Volume74 issue7

Feminist play depicts real-life stories

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Softball wins series against San Diego

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Campus welcomes comedian

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Sonoma State Star SINCE 1979

MARCH 10 - MARCH 16, 2015

VOLUME 74 // ISSUE 7

Candidates face off in debate Rissie Markarian Staff Writer

A

ssociated Students presidential Candidates, Brandon Mercer and Nicole Dominique, faced off in their first official debate in Ballroom B of the Student Center on March 3.

Current Associated Students president, Anthony Gallino thought the hour and a half long debate went well and was pleasantly surprised to find most seats in the room were filled by concerned students.

The debate consisted of 18 questions on a variety of topics from problems faced in the California State University system as a whole, to issues indigenous to Sonoma State.

Garett Knight, the elections commissioner, allotted the candidates three minutes to respond to each question and a one-minute rebuttal to their opponent’s response.

One of the recurring themes of the night was communication. Both candidates agree there is a definite lack of communication between the

Associated Students and the student body. Both Mercer and Dominique believe much more can be done to inform students about campus issues and allow them to voice their opinions and help change policies.

Mercer and a fellow Sonoma State student developed a plan to brief students on campus issues and improve direct communication through popular social media such as Facebook and Instagram.

“Social media is definitely the next frontier of communication,” said Mercer. “We came up with an idea of a oneminute weekly presentation where a representative from AS gets up and runs through what’s going on on campus.”

Dominique believes email is the best way to reach students on campus and that “posters definitely [catch] their attention” as well.

She also wants to establish a connection with students by showing her physical presence on campus and speaking to them directly.

“Face-to-face communiSee DEBATE on Pg. 5

Faculty salary concerns continue Michelle Welling Staff Writer

T

he California Faculty Association released the first installment of the paper series, “Race to the Bottom,” on March 3. The first release, “Race to the Bottom: The CSU’s Failure to Fund its Core Mission,” illustrates how the California State University has flatlined its funding for faculty over the past 10 years, despite economic fluctuation.

Research conducted by the California Faculty Association reveals that given the same economic environment, other institutions of higher learning in California such as the University of California system, as well as California community colleges, produced different results in faculty salary by adjusting for inflation.

“Even though students are paying more in tuition, faculty salaries stayed flat,” said Elaine Newman, California Faculty Association chapter president for Sonoma State and professor of mathematics and statistics. “Faculty salaries have been flat for most

of the decade, when you take into account inflation, faculty have lost ground. At Sonoma State, average faculty buying power has decreased by $9,481 (adjusted for inflation) since 2004. This is a serious pay cut.”

Such a loss in purchasing power to this degree, is especially critical for California State University part-time instructors. As of the 2013-14 academic year, the California State University system employs more part-time instructors than full-time faculty.

This statistic produces several consequences, in particular, the effect that having a parttime faculty majority has on students.

In the report, the California Faculty Association insists faculty working conditions are students learning conditions.

Part-time instructors are often forced to fill multiple teaching positions at different universities to financially support themselves and their families.

It’s through the inherent relationship between instructors and students that See FACULTY on Pg. 4

SONOMASTATESTAR.COM

STAR // Niquie Wilson The Sonoma-Marin Area Transit railway is expected to open in late 2015 or early 2016.

Railway provides change in Sonoma County S

Aidan Guthrie Staff Writer

onoma County is set to experience the same influx of business and new residents experienced in other parts of the Bay Area over the last few years. Rents have risen more than 30 percent in the last three years, according to the Press Democrat, and this trend will only increase with the construction of the Sonoma-Marin Area Transit railway, or SMART. The new railway was voter approved in 2008. The railway already has a station built in Cotati and the system as a whole is scheduled to open at the end of 2015 or in the beginning of 2016. The repercussions of this new railway, both good and bad, will almost certainly change life for residents of Sonoma County, as well as Sonoma State University students.

The SMART railway is planned to stretch from Larkspur to Cloverdale with an initial stretch from San Rafael to Santa Rosa.

The train will rendezvous with the ferry terminal at Larkspur providing commuter’s access throughout the Bay Area such as Jack London station in Oakland and Marketplace station in San Francisco.

A pedestrian and bike pathway is planned to parallel the railway for all sections possible, but may have to detour in areas such as wetlands.

Environmental concerns have been raised over the railways impact on local wetlands but according to the SMART website all construction in wetlands areas have been environmentally approved by the state.

Sonoma County has gone through a spike in the price of housing and renting

in the last couple of years. This is due to the relative affordability of housing compared to the South and East Bay. The increase in high tech and service industry jobs in the Bay Area has created a higher priced market for housing that started first in San Francisco, then the South and East Bay, and now finally the North Bay. Then new train is expected to be an important new source of transportation for the local area. SMART’s environmental impact report states it’s expected to take 1.4 million cars off highway 101 annually, reducing traffic and eliminating 30 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Further, according to the Metropolitan Train Commission, SMART will add 130,000 new jobs surrounding the highway 101 corridor.

These statistics demonstrate that the trend of increased urbanization in Marin and Sonoma counties is here to stay, and probably accelerate.

“I think the new train is highly beneficial because Sonoma State is a sister school to San Francisco State,” said freshman Jazelyn Cabral. “It would help students like me who need a more convenient way to access the city for certain events that are held in the area.”

The new SMART train will enable students without cars to have increased access to cities like Santa Rosa, as well as the greater Bay Area. This would provide students with a wider range of easily accessible recreational activities.

“Since I am a student who doesn’t drive or have a license I think the train is a great option for students like me who don’t want to rely on others for transportation,” said freshman Lizzie Nunez The SMART railway system may make every day errands easier for stu-

dents without cars. Connecting with the ferry terminal at Larkspur means Sonoma State students and Sonoma County residents will have a new means by which to access major local airports via the ferry terminals in San Francisco and Oakland.

