Volume72 issue1

Audra McDonald opens GMC season

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Student Center’s Overlook opens

Women’s basketball defeated

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Sonoma State Star

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 72 // ISSUE 1

SONOMASTATESTAR.COM

JANUARY 21 - JANUARY 27, 2014

Governor Brown’s budget gives more funding to CSU Officials still concerned about students’ future prospects

Aaron Studebaker Staff Writer

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overnor Jerry Brown released his 2014-15 budget proposal earlier this month, indicating that total CSU funding will increase 6.3 percent from last year. Still, the California Faculty Association has made a call for more funds since the release of the new budget plan.

“His proposal still leaves tens of thousands of California students out in the cold, clamoring for the university education that will help ensure a more prosperous future for our state,” said Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association, in a press release. $2.47 billion is the proposed allotted amount of CSU funding for 2015 according to Mike Uhlenkamp, a representative of the CSU system. As of the 2013-2014 academic year there was $2.33 billion granted to CSU funding. In 2012, roughly $2 billion was

allotted towards CSU funding.

There has been a lot of focus on what the governor can do to improve the quality of the students’ academic experience. In these past years, there has been a roughly $100 million increase each year in education funding.

In 2010-2011 there was a restoration of $199 million to the See BUDGET Pg. 4

Tau Kappa Epsilon alumni pass Turn to page 4 for tributes

STAR // Connor Gibson Professional Researcher Mami Kainuma (left) samples water with biology student Fujun Bernie.

WATERS Collaborative receives three-year grant Amanda Scrabis Staff Writer

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he Sonoma County Water Agency has awarded a three-year, $204,318 grant to the WATERS collaborative, a group on campus that engages students in Sonoma County watershed management challenges such as flood control, restoration needs, and water quality issues through academic experiences.

The Watershed Academics To Enhance Regional Sustainability (WATERS) Collaborative is a partnership between Sonoma State University and Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA). The Sonoma County Water Agency provides Sonoma State students opportunities to get involved with the community while simultaneously helping with regional issues. The agency wants to have a central community where they could pose a question and create pairings with faculty and students who could execute research on the proposed topics.

Claudia Luke, the coordinator of the WATERS collaborative, sees the group as a way for the Sonoma

State community to become educated about water and its effects on the environment and ways of life.

“The issues about water, how we manage it, how we keep it clean, how much we let go down our creeks to support our local wildlife, are all just really central right now to our economy and our lives. It’s a really complicated problem. It’s not something that has an answer. It’s really challenging,” said Luke. “I think the importance of the collaborative is that students are learning, in a positive way, how to get involved with something that they’re going to be facing for the rest of their lives.”

The Sonoma County Water Agency initially granted Sonoma State $48,000 for 2013, but was amended to $68,000 a year for the next three years. One of the areas that most excites the agency are the opportunities for cross collaboration projects.

This past year the theatre arts department of Sonoma State University completed the Copeland Creek Project, where the audience traveled throughout the creek and viewed pieces performed by members of the

SSU theatre arts department based on information collected by the collaborative. The water agency loved the outreach from that project because it stirred excitement within the community.

Their hope is that bringing these different disciplines together can help solve our communities’ problems in creative ways. Right now the WATERS collaborative is working on 11 projects for this upcoming year. This grant will help fund new equipment for some of these projects.

Michelle Goman, a geography professor at Sonoma State, is currently leading a project that monitors the erosional processes of two creeks in Sonoma County.

“My geomorphology class set up some long term monitoring stations at two of the creeks up at Fairfield Osborn Preserve,” said Goman.

“What they did was basically characterize the creek through a visual description. They did monumented cross section so we have a permanent marker on the ground surface See WATERS Pg. 5

Registration continues to frustrate students Megan Kleszcz Staff Writer

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he Associated Students held their weekly meeting on Friday to discuss options for improving class availability and ideas that would benefit the students at Sonoma State University.

“Sonoma State University has the most frustrating registration process.

I don’t understand why the already existing students are unable to receive the classes they need to graduate, yet the school continues to have one of the highest acceptance rates out of the CSUs,” said James, a senior whose name has been changed at his request.

During the Associated Students meeting, a presentation and discussion were held about the university’s class availability for students. Students are unaware of many of the financial aspects that come into play when accepting new students into the university.

It was said that the enrollment target for next year at Sonoma State University will be 7,720 full-time students.

This means that Sonoma State University must come up with an amount of students that they believe will be fulltime students the following year; ensuring that they get use out of the school’s

‘Sherlock’ back from the dead Library seeks student input for improvements

The game is afoot on page 7

Get the story on page 9

budget and do not exceed it.

“This past registration has been one of the most difficult for me to get into classes that are necessary for my major and this is my seventh time registering for classes,” said senior Amber Postler.

“I do not even have sufficient units to be a full-time student, which I have to be in order to receive financial aid. However, I hate the idea of adding a random class simply to fulfill the unit requirement because it would quite literally be a waste of time.”

“As of right now, I only have 10 units through the school,” said Elizabeth, a sophomore whose name has been changed at her request.

Elizabeth expressed the concern that she is not the only student to experience such difficulties. There are many who believe the school must lower their acceptance rate to allow the existing students an opportunity to get the classes they need to graduate on time.

“I know a lot of people who have left this school because they can’t get classes,” said Elizabeth. “I even sent out transfer applications last semester.”

During the meeting it was noted that the school actually receives See CLASSES Pg. 4

Athletic teams for student scholarships

Get the scoop on page 11

Page 2

Editorial THE STAR

Spring 2014 Editorial Board Katie McDonagh, Editor-in-Chief Micaelyn Richmeier, News Editor Kayla Galloway, Asst. News Editor Shyanne Lopez, Opinions Editor Cameron Hatheway, A&E & Online Editor Dylan Sirdofsky, Asst. A&E Editor Amanda Levine, Features & Asst. Online Editor Kayla Webster, Sports Editor Connor Gibson, Photo Editor Garett Knight, Editorial Cartoonist & Distribution Manager Amanda Saiki, Ad Manager Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser The Sonoma State STAR is located at 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, CA 94928, Salazar Hall, room 1053.

To contact the Star office call (707) 664-2776.

For advertising information please call (707) 664-2714 or e-mail sonomastatestar@gmail.com, attn: Amanda Saiki.

For other information, e-mail the STAR at star@sonoma.edu.

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Perfect for families, friends and alumni of Sonoma State.

star@sonoma.edu Editor’s Pick

This week’s can’t miss article: “Unsung story of ‘Fifth Beatle’ told as graphic novel” Oh, yeah, I’ll tell you something ... I think you’ll understand ... the Beatles’ history gets richer and richer every time you learn about it. Assistant A&E Editor Dylan Sirdofsky gives a review of “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story,” which captures more than a day in the life of the fab four’s manager.

Money can’t buy you love, but it can definitely buy you a good piece of Beatles history in the form of a comic book.

Turn to pg. 7 for the review Letters to the Editor A letter to the editor forum will be open to the expression of fact or opinion that will be of interest or importance to readers of the STAR. Letters which fit within the scope of First Amendment protection, and that meet other stipulations spelled out in this document will be published on a space available basis as explained below. Each edition of the paper will include a letters column if letters are available.

Letter writers may expect prompt publication of their letters in the paper’s opinion section, as space is available. Letters of up to 500 words will be allowed and must be submitted no later than the Thursday 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 editor is also responsible for making decisions as to the pertinence of the letter to the SSU community. The STAR reserves the right to refuse publication to any letter and to edit for length.

Letters must sign all contributions and the editor must verify the signer and the writer are one in the same through personal conference. The Star will honor requests for anonymity at the editor’s discretion.

To send a letter to the editor e-mail star@sonoma.edu. Letters received in any format other than by e-mail will not be published.

Corrections/Clarifications

The STAR values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication. However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know. Please report errors to the editor at star@sonoma.edu.

Publication

The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Healdsburg Printing.

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.

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

No butts allowed

STAR // Garett Knight After the University of California system implemented its campus-wide smoking ban, many are curious if Sonoma State will do the same.

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ollege is symbolized, to many, by freedom – the freedom to make one’s own choices, regardless of how dumb or smart they may be. But after the University of California implemented its first systemwide ban on smoking on Jan. 1, students are wondering if the California State University system will follow suit – and how that decision would infringe on their freedom to decide to smoke.

The CSU would be right to ban smoking on campus, and we really hope that they do.

The age range of 18 – 22 years old is a pivotal time when people are prone to pick up smoking, especially in light of the newfound freedom of living on their own. According to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in August 2013, a third of college students said they had used a tobacco product in the last four weeks. Almost half of the students said they had used tobacco in the past year. A campus-wide ban on smoking would hopefully reduce the number of students tempted to smoke for the first time.

We want the CSU to ban smoking on campuses, but it’s not because we want to dictate a student’s right to smoke – we just want to discourage it. Although we applaud the UC’s initiative to take another step toward a cigarette-free generation, we realize smokers can smoke off-campus, too.

We urge every smoker to consider kicking the habit, but ultimately it’s their body and their decision to smoke.

But for non-smokers, secondhand smoke affects their bodies, too – and it’s definitely not their own decision.

Fifty years ago this January, the U.S. Surgeon General issued the first government report on cigarette smoking, changing the country’s attitudes, culture and knowledge

forever. Half a century, 20 million deaths and 30 Surgeon General’s reports later, innumerable regulations and legislation have gone into effect to reduce smoke and tobacco ingestion – including well-known warnings against secondhand smoke.

Compared to the 45 million American adults who choose to smoke, 126 nonsmoking Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke, including 22 million children.

We already know the “smoking is bad” spiel. Even multiple-packs-a-day smokers are reminded daily about how harmful it is just by looking at their cartons. What they might not know is that one out of three cancer deaths is caused by smoking, one cigarette is estimated to shorten a life by 11 minutes and that over $130 billion in direct medical costs related to tobacco use is spent annually, according to the Surgeon General report released earlier this month.

