Volume73 issue7

Horrifying prequel to “The Conjuring”

P. 6

Bowling for Boobs raises awareness

P. 9

Women’s cross country places third

P. 11

Sonoma State Star SINCE 1979

VOLUME 73 // ISSUE 7

SONOMASTATESTAR.COM

OCTOBER 7 - OCTOBER 13, 2014

‘Yes Means Yes’ bill defines consent

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Gustavo Vasquez Staff Writer

overnor Jerry Brown signed the ‘Yes Means Yes’ bill into law on Sept. 28, requiring affirmative consent before engaging in sexual activity by any given party in California.

“The ‘Yes Means Yes’ law really gives the power back to women and victims of sexual assault,” said Amanda Cowman, student and director for the 2014-15 Vagina Monologues. “I hope it will make a noticeable difference in how incidents of sexual assault are reported and handled on our campus.”

The SB-967, the ‘Yes Means Yes’ bill is intended to improve how college campuses handle incidents of rape and assault and also to clarify the meaning of affirmative consent.

“Having sex with someone who is under the influence of al-

cohol or drugs and unable to consciously give such consent has always been and will continue to be illegal,” said Nathan Johnson, chief of police and executive director for risk management. “This law at the very least causes one to pause and question, evaluate whether both parties are consciously aware that such sexual activity is consensual by those involved.”

California Senator Kevin de Leon sponsored and introduced the bill in February, before being signed by Brown last month.

Within the bill, it states the following: Lack of protest or resistance does not mean consent, nor does silence mean consent.

Affirmative consent must be ongoing throughout a sexual activity and can be revoked at any time.

The existence of a dating relationship between the persons involved, or the fact of past sexual relations between them, should never by itself be assumed to be an indicator of consent.

“My thoughts on this bill are mixed. I believe it is a good re-

introduction to bringing awareness about rape and sexual assault on college campuses,” said Samantha Houck, a community service advisor in Tuscany. “A person could still be peer pressured in to saying yes, and ‘no’ can clearly mean ‘no’ when actually stated, however yes can be more iffy.”

Public schools like Sonoma State University, that receive state funding are required to comply with the bill to continue to receive funding.

The bill compromises not only affirmative consent, but also requires institutions to adopt certain sexual assault policies and protocols. It would require the governing boards to enter into a message of understanding, or other agreements or collaborative partnerships with on campus and community-based organizations to refer students for assistance or make services available to students.

See BILL on Pg. 5

Textbook resolution aims to relieve debt

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in [the] club is how I constantly get the opportunity to meet with so many diverse people, this year I am especially looking forward to working with the community,” said Lacinda Moore, president of the club.

One of the main reasons the club started is because there aren’t enough bilingual teachers teaching. The club offers bilingual education to past and future educators.

“The reason I decided to join is because I saw first-hand that the need for diverse teachers was important. My sister went to a predominantly Hispanic school and out of all the fifth grade teachers only one spoke Spanish. She was always needed

ssociated Students has unanimously passed resolution AS.R1.14.15, “Reducing the Cost of Education by Engaging in the Textbook Alternative Pilot.” This resolution is intended to help develop alternative methods of presenting course material that will try to appease the growing financial burden that buying course books has on students.

The first day of classes after returning from an extended break is never any fun. Coming home after a day of classes and realizing that one has to buy 15 textbooks for all of their courses only adds to a student’s frustration. It’s not so much though that having 15 books means a lot of reading, it’s more so the fact that having 15 books means shelling out hundreds of dollars per semester.

Senior Ian Ebinger said in response to the high prices on textbooks, “I buy a textbook for $300 and then sell it back for $5. It makes no sense. We are making it harder and harder for student’s to leave college without being in debt. I’m happy to see that there are people who realize this and are taking an initiative.”

The resolution states that the Associated Students are becoming more and more concerned with the financial burden placed on students as a result of the high cost of textbooks. There are a number of reasons for their concern as well.

Textbooks and other course materials are also the number one out-of-pocket college expense for all students. Over the past decade the cost of college textbooks has increased by 82 percent, a rate that is an increase three times that of inflation.

Nationally students pay roughly $1,200 per year on books and various other school supplies. Sonoma State University students are paying $1,826 per year on textbooks and course supplies, which is 152 percent of the national average and a third of students’ annual tuition costs.

Adam Rosenkranz, vice president of finance said in response to the resolution, “The Textbook Alternative Pilot urges faculty participants to develop inventive and alternative methods of presenting course materials that will limit the financial burden on students and their families.”

The high prices have repercussions on student’s grades as well. Sixty-five percent of students have begun to opt out of buying their books. And 94 percent have said that they have struggled in certain classes because they are not readily equipped with all the necessary course materials.

Senior Ken Cartsens said, “I love having the feeling of holding a book in my hand, but the increasing prices just make it too hard. For the past few semesters I’ve had to pick and choose which books to buy since I can’t afford to pay for all of them.”

It is evident that students in the U.S. pay costly amounts of money for their tuition, as well as amounts of money to buy what they need in order to succeed in their academics. Measures and resolutions like these are important in trying to reduce the amount of money that college students pay.

Christian George, executive vice president of Associated Students, was one of the most influential members of this resolution being passed.

“Our interest in addressing this problem began when we found

See COMMUNITY on Pg. 4

See TEXTBOOKS on Pg. 4

STAR // Alyssa James Laxmi G. Tewari, professor of ethnomusicology at Sonoma State University, entertained audiences while performing traditional Indian Folk music at Schroeder Hall on Saturday.

See the full story on the event in page 6.

Students strive to better their community Jon Cappetta Staff Writer

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ast spring a group of Sonoma State students came together in hopes of bettering Sonoma County through various forms of volunteer work. They organized themselves into a group called the Multi-Cultural Education club.

The mission of the 25 club members is to empower their future educators through bilingual education, community involvement and self-advocacy. The club has multiple goals, all of which aspire to better the community. These goals include helping adults adjust to technological advances, mentoring the youth to help them prepare

for secondary education and teaching foreign languages to broaden the bilingual community. The club is devoted to addressing the academic needs of Sonoma County students.

Secondary education is something that the club values as well as the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to attend college. The club offers workshops for young students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

These workshops aspire to influence students to get on track for college. Apart from arts and crafts, the workshops offer lessons that are used later in life such as money management, and the importance of saving up.

“My favorite part about being involved

Jonas Brock Staff Writer

Club Profile: Roller Hockey

Lobofest hopes to bring spirit

Author Jennifer Pozner speaks at Green Music Center

Check it out on Pg. 11

See the full story on Pg. 8

Read more on Pg. 6

Page 2

Editorial THE STAR Fall 2014 Editorial Board

Dylan Sirdofsky, Editor-in-Chief Kayla E. Galloway, News Editor Aryssa Carvalho, Asst. News Editor Rachel Keigley, Opinion Editor Brandon Stachnik, A&E Editor Alexis Mills, Features Editor Kayla Webster, Sports Editor Connor Gibson, Photo Editor Megan Kleszcz, Copy Editor Peter Njoroge, Copy Editor Brennan Chin, Online Editor Amanda Saiki, Advertising Manager Anika Jess, Marketing Coordinator Eddie Blake, Editorial Cartoonist Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser

Star Production Lab Sonoma State University Salazar Hall 1053 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928 (707) 664-2776 Advertising: sonomastatestar@gmail.com, attn: Amanda Saiki

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star@sonoma.edu Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article: “Roller Hockey Club: Campus hidden Gem” While not many people may know of the Sonoma State University Roller Hockey Club, that doesn’t mean they aren’t one competitive group of athletes. Staff Writer Adam Roth covers several of the 16 members on the team, and how they are open to individuals of all skill levels and ages. Get ready Seawolves, because it’s knucklepuck time.

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

A textbook example of emergency assistance Read more about the Textbook Alternative Pilot on page 1.

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hen a doctor is in the midst of attempting to treat a patient, he or she has to understand and manage the observable symptoms before the cause of the disease is appropriately diagnosed or cured.

This medical methodology of treating patients is applicable to the current state of education and the increasing financial stress a student encounters on a daily basis.

The cause is multi-faceted, and the symptoms are increases in tuition, book and supply costs and worst of all, debt, which was around $25,000 per student during 2011 and 2012, according to data formulated by the College Board Annual Survey of Colleges.

Further, while somehow managing this much of a financial burden, some students also work full time in order to have enough money to feed, house and provide clothes for themselves.

The Associated Students at Sonoma State University have created a possibility of managing one of these symptoms, which is the cost of textbooks.

The recently passed resolution AS.R1.14.15, or the Textbook Alternative Pilot program, will try to find new ways to present course subjects so students don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on books each semester.

This resolution fosters a new way of thinking about how we actually get information. Faculty and students are

STAR // Eddie Blake at the forefront of discovering new platforms or modifying old ones.

This program will also increase the likelihood of student success in courses because more of them will have what they need in order to better grasp the material.

For example, a book is a great resource, but with increases in costs, some of the information in a textbook might be condensed or presented through a visual format on platforms such as YouTube or PowerPoint.

Additionally, it’s rare in any undergraduate course to completely read a textbook from cover to cover due to the limits of time. In this case, a solution will have to come from teachers or publishers.

For the program to flourish, sacrifices such as letting go of traditional ideas to gain important information are necessary.

The costs and benefits of new ideas require critical thinking and objective analysis, but in this case, the benefits of decreasing the average $1,826—which Sonoma State students currently pay for books a year—outweigh any other costs.

Though some are in the process of accurately diagnosing and curing the main cause of the financial crisis in education, students have to actively and effectively deal with book

prices, and the Textbook Alternative Pilot program does just that.

Students and faculty should get involved in this enterprise because both parties are necessary for any long lasting effects. This program will also increase the likelihood of student success in courses because more of them will have what they need in order to better grasp the material.

If successful, the first few weeks of any given semester might look different.

Instead of stressed-out students who can’t afford necessary books for a class because they’re drowning in debt, those first few weeks might have somewhat happy students who are still drowning in debt, but have all their books or supplies and extra money in their pockets for more important things, such as paying their debt.

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

Turn to page 11 to see the profile

Letters to the Editor

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 Friday before the publication date.

Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts.

The 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 email star@sonoma.edu.

Letters received in any format other than by email will not be published.

Corrections/Clarifications

The “Sacramento Semester Program calls for students” article says Cristina Garcia was quoted; only Consultant Mandi Strella was quoted. The STAR will no longer refer to any female athletes as “lady” Seawolves.

Professor questions religious leadership opportunities

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ear Editor, It’s sad that the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is no longer an officially sanctioned SSU club. And I write that as faculty adviser to SSU’s Jewish Student Union.

Our club is open to everyone. Many non-Jews attend our weekly Shabbat dinners and we have no policy that restricts official club positions to Jews. That said, it’s hard to see why someone who isn’t Jewish (or Christian in the case of Inter-

Varsity) would ever want to be club secretary, president or whatever. It’s not as if the position comes with a roll of cash and a condo in Maui...

- Adrian Praetzellis, Professor, Anthropology

Have an opinion?

We’d like to read it.

The STAR welcomes and encourages letters to the editor and guest submissions. For more information, read the left sidebar for our policies on editorials and letters to the editor.

