Volume74 issue1

New dance album unfulfilling

P. 7

Beer appreciation program launched

P. 8

Men’s basketball faces defeat

P. 11

Sonoma State Star SINCE 1979

JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2015

VOLUME 74 // ISSUE 1

SONOMASTATESTAR.COM

Campus moves to ‘smoke-free’ Shannon Brown Distribution Director

S

onoma State University will officially become an entirely “smoke-free campus”, in July. The smokefree campus policy initially takes effect as part of a transition period Sunday where smoking will be permitted in designated parking lots.

Sonoma State joins CSU, Fullerton as a smoke-free campus as well as San Jose Sate University, which will become smoke free beginning in August.

The smoke-free policy will be discussed at student orientation this summer as the university prepares to put up signage all over campus. Sonoma State’s current smoking policy, which became effective Jan. 27, 2003, states that “smoking is prohibited in all campus buildings, including classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, offices, work areas, study areas, reception areas, meeting rooms, lobbies, hallways, stairwells, elevators, eating areas, lounges, and restrooms, and within 20 feet of all campus

buildings.”

With the new smoke-free policy, there will be no smoking while on campus grounds.

Georgia Schwartz, director of the Sonoma State Health Center, was concerned about the dangers of second-hand smoke among students before the policy was made official.

“Every day we don’t do something, people are being exposed to the dangers of second-hand smoke which are very real. Every year in this country 45,000-50,000 people die who have never smoked but have been exposed to secondhand smoke,” said Schwartz.

She believes a smoke-free environment for students will also help smokers quit smoking.

“Statistics show that when smoking becomes inconvenient or expensive or when people have to change their location, the smoking rate drops,” said Schwartz. “It becomes easier for people to quit or harder for people to become addicted.”

Many students seem to be

STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University’s basketball teams hosted a “Pink Out” game in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness on Saturday.

See the full stories on Sonoma State University’s “Pink Out” games on pages 10 and 11, and for more photos, page 12.

See SMOKING on Pg. 4

Transit cuts deal for students, veterans Aaron Walker Staff Writer

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ollege students and veterans in Sonoma County can now ride the Sonoma County Transit for free in 2015.

The only requirement is students show a 2015 school ID, and veterans are required to show a Veterans Administration or Sonoma County Veterans ID. Many people have reacted positively in regard to this new transportation option for students and veterans.

“Finally college students can ride the bus for free in Sonoma County,” said student, Kionna Crosby. “Freshman year my roommates wanted to go on adventures, but none of us had a car, so we were limited in what we could do.”

This is part of a one-year pilot program that is being funded by the county to test the impact of free rides, and whether or not the program will increase ridership. It’s believed that the free bus rides in Sonoma County will also reduce the amount of traffic around college campuses.

“The Santa Rosa Junior College saw a high day of 700 rides, while Sonoma State topped out at just over a 100 rides,” said Bryan

Albee, manager of Sonoma County Transit Systems.

Albee also said that other colleges offer “free” bus rides, however those fees are covered by the student’s tuition, whereas this program will cost the students absolutely nothing.

Instead the county is reimbursing Sonoma County Transit STAR // Edward Goquingco through the county general fund.

Students and veterans in Sonoma County can ride the As the year goes on Albee bus for free, beginning Jan. 1. is confident ridership will increase, and more students will trip via Sonoma County Transit, of transportation. take advantage of this generous they are encouraged to go to scWhile many students do program. transit.com, where they have a have a car, they are also encour“A few of my friends don’t full schedule of routes and times. aged to take advantage of this have cars, and they work at the The buses go as far north as Clo- program. Riding the bus sigmall,” said student, Chelly Ca- verdale, and travel as far south as nificantly reduces the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted, nas. “A good part of their pay- San Rafael. check ends up going to transporLiving off campus is sig- because for every person that tation.” nificantly cheaper than living on rides the bus, that is one less car Expenses pile up for stu- campus, but not having a car can on the road.

If this program is successdents in college, and for some make getting to school a chalful in 2015, chances are Sonoma students it’s a relief to not have lenge County will continue to fund to worry about transportation.

“When I went to University this program in the future.

Many believe that living on cam- of California, Davis, I lived off For students who are lookpus can be difficult, and asking campus and having the bus pass ing for more information about for rides can be a burden on made getting to school easy,” this program, they are encourfriends, but now students can go said student, Eddy Gibbs. “But anywhere in Sonoma County for when I came to Sonoma State, I aged to visit sctransit.com.

The campus bus stop is lofree. found getting to campus difficult cated in the front of the school, Not only will students save without the bus.” and don’t forget the buses will a significant amount of money, Now students have a reliable sometimes run early, so students they will no longer feel restricted means of getting to school each are encouraged to show up a few to campus or Rohnert Park. day, and there is no excuse for minutes ahead of schedule.

If a student wants to plan a missing class because of a lack

University systems in need of funding Rissie Markarian Staff Writer

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n recent years, both California State University and University of California campuses have faced the repercussions from major funding cuts by the state.

However, the CSU Board of Trustees remained hopeful when they requested $216.6 million last November.

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed their request earlier this month, and instead proposed a budget of $119.5 million.

Since the budget fell roughly $100 million short of what the Trustees were hoping, the 23 California State University campuses will only be allowed a 1 percent increase in enrollment as opposed to the 3 percent increase they would have had if their initial request was accepted.

Thousands of students will be denied acceptance.

That also means fewer jobs will open up in order to accommodate an influx of additional students “Well unfortunately, it’s exactly what we had anticipated,” said Anthony Gallino, president of Associated Students. “The gov-

ernor’s proposal is to augment the CSU support budget by $119.5 million over the 2014/15 level, consistent with his multi-year funding plan,” According to Gallino, the budget plan proposes a one-time funding of $25 million to address the CSUs most pressing issues, including maintenance and utility infrastructure needs.

One of the most pressing concerns for students is the possibility of tuition hikes in the near future. The California State University system prides itself on providing an affordable, outstanding education to all of its students.

However, lack of funding has led to a lot of issues with regard to keeping student debt to a minimum and actually allowing students to graduate in four years.

“At this time, the CSU is not considering a tuition fee increase for this academic year, making it the fourth consecutive year that tuition has remained the same,” said Stephanie Thara, public affairs communications specialist at the Office of the See BUDGET on Pg. 4

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Editorial

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

THE STAR

Spring 2015 Editorial Board Dylan Sirdofsky, Editor-in-Chief Peter Njoroge, Executive Editor Kayla Webster, Managing Editor Gustavo Vasquez, Managing Editor Kayla E. Galloway, News Editor Alexis Mills, Opinion Editor Brandon Stachnik, Arts & Entertainment Editor Jessie De La O, Features Editor Kyler Khan, Sports Editor Edward Goquingco, Photo Editor Amanda Saiki, Advertising Director Brennan Chin, Marketing & Design Director Shannon Brown, Distribution Director Eddie Blake, Editorial Cartoonist Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser

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

Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article: “New website helps students save money” It’s the start of the new semester, and guess what? Your teacher is demanding you to buy a ridiculous amount of books. What’s a college student to do? Features Editor Jessie De La O has just the answer, or does she? Texts.com is here to help you with all of your textbook pricing needs, just make sure you are using Google Chrome, since it’s fast.

Read the full story on page 9

Corrections/Clarifications The STAR values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication.

However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know. Please report errors to the editor at star@sonoma.edu.

Publication

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

Subscribing

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Opinions

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

Letters to the Editor

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.

STAR // Eddie Blake

A nauseating perspective

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lack lives don’t matter, and this is because there’s no such thing as a black life. The rhetoric created as a reaction to recent fatal altercations between police officers and unarmed African-American men are encompassed by phrases such as #BlackLivesMatter, #ICan’tBreathe and #AllLivesMatter.

Although truthful and far-reaching, they barely begin to swim to the essence of prejudice against African-Americans.

Even though any type of prejudice is sensitive to write, speak and protest about, it’s important the history and its residue in contemporary times be thoroughly understood. To dive right in, one must first be joined by the keen eyes of French psychiatrist and author Frantz Fanon.

His analysis on colonial psychology and more specifically, psychopathology, is important to understand if one is to even catch a glimpse of the nature of prejudice.

Fanon’s analysis in “Black Skin, White Masks” or “Peau Noir, Masques Blancs” is a helpful guide to swim with due to the way he breaks racism and colonialism down to its central parts. In addition, the way African-American individuals are treated in today’s society is arguably similar to how they were treated during the colonial era.

The contemporary situation is subtle at its best and utterly fatal at its worst. The black male isn’t castrated for sleeping with a white female in today’s world or lynched for similar deviant behavior.