And compared to the 45 million American adults who choose to smoke, 126 million non-smoking Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke, including 22 million children. According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke contains over 250 toxic chemicals – including 50 that are known to cause cancer.

Secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer in adults, as well as health conditions such as sudden infant death

syndrome in children.

Fortunately, secondhand smoke isn’t the worst epidemic on Sonoma State’s campus.

Our smoking policy prohibits smoking in all campus buildings, state vehicles and partially enclosed areas. Smoking is generally only allowed beyond 20 feet of all campus buildings except for open areas where people are less able to avoid it. Enacted in 2003, Sonoma State’s smoking policy does a good job in protecting its non-smokers.

But a decade’s worth of new research and increasing deaths is more than enough justification to revise the policy in order to further protect the university’s community.

Adults do have the right to choose. But non-smokers also have the right to not be exposed to the toxicity of secondhand smoke.

And unlike other controversial, healthrelated choices that our country fixates on, the tobacco industry is arguably the most addictive, misleading, deadly and just plain disgusting. We’ve known this for well over 50 years – as early as 1888, people used the slang term “coffin nails” when talking about cigarettes.

College is about freedom, but more so about education. And while many smokers would love to toss their butts at those who cough in their direction or don’t hesitate to remind them that smoking is bad, it’s hard to stand in the face of the increasing amount of evidence and research that overwhelmingly support the anti-smoking movement.

We’re supposed to be getting smarter, both as a generation enrolled in college and as a nation evolving with science. The University of California was smart in joining the rally against smoking; now, it’s time for the California State University to do the same.

Editorial Policy: The commentary expressed in the unsigned editorial represents a majority opinion of The STAR’s 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.

According to Katie Please join me on the bandwagon Katie McDonagh Editor-in-Chief

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n the 2010 and 2012 Major League Baseball post-seasons, I was all but disgusted at the increasing amount of Buster Posey jerseys I saw after every Giants play-off win. A Giants fan all my life, I joined the rallying call against bandwagoners (complete with passive aggressive Facebook statuses).

Fast forward to these past few months.

Football has never been my cup of tea – or ball to throw, as I should say – but I’ve learned to like the game and the 49ers over the years. I dabble in Fantasy Football just because the competition amongst friends is fun, and last year’s Super Bowl was a great (albeit disappointing) game that got the entire Bay Area pumped for what the Niners had in store for this season.

Given my lukewarm appreciation for football, it suddenly struck me on

Sunday night that my borrowed jersey, enthusiastic cheers and disappointed groans would have put my loyal Giants fan self to shame.

But after a little more thinking, I realized: who cares about how long you’ve been a fan? Neither the Niners nor the Giants (nor the Warriors or Sharks, for that matter) are giving out any awards for the oldest, most diehard fan. I highly doubt they’re turning anyone – with ticket or merchandise money in hand – away.

Knowing a team’s history and how many wins and turnovers and home runs and three-pointers and tattoos it has might be what diehards consider being a fan. But for me, sports are about the games. Sports are about cheering with your friends, paying attention to the plays and guessing each team’s strategies on what to do next.

Let me be clear – I am definitely not a sports fanatic, and I understand that fan bases grow dramatically during postseason. More importantly, I am not pardoning people who love their team when they get the win but boo and insult

them when they’re behind. Those fans are true bandwagoners.

But as for those casual fans who root for the home team, and who are never overly pretentious about their fandom, they deserve to stand up and shout with everyone else when Colin Kaepernick throws two interceptions or when the refs make very, very questionable calls. Heck, they’re even allowed to post a happy Facebook status every now and again.

I would never tell anyone I bleed red and gold, because I don’t (black and orange is more my style). But I think loyal fans of all sports need to calm down a little and relish in the increasing fan base.

Just because someone is only getting into a sport now doesn’t mean they can’t ever join the club. Hopefully, many of those fans will return next season and stand, jump and scream by your side.

The Bay Area is constantly commended for having the best fans. We have great energy. Don’t spoil it for the sake of pride by reprimanding someone who just wants to root for your team.

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Not all fun and drinking games

STAR // Julia Chacko A freshman at SSU, Chacko makes observations of the college drinking culture.

Julia Chacko Staff Writer

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onoma State is a great school.

The natural splendor of a beautiful campus combined with friendly faces and a clear passion for knowledge makes our little university thrum with excitement and promise.

However, Sonoma State is still a college – and I think we all know the underlying meaning of ‘college life’ for students, particularly freshmen.

If not, let me give you a refresher.

It’s all about drinking. Drinking, partying, hooking up, and exploiting one’s newfound freedom away from the clutches of parental control are all important components of a freshman’s introduction to college. Or at least that’s what we’re told.

But is it actually true that an overwhelming majority of Freshman drink and party their first year away? More importantly, is such behavior truly necessary to a well-rounded college

experience?

According to the mandatory online alcohol survey all incoming freshmen take before classes begin, only 48 percent of SSU students binge drink in a typical week period and only 31 percent smoke marijuana at least once a month.

Seeing as this data has been garnered based upon previous responses to this survey, I would assume most of the responses making up these percentages came from freshmen. So if these statistics are to be taken seriously, the notion that an overwhelming majority of Sonoma State freshmen drink and party their first year away is suspect to inaccuracy.

Still there can be no ignoring the fact that a clear selection of young students do indulge in drinking on a semi-regular basis. For most teenagers, drinking, partying and engaging in various sexual escapades are all activities which are synonymous with the phrase, ‘college life’. For some, drinking is a necessary component of college socialization.

For others, it is a way to distract a troubled mind. Primarily, drinking is simply ‘fun’, and there’s nothing young people strive for more than an opportunity to have fun. But surely, there are healthier and more fulfilling activities a freshman could participate in, which garner just as much fun, if not more, than drinking.

As a freshman who doesn’t drink, smoke, or particularly party in any way, I bring to this issue a perspective which is obviously different from the stereotypical college student. I simply don’t see the necessity of excessive

drinking and partying. Having witnessed a significant slew of friends dealing with the less than pleasant effects of said activities has not enticed me in the slightest to ever join in.

From playing a sport and being physically active, to being creative and engaging your mind, there is no shortage of fun to be had doing sober activities. No matter how many times your peers may tell you otherwise, drinking is not at all crucial to a well-rounded college experience.

Even simple things like eating, watching TV and movies, laughing with friends or family, and spending time with animals fill up your tank with energy far more than several shots and a night spent sick could – at least in my opinion.

Certainly, living amongst a bevy of festivity-inclined peers does little to refute the notion that most freshmen drink. But based on both the statistics and common sense, perhaps the drunken population of SSU freshmen is smaller than one might think.

For those of you, who like me, are disheartened by what you believe to be a dominant drinking culture, take heart. A population’s loudest members are bound to receive the most attention, regardless of actual size. And to those of you who view drinking as a required “right of passage” into true college life; get that idea out of your head and stop hanging around with jerks!

Also, just to remind everyone, drinking is illegal for all people under the age of 21 in California. Unfortunately, I fear that fact does little to deter the adolescent appetite for rebellion.

flickr.com Going away to college means a newfound independence for many students, and often they take full advantage of what that means: parties and an abundance of alcohol.

Opinion

Page 3

‘Ye’ or nay?

STAR // Robbie Geiss Kanye may be a bad idol, but it doesn’t make him a bad artist.

Brandon Stachnik Staff Writer When you watch numerous episodes of the mind-numbing television program “Keeping up with the Kardashians” just to catch a rare appearance of Kanye West it’s obvious you’re a big fan of the artist.

Some may say it’s an even bigger deal that I continue to support the rapper after all of his public shenanigans that have taken place in the past couple years. I don’t pay much attention to the criticism I receive for being a fan of Kanye West, but trust me, I hear criticism.

I think it’s unfair for an artist of his stature to have years of brilliant work forgotten by fans just because of his recent reputation and musical stylings. Sure, everyone would love to have old “College Dropout” Yeezy but we as a fanbase need to understand that this new confident and abstract Kanye West is very capable of producing hits.

It’s when he creates

songs entitled “I am a God” and tells interviewers that “we the rock stars and I’m the biggest of them all” that fans become weary of supporting someone so ‘overthe-top.’

Sophomore hip-hop enthusiast Keith Wellstone is an ex-fan of Kanye and says he stopped listening to Yeezy after he went ‘full retard’.

“I liked his old music a lot more and I feel like he raps about nonsense now and his image reflects his stupidity,” said Wellstone.

I will admit that while I still think of West as a visionary, it’s hard to quote him without sounding like a kind of ignorant pop-culture radical who’s defending an improper role model.

An ‘ignorant popculture radical’ could be a good way to describe the eccentric fans of pop-singer Justin Bieber.

Bieber’s name has been making its way through entertainment news airwaves recently and the allegations made against him are wilder then we’ve seen before.

After causing $20,000 worth of damage to his neighbor’s house by egging it, Bieber’s mansion was searched by local authorities. The Canadian pop singer was then arrested after police found Ecstasy and Xanax hidden in his home.

This won’t stop his faithful ‘beiliebers’ from tweeting their best defense arguments with the hash tag #WeAreWithYouJustin.

Comments like “the cops are always overreacting when it comes to Justin” and “If Just[in] egged my house I’d be honoured” are evidence of a real ignorant fanbase. I am not defending Justin Bieber by using him as a second example.

I am simply giving light to the fact that some fans of certain celebrities truly are blindly supporting entitled and arrogant people.

In the scheme of things, it does not matter to me what an artist does in his personal life as long as they make music I like. Kanye West can call himself a God all he wants as long as I can bob my head to the song.

Five tips on playing it smart as a college student

STAR // Tyler Drinnen Drinnen, junior, offers advice and insight based off college experience.

Tyler Drinnen Staff Writer

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ollege just happens to be one of the last socially irresponsible times of your life to complete before becoming the ‘mature adult’ your parents always hoped for.

The former high school diploma now gathering dust upon your other meaningless papers, no longer holds stature. From here on, it all changes. The things you do, the people you meet, and the bed you make all matters so much more than the last twelve years of your life.