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E-mail all opinions to

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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 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.

Opinion

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

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Sonoma transportation could use a watch pixabay.com

Apps: A satisfying distraction

Shannon Brown Staff Writer

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hen I’m sitting in class and I have absolutely, “nothing to do,” I pull out my iPhone and begin the endless scrolls down social media pages. Sometimes, I feel guilty about how much time apps, like Facebook, suck up. Is it really helpful for me to be checking them whenever I have a free second? I say that as long as it doesn’t become an unwavering obsession then sure, go ahead and double tap that Instagram picture or add that photo to your Snapchat story.

In this age of constant and consistent communication, the complete absence of apps, especially the more helpful ones like LinkedIn and Evernote, are going to make life somewhat more difficult. Apps are what get everyone up in the morning with that loud buzz of the alarm or get us to that place we’ve never even heard of on a map. If apps are considered “time wasters” then obviously I’m not spending enough of my time on them because a lot of the inner workings of our relationships and personalities are on apps.

It is how this generation communicates. It’s as simple as that. Calling apps a waste of time would be a hard argument to follow up on considering the amount of communicating we do on them. What else are we going to do with our time? Watch grass die or take

a stroll in the park?

Apps were created to make life easier. It takes more time to take out a map or go online and print out directions than it does to quickly enter an address into the maps app. Yes, I will admit that when it comes to social media apps, the term “time waster” can definitely be stretched, but some apps are meant to be there when you have absolutely nothing to do.

Take Yik Yak for example; there is absolutely no real purpose behind it, yet students are posting anonymously every second. As I’m scrolling down the feed, I understand in my mind that it will serve no purpose to me personally, and I am totally and completely wasting my time.

Apps can make our daily life easier and streamline communication in a more effective way, but some apps are just designed to be time wasters. The sooner we can acknowledge that, the easier it will be combat social media obsessions. In today’s ever changing technology world, apps allow people to be connected 24/7 by the swipe of my finger. In the end, almost every app is different. It is up to me which apps I would like to display on my phone and it is certainly up to me how much time I spend on certain apps. It is the ones that I use daily, like banking, maps and a fitness tracker, that are the most helpful to me. Apps are never time wasters unless you let them be.

Checking social media apps or staying tuned into media outlets through a news app, is what the world is coming to. Now, that might sound like a bad thing, but the world has never been more fast at communication and apps help organize that communication. Apps will continue to come up with new and innovated ways for the population to stay connected.

Jalissa Tello Staff Writer

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ome students have the privilege of getting a car from their parents. Many students (like myself) don’t have that luxury or type of financial support.

If Sonoma County Transit realized the importance of being on time to an interview for a student, there would be no problem.

Though I got up at 9 a.m. to make it to the bus stop at 1 p.m., I found out that all my efforts were a waste because my interview was

at 2:30 p.m. And though the bus got to me at 1 p.m., it did not make it to Santa Rosa until 3:15 p.m.

After this experience, I told myself it was my fault for not taking a look at the schedule and routes. However there came a second opportunity for SCT to prove to me that the first time was tough luck; it did not prove me wrong. This time, I looked at the schedules and planned my trip the night before a group interview.

The schedule pamphlet indicated the bus to my destination would arrive at noon. Since my interview was at 2 p.m., I figured I would be early given that I live in Rohnert Park and the interview was in Rohnert Park. After about an hour and a half of waiting, I contacted the number on the bus stop sign and was informed that the bus schedule was incorrect and that the next bus was not scheduled until 1:47 p.m.

“Is there another bus that is coming sooner that’ll get me where I need to go?”

I asked. The answer was no. And that was it for me.

The SCT might want to make changes to the schedule it puts in place because not only is it extremely inconvenient for the residents of Rohnert Park, but it can also be a safety issue.

This would be the second time I would have to reschedule an interview just minutes before my scheduled time due to the transit being late.

The SCT might want to make changes to the sched-

Made from the heart

Veronica Benvenuto Staff Writer

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f you want to know about the food that you are eating, what better way than going right to the source?

The farmers market is a wonderful method to find out where your food is coming from. Farmers markets have a lot of benefits one might not realize. Growing up, almost every Saturday my mom and I would go to the local farmers market to get the best produce. It made such a difference, and the produce had such rich flavors since we bought it fresh.

The farmers are very helpful when asked for advice on how to prepare their products.

I’ve learned some family famous sauce recipes when using their tomatoes, which turned into my family’s favorite pasta sauce.

The farmers who were there when I was a little kid are still there every Saturday.

This gives the farmers market a sense of community. There is also a great atmosphere of a community at the market because most of the farmers are close with the families.

Toward the end of one market day, I saw a strawberry tent that passed some of their fruit to the honey tent and the vegetable tent had passed their food to the bread tent. It is always refreshing going to the farmers market.

People associate organic with being expensive, but that is not the truth.

That way, one knows their food is reliable. It is guaranteed that what they put into their crops is healthy, instead of having to guess what chemicals are normally added. They are also very passionate, because it is something that they have grown up with their whole lives and has been passed on in their family for generations.

There is always something new to learn and try for each experience. Also, the variety is

incredible. If you think Costco is great with the samples, then you need to attend a farmers market.

Usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested, fruits and vegetables produced locally are fresher and taste better than produce that has been shipped for a long period of time.

Local food does not travel far. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions and packing materials.

People associate organic with being expensive, but that is not the truth. My experience shopping at the local farmers market has never been expensive.

In fact, it can be cheaper than the grocery store because the farmers try to give away all of their produce by the end of the market.

Going to a farmers market helps support the local farmers. When farmers sell directly to the consumer, the middleman is cut out, thus producing a higher profit for the farmer. The farmer then circulates his profits throughout the community with local merchants creating a cycle that helps to build a strong local economy.

One should give the farmers market a try. It will be worth it.

ule it puts in place because not only is it extremely inconvenient for the residents of Rohnert Park, but it can also be a safety issue for students who (also like myself) have night classes.

I have a class once a week on Tuesdays from 5:00-8:40 p.m. and I would like to know that there is a bus scheduled around that time so I don’t have to wait around in the dark alone.

The next bus scheduled is at 9:40 p.m.; an entire hour after I’m out of class.

Though my opinion on public transportation is based on personal experiences, I know that there are students just like me who don’t have a car and have to ride a bus to every destination, and then back home.

The Sonoma County Transit should reevaluate their bus schedules and accommodate them so that bus times are more convenient to people who rely on buses to get them where they need to go, on time.

STAR // Marybeth Mondok

Dispossess the stress

Alexandra Rentoria Staff Writer

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he Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines stress as a state of mental tension, and worry caused by problems in ones life, work, etc. While individuals are stressed by many different factors, each person handles their stress differently.

Some people take medication to relieve their anxiety, or exercise, while others meditate. These are just some tactics that individuals personally use to eliminate their stress.

Some common medications to relive anxiety are Xanax and Valium, both being Benzodiazepines.

These are just a couple of prescribed medications that are on the market and there are many more.

While medications are right for some people and bring significant benefits, they are not the best for everyone. I chose to take medication for severe headaches caused by chronic tension and stress. The medi-

cine prescribed did not kick in right away, but when it did, I had no more headaches.

I thought going to the doctor to get the medication was the best decision of my life. Little did I know, that this would not last because shortly after the headaches went away, my right eye started to twitch uncontrollably and it would go on for a while.

I reread everything the doctor gave me on my medication and realized that the medicine I loved was the cause of my twitch. I decided to stop taking the medication and to find other ways to deal with my headaches.

Medicine is not always the best answer for ailments and sometimes the side effects cost more than they have to offer.

Another reason prescribed medicine may not be the most beneficial choice, is because some are very addictive and can be abused.

Medicine is not always the best answer for ailments and sometimes the side effects cost more than they have to offer.

There are natural remedies to relieve stress that are open options to anyone and cannot be abused like pharmaceuticals. These include eat-

ing healthy, working out, massages and mediation.

Eating fruits and vegetables are a natural part of the human diet and give your body nutrients. Fatty foods can make you gain weight, which can cause stress.

Multiple elements put together can also relieve stress like a healthy diet and regular workouts. For example working out at least 30 minutes a day does not take a long time, can relieve stress and even make you feel energized.

Another exercise that is great to reduce stress is yoga. Not only does it work out the body, some yoga classes also incorporate mediation within the exercise.

Everyone is different; some people might want a more intense workout like judo or boot camp class, which can also relieve stress.

Massages are one more great way to alleviate stress because the body becomes relaxed, can get rid of knots and make individuals feel refreshed. One place to get a great massage is at a spa or at Sonoma State’s University’s Rec Center.

There are various methods to subdue stress that are easy, free and convenient. In my personal experience, I have done multiple techniques at once like going to a yoga class, and going on a green smoothie diet and I felt better the whole week.

Everyone has stressful moments, but these moments can be subdued with natural methods.

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News

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

National Preparedness Month sparks safety efforts Emily Hill Staff Writer

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n case of emergency, students may need to know what to do, where to evacuate or who to contact for help at Sonoma State University.

The Red Cross can answer all of those questions and more through their National Preparedness Month programs and classes.

National Preparedness Month is a nationwide effort to mobilize the American people to prepare for a disaster and build more resilient communities.

Across the country, government, businesses and non-profit organizations are holding drills, classes and promoting the importance of “Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Be Informed.”

The American Red Cross has developed free apps that make critical information about what to do before, during and after disasters easily accessible on mobile devices.

The apps include a “Make A Plan” feature that provides step-by-step guidance to help families develop a customized emergency plan.

Tim Miller, the Regional Executive Director for the six counties of Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, Lake, Humboldt and Del Norte, commented on what some of the do’s and don’ts’ of being prepared in the event of an emergency are.

“There are many, but some of the key ‘do’s’ are: Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Be Informed; turn to the radio and social media for information, make sure you communicate

with those you love as soon as possible after the event.”

Miller also advises students to not panic in times of emergency and to not expect immediate response from emergency personnel. He also said, “Don’t panic, run for the door The director for emergency management and continuity planning, Missy Brunetta, is responsible for the University’s emergency planning and preparedness.

“As required by federal, state, and CSU laws and regulations, the university maintains a Emergency Operations Plan (EOP),” said Brunetta.

The University prepares for a variety of emergencies, including earthquakes, extreme weather, fire, active shooter, epidemic/pandemics, hazardous materials incidents, significant utility outages and drought.

“This plan calls for a variety of responses based on the nature, significance and impact of an emergency or disaster on the ability of the university to operate normally,” said Brunetta. “While we have been very fortunate to have not had to activate all aspects of the emergency plan, the plan itself is utilized on a daily basis in how we remain prepared for an emergency.”

The University is continuously practicing emergency drills to test our plan and our preparedness, maintains a supply of emergency food, water and other supplies, participates in local, county-wide, regional and statewide mutual aid and cooperative relationships that increase our ability to respond during and after an emergency.

facebook.com The American Red Cross assisted the needs of many when a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Napa Valley on Aug. 24.

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our number one priority. We also recognize the need for us to return to teaching and providing core services to students as soon as possible after an emergency,” said Brunetta.

Starting this semester, the campus has implemented a new emergency notification system for the students and faculty.

