-person classes, it doesn’t seem like online learning is going anywhere anytime soon. The world of education changed completely when the pandemic took over, causing stress among students everywhere. However, it seems that as we are coming out of it, students are able to reflect and understand how they may have grown as a person from adapting to these hard times.

STAFF WRITER

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STAFF WRITER

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4 News

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

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Women’s Rally in Santa Rosa continued from pg. 1

STAR // Sonomastatestar on Flickr.com Parking has been an issue on campus for years and students voice their concerns.

tance of attending such events, even in a state where abortion is a legal right.

“I find that participating in social movements that I have the privilege to attend physically is where my biggest impact lies. There is power in numbers and there is something special in cultivating a feeling of community. At the end of the day, we empower each other,” Feinman said.

The rally as a whole had a focus on intersectionality, which was reflected in speakers like Nicole Lim the Executive Director of the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center and Nick Lawrence, a trans man and author of the children’s book “I Am a Boy!!”

Most speakers also stressed the importance

of voting and voter’s rights. The Facebook group for the event stressed that “if you can’t vote, you don’t have a voice.”

The moment from the rally that epitomized the cause the most was not one of the speakers.

A little girl got lost and a speech was disrupted to make the announcement. The child was found during the announcement, and was returned to her family. Pat Sabo, head of the Sonoma County Democratic Party and emcee of the rally, exclaimed afterwards that there was no better or safer crowd for that girl to get lost in.

“The heart of the Women’s March is to advocate for a cause bigger than just us and I think this is all pretty magical,” Feinman said.

Seawolves returning to campus reflect on the stress of campus parking ISAAC LOPEZ

STAFF WRITER

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any students were pleased to hear that Sonoma State University would finally open its classes as they would slowly transition back into their in person classes curriculum. But along with this decision to slowly slide away from online Zoom learning, there comes one problem that many Seawolves didn’t have to deal with during last year’s online learning. The stress of on-campus parking, more specifically parking permits and parking tickets, has now returned to many students as a reality, where many of them did not have to worry about this a year ago.

As many students return this year to campus, many of them have seen the stress of having to spend extra money for a permit. This, as well as potential parking tickets, seems to be one thing that many students forgot about as they were returning to campus.

“You know it’s funny you bring that up because about a year ago I totally forgot about this aspect of returning to campus,” says Riley Bierbaum.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy that we finally get to return to classrooms where I can see all my classmates. But it actually didn’t hit me until I finally moved in the area and I slowly realized that I had to spend an extra $100 a semester just to park. But I mean it is what it is and I would say it’s worth it as I have been waiting to finally return to learning in a physical classroom.”

At the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, Sonoma State announced its decision to grant free parking to all Seawolves that are living on campus.

However, students who are living off-campus

still need to purchase their parking permits, which has many stressing out due to a small increase in a general parking permit.

Back in the 2018-2019 school year, general parking was at a low of just $102. Now with each school year going by, general parking seems to be increasing about $8 a year, where this year has caught up to $126.

For next semester, parking permits are expected to be about $135. It was also stressed by SSU’s “Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS)” that the decision to make parking free for on-campus students has not affected the cost rates at all.

With many students thinking deeply about permits and tickets, TAPS parking field supervisor Cody Smith had much advice to give for students who have to buy parking permits this semester.

“We would like to reiterate the importance of ensuring you have a valid permit on display when parking on campus,” explains Smith. “Often, we see students, faculty and staff parking on campus with an expired temporary permit or a receipt for their permit in lieu of a valid permit. In the event that your temporary permit expires, we recommend that you email us to request another.

“From there we can determine if there was an issue related to shipping or if there was other information missing from your parking account that may be attributed to why you have not received your physical hangtag. An extended temporary permit will be provided to you after notifying us that yours has expired and in some cases, a replacement permit can be sent to campus.”

Chancellor Castro visits SSU continued from pg. 1

for that president, we would look at that president’s salary in comparison to other institutions like ours around the country. Then, we would take steps to make sure that the president would earn a salary that would be right in the middle - not at the top and not at the bottom, but in the middle of the comparison group.”

The subject of salary increases was not the only item spoken about at the forum. Castro also spoke about Graduation Initiative 25 (GI 25), an initiative to increase graduation rates and eliminate equity gaps in degree completion by the year 2025.

“We must remove barriers, so that when they get to us, they don’t have to go so far,” Castro said about the many equity gaps that exist in higher education.

Beginning in 2009, GI 25 was a six year task that asked campuses to increase graduation rates for first year students. In 2015, according to the CSU website, there was an 11% increase in the six year graduation rates for incoming students.

Specifically at Sonoma State, enrollment has been trending downwards for the last couple years, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, graduation rates at SSU have been steadily trending upward for the last ten years, despite the decrease in enrollment.

President Sakaki says that low enrollment numbers can be attributed to the many wildfires that have occurred in the last five years and a decrease in high school students in the surrounding community.

“We are needing to expand and really get more aggressive in our outreach, which we have plans to do,” said Sakaki about the answer to the decrease in enrollment in the press conference. “We hear that some of our best ambassadors are student leaders, so we need to marshall that good will in whether its our marketing materials or if its in our community.”