A few of the unspoken secrets we hold as a student led community are all too closely related to our success. After all, we’re just here trying to get another shiny piece of

paper saying we made it.

But that’s just it: it’s not about the degree, it’s about the accrued knowledge we got in and outside of the classroom that make us so successful. These are my five basic rules to live by, reinforcing what it truly means to be a ‘successful’ college student.

Rule number one: Only give into to peer pressure when you know you’re going to be eating Top Ramen for the next four months.

First you have to take into the fact that we as students run on three main fuel sources; food, alcohol, and hormones. When you start mixing the substantial amount of alcohol (obviously inf luenced by crazy roommates) with the constant lack of nutrition and raging hormones, you get what I call a ‘daily action’.

Rule number two: Show commitment to your education and to being an adult by not letting the party scene consume your life.

Real success comes to those who are willing to grow.

This is my third year at Sonoma State and I learned quickly what I could and could not do while living this college lifestyle. In no way am I condoning the consumption of alcohol, but if you can’t help yourself after sitting in that five hour

lecture hall on Thursday night, just keep your actions responsible and get a sober driver.

Rule number three: Use protection. Just because she’s on the pill or he has a vasectomy does not mean you can’t contract a sexually transmitted disease. This should be common sense.

Booze plus hormones equals hook ups. Yeah, hook ups. You all know what I’m talking about, even the parents who are reading this.

But lately there have been too many stories brought to my attention about people getting an STD after ‘regret sex’.

Rule number four: You will always have the capability to improve your own college experience with the many wild inf luences of your favorite college movies!

You created the memory of you setting foot in that first college party and you knew the rest of your college career has the potential to become the most legendary and epic time in your life.

It’s up to you to make the best of your experience in such a short amount of time.

Rule number five: Take responsibility for your actions and have fun while doing so.

I’ve learned from plenty of my mistakes, as I’m sure a majority of my fellow college students have learned from theirs. Ultimately at the end of the day getting through our real life experiences is what

makes us as college students so much more successful.

For those of you who are in denial out there refusing to be compared to your average college attendee, remember this, we’re all out here shooting for the same shot at success.

If anyone ever tells you that “You have to fake it till you make it,” prove them wrong. The way I look at it is nobody can tell you who to be, so just be you and keep

it real.

But if you’re one of the many students out there that don’t have a clue who you are, discover your potential and live through your own experiences here at SSU. You might just end up surprising yourself.

Real success comes to those who are willing to grow. But initially it’s up to you whether you’re going to show Sonoma State, your parents, even the world, what you’re really made of.

flickr.com Many think that college success is strictly based on hitting the books, but there are a multitude of life lessons to be learned from the experiences that these years have to offer.

Page 4

News

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Fraternity brothers remembered Written by Copy Editor, Tau Kappa Epsilon brother Chad Bianchi

Kenneth Brady Truesdale, 22, was involved in a car accident and passed away on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Brady was born and raised in San Diego. He is survived by his mother, Conni, siblings

Kelli (21) and Cole (15), his father, Ken, stepmother, Pauka, and stepbrothers Evan (13) and Patrick (10).

He attended Point Loma High School in San Diego and traveled to Sonoma State University for college where he became a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

Brady enjoyed his work as a bartender and server, or anywhere he could talk to people and enjoy personal exchange.

He created friendships anywhere and everywhere he found himself, and continued to enjoy these relationships his last day.

Brady was a soccer player, a drummer and all-around outdoor enthusiast. He loved water sports, skiing, hiking, camping

and anything fun.

Brady loved life. His personality lit up the room and he embraced every moment that he had on this earth. Brady was someone who enjoyed meeting new people, having a good time, and left an impression on Sonoma State unlike anyone before.

Brady’s grandparents as well as his aunts, uncles and many cousins within the San Diego area enjoyed every moment they spent with him.

Brady’s family is very close and will continue to celebrate the amazing legacy that he left behind. He was known as the spark plug and served as comic relief for his family. Collectively, they have lost their boy, but also their friend.

Dustin Joseph Courtney, 23, was involved in a motorcycle accident in Torrance, and passed away on Jan. 7.

Dustin was born in Whittier, growing up in both Diamond Bar and Anaheim Hills. He is survived by his

father Bret, mother Dana, sister Katelyn (26) and stepfather Gary.

Dustin’s hometown was Anaheim Hills where he attended Canyon High School, graduating in 2008. He then attended Sonoma State University, earning a B.S. in Business. After graduating he worked as an estimator at Del Amo Construction.

His hobbies included fishing, camping, snowboarding, shooting sports and motorcycle riding.

Dustin was known for his caring nature and was always willing to help his friends and family alike. He was a spontaneously funny individual who always had a smile on his face. Dustin’s compas-

sionate and hardworking personality was displayed on the football field, but more importantly with each interaction that his friends and family encountered with him.

Dustin also loved his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and the people in it. He left his mark with this group, and they are forever grateful for Dustin’s positive encouragement and infectious smile.

The love that others had for Dustin was displayed this past week, with over 500 people in attendance. Dustin will be missed by his friends and family tremendously.

Dustin Courtney was loved by many, and his legacy will live on forever.

Korbel donates $1 million to Wine Business Institute Kory Arnold Staff Writer

In 1995, Sonoma State University founded its very own Wine Business Education Program. The program consists of a curriculum that gives students insight into every business aspect of the wine industry and prepares them for diverse situations.

What separates Sonoma State’s wine program from viticulture or enology programs offered at other universities is that Sonoma State is the only school in the United States that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Wine Business.

The Institute offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees with focuses in business administration, making it unlike any wine program in the United States. In the past at Sonoma State, the Institute has never had a permanent residence of its own on campus.

Currently, the Wine Business Institute only occupies a few offices on the second floor of Stevenson Hall.

President Ruben Armiñana announced on Jan. 7 that the Wine Business Institute would be relocating to the former University Commons building, which is now vacant due to the opening of the Student Center.

This move was all made possible by the donation of $1 million on behalf of Korbel Champagne from Gary Heck, president and owner of Korbel. Heck also serves as the chair of Sonoma State’s Wine Business Institute board, and previously served on the board of directors to the institute.

In addition to his positions in the institute, Heck has been a key contributor to the Wine Business program since its startup. The board’s plan is to completely renovate the Commons

to fulfill the current needs and demands of a Wine Business program.

“The donation made by Gary is just an example of his immense generosity and dedication to bettering our program,” said Ray Johnson, director of the Wine Business Institute. “This donation is exactly what was needed to get the ball rolling on creating a new space for the institute.”

Johnson explained that the idea to relocate became a key issue in the Institute’s board meetings prior to the fall 2013 semester due to the positive growth and expansion of the program since its arrival at Sonoma State.

The board believed that with the right renovations to the former Commons, the students would benefit substantially from the improved resources. The 14,580 square-foot building will now include three brand new classrooms and a central commons area where students can come together to work on projects as well as other business opportunities.

The building will also have an industry center that will be used for student-run businesses and projects as well as providing spaces for professional and academic faculty.

“The amount of production that will now be able to take place in the new center will only open more and more opportunities for us students,” said Pat Ward, a current Wine Business student. “With having all the new space for the program, the possibilities are going to be endless for current and future students to come.”

Architectural plans are still in development but the renovations of the University Commons are to begin and be completed in 2015.

The new area of campus will be named the Korbel Industry Center in recognition of Gary Heck’s contribution to Sonoma State’s Wine Business Institute.

STAR // Evan Croker The Associated Students review the process for determining how many classes will be offered during the semester and how they can improve upon it.

CLASSES: Associated Students examine class availability Continued from Pg. 1

financial benefits for enrolling more students.

“If the campus wanted to take the money from the students, they would push the unit load to only nine units,” said Erik Dickson, who attended the meeting.

Dickson followed up, saying that if the unit cap was only nine units, Sonoma State University would receive the leftover money.

However, this is not the case.

“I’m still undeclared because I have been trying to get into the [Kinesiology] department for two different semesters now and they have rejected me,” said Elizabeth.

Admissions and Records stated that some of the most impacted majors at Sonoma State University are nursing, communications, kinesiology, biology, and psychology.

Therefore, many students in these majors have a difficult time getting the classes that they need to graduate within

four years.

“I can’t even recommend talking to advisors,” said James.

“I’ve already talked to seven advisors,” said Elizabeth.

“I know technically a lot of it is not [the school’s] fault because they don’t have the money or the space for it, but it has been very frustrating because I was hoping to be declared by my sophomore year,” said Elizabeth.

“I try to understand that there are a lot of students and not enough classes but that makes it even more annoying. With the amount that students are paying for a college education, I feel like we should be offered a greater amount of classes; not less,” said Postler.

The Associated Students are going to try their best to show the Sonoma State University student body what goes on behind the scenes regarding class availability and units. They understand that

the student body does not get to see the process it takes to make the schedule and the available classes. They are hopeful that if the students have that knowledge, things will begin to look up.

“I just hope registering for my fifth year won’t be so ridiculous and I can get the classes I need so I can graduate next spring,” said Postler.

Another topic that was mentioned in the meeting is that many students prefer taking classes Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The amount of students that go to Sonoma State cannot receive all the classes they need in that time.

There are a variety of classes that are held on Fridays and there are many night classes that are available as well. Students who wish to graduate on time are encouraged to look into the classes that are held on Fridays or at unconventional times.

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BUDGET: CSU students racking up debt, value of degree questioned Continued from Pg. 1

CSU funding and an increase in enrollment. It was the first since the peak of $2.9 billion in 2007.

Brown’s new budget proposal outlines plans to get rid of the debt caused by cities borrowing money.

“Cities will be receiving their payback this year,” said Brown in a news conference in Sacramento on Jan. 9. The budget will aim to improve the educational system.

Though the budget has brought an increase in funds, students are still investing more money into this university than they will make back in the future, as evidenced by Sonoma State’s ranking of 16th in Return on Investment compared to other CSUs. By gaining enough funds to help add more staff and faculty to the payroll, a higher number of teachers can work in the university. The more the classes, the fewer students there are packed in each class. A professor can get the time for individual focus on students and offer them better advise so as to ensure they get a quality education.