This system will send out text messages, emails and phone calls in the event of a major

emergency. Students are advised to sign into their MySSU accounts and update their contact information and cell phone number.

As part of the Campus Safety Week, Oct. 13, the campus will participate in the Great American Shakeout earthquake drill.

At 10:16 a.m. on Oct. 16, everyone on campus will be asked to participate in a “Drop, Cover and Hold” drill. The emergency notification system will also be tested during this drill.

Speaker seeks to inspire students Nicole Detmers Staff Writer Using words to illustrate meaning is just one of the many goals Douglas Gayeton has set out to achieve; the idea that sustainability could be understood as a story, rather than a mere word or definition is another goal. “Your words can change the world,” Gayeton said at Thursday’s Lexicon for Sustainability Environmental Forum.

He explained the idea of food sustainability is essentially the notion of food stability.

The food that is consumed by an individual has an affect on everything and everyone around them.

“We are the first generation in the world to understand that we have finite resources,” said Gayeton.

It’s not just about the words. Gayeton’s words tell stories, specifically those that explain sustainability. Using wide-angle photographs with a soft-text overlay, Gayeton tells the stories of those making a change in their own worlds.

Examples of these include the “Good Food Revolution,” a story of a man named Will Allen who decided to create food stability for his community by growing food “that’s safe, wholesome and affordable to all.” Allen is just one of many stories that Gayeton is able to share through art and words.

Telling the stories of those making a difference and redefining the way each individual thinks about sustainability are just some of the values behind the Lexicon for Sustainability.

Sustainability is described as the conservation of ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.

Each story shared one common message: the

responsibility for change rests in the hands of the individual.

As a filmmaker, photographer and writer, Gayeton was searching for a way to explain the importance of understanding food that is consumed and where it comes from. As director of the PBS series, “Know Your Food,” he is the author of two books including “Local: The New Face of Farming in America” and “SLOW: Life in a Tuscan Town.” Gayeton’s work revolves around understanding and shaping words that are used when describing living a sustainable life.

“Do one thing today, buy something locally.

If you do one thing this week you can change the idea. Buy one thing locally and you will change the picture,” Gayeton said.

Sonoma State University is currently maintaining sustainable practices through the Do One Thing Today, which encourages students to go local, recycle and make a conscious effort to practice a sustainable lifestyle.

Other practices include school-wide recycling, efforts to go local in dining services as well as maintaining U.S. Green Building Standards in most of the buildings on campus as well as the residential halls.

Paul Draper, director of sustainability at Sonoma State and chair to the Sustainability Executive Committee, encourages sustainable practices by faculty and students.

“Last year we inaugurated a campaign for a Sustainable SSU called ‘Do One Thing Today”’or DOTT. Simply, it asks that every one of us do something for sustainability each and every day. And at the same time I think we feel better about ourselves, too,” Draper said.

The school is also hosting events such as Sustainability Day on Oct. 21 and the Cardboard Challenge that occurs on Friday.

TEXTBOOKS: Students, faculty need solution Continued from Pg. 1

out that 65 percent of students have opted out of buying college textbooks due to the increase in the price of course materials, and of those students, 94 percent state that they suffer academically because of the lack of course materials,” said George.

The hope for this resolution is to encourage

students, faculty and the university to work together in order to find creative solutions to help minimize the burdens of increasing textbook prices.

The high cost of textbooks is a big issue when talking with fellow students, and although this is only the first step, it’s also the most important one.

The resolution was voted on Sept. 19 and unanimously supported by the entire senate.

facebook.com Sonoma State University’s Multi-Cultural Education club officer, Lilliana Moralies, President Lacinda Moore and Vice President Ada Medina aim to educate students on diversity.

COMMUNITY: Club sheds light on diversity Continued from Pg. 1

to translate,” said Ada Medina, vice president of the club. “When I saw this I knew something had to change. The club at first was only meant for teachers but we soon discovered that diversity is needed in all parts of education not just the classroom. We need diversity in the community, most importantly in the library since that is a main source where parents and children go to.”

The celebration for Day of the Dead is just around the corner and the club was given the opportunity to have an altar for the celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, which will be held at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The club will not only celebrate the holiday, but will also use the event to promote the club so they can further better the community.

“We get to work in our community and network with potential colleagues and community leaders to learn from and understand how [the] club can help raise awareness of

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multi-cultural events and community,” said Moore.

An upcoming event in promotion for the club is a movie series that will feature a variety of film showings based on the month and cultural themes based on specific awareness months.

The club intends to include activities for each movie showing, as each film serves as a topic for discussion amongst club members, broadening everyone’s knowledge on ethnic backgrounds.

The Multi-Cultural Education club is a group of students that aspire to educate both the younger and older community, along with spreading the importance and knowledge of ethnic diversity. Each member has a common goal of bettering the community.

“I enjoy being in the club because I am alongside friends that have become family,” said Medina. “I am looking forward to making a change in our community, and also looking forward to learning and experiencing new things the club has to offer.”

News

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

M vice.com The ‘Yes Means Yes’ bill aims to change how college campuses handle incidents of rape and sexual assault as well as clearly defining the meaning of consent.

BILL: Campus resources available for assault victims The bill would also require the institutions to implement comprehensive prevention and outreach programs addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

“At The HUB, we are starting a men and masculinity program that will start this week,” said Mark Fabionar, director of The HUB, integral center for diversity, vitality and creativity student affairs. “This will give a space for people to identify as men to express the gift and challenges of masculinity and also what it means to be a man.”

The Men and Masculinity Program on campus is neither a response to recent incidents nor the recent bill that passed.

“This is something we decided to do this summer,” said Fabionar.

There are several resources for students on campus of sexual assault including: Deputy Chief Sally Miller who is considered a national expert in laws related to the Jeanne Clery Act and related reporting requirements, Sergeant

Judy Mefferd, who specialized in advanced sexual assault investigations and Joyce Suzuki who is the managing director for employee relations and Title IX coordinator for sexual assault complaints and discrimination.

Students can also visit Counseling and Psychological Services, The Hub, a resource which provides a platform for transformative and embodied learning.

“Hopefully, those who are victims will come forward and report these crimes. Police Services, in conjunction with our Title IX coordinator, will provide services that increase our chances for a positive prosecution and/or administrative action,” said Johnson. “To this end, community members are encouraged and can report crimes to Police Services at 707-664-4444 or through variety of ways.”

Those seeking further information are encouraged to contact the Sonoma State University Police Services, the HUB or Counseling and Psychological Services. Students can also visit the Sonoma State NewsCenter online at sonoma. edu.

Political science club hopes to educate Danielle Hansen Staff Writer

S

onoma State University is officially home to a political science club; a resource intended to bridge the gap between political science students and their careers following graduation.

Chartered this semester through the university, the idea for a political science club came last semester from a graduating classmate, according to club president, Adam Godbey.

That classmate helped with the chartering process, offered suggestions, and assisted in finding supporting staff for the club.

The club also hopes to bridge the gap for student and their careers, by finding out what the most popular careers are and what students are interested in pursuing within the field of political science.

“I think it is something every department should have and I am really excited to be able to have one,” said Godbey.

Throughout the fall semester, the club has focused on reaching out to as many students as possible.

Godbey spoke in political science classes in recent weeks, with hopes of increasing interest in the club among students and the university.

The political science club has many plans for the year but the primary goal of the club is to provide an environment where students and staff can gather and serve as resources to political science students at SSU. The club also hopes to provide a platform to allow for interesting and relevant speakers that relate to the political Science studies to come on campus.

The club hopes to be more than just a place that students can use as resource for academic information relating to political science, but also as an environment where students can share information relating to their goals and the field of political science.

Godbey hopes to not only make connections in the political community by bringing

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Student privacy act enacted by governor Amy Lee Staff Writer

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politicians on campus, but to create connections that will allow for internships to be offered to Sonoma State students of various majors and interests.

In the next few weeks the club will network with local politicians about future volunteers as well as future internship opportunities for students.

As stated in the club’s mission statement: The Political Science Club at Sonoma State University is an organization of politicallyminded students working to improve the quality and impact of the study of political science at SSU. The club hopes to connect students to the local community and the professional world through engaging resources and informative discussions of how to use our education in the field.

It’s evident that Sonoma State students spend a significate amount of time, energy and money on their education.

Godbey doesn’t want students to finish their degree and be clueless as to what careers they are interested in following graduation.

Information about careers after obtaining the degree is another resource offered in the club.

These resources are for anyone, not just students looking to receive their degree or minor in political science.

The club also hopes to bridge the gap for students and their careers, by finding out what the most popular careers are and what students are interested in pursuing within the field of political science.

Various career fields students may explore within political science include journalism, business and public administration.

The faculty advisor for the club is Cynthia Boaz, who couldn’t be reached for comment.

Godbey did mention Boaz offers great support to the club in both helping to charter and offering suggestions.

The Political Science club at Sonoma State University will participate in future club events in order to assist as many students as possible.

Meetings will start and be held on a regular basis in the coming weeks.

If interested in participating in the club and receiving more information, students are encouraged to contact Godbey via the club’s Facebook page: Political Science club at Sonoma State University, or via email at godbey@seawolf.sonoma.edu.

any people have concerns regarding online personal information safety, and rightfully so.

On Sept. 19, Governor Jerry Brown passed a new law protecting this information, which is called the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA).

California is the first state to pass such a law. Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg wrote the Senate Bill 1177 and Governor Brown then signed it off.

The bill prohibits companies from using personal information that they can gather from computer programs which students use.

This primarily affects grades K-12 and will protect information gathered through websites, services and applications.

“Senator Steinberg’s expansive bill to protect students’ personal information online is the vanguard for consumer rights in the digital era. Until this point, protecting students’ online information has been a Wild West,” said Richard Holober, executive director of the consumer federation of California. “This bill supports a consumer’s right to have their data used in a way that is consistent with how it was gathered.”

This progression is intended to make a huge impact on children and teens.

It will add a level of comfort to parents who were previously concerned for their children’s protection.

Considering the technology age people live in today, many schools use computers, iPads and other tablets on a regular basis.

This means students are on programs throughout the day that presumably ask for personal information.

Even if it’s something as small as how many people live in your house, which is still personal information from a student.

Having this protection act allows parents to rest, assured that this information is kept confidential.

“This is a win for kids, teachers, and California’s booming ed-tech industry,” said the law’s author, Senate President Pro Te Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) in a public statement. “We moved ahead of a problem by

working closely with educators, parents and technology companies to write a first-in-thenation law that also proves privacy and online innovation can be complimentary partners.”

Prior to this law passing, the only online privacy protection that was in place was when online educational technology programs contained privacy policies that they themselves saw as fit.

Now, all programs will have to follow the same set standard for privacy.

Sonoma State University senior Vera Massingill is the day-care coordinator at Dunham Elementary School in Petaluma.

Since students ranging from transitional kindergarten to sixth grade surround her everyday, this bill plays an important role in her life.

“Dunham has started using quite a few online resources like Khan Academy during daily classroom activities, and knowing that our kids’ information is officially protected has been a huge relief,” said Massingill. “With our own privacy being compromised so often, it’s nice to know that at least our kids are safe.”