STAR // Jessica Sternfeld Residents of Sonoma County protested the Texas abortion ban in Santa Rosa.

$4 million granted for SSU to support collegebound youth continued from pg. 1

According to the Department’s website, “The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs. TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.”

SSU’s Pre-Collegiate Programs house seven Upward Bound programs and two Talent Search programs, both being original Department of Education TRIO programs.

Serving as community access to higher education, “All of us in Pre-Collegiate Programs, a strong network of educational equity professionals, aim to provide information and services to families in SSU’s local communities to prepare K-12 students for college success,” reads the SSU Pre-Collegiate Programs webpage.

The Department of Education began the Talent Search program in 1965 and since then, 80% of participants have been reported to have enrolled in postsecondary institutions right after graduating high school.

According to the Department’s statistics, in 2020, over 309,000 students were enrolled in 473 Talent Search Trio programs in the U.S. Since 1990, SSU’s Academic Talent Search program has helped around 4,035 students enroll in postsecondary institutions.

Academic Talent Search Sonoma begins working with students as early as sixth grade and continues to provide them with programs and services, throughout middle and high school, that will help them better prepare for and succeed in college.

According to their webpage, “Academic Talent Search (ATS) is dedicated to assisting students to achieve their academic best and to maximize their choices by exposing them to information they may not have otherwise encountered. We aim to provide our students with tools that will help them overcome barriers, which could prevent them from attending the university of their choice upon graduation from high school.”

STAR // Jacob Loher High school students tour SSU’s campus to decide if they will attend in 2019.

Battle over funding between Dean, faculty, and students continued from pg. 1

dent fees that directly support students in creative process and performance. This also has a larger impact on our ability to present live performances for the campus community.” Cali also emphasized that the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance is “asking for transparency and accountability in handling funds.”

Students and other faculty members are voicing similar concerns, as well - which is clear from the two petitions that were created. “[The budget cuts are] super disappointing,” says Packhurst. “We have to be worried about whether there is even going to be a production and how can we create work with no money. It’s just really frustrating and disappointing, and it makes us feel, as students, like we’re being undervalued.

“We are having trouble working in this environment because we don’t know what tomorrow may bring,” said Tony Bish, director of the Technical Theatre Program.

In response, Dean Robbins said that her decision to pull back some of the Theatre Arts and Dance funding was based on a close examination of their finances, and her work serving on the Student Fee Advisory Committee.

“I’ve been the subject of allegations that are very painful…I have worked on getting transparency and clarity on appropriate use of student fees for over three years on the Student Fee Advisory Committee ...There’s nothing I could do with funds without the approval of everyone on this team,” Dean Robbins said.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Laura Monje-Paulson added, “This committee is not complacent about how funds are spent...We are ready to be transparent and honest about it. There is appropriate accountability here.”

Dean Robbins has been raising questions of how the Center for Performing Arts has been spending its student fee funding for three years with the committee.

Robbins asked: “Why are geologists or painters at SSU having to spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket for classes when theatre students are getting free costumes? The Theatre Arts department receives more IRA funding than any other program on campus.”

When comparing the SSU Theatre Arts program’s IRA funding to other CSU campuses, SSU’s program receives more funding than almost all of the other CSUs, even though we have less enrollment than most of the other CSUs. The only CSU that has more funding for theatre arts than SSU is Fullerton, and they receive $657,831 compared to SSU’s $560,000 in funding. Information regarding the funding

for the theatre arts program was provided by Tai Russotti, Administrative Manager for the School of Arts and Humanities.

“I roughly think I paid around $200-$300 for art supplies for my classes this semester and I’m just an Art minor,” said Jenna Zager, fourth year SSU student. She agrees that it is unfair that the art department receives so much less IRA funding than the theatre and music programs.

Robbins has said that the Theatre Arts and Dance department has been hiring professionals to build sets, make costumes, play music for the shows, and more. She argued that students studying those things at SSU should be more involved in putting on the shows - not professionals. She also suggests that it might increase attendance at the theatre shows, which have typically seen attendance at less than 10% of the theatre’s capacity, according to data of ticket sales shared by Russotti.

At a student forum on Sept. 30, Robbins asked students, “Who gets to decide if musicals have student performers or professional musicians?” The students said that they should be able to decide this.

Additionally, the Dean emphasized how many people are working on this issue of funding alongside her as a team, and questions why she specifically is the subject of allegations. Executive Director for Student Affairs Erik Dickson explained the long process of making these reallocations in a recent training meeting for handling IRA funds. “Voter pamphlets with election pros and cons written by various students are presented to all other students in an email, who then vote on the issue. The results go to President Sakaki afterwards, and the decision is ultimately left up to her,” Dickson said.

“I know I’ve done the right thing by the students. I am trying to make funding more equitable for all of the programs within Arts and Humanities,” Robbins said. She then quoted Chancellor of the California State University Joseph Castro and said: “‘You have to do the unpopular thing, even if you are going to get pummeled.’”

Administration continues to deal with uproar from Theatre Arts and Dance students and faculty due to campus-wide budget cuts and reallocations. In order to address these concerns, they will be holding open forums with students and faculty who want to voice their opinions on the issue. On Oct. 11 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Dean Robbins will be a part of an open forum on zoom to discuss funding for the theatre, dance, and music programs. Students are invited to join the conversation.