The Golden Gate Transit bus line, which spans from San Francisco to highway 101, is the major preexisting route of access to the city from Sonoma County without a car.

Freshman Cameron Almasi said, “The new train system will bring more accessibility to other areas and thus increase the livelihood of Rohnert Park residents.”

The trains will run frequent segments of two train cars at a time which is expected to mitigate interruptions with traffic. SMART is designed to operate on the preexisting Northwestern Pacific Railway corridor.

Critics have raised concern that the environmental benefits will be lessened using tracks that require diesel powered trains but according to the SMART website the environment benefits will still be significant in light of how many cars are expected to be taken off the road. In addition a magnetic or monorail would cost around $100 million a mile to construct, compared to SMART’s $7.7 million per mile being built on the preexisting Northwestern Pacific Railway track.

In total the cost of the railway and pedestrian pathway will be around $541 million dollars. Considering the jobs expected to be added to Sonoma and Marin counties because of the project, the environmental benefits and the general increased convenience of traveling throughout the North Bay, SMART may be well worth the expense.

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Editorial

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

THE STAR Editorial Board

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

Staff Writers Kory Arnold, Jake Burke Samantha Cardenas, Jennifer González Aidan Guthrie, Joshua Gutierrez Olivia Johnson, Emily Johnstone Kimmie Jones, Kayla Kring Rissie Markarian Ashley Martin Ancia Purdy, Alex Sanchez Ciara Smith, Sierra Smith, Aaron Walker, Michelle Welling

Photographers Connor Gibson, Niquie Wilson

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:

“Vince Vaugh film offers no potential” What’s the best thing about watching a really bad movie? Being able to express yourself about just how much it sucks. Staff Writer Jake Burke does just that in his review of “Unfinished Business,” in a way that’s so unapologetic and honest, we almost want to see the film for ourselves.

Read the review 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.

Opinions

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

Letters to the Editor

Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 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 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. To send a letter to the editor email star@sonoma.edu.

A

Wake up and smell the fee

successful fee is one that will only cost a cup of coffee.

Sonoma State University students have become numb to the idea of paying more for their education in recent years, but skipping that Starbucks fix is worth it today.

This week, students are being asked to vote on a proposal to boost student fees $3 each year for the next four years. Further, students should support this measure.

It’s a modest increase that has the potential to provide critical funding for some vital campus programs including the Tutorial Center, Join Us Making Progress and the Children’s School.

A mission to enrich the lives of Seawolves, Associated Students feels this increase will do just that, by accommodating change in the nature of the campus, in particular with population growth. The most noticeable change being an upsurge of about 1,000 more students this year.

The last Associated Students fee increase was in 2008—a lot has changed since then.

One of the more obvious changes is the Student Center, one of the newest additions to the campus, which has caused a shift in the way Seawolves interact. With having many accessibilities in one place, students know exactly where they can go to get what’s needed, instead of how spread out things used to be.

This fee aims to not only assist with the building’s large scale changes, but primarily provide more funding to other campus entities, such as Join Us Making Progress, a student community service program, Associated Students Productions, for programs and events organized by students, and the Children’s School, an early childhood education center.

While there are other financially supported involvements by Associated Students like various clubs, organizations, scholarships, grants and the Center for Student Leadership Involvement and Service, the first to have the

STAR // Eddie Blake

Yet it doesn’t take away from the fact something needs to change, and Associated Students has considered every possible alternative, numbering it down to this as the sole option. most impact by this fee is the Tutorial Center.

Now, one might ask, how many of these are actually utilized by the majority of students, and why should they vote on it if it’s coming out of their own pockets?

Sure, the most effective argument is students simply shouldn’t have to pay for this.

However, Associated Students agrees with this notion, yet understands there is no other answer.

With the way things are right now, this was the only option. An increase of $3 over the next four years, beginning in the 2015-16 academic year,

has the first portion going directly to the Tutorial Center, an organization in desperate need of more help.

The current fee of $99 will eventually make its way to $111 by the 2018-19 academic year, prior to Consumer Price Index adjustments.

One concern to consider is if this will actually completely solve the problem, or will students simply end up having to pay for other things down the line? No one can predict what the future holds; especially when everyone involved in the original vote will have graduated, hopefully. It’s assured this fee is an

investment future Seawolves will have to take note of.

Yet it doesn’t take away from the fact something needs to change, and Associated Students has considered every possible alternative, numbering it down to this as the sole option.

In an ideal world, students shouldn’t have to pay for this, or anything for that matter.

But this is the reality of the situation right now, and with that, students need to wake up and smell something other than the coffee. At least a few times in the next four years won’t hurt.

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.

Letters to the Editor

Education needs to educate better

D

ear Editor, Your Feb. 24 to March 2 edition included a Letter to the Editor from Mia James of Santa Rosa complaining of illiteracy in the STAR. Ironically, just a turn of the page brought one to the article entitled, “Recent study finds college freshman [sic] party less, study more,” which dramatically proved her point.

I counted 45 errors in the article, including the one in the title (The plural of “freshman” is “freshmen”; the latter word never appeared in the article, though it was appropriate at least six times).

The range of errors included: “to” instead of “too”; misplaced commas

(especially serious when blurring the distinction between limiting and descriptive subordinate clauses); “less” instead of “fewer”; plural subject but singular verb, or vice-versa; and a whole bunch of badly turned phrases.

In fairness to the author of the article, some of the errors were in quotations from others, and the errors may be theirs. It hardly matters to James’ point, however.

In fairness to the quoted students, it may not be their fault that they were not properly instructed in literacy during their K-12 education, but it’s their problem. James is surely not the only potential employer who will not hire the illiterate.