Massingill holds these students near and dear to her heart, so knowing extra precautions are being taken to protect their safety adds a level of comfort for her.

However, this act won’t have a huge impact on all students in California. Evan Ferguson, IT help desk manager, doesn’t see this making a major impact on the lives of Sonoma State students.

He believes students won’t know for sure until time continues and their are results from this law.

The passing of this act prevents educational technological services from creating profiles on students unless it’s being used for clear educational purposes.

In some circumstances, companies were using data mining techniques to get specific information on their users.

Data mining consists of processes that remember what specific information people were searching on their computers. They then use that to target the specific ads that would cater to the desires of the users.

The Student Online Personal Information Protection Act will hopefully make a major impact in the safety and protection of younger students.

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Arts

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Demonic doll’s disturbing prequel Natalie Bergman Staff Writer

STAR // Alyssa James Professor of ethnomusicology, Laxmi G. Tewari, performed traditional Indian folk music at the Green Music Center on Saturday.

Traditional Indian folk music at Schroeder Meaghan Whitehorn Staff Writer

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eople flocked to Sonoma State University’s Schroeder Hall on Saturday night to embark on a musical journey through classic Indian culture. Laxmi G. Tewari, who holds a doctorate in ethnomusicology, led the audience on that journey with his supporting artists and the power of his voice.

Tewari, born in 1938 in northern India, is one of the leading Indian Classical Hindustani vocalists in the world. He studied extensively at the Banaras Hindu University in India and earned his doctor of music degree in 1967. He then moved to the U.S. to pursue education opportunities within his field and received his doctorate in 1974.

Since then he has travelled the world studying the traditional folk music of India and Turkey, produced multiple recordings of his own music, published several books highlighting Indian culture and become a renowned ethnomusicology professor at SSU. The seats of Schroeder Hall were filled with SSU students and general fans of cultural Indian music. Tewari’s reputation was reflected in the eruption of applause that followed him and his supporting artists’ appearance on stage. Vivek Datar was on the harmonium, Ravi Gutala played the tablas and Anirudh Vaze played the tambura and provided supporting vocals. They all settled themselves on a raised platform in the middle of the stage while Tewari turned to the audience and jokingly said, “I will sit here,” while motioning to a seat offstage.

As the supporting artists tuned their instru-

ments, Dr. Tewari took a seat at the edge of the platform, closed his eyes, raised joined hands to his forehead in gratitude and began to sing. His soothing voice combined with the soft instrumentation created a peaceful atmosphere in the concert hall.

The audience seemed mesmerized by the Classical Hindustani music, as all eyes were fixed on Tewari and each song was broken only by a pause for applause.

The performance was done in three different pieces of music; the first titled “Raga Samesvari,” a world-renowned rendition created by one of the Indian artists Tewari studied with in India. The concert program outlined each number and even provided an English translation of the words Tewari was singing. The images presented were poetic and beautiful, even in English: “Awake, awake of my mind. Night has passed. Now think about the future. Tidy your garden clean; plant fragrant fruits and flowers.”

The four artists performed with eyes closed or downcast upon their instruments a majority of the time, but the occasional smile would break through and sheer joy would add to the musical experience.

As the final song swelled to an end, Tewari graciously held his hands to his forehead once again as members of the audience were brought to their feet with cheers and applause.

To conclude his concert, Tewari asked the audience to stay and add applause as he gave each of his supporting artists a bouquet of flowers, which was returned with a bouquet for himself. Tewari smiled, thanked the audience in general, then disappeared offstage to greet and personally thank each person at the exit door for supporting him and his music that night.

bors are viciously murdered by their runaway daughter who is part of a nondescript satanic cult.

The murderess and her robed accomplice decided to ime after time, dolls have been designed in break into the Form’s house, as they hoped to attack horror films to make the audience feel un- them next. Upon intrusion and attack, the cultists settled and frightened. Demonic dolls have are promptly executed by the police. However, in become a horror movie staple. the bloody mess, the cultists leave an errant demon “Annabelle,” a prequel to the 2013 horror hit in the Form’s wake.

“The Conjuring,” hit theaters on Thursday. It kept The cultists, led by a young woman named the discomfort and creepy factor that many have Annabelle, set off a malevolent spirit that infected received from old dolls. It’s apparent that the film the doll that Mia had received from her husband. A “Annabelle” drew inspiration from both “The single blood tear in the eye, allowed the entity of AnOmen” and “Rosemary’s Baby,” even going as far nabelle to take up residence in the doll’s body. as to name the pregnant lead Almost immediately after character Mia, a tribute, being traumatized, the Forms most likely, to “Rosemary’s began to change in a new terBaby” star Mia Farrow. rifying direction. They moved Fans who enjoyed “The out of their home and into a Conjuring” were pleased to new one where spooky ochear of the film’s release, currences continued to follow however, one can see “Anthem. Mia is put on bed rest nabelle” without having and it became clear that she seen “The Conjuring” to was much like the doll herunderstand the story. “The self; outfitted in 60s chic, and Conjuring” provides little to expected to stay put. She was no context for “Annabelle,” ultimately on a shelf watching as her story took place long the sort of daytime television before the original ever ocshe proclaimed to hate earlier curred. in the film.

“Annabelle” opened Cooped up in a solitary, with footage from “The old-fashioned existence, Mia Conjuring,” where two is prey to the sort of toying a facebook.com young nurses talk about malevolent presence will do. their doll named Annabelle “Annabelle,” the prequel to Annabelle is no knife-wieldwho terrorized them in their “The Conjuring,” was released ing Chucky from the “Child’s apartment. The movie then on Friday.

Play” series, however her presflashed back to the circumstances that created this ence is eerie and uncomfortable nonetheless. Annademon doll, which gave viewers Annabelle’s true belle doesn’t speak and rarely moved, but she had origin story. modest telekinetic powers that allowed her to ma“Annabelle” is planted firmly in the late 60s nipulate things such as making a chair rock, turn off and began by introducing the audience to John and a TV set and turn on a record player. All of these Mia Form, the unsuspecting couple that ended up events terrified Mia with her husband away at work. having their world turned upside down by the pos- The demon conduit is hell-bent on taking over a husessed doll. Expecting their first child, the couple man soul, and Mia’s baby is her targeted candidate. settled down in their new suburban home, ready to This film is a mishmash of demonic possesbegin their new life as a family. Before their daughter sion, satanic killings, paranormal activity and is born, John presents Mia with the gift of a garish- vacantly-staring figurines. “Annabelle” is a guided looking doll, for Mia loves to collect vintage dolls tour of the era’s possession-saga aesthetics, consistand had already decorated the nursery with dozens ing of old-school wide shots, loud noises, showy of them. However, Mia’s thrill of excitement, seeing shocks and quieter creeps. the doll as a rare find, quickly turned to terror.

It lacks the exhilarating pull of “The ConjurThe horror began when their lives were vio- ing,” but as a side dish of demon-doll supernatural, lently overturned as the Form’s kind, older neigh- it suffices.

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Creating careful media consumers Ashley Ronsse Staff Writer

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new way to consume media has been introduced to Sonoma State university. Jennifer L. Pozner lectured about her book, “Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV” at the Green Music Center.

While Pozner read quotes and statistics from her research and book, she also showed clips from reality television shows to prove her points and engage the audience. “Project Brainwash: Why Reality is Bad for Women (and Men, People of Color, the Economy, Love, Sex, and Sheer Common Sense)” was displayed on the screen during Pozner’s discussion on reality television.

Pozner is a media critic, pub-

lic speaker, feminist and published journalist who has traveled to over 80 colleges around the country.

Her lectures have included media portrayals of women in media and portrayals of gender and race biases and politics.

Pozner is the founder and executive director of Women in Media & News (WIMN), a media analysis, education and advocacy group. Through this program, she led media literacy workshops and trainings to educate and spread awareness about the media industry. John Kornfeld, director of undergraduate studies at SSU, introduced Pozner to the audience and described her efforts as a media critic as “making the familiar strange.”

Pozner began her lecture by explaining how her book stressed the importance of reviewing “the

complex relationships between reality television show producers, networks, contestants and viewers.”

She asked the audience to become active, critical consumers of the media and to be aware of the cultural stereotypes that the media enforces and that are culturally toxic, especially through reality television.

Reality television can be a guilty pleasure and many people enjoy watching shows including “The Bachelor,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “The Biggest Loser,” “American Idol” and “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.” Therefore, Pozner’s goal is not to banish reality television shows, but to encourage critical media literacy, analytic practice, and activism.

Pozner said it is a common myth that reality television pro-

grams exist because of public demand. Rather the reason that reality television shows exist is because they cost 50-75 percent less to create so the media industry makes more money. Also, women only make up 25 percent of media directors, producers and writers.

Pozner also explained how advertising and product placement is another way that reality television makes money. Advertisers partner with media marketers to create reality shows that promote merchandise and encourage consumerism so that both parties make money. This is true of shows like “America’s Next Top Model,” which partners with CoverGirl to endorse makeup and products.

“Media shapes and reflects societal values, feelings, and ideas of what our space is,” said Pozner.

Reality television constantly

presents images that are “fundamentally damaging because of the power that mass media holds to deeply impact social and psychological understandings of how the audience view themselves and others.”

Mass media sends the message that society “does not care about what women think, society just cares about what women look like,” Pozner said.

Reality television shows including “The Biggest Loser” and “America’s Next Top Model” send a false impression that thin is synonymous with healthy and that fat is synonymous with unhealthy.

This message is damaging and causes body dysmorphic disorder in viewers. Studies also show that this message contributed to women and girls low self-esteem.

Reality television shows tar-

geted at women present an unrelenting beauty contest for them.

“America’s Next Top Model” “forces contestants to measure up” to this unrealistic appearance ideal. In addition to the concept of beauty being skewed in mass media, the concept of love is also skewed. “‘The Bachelor’ treats adult women like little girls that never outgrew their fairy tales,” said Pozner. “How would you like to be dating a man that sticks his tongue down 25 girls throats each night?”

Pozner recognized that reality television and mass media are entertaining and can still be enjoyed but it is important to be watching actively and critically, identifying the stereotypes and commercial plugs rather than letting them wash over passively.

Caillat’s uplifting new album

Marisa Oliveira Staff Writer

S

inger/songwriter Colbie Caillat has made a huge splash with brand new album “Gypsy Heart.” Caillat was discovered on MySpace in 2007 for her song “Bubbly” and became the number one unsigned singer in the pop/folk-pop genre.

She’s co-written songs for Hillary Duff as well as Taylor Swift. After seven years in the music industry, Caillat is in no way a new face in the pop genre. This album is a must listen to and it is much like the rest of Caillat’s previous work but well done nonetheless.

Her new album has 45 minutes of pure bliss, and with 12 songs to catch your attention. Caillat recently got off the “Gypsy Heart” tour to promote the album. She also just recently performed at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts on Sept. 20.

The first song on the album is called “Live it

Up.” Some of the lyrics are, “I’m unstoppable, I drop kick impossible, I live it up, live it up I live it up.” The chorus lyrics are very catchy and they are a personal favorite on the album.

Some of the music is a little slower, like the song “Try.” The lyrics are touching and sentimental: “Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards. You don’t have to choose, buy it all.”