Jessica Sternfeld contributed to this report.

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Arts & Entertainment 5

Associated Students partners with Cristela Alonzo for “Comedy and Cupcakes” event DANA SCACCO STAFF WRITER

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ssociated Student Productions hosted a “Comedy and Cupcakes” event that featured standup comedian Cristela Alonzo on Tuesday night. Students enjoyed catered cupcakes as Alonzo spoke about her life and professional career as the first Latina to create and star in her own US primetime comedy.

About 80 students attended the event which honored and highlighted Latinx Heritage month. Cupcakes were distributed to students once they showed their required school IDs and medical clearance check upon arrival.

Alzono did a short stand up segment, followed by a Q&A, and concluded the event with a meet and greet won by random audience members.

Alonzo told the audience how her family and personal life impacted the start of her career. “ My mom died when I was 22 years old. I thought that if I could make people laugh with jokes about my mom, maybe that could help me deal with her death myself. That’s the thing that got me my TV show.

That’s the thing that got me my break in Hollywood, it was actually me just talking about my family life and story,” said Alonzo.

COURTESY // @SSU_1961 on Twitter Associated Student Productions organized a Latinx Heritage month event featuring comedian Cristela Alonzo for the “Comedy and Cupcakes” event on Sept. 28.

Alzono also revealed her hardships as a Latina trying to succeed in the entertainment industry, “ I started out in theatre and they didn’t have many roles and opportunities to cast Latina girls like me. I realized that if I wanted to make it in Hollywood I would have to do it myself, and that’s what I did.

I became the first Latina to write my own comedy series and star in a Pixar movie.”

ASP Event Director and third year Psychology student, Jocelynne Leon, was the head organizer for the event. Leon detailed her favorite moment from the night, “My favorite part was the meet and greet. Students were able to get an autograph and picture with Cristela. This was memorable because originally we had planned to have only four students win a meet and greet with her. However, she was kind enough to talk to more than the four winning students. As I helped with the meet and greet, I heard how much Cristela positively impacted these students’ lives. I felt so rewarded that students were able to gain something from this event.”

Leon expressed what she learned from the event and stated why it was culturally important, “Something I took away from the night is that we need to continue hosting events that center underrepresented groups. I specifically chose to bring Cristela to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month. Even though there isn’t a big amount of Latinx’s on campus, it’s important to host events where we feel welcome.”

Christina Gomez, a fourth year History major and Executive Vice President for Associated Students, moderated the Q&A portion of the event. Gomez shared her experience as a moderator for the event as a Latina herself, “I was able to meet Cristela beforehand so I felt very comfortable on stage.

I felt very motivated from this event, and as a young Latina it was amazing to hear how successful Cristela became and how she overcame many obstacles. I thought it was a great experience and I felt so proud of the culture and heritage.”

Kyle Brame, Associated Students Senator of Student Resources and fourth year double major in Business Management and Economics, attended the comedy event and weighed in on his experience, “ It was an awesome experience to learn about Cristela’s childhood and the forces that drove her to become a comedian. It was especially inspiring to hear how she became the first Latina to star in a Pixar film.”

“I found Cristela’s act to be not only funny but also educational. People who come to events like this want to see other students and have that dialogue with our community. It is a great opportunity for students to ask questions and gain insight from an inspiring speaker,” Brame continued.

For more information and upcoming entertainment event dates, check out the Associated Students website, as.sonoma.edu.

The Mitote Food Park serves up culture and brings community together

CLÉA UPCHER

STAFF WRITER

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amilia, communidad, comida - these are the three most important parts of the Mitote Food Park in Santa Rosa. The food park consists of different food trucks that exclusively serve Mexican food from different regions in Mexico.

The three trucks that were operating on Thursday, Sept. 30, Lucha Sabina, Antojitos Victoria, and Maria Machetes, were open from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. and are located at 665 Sebastopol Road in Roseland.

The nmber of trucks rotates, and according to their website, trucks can register to be apart of the food park.

According to Sonoma County’s website, the Mitote Food Park is getting revamped, a $750,000 project. “... All of us are going to be located [in the new spot] with bathrooms, and security,” said Fernando, who works at the Antojitos Victoria food truck.

This project is aimed at uplifting the food park’s goal of being “a place devoted to celebrating heritage and culture through food, music, and arts.” according to the food park’s website.

“Over at Mitote park, [there will be] a bar top, so people can come with family, enjoy, have a drink… We are trying to be [open] in December,” said Mishell Bacilio, who works at the Ma-

ria Machetes food truck.

On the 90 degree Thursday afternoon, large white tents with colorful picnic tables underneath are situated next to the three food trucks.

Papel picados, or banners made from colorful tissue paper with designs cut out, twist and turn in the breeze, strung back and forth above the picnic tables.

“We have different types of food trucks in one spot, [and] each food truck has different food. We are like close family,” said Fernando.

Despite their variety in flavors and areas represented, all of the trucks serve authentic dishes at modest prices.

According to the food park’s website, the food served at the park is “different cuisines in Mexico: Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacan, Yucatan, and Mexico City.”