It drives the attention toward other questions and such as the worth of a college education.

“It’s a depressing issue, and it is the reason I decided I never wanted to enroll in a college,” said Cotati resident Jesse Rames. “Let’s say that the person with the bachelor’s degree makes an extra twenty grand more than the person with the high school diploma. And don’t forget about all the loans that need to get paid off first. Also it is future money that has yet to be lowered by inflation,” said Rames.

News

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

WATERS: Project tracks contamination Continued from Pg. 1

rounding our campus. With this grant, his group can apply molecular biology to their project.

“Instead of looking at E. coli as a general marker of feces, we’re looking at it more specifically to determine the species that the feces come from. Our cells are constantly sloughing off and so we have our DNA markers in that material and so do cows. We can look for those DNA markers and amplify them and show that that stuff is from a cow. So we have someone working on a method here for detecting the DNA from humans or cows from environmental samples,” said Cohen.

Another aspect of the WATERS collaborative that Mike Cohen is excited for is the opportunity to do more with his findings.

“Work I’ve done before is looking at constructed wetlands so instead of just monitoring this

that we can go back to every year and set up our surveying equipment, and then they did surveys across the creek to tell us what the channels profile looks like.”

Goman has loved working with WATERS because of all of the opportunities that have emerged from it.

“You can see the benefit for students out of these types of opportunities which is really exciting,” said Goman.

Another professor involved in the collaborative is Mike Cohen.

He is a biology professor working on the development of genetic markers to track sources of fecal pollution in Sonoma County water. Previously, his students have been compiling data by monitoring E. coli as a marker of fecal contamination in the water sur-

stuff, design a water way to help get rid of these things. What they want to do is have this channelized ‘gutter’ to allow the water to spread out and let the sediment fall out,” said Cohen. “Their main motivation is to collect so that it falls out here instead of in the water way and having it clog up. Wetlands get rid of pathogenic bacteria. So by creating this kind of thing it could potentially take care of some of this nutrient and fecal pollution in the water before it gets to the Laguna de Santa Rosa. This could potentially be very exciting and it would be a great project right next to Sonoma State University.”

To get involved with the WATERS collaborative you can visit your academic advisor, contact Claudia Luke or visit the WATERS collaborative website at www.sonoma.edu/preserves/waters.

STAR // Connor Gibson Claudia Luke is the coordinator of the WATERS collaborative.

Student Center parking lot unavailable for students Kory Arnold Staff Writer When the multi-million dollar Student Center was finally completed after numerous delays, many students were under the impression that the accompanying parking lot would also be available for their use. However, sources have indicated that it will be reserved for the exclusive use of people attending events held in the Center’s Ballroom.

“I think it is unfair that they built a large parking lot but won’t allow us to park in it when I have to leave 30 minutes before class just so I have time to park and get to my classes.”

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This parking lot will serve as reserved parking, visitor parking, disabled parking and 30 minute parking only. The parking lot requires reserved parking passes which are $262 a semester, not general passes ($94), which a majority of students purchase due to the cost difference.

The parking lot will be used to accommodate guests of the ballroom in the Student Center. The ballroom is largest facility of its kind in Sonoma County, holding roughly 1,300 people. Some students feel frustrated not being able to use the new parking lot after paying for the construction of the Student Center through many campus fees, which is an annual amount of $300.

“With this being my second year of living off

campus, it has always been a struggle to find parking during each semester,” says Karenna Soto, a third year student. “I think it is unfair that they built a large parking lot but won’t allow us to park in it when I have to leave 30 minutes before class just so I have time to park and get to my classes.”

It is rumored that the parking lot will open sometime this month, however a lack of parking space may be an issue students will have to continue to deal with.

“I think it is beneficial to have the new parking lot be reserved only because by hosting events on campus, especially the new Student Center, you want these organizations to be able to find parking immediately rather than have to search for parking on a campus that they are not familiar with,” said University Box Office specialist Carly LaBare. “By having outside groups being satisfied with the ease of access at SSU, parking included, they will want to come back and host more of their events here.”

With the amount of space in the ballroom, it is crucial to have parking available for guests. The Green Music Center has a separate parking lot, which is much bigger than the parking lot made for the ballroom.

Parking plays a large role at events held at the Green Music Center. Many students are under the impression that parking is free for guests whereas students are required to have a permit to park in the Green Music center lot.

“We do charge parking for events. Parking is paid in the ticket cost, so it isn’t free,” said Jessica Way, director for the Student Center and Event Operations.

The Student Center is a large part of Sonoma State that will draw a lot of people to the campus.

Parking has always been a campus-wide issue for students, but having this parking lot reserved is crucial for the Student Center.

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flickr.com Roughly 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide and take roughly 300 years to photodegrade.

Rohnert Park City Council bans plastic bags Claudia Jambor Staff Writer Environmental experts say the key to an effective bag ordinance is public awareness about sustainable waste management.

Last Tuesday, the Rohnert Park City Council voted in favor of a single-use plastic bag ordinance across the Sonoma County.

President of the Marin Conservation Link John Elam stated the next important phase of eliminating singleuse plastic bags is to educate the public about adopting alternative products and practices that can be used to reduce waste.

“It is just one of the steps to try and get the population sensitized about the waste in the waste stream and what they can do to provide an alternative to reduce that waste.

The real issue is trying to get people to think about their own personal waste stream,” said Elam.

Rocky Rohwedder, a professor in the department of environmental studies and planning at Sonoma State University, vocalized a public transition towards reusable bags as an effective way in reducing the waste stream.

“Paper or plastic is a false choice; we should all be using reusable bags. It really doesn’t make sense to be using something once or twice when you can buy one and use it hundreds of times,” said Rohwedder. “I hope that we are as aggressive in phasing in a conscience of reuse as we have been in banning plastic bags.”

Elam emphasized that the effectiveness of plastic bag bans is determined by comprehensive public education and awareness.

“The transition from using plastic bags to reusable

bags is a public awareness effort,” said Elam.

John McArthur, the City of Rohnert Park Representative on the Board of the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency, expanded on this idea by explaining the objectives of the Public Outreach Program that will be implemented to support the transition of eliminating single-use plastic bags.

“The Public Outreach Program will be implemented to steer society into using reusable bags not just paper bags,” said McArthur.

In a presentation to Rohnert Park Council on Jan. 14, project heads revealed the program is intended to develop numerous strategies to support both retailers and consumers transition toward no single-use plastic bags.

Free distribution of reusable bags across the county at public events and retailer mailouts in English and Spanish are some of the strategies included in the Public Outreach Program to encourage residents transition toward using reusable bags.

McArthur said the program provides ample time and a wide range of support strategies for retailers and local businesses to adjust to the plastic bag ordinance.

“We want to give businesses time to adapt, we don’t just want to throw out an ordinance and say ‘that’s it’ and expect businesses to make the transition over night,” said McArthur.

The program also included holding an education fair for retailers, developing bilingual graphics and performing a Hispanic business outreach seminar as key strategies to help businesses transition.

These strategies parallel those used in the San Francisco when their plastic bag

ordinance was enforced on Oct. 1, 2012. Guillermo Rodriguez, communications director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment, said public awareness advocates simple techniques that people can incorporate into their day-to-day lives.

“A lot of it is friendly reminders to customers and shoppers that they have a lot of reusable opportunities and, remind customers that there are a lot of easy things you can do to remind yourself, keep them in your trunk or your desk,” said Rodriguez.

The San Francisco Department of the Environment strongly utilized social media platforms to stir awareness and engage the youth demographic of the Bay Area about reusable bags.

“We also had a lot of fun with [the campaign], we asked people to take pictures of their reusable bags and post them up on the Environment Department’s Instagram site.

The same was done with Facebook, to give people examples of what people are using as their own reusable bags. Anything from pillowcases, we’ve had a whole list of things that different people did,” said Rodriguez.

The City of Rohnert Park Council’s unanimous vote in favor of a law to prohibit single use plastic bags places the city with 90 other California jurisdictions who have enforced single-use plastic bag ordinances.

McArthur commended the City of Rohnert Park for its vote and hopes that a statewide ordinance will be developed in the future.

“I applaud Sonoma County for taking a regional approach, ideally [California jurisdictions] probably should adopt something statewide, for uniformity,” said McArthur.

Page 6

Arts

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Audra McDonald astonishes packed house Stuart Courtney Staff Writer

F

rom an opening rubato to the evening’s final crescendo, Tony and Grammy award winner Audra McDonald and her trio provided a capacity crowd with nearly two hours of show tunes, heart-warming stories and personal engagement.

The concert was preceded by an LGBT social event in the lobby called “A Night OUT at Weill Hall” featuring fine wine, food, activities and an appearance by McDonald. The pairing of the two events was apropos since McDonald is a well-known supporter of gay rights.

Three veteran musicians accompanied McDonald. Andy Einhorn (music director, piano, backup vocals) was the conductor and musical director of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” (2013), “Evita” (2012) and “Sondheim on Sondheim” (2010).

Mark Vanderpoel (acoustic and electric bass, backup vocals) also performed in “Cinderella” as well as “Legally Blonde” (2007) and “Jane Eyre” (2000).

The résumé of Gene Lewin (drums, percussion, backup vocals) states, “his eclectic discography ranges from the modern jazz of Fundementia (a group he co-leads) to the electric-violin pop of GrooveLily.”

Performing Show tunes is a difficult assignment for musicians of any caliber since counting off songs and vocal cues are prohibited. Consequently, “pit” musicians rely on head gestures from music directors, scores and refined listening skills.

This trio made it look all too easy as it followed McDonald through a journey of monologues, rubatos, starts and stops, tempo passages, and time signature and key changes.

McDonald, a 1993 graduate of the Juilliard School, is a commanding presence on stage, and appears to be extremely comfortable while singing or introducing songs via poignant or humorous personal accounts.