Sonoma State University instructors shouldn’t have to teach basic grammar in their classes in addition to their primary subject matter. But even if we try, my experience suggests it’s too late.

Every semester I distributed a handout to my students, and discussed with them, “Common Grammatical Errors,” hoping these would be avoided on their submitted papers. But when the papers came in, there they all were, just as if I’d never addressed them. Bad habits were evidently too firmly entrenched.

Rick Luttmann is a professor emeritus of mathematics at Sonoma State University.

Opinion

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 3

Empowerment of a vegetarian lifestyle

commons.wikimedia.org

Police to protect, not kill T

Aaron Walker Staff Writer

P

olice brutality in the United States is out of control and something needs to be done.

In 2014, police killed more than 1000 citizens, yet the exact number is unknown. The FBI does have a database to track police homicides, but participation is voluntary, and many police departments refuse to report their officer involved homicides.

For example, the chokehold death of Eric Garner, an unarmed man illegally selling cigarettes, will not show up in the FBI database, because the state of New York doesn’t participate in the FBI’s program.

To make matters worse, police are receiving large amounts of military surplus gear through the Pentagon’s 1033 program.

According to the 1033 program’s website, more than 4.3 billion in equipment was sent to police departments, even departments that are under investigation for civil rights violations. In 2013

alone, police departments received half a billion dollars in military gear including, military aircraft, heavily armored tactical vehicles, grenade launchers and much more.

Do we really need armored vehicles and grenade launchers on the streets? The only time I have actually seen the police use this gear is on protesters who were protesting many of the “justified” police shootings.

The most recent case involved a homeless man by the name of Africa, a man with a history of mental illness, living in Los Angeles’ skid row district.

There is a video circulating the Internet that shows seven cops swarming two unarmed homeless men who are resisting arrest, one of whom was Africa, and the other a random transient.

After several officers tackled Africa to the ground, one pulls out his firearm, and fired five shots killing the unarmed homeless man.

The officer claimed that the man was reaching for his gun, even though he was being beaten by a swarm of cops.

Sadly, cases like this are a norm in society. It seems like every week there is another officer involved shooting that gets labeled as “justified” even though the officer never was in any danger.

If an officer can’t handle an unarmed individual without shooting them, they have no business being a police officer. I understand that police officers encounter some crazy individuals at times, but their job is to protect the community.

That is impossible to do when they shoot innocent unarmed citizens.

Should citizens have a right to defend themselves from cops? On May 9, 2014, Marvin Louis Guy’s house was the target of a no-knock raid after a bogus tip from a confidential informant (Bogus: not genuine or true; fake) that drugs were being dealt from his house.

When the officers entered his house during the no-knock raid, he feared for his family’s life, and not knowing they were police officers he shot at the intruders.

Guy would later find out that they were police officers, and he is now facing capital murder charges for defending his family from home invaders.

No knock raids are dangerous and in May 2014, officers in Georgia severely injured a toddler when they tossed a f lash bang grenade into the baby’s crib.

There were no indictments for the officers involved, and the county refused to pay the medi-

cal bill that was close to $800,000.

Everyday there’s an officer involved shooting that’s cleared, or a victim comes forward about the ruthless tactics some cops are known for.

There badge gives them the ability to be cleared of any wrongdoing, and many times gives them the mentality that they are above the law.

Police officers who abuse the system are only hurting the fragile relationship between community and police force.

If this continues, the violence will only drag on, and in some cases citizens might take matters into their own hands.

The police state in this country is out of hand. Police are using military style weapons, and are shooting unarmed individuals in “self defense.”

Everyday activists continue to f lex their rights by staging peaceful protests against police brutality, while police officers send in armored vehicles and shoot tear gas at them.

Abusive police officers need to be held accountable for their actions. A badge does not grant any special rights, nor does justify the killing of unarmed men.

If this current police state continues, there is no telling how many people will be in harm’s way.

Have an opinion?

Olivia Johnson Staff Writer

here are two opinions when it comes to eating meat, either you love it or you hate it. The difference between the two, is one overthinks where the meat comes from while the other enjoys the taste. I have been a vegetarian for the past eight months and I couldn’t be happier.

Although I grew up in a family of meat lovers, now that I am on my own and choosing my own lifestyle, I am able to choose what I want to eat.

After watching documentaries like “Food Inc.” and “King Corn” I am satisfied with my decision to not fill my body with the type of meat that is showcased in these films.

Growing up in a family where meat was always the main course of a meal and then choosing to become a vegetarian was definitely a big decision. Saying my family was surprised by my decision is putting it nicely, but that was at the beginning.

They have now come around to the idea because they love and know that I know what I’m doing.

It had always been a thought in my mind when it came to ordering a meal, what if I decided to only eat fish and cut out all meat from my appetite?

Then on Fourth of July, while at a family barbecue we were eating steak and I had the most bloody piece of meat. It was then and there that I decided to give the vegetarian lifestyle a try.

At the time, I received news that Foster Farms had a recall on their chicken, pushing me even more into my decision.

Many will disagree on the vegetarian lifestyle and will jump to the conclusion that in order to survive one must eat red meat or chicken for protein.

However, there are a lot of new options out there. Besides tofu, grocery stores have multiple options when it comes to getting sufficient protein.

From chickenless chicken nuggets to meatless meatballs, there are many different choices to choose from, all very high in protein.

Another substitution a vegetarian could enjoy is finding the protein from another source like granola or wheats. To stay extra healthy, an individual could make sure they’re up to date on their health by taking extra vitamins.

Oliver’s Market supplies many different types of these vitamins in their health aisles.

When it comes to this lifestyle it’s easy to see why it’s a more healthier one in today’s world with the type of food industries that process our food.