According to Bacilio, the Maria Machetes food truck focuses on cuisine from Oaxaca, a Mexican state located in the southwestern region of the country. “The food is Mexican, [from] Oaxaca. The most popular dishes are the Tlayudas; a big tortilla, like a tostada. It comes with beans, cabbage, and different meats. We also have the chicken mole bowl, something more popular in Mexico too. We also have molotes… and memelas. Basically all from Mexico and

Oaxaca.”

Situated next to Maria Machetes was Antojitos Victoria, a food truck whose cuisine is from the Mexican state of Hidalgo. “We started selling here about a year ago in July. We make handmade quesadillas... Everything is done from scratch…

That’s what’s different from other food trucks...

We have nopales and chicharrones, those are the main things we sell,” said Fernando.

The last truck of the park, Lucha Sabina, has a culinary focus on mushrooms. “[Our truck] is called Lucha Sabina. Sabina for a woman who is from Oaxaca, [who worked] with pure mushrooms. Lucha (fight) is for the fight of all the immigrants who come to these countries, to work and fight every day. This truck sells mushrooms on tacos, burritos, quesadillas, on everything. Here, many are Mexican, and this food is Mexican, so there are more people [in this area for us to serve],” said an employee at the Lucha Sabina truck, in an interview translated from Spanish.

“We like to be here because we’re here as family. [Everyone] has different food, [you can try] different food, and people come as a family,” said Bacilio.

For more information, visit the Mitote Food Park website, mitotefoodpark.com.

STAR // Ileana Aleman

STAR // Cléa Upcher The Maria Machetes food truck served a picture-perfect Al Pastor taco.

Mishell Bacilio from Maria Machetes welcomed and went over the menu with customers.

6 Student Life

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

ZAUM encourages students to submit creative works for upcoming issue

SIERRA HARVEY STAFF WRITER

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or artists, writers, poets, and photographers, it can be difficult to distinguish yourself from the crowd of other bright young minds at college. For students, a great way to start is by submitting their work to ZAUM, the literary magazine produced by and for students on campus and internationally. ZAUM mainly focuses on literature and art, and they have been operated by Sonoma State students for decades. ZAUM is a unique student-made magazine, filled with art, poetry and prose compiled by a class of student editors at the end of every spring semester. With the first deadline to submit your work coming up on Nov. 1, it’s important that more students are aware of its importance to the student body.

“ZAUM is part of a program that has been at Sonoma State for over 40 years, first as The Mandala, and then, 26 years ago, as ZAUM” says faculty advisor Gillian Conoley. A published poet and professor in the English department, Conoley took over as the professor of the class.

She stated that she “shifted the focus of the magazine from one that was professor-edited, to one that is student-edited and student-run. I felt that students could learn the most about literary publishing and editing by having their own magazine, with the professor acting as advisor, mentor, and guide.” She feels that this shift was important to create a publication that reflects the work and organization of our student body.

Reflecting on ZAUM’s purpose, Conoley states that “ZAUM gives SSU students an opportunity to publish and to read one another’s fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and to also experience student visual art. ZAUM publishes work of Sonoma State students alongside work of students from all over the country and the globe, so ZAUM creates an international dialogue for SSU student writing and visual art.”

This exchange of ideas, shows what our student body is thinking about right now, and how we have been able to fit into student conversations for generations. Because of ZAUM’s production being totally student-centered, each publication changes based on the trends and aesthetics of each year’s staff, Conoley points out. She also shared additional benefits of being published in ZAUM, as it has “won several national awards for literary excellence and graphic design. ZAUM is more than capable of competing with national magazines. It’s got high production values, and is distributed well within the Bay Area and even internationally.”

Conoley’s role as the professor is to make sure the students maintain healthy discussion between the student staff. “I make sure that editorial committee meetings have a high level of discussion and rigor, that each piece submitted is read with care ... Students are encouraged to disagree with each other, and to learn how to agree to disagree. All submissions are read anonymously, so there’s no question of nepotism or favoritism. Ultimately, the student Senior Editor makes the final decision of what appears in the magazine, though the student staff has a large say in this process” This year, the Senior Editor of ZAUM is fourth year English major Alison “Ali” Gervacio. She transferred to Sonoma last year, and was appointed to the Senior Editor position after taking ZAUM as a credit for her Creative Writing degree. While intimidated at first, she is now so passionate about ZAUM and bringing her experience and knowledge to more students. Gervacio and the other editors get the experience of being publicators and consumers of ZAUM, as they truly know how to best represent the student body. “Speaking as a student, I believe ZAUM can serve importance to other students because the magazine allows them to get their work published, which is a rewarding accomplishment on it’s own as a writer or artist. ZAUM allows student writers/artists to have their voices heard as

COURTESY // zaum.sonoma.edu ZAUM opens up their submissions for students’ artwork and writing, with a priority deadline of Oct. 4 and a finalized deadline of Nov. 1.

well as share their work with the world. Not only that, but ZAUM staff gain a great sense of what it’s like to produce a Literary Magazine which provides a sense of work experience.”