For her fourth selection, she introduced “I Double Dare You,” a swing tune from the 1930s and part of the score from Woody Allen’s “Radio Days” (1987), with an account about meeting a 90-year-old man outside a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Cambridge, Mass., who sang the song with perfect pitch in a key unattainable for most men.

McDonald sings the song in that exact key to honor the man, and playfully suggested that the audience “look him up” the next time they are in Cambridge.

Later, she introduced “I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady” (1956) by saying she “likes songs off the beaten path … except this one.” The foursome wove an unusual arrangement of style and tempo that culminated in audience participation.

The crowd sang with near-perfect pitch through a chorus or two and upon completion, McDonald addressed a young woman in the balcony: “Are you a soprano?” The woman responded by saying she was an alto.

McDonald chuckled — apparently at the thought of an alto reaching the soprano register — and told her “you have a very beautiful voice.” That type of confidence and sincerity is rare among those with McDonald’s stardom.

Six tunes later, McDonald sang “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from “The Sound of Music” (1965) with power and grace. The performance was a strong testament to her magnificent gift, and if the partial standing ovation was any indication, the Sonoma County audience thoroughly enjoyed her signature piece.

After a moving performance of “Go Back Home,” the title track from her 2013 album and a song from “The Scottsboro Boys” (2010), McDonald mentioned that the song’s lyricist, Fred Ebb (1928 – 2004), wrote a scholarship into his will and testament called “The Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theater Songwriting.”

She introduced the next song as one written by Adam Gwon, the 2008 winner of the award, before delving into an anecdote about a Manhattan couple whose relationship ceased after one of them perished in the World Trade Center collapse.

Perhaps the residual effect of back-to-back emotional songs took its toll, or perhaps it was her connection to New York City, but her glassy eyes were clearly evident from the center of the orchestra section.

McDonald worked her way through two more tunes before encoring with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz.” During its introduction, she said her support of “marriage equality” was connected to her appreciation of the Civil Rights movement and how it positively impacted her life as a black American.

COURTESY // Kristen Loken Tony and Grammy award winner Audra McDonald performed at the Green Music Center for nearly two hours last Saturday.

After observing McDonald in concert, one gets the impression that everything in her show, from selecting fellow musicians and songs, to introducing them with interesting anecdotes, is all done with precision. Her body of work and recognition speak volumes about her talent, but her ability to freely disclose elements of her personal life and experiences is refreshing, and adds a degree of separation between her and her contemporaries.

STAR // Melanie Hernan (Left) “Another Blue Morning” by Stephen Whisler, (Center) Patrons and bidders browse the numerous art pieces on display, (Right) “Krinkle, Krumple, Coal” by David D’Andrade.

Art from the Heart celebrates 30th anniversary Alexis Garcia-Mills Staff Writer

T

he aim of the event was achieved: people came to have a good time and left with an original work of art they can call their own. The Sonoma State University’s Art Gallery had a celebration for the 30th year of Art from the Heart on Saturday evening.

Before the event, the gallery held a free preview of the artwork on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so bidders could come to the event with an idea of what art pieces they wanted to bid on. Started in 1984, this event has grown to have primacy in Sonoma County’s fundraising events.

The fundraiser money helps to benefit the University Art Gallery’s display, advertisement and lectures for art majors at Sonoma State University. This silent art auction was a gathering of art admirers who enjoy each other’s company and bond through conversations over the art and inspiration.

The Dave Getz Jazz Trio played admirable instrumental music in the background to create a pleasant relaxing environment. The bidders came to enjoy a Saturday night where they could sip on wine, nibble on h’orderves and competitively bid on the art pieces that appealed to their eye, all while the artists felt prideful when the art they donated was being bid on.

It is an accomplishment for the artists to realize their art was not only a measure of fulfillment to themselves, but others enjoyed their creation as well.

Exhibitions Coordinator, Carla Stone, talked about how not just anyone can donate their art, they have to be asked to donate first. All the works are donated from professional artists locally in Sonoma County and across the United States. Their goal is to keep the auction of fine art selective and of worth.

Fran Campanian, a photographer, donated a piece for the third year in a row. Her unique style is ref lected in her art, appearance and personality, which allows her to stand out from the crowd.

The piece that she donated this year, called “Love Nets,” is a collage consisting of six pictures of zoomed in legs covered with fishnets. She picked colors of black and red for the fishnets due to their bold colors, which, in retrospect, ref lects her personality.

Her art brings her joy and with her creative mind she is able to successfully complete outstanding projects. She is known for her series of pictures of shoes where she has different pointed stilettos and plays around with color assortment and style. To see more of her pictures visit campaniancards.com.

The setup of the auction has three different sections of art whereby the bidding ends at different times for each. In the last few minutes of each bidding section, the bidders strategically plan and anxiously hope they do not have competition.

Once the announcer says the bidding for that section is over, the winners celebrate their new purchase. Then the art is carried and packed by the volunteers where their new owners can pick them up after the event. The event was well organized and put together and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

After long weeks of work, adults who enjoy art, wine, music and food come here to unwind and enjoy themselves. They forget about all their worries and stress and enjoy the laid-back environment. The turnout of this event was so successful that it was difficult to make one’s way around the gallery.

After all the bidding was over, the white walls were almost empty and the art was on its way to their new homes. Now the walls are open and ready for new art for the University Art Gallery’s next exhibition.

STAR // Melanie Hernan

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Excellent Body and Interior Well Maintained and Always Garaged Automatic, 6 Clyinder, with 153,000 Miles Green with Beige Interior, Owner is Non-Smoker

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Email Peggy Vellutini at cheer@mcn.org for photos of the car

Entertainment

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

facebook.com Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) return for the third series of ‘Sherlock.’

‘Sherlock’ lives Finn Maloney Staff Writer “Sherlock” is back; he is also still alive, which was all but expected to happen after last season’s cliffhanger of its lead character seemingly falling to his demise.

The main character of the show is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, played by the now established Hollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Cumberbatch’s first claim to fame was first this show, but his most recent role was in the latest “Star Trek” movie.

The show has been off the air for two years due to the Hollywood success of both stars and because of this lengthy lull, expectations are very high and fans are expecting the pay out to be rewarding.

Fortunately the viewers are soon to find their hero has been working deep undercover and two years have passed since the events of last season.

Holmes is called out of his

mission, and is sent to his prior home of 221B Baker St. and into the realm of the living to solve a 21st century kind of train robbery.

Quickly after his return, and rather emotionally, Sherlock is reunited with his friend and partnerin-crime-solving Dr. John Watson, played by the star of “The Hobbit” films, Martin Freeman.

In the first episode we are introduced to a new cast member and love interest for John Watson, a recurring theme for all of the episodes.

The first episode lacks a strong sense of what makes up a classic “Sherlock” episode in terms of cases, mystery and clever solutions.

Instead, the episode focuses on the further development of Watson and Sherlock’s relationships and how a recent love interest and two year gap in their lives affected them, and how some things never change.

The most interesting case of the episode involved Sherlock perfectly faking his own death. The

show introduces a fan club that tries to solve the case, which leads to a variety of scenarios throughout the show.

Having now seen every episode of “Sherlock” (consisting of three seasons and nine episodes), I was incredibly entertained by the first and last episodes but was uninvolved and disinterested in the middle episodes in the first two seasons. Thankfully something changed this year and all three episodes are equally worth watching.

The second episode acts as a continuation of the overall season, challenging our two lead character’s friendship and how the addition of Watson’s new love interest, Mary, interferes with the dynamic of these two characters.

This episode is a compilation of a few cases told in a story which of course all cleverly link together allowing Sherlock to piece clues back together using new information learned in the present.

It’s very fun episode, which includes a delightful scene when the Sherlock and Watson try to solve a case while incredibly intoxicated.

The final episode is the reason Sherlock is so appealing and bold.

This episode definitely follows suit as the strongest of the series, essentially they are the emotional build up of two feature length films leading into an anything-ispossible battle.

They are usually poised against an enemy even more impossibly evil and clever than the last. This episode was outstanding, the villain is incredibly well played and a true match for Sherlock.

In fact, the last 10 minutes leave the audience on a cliffhanger even more interesting and powerful than anything seen on the show in the past three seasons.

This season finale is a reminder of what “Sherlock” is, both as a show and a character; a sporadic, entertaining, and engaging entity, for which it is nearly impossible to predict what they will do next.

‘Ride Along’ cruises to success at box office Halia Daugherty Staff Writer “Ride Along,” starring the comedian-actor Kevin Hart and the music artist-actor Ice Cube, is a thrill of entertainment.

For those who have ever seen the movie “Friday,” or have watched a Hart stand-up comedy film such as, “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain,” then one would come to expect that this movie is one hour and 39 minutes of genuine laughter.

The director, Tim Story, who is best known for his films “Fantastic Four” and “Barbershop,” creates a sentimental and action-based comedy.

Hart, as Ben Barber, is in a romantic relationship with Angela Payton, portrayed by Tika Sumpter. Barber, willing to take the next step, has to receive permission from Payton’s only brother James Payton, played by Cube.

Cube’s character is an over-protective cop who doesn’t trust anyone except for his sister and he makes sure that she is taken care of and protected at any cost.

Barber’s motivation to impress her brother is driven by the love that he has for Payton and his determination to move up from a high school security guard to a cop.

He was willing to do whatever it took to have her brother’s blessing because that was the only way that Payton would give her hand in marriage, so he is taken on a ride along with him, hence the title of the movie.

For those who aren’t aware of what a ride along is, it is where a cop usually takes a rookie who is in the police academy on the calls that they get throughout the day.

Being a fan of the “Barbershop” movies and almost all of the movies that Cube has starred in, it was interesting

to see what Story and Cube had in store for viewers since they had history with the film “Barbershop.”

One might believe that with this history in filming it was easy for Story to handle Cube’s character a way that he knew would fit the film.

Surely the two of them as well as Hart had some interesting behind the scenes. If you are familiar with Cube’s film “Are We There Yet?,” you can imagine what kind of character he plays in this.