He is rather treated fairly and humanely as in the case of Albert Woodfox who spent more than 40 years in solitary confinement in Louisiana despite there being no physical evidence connecting him to a crime in 1972.

A subtle example includes a situation last year where a

group of peers in Black Scholars United from Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College went bowling and were allegedly verbally abused and told “to go back to Africa” for “perpetuating the stereotype.”

The list goes on with the recent cases in Ferguson, Mo., and Staten Island, N.Y. where Eric Garner pleaded he couldn’t breathe.

As Fanon writes, “But the black man is attacked in his corporeality. It is his tangible personality that is lynched. It is his actual being that is dangerous.”

As deep as one is within the ocean of prejudice by now, he or she must keep swimming while solely focusing on the black male.

From Fanon’s existential and psychoanalytic perspective he (the black male) and the concept of projection are important.

The two main forces of sex and aggression are in play here and the black male is the subject of the projection. The other, whoever it may be, projects deeply held sexual desires, tensions and shadow aspects onto the black male.

Unconsciously, the black male is the shadow self. In turn, the black male becomes what Fanon labels a “biological danger.” Now take this situation and turn it into an obsession, and society reaches the boundary of the neurotic as well as a complex situation.

One is now in the zone of no return when it comes to prejudice. Things have gone too far. By now it’s clear there is no such thing as a black life, after having moved away from truthful rhetoric to uncomfortable psychoanalytic nuances.

As Fanon and Jean-Paul Sartre would say of this whole experience,“Nausea.”

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.

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E-mail all opinions to

star@sonoma.edu

Opinion

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 3

What does free community college mean?

Joshua Gutierrez Staff Writer

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n Jan. 8, President Barack Obama announced a proposal that will grant two free years of community college via video message.

The rising cost of education is a matter of great importance and I am glad that a conversation has developed to this point. So my initial response was elation. I am a product of the community college system. I received a total of 72 units from Sierra College and Mt. San Jacinto College.

But the elation I felt was quickly replaced by the realization that I actually earned money attending community college. So I began to think, what does free community college actually mean?

I join a majority of Americans in believing that education is key to joining the middle class and further. The first path I sought in

bettering myself was education. I immediately enrolled in classes at a community college.

As a Latino and California native, community college is very affordable. The largest expenses come not from attending school, but rather from housing, transportation, and general living.

A recent Pew Research Center study by Jens Manuel Krogstad and Richard Fry, report that about half of dependent Latinos enrolled in two-or-four-year colleges have family incomes below $40,000, compared with 23% of white students.

I fell well within this financial bracket, and therefore received the full benefits from federal and state financial aid.

It’s important to note that California is the largest community college system in the United States and is comparatively well funded.

Seventy-nine of the 96 lowest cost of tuition for public two-year schools are in California, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center.

Looking into the statistical data of Santa Rosa Junior College, provided by the Institution of Education Sciences, shows how much the state of California helps students financially.

In 2012-13, 56 percent of full-time beginning undergraduates received state financial aid, totaling over $1 million. This aid comes in the form of the Board of Governors (BOG)

Fee Waiver and CAL Grant.

State aid is especially helpful. In my case, the BOG waiver covered the cost of all 72 units I received. This left assistance from the federal funded Pell Grant to help cover all of my other expenses.

But arguably a more telling statistic is that only two percent of undergraduates at SRJC received a federal student loan. To compare this data, 37 percent of Normandale Community College of Minnesota students received a federal student loan. 46 percent of NCC students received state financial aid.

NCC ranks in the top 100 for highest cost of tuition.

The community college plan proposed by President Obama may seek to expand the lowcost accessibility for all states and races.

Obama seeks to mirror the “Tennessee Promise,” a program enacted by the state of Tennessee which provides financial assistance for students who maintain a 2.0 GPA and participate in eight hours of community service per semester.

The federal program will not require community service, but will require at least a 2.5 GPA to receive assistance.

An important attribute is that students, who normally do not qualify for federal or state assistance because their family is above the financial threshold, will receive help.

That assistance is in the form of 75 percent federal coverage for tuition, leaving the

remaining 25 percent for states.

“If every state participated, the proposal could help 9 million students and save fulltime enrollees an average of $3,800 a year,” according to the White House.

It’s important to note that this funding is not a subtraction to the Pell Grant. Proponents of the plan point out that allowing students to keep more of their Pell Grant may be highly beneficial to the plan’s success. It also may cut down on the amount of student loans received.

Critics of the plan vary in their arguments.

The most vocal is that this program will assist individuals who do not need it. They maintain that additional assistance toward low-income students will benefit more.

Another argument is community college is an archaic system. Twenty-two percent of students graduate within three years.

Though 80 percent of students want a bachelor’s degree or higher, only 20 percent of those students transfer to a four-year university within five years, according to the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Horn continues by saying online universities and professional certification programs may be more beneficial than funding Obama’s program.

In addition, reality of this program’s success is passing through a Republican controlled house and a Presidency that is nearing an end.

Breaking society’s norms

Alexis Mills Opinion Editor

R STAR // Kadie Anderson

Invisible relationships, it’s all for the show

Emily Johnstone Staff Writer

A ner.

s many of you may have already realized, Valentine’s Day is just around the cor-

Honestly, how could you not with all the heart decorations, bags of chocolates and TV commercials reminding us to get a gift for our special someone?

What if you’re single?

For those who are fed up with others asking about their love lives, two new applications were recently created in order to try and help called “Invisible Boyfriend/Girlfriend.”

After being featured in an article on a well-known website, Buzzfeed, the applications began to thrive.

With a one-time small fee, the buyer of the app actually gets to go through a library of profiles in order to pick whoever they want to start their fake relationship with.

You then make up a story of how the two of you met.

As if that’s not strange enough, voicemails, text messages and even

hand-written letters are provided in order to make it more believable.

The company behind these applications went so far as to state on their website that the reason behind their creation was to give people their lives back.

One of the co-founders was a divorced man with a prying mother who would constantly ask when he planned on bringing a new woman around.

He wanted both of these sites to give those who purchase a fake boyfriend or girlfriend the freedom from any infuriating relationship questions.

I can understand getting annoyed at the questioning from others. However, to actually spend money in order to take part in a bogus relationship is something that seems a bit farfetched.

At the very least, dating websites such as Match.com, eHarmony or even the newly popular Tinder, have a purpose to set up two single people in hopes of sparking something between them.

With these applications, the purpose is to create a way for people to lie to those in their life that care enough to ask questions about it.

However, if someone’s willing to lie to this extent, I feel it might actually be for a good reason.

The ‘Invisible Girlfriend/Boyfriend’ application isn’t really a problem. The real problem is the pressure put on singles to be in constant search for their special someone.

Within society, the relationship status of a person has become such a topic of interest that it begins to categorize a person.

“Single”, “taken” or “it’s complicated” are just some of the multiple options used to define a person’s relationship status on the ever so popular website, Facebook.

Today six out of every 10 Americans use social-networking sites; which tends to transform the way people experience their romantic relationships.

Not only do we have to answer personal questions on social media, but also to those involved in our lives.

It’s not always the easiest of topics to talk about. Some people may be faced with loneliness, which causes them to take drastic measures in order to hide it—like creating a fake relationship.

How could we care so much about how people perceive us that we’d be willing to pay to create a fake relationship?

While some people can be completely content without having a serious relationship, there are others who can’t take the questioning that can come from family or friends about why they aren’t with anyone.

I feel that is when the idea that something’s wrong with being single can begin to sink in. Truth is, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Being content in life has more to do with yourself than it does with anyone else.

ecently, I put a new quote on my wall that I wake up to every morning saying “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” This quote means more to me than is said on the surface. I believe it’s my constant reminder that I do not need to conform to the social norms—live how everyone else is choosing— and that I have the power to make my own choices on how I want to live my life.

Jay Meistrich, former employee of Microsoft and CEO of the app Moo.do, inspired me to think and live outside the lines of society just as he did.

A year ago he sold all of his belongings, left San Francisco and traveled to 20 countries. He ended up saving money compared to living in his apartment in San Francisco and achieved more than he had in the past.

The majority of people are not traveling because they can’t afford it or lack the courage to act. When in reality, this is just a concept we have built into our brains that we cannot afford it, and Meistrich proves through his experience that it is possible.

“I can’t afford not to travel. I’m bootstrapping a company and living in San Francisco was draining my savings,” said Meistrich in an article published in Entrepreneur magazine, explaining how he can afford to travel so much.

At this moment he is living in Bali where his cost of living is $1,200 a month, when in San Francisco his cost of living was close to $5,000 a month. His new nomadic lifestyle of living from Stockholm to Budapest not only was saving him money, he said, but also was increasing his perspective and productivity.