Gervacio encourages students who haven’t heard a lot about ZAUM to look into the class as an elective. ZAUM is a great way to get involved in a community of writers and be part of the conversation. Make sure to meet the deadline of Nov. 1 if you would like to have your artistry showcased in the ZAUM magazine for this upcoming semester.

W&B opens up for craft and trivia nights ADDISON SMITH STAFF WRITER

STAR // Ileana Aleman W&B stays open late at night for a competitive night of Trivia on October 1, 2021.

Students compete in a competitive game of Kahoot! for prizes such as beanies or long-sleeved shirts.

STAR // Diana Ortiz Socially-distanced SSU students pay close attention to the Kahoot! questions during Trivia Night on Oct. 1, 2021.

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his past week, Weyden and Brewster’s hosted two events: “Friday Night Live presents: Trivia Night” and “DIY Craft of the Week”. While Weyden and Brewster’s is still undergoing slight renovations, Associated Students and Student Involvement are able to host these weekly events in W&B while they are “out of commission” for the Fall 2021 semester. While the popular on-campus eatery won’t be serving food due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonoma State wants to make sure that all students are able to put their oncampus resources to use.

Every Saturday at 7:00 p.m., Student Involvement and Associated Students will be hosting different types of creative events for Seawolves to enjoy at W&B. This past week’s “craft night” consisted of creating coasters, and next week will be crayon art, and it’s safe to say that it will be a fun Saturday night well spent. This past Friday, Associated Students presented a music themed trivia night, a round-based Kahoot! game was played, in which first, second, and third place would all win points. At the end of the game, winners received their choice of Sonoma State apparel such as beanies or long sleeved shirts.

When asked about what students can expect for the near future, Weyden and Brewster’s stated that, “we have a standing reservation every Friday and Saturday night that we can use the space as we please, but we are required to enforce mask wearing and see a green “All Clear” screen from everyone who walks in.” As is our new normal, mask wearing and health safety is rigorously enforced and is our top priority at every event hosted on campus.

The trivia night was a fun and exciting reason to go and get out of the house and spend time with members of Associated Students and other Seawolves.

There was a ton of variety in the trivia questions, with some involving listening to a few seconds of a song and guessing where it comes from, to looking at baby pictures of an artist and guessing who the artist actually is. On top of these celebrity-themed trivia questions, there were tons of music/artist themed trivia questions such as, “who is Elton John’s children’s godmother?” and others.

With the DIY craft night, an event that’s hopefully going to be hosted every Saturday, students were able to create coasters and had access to paint, paintbrushes, paint pens, and various styles of coasters to choose from. According to one student, “It’s a really fun event and allows your creativity to flow and helps relieve any stressors from the past week. I would definitely recommend this event to anyone looking to flex their creative muscles and mingle with other students.” The event started at 7 p.m. and ran until 8 p.m. where students could use any tool provided to create their perfect coaster and take it home with them once the night was over.

Coming up this week, Weyden and Brewsters is hosting a crayon art night on Saturday at 7 p.m. crafts are provided in full so bring your friends and let your creative juices flow! Every Saturday is a new DIY craft which can range from creating a terrarium, painting a mug, or even carving pumpkins around halloween time. No matter what, you’re bound to have a good time designing, crafting, or shaping the many different crafts available every Saturday from 7 to 8 p.m.

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

Student Life 7

Dolores Huerta visits Sonoma State via Zoom to host Q&A and speak to students JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER

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olores Huerta is a civil rights activist who fought for farmers rights. Cofounding the United Farm Workers (UFW) with Cesar Chavez, she is known for her saying: “Si, se puede”, meaning “Yes, we can.” On Sept.

29, Huerta visited Sonoma State, and many students honored our special guest speaker and participated in a Q&A directly after. Hosted by Associated Students, this event is truly one of the highlights for Latinx Heritage Month.

Huerta was born in Dawson, a small mining town located in northern New Mexico. The agricultural community where she grew up consisted of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Mexican, and African-American. Her father, Juan Hernandez was a union activist who ran for a political office and won a seat in 1938.

Her mother, Alicia, welcomed low-wage workers in the hotel and was an active participant in numerous civic organizations. It’s safe to say that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

In founding the UFW, Chavez and Huerta aimed to help people with their incomes and taxes, register to vote, and organize committees. In 1975, she pushed for the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, which was the first law that gave farmers the right to assemble and negotiate for better working conditions and wages.

Many people came to her for help, and she always raised awareness for other problems going on in the world. By organizing the Delano Grape Strike, Huerta was able to support the Filipinos in unfair working conditions, and about 17 million people participated in a boycott. She supported black people with police brutality and went to their non-violent rallies and protests. In fact, when she was in San Francisco for a protest, she was beaten severely by a police officer which caused broken ribs and the removal of her spleen. However, this didn’t stop her from fighting for justice, but only made her stronger.

Dolores Huerta inspired many people because she sacrificed so much just so that people can be treated the way they deserve to be treated and to always keep fighting. She is so strong for being able to step away from her family for so long just so she can fight for what she believed was right. In the end, she knew in her heart that it would all be worth it.