Many of Caillat’s songs really speak from the heart, “Try” talks about how one doesn’t need to get others to like them. Songs like this motivate the listener to be inspired by themselves.

An absolute favorite on the album is called “Nice Guys.” It’s about how all the nice guys finish last because girls chase after the bad guys instead.

“She’s blinded by a smooth talker telling her good looking lies. She hates but she loves it, she hates but she loves it,” are a sample of lyrics from the song. It’s pretty catchy and it sounds like a radio song, so hopefully fans will hear it soon on the top hits.

One song that wasn’t quite a stand out was the song, “Land Called Far Away.” Though it was hard to pick a song that wasn’t a hit, this song goes on the bottom of the list for the album. The song is about how boys are distracting and being a princess in a land far away is just imaginary.

“Run along little boy, you’re just distracting me.

I’ve got things to learn and places I should be though I appreciate the way you feel for me. Truth is I’m miles away from feeling that kind of thing.”

There is a flurry of good quality songs on Caillat’s album. From slow to fast catchy songs, there is a good balance of music throughout. She released “Gypsy Heart (Side A)” in early June so that her fans had a chance to listen to the first five songs without having to listen to all the music at once.

The album was pieced together beautifully.

With Caillat’s touching lyrics and majestic voice, it’s sure to be a hit. They might not be hits just yet, but the songs definitely show a lot of potential for the upcoming months. “Gypsy Heart” makes one want

to find their inner free spirit.

facebook.com Colbie Caillat’s fifth studio album, “Gypsy Heart,” released on Tuesday after much anticipation from fans.

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Entertainment

Classic, cheerful Shelton

facebook.com The cast of The CW’s “Vampire Diaries” is back for season six of the drama.

‘Vampire Diaries’:

More mystery Sara Molenda Staff Writer

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rief associated with the mourning of death is the focus of the season six premiere of “The Vampire Diaries.” While some of the characters seemed to be moving on from the upsetting finale of season five, others had not adjusted that quickly.

Speaking of disappointment, last season’s finale left viewers on the edge of their seat grasping for an explanation. Bonnie (Kat Graham), along with the help of some other witches, was able to open up a portal to the “other side” where the rest of the gang was trying to save everyone who was stuck. The characters are all split up with different assignments in order to save everyone stuck in the other side and safely get them back.

While Bonnie was able to allow many of the characters back to reality, both Lexi (Arielle Kebbel) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) did not make it back. Equally important, the impact of allowing all those bodies through her was Bonnie’s ultimate sacrifice for the season finale.

Perhaps the only heartwarming moment of the last few scenes rested with Damon’s last (or so we thought) goodbye to Elena (Nina Dobrev) which could be described as sincere and fulfilled.

The last scene showed Bonnie and Damon, hand in hand, facing the music.

The first episode of the sixth season begins right where the last season ended. Each character is dealing with the grief of losing a loved one.

While Elena, by definition of the amount of horrible and somber things that have happened to her, should be curled up in a ball and crying her eyes out, “The Vampire Diaries” reminds how ev-

ery person deals with grief in a different way.

Elena has just lost the love of her life and her way of dealing seems to involve taking psychedelic drugs just to hallucinate Damon by her side again. Either way, she is ignoring reality in many ways and could also possibly be a danger to the citizens of Mystic Falls.

Stefan (Paul Wesley) has chosen to deal with his grief by running away from it. While the other characters think that he has been searching for a way to connect with Bonnie and Damon again, the truth is revealed that he has given up hope.

As one of the leads in the show that other characters look to for the next move, Stefan does nothing but disappoint the ones that need him the most.

Caroline has also chosen a passive reaction to the grief by hiding behind picnics with her mother, Sheriff Forbes, just outside the town limits. She plays the role of narrator at the end of the episode as a way to set the scene for viewers. However it seems that in past season she was intricate in bringing characters back together.

Many of the other characters have taken up new hobbies such as football, teaching and working in the neighborhood watch. One thing is certain; everyone is avoiding the reality of the situation. These Mystic Falls vampires can’t even set foot in their own hometown.

The episode leaves viewers with two reasons to watch the rest of the season. First, as a last act of desperation and heartbreak, Elena asks Alaric to compel her to forget she ever loved Damon. Second, the final moments of the episode showed a kitchen table filled with pancakes and newspapers occupied by two characters that viewers never thought they would see again. Perhaps for these vampires, nothing is certain. Not even death.

facebook.com “Gone Girl,” based on the novel of the same title by Gillian Flynn, was released on Friday.

A twisted box office hit Jenna Fischer Staff Writer

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here’s a new perfect movie for an audience who wants to be caught off guard. “Gone Girl,” released on Friday, started off as a light hearted romance with a dose of comedy. The movie was based on the novel of the same title by Gillian Flynn, published in 2012.

Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike are portrayed as an average married couple on their fifth anniversary. This anniversary takes a sudden turn when Affleck’s character, Nick Dunn, came home to the house in a mess and his wife, Amy, no where to be found.

Immediately, Nick called the police to investigate and Amy’s parents to fly to the couple’s hometown of Missouri to call a press conference. It is then revealed that Amy is actually famous and her parents based a children’s book series off of her childhood called “Amazing Amy.” Nick then became pressured to act like a seemingly perfect husband in front of the cameras to avoid ridicule.

The suspense of the police investigation to find Amy is interrupted by Amy’s flashbacks to when she fell in love with her husband. One of these flashbacks was of the night they met at a party in New York City. Nick’s humor won over Amy’s “cool girl” attitude, which led to a budding romance. One of the scenes of this flashback had great significance to the story, as well as excellent cinematography: Nick and Amy strolled down a busy alley in New York City where sugar was being unloaded into a bakery. One

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of the bags of sugar breaks open, creating what Nick calls a “sugar storm” which the couple then runs through.

From this point on, the movie consisted of plot twists, one after another. First, Nick is blamed for his wife’s disappearance and later accused of her murder, without her body being found. The anniversary scavenger hunt Amy set up led the police to a diary Amy had written; this diary had been the source of the flashbacks shown.

The beginning of the diary was the happy moments of Nick and Amy’s early relationship, but as it progressed, the diary took a dark turn into revealing a scene of abuse by Nick followed by Amy’s fear for her life and her purchase of a gun.

If one was going to see this movie, they should not expect any sort of “feel good” moments. The beginning of the movie set the audience up for a typical lover is kidnapped and then happily reunited plot line. This idea is completely shattered by extreme and unexpected events.

The movie itself is very entertaining due to the suspense of truly not being able to pinpoint the next plot. The light humor, tragedy and malicious action leave the viewer with a sense of plot whiplash. A hardcore suspense fan would love this movie, however, the casual moviegoer may want to think twice about seeing “Gone Girl.”

Some of the malicious actions of Amy could be categorized as psychological horror. This movie completely ripped to shreds the idea of the common rough marriage and replaced it with the most extreme version of revenge imaginable.

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Kirsten Reeves Staff Writer

ountry singer Blake Shelton has been one to look out for since the release of his selftitled debut album. The Oklahoma born, Tennessee-discovered singer has since then charted 24 singles, 11 of which were number ones.

In addition, Shelton has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and won several Country Music Awards.

Shelton is married to fellow country singer Miranda Lambert, who Shelton has done several duets with. When he’s not on stage singing, he’s working as a judge for televised singing competitions, most popularly “The Voice.”

On Tuesday, Shelton released his 11th album, “Bringing Back the Sunshine” which reached the iTunes number one top album spot. The new album consists of 12 songs, and featured two tracks with singers Ashley Monroe and RaeLynn.

Fans of Shelton can be rest assured that most of the new album stayed true to his musical style.

Happy-go-lucky sounding guitar licks and catchy drum beats go along with the occasional stroke of lyrical expertise.

The album kicks off with an energetic song, which is also the album’s title, “Bringing Back The Sunshine.” The song told the story of a man who tried to balance his love life and career, something listeners will find to be a common theme throughout the album. Memorable lyrics for this track include: “Miss you more than words can say. Guess we’ve got a little off track, but love knows a way back, through the storms and pouring rain.”

Shelton is really able to connect to a variety of audiences with a more serious and somber tone, as well as, one of a cheeky boyishness. “Neon Light” highlights on the latter, with lyrics such as: “I take a shot of ‘I don’t care what you’re doing now,’ chase that one with a cold ‘screw you.’” The upbeat, exuberant sound of this track is the kind of country music to blast with the car top down.

“Lonely Tonight,” featuring Ashley Monroe, tells the extremely common and clichéd story of a man heartbroken and lonely over a woman who he loved and lost. While this is a common theme in the country genre, once overlooked, this track is one of the most enjoyable on the album.

Shelton alternated between different melodies and forced listeners to truly appreciate the contrast between his and Monroe’s voice. Songs such as “Lonely Tonight,” are relatable to the targeted demographic, with lyrics including: “I don’t wanna be right, I don’t wanna be strong, I just wanna hold you till the heart breaks stone. When the sun comes up, we can both move on, but we don’t have to be lonely tonight.”

Shelton lost a bit of believability on this album, however, in songs such as “Gonna” and “A Girl.”

In these songs, the 38-year-old singer talked about sneaking out and breaking curfew, two things that don’t seem to line up with his personality. While the lyrics: “Had to steal, daddy’s car, park it far from her house, and throwing rocks at her window till she’s sneaking out” may seem familiar to 16-year-olds, they don’t exactly seem relevant to Shelton.

Overall, fans of Shelton will not be disappointed with “Bringing Back The Sunshine,” as it does stay true to his up-tempo and fun nature, with a twist to the lyrics. Many of the tracks, while remaining upbeat, tell sentimental stories which surprisingly work for Shelton. With the exception of a few tracks, it seemed that Shelton had grown up through his albums all while putting a bit more of himself into them.

facebook.com Blake Shelton’s ninth studio album, “Bringing Back the Sunshine,” was released on Tuesday.

Page 8

Features

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Buy-a-Phi money can buy it all Megan Minturn Staff Writer

A

t Phi Delta Theta’s 14th annual Buy-APhi Auction on Friday over 80 girls walked into Ballroom A of the Student Center with money in hand ready to buy their gentlemen of choice.

Portions of the proceeds were donated to the LifeStraw fund. This charity assists those living in impoverished areas without access to clean drinking water.

Money earned by fundraisers like Phi Delta Theta help to purchase LifeStraw community water purifiers, which produce clean drinking water and storage.

These purifiers can prevent waterborne diseases like worms, typhoid, diarrhea and other illnesses by removing the bacteria and viruses that are found in unsafe drinking wa-

ter.

Ladies were bidding on men who would take them to their cocktail, which is held on this Friday at 8 p.m.

This cocktail will include a night of dinner and dancing. Not only were ladies contributing to a cause by bidding, but they also were getting rewarded for their contributions.

The bidding process started when each man walked on stage to a song of his choice, while a projector screen listed funny facts about him. One even took off his shirt and started dancing, in hopes of making the women want to bid higher.

An alumni of Phi Delta Theta called for a bid which started at $20 and go up from there, depending how much the ladies were willing to spend on the man of their choice.

Most men would go for somewhere between $20 to $40, but some went as high as $115.