In the documentaries, “King Corn” and “Food Inc.,” it’s these type of industries that play the main focus. The films are able to show the audience exactly the type of process happening in order to deliver America their food.

An example of this is the mass production that takes place as well as the inducement animals go through to satisfy humans stomach.

Luckily, I watched the films after already choosing the vegetarian lifestyle or else the films would have definitely changed my mind before the next time I decided to bite into a hamburger.

The documentaries are able to go behind the scenes of the type of work that are part of our food industries. They share the secrets corporations are trying to hide.

It’s only a matter of time before either our food industries are forced to change their ways, or everyone will choose to live a meatless lifestyle.

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If interested contact: star@sonoma.edu

Page 4

News

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

News in Brief

North America:

President Barack Obama, civil rights leaders, politicians, and ordinary citizens marched this weekend across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama this weekend to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery, March 7, 1965. The original march, led the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sought the passage of the voting rights act, a key piece of legislation that helped expand voting rights to African-Americans who were previously kept from voting through systematic, discriminatory laws.

North America The University of Oklahoma is closing its chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in response to a video showing members of the fraternity chanting racial slurs toward African-Americans as well as saying African-American students would not be admitted in to the fraternity. The university’s president cites the fraternity members as “disgraceful” and their behavior as “reprehensible.”

Africa:

ISIS, the self-proclaimed Islamic State located in northern Iraq and eastern Syria, has continued to spread its global influence with the Nigerian terror group, Boko Haram, pledging allegiance to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr alBaghdadi, on Saturday. Boko Haram would be the largest terror group yet to associate with ISIS. Troops from Chad and Niger responded on Sunday by launching an offensive against Boko Haram in an attempt to free regions of northern Nigeria from the group’s control.

Europe: European diplomats from France, the United Kingdom, and Germany affirmed last Saturday that they were on “the same page” in trying to achieve a deal with Iran over its nuclear program. This announcement is of particular importance in light of Israeli Prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, giving a speech to Congress on March 3rd where he called on western powers to consider military action in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Asia: German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Japan Sunday for a two-day visit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. During the visit the two are expected to discuss trade agreements, anti-terrorism efforts and the crisis in Ukraine.

FACULTY: Salaries remain flat Continued from Pg. 1

the failure to fund faculty becomes a student problem.

The more time instructors spend commuting and balance second jobs, the less time they can devote to their students. This affects the accessibility students have to professors, and ultimately education. The lack of support conflicts with core mission of the California State University, an institution created to be an accessible place of higher learning.

“You would think the more work you have to do, the more you will be compensated,” said Cheyenne Aldridge, psychology and women’s and gender studies major, California Faculty Association intern, and co-coordinator of Students for Quality Education.

“This is not the case for certain professors at Sonoma State. With the cost of living, no one wants to be uncredited for work they do. Every penny counts.”

Lack of educational funding is not a new issue, nor is it specific to the California State University.

However, the first installment of the “Race to the Bottom” discloses that the failure to fund faculty is unique to the California State University system. As illustrated in the report, professors at UC San Francisco saw a salary increase of $16,138 by adjusting for inflation, while San Francisco State University faculty salary lost $9,748 by not adjusting for inflation, despite living with similar budgetary factors.

The California Faculty Association believes this difference in funding is the result of different priorities and choices from university administration.

“Administrators at other colleges had to deal with the same recession—they made different decisions,” said Newman. “They failed to focus on our core mission which included reduced access and higher tuition for students, and a failure to invest in salaries for faculty, the people who provide that education.”

A failure to fund faculty holds implications on the value administration places in the learning environment they cultivate. The matter of supporting oneself with such a salary have perspective teaching professionals worried.

“You’d really have to have a love for teaching,” said fourth-year Hutchins student, Marykate Kelly.

“With less money for funding and more students in the classroom, it’s hard to support the kids you teach as well as yourself. It could be easy to lose the motivation and passion for teaching.”

The California Faculty Association recognizes many of this budgetary decisions were made by the previous California State University administration, but they implore Chancellor Timothy White to make good on this promise of data-driven decision-making to improve faculty working conditions and cultivate student success. The second paper of “Race to the Bottom” comes out March 24.

Science behind how students rate professors he language behind how professors are rated often speaks more than numbers.

A recent National Public Radio study analyzed more than 14 million reviews on the website ratemyprofessors.com. The study found a glaring difference in how male and female professors are rated among universities.

Male professor’s intelligence are more likely to come under consideration when reviewed, whereas a female professor’s nurturing ability is considered.

Identified within the study are “trigger” words, which were tallied in student reviews of professors. Across 25 subjects of study, these trigger words appeared hundreds-ofthousands of times.

The appearance of the word “brilliant,” was an indicator of intelligence. Males were attributed with “brilliant” on more occasions than females in each of the 25 subjects of study.

In two subjects, philosophy and political science, females breached the 100,000 mark for appearances of the word “brilliant.” Males breached the same mark in seven subjects.

At the opposite end, females did not breach 50,000 appearances in 17 subjects of study. The contrast exists again in males, where all except five subjects breached the same mark.

The largest gap exists among English professors as males were attributed near 150,000 times, whereas females were attributed at half the amount.

“I am intrigued [by the study], but not entirely surprised,” said Jack Gray, a senior in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. “It’s interesting because people think of teaching as a female dominated profession, but there is a caregiver expectation attached to them.

I thought that expectation would diminish as you go through to higher education, but it’s interesting to me that according to the study, it continues.”

Senior and Hutchins School of Liberal Studies major Amanda Boniface isn’t surprised by the double standard shown with the study. “[The study] is almost not surprising, unfortunately, to see what the study said. ‘Brilliant,” was the part that was most striking,” said Boniface. “You don’t think of a lot of your female teachers as brilliant as often as you would a male.”