There are six schools that are named Huerta; they have four in California, one in Texas, and a high school in Colorado. Huerta was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2013. Other than her California hall of fame induction, she also received many other numerous awards. She received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights award in 1998, Ms. Magazine’s “One of the Three Most Important Women of 1997”, Ladies Home Journal’s “100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century”, the Puffin Foundation’s Award for Creative Citizenship: Labor Leader Award in 1984, and the Smithsonian Institution’s James Smithson Award. 44th President Barack Obama also awarded Huerta with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award that can be given to a civilian.

It was an honor for Dolores Huerta to speak with students about her experiences and journey into fighting for civil rights, especially because the school contains a great amount of a Latino representation and heritage here at Sonoma State. Associated Students is in high hopes that Huerta’s will inspire students’ strength to fight for what they believe is right.

COURTESY // @champs_charter on Instagram Dolores Huerta, civil rights activist known for co-founding the United Farm Workers Union, visits SSU via zoom to inspire students with her story.

FBI Special Agent and local police speak to students for “Black and Brown in Blue” event

DANIEL DINERMAN STAFF WRITER

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n Weds. Sept. 29, 2021, Daryl Thornton, former FBI special agent paired up with Sonoma State University’s chief of police Nader Oweis, in the first campus oriented event, Conversations with Black and Brown in Blue. Thornton is the chief administrative officer for the St. John Church of Grand Prairie & Southlake Texas, he was the first black man to serve as a class president in the FBI academy and he has held various positions throughout the country including management experience at BELO and the Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport, and served as a field officer for over a decade. With such a varied background, the focus of the lecture series was to provide students a chance to not only speak up in conversations about police, but to also attempt to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the rest of our communities so we can create a more inclusive community down the road.

It is the job of the police to protect and serve the people of their communities and jurisdictions regardless of what political orientation, race or religion of the individual or community. Over the last year and a half, police have been highlighted throughout the media for the fear they have caused within their communities and for negligent acts resulting in unnecessary bodily harm and even death specifically towards people of color. With the rise of police footage and accessibility to cameras, it has become more clear that not all police officers are fitted to protect and serve their communities and that it is time for changes to be made throughout the system. As members of the black and brown community and as a former officer, both Daryl Thornton and Nadar Oweis were able to speak on behalf of the two sides of the issue.

When it comes to creating serious change to any multi-sided issue, it is most important that people show up to have their voices heard or else their opinions will not be represented. Something repeated multiple times throughout the lecture was, “if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” In the policing conflicts mentioned by Daryl, the differences that kept both groups safe were the personal connections made between the groups prior to the conflict and prior to any laws being known to be broken. In multiple scenarios between the police crew and those finding themselves in trouble, the difference between life and death had been because of the previously established relationships. By becoming more integrated and involved within the community, it is easier for the goals and aspirations of the people to be clear, understood and accomplished. By creating more personal connections with those around you, people will begin to build up a representation of what makes that community. In return, that community will be better fit to loosely govern itself, and decide what actions are accepted within said community. That said, there is no more important time to become a part of the conversation.

Police reformation is not something that can happen overnight, it will take time, hard work and a ton of effort to make serious changes. Defunding the police is not an option because criminals who would otherwise be arrested by police would be left to become active members of their communities. At the end of the day, change will occur when the people from the top make changes, and work to recreate guidelines and expectations. In this particular case, the

STAR // Ileana Aleman (Left to right) FBI Special Agent Darryl Thornton, Dr. Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Chief of police Nadar Oweis. Sawyer delivered opening remarks at the “Black and Brown in Blue” event.

imbalance between the people in power and civilians is what causes fear in the first place, and is why it is so important for the average person to have their demands heard. As students and community members to our local ordinances, Seawolves have an important role as members of society. As citizens and taxpayers of this country, we pay the salaries and provide for the civil services that make up our country, which means we have the obligation to get involved and make the differences we want to see.

The next opportunity to be a part of the Conversation with Black and Brown in Blue will be held Oct. 20, as well as 3 additional events, all with different guests that will happen throughout the semester. To get yourselves off the “menu”, and to take part in making a difference, all voices of the community need to make themselves heard and understood. For more information and to join meetings virtually, visit bit.ly/bbbfall.

8

Health

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Brandon Sparks Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to help students who feel as though their mental health is in jeopardy due to hybrid classes.

Hybrid classes affect mental health

ALEX GONZALEZ

STAFF WRITER

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nline classes have been the bane of manu SSU students’ existence ever since the university had to transition to fully remote learning in March 2020. Almost two years later, classes have resumed partially in person, which has students both elated and worried, as conditions are not as they were before COVID-19. The transition was abrupt for many, and as a result, the stress of this new mode of learning is taking a mental toll on SSU’s students and faculty.

This new semester has been filled with mixed feelings and new routines, both of which are causing students to stress more than usual. Caroline Evans, a senior majoring in Wine Studies, describes her thoughts on the return: “I have definitely been more stressed this semester. Having in-person classes has added a lot more pressure to school but it brings back a sense of normalcy.”

Some students have found the social distancing restrictions in in-person classes to be annoying in the sense of being unable to really interact with peers, but overall everyone seems to be happy to just be around each other again. “There’s a limited amount of social interaction because I love being able to interact with my peers and being able to talk to people,”said Jordyn Zenk-Lanier, a student at Sonoma State majoring in Business.