He has the tough-guy, rugged and intimidating facade with an underlying soft side. He plays the perfect role of an over-protective brother with a badge.

For someone who has never seen a stand-up comedy of Hart, it is recommended to look one up as soon as possible. Not only are his jokes hilarious, but his height and attitude really gives him some character because it’s the easiest way to make a joke about him and he joins in on the self-deprecation.

It looked as though he was standing on his tippy toes or stepping on a box in some parts of “Ride Along” because Sumpter seems to be at least two inches taller than Hart.

The greatest part about Hart’s role as Barber is that he is an obsessed video-game junkie.

When in search for some good comedy or a place to go and laugh with some friends, “Ride Along” is a movie worth watching.

Although the film is a bit predictable, like most movies without a sequel are becoming these days, the main point it seemed to achieve was to keep everyone laughing by filming random, embarrassing and not so everyday dramas.

facebook.com Ice Cube and Kevin Hart star in the new comedy ‘Ride Along.’ The movie opened at number one at the box office.

Page 7

Unsung story of ‘Fifth Beatle’ told as graphic novel

darkhorse.com ‘The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story’ tells the relatively unknown story of the band manager for the Beatles, Brian Epstein.

Dylan S irdofsky Asst. A&E Editor Not every comic book hero needs to have superpowers. In the case of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein, one might say all he ever needed was love.

In “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story” readers are presented the short life of a man who battled with personal struggles during his successful years with one of the most famous rock bands in the world.

Through Dark Horse Comics, author Vivek J. Tiwary and illustrators Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker came together to tell the inspirational story of how Epstein became manager and mentor of the Beatles, an important yet largely unrecognized history of the group.

The narrative is broken up into three chronological parts, with the titles “Or I’ll Dress You in Mourning,” “The Great Cause” and “If Love Were All,” the first taking place in Liverpool where it all started in 1961.

While starting out with a rather dark and dim setting, things quickly turn bright when Epstein hears about the Beatles’ performance at a cellar club called The Cavern and decides to make an appearance. Here he is ultimately captivated by the young boys and considers the idea of becoming their manager with his ambitions of making them stars.

One of the more brilliant details is noticed from here on out as Tiwary’s dialogue creates a realistic portrayal of the conversations between characters.

During the scene with which the Beatles meet Epstein for the first time, one can’t help but get a sense of being backstage in a documentary, taking in all of the humorous and witty exchanges between these men.

Readers truly get a sense for the amount of ambition that Epstein carried with him, as he claimed that one day the Beatles would be bigger than Elvis Presley.

However, despite his confidence in the band, he struggled with getting them a record deal for a while and Tiwary begins to hint at f lashbacks of past years where he was turned down in other aspects of his life.

Not only was Epstein a Jewish man during anti-Semitism time period, but he was also homosexual when people living in the United Kingdom could be jailed for being so.

It becomes clear that he had to start taking pills for his high levels of anxiety, which would also help over time

with his “homosexual inclinations” as described by his doctor.

With the use of pencil sketches and watercolor, the artwork by Robinson and Baker creates a very real feeling to the comic, especially in scenes that were replicated from historical events.

The book contains extra materials after concluding, giving insight into the illustrators and their artistic process throughout certain key pieces to the story.

One anecdote in particular that had quite a lasting effect was the contrast of Epstein’s chat with Ed Sullivan while also capturing the John F. Kennedy shooting, where Robinson described having to do heavy research such as looking at film clips and photos of JFK’s motorcade, as well as the crowds of people that were attending.

Tiwary also excelled at showcasing the relationships that Epstein endured during this time in his life, in particular with a few individual members of the Beatles, his fictitious personal assistant Moxie and a man he became infatuated with named Dizz Gillespie.

Perhaps the most well done scene is when Epstein meets Colonel Tom Parker, who was the manager for Elvis Presley. The artwork and devilish dialogue coming from Parker engulfs the reader’s mind leaving one just as unsettled and disturbed as Epstein seems to be when he finishes the conversation with him.

If there was anything that felt unnecessary at all in this book, it may simply be the way the artwork transitions suddenly during the chaos in the Philippines when the Beatles are touring. The structure changes and becomes a bit confusing for readers, but for those more familiar with the background of the situation, it may sound just fine.

The Beatles were a band that aimed to spread the message of love for the entire world to hear and Epstein was the catalyst for their success that ultimately would help contribute to their downfall when he passed away a lonely man at the age of 32 from constant struggles that came with his astonishing ambition.

“The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story” is both uplifting and heartbreaking at its best and is now being made into a film of the same name that will be directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Bruce Cohen, which is expected to be released in 2014.

It has reportedly obtained the rights to a few of the Beatles songs, which is a unique triumph that requires explicit approval from the remaining Beatles and that of their estates.

Page 8

Features

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Student Center’s Overlook classy yet affordable

STAR // Amanda Levine Cameron Hatheway & Amanda Levine A&E Editor & Features Editor

W

hile the masses flood the first floor of the Student Center for The Kitchens, Lobo’s and Weyden + Brewster, the real crown jewel of student dining is hidden away up high.

Overlook is the new fine dining restaurant located on the third floor of the Student Center, to the right of the ballroom. Its more upscale menu and appearance may feel familiar to some students, for Overlook is the new University Club (UCLUB).

Living up to its name, Overlook has a nice view of the tree canopy right by the library.

While there is minimal outside seating available to take in a different view of the campus, the indoor seating elegant and pristine.

With rustic yet modern décor on the inside, fresh flowers are on every table and the atmosphere feels very new.

While the slightly upscale setting can be intimidating to some students, all are welcome no matter your attire.

Overlook is a nice little getaway from the daily rambunctious flurry of student life, but not the type of restaurant one would dine at on a regular basis.

Like UCLUB before it, the prices are definitely reasonable for the quality of food they serve.

A grass fed Niman Ranch Burger runs for $8.50, and the side of fries or salad is definitely a hearty portion.

The burger practically melts in your mouth, with its succulent taste immediately satisfying even the hungriest of stomachs.

Those looking for a lighter meal have the option of a Soup and Salad combo for $8, with the either a roasted tomato soup or New England clam chowder to pair with their house garden salad.

The New England clam chowder was extremely tasty, with noticeably fresh chunks of clam present in every spoonful.

However, the one odd part of the meal was the spoons for the soup. They were skinny in style, not like the traditional oval shape, making it hard to eat the soup and ice cream.

The menu ranges from soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta and dessert, with the most expensive item on the menu being $8.74— the Linguine with Italian Sausage.

They even offer an ongoing Sonoma Special: a Farm Garden Bowl for $8.50, an organic, local and gluten-free mix of hearty grains, legumes, leafy greens and vegetables seasoned lightly with ginger, tamari, miso and tahini.

For dessert there are three options available; a cheesecake, Three Twins ice cream (a local ice creamery from Petaluma) and a trio of delicious sorbets in chocolate, raspberry and blackberry.

Off in the back of the restaurant there is a private room, where one can have a meal with a larger party and personal reservations are available for the restaurant.

The menu is constantly rotating through three different cycles throughout the semester, so be sure to check their menu online to see what’s being served that week.

Some weeks are more pasta oriented, other weeks the desserts might be making you plan out future trips to the Rec center.

Whether you want to go with a group of friends or on a romantic date, Overlook offers a relaxing getaway to the chaos of a busy school day.

Overlook’s hours are limited; they are open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

STAR // Cameron Hatheway

STAR // Amanda Levine Top: the succulent Niman Ranch burger; bottom: the view from the rooftop of Overlook.

JUMP honors MLK with Day of Service

STAR // Katie McDonagh Students involved with Join Us Making Progress (JUMP), Sonoma State’s volunteer organization, celebrate MLK Day by bagging produce at the Redwood Empire Food Bank. “Our goal is to take volunteers on these one day service projects to open their eyes to a certain cause; hopefully that turns into a longer volunteer commitment,” said JUMP Event Organizer Kim Young. “Today was really successful.” Young encouraged anyone interested in volunteering to attend a JUMP info night on Jan. 22 or Jan. 28, both at 7 p.m. in the Erin Fisher Room.

Features

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Library seeks improvements Kathleen Collins Staff Writer

W STAR // Connor Gibson Some free ‘In-Motion’ classes include kick boxing, yoga and indoor cycling.

‘In-Motion’ free week at Rec Angelica Viera Staff Writer

With the ups and downs that come with the first week of school after winter break, some students are already feeling the heat from this semester. What better way to get rid of the stress than at the Campus Recreation Center.

Intramural teams, rock climbing, professional massages and 11 unique In-Motion classes are just a few of the many features at the eco-friendly building between Charles Darwin Hall and the new Student Center.

Classes range from boot camp to yoga, Zumba to indoor cycling and just about everything in between. With all of the choices set at different times it may seem difficult to some students to find the class that’s perfect for them.

The Rec offers an entire week at the beginning of each semester for students to participate in any In-Motion classes for free. This semester, Free Week will be Jan. 21 to Jan. 26.

“In-Motion offers a variety of different classes from the morning to night throughout the week. Students can try classes they have never taken and meet students they may not have had the opportunity to know before,” said Zumba instructor Bianca Zamora. “You see everyone motivated and excited to spring into fitness for the new year as a team.”

This gives students the chance to meet the instructors and test out which classes work best with their schedules, as well as their fitness levels, all at no cost to them.

The way the week-long event works is that the In-Motion class schedule will be set exactly how it will run during the rest of the semester.

Students then attend classes that appeal to them and work with their personal schedules.

If the student likes the class and would like to attend regularly, they have the opportunity to purchase an In-Motion pass at affordable rates.

For $5 a student can purchase a “drop in pass” which is good for a one-time class use only.

For a month long pass to any combination of classes during the month the price is $25.

For the ultimate package, $59 will get students a total class pass that is good for unlimited In-Motion classes all the way until the end of the semester.

All three passes can be paid for at the front desk of the Rec using cash or Wolfbucks.