He proves through his success that the nine-to-five social norm for the working class limits productivity. He created the app called Moo.do that he continues to work on while he lives and experiences these new countries.

What Meistrich has done with being able to maintain his business

and income is a new possibility for my generation that was not possible 10 or 20 years ago. With our advances in technology makes these opportunities now available for people to realistically achieve.

Even from my own experience when I worked at an internship this summer in an office, going there day after day, I wondered how others or I would be truly happy with this lifestyle. Being stuck in an office during all daylight hours would not only leave me bored but burned out.

I truly believe that this nomadic lifestyle that Meistrich adopted shows courage to take a path that is rare but it paid off for him to have a life where he learned from worldly experience.

By going to the same office on a daily basis staring into the same screen with the same surroundings does not offer any new inspiration.

How can anyone expect anything new to happen if they repeat the same routine? Working while you are traveling to new places offers adventure where you can use knowledge from the world to keep you inspired.

Meistrich worked while he was traveling and found that it made him exponentially more productive and not nearly as burned out. He was more focused while working which gave him more time to expand his worldly knowledge and be able to see the world.

He has been able to travel the world not as a vacation, but a lifestyle. Through this nomadic lifestyle he is able to continue to go farther than he was ever able to by staying in one place.

Traveling expanded his mind and creativity by experiencing new places, cultures and people. Instead of always knowing where his week would take place in San Francisco, he is able to go explore one-day at a time to use all the different places as inspiration.

For the people that do have courage to go outside of social norms, I admire them. It’s certainly not easy to go one way when you are constantly told that it will not work or that you should be living a different way.

But, what I got most out of his experience is that each person holds the power to make whatever choices they want in their life.

The boundaries society creates are not there if we are looking with the right perspective. You have to be brave enough to truly go with your heart.

If we were meant to stay in one place our whole lives we would have roots instead of feet.

Page 4

News

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

News in Brief NORTH AMERICA According to reports from The New York Times, eBay plans to cut 2,400 jobs, which is a 7 percent decrease in its international workforce. The cut comes after a slow growth in its marketplace sector, which grew only 1.3 percent and is the slowest growth in years. EBay’s overall revenue was up 9 percent last year. The cuts will primarily be from the warehouse and logistics sector.

SOLAR SYSTEM According to reports from BBC, Uranus experienced an unusual mega storm in 2014. The storm reflected 30 percent, which is as much light as the planet does. The storm was visible primarily because of a glowing effect of clouds at a high altitude on the planet. In the article, astronomer Imke de Peter from the University of California, Berkeley concluded it was because of condensed methane gas, which turned into methane ice as it elevated through the atmosphere.

AFRICA Around 600 people were killed in 2014 by Boko Haram, which is a militant group focused on creating an Islamic state in Nigeria. Recent reports from BBC say the group was in a clash with Cameroonian soldiers and eventually 24 people were freed from their grip. 56 people, mostly women and children, may still be in the hands of the militants. The group burns down homes, abducts people and consistently attacks schools and the military in Nigeria.

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Student and member of Alpha Sigma Phi, Francis Lynch, passed away in his sleep on Jan. 15 of unknown causes. On Wednesday, the campus remembered him in a memorial with nearly 700 in attendance.

Unexpected death of student unites campus

MIDDLE-EAST

G ustavo Vasquez Managing Editor

Yemen’s government fell on Thursday, Jan. 22 because the president, prime minister and cabinet all resigned. According to The New York Times, the country is now leaderless and open to influence and activity from Al Qaeda, the militant group who also took responsibility for the attacks on Charlie Hebdo in Paris. This crisis is considered the worst for Yemen due to its magnitude and a civil war is feared to erupt soon.

NORTH AMERICA Reports from WIRED say Lyft plans to do away with the pink furry mustaches for more sleeker and modern glowing mustaches, which will float on the dashboard by using magnets. The change comes after co founder John Zimmer decided to make Lyft more sophisticated while catering to a diverse community. The new mustaches will be implemented in February.

STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University will be the second smoke-free California State University campus beginning July 1, 2015.

SMOKING: Policy to take effect in July Continued from Pg. 1

responding well to the new policy and the promotion of living a healthier lifestyle.

“I think it’s a big milestone for any college campus,” said freshman, Ambreana Burciaga. “It makes those who don’t smoke feel more comfortable around campus and it promotes a healthier living style that seems to go along with Sonoma State’s image of a positive environment.”

The policy, which intends to respect the rights of those who wish to smoke, is attempting to try and encourage community collaboration instead of a disciplinarybased compliance.

The UC Davis campus already has a smoke-free policy as of Jan. 1, 2014.

Based off their smoke free policy, Sonoma State wants to take an educational approach.

Student support for this policy has been instrumental in getting the police implemented.

Clubs around campus have been ac-

tively supporting this new policy all last year including the Student Health Advisory Committee.

Even after the new policy is implemented, the committee will continue to work with the Student Health Center to make its resources and services more available to students as well as continuing with their mission to promote good health and wellbeing among the students at Sonoma State.

The Human Resources Department is hosting a “Quitting Tobacco” class presented by Kaiser Permanente.

This class, which is open to all students, aims to educate students on the harmful effects of tobacco use.

An email of this event was sent to all students’ emails as a way of helping students transition to the new smoke-free policy much smoother.

Students looking to quit smoking can visit the Student Health Center on the west side of campus across from Zinfandel Residence Halls or call 664-2921 to book an appointment.

S

tudents filled the Grand Ballroom in Sonoma State University’s Student Center on Wednesday, to remember the loss of a fellow student, Francis Lynch who passed away in his sleep on Jan. 15 of unknown causes.

Francis Lynch was a senior at Sonoma State, and was to graduate this spring with a degree in communications and media studies. Lynch recently found a position as an assistant camera operator for Fox Sports.

Lynch was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity joining as Eta class in 2012 and was a disc jockey for KSUN Radio on campus.

“It’s a terrible tragedy when any student passes,” said Anthony Gallino, president of Associated Students. “I speak for the students when I say our thoughts and prayers go to the family in this time of mourning.”

Members of the Greek community at Sonoma State showed their support by attending the memorial.

“I didn’t know him personally, but I am going [to the memorial] to show my support,” said Michael Pearson, sophomore and member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

The ballroom was at nearly full capacity with over 700 in attendance.

“We didn’t know Francis, but we are here as a part of Lambda Theta Nu to support his loved ones,” said Lupita Calderon, junior and member of Lambda Theta Nu. Jake Scarpetti, member of Alpha Sigma Phi, a senior, and friend of Lynch created a fundraiser on gofundme.com to help support Lynch’s family.

Within eight days of being created, the webpage had over 300 contributors and over 1,100 shares on Facebook. The fundraiser raised over $18,000 to help Lynch’s family.

Scarpetti, members of Alpha Sigma Phi and Lynch’s mother, Karen E. Lynch are hoping to create a Francis Lynch Scholarship in honor of Lynch, for Alpha Sigma Phi members and students who they feel exemplify the kind of person Lynch was.

Members of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity organized the memorial, and roughly 115 members of the fraternity were present at the memorial to remember Lynch.

At the memorial a slideshow was shown with photographs of Lynch, and voice recordings from his weekly KSUN Radio shows. After the slideshow, members of Lynch’s family and friends shared stories.

Member of Alpha Sigma Phi and friend of Lynch, Gray Ishimatsu, took pride in watching Lynch grow and believes Lynch exemplified Alpha Sigma Phi’s motto: “To better the man”.

facebook.com Senior Francis Lynch passed away Jan. 15.

“Whether through his infectious smile or goofy laugh, he absolutely overflowed with positivity and ambition,” said Ishimatsu. “As his big, I always thought it was my job to set examples and help guide him though life, but now I realized that it was the other way around.”

The entire student body, Greek community, and friends and family spoke on behalf of Lynch to remember his life.

“These last few days have been really hard, but things like you guys [crowd] showing up have made it a whole lot easier for myself,” said Austin Szlendak, member of Alpha Sigma Phi. Lynch’s mother was in attendance and spoke before being given two bouquets of flowers from the members of Alpha Sigma Phi when the ceremony was over.

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming him [Francis] and giving him brothers and sisters he didn’t have at home,” said Karen E. Lynch.

After the memorial, friends, family and students gathered on the lawn of Evert B. Person Theatre for a candlelight vigil.

“Francis was an incredible student, one of the brightest at SSU-TV and had an incredible bright future,” said Alex Bretow, general manager for SSU-TV. “We miss him greatly and it is truly a tragic and sudden thing that happened. We wish he could still be with us.”