Girls had the option of bidding on a man together. Two girls could go with one guy to their cocktail. However, the ‘two girls for one guy’ offer could only happen six times.

Sarah Peterson and Katie Beerman did this with one of the men, Brendan Boyle.

Peterson told the STAR, “ I was going into it knowing guys were going in the $100 range last year, so I was expecting to spend between 80 and 100 dollars.”

She ended up spending $40 since she split an $80 bid with Beerman.

“I loved supporting my friends organization and that my money went to a good cause,” said Peterson.

Girls who attended the event did not necessarily have to buy-a–phi.

Junior, Isabella Banderia de Mello said, “I went in not planning on buying a guy, I heard it was a fun show just to watch, and it definitely was.”

Katherine Ratto, a member of Alpha Xi Delta agreed with Banderia and said, “It was a really fun event, super entertaining and I’m glad I got to experience it with some of my sisters.”

The overall reaction from girls in the audience was high energy and many seemed to have fun with the event.

“My favorite part about this philanthropy event is definitely raising the money and being able to do it in a fun, creative way is a big plus,” said Jovani Silva, Phi Delta Theta member. “Consistently having all the support of the people that come out is great, knowing that we are all working for the same great cause.”

Buy-A-Phi will be back again next year, raising money for a good cause while putting on an entertaining event at the same time.

Until then, watch out for their many other philanthropy events to donate to this cause.

STAR // Maud Busson The men of Phi Delta Theta strutted on stage as women bid to be there date to cocktail. A portion of the money was donated to LifeStraw fund to benefit areas without clean drinking water.

Artist lecture series features Kelly Inouye Sierra Smith Staff Writer

F

or any aspiring artists looking for inspiration to make a career with their work, the Visiting Artist Lecture Series presented by Sonoma State University’s art department is an opportunity for students to become exposed to people who have made themselves known in the world of art in our local community.

Every week a different artist comes to campus to share their work with students and professors, providing them an intimate setting for anyone to ask questions about their the process as to how they have become successful.

San Francisco based artist, Kelly Inouye, visited campus on Wednesday to share her story about how she became an artist.

As a graduate from UC San Diego and the San Francisco Arts Institute, Inouye assembled a lot of experience before her work was shown in venues such as the Morgan Lehman Gallery in New York and the Southern Exposure and Interface Gallery in Oakland.

“I feel like a total hobbyist,” said Inouye.

“While I was painting, publishing and selling my own work, I was still working full time.”

In addition to becoming a contributor to the San Francisco Arts Quarterly magazine, Inouye has had her artwork featured in New American Paintings and Water Color Magazine With students and other observers packed into the small classroom, Inouye provided an intimate presentation on her life story and journey into her artwork, specializing in contemporary watercolor based on ambiguous forms of popular culture that focuses on the concept of collective memory.

“It’s a bizarre and interesting way to be an artist,” said Inouye.

Inouye specializes in American television series between the 1950s and 1990s and their cultural shifts from when she watched them as a child to watching them now as an adult. Her biggest inspirations are from “Fantasy Island” and “The Love Boat,” two American TV shows that were both aired in 1977.

“Taking something superficial like television and teasing it with art is how I can show my views of the world,” said Inouye.

Inouye played some clips from each of the shows to familiarize the audience with where her art derived from before revealing

the artwork that paralleled them.

“I’m a fan of nostalgia. [Showing] this is to drive home the point of being attached to this stuff – I always find new things to dig into,” said Inouye.

In 2002, Inouye began her array of watercolor paintings in Brooklyn, New York, entitled the Sitcom Series.

The series focused on characters from different television series in addition to the ones previously mentioned, such as “Gilmore Girls”, “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” and “Charlie’s Angels”.

“It’s an intense way to paint,” said Inouye. “Watercolor is a tricky paint to work with because it evaporates quickly in humid weather.”

After showcasing some of her other projects in the making, Inouye went into some detail on how she became known in the art atmosphere.

She lived in New York through her adolescence and worked at a college bookstore and a screen printing factory full time during her early 20s all while painting and exhibiting her work on the side.

“I feel like a total hobbyist,” said Inouye.

“While I was painting, publishing and selling my own work, I was still working full time.”

After more than a decade, she finally became known in the bay area and has exhibited her work in multiple galleries.

She expanded her work enough to receive a Creative Capital award. This is an organization that has awarded over $30 million to 530 innovative artists through funding and career development service.

Nathaniel Haenlein, professor for studio art, runs the course that presents the Visiting Arts Lecture Series on campus.

He was moved by the creative spin Inouye established in the inspiration of her work on the Sitcom Series.

When Haenlein asked if Inouye’s work exemplified the lack of colloquialism, Inouye said, “There is no diversity in television and that’s troubling – it’s all originated in Hollywood and disseminated all over the world.”

After revealing some more projects underway for her artistic future, Inouye closed her presentation with the opportunity for any students to ask her questions about her experience from an aspiring artist to a locally known artist in the Bay Area.

“I think it’s important to communicate to young artists that you can do it on your own,” said Inouye.

The Visiting Arts Lecture series is an event that takes place every Wednesday at noon in Rachel Carson Hall.

The lectures are open to the public and seats fill up quickly, so make sure to stop by and be inspired by many artists of the Bay Area.

STAR // Edward Goquingco Students and staff members played life-size foosball as a pre-event before the actual tournament Thursday.

Kick-start to Lobo Fest Spirit Week Kimberly Paasche Staff Writer

A

huge life-size foosball court was placed smack dab in the middle of Pearson lawn on Thursday.

The Center for Student Leadership Involvement and Service (CSLIS) hosted the life size foosball games as a fun way to kick start the upcoming Lobo Fest spirit week.

“I am excited about spirit week in general,” said Mo Phillips the associate director of student development.

Lobo Fest starts on Wednesday, Oct. 8 with the Lobo Fest Kickoff Party at 5 p.m. in the Stevenson Quad, and will be filled to the brim with bouncy houses and slides. There will be music, free pizza and free T-shirts to the first 100 students to show up.

“Everything is free for students, and most events are in the evening or on the weekend,” said Micki Estuesta a CSLIS staff member.

Thursday will be the real foosball tournament. Each team will consist of five players, to sign up email cslis@sonoma.edu with contact info and all the team member’s names. The life-size tournament will be at noon and each round will last 10 minutes with single elimination. Prizes will be awarded to the top team.

“The foosball will promote team building. I wish it would

have happened sooner,” said senior Katie Bailey. “As a senior I think it’s an awesome way to end the year. I’m excited for future years. It will help build school spirit.

The Campus MovieFest finale will also be a part of Lobo Fest. The top 16 films created

by SSU students will be shown Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Green Music Center.

Sonoma Serves is a campus event with over 500 students participating in helping around the community. They will go all day Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Once students have cleaned up from Sonoma Serves, Light it UP-Be the DJ Glow Dance Party will start. There will be a short DJ lesson from 7-8:30 p.m. taught by a professional DJ. Once students are brushed up on their DJ skills, the top two will be chosen to perform with the DJ for the Light it up Glow Dance Party. The dancing will go from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., and will be located in the Grand Ballroom. There will be lots of free giveaways for students. Tickets can be purchased of picked up at the box office and tickets for students are free.

“It’s an exciting way to celebrate Seawolf pride. It’s a fun way to interact with other groups, and everything is free,” said Danielle Croegaert, a CSLIS staff member.

Ain’t no Party like a Lobo Party event is Sunday at 10:30

a.m. Lobo’s will have free breakfast, prizes and lots of freebies for students who plan to watch the men’s and women’s soccer games against Chico State starting at 11:30 a.m.

In-between the games there will be free food, prizes and swag giveaways.

From the show “Orange is the New Black”, Lea DeLaria also known as Boo in the show, will be visiting campus Monday, Oct. 13. She will have a comedic talk starting around 7 p.m., about being part of the gay community and her experiences. She will be there to help break down some of the barriers and help students part of the gay community.

Basketball season is back.

To kick off Midnight Madness will be held Oct. 14 at 10:30 p.m.

The TNT Dunk Squad will perform and one lucky student will have the opportunity to shoot a half-court shot to win tuition.

To wrap up Lobo Fest Rec and Roll will be held Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. in the Rec Center. The whole theme will be about balls, balloons and rock and roll.

There will be laser tag, human bowling and a balloon drop. Some of the balloons will be filled with prizes. There will also be bubble ball where student can be put into huge bubbles and bounce around.

“I think it will be a positive thing for the school, there is a lot of planning that went into each event,” said junior Mary Gannon.

Features

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Corn maze back for fall season Nataly Estupiñan Staff Writer

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alking through a corn maze with no sense of direction under the cover of darkness may sound like something out of a nightmare, however, in Sonoma County this means, the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch is back.

For the past 20 years Jim and Cindy Groverman have been providing the Bay Area with a little taste of the country between late September through the end of October.

Many local and urban visitors come visit the pumpkin patch to look at and purchase many of the interesting types of pumpkins and gourds.

Karen Foley has been working at the pumpkin patch for 19 years.

“Every year I think to myself, why did I do this? But then I remember how much fun it is to work here,” said Foley.

“Everyone is always in a good mood and enjoy coming from all parts of the Bay Area.”

The Groverman’s try to provide a different variety of pumpkins and gourds every year; this year they range from butternut squash, peanut pumpkins, knucklehead pumpkins, bottle gourds and many other interesting varieties.

Pumpkin prices vary by size. They can range from $1 to $15 or more, depending on the size. One can also find some

activities during the weekends and food vendors. The Petaluma pumpkin patch is open every day, but it often closes when there is heavy rainfall due to the fact that one cannot walk nor drive on the soil.

Aside from the simple entertainment of the unique variety of pumpkins, one can look at the adorable farm animals, race to the top of the haystack mountain or explore the amazing corn maze.

“The corn maze is a lot of fun at night,” said Liz Eadon, who has been coming to the pumpkin patch since she was six. “It is also fun during the day, but at night it is easier to scare my friends.”

The corn maze is open every day, but on Friday and Saturday night, it is featured as the night maze, and it is open until 10 p.m. Admission for the night maze is $9 and one can purchase a map, which is an areal shot of the maze, for $1.

Once one is in the maze, it is easy to become overwhelmed and feel completely lost even with the help of a map.

Luckily, once one reaches the first pinwheel, which is the first point in the maze where there is a selection of five different routes to choose.

There is a helpful guide who can show people where they are on the map and give clues for which route to choose.

From that point on, one will hopefully make their way to one of the two upper platforms,

in which they can see where they are in the maze and how far the second platform is.

Walking through the maze in total darkness, aside from being an adventure can also be a great way to scare others by making creepy noises, such as monkey noises that one mazegoer made throughout the entirety of being in the maze.

“Walking through the maze makes for a really great bonding experience,” said Abby Cruz. “I had a lot of fun scaring my cousins with random screaming.”

Clearly, the night maze is a lot more fun at night because people seem to really enjoy scaring other people, and being in total darkness. During the night maze one should definitely bring a flashlight for viewing their map.”

Some of the tips for successfully completing the maze in 45 minutes are to mark the map with a pen or thumb every time one comes to an intersection, and either keep to the right or keep to the left when choosing intersections or one will find themselves lost for up two hours.

The amazing corn maze was created 12 years ago and has become a wonderful addition to the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch.