“I think Free Week is an awesome idea because students are going to want to test out what they’re paying for especially if it’s coming out of their own money. It doesn’t make sense to buy something and not know what you’re going to get,” said student Audrey Hernando. “I’m looking forward to checking out the yoga classes the most this semester.”

Along with the classics like Abs, Buns and Thighs, Yoga and Indoor Cycling, some of the newer classes to the Rec will be Essentrics, Kickboxing, Strength and Conditioning, Insanity, PiYo and R.I.P.P.E.D. Elizabeth Pessaran is the In-Motion fitness instructor for boot camp on Mondays and Wednesdays and R.I.P.P.E.D. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“Boot camp and R.I.P.P.E.D. are both high intensity fitness classes but all levels are welcome.

I always have different modifications for different level students,” said Pessaran. “I also like to meet my participants and get to know them and their bodies’ needs.”

The Rec prides itself on being a fun and safe place for everyone to practice fitness and healthy lifestyle habits.

Free Week is the place to kick-start all of those New Year resolutions and reach some fitness goals, especially with spring break and summer just around the corner.

Drop into the Rec today to find a complete calendar with all of the In-Motion classes available and start this semester off with a sweat.

hen one thinks of a library, images of ancient, dusty shelves filled with neglected encyclopedias and no real pizazz are conjured up. Here at Sonoma State, the library staff wants to change the connotation from one of apathy to one of excitement- and they need the student body to help them.

Through an ongoing improvement plan the SSU staff wishes to change the current state of the library to one that aids the student body more efficiently. To achieve this goal, Librarian Karen Brodsky and Instruction Coordinator Felicia Palsson have organized a series of open events where students can contribute any ideas they may have for the library, as well its website. These events will feature free food, drawings for prizes and information about the student advisory board, which is open for members at any time.

Why not just throw some renovations down on paper and call it a day? “We don’t want faculty to determine the future,” said Palsson, “we want students to!”

Palsson emphasizes that all ideas are accepted; from improvements in study spaces to technologic installments to vending machines, input is needed.

This won’t be a routine upgrade; accommodations must be made for innovation.

“What will libraries need to be like in the future?” said Palsson.

The budget and time frame for this project have yet to be determined. First, there must be a starting point, but until then the sky’s the limit.

The Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center opened its doors in 2000 and replaced the previous library inside Ruben Salazar Hall.

It currently features over 400,000 hard volumes on 50,000 feet of shelving as well as 750,000 electronically accessible titles. There is an art exhibition gallery, which is constantly rotating with specialty installments from different departments on campus and three floors of varying noise levels to accommodate students’ preferences.

“All people focus in different ways,” said

STAR // Connor Gibson The library wants students’ input on how to make the library a more useful place.

Student Spotlight: Vivien Le Coarer Sara Molenda Staff Writer It takes quite a bit of courage deciding to study abroad for a year in a country where everything is foreign.

Fortunately for Vivien Le Coarer, that leap of faith has paid off.

Le Coarer is a French exchange student who chose Sonoma State University as the place to spend his year abroad in the U.S. Le Coarer also really enjoys the difference in size and amenities at Sonoma State compared to his university.

“This university is much larger,” said Le Coarer. “You have everything you need on campus. It is like a small city.”

He is also impressed with the difference in lesson planning here.

He explained that at his university in France, most classes consist of a teacher lecturing for the entire class period.

He said that this type of lesson only offers basic knowledge of a topic and does not include an opportunity for discussion amongst other students.

He also added that there is less interaction between the teacher and student.

He likes that there is more of a focus on discussions and the development of creative thoughts and ideas in classes at Sonoma State.

“There are pros and cons to both ways of teaching,” said Le Coarer. He is thankful that he gets to experience a variety of lesson plans.

Le Coarer put his cultured self to use last semester as a Peer Tutor Language Facilitator.

This program offers individuals who are advanced and/or f luent in another language to facilitate conversation groups every week for students who are taking the entry level language classes.

Le Coarer was able to use his knowledge of the French culture and

language to give beginning French students, an international perspective on the importance of learning a new language.

He enjoyed the opportunity to share his stories and knowledge with eager students.

He was also given a taste of what it might be like to be a teacher, which might be a possible career for him.

Le Coarer is majoring in English, while specifically focusing on literature, history and linguistics. He enjoys all types of English literature.

Le Coarer plans to graduate this year and then continue to pursue his Masters and then Ph.D. at a university in France.

“Eventually I hope to teach English literature in France,” said Le Coarer.

Le Coarer lives in the dorms on campus and has enjoyed all of the opportunities and activities offered in the living community.

“There are always activities going on: bowling, movies and trips to the supermarket. There is always something to do.”

He enjoys all of the opportunities to meet new people since dorms aren’t like that back in France.

Le Coarer never lived in the dorms at his university back in Paris. However, he explained that the size and quality of the living options here are much better than anything he has seen back home.

Le Coarer had the opportunity to visit San Francisco over the winter break.

He explained that he is not a huge fan of big cities to begin with and that he prefers a city less orderly than that of San Francisco.

Le Coarer grew up in a small town near Versailles, with the option of adventures in Paris just a short drive away. “I like getting lost in the city,” said Le Coarer.

Besides the literature he is studying for school, Le Coarer also enjoys reading

Brodsky. “We want to accommodate everybody.”

The structure cost $41.5 million, including a $5 million donation from author Charles M. Schulz and his wife Jean, an SSU alumni. They intended for this money to benefit technological innovations, not just bricks and mortar.

Brodsky has been with the SSU library for over 15 years and remembers when the site opened 14 years ago. “Think about the technology available in 2000,” said Brodsky. “Where are we now?” The library has always maintained a non-static state, trying to maintain a firm grasp on any kind of advancements that might help students.

Brodsky emphasizes the importance of student involvement. When asked if she had any improvement ideas of her own, she said her opinion really doesn’t matter. “I could come in and say ‘We all need iPads!’ and then students would say, ‘No, we don’t want it that way. We really hope that students want to help.”

Music major Haruko Matsuda had a few ideas to contribute. “During finals week, I think snacks should be passed around to every student who is studying because the vibe is very stressful and people are in the library literally until the next day.

I think it would help students retain information if they have sugar in their bodies to keep them going.”

Hutchins major Casey Putvin thinks they should change the hours on weekends to accommodate students and their longer projects.

“They should also apply the printing policy in the tutoring center to the library (The first 10 printed pages are free).”

If you are interested in having your voice heard, the information for the events are below.

Everyone is encouraged to contribute an idea, no matter how small it may be.

WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 22 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 23 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 28 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 29 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 4 12:00 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 6 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Schulz 2022 (second floor in the technology study rooms)

for fun.

He recently read “Ender’s Game” and loved it. He also loves listening to music.

“I have phases where I listen to different genres of music,” said Le Coarer.

One week he will listen to only metal bands and then the next week he will only listen to hard rock.

One thing that Le Coarer does not like about his time abroad is that even though he is living in beautiful wine country, he is not old enough to drink alcohol in the U.S. It must be very difficult to come from a country where you are old enough to have a glass of wine, and then travel to wine country in California and not be able to legally drink.

Hopefully some day in the future he can return to Sonoma to finally enjoy a glass of Sonoma or Napa wine.

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facebook.com Vivien Le Coarer plans on getting his Ph.D. in English literature.

Page 10

Sports

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Lack of bodies hinder lady Seawolves Gian D’Ambra Staff Writer

L

ooking for their first win of the new year, the Sonoma State women’s basketball team faced off against the UC San Diego Tritons and the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino this weekend at the Wolves’ Den. Their bid for a win looked promising in the first half of Friday nights’ game against the Tritons, but having only 9 girls in uniform made fatigue set in quickly, ultimately dooming both games for the Seawolves.

“It’s a struggle. We have a really young team. Every year it seems that we hit some kind of adversity and this year it happened to be both injuries as well as grades.There’s been a lot of consistency with the girls being so young and it’s tough... we’re trying to make the most of what we’ve got.”

COURTESY // Sonoma Athletics Senior Kristina Fahey scored 12 points against San Bernardino.

Sonoma State shot an incredible 70 percent (7-10) from the 3-point line in the first half on Friday.

“We just had to come out with momentum and we were able to do that,” said Junior Captain forward Bronte Sheehan of the hot start by her team.

But, the last three halves of the weekend saw only eight Seawolf threes enter the basket.

The 35-25 halftime lead over the Tritons was steadily cut into throughout the second half. It disappeared for the last time with 6:44 left in the game when the Tritons took a 56-54 lead and never looked back. The game ended with the score of 74-62 in favor of UCSD. “We had a lot of energy. We knew it was going to be tough…we just kind of went pedal to the metal and it worked out for us. We kind

of just ran out of gas towards the end,” said Senior forward Kristina Fahey.

This year’s team at full capacity, fully eligible and fully healthy, hosted 13 girls in its playing rotation. Running out of gas is human, to say the least, when going from having 13 girls share the playing load, down to 9.

Starting with a personnel disadvantage, Saturday night’s game seemed more favorable for the short-handed Seawolves, who came into the weekend with a record of 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the CCAA. UC San Diego, Friday night’s opponent, came into the weekend at 8-4 overall and 5-3 in conference. But Cal State San Bernardino was only one game ahead of Sonoma State prior to Saturday’s game at 3-9 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

The one game lead in the standings didn’t

turn out to be the most important difference going against the Lady Seawolves. The biggest difference was the fact that the Coyotes had 13 girls who played in Saturday night’s game compared to the Seawolves’ 9.

The Sonoma State women again started hot in the first half, at least from the 3-point line, shooting 3-6 before the break. The good shooting kept them within striking distance at the end of the half, being down by only five, 26-21.

But the gas tank emptied extremely quickly in the second half. The energy was way down for the Lady Seawolves, being out rebounded 18-9 in the second half while committing 22 turnovers for the game. The final score of the game was 66-45 in favor of the Lady Coyotes.

“It’s a struggle, we have a really young team. Every year it seems that we hit some kind of adversity and this year it happened to be both injuries as well as grades. There’s been a lot of consistency with the girls being so young and it’s tough…we’re trying to make the most with what we’ve got,” said Assistant Coach Taylor Vigil.