“You don’t accept it, but you learn to live with it,” said Scarpetti.

KSUN Radio will be holding a fundraiser at Mary’s Pizza Shack in Rohnert Park on Wednesday in honor of Lynch.

Twenty percent of purchases’ will be donated to Lynch’ family when the fundraiser flyer is shown. The flyer can be found at facebook.com/ ksunradio.

BUDGET: University system petitions for additional funds Continued from Pg. 1

Chancellor. “Instead of raising tuition fees, the Board of Trustees and system administration will work through the legislative process to urge the Legislature to fully fund the Support Budget Request approved by the Board of Trustees at the November 2014 Board meeting.”

Worries about tuition increases for California State Universities may be put to rest for now, but there is still much to be done to support the system.

Despite funding for both the University of California and California State University campuses increasing, the amount allocated to them is still not enough to fulfill their needs. The University of California campuses may still face tuition hikes as they recently experienced a scare during the fall 2014 semester, to which students responded with outrage.

The California State University system is petitioning for additional funding from the state of California before the budget announced

by Brown is finalized in June.

News

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

Free community college for working students?

Ciara Smith Staff Writer

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resident Barack Obama said to the nation in his State of the Union on Jan. 20, “In a 21st century economy that awards knowledge like never before, we need to up our game and do more. That is why I am sending Congress this bold new plan to lower the costs of community college to zero.”

The proposal for Americans to have free access to community college was announced on Jan. 8 in a White House video.

Students will still be responsible to pay for living expenses, fees, textbooks and transportation, but the proposal is intended to alleviate students from the financial burden of college.

The proposal would mean in order for community college to be “free” taxes will have to be increased in order to pay for all of students’ tu-

ition costs. Obama wants community college to be more affordable and accessible to students that don’t have much money but still want to pursue their dreams and goals.

Obama said to the nation in his State of Union, “I want to work with this Congress, to make sure Americans already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn’t derail anyone’s dreams.”

Obama’s proposal will require all Americans to do their part to help students have free tuition in the community colleges.

States must invest more in higher education and training for students.

Lastly, the students must take responsibility for their education by receiving a 2.5 GPA or higher and staying on track to graduate.

“I like [Obama’s] proposal but what aggravates me is [that] the GPA in order to have the free tuition is a 2.5. I think [that GPA] is low especially to get free tuition in commu-

nity college,” said Liridona Leti, a transfer student from College of the Desert. “If [Obama] raised up [the GPA requirement] to at least a 3.0 that would be awesome but other

“The fact that [Obama] wants community college to be free everywhere is a very big deal.” than that, that’s my only complaint I have about that.”

Since taking office, Obama has taken steps to expand federal support to help more students afford college, while calling for a shared responsibility in tackling rising college costs.

Edie Brown, an adviser and program coordinator, was a transfer student and recognizes how in the last 30 to 40 years, the cost of commu-

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nity college has risen significantly.

“It was tough because I wasn’t sure what I wanted and when I did take [community college] seriously, the cost had risen,” said Brown.

“I was paying less when I went to graduate school than the SSU undergraduates students had to pay which I thought it was odd,” Obama has been raised the maximum of Pell Grant award, heightened tax credits for education, making more efficient loans, grants and programs for students.

The costs of average community college tuition are about $3,347 and costs of average public college tuition are roughly $9,139 for undergraduates according to the College Board.

Students who earn two-year degrees often have less money to pay off from tuition and fees than students who earn four-year degrees, but the return on investment of a four-year degree greatly outweighs that of a two-year degree.

The feedback the bill has received by Americans has been primarily positive. Though many Americans oppose the bill because of the increased taxes it would pose on the nation.

“The fact that [Obama] wants community college to be free everywhere is a very big deal. Community colleges are a prime place for people who are reentry workers to re-educate themselves on different sectors of the economy,” said Anthony Gallino, president of Associated Students.

Gallino sees community college as a great opportunity for the U.S. to accomplish structural adjustments in the economy to open up new sectors. He also believes from a political standpoint, free community college is a good opportunity to improve the economy and something that should have bipartisan support.

Some people doubt that the legislation will be passed by Congress because the price of this proposal is roughly $60 billion over 10 years.

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Arts

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Kayla E. Galloway “Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of the Negro Baseball Leagues” holds historical photos and gives gallery viewers the opportunity to learn about African-American baseball history.

Truly a league of their own Kayla E. Galloway News Editor

B

rodsky recognizes baseball as a pastime that unites nearly everyone, without regard to skin color or ethnicity. “[Game seven of the 2014 World Series] went down to the last pitch, like a Hollywood script,” said Librarian Karen Brodsky in reaction to the 2014 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants This unity the sport of baseball creates serves as inspiration for Sonoma State University’s newest traveling art exhibit in the library.

The library is now home to a traveling art exhibit that displays the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues, beginning in the late 1800s up until the integration of baseball in 1947.

The traveling exhibit, “Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of the Negro Baseball Leagues,” is part of the Negro

“I hope people will come in and get a chance to read some of the stories about who these people are and what they went through and think about some of the things that [players of the Negro Leagues] had to go through for the love of the game.”

League Baseball Museum, located in Kansas City, MO. The exhibit explores the unique and diverse themes of black baseball throughout the course of history.

“It’s about the story,” said Brodsky. “I hope people will come in and get a chance to read some of the stories about who these people are and what they went through and think about some of the things [players of the Negro Leagues] had to go through for the love of the game.”

The art exhibit displays iconic images such as Pitcher Satchel Paige of the Kansas City Monarchs, who played in the Negro League World Series in 1942, as well as

baseball player Jackie Robinson who blurred the lines of color in baseball when he signed a professional contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945.

The art exhibit coincides with Black History Month, which recognizes the accomplishments of African-Americans throughout history and with Major League Baseball’s Spring Training, both of which begin next month.

The University Library Art Gallery has displayed over 150 unique exhibits since 2001, with this one featuring the history of black baseball in the U.S., and serving as the first of the spring semester. “[The library] is so fortunate to have this

space, and that [the exhibits] are so well supported by people on campus,” said Brodsky.

Brodsky sees the exhibit as something that tells a story that visitors can learn from.

She cites the start of segregation in baseball with an incident in the 1880s where white players refused to be pictured with their black teammates.

“Back in the 1880s, there were a few black players on white [baseball] teams,” Brodsky said, referring to a photo in the exhibit from 1887. “Somebody on this team refused to have his picture taken with a black player.”

That player’s refusal ties into the progression of American history with implementation of Jim Crow laws and such limitations that increased the color barrier in American sports.

Students are encouraged to visit the Negro Leagues Baseball exhibit in the library to learn more about the progression and integration of baseball in the U.S. For more information on the Negro League Baseball museum, visit nlbm.com.

facebook.com Comedy Central’s newest talk show program “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” is taking the 11:30 p.m. time slot previously held by Stephen Colbert.

New show with a new perspective Sierra Smith Staff Writer

“T

onightly, the Oscar nominations are out, and they’re so white a grand jury has decided not to indight them,” said Larry Wilmore in the debut of his new Comedy Central program, “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.”

Filling in the gap of Stephen Colbert’s “The Colbert Report,” the first black political satirist to host a late night show has surfaced on Comedy Central. Best known in his appearances on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” as “Senior Black Correspondent,” Larry Wilmore has taken over the 11:30 p.m. time slot Monday through Thursday.

Within the 20 years of experience in his field, Wilmore has written for TV series such as “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “The Office” as well as being a producer, actor and comedian in the span of his career.

In 2002, he was honored with an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.” Now as a new face in the realm of talk show hosts, Wilmore will join other hosts such as Jimmy Fallon and Ellen DeGeneres to share his critical perspective and comedic take on pop culture and current events.

Although the show is more closely related to Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show,” Wilmore’s focus is geared toward issues that are imperative to people of color.

“All of the good ‘bad race stuff’ happened already,” said Wilmore, addressing the protests in 2014 such as Ferguson and the Eric Garner

case.

With the same satirical commentary that makes “The Daily Show” more appealing regarding the address of controversial issues in the mainstream media, Wilmore highlights political issues in the point of view of colored individuals.

To make light of the issues that were discussed in his show, Wilmore mentioned that a “very powerful movie” was denied a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. Of course, he was talking about “The Lego Movie.”

“How did The Lego Movie not get nominated for best picture? God, this was shocking,” Wilmore said.

“Selma,” the film featuring the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and the black civil rights movement, also did not get nominated for Best Picture.

“Oh, black people didn’t get nominated for an Oscar?” said Wilmore. “Yeah, I’m mad I guess.”