Females represented 64.4 percent of professors in post-secondary education in the United States according to the Teaching and Learning International Survey. Females constituted a larger percentage in primary-andsecondary education, at 76 percent according

to a 2007-08 study by the Institute of Education Sciences.

“If you go through all your primary education thinking of your female teachers more as mother figures, you might still have those habits by the time you get to college, even though it’s not at a conscious level,” said Gray.

Brilliant as an attribution was contrasted by the word “strict,” an indicator of personality. Females were attributed with the word “strict” on more occasions than males in each of the 25 subjects of study.

In all 25 subjects, females breached 50,000 attributions and more than half breached 100,000 attributions, whereas males breached that same mark in four subjects.

English was again a study, which did not favor female professors. Female English professors were the only group to breach the 200,000 attribution mark.

“I think women are looked at by both males and females for their nurturing ability, and that is what is expected of them,” said Boniface. “With men it’s taken out of the equation and they are able to be looked upon by their academic caliber. At Sonoma State, I think that female students may be more sensitive to the success of women and observant if they are brilliant.”

On ratemyprofessors.com, a numerical score ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 is given as an overall indicator of the professor’s quality.

Helpfulness, clarity and easiness are subcategories a professor is rated to determine the overall quality.

Despite the language used to describe female professors, their overall rating averaged only a tenth of a point lower than males in the NPR study. Sonoma State University favors female professors slightly according to analysis on the website from 2003 to present, in overall quality. Analysis of professors with at least 30 reviews, females averaged 3.5, whereas males averaged 3.46.

Sonoma State trends toward reviewing male professors more often. Of the top 25 reviewed professors, 18 were male. The seven female professors within the top 25 were reviewed 574 times, whereas their counterparts totaled 1,597.

Only a single female professor received more than 100 reviews. Rated a 4.1, the biology professor appeared to be rated on her personality, according to words she triggered most often. “Nice” and “sweet,” related to personality qualities, appeared 35 and 16 times respectively. An indicator of profession or ability was the word “great,” which was triggered 19 times.

Rated 4.5 and reviewed at a nearly equal rate, a male science professor offered a contrast. Students were more likely to focus on ability. He triggered “great” 35 times, “nice” eight times and “sweet” three times.

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez

Joshua Gutierrez Staff Writer

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Patty Gomez, Hutchins major and fourth year at Sonoma State University running the photography workshop “Hecha Avolar Tus Suenos”- Launch Your Dreams during the Fuentes Academic Conference on Saturday, in Darwin Hall. Saturday marks the 26th year Migrant Education hosts the conference at Sonoma State. Go to sonomastatestar.com for the full story.

News

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

JUMP that needs the money or just ASP that needs the money. Really the most important thing that needs money is the Tutorial Center. There are some increasing costs we see and there are opportunities for our programs to expand. Really [JUMP] doesn’t need anything, you can make the argument that they don’t need anything. If students don’t want to pay and they’re not going to grow. They will remain static and they’ll continue to offer the programs and services they’ve always offered. This is the only fee students have direct control over and they can say they want it to be the same and they can vote to make it lower. It’s a student fee and we are here it manage it and that is what we were elected to do.

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez The STAR hosted Associated Student President Anthony Gallino (right) and Vice President Adam Rosenkranz (left) for an in-depth interview on March 3 on the proposed $12 fee increase over the next four years to the current Associated Students fee of $99.

Associated Students representatives address proposed fee increase Kayla E. Galloway News Editor

T

he STAR staff sat down in an interview with Associated Students President Anthony Gallino and Vice President of Finance Adam Rosenkranz on March 3, to understand the proposed increase to the Associated Students fee of $99 students’ pay each semester.

Associated Students is responsible for many programs at Sonoma State, including Associated Students Productions, Join Us Making Progress, student government and the Children’s School.

Associated Students also serves as the financial support for many clubs and student-oriented organizations as well as the Tutorial Center.

Each of these programs benefit from the $99 fee students pay each semester and this increase is intended to continue to better those benefits provided to these student programs and ultimately improve student experiences at Sonoma State.

The fee is proposed to increase $12 over the next four years, beginning with a $3 increase in the 2015-16 school year being primarily allocated to Sonoma State University’s Tutorial Center.Students can take stance on the fee increase via a referendum vote, taking place now through a ballot sent to students’ Seawolf email accounts. The voting period coincides with the Associated Students government election, which can be voted using

the same online ballot. The voting period for student elections and the fee increase ends tomorrow at 5 p.m. and election results will be announced at Lobo’s Pizza and Pub from 7-8:30 p.m.

Below are questions asked by the STAR staff to Gallino regarding the proposed fee increase.

What funds [earned from the fee increase] will be going toward JUMP and the Children’s School?

Gallino: The Children’s School has a lot of different funding mechanisms. It has the Associated Students fee which I believe [generates] about $128,000 and then it also has some grants and contracts from the state and federal government.

It also receives some IRA money. The [Children’s School] also collects fees and dues from parents of the children who go to the school. We always look at our total programs and do a review of all our programs annually and see what they need for their budgets. We are going through that process right now.

Rosenkranz: JUMP has grown enormously in the last few years and they are getting hundreds of additional students coming in who are really impacting the community. The depth of what JUMP has been able to do and how much they have been able to expand and grow over the past few years, is really, really impressive and quite amazing.

Why do you believe JUMP has seen such an increase in interest from

students in recent years?

Gallino: It feels really good to give back to the community and I think Sonoma State students actually have a particular affinity for service. It’s evident because JUMP logs about 14,000 hours of community service in a given year.