Vigil knows of the struggles associated with the girls’ basketball team here seeing as she was a student-athlete on that team for four years before graduating just last May. Both the Sonoma State men and women head out to play a four game road trip before returning home to play Cal State L.A. on Feb. 7.

The women’s game starts at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men at 7:30 p.m.

Baseball gains largest freshmen class in years Vasilios Loufas Staff Writer With the start of the second semester, spring sports are right around the corner. Sonoma State’s successful baseball program led by Coach Goelz is in session with practices preparing for the upcoming season.

“I’m excited to learn from the older guys.

They are a huge help here at Sonoma State.”

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When looking at the team, there are a lot of young guys looking to be successful in the sport through Sonoma State.

According to Coach Goelz, this is the largest group of freshmen players he’s seen in his career coaching at Sonoma State. These men are a talented group of pitchers and fielders looking to “win a championship” according to pitcher Hayden Turpin.

The team is excited to start the upcoming season, and they are working hard everyday to prepare. Speaking with freshmen baseball players, they seem like a group of guys that love the sport and love being a part of a team.

“We all have each other’s backs,” said freshman Pitcher Matt Hammonds.

Outfielder Matthew Richards just transferred from the University of Nevada Reno to come play baseball at Sonoma.

“Sonoma has a close-knit group of guys,” said outfielder Matthew Richards.

The team is excited to have a new, talented outfielder ready to work hard and win games.

These young players are just getting used to playing at a college level, coming from their local high schools. The group of players come from all over the map, including northern and southern California. They need to get used to playing for a larger crowds and for more at stake.

Sonoma State University has a great baseball program and every single one of these players is honored to be playing as a Seawolf. The baseball team is coming off of a successful season and is looking for many

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14947

COURTESY // Sonoma Athletics Coach Goelz says that this is the biggest class of freshmen he’s had in his career as coach. more seasons of success.

This freshmen class of players has hope to be a determining factor in these next coming years and hopes to bring more wins to the baseball program.

“We all have each other’s backs. Sonoma has a close-knit group of guys.”

They are young players looking to elevate this baseball program through every aspect of the. The veteran players set a great example for the freshmen at practice every day.

“I’m excited to learn from the older guys,” said freshman Michael Wallace.

“They are a huge help here at Sonoma State.”

Baseball is a team sport and the team seems very supportive at practice complimenting each other on every play and motivating each other to work hard.

Sonoma State begins play on Feb. 6 when Western Oregon visits the Seawolves in a season-opening series.

Sports

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Page 11

Seawolf Sports Jan. 24 Women’s Basketball at Cal State East Bay 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball at Cal State East Bay 7:30 p.m.

COURTESY // Sonoma Athletics The baseball team’s Crab Feed is one of the fundraising events that will help benefit student-athlete scholarships.

Seawolf athletics fundraising preview Kayla Webster Sports Editor

I

n order to attract new talented athletes to Sonoma State, the Athletic Department relies a great deal on the use of student-athlete scholarships. However, the department can’t afford to disperse scholarships to every student-athlete, so many of the teams work to raise the money themselves.

Within the next month there will be multiple opportunities to support the athletic endeavors of Sonoma State athletes through fundraising events and programs designed to be entertaining and beneficial for the donators, as well as the athletes the funds support.

“Since we are at the NCAA Division II level and aren’t fully funded as a department to offer scholarships to everyone, the coaches and student-athletes work very hard to raise money for that purpose,” said Sports Information Director Tyler Lobe. “The programs -- and everyone involved with them -- exert a lot of time and effort in putting on these events because it is one of a very few chances that the teams can bring in a large amount of money at once.”

The Sonoma State baseball program is hosting a crab feed on Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. at Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park’s Sonoma Mountain Village. The evening will feature a dinner consisting of crab, pasta, salad, bread, dessert and a no-host bar; in addition to a silent auction and music. All proceeds will benefit the Sonoma State baseball team. Tickets are $60 per person, unless the ticket buyer is either a SSU faculty member or alumni; in which case the tickets are priced at $45. Tickets can be purchased at sonomaseawolves.com.

“It’s a great opportunity for the program to fundraise,” said Assistant Coach Travis Babin.

“This event offers our players, coaches, family

and alumni a chance to connect and enjoy a night together just before the season kicks off.”

Not too long after, the softball team will be hosting a Karaoke Night that promises to be an exciting event for everyone who participates.

For $45 a person, patrons can experience a night of singing and dancing at the Rohnert Park Community Center. Come hungry, because the price of the ticket covers the cost of dinner and drinks. Anyone looking to attend this event can purchase tickets at sonomaseawolves.com. The event is scheduled to run from 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. on Feb. 15.

In contrast to the fundraising events mentioned earlier, the women’s tennis team has an on-going program designed to raise money for the team by providing benefits to the donors through their Adopt-A-Player Program. These benefits are rationed out in increments depending upon the amount donated. The smallest sum donated, $75, amounts to a team signed game schedule, $150 adds on a team t-shirt, $250 includes a SSU All Sports pass to games, $500 gets six monthly training clinics with the team, $1,000 gains access to two private clinic sessions, and the grand donation of $2,000 earns the philanthropist five private tennis lessons with Head Coach Joaquin Lopez.

The larger donations are directed towards local tennis teams that want to step up their game by learning from college athletes. If individual members of a high school tennis team each contributed a portion of the donation, they could gain access to these private lessons and clinics.

More information about joining this program is available at sonomaseawolves.com/wtadopt.

Anyone looking to donate to Seawolf athletics that can’t attend these fundraising events, or wouldn’t benefit from the Adopt-APlayer Program, can still make a donation by visiting sonomaseawolves.com/donatenow, or by calling (707) 664-2764.

Jan. 25 Women’s Water Women’s Water Polo Polo vs UC Davis vs. Olympic Club (Exhibition) 12 p.m.

10 a.m.

Women’s Basketball at Cal State Men’s Tennis at Saint Mary’s Monterey Bay (Exhibition) 5:30 p.m.

10:30 a.m.

Men’s Basketball Women’s Water at Cal State Monterey Bay Polo 7:30 p.m. vs UC Davis vs.

Olympic Club (at Rohnert Park) 12 p.m.

Courtesy of

sonomaseawolves.com

Men’s basketball splits weekend game series J ake Tucker Staff Writer The UC San Diego Tritons (7-5, 3-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association) headed north to Sonoma State on Friday night to take on the Seawolves (1-11, 0-8 CCAA).

Coming into this game, the Tritons were tied for the seventh spot in the CCAA standings, while the T-11th Seawolves search for their first CCAA win.

The game began with a Sonoma State turnover and an immediate score by MacKenzie McCullough putting the Tritons up to a 2-0 lead.

However, this would be the only lead for the Tritons as the Wolves rallied back to score the next 9 points.

The Tritons answered back with the next five points, before the Seawolves run the scoreboard with a huge 15-0 run making the score 24-7 with the Seawolves way out in front with 11:02 left in the first half.

Sonoma continued to dominate for the remainder of the game, with the smallest lead they would have in the second half would be 14. The Seawolves shot an outstanding 28 for 52 overall, while going 10 for 16 from the 3-point line. While the Tritons shot 17 for 50 overall and just 3 for 24 from the 3-point line.

The Tritons were lead by senior guard James McCann who led all scoring with 17 points and added two assists. Adam Klie also

added 8 points and an assist, and Kevin Harris added seven points going 5-6 from the free throw line.

The Seawolves leading scorer was junior forward Mike Harris who contributed 15 points (going 3-3 from the 3-point line), an assist, and a steal. Senior Justin Herold contributes as always, adding 13 points, an assist, and a steal. Freshman James Davis also helped out by putting up 12 points, 5 assists, and a steal.

The 79-54 Seawolves victory will bring their record to 2-11, 1-8 CCAA heading into Saturday’s big game against 12-1, 9-0 CCAA Cal State San Bernardino. The Tritons fall to 7-6, 3-6 CCAA. Saturday night The Wolves’ Den was packed as fans came to watch Sonoma State take on Cal State San Bernardino. The Coyotes look to push their winning streak to 13, which would be their longest since the 2003-04 season.

Through the first half of play, it looked like the game could have gone either way, as the Coyotes were on top 36-33 and neither team lost a lead greater than six the entire first half. The game remained close through the second half, but the end result was a Coyote triumph 81-71.

The Seawolves shot an impressive 27-48 but fell because of turnovers. The leading scorer of the Seawolves was senior guard Sterling Arterberry with 20 points (8-9 from the free throw line), 4 assists, and a steal.

COURTESY // Sonoma Athletics Mike Harris scored 15 points in the battle against UC San Diego.

Herold added 16 points, and sophomore David Ahern doesn’t miss a shot going 5-5 and adding 10 points.

The Coyotes had a huge offensive game shooting 29-60 with five double digit scorers.

The leading scorers were seniors Lacy Haddock and Jordan Burris each adding 13 points. Andrew Young with 12 points, Kirby Gardner with 11, and Casey Oldemoppen shooting a perfect 5-5 off the bench adding

10 points.

Cal State San Bernardino improves their division-leading record to 13-1, 10-0 CCAA, as Sonoma Sate falls to last place in the CCAA standings with a 2-12, 1-9 CCAA record.

The Seawolves begin a four game road trip as they will travel this Friday, Jan. 24 to take on the Cal State East Bay Pioneers (6-10, 3-7 CCAA). Tipoff is at 7:30 P.M.

Page 12

Photo

Jan. 21 - Jan. 27, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

This week in photos...

Fo r mo re, visi t ou r gal le r y at SonomaStateSTAR .com

STAR Photographers: Connor Gibson, Melanie Hernan, Cara Fuqua. From Top Left: (1) Scientists work on sampling water for a water conservation initiative. (2) A couple dances during the Art Department’s “Art from the Heart” event Saturday. (3) Free Week is in full swing at the Rec Center as students strive to get fit this new year.