However, with this new angle, will Wilmore have the ability to entertain the evening audience in place of Stephen Colbert?

His mordantly racial commentary and discussion regarding black protests, beginning from the Montgomery Bus Boycotts to Ferguson, with additional commentary from his guests on the show present a pressing case in discussing the racist connotations that these events reveal.

“We are in a relationship with the police,” said Wilmore, discussing with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker about the black protests in 2014.

“We’ve got to get into a conversation that’s leading with love,” said Booker in response to Wilmore, discussing a way that the protests can create a form of political and social change.

With a panel of guests, much like other talk show hosts such as Chelsea Handler, Wilmore introduces a new tradition on his show: Keep it 100 percent Real.

He described it as white people’s version of “Truth or Dare” without the dare. Essentially, he would ask a yes or no question to his guests regarding the topic of the evening, in which the premiere of the show discussed black protests, and the guests would have to be “100 percent real” with their answer. This addition to the show reveals the truth about what some people may think about racial relations or honest opinions regarding controversial issues.

All in all, “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” provides a broad landscape of perspectives on the controversial political and pop culture issues that are current in the media.

Wilmore implements a voice for people of

color in regard to issues that directly affect them. There are not many talk show hosts that profoundly discuss the problems that have risen from current American issues, such as the Ferguson protests, in a lens that welcomes the opinions of people of color.

Because of this, a wider audience containing more ethnic diversity can most likely join the immense realm of viewers that watch the daily and evening talk shows.

Before signing off, Wilmore thanked a friend of his: “A special tip of the hat and a wag of the finger to my buddy Stephen Colbert,” said Wilmore. “Thanks for making 11:30 p.m. special, my friend. Godspeed and good nightly.”

Watch out for more of “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,” airing Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central at 11:30 p.m. EST and streamed online at cc.com.

facebook.com Larry Wilmore discusses many topics in politics with emphasis in race issues in his program featuring a panel of guests he consults with.

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Entertainment

Page 7

An uplifting pop-punk revival Kimmie Jones Staff Writer

I facebook.com Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Guzman star in the new thriller “The Boy Next Door.”

Sexy, but bland Ashley Martin Staff Writer

“T

Review

he Boy Next Door,” a sexy thriller about a woman who goes too far with a mysterious high school senior, released on Friday.

The film, directed by Rob Cohen, mainly got attention for casting the beautiful Jennifer Lopez as Claire Petersen, a high school English teacher who gets into more than a little trouble when she decides to have an affair with the high school boy next door.

Knowing that Cohen is also the director of the infamously ridiculous movie “The Fast and the Furious,” it’s difficult not to go into this movie without a preconceived idea of its overall quality.

Similarly to “The Fast and the Furious,” this film is saturated with cheesy lines and obvious quips that are completely expected.

Claire, a woman in the middle of a bitter separation from her husband, is charmed by the neighbor boy Noah after it is made apparent that her husband, played by John Corbett, has been cheating on her.

Noah, portrayed by model and actor Ryan Guzman, seems like a kind young man as he helps Claire fix her garage door and befriends her bullied teenager son Kevin. However, audiences find that Noah begins to get too close for comfort to Claire.

Lopez, throughout the movie, gives a onedimensional depiction of her character, constantly speaking in a whiny voice that is not convincing of a respected English teacher.

Of course the film’s hair and makeup crew conquered perfection with Lopez, yet her madeup hair and glamorous makeup looked completely unrealistic given the several intense and dangerous situations she found herself in.

Hair never keeps that much shape and volume in a barn fire.

A scene that is totally laugh-out-loud worthy in this movie is one that consists of Claire and Noah conversing back and forth, sharing their mutual irrelevant knowledge of classic literature.

This whole scene is supposed to show a romantic bond forming, when in reality it’s just plain awkward to watch.

The most cliché aspect of this film is definitely the “innocent” glances Lopez and Guzman share through each other’s windows, all while Lopez sports lingerie and heels, and Guzman walks around naked for some creepy purposeful reason.

One can count the number of times that this scene has occurred over the years in different films on 20 hands.

One night Claire is asked by Noah to help him with a cooking problem, since he apparently doesn’t know that not everything belongs in a microwave. After they dine on half-microwaved chicken, Noah suddenly makes advances toward Claire, which are at first turned down because Claire is supposed to be a decent adult who doesn’t sleep with minors. Yet after hearing Noah claim there will be “no judgments,” she gives in rather quickly.

Watching the one sex scene in this movie, it’s safe to assume that Lopez’s manager pushed for a lot of camera attention focused on her “assets,” probably to distract from her inept acting.

Claire’s wardrobe mainly consisted of figurehugging skirts and tops, definitely being used as a distraction tool as well.

Guzman definitely has the whole Macy’s catalogue default model look going for him, which was not an advantage for him playing this part.

The psychopathic Noah, who eventually becomes obsessed with Claire after she “loves him and leaves him,” definitely needed a more unique actor to play his part.

His appearance was just not memorable enough, and left behind a half-fulfilled character.

One thing that Guzman did well with was acting insane and violent, punching a wall and using his martial arts skills to intimidate Claire Petersen.

The most disappointing part of this film is the fact that the talented Kristin Chenoweth agreed to act in it. Chenoweth plays Lopez’s sassy and strong best friend, portraying the character extremely well in every aspect, but watching her play this character was comparable to hypothetically watching Meryl Streep play an extra.

Yes, she has appeared in many mediocre films such as “Space Chimps” and “Deck the Halls,” but her outstanding performance as Glinda in the Broadway musical “Wicked” redeemed the actress, and therefore begs the question, “Why did she play such a minor part in such a ridiculous film?”

“The Boy Next Door” basically has the same storyline as “Obsessed” starring Idris Elba, the only difference being that the main character, Claire, willingly got herself into the inevitable trouble that results from having an affair, nonetheless with a minor.

Cohen’s direction resulted in the film completely being lost, while the writing sounded far too familiar and overused. This movie just goes to show that Jennifer Lopez should not quit her day job as a singer, and Cohen should probably start looking for “Help Wanted” signs.

facebook.com Ryan Guzman plays Noah, a teenager who’s lust for Claire (Jennifer Lopez) makes him more dangerous than she originally found him to be.

Review

n 2003, emo-pop fans were introduced to Fall Out Boy with their debut album, “Take This to Your Grave.”

Over a decade later, the band continues their success with their newest album, “American Beauty/American Psycho.”

This upbeat pop-punk album is Fall Out Boy’s sixth studio album and with their top hit, “Centuries” landing on No. 12 of the Billboard Hot 100, this is a huge comeback for band.

Although all six of their albums are so facebook.com different, they still have Fall Out Boys’ faFall Out Boy’s sixth studio album “Amerimous sound. can Beauty/American Psycho” released Lead vocalist, Patrick Stump, tears up yet Jan. 20. another album with his incredible sound along with guitarists Pete Wentz and Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley. ways be remembered.

The album is made up of 11 inspiring punk As every great rock or pop album, “Amerisongs that relate to those fans that are a little out can Beauty/American Psycho” does have its of the ordinary. share of love songs.

“American Beauty/American Psycho” gives Their single, “Favorite Record” is about that fans the feeling of understanding and accepting one love that makes one so crazy, where one themselves and how everyone has the ability to can’t even remember how to forget them. do great things in their lives.

It’s about the person who never loved anThe album’s single, “Centuries,” has been other as much as they were loved. given a Grecian warrior theme with its new muIn the song they sing, “and you can get what sic video. you want but it’s never enough.”

During the video the band plays the roles of With upbeat songs like “Uma Thurman” Greek warriors who battle in the coliseum with and strong musical ballads like “Immortals,” a very large, beastly man. each listener is brought through a musical selfIn the beginning, it’s pretty clear to the au- journey throughout the album. dience they are going to lose the fight. In the Written in the song “Novocain” are lyrics: end however, they win by using mind over mat- “Take this sideshow and all its freak and turn it ter and catapulting a rock into the center of his into the silver screen dream singing I am your head, cracking his skull. worst, I am your worst nightmare.”

The meaning of this song and the storyline These words explain that everyone who is in the video is no matter how small someone different and maybe a little weird ends up domay be or feel, they can always make their story ing greater things than those who are replicas of bigger, and make people remember them for everyone else in society. centuries.

Each song on this album relates to the unIt’s an anthem for the underdogs who rise derdog, and how everyone is capable of being above the rest. “Some legends are told, some amazing and it’s those who are willing to stand turn to dust or to gold.” out who end up rising to the top.

Not everyone’s stories are told, but if they With this album, Fall Out Boy will definitedo something incredible enough, they will al- ly be remembered for centuries.