JUMP has over 200 community partners in Sonoma County alone and I think that is a couple a things, No. 1, [community service] is something students feel passionate about and they understand and it is something tangible. I think students in JUMP and the student leaders in JUMP have done a phenomenal job at making it fun and accessible and making a real impact and students see that and they like that and they want to do that. JUMP on average has grown in the last few years by 15 percent each year and that is substantial. It is indicative of students wanting to give back to their community.

Why does JUMP need the additional funding? Are they spending that much money on transportation to the events?

Gallino: JUMP doesn’t actually have that large of a budget. JUMP has had a particularly low budget and they are actually one of the smallest programs. JUMP just recently moved from a model that gave stipends and awards to actual hourly employees like directors and coordinators. What we are really talking about is employment costs.

Each program of JUMP receives $1,500 or $2,000. I wouldn’t say that it is just

Are you exploring any other options [other than a fee referendum]?

Gallino: We engaged in several conversations on how we can get this money.

There are a couple things we could do.

There’s always the university, the university has historically said, “We are not going to pay” and that is what lead to the referendum in the first place.” The Tutorial Center is a high impact practice.

It’s a practice that keeps students here [at Sonoma State] that helps students graduate. This is something that we as a university needs to fund and we need to find the money somehow. The University said [in response to the requested money] “We can help with certain things, but we cannot help with all of them and we are not willing to give you a lot of money and we’re not going to give you the money to fund the program. The other option is fundraising and that takes a lot of money and time. I think at the end of the day, we made the call and ask the students what is important to them and this is something that seems to be one of the only viable options.

In regards to what you said earlier about JUMP and that it is the reward of volunteering that gets people interested in volunteering, that reward is something that has always existed. Is it that growing student population that’s increasing the interest or what has increased that student involvement?

Gallino: The program of JUMP itself is growing.

Rosenkranz: JUMP has collaborated with more organizations on campus as well. For example, there was a Greek community service day last year that attracted 550 Greeks that partnered directly with JUMP so that was untapped group of students who weren’t really using JUMP before and getting involved. It’s that collaboration with other departments on campus.

Gallino: It’s word of mouth. We see students saying “I want to be a part of this” and they do it and those students bring in different ideas. This is a studentrun and student-lead corporation so if there are things students want to do, we let them led and this gives them the opportunity to do so. So that is where you

Page 5

see that growth in our programs. It’s not just that the student population is growing, it’s that interest from students as well.

If this referendum passes, will this cease future referendums in the next four years?

Gallino: Absolutely; The way we project this is, we look at the revenue that this will generate and I don’t foresee another fee referendum for Associated Students for another seven to 10 years, if this passes.

Rosenkranz: This proposal is involved with the long-term prosperity and viability of the corporation. We try to take into [consideration] five or six years down the road, so that we can see and understand our needs of the future and not being short sided Gallino: What we do, is we look at how much our programs and services have grown over the past five years and we projected out what the revenues would be from the fee versus how much growth the organization [will have] and we took the highest level of growth. It’s also about financially managing the corporation so that the [growth] doesn’t get out of hand.

How do Sonoma State’s Associated Students fee compare to other campuses?

Rosenkranz: It can be difficult to differentiate the fees because a variety of services are offered at different campuses but it depends on the student [population] size and all of those different factors. CSU Bakersfield has the highest at $363 per year and Cal State LA has the lowest at $54 per year.

Gallino: Now in terms of the total fee package, [Sonoma State] is probably lower or in the middle third. We used to be very high, in fact we were the highest in Category II fees, which are any campus-based fee, we were the fourth highest. We’re not anymore because of all the student success fees, which [Sonoma State] doesn’t have. In terms of AS fee, we are about in the middle.

After these four years, could there be another fee?

Gallino: I don’t think there will be an increase in tuition for the CSU for while but I can’t predict super far into the future, but I would say for at least the next four or five years, we won’t see an increase in tuition at all. The reason I think that is because there seems to be absolutely no appetite from the legislators to allow such a thing to happen and the Board of Trustees hasn’t discussed it. The UC’s just increased their tuition from 12 percent I believe, and the legislators were furious.

For more information on the proposed fee increase, student are encouraged to contact representatives within the Associated Students or visit sonomastatestar.com for prior coverage of the fee.

DEBATE: Communication key to student success Continued from Pg. 1

nication is way better,” said Dominique. “That connection is really going to show you care. It’s really important for us to get ourselves out there and get ourselves known.”

To Mercer, it’s crucial to “develop a communication bridge between the committee meetings Associated Students representatives sit on and the student body.”

While he does believe establishing his presence on campus is paramount, social media remains the most effective medium to relay information to students in his eyes. Much of the student body is concerned about the lack of school spirit.

More often than not, it seems as though students wear merchandise from universities other than Sonoma State. The candidates were asked how they would increase school spirit and unify the school to remedy that issue. This posed a question of the university’s image as a whole.

This is where Dominique’s insight as a transfer student from Fresno State University comes into play. She informed the audience that the community rallied behind the Bulldogs and supported Fresno State students in all their endeavors.

“The community loved being a part of the college campus,” Dominique said. “I would love to get the

community involved and get their support. We should invite them, get them involved, and let them know what’s going on campus.”

Mercer agreed that the surrounding community has a large impact on school spirit; however, he believes they do not view the school in a positive light.

He worries the great things Sonoma State students do in the community are “overshadowed by all the issues we’ve had with the community so far.”

In addition to that, Mercer wants to continue the growth of major Sonoma State traditions such as Big Nite and Noma Nation, and make sure campus events continue to be wellattended and enjoyed by students.

The candidates addressed another concern of many Seawolves; the lack of diversity on campus.

Mercer touched on the improvements the university has made to diversify the student population.