While the transition remains rough and sudden, students are still grateful to return to

some form of normalcy. “It feels more real now. Before I felt like I couldn’t focus and it was just more draining to my day. It felt unmotivating,” said an anonymous student.

Many students found online learning to be a struggle, so the in-person aspects are welcomed with open arms. Some benefits include fewer distractions in class, more social interaction, and an overall healthier learning environment for students.

Mykayla Louie, a student majoring in Women’s Gender Studies, explains, “I don’t focus as much when it’s online and my mind tends to wander and my grades tend to go down so then my mental health is affected.”

SSU student Edgar Ornelas, a Freshman majoring in computer science, sees the return of hybrid classes as positive regarding his mental health. He mentions that it’s a lot easier to learn in person than it is online as it was hard to pay attention with all the distractions available to him at home.

In the end, the situation has its pros and cons, and most students wouldn’t choose online learning over this strange hybrid learning environment ever again. No matter where one stands on the pros and cons of hybrid learning, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to any students feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

If you are in need of any of the services, you can reach out to CAPS any time, though you may be waitlisted. CAPS is located in Building 17A behind Salazar Hall.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month events at Sonoma State

JAKE MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER

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ith the arrival of October comes the arrival of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a month to honor and remember victims of domestic abuse.

Sonoma State will be honoring victims and offering support by hosting a multitude of events throughout October centered around domestic violence.

Starting on Oct. 4, SSU will be hosting an event in honor of the Domestic Violence Awareness Month Day of Action. The confidential advocacy team will be tabling in Seawolf Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Go talk to the confidential advocacy team to learn more about domestic violence prevention, advocacy, and all the other events happening during the month. On this day students and staff are encouraged to wear purple.

“With the wearing of purple [on Oct. 4], conversations can be started about domestic violence, with the goal of lessening it and building healthy relationships,” according to the Seawolf Living website.

The next event will be “Reclaim Your Voice” with activist and survivor Jungle Flower. This event will take place on Oct. 5 over Zoom and in ballroom B. Coming all the way from Toronto, Jungle Flower uses storytelling, humor, spoken word, and truth in order to inspire people to take back their own voices. Susan Pulido, a confidential advocate at SSU, says she is especially excited for this event.

“Jungle Flower is an amazing and truly inspirational survivor who relates to students really well and just wants to share her message of love and survival,” says Pulido. “Her spoken word hits my heart and inspires me to be the best advocate I can be.”

After that, Sonoma State will host “Staying Safe When Dating goes Digital”.

This event will take place on Oct. 13 on Zoom. With the world becoming more and more of a digital world, dating has also become possible online. This creates new safety risks that have never existed before. As a result, it is important to develop skills that prioritize safety and prevent abuse online. This workshop will provide attendees with helpful tips and tricks to stay safe while online dating.

On Oct. 25, SSU will be having a self-care session on Zoom to wrap up Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Join the Zoom for a meditation session, followed by a discussion of some self-care tips.

In November, Sonoma State will be starting a book group for the book “Know My Name, a Memoir” by Chanel Miller. Books are free to students who would like to take part in this group. The group will discuss Miller’s book with the goal of empowering survivors and their loved ones.

With all that is happening during the month of October, Sonoma State has really prioritized Domestic Violence Awareness Month. All of these events will go a long way in empowering survivors of domestic violence and will hopefully help prevent future cases of domestic violence here at SSU. All students are more than welcome to attend these events and can sign up on Seawolfliving.com.

STAR // Emily Cripe To find more information about what Sonoma State is doing for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, visit the Seawolf Living website and look under events.

Sports 9

OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

sonomastatestar.com

SSU women’s soccer players win honors NICHOLAS ROTH STAFF WRITER

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COURTESY // @ssuwomenssoccer on Instagram Molly Murphy’s third year on the team seems to be going well based on the two POTW honors she’s received this season.

COURTESY // @ssuwomessoccer on Instagram Lexi Zandonella-Arasa is a freshman and has already begun standing out.

he Seawolves’ women’s soccer team is off to another strong start this season that has been highlighted by Molly Murphy and Lexi Zandonella-Arasa winning CCAA Player of the Week honors for two consecutive weeks. Their standout performances have helped Sonoma to a 15 National Ranking according to United Soccer Coaches and a 6-1 start to the year.

Murphy had two strong performances, starting with a convincing 4-0 victory over, then ranked #22 Fresno Pacific, where she had a goal and two assists. She also added the insurance goal against North Bay rival Dominican University in a 4-0 win, according to SSU Athletics.

Murphy mentioned how a position change from high school had allowed her more scoring opportunities: “In high school I played midfield, but Coach Emiria and Coach Luna have given me the chance to play forward, which has helped create chances and make goals in front of the net, which has been exciting.”

The position change has certainly paid off for Head Coach Emiria Salzmann and the Seawolves, as Murphy leads the team with four goals and is one away from scoring as many as she had in her previous two seasons. “Watching her blossom on the frontline after making the change from midfield this year has been a pleasure to watch,” said Salzmann.