Belle and Sebastian learn to dance Alex Sanchez Staff Writer

O

Review

band doing what they do best.

There’s a lot of juxtaposition and genre changing within the album’s 61-minute runtime.

The tracks that sound like classic Belle and Sebastian are almost polar opposites in comparison.

One of these tracks, “Enter Sylvia Platt,” sounds like it came straight out of the 1990s and early 2000s Europop scene, especially after following the simple “The Cat with the Cream.”

This being said, the sonic change doesn’t necessarily do well for the band.

It would make a longtime listener ache for the older songs, but not want to spend the money for five of 12 tracks that sound like classic Belle and Sebastian.

Unless they have a really open mind to the ways musicians tend to experiment, a veteran listener will not be a fan. Another drawback is the album’s 61-minute runtime, which is 20 minutes longer than anything else the band has released.

It’s a little bit daunting in terms of how long one is required to stay put and give their attention to in order to take the album in wholly.

There would be no problem with sitting for an hour to listen to something. In fact, there are plenty of great records from start to finish that play for over an hour.

This record is not one of those; it seems as if Murdoch has chosen to hide decency in filler and the overall impression of the record is something the band leaves up to the listener.

n Jan. 20, Glasgow chamber pop-band Belle and Sebastian released their ninth album “Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance” with Matador Records.

Peacetime abandons the Glaswegian band’s once acoustic pop sound in favor of a more electronic one that retains the catchiness and poppy melodies Belle and Sebastian laid out in the mid1990s.

Rather than solely acoustic ballads that had previously graced the Belle and Sebastian library, the sound is reminiscent of early-to-mid-2000s Synthpop from bands of the time like Hot Chip and early LCD Soundsystem or other acts on the DFA Records brand.

This newfound outlet for the band seems like a decision that came later than they initially wished.

As the record begins, “Nobody’s Empire” starts up with heavy synthesizer; it is hard to tell that one is listening to Belle and Sebastian.

Vocalist Stuart Murdoch’s voice is the only distinguishable feature that one could remind themselves what they are listening to as Murdoch sings of his seven year bout with chronic fatigue syndrome early in his life and the solitude brought about by it.

While there are still characteristics of “Girls in Peacetime” that resonate with the band’s earlier albums—their 1996 debut “Tigermilk” and the immediate follow-up “If You’re Feeling Sinister”—the record explores new territory it seems the band has always wanted to reach because the new sound is in fact well-executed.

The third track, “The Party Line,” sounds straight out of a 1980s new wave record: synthesizers and drum machines with a fade-in that lets loose a barrage of electronic bliss for five minutes.

It almost sounds like something one would hear on today’s Top 40 radio. It’s definitely an adventurous direction that Murdoch and company have taken on “Girls in Peacetime.”

Despite the heavy use of synthesized sounds, facebook.com Girls in Peacetime has a few tracks that retain the sound that popularized Belle and Sebastian as the Belle and Sebastian’s ninth studio quirky acoustic band in the prime of their career. album “Girls in Peacetime Want to “The Cat with the Cream” is an example of the Dance” released Jan. 20.

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Features

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

flickr.com Lagunitas Brewery to host the Craft Beer Appreciation Certificate Program which provides students with information about beer brewing, the business and appreciation of beer.

Craft beer program premieres next month Michelle Welling Staff Writer

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sommelier and a cicerone. Two different professions, yet their goals are the same: to provide expertise to the consumer about their respective beverage—wine for the sommelier and beer for the cicerone.

Those looking to break into the beer business need look no further, as Sonoma State University School of Extended Education has launched a shiny and new Craft Beer Appreciation Certificate Program.

The certificate program will give students an in-depth understanding of beer brewing, distribution and business and beer appreciation, as well as provide participants with professional credibility and good networking.

What’s more is class will be held at one of Sonoma’s favorite breweries, Lagunitas, and instructed by some of the biggest names in the business.

“Brewfessor” Jay Brooks, one of the program coordinators, has been writing about beer for over 20 years and has judged beer competi-

“The more people know about what they’re drinking, the more they’ll find what they like, and they won’t slide into that Coors Light habit,” said Ron Lindenbusch. tions on five continents.

Joining him is Ron Lindenbusch, who has been with Lagunitas Brewery since the beginning. Both Brooks and Lindenbusch have worked in beer retail before entering their current positions, making them well-versed and more than qualified to talk about beer.

Besides Brooks and Lindenbusch, program participants will also learn from 40 different guest speakers coming in from New Albion, the Brewer’s Association, Anchor Brewing Co. and more.

One undeniable fact that will act as a basis for the class is the often underestimated complexity of beer.

“I find it challenging to educate people properly—to let them know what it is they’re drinking. It’s intimidating,” said Lindenbush.

“The more people know about what they’re drinking, the more they’ll find what they like, and they won’t slide into that Coors Light hab-

it.”

The full Craft Beer Appreciation course is a 12-week program that lasts 36 hours beginning Feb. 18 through May 13. At $1,495, it is less expensive than most certificate programs— which is great news for hopeful beer business students.

The program will be organized in three sections: beer brewing, the business of beer (regulation and license) and appreciation of beer, including all aspects of sensory analysis.

Program coordinators have some key topics in mind that they will incorporate into the lessons, such as the significance of glassware, pH levels, and the differences and difficulties found in home versus commercial brewing.

However, with spring 2015 as the program’s maiden voyage, coordinators are very keen to implement other subjects of student interest.

And what better place to learn about beer than a taproom?

The Taproom & Beer Sanctuary at Lagunitas Brewing Company will be the classroom for all craft beer pupils.

“Lagunitas has had this space for a lot of years, and it just seemed like the natural fit for the subject. It’s a fun topic, you want to be in a fun place,” said “Brewfessor” Brooks.

The Craft Beer Appreciation Certificate has attracted beer enthusiasts from all over Northern California, a region known for loving craft beer.

But it’s not just the brewing that has people interested. Dean Brightman from Hercules is looking into a career transition to beer marketing.

“I’ve been a fan of craft beer ever since I’ve been drinking,” Brightman said. “I’m taking the class to expand my knowledge, and makes some contacts. Hopefully as a result, I’m able to write [a] beer blog myself, and see if I can get a job in the industry in some marketing capacity.”

For students interested in enrolling, they can register online or stop by the School of Extended Education, located at Stevenson 1012.

The popular new certificate is expected to reach class capacity in its first semester.

Inaugural Winterland provides entertainment, engagement

Olivia Johnson Staff Writer

O

n Friday students were given the opportunity to partake in a classic winter activity during this not-so-cold winter season. Associated Students Productions held the first Winterland inside of the student center ballroom, where students were able to drop their bags at the door, grab some skates and head onto the “ice.”

Charlie Baker, a senior at Sonoma State University, and special events director for ASP, came up with the idea of bringing an ice rink to the students months ago and the process of setting up the event has been going on ever since.

Baker held high hopes for the turnout and what the students would gain from this event.

“This was our first event for the semester,” said Baker. “It’s kind of our baby steps to creating bigger and more extravagant events that not only bring fun for the students, but help build the community as a group. Making [students] proud to be a Seawolf.”

The biggest question was, how does one bring an ice rink to the student center?

Set up started early in the day and consisted of many separate pieces that could be connected as a whole like a puzzle piece. The rink was made up of these pieces with a little bit of a solution on top to make the ice skating aspect more effective.

Baker shared a few of the struggles they encountered and the challenges they were forced to face, some of which consisted of those puzzle pieces not all fitting in the Student Center elevator.

Other problems included missing tarps that were needed to be laid out for the rink to go on top of. But there was nothing a trip to the closest store couldn’t fix.

Baker’s biggest challenge? Finding the location for the event. He said that at first they wanted Winterland to be held in the new Student Center parking lot. However, due to a confliction in scheduling dates, they were unable to go with their first choice for location, but luckily were able to book and set it up in the ballroom.

“This was our first event for the semester,” said Charlie Baker. “It’s kind of our baby steps to creating bigger and more extravagant events that not only bring fun for the students, but help build the community as a group.

The atmosphere in the room was a good one, and the ballroom was large enough to not only give tons of space for students to line up for the rink but there was also a disc jockey set up with tables and chairs all around.

Gabriel Duran, Baker’s right-hand man for the event was DJ for the event. Duran is a thirdyear student and is the director for Associated Students “Live @ SSU.” When it came to the entertainment aspect for the event, Duran was the man to call. He was the one that set up the DJs and the live performances that took place later in the evening, and was looking to bring a specific type of vibe to the environment, which seemed to be quite a popular one with the students.

“Of course we wanted the DJs just to pump

up the people coming, we wanted that cool atmosphere,” said Duran. “We know people like DJs, we know people like live music. We usually don’t do both so we thought, ‘Why not?’”