“25.3 percent of students in the freshman class were Hispanic [in Fall 2014]. Sonoma State has shown we are broadening our student base, bringing in more students from diverse backgrounds, expanding our Educational Opportunity Program and opening the doors for students who were underserved in the past.”

Despite all of that progress, Mercer still believes “there’s so much more we can do.” He wants to use Associated Students’ power to advertise the HUB, whose mission is to promote

diversity on campus.

Dominique wants to ensure that “our university is a university [where] everyone feels safe and accepted.”

“Although there may be a lot of feelings that our campus is diverse,” she said, “there are a lot of students that feel it is not. We have to show how diverse our campus can really be and make this a home-away-from-home type of campus.”

Mercer and Dominique feel that students don’t take advantage of Sonoma State’s abundant resources and they strive to increase student involvement, targeting transfer students specifically.

“As a transfer student myself,” said Dominique, “I think one of the hardest challenges I’ve faced here is definitely student involvement.” As a new student, she felt “like [she] was lost on campus and [thinks] that’s something we could work on to change.”

Mercer said the problem lies in the lack of publicity of Sonoma State programs, “the transfer students aren’t necessarily marketed to on campus,” he said.

Our campus lacks similar programs for transfer students that freshmen and sophomores are introduced to earlier on, helping them establish a stronger relationship with the school and student body.

“Without that backbone and sense of community, they don’t have the ini-

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Candidates for Associated Students President participated in a presidential debate on March 3, showcasing their strengths and weaknesses. More photos of the presidential debate on page 12. tial foothold that many of our residential students have coming to Sonoma State’s,” said Mercer.

The candidates discussed ways to make Sonoma State a more appealing transfer destination by welcoming students and helping to alleviate the financial difficulties many face as they transition from a junior college to a university.

Mercer and Dominique agree that there is much to be done to improve classrooms and create a more positive learning environment for students in addition to creating a more welcoming social atmosphere.

According to Dominique, many classrooms are not equipped to handle the amount of students enrolled and they do not contain sufficient materi-

als essential to certain classes. While the university tries to remedy this issue, she believes “students are not seeing action, they’re not hearing about where progress is being made and they feel their voices are not being heard.”

Mercer agreed with her assertions and claimed AS should “strive to provide a seat for every student and upto-date technology.”

Mercer and Dominique concurred that the ultimate goal is to serve the students and represent the collective voice of the student body, rather than represent their own personal vices.

Despite some technical differences, it’s clear that Mercer and Dominique share a common goal; to help Sonoma State and its students reach their utmost potential.

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Arts

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez “The Vagina Monologues,” has been adapted by Sonoma State University. Real-life stories were depicted by 38 different female students.

Feminist movement depicted through theater Kimmie Jones Staff Writer

Review

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rom Broadway to Sonoma State University, “The Vagina Monologues” has grown into a revolution of women sharing real life stories to educate, inspire and put an end to sexual violence.

This play was written in 1994 by playwright and activist Eve Ensler. Ensler conducted a number of interviews with women who were willing to share stories about abuse, love and their vaginas.

According to vday.org, many women feel inspired to share their own stories after attending the play themselves. This quickly went from a work of art to a movement to end sexual violence.

With this movement, Ensler created V-Day, a global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day has raised over $100 million through productions of “The Vagina Monologues” and other work. This money has helped fund over 13,000 community anti-violence programs and safe houses in countries around the world.

This play that started 21 years ago in Broadway is being performed in locations all over the

world and has found its way to Sonoma State’s campus.

Sonoma State University’s adaptation of “The Vagina Monologues” was directed by Amanda Cowan and Daniela Brady (assistant director) and made up of 38 female students. The cast had been rehearsing since October for their three-night show from Friday through Sunday.

The play is made up of real-life stories told by women and acted out by the cast members.

The women interviewed were asked a series of questions about their vaginas: “If your vagina could talk, what would it say?” “If your vagina had clothes, what would it wear?”

The word itself can make just about anyone feel uncomfortable, especially when there are cast members talking about “pussy power” and “loving your vagina.”

That’s the point. Cast members attempted to get members of the audience to understand the fact that women today are uncomfortable talking about their vaginas, but in order to love herself, a woman must love her vagina.

There was laughing, crying, blushing and even “c*nt” chanting throughout the audience.

Each story was beautifully told and different from the one before, but what made them work was the connection they had with the audience.

The support in the crowd was unbelievably strong.

American pianist gives riveting performance Sierra Smith Staff Writer

Review

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merican pianist Murray Perahia’s fingers fluttered across the keys of the grand piano for an outstanding arrangement of different pieces by notorious composers of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Students and residents of Sonoma County gathered in Weill Hall at the Green Music Center on campus Saturday for Perahia’s performance.

The two-hour program exhibited compositions by Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Franck and Chopin. President Ruben Armiñana was seen among the assembly of people seated in the hall.

“It was quite the experience to see Perahia perform with such passion, energy and grace,” said sociology major Greg Conner.

More than 40 years of performing on concert stages, Perahia has become accustomed to producing many arrangements of piano music in the presence of an audience.

With his experience in performing in all of the primary international music halls across the globe, Perahia has become one of the most prominent and respected pianists in his time.

In 2004, he was granted an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire award, which is an Order of the British Empire for chivalry, by the Queen of England.

Dressed in a traditional tailcoat with his face fair and composed, Perahia

“There’s parents, there’s friends, there’s teachers. A lot of professors came and other faculty on campus. There’s some grandparents and kids,” said Assistant Director Danielle Brady.

It’s safe to say that this cast and this cause have a variety of supporters of all ages.

The biggest support for the cast had to have been from the V-Men in the crowd.

“The girls, if they wanted to, could have a V-Man, which is a man in their life that is important to them and supportive of their vaginas and all vaginas,” said Brady.