The placement of the corn maze and the pumpkins are swapped every year and the corn maze is also different every year.

Country Fresh Cafe: A quaint breakfast Lauren O’Malley Staff Writer

B

y first glance you don’t see it. By second glance it looks closed. By third glance one’s pulling into the parking lot of Country Fresh Café in Cotati and wondering why this place has never been advertised before. Country Fresh Café is a small restaurant that has indoor and outdoor seating and a variety of menu options.

With weekend brunch serving different types of eggs benedict, omelets and french toast, the options were unlimited.

“I’ve never had such amazing coffee, I literally love this it tastes so fresh,” said junior Karina Whitehouse. With fresh coffee on the table and a chorizo omelette on its way, Whitehouse took in the surroundings and found that Country Fresh Café was an older building but a cute rustic décor.

“Its quality food at a decent price, I would definitely say this is a great breakfast and lunch destination,” said junior Nick Knepper.

Country Fresh Café serves farm to table food meaning all their produce and meat is from a farm in Petaluma and Santa Rosa.

Country Fresh Café is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with breakfast being their most popular meal.

Country Fresh Café serves meat and vegetarian options, along with different drinks.

All major credit cards are accepted at Country Fresh Café with spectacular servers.

“The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and nice, it was awesome how they

kept asking about the food and whether we wanted more water, all I felt were good vibes,” said senior Katelyn Robb.

Even a few visitors from San Diego were at Country Fresh and had felt that it was a random location but it was good food.

“I like the décor, it definitely has a country feel to it, and I like the patio, but I feel like they need to put an overhang on the patio so that there isn’t so much direct sunlight,” said Susie, a mother visiting her daughter at Sonoma State. “I like that Country Fresh Café is different than the [Black Bear Diner] and it looked like it would be good and serve good food.”

Country Fresh Café is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and only serves breakfast and lunch Wednesdays and Sundays, while serving all meals Thursday through Saturday.

The lunch menu includes panini’s and an assortment of sandwiches, while the dinner menu includes a select few options such as steak and meatballs.

The breakfast and lunch menu are the main menus for Country Fresh Café, with the dinner menu seeming like an additional option.

Country Fresh Café had a clean atmosphere, but the waiters didn’t clear a table off before having a mother and daughter sit down at the table, and even when they were eating some of the leftover food was still on the table from the past visitors.

The overall experience was new and refreshing, which included taking home leftovers because the portions were generous.

STAR // Lauren O’Malley Country Fresh Café on Cotati is a quaint restaurant that offers a large variety of meals, but only open Wednesdays through Sundays.

STAR // Sara Wildman Sonoma State University students attended Bowling for Boobs at Double Decker Lanes in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month and for a free night of bowling.

Bowling for the boobs Jonathan Angulo Staff Writer

O

ctober is the official breast cancer awareness month. It is a reminder to everyone that breast cancer is an important topic to discuss because it affects many women (and men, though on a lesser scale) in our society and Sonoma State University is doing its part to raise awareness.

On the first Thursday of every month, Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park hosts free bowling night for Sonoma State students between the hours 10 p.m. till midnight.

While some students always come for the free bowling regardless, tonight plenty of students showed up to support Bowling for Boobs. Bowling for Boobs is an event that was organized by the Associated Student Productions.

Paolo Ochoa was sitting at the Associated Student Productions (ASP) table while he talked and answered all questions students asked regarding Bowling for Boobs and other upcoming events.

“By coming out they are supporting breast cancer awareness month. It’s important to save the tatas,” said Ochoa.

National Breast Cancer awareness month is all about helping women and inspiring hope to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education and support services.

Upon first walking in, it was obvious that the amount of pink that the patrons of the bowling alley were wearing was not by chance.

Every lane was packed with young college students and perhaps 20 percent of people were either wearing pink or had a pink ribbon on. The venue gave everyone the chance to have fun with free bowling while also giving them the opportunity to learn about breast cancer.

“Our main goal is to make events fun for stu-

dents. There is not that much school spirit and we are trying to change that,” said Ochoa.

Alex Morris is a Sonoma State student who lives off campus and often tries to stay connected with her peers.

“Living off campus makes it harder to be involved with school activities, but free bowling night is one of the most popular events that they hold and it is a lot of fun,” said Morris.

There are many events coming up that ASP is planning in addition to free bowling night. Campus Movie Fest Finale is an event where films submitted by students will be screened at the Green Music Center.

DJ master class is an event about bringing student DJs together for a fun night with dancing.

Lastly, an event on Oct. 13 called “Coming out with Big Boo” from hit TV series Orange is the New Black is will be held in the Student Center, Ballroom A. “So many people suffer from breast cancer, it is important to raise awareness. I would like to hear about more events like this and fundraisers that are going on in our area” said Ariel Anderson.

One out of eight women will develop breast cancer and ASP’s event helped people realize the threat and importance of early detection when it comes to breast cancer.

However, even though the bowling alley had plenty of people wearing pink to show support, a lot of patrons seemed puzzled that the free bowling had a Bowling for Boobs theme.

Many students admitted going to the event solely to bowl and have a good time.

The next free bowling night will happen on Nov. 6 with the theme, Turkey Bowl. Students who bowl three strikes in a row will have a chance to win prizes.

December’s bowling theme is Lobo Visits Arendale, where the Disney movie “Frozen” will be screened during free bowling night.

Lyft: A new way of transportation Brittany Finley Staff Writer

L

arge pink mustaches attached to the front of a car are now something people see more often than not due to the new transportation method, Lyft.

Lyft, a ride-sharing company, connects people that need a ride with drivers in the area to ensure them with a safe, cheap ride. They aim to give riders a unique experience that will make them loyal customers.

Lyft makes the experience fun and they pride themselves on safety. It is also convenient because payment is made through the Lyft app.

Instead of carrying cash, the app charges the credit card saved to the passenger’s profile.

“It’s reassuring to have a safe mode of transportation that is college student budget friendly,” said senior Kelsey Ceccarelli.

Lyft launched in 2012, under the business Zimride, in San Francisco. Zimride was originally created for University students to organize rides back home for the holidays. Success was slow so it was decided to make a more accessible company and thus Lyft was created, and took off. Lyft allows users who seek rides to use their phones to find a driver.

“My friends and I use Lyft all the time, especially on the weekends,” said senior Megan Wade. “Lyft makes getting rides easy because it’s all done through an app so I don’t have to save my cash for a taxi after a night out. I have only had good experiences with Lyft drivers, they are all super nice and make you feel comfortable.”

The first step to utilizing Lyft is by downloading the app. Once the app is downloaded, Lyft will give first-time users a free ride. To request a pickup just tap the big green button and within seconds a match will be made with a driver in the area.

The Lyft app will show the user a picture of

the driver and their car so the passenger knows who they get in the car with. Lyft has their signature pink mustache so passengers can’t miss the driver’s car.

When the destination is over, the credit card on file will automatically be charged the fare and passengers will also have the option to add a tip.

Then, both the driver and the passenger rate each other on the experience. If the passenger rates the driver lower than a three on a scale of one to five then the passenger will never have that driver again, and vice versa.

“All the Lyft drivers I have met have been extremely friendly and approachable,” said senior Megan Sicard. “Lyft is also awesome to make students feel more secure by allowing users to see their drivers profile before hand.”

Lyft guarantees a safe experience. They do extensive background checks and criminal offense checks on their drivers. Each driver is given a mentor who meet with them and perform a full car inspection.

The STAR talked to Sonoma County Lyft driver Kelsey Healey who shared her experiences as a driver.

“The tagline of Lyft is ‘Your Friend With a Ride,” and I feel like since I am a college student I really relate to this since I am picking up mostly my peers,” said Healey. “Not only that I am taking them to familiar places, places I go to myself, so I can relate to my passengers and make them feel comfortable.”

Lyft provides a service to the public, now reaching 64 cities and expected to rapidly grow.

Lyft holds themselves to high standards to deliver quality service and keep customers safe.

“The Lyft drivers I’ve ridden with have all been extremely friendly, and expressed how much they actually enjoy their job,” said senior Giovanna Giacosa. “I feel more comfortable with them than regular taxi drivers, who usually don’t engage in conversation.”

Page 10

Sports

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Player Profile: Caylie Seitz Taylor Graham Staff Writer

COURTESY // SSU Athletics Junior Brenton Frame took three shots against Stanislaus.

Men’s soccer drops record to 6-4-1 Vasili Loufas Staff Writer

field. The Pioneers lead lasted less than 10 minutes once a Michael Arroyo shot, which was determined an own goal by the officiathe men’s soccer team took road trips to ing crew, made the game tied 2-2 in minute Hayward and Turlock this past weekend 63. The game managed to end up in overto squeeze out a hard-fought tie and a time even though the Seawolves were outtough loss. Cal State East Bay challenged the shot 6-2 in the extra time period, they held Seawolves, but couldn’t come away with the on and ended the game tied 2-2. This was win in what ended in a tie for both teams 2-2. the first tie of the season for men’s soccer.

Cal State Stanislaus knocked in two second half “We came out on fire and were really goals to run away with the 2-0 victory. The unfortunate to not put early chances away. two games didn’t help the Seawolves’ record The second half we came out f lat and they improve, but a tie and loss isn’t too much to by- capitalized on our mistakes,” said Mahic. pass.

The Seawolves couldn’t manage to score “It wasn’t the weekend we wanted it to a goal in the first half even though they outbe but we will get back to the drawing board shot Stanislaus in the first half 10-4. Just in and I’m confident if we work hard we can the opening minutes of the second half, Warput together a winning streak and get things riors player Gerardo Cazares fed the ball to back on the right track,” said goalie Mitch Jose Ramirez who would knock in the goal North. for the 1-nil Stanislaus lead. Around the Cal State East Bay was required to 64th minute, an SSU corner kick and header bounce back from early after Sonoma State bounced off the post and got cleared by Warplayer Chris Pihl netted the ball in the first riors defenders. Just before the 80 th minute, minute with help from midfielder Zanin Ma- Stanislaus scored a second goal to increase hic to start the game early 1-0. The Pioneers their lead 2-0. The Seawolves tried to prestapped in their equalizing goal in the ninth sure Stanislaus in the last five minutes of minute. After East Bay player Adrian Mal- the game, attempting three shots at the goal donado headed a cross-kick over by Javier in that time frame, but would come up short Martin, the header was saved but Malconado losing the game with a final score of 2-0. managed to shoot it again to send it in the SSU goalie Sean Taufer had two saves while net.

Brenton Frame and Mahic each took three The game stood tied 1-1 early in the sec- shots.

“We are very hungry to get back to our ond half. East Bay player Christian Gonzales took advantage of bad ball movement winning ways against Chico State and San in the Seawolf defense and passed it to his Bernardino this weekend at home,” said teammate Chris Lara to knock in the goal freshman Ian Rumbaugh.

Sonoma State will return to Rohnert to put the Pioneers up 2-1 in the 54th minute.

The Seawolves came back strong, unleash- Park to host Cal State San Bernardino this ing their offense and pressuring more up Friday. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.

T

Seawolf Sports Oct. 10 Women’s Cross Country at SF Invitational

Volleyball vs. Cal State Stanislaus 7 p.m.