The music played an integral part, helping students to enjoy themselves and pass the time, especially if they were standing in line waiting to get on the ice.

Sophomore Jordan Merkin struggled with making her way around the rink but always had a smile on her face.

“As those would say the music is on fleek and the overall energy is a good one. The rink is a little hard to skate on but thank goodness for the side railings,” said Merkin.

In the words of Baker, “The Winterland event is just the beginning.”

STAR // Brennan Chin An ice rink was brought into the Student Center Ballroom and live music provided Friday evening’s entertainment.

Features

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

flickr.com Texts.com allows students to find the best market deals for textbooks and offers a free textbook exchange for students.

New website helps students save money Jessie De La O Features Editor

I

f you ask today’s college students what one of their top concerns is when returning to school, it’s how much they’re going to spend on textbooks. Students enrolled in at least 12 or more units are often required to purchase multiple textbooks for each course.

While Sonoma State University college students pay about $1,826 per year and California college students spend approximately $1,200 per year on textbooks, the rising costs to purchase these required items hasn’t gotten any better for them.

However, one company has found a solution to help college students save money when purchasing textbooks and provide other unique services, including a tool that aids in searching for the best online textbook prices.

Founded in 2013 by 2012 college graduates, Peter Frank and Ben Halpern, Texts.com provides a user-friendly, price comparison engine and free textbook exchange for students.

The website allows students to buy and sell their books at a reasonable price, as well as find the best book deals from other websites such as Amazon and Chegg. Frank and Halpern’s purpose for creating Texts.com was simple: convenience and the goal of creating the best possible platform for students.

“As current/recent students, we’re frustrated by the broken textbook aftermarket: over-paying only to under-sell a few months later,” said Jennifer Hamilton, a student and marketing intern at Texts.com. “It’s difficult to find students that have the books you want, and want the books you have; Facebook

Groups are disorganized and clunky, and services like eBay and Craigslist aren’t designed for the local market.”

The Texts.com website also incorporates other useful services, including a tool called the “Occupy the Bookstore” Google Chrome plugin, which is a lightweight plugin that is downloaded and only activates if the school bookstore’s website URL contains: bkstr.com, bncollege.com or neebo.com.

“You use the bookstore website just like normal to identify the books you’ll need, and the plugin automatically figures out the books you’re looking at and then overlays market deals right there on the page,” said Hamilton.

The plugin helps to easily identify and compare textbook prices from other websites without having to manually search for them.

“As current/recent students, we’re frustrated by the broken textbook aftermarket: over-paying only to under-sell a few months later,” said Jennifer Hamilton.

According to Hamilton, one benefit the “Occupy the Bookstore” tool has given students is an easy option to find fair deals for their books.

“Bookstores have benefited from controlling the ‘required textbook information;’ this tool helps break that chain of their power,” said Hamilton.

Texts.com is the only textbook-related service to build an easy-to-use Chrome plugin. The company’s main service is

Fitness app helps track multiple activities Samantha Cardenas Staff Writer

W

ith so many things for students to keep track of, from studying to participating in extracurricular activities, it can get a bit overwhelming. Many students are looking for different ways to relieve stress from their rigorous schedules, or are hoping to lose that extra pound they gained during the holidays.

Students need a one-stop shop where it will be easy for them to view all activities related to sports and fitness in one place while making it manageable to keep up with other things. Thanks in part to a brand new app, they will be able to do just that and more.

“I have a full load with my classes this semester and I won’t be able to go to as many sporting events as I did last year.

With the REC*IT app, I’ll be able to keep up with my favorite teams and not feel like I missed out,” said Steven Montano.

REC*IT is an app that makes keeping track of intramural and fitness activities a breeze.

By registering and selecting one’s university, it displays all of the games and activities going on around campus. From volleyball to dodgeball, and Zumba to spin classes, everything sports related is in one place. Want to up the ante on your workout game? See what days and times classes are available and add them to your activities list.

Some students are in favor of using the REC*IT app because it will help organize their daily routines.

“Me and my roommates have been wanting to workout more this semester, but we all have different schedules,” said junior Kristin

Russell. “By using the REC*IT app, we’ll be able to see what classes are available so we can all take one together. Since it’s an app and I’m always on my phone, it will be much easier to want to stay on top of my fitness so I don’t have to go through the Internet and look up class schedules.”

The app allows users to add events, games and activities to their calendars, and set up notifications that alert them of breaking news and events occurring. Not only does the app update you on news that’s happening on campus with local teams and activities, but also with news occurring all around the fitness and sports community, which are sent to your mobile device.

Other benefits of the REC*IT app are that if you find a team you want to follow or a class that you want to take, you can add it to your app so that you don’t miss out on important dates and events.

Users can view their schedules according to activity, as well as by date.

Another cool feature of the app is the ability to chat with local teams and their players. Each player has their own profile that displays their statistics and history with the team.

Through their profiles you can ask them questions about games or upcoming events, or you can ask fitness instructors about their classes.

Another app feature is being able to receive instant updates and team statistics. For example, if there was a game you were unable to attend but wanted to know the score and key highlights, they can be sent to your mobile phone when you enable the notifications option.

“I have a full load with my classes this semester and I won’t be able to go to as many sporting events as I did last year,” said sophomore Steven Montano. “With the REC*IT app, I’ll be able to keep up with my favorite teams and not feel like I missed out.”

Users are able to keep up with their teams and opposing teams to view standings and important league information.

By doing this, one won’t miss a beat on what’s happening with their teams and community.

they are a two-sided marketplace, which means they support both buyers and sellers.

When students search for a book on the Texts.com website or use the plugin, they will also see any relevant student deals listed, thus allowing them to connect with a student seller.

Students may prefer using this method of selling their textbooks instead of using their school’s buyback program; which otherwise may not give them the best deal.

English major Michelle Brady doesn’t believe she will utilize the Texts.com website to make comparisons in textbook prices.

“For me, when I buy textbooks, I don’t shop around for best price,” said Brady. “I’ve found as a student the differences in pricing is not enough to be worth the trouble of a) locating the book, and b) having it shipped to me in time for school.”

As in Brady’s case, who also holds down two jobs, she stated that the time element was another factor as to why the Texts.com website is not convenient for her.

Students selling their books can also benefit from using the services that Texts.com provides to its clients.

“Sellers benefit from avoiding paltry buyback programs,” said Hamilton. “They can compare market buyback deals from third-party services, and also benefit from selling locally within their community.”

One student who wasn’t familiar with Texts.com, nor its services was Sage Ryan, a communication and media studies major.

After logging in to the website, Ryan said, “I am most definitely going to use Texts.com for books I need this coming semester.”

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Sports

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STAR // Connor Gibson Left: Junior Emilee Osagiede wrestles for possession of the ball. Right: Cheerleaders were court side wearing their “Pink the Den” shirts.

Women’s basketball comes up short Faced two strong division opponents

Ancia Purdy Staff Writer

H

annah Sourek’s high scoring was not enough to put the Seawolves on top this weekend as they suffered losses to both Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The Seawolves drop to 6-10 overall and 4-8 in conference play.

Sonoma State University faced off against Cal State LA on Friday night. Sonoma State took the lead six minutes into the game on two free throws by junior forward Emilee Osagiede. They would then increase their lead to five on a threepoint shot by junior point guard Tanner Adams.

That would be the biggest lead the Seawolves would have in Friday’s game, eventually ending the half trailing by eight.

“Our energy is kept up in a lot of ways,” said Adams. “Whenever somebody makes a good play or a tough shot, there’s instantly adrenaline that runs through you.”

CSU LA continually scored in the second half until three-pointers by Adams and freshman guard Jessica Mitz cut the lead down to five.

A lay-up and three free-throws, all by Sourek, brought the Seawolves even with 13 minutes left in the game.

SSU’s biggest lead in the second half was three points. From there, the Golden Eagles took the game and outscored SSU 29-23 in the second half.

At the free throw line, the Seawolves shot 72.2 percent, making 13 of 18 attempts and made seven of the 19 attempted three-point shots. SSU also had 33 rebounds and six steals as a team.

Along with Sourek’s 22 points, Adams ended the game with nine points, all of which came from

three-point shots. Freshman JoNae Gonzalez added eight points on three field goals while the bench came through with 23 points.

“Coach Rigby is pretty good at subbing us out when he can see that we are tired,” said Acosta. “Our system keeps players flowing in and out and it works out in our favor because we have such a deep bench with effective players.”

Cal State Dominguez Hills opened Saturday’s “Pink The Den Night” on a 15-0 run just five minutes into the game. CSU DH would eventually increase their lead to 20 at 23-3, three minutes later.