Murphy was a three-year varsity player at Amador Valley High School, where she was awarded East Bay First Team All-League, Amador High School MVP, and was the captain of the team according to SSU Athletics. Murphy was drawn to Sonoma by the success of the soccer program as well as the academics provided. “I was recruited for soccer during my junior year of high school and decided to commit to Sonoma because of the soccer program, the beautiful campus, and the wine business program they offered,” Murphy said.

Zandonella’s standout performance that warranted Player of the Week honors was against Azusa Pacific University, where she scored her first collegiate goal and was ultimately the game-winner, going on to win 2-0. She then scored her second goal of the week, which was assisted by none other than Molly Murphy, in a 3-1 win against San Francisco State.

Similar to Murphy, Zandonella was drawn to Sonoma by the previous success and passion for winning in the women’s soccer program. “I decided on Sonoma State because of the women’s soccer program. I knew that they were a competitive team and had the desire to win, which is exactly what I was looking for.”

Coach Salzmann spoke highly of Zandonella when asked about her immediate impact on the team: “I knew she was really good, but you never really know until you get into the training environment, especially when over Zoom. I did not expect her to have the capacity to handle the pressure and responsibility that she does.”

After having her first season pushed back due to the 2021 cancellation of play, Zandonella was excited and undoubtedly ready for the opportunity this year. She said, “I’ve really enjoyed playing soccer here at Sonoma. It’s been nice to finally get the chance for us to play in games and compete after not having a season this past year.”

Zandonella comes to Sonoma after a highly decorated high school career at Carondelet High School where she won the 2019 NCS Championship and NCS player of the year. She was also named captain of her team for the 2019 season.

Coach Salzmann was clear about the mentality these two have that has made them successful at this level: “They’re both winners, obviously we want to win championships, and we need that winning mentality and spirit. They’re unapologetic about who they are, and how they play, and they lead by example.”

This season, the goal for the Sonoma’s women’s soccer team is simple: defend their 2019 CCAA title and advance to the regionals. “For the rest of the season we hope to continue to improve in each game, defend our CCAA Conference title, and once again compete in the NCAA tournament,” said Murphy.

Zandonella echoed the message, “Our team goals for this season are to be first in our conference and win the CCAA tournament. Ultimately, we want to win a National Championship.”

The women’s soccer team opened CCAA regular season play Oct. 1 with an overtime win against Cal Poly Pomona. They return to Seawolf field Thursday, Oct. 14 to play Cal State Dominguez Hills.

SSU’s equestrian team doesn’t horse around ISABEL EPSTEIN STAFF WRITER

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onoma State’s equestrian team is one of the many hidden gems at SSU. Established 13 years ago, the team has won many prestigious awards and trained many Seawolves in the art of riding competitively. Current member Paige Hara even went on to earn the title of a national champion just last summer.

Equestrian is an umbrella term for any activity that involves skill while both mounted and unmounted on a horse. The Sonoma State equestrian team competes in two different disciplines: English riding and Western riding. Although the teams have completely different riding styles and show styles, they both primarily focus on equitation, which is where the athlete makes their ride look as effortless as possible. The English team uses a smaller saddle and practices skills such as jumping, catch riding and flat classes. The Western team, however, uses bigger saddles and practices horsemanship and reigning.

The team welcomes Seawolves without any prior riding experience to join and

COURTESY // @ssuequestrian on Instagram Members of SSU’s Equestrian team pose with their ribbons after one of their shows in May.

encourages students to step out of their comfort zone. Emma Williams, the equestrian team’s treasurer said, “If you’ve never ridden a horse or if you’ve never even been near a horse, you can come with us and we’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

The teams’ overall purpose includes teaching and strengthening the correct riding styles and disciplines of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

They also advocate for good sportsmanship, healthy lifestyles and inclusion within the equestrian community. The Captain for the Western team, Paige Hara, said, “Our goal is to bring in anybody and everybody that is interested in horses while also being as open and accessible as possible.”

Joining the Sonoma State equestrian team is a good starting point for anyone interested in riding horses, as the costs of lessons and shows are cheaper than what most have to pay for individual lessons. However, because the equestrian team is a club sport and they get very little financial support from the university, the members recognize that the cost may act as a barrier for students interested in joining.

Caroline Evans, the president of the club and stand-in English captain said, “One of the things about our team is that we’re individually funded so we as individuals pay for everything. We pay for lessons, for apparel and for shows. It’s all student run.”

The team prides themselves on the wide variety of athletes on the team and are looking forward to bringing in some diversity within the equestrian community.

This year, they welcomed a record number of four men to the team as the members have been predominantly women. The team is additionally working towards ending the stigma and misconceptions that surround those that love these animals and this sport. Hara said, “ A lot of stigma comes with being the weird horse girl and a lot of people think we are typically Conservative or closed off people, but that’s not at all what our team is.”

The English team’s first show is Oct. 23 and 24 at Stanford, and the Western team is scheduled to compete at College of the Sequoias on Nov. 6 and 7. For many riders, this will be the first time they compete. Christopher Sonntag, a first year, only started riding horses at the beginning of this school year. Sonntag said, “I love the team, I like everything that we’re doing and I’m excited about the future, especially the shows.”

To learn more about the equestrian team, head to their instagram page, @ssuequestrian.

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OCT. 5 - OCT. 11, 2021

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