Oct. 12 Men’s Soccer vs. Chico State 11:30 a.m.

Men’s Tennis at Santa Rosa JC Invitational All Day

Oct. 11 Women’s Tennis vs. Sonoma State Fall Invitational All Day

Women’s Soccer vs. Chico State 2 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Cal State San Bernardino 12:30 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Chico State 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer vs. Cal State San Bernardino 3 p.m.

Oct. 13 Men’s Golf vs. Sonoma State Invitational All Day

Courtesy of sonomaseawolves.com

C

aylie Seitz, a junior outside hitter on the Sonoma State volleyball team was named California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 22 through the 28.

In that week, Seitz helped her team in defeating nationally ranked UC San Diego in just four sets and Cal Poly Pomona in three. In those two games alone, she had 35 kills. Seitz currently leads the CCAA in kills per set and kills in the season. She is sixth in all of division II in kills per set.

Since Seitz was a freshman at Sonoma State, she’s continually a standout on the court. As a freshman, Seitz was second on the team in kills with 348 in the season and 3.14 kills per set. This was also the second highest in school history for a freshman. She was named Second Team All CCAA.

“She is so physically dominant. It is incredible, really. She has true strength and power like no one I have ever seen.”

In her sophomore season, Seitz was named Most Valuable Player of the conference and First Team All American, leading her team with 443 kills in the season and 4.03 kills per set. She was a vital aspect in helping the team go 26-6 in their season and making it to the second round of the NCAA playoffs.

Although she was seen as a great player in her first two years as a Seawolf, Seitz wasn’t willing to settle. In order to improve her game in the off-season, she started going to Crossfit in order to get stronger and increase her vertical.

“I set the bar last season really high for myself so I had to do something to be able to get close to the records I set for myself,” Seitz said.

So far, her off-season work seems to be paying off. In the 11 games they have played this season, Seitz is leading the team with an average of 4.68 kills per set.

“She is so physically dominant. It is incredible, really,” said Bear Grassl, head coach of the Sonoma State Volleyball team. “She has true strength and power like no one I have ever seen.”

With natural athleticism and strength paired with an extremely good work ethic, Seitz is hard to stop.

“My career highlight is breaking the kill record in a four set match and setting it now at 29 kills,” Seitz said.

As outside hitter, she is in a position that is usually high volume making it difficult to have a high hitting percentage. In the last five games, Seitz has been hitting over .400.

“What she is doing is comparable to having an offensive lineman in football lead the team in rushing yards,” Grassl said. “It just does not happen.”

Even though her stats are impressive on their own, Seitz’s work ethic and attitude are what really set her apart.

“Caylie is definitely a quiet leader on the court but she leads us by always working her hardest and that alone makes everyone else work

COURTESY // SSU Athletics Caylie Seitz joined the 1,000 kill-club this Friday.

harder,” said Calan Seitz, Caylie’s younger sister and a freshman setter on the SSU Volleyball team. “Seeing how far [Caylie] has come and how much she has accomplished encourages me to push myself and work as hard as she does everyday.”

When watching the team play, it’s clear that Seitz leads the team with her hard work and her attitude. You can consistently see Seitz yelling and cheering as the team does something good, and bringing them all together when they fall short.

“What she is doing is comparable to having an offensive lineman in football lead the team in rushing yards. It just does not happen” “My goal as an individual is to just be a positive influence on and off the court,” Seitz said.

With her constant improvement, her undeniable work ethic and her positive attitude, Seitz will continue to lead the Seawolves as they head into the second half of their season.

“This is just what she likes to do. She likes to be good,” said Grassl. “We do not even have to talk about it.”

Although she has had some amazing achievements already, Seitz is not slowing down any time soon. She has recently added another achievement to her list. On Friday night, in a four set match against Cal State Monterey Bay, Caylie joined her teammate, Kelsey Hull, as the seventh member of the 1,000 kill-club. By the end of the weekend, she was at 1,025 career kills, and the number keeps climbing.

“She has been excellent,” Grassl said to sum up Seitz’s play.

Seitz, and the rest of the Seawolves, will try to extend their record to 10-4 overall, while hosting Cal State Stanislaus on Friday at 7 p.m.

Sports

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

Women’s cross country takes third in tourney Aubrie Tolliver Staff Writer

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COURTESY // Marco Lobbia The Roller Hockey Club’s first tournament this season is scheduled in San Jose in late October.

Roller Hockey Club: Campus hidden gem Adam Roth Staff Writer

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rained all semester long, putting in countless hours in the gym, track and on the rink. Teammates are pumped up. Lacing up their skates in anticipation for the epic battle that’s about to happen. It’s game time.

Sonoma State University is home to many sport clubs and teams, however one club remains largely unknown.

The Sonoma State Roller Hockey Club’s mission is to bring roller hockey to as many people as possible; no matter how much experience they have in the sport. The team currently has 16 members ranging from all skill levels and ages.

Marco Lobbia, vice president of the Roller Hockey Club, said, “If you’re new, or if you have played for 10 years, we encourage anyone who is interested to come out and play. Just commit to the team and show up to practices with enthusiasm.”

Each player must supply their own equipment, which includes a helmet, hockey stick, gloves, shin and elbow pads and skates.

“Don’t be hesitant to get in contact with us, come out to a practice and try it out,” said Junior Alex Shearin.

“We had almost all of our 16 guys and girls come out to the first practice and were

able to run drills and have a good time.”

The team practices two times per week. The first is a dry land practice, which includes sprints, chin-ups, pushups and hill runs on Fridays at 3 p.m. at the track.

The other practice is held on an outdoor sport court in Santa Rosa on Saturdays at 1 p.m., where players hone in passing, shooting and skating skills.

“It’s a really awesome opportunity to play on a college team, it may not be NCAA, but we still have a lot of fun and play in several big games and tournaments throughout the season.”

Lobbia said, “It’s a really awesome opportunity to play on a college team, it may not be NCAA, but we still have a lot of fun and play in several big games and tournaments throughout the season.”

The team competes in the Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League and are also a Division II team.

The season goes from Octo-

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ber through March. The first tournament is scheduled in San Jose in late October. Due to the fact that there isn’t a local indoor rink, the team must travel to other locations such as San Jose and as far away as Arizona.

“We have some opportunities to travel to places like Arizona, Santa Barbra and Chico. It’ll be a great bonding experience for the team to go on road trips and play some other good teams,” said Shearin.

Sophomore and goalie for the team, Chase Watson, said, “I’m looking forward to playing in the San Jose tournament because that is my home town, it’ll be awesome to go back home and be able to play in front of my family.”

Lobbia said that many people don’t know about the club because, “We don’t have any games on campus. That makes it hard for people to come and watch because of the far away places we have to travel to in order to play.

But we encourage everyone to come to our games and support their fellow Seawolves as they take on rival schools like Chico.”

The team has doubled in size this semester and is always looking to add new players for future semesters.

For more information about the Roller Hockey Club and where games are held, contact Lobbia at lobbia@seawolf.sonoma.edu.

he Sonoma State women’s cross country team came away with a third-place finish overall at its annual 6K run Saturday at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa.

Overall, the event featured 60 runners from a total of eight schools.

The race began sharply at 9 a.m. and just over 23 minutes later, junior Maria Hurtado (23:37) crossed the finish line in 10 th place, the fastest time of all Seawolf runners.

Junior Savannah Silacci (24:59.65) and senior Tori Dwyer (25:04.93) finished the race within just one minute of each other. The two runners finished in 18th and 20 th place respectively.

Not far behind was 26th place finisher sophomore Breanne Brett (25:46.18), junior Kelsey Lopez (26:12.32) in 29 th, junior Brittany Smith (26:14.98) in 30 th, sophomore Christina Robinson (27:14.86) in 38th, freshman Michelle Padgett (27:46.70) in 39 th and freshman Sierra Downum (27:55.73) in 40 th.

“This is the year that I have seen the team become closer. That’s our biggest strength: we are running for each other.”

“Since it’s our home course, we use that to our advantage,” said Hurtado. “The way we prepared this year was by doing hard workouts on the course so that we knew what to expect throughout the whole race. That way, there were no surprises.”

It seemed as though their preparation and familiarity with the course paid off. The Seawolves (85) placed third out of the eight teams in attendance; an improvement from their previous race where they placed fifth out of six at the Humboldt State Invitational in Trinidad on Sept. 13.

As for this past weekend, the only schools to place before the Seawolves were Fresno Pacific (20) and Humboldt State (50). The schools that placed behind Sonoma were Dominican (107), Holy Names (123), William Jessup (140), Mills (187) and California Maritime (212).

The women’s cross country team has started their season off strong, which Hurtado believes is the result of great team chemistry and striding towards a common goal.

“This is the year that I have seen the team become closer,” said Hurtado. “That’s our biggest strength: we are all running for each other.”

Coming off a strong weekend, the team is going into their third race of the season on Friday, Oct. 10 where they are competing at the San Francisco State Invitational at Golden Gate Park’s Speedway Meadow in San Francisco.

The Seawolves are preparing differently for the race this weekend. The course in San Francisco is mainly grass, which differs from the course in Santa Rosa, which consists of many dirt hills. Therefore, the team is practicing running on grass and other surfaces to mimic what they will face on Friday.

The Seawolves have two more regular season meets left. The first meet is in San Francisco and the other in Santa Clara, where they will compete at the Santa Clara Invitational on Oct. 18.

The CCAA Championships are on Nov. 9 in San Bernardino, which is hosted by Cal State San Bernardino.

COURTESY // SSU Athletics Left, Maria Hurtado was the first Seawolf to cross the finish line.

at Mary’s in Rohnert Park Polish Sausage Pizza Our homemade crust topped with Polish sausage, peppers & onions, fresh garlic and lots of cheese.

Schultzy’s Oktoberfest Burger A burger topped with everything Oktoberfest, including a smoked bratwurst, bacon, sauerkraut and more.

And seasonal beers...

Wünderbier and Sam Adams Octoberfest Starting September 10 only at

101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park (707) 585-3500 • maryspizzashack.com

Smoked Brat Philly

Sausage meets sandwich!

Bratwurst topped with provolone, peppers and onions.

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Photo

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13, 2014

sonomastatestar.com

This week in photos...

For more, visit our galleries at SonomaStateStar.com

Buy-A-Phi Auction

www.sonoma.edu/sustainablessu/

Tues, Oct. 21

... and other days in the week

Weill Hall in the GMC... and across campus KEYNOTE

PANELS Three Pillars: What Do We Really Mean By “Sustainability”?

Shifting Frames of the Global Marketplace Students & Sustainability University / Community Partnerships in Sustainability How Germany Has Gone Green

FILMS “Disruption” | “Chasing Ice”

TOURS Student Center Kitchens Rec Center PRESENTATIONS

Fairfield Osborn Preserve

Environmental Technology Center CLASSES

PRIZES... & MUCH MORE!

Volunteer Service Ops through JUMP

STAR // Sara Wildman Phi Delta Theta held their 14th annual “Buy-A-Phi” philanthropy event where the men auctioned off themselves as dates for their formal dances. All proceeds go to the LifeStraw fund, helping impoverished communities have access to clean water.