Acosta and freshman Molly Donovan added six a piece in the first half, while freshman Carly Gill and Osagiede each contributed four points.

“The best feeling is when I can pass it to a teammate,” said junior Taylor Acosta, “and not only do they score but they also get the and-one.

It’s a three-point swing and good-feeling assist.”

Sourek scored the first non-free-throw points in the second half almost six minutes into the half, cutting the Toros’ lead to 13. The Seawolves would come within 11 on several occasions, but Dominguez Hills held on a 23-18 run to finish off the second half.

Donovan led with 12 points, with Sourek right behind her adding 11. Osagiede, Acosta, and Gill were 100 percent at the free-throw line, leading the Seawolves to an 82.8 percentage. As a team, SSU had three more steals than their opponent with 11.

“We’re looking forward to the second half of season,” said Adams, “and seeing how successful we can be after already having a good idea of what types of teams we are facing.”

SSU will continue conference play on the road for the next two weekends, starting with Humboldt State in Arcata. The game is set to start at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Seawolves Sports

sonomaseawolves.com Sonoma State University faced two highly ranked opponents (#16 Loyola Marymount, #2 UCLA) in their trip down to Santa Barbara.

Women’s Water Polo: Invitational Appearance Jennifer González Staff Writer

S

onoma State University Women’s water polo struggled during the Winter Invite in UC Santa Barbara on both Saturday and Sunday. The women’s water polo team was scheduled to play a total of four games last weekend.

All of these games played resulted in losses for the Sonoma State water polo team. Despite losing against highly ranked opponents and Southern California schools, the water polo Seawolves team members put great effort into the games and scoring plays.

The Seawolves’ first lost against California Baptist in a game that ended 9-3. In the first period they were unable to get anything going and had limited scoring opportunities.

It wasn’t until the California Baptist Lancer’s had scored four times already that the Seawolves responded with a goal of their own. Carleigh Robison scored two points for the Seawolves throughout

the game, but she wasn’t the only one to do so. Attacker Shannon Baer scored another one leaving the score for this game at 3 to 9.

Later, around six in the afternoon, the Seawolves played Azusa Pacific that turned out to have a similar finish to their previous game.

The game resulted in Azusa with a total of thirteen points and the Seawolves with six points. No. 14, junior Noelle Herrera, made two goals during this game with team member Carleigh Robinson adding some of her own during the first and second period. Goalie, Andrea Mallul, had a total of five saves and held Azusa where they were.

With the less than ideal outcomes on Saturday that resulted in losses in both games, the Seawolves were ready to start a new day on Sunday with positive attitudes and better outcomes than the day before. Despite their positive attitudes and fresh slates, they were unable to turn things around on the second day.

In the first game on Sun-

day, the Seawolves faced off against a tough opponent in 16th ranked Loyal Marymount. With goals scored from players Robinson and Brittny Hummel during second period, they caught the team up by a bit with a goal from each. The Seawolves showed greater offense on Sunday than Saturday even though the game ended with a loss for Sonoma State.

The last game of the weekend for the Seawolves was against UCLA, the second ranked team in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA). In the last few minutes of the first quarter, Seawolves showed their skills in making backto-back goals against the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins scored 13 more points after that, leaving the Seawolves with a 2-16 loss.

Although the Winter Invitation weekend didn’t turn out well for the Water Polo team, they will be attending the Triton Invitational the weekend of Feb. 7 - 8 in La Jolla.

Jan. 27 Women’s Tennis vs. Foothill College (Scrimmage) 11:30 a.m.

Jan. 29 Women’s Basketball at Humboldt State 5:30 p.m.

Arcata, CA Men’s Basketball at Humboldt State 7:30 p.m.

Arcata, CA Jan. 31 Women’s Tennis at Academy of Art (Scrimmage) 11:00 a.m.

San Francisco, CA Women’s Basketball at Cal State San Bernardino 5:30 p.m.

San Bernardino, CA

Men’s Basketball at Cal State San Bernardino 7:30 p.m.

San Bernardino, CA Feb. 1 Men’s Tennis at Saint Mary’s 10:00 a.m.

Moraga, CA Feb. 2 Baseball vs. Fresno Pacific 2:00 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond Feb. 4 Softball vs. Dominican 1:00 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Field

Sports

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

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STAR // Connor Gibson Left/Middle: Senior JJ Mina and Junior James Davis rise above defenders as they lead the team in scoring with 18 points each. Right: Sophomore Nathan Molony-Benjamin contributed in the paint.

Men’s basketball splits weekend games Kayla Kring Staff Writer

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anked sixth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference, the Sonoma State University Seawolves (6-5) had a bit of a rough patch after they lost four games in a row but with the comeback in Friday night’s game against Cal State Los Angeles (5-6), they walked away with a final score of 57-54 and a win.

With this new-found win in their pocket, it seemed that the Seawolves’ streak was turning around, and that they were now ready to face Cal State Dominguez Hills (0-11) on Saturday night at the Wolves’ Den. While the statistics show that last place Dominquez Hills had nothing to lose in Saturday night’s game, the Seawolves dedicated their time and energy into making every moment on the court count.

In describing the strategy he planned to use against Dominguez Hills, Head Coach Pat Fuscaldo said “To play our style basketball: inside out, ball movement, patience, taking good shots, sharing the ball and moving the ball around.”

This strategy is not only a wise choice, but a plan that contains all of our players’ strengths. Yet, the coaches must

also calculate in what not to do on the court in order to strive for excellence.

“To keep them off the glass, and contest their three-point shooters,” said Fuscaldo. “Also, they are very athletic and very quick. They crash the boards and they go to the offensive glass very well.”

With all this in mind, Fuscaldo hoped to achieve another win on Sunday.

While the Seawolves battled hard for their shot at victory, Dominguez Hills triumphed with a final score of 67-73.

After trading baskets most of the first half, the Seawolves found themselves playing catch up basketball for most of the game. The Seawolves found themselves down 26-37 at halftime on the strong play of Dominguez Hills forward Emmett Duval’s 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting off the bench.

“If we didn’t stop doing what we were doing in the first half, the second half was going to be worse,” said Fuscaldo.

“We had to play smarter, and we had to take quicker shots, and we had to move the ball better.”

“We just had to get back in the swing of things, we just wanted to come out and be more aggressive and win those fifty chance balls and we just couldn’t get it together, it was tough,” said senior forward J.J. Mina.

sonomaseawolves.com This year’s rivalry game will take place at Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats.

Baseball: Capital City Clash IV

T

Kyler Khan Staff Writer

his year, the final game in the rivalry series between Sonoma State and Chico State, known as the Capital City Clash, will be played in Sacramento at Raley Field, home of the Triple-A club for the 2014 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants.

The game will be played on Sunday, March 1 at 1 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online on the baseball page at sonomaseawolves.com.

Those who buy their tickets in advance at the link above for $15 will be saving $5 off the

day-of-game price and admission to a River Cats regular season game during their 2015 season.

Last year, the Capital City Clash was also the CCAA championship matchup. Sonoma State won in come-from-behind fashion, 10-7.

Raley Field was established in 2000 and was home of the Triple-A affiliate for the Oakland Athletics until just a few months ago. The Triple-A team for the Giants will play there for the first time this year.

The Seawolves open up their season at home against Fresno Pacific on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.

Tough indeed, in the second half the Seawolves tried to put their new strategy into action, the outcome was just as nerve-wracking as the last half.

With the Seawolves starting out strong and making the

“We can only take it one game at a time,” said Assistant Coach Natalie Wisdom. score 37-42, trailing by five, many audience members believed they had a fighting chance. Yet, with 1:05 left, solid free-throw shooting and missed three-point shots from the Seawolves sealed the victory for the Toro’s.

With this being the end of the first half of league play, the Seawolves will be facing everyone at least once again.

“We can only take it one game at a time,” said Assistant Coach Natalie Wisdom.

While the men’s basketball team will focus on the game at hand they will face Humboldt State this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in Arcata.

Photo Welcome Back, Seawolves Page

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2015

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For more, visit our galleries at SonomaStateStar.com

STAR // Connor Gibson Junior Center Hannah Sourek attempts a lay up as her teammates look on.

STAR // Connor Gibson The Sonoma State University Cheer team show off their routine as they are dressed in pink in support against breast cancer.

STAR // Connor Gibson Junior Guard David Ahern drives past the competition for the score.

STAR // Edward Goquingco Sonoma State University students welcome in the new semester by participating in “Winter Wonderland�

STAR // Connor Gibson Freshman Point Guard Carly Gill dribbles past the defender.