Some of these important men included roommates, dads, brothers, boyfriends and best friends of cast members.

The importance of the V-Men is to show that sexual violence is not just a women’s fight, but also a fight that needs the support of both men and women.

Throughout the show, the V-Men were sitting in the front row cheering louder than everyone else in the audience and connecting to the performers throughout each story.

After closing night on Saturday, Cowan gave thanks to those involved while the entire cast held hands in tears. The bond and relationship between these women was noticeable and inspiring.

With most of them having little to no theater experience, it may seem terrifying to act out a scene about vaginas in front of a large crowd. But

as cast member Ariana Reed said, “It’s so much more than just acting.”

The cast went through months of rehearsal together where they heard stories of women all around the world through their script as well as shared some stories of their own.

“We all share a lot of personal things,” said Brady, “and so a lot of these pieces can definitely relate to some of these girls.”

For audience members, T-shirts, vagina shaped chocolate and other paraphernalia could be purchased at the show. The money raised from this specific show was donated to Sonoma County’s only sexual violence crisis center, Varety.

There were also counselors from Varety present for anyone who may have been emotionally affected by any of the acts during the show.

As Brady said, “We are at a campus that needs to be educated, like most college campuses.”

And that is exactly what the cast did. They educated the audience on how important it is to love every part about being a woman and how important it is to stand up and protect women from sexual violence all around the world. V-Day continues to raise awareness and funds to build and expand the movement to end violence against women and girls.

Sonoma State is taking the stand to end sexual violence and stand up for the vagina.

Hidden FLIX Our Netflix favorites

began the evening with Bach’s French Suite No. 6 in E major.

The rest of the evening unraveled with Haydn’s Sonata in A-flat major, Beethoven’s Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major Op. 81a, Franck’s Prelude Choral et Fugue Op. 21, and Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 in B minor Op. 20.

Each piece he performed on the stage was consistent, quick paced and energetic. Perahia’s body movements were fluid as if the sound radiating from the piano keys consumed his entire body, not just his fingers.

“I’ve never seen a pianist in concert before,” said Sociology major Greg Conner. “It was quite the experience to see Perahia perform with such passion, energy and grace.”

Although he never spoke before or after each performance, his musical talent was enough to raise the entire audience in multiple standing ovations.

facebook.com

“The One I Love” (2014)

commons.wikimedia.org Murray Perahia has been performing for audiences around the world for more than 40 years before coming to Sonoma State University.

Director Charlie McDowell and writer Justin Lader have created a romantic dramedy that turns the idea of a traditional couple’s retreat upside down. Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss play a feuding couple whose love for each other is tested to extremes.

“The One I Love” is available to stream on Netflix.com

Entertainment

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 7

Of Montreal undergoes musical transformation Alex Sanchez Staff Writer

Review

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t’s been eight years since Of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes released what is widely considered to be his magnum opus, 2007’s “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?”

Demonstrating psychedelic pop at its best, “Hissing Fauna” detailed Barnes’ breakdowns through chemical dependency and conflicts with his then-girlfriend, Nina.

Nina Twin, as she is referred to in the record, causes Barnes a lot of stress in hard times and elation when it all comes together.

Now in 2015, Barnes and Nina have split, and Barnes has found the best way to release his feelings in a therapeutic and cathartic way, the best way Barnes knows how to do: by releasing another record.

The 13th record by Of Montreal since its debut in 1997, “Aureate Gloom” captures a sense of variety in its sound, yet still retains Barnes’ honest and sometimes depressing vocals displayed in an upbeat manner. New to the band’s library are tracks featuring violinist Karou “Kishi Bashi” Ishibashi performing background vocals following his stint as a solo artist.

“Aureate Gloom’s” lead single and opening track “Bassem Sabry” begins by illustrating these troubles following a giant wall of distortion before transforming immediately into a poppy funk number.

Barnes sings: “I watched my hero fall, and now I’m in a dark and violent funk.”

The funk changes at the snap of a finger, from bitterly whispered drum-and-bass verses before going into an almost surf-rock sounding chorus and bridge.

The track “Empyrean Abbatoir” has a lot of these genre shifts and it shows that 13 albums later, Of Montreal has mastered this art.

“Aureate Gloom” shows a drastic improvement from 2013’s “Lousy With Sylvianbriar,” whose alt-country Neil Young and Crazy Horse-esque vibe illustrated that maybe an entirely new musical direction isn’t the best for a band. For “Aureate Gloom,” Barnes’ honest vocals are almost free-form amidst the beautiful instrumentation, yet Barnes still manages to tackle the melody and truly make each song his own.

The sound of each track plays a large role

in this record. One song in particular, “Apollyon of Blue Room,” almost mirrors The Kinks’ classic “You Really Got Me” in its verses before breaking off into a solo that sounds like nothing one would hear from a band like Of Montreal.

This overall musical change is almost more fitting for the band, and it may well even outshine the band’s psych-pop expertise.

However, there are still some problems with “Aureate Gloom.”

As is his usual singing style, Kevin Barnes has too large a vernacular to really drive in his point or even the concept of his lyrics.

While his lyrics often seem to be drowned in metaphors and literary references, this record sees him more just venting on his breakup and doing it in such a way that the listener is more focused on the lyrics than the music itself.

This, in turn, makes the listener struggle to decode what exactly they are trying to understand through Barnes’ vocals, yet it still makes for an interesting and sometimes intellectually challenging ride.

While not in the same vein as what are considered to be the band’s three best albums, the psychedelic “Satanic Panic in the Attic,” “The Sunlandic Twins,” and “Hissing Fauna,” Of Montreal and Kevin Barnes in particular seem to be making the best of time and the events that unfold in their natural lives.

It just takes the right medium and maybe a few style changes before one can really make their point and on “Aureate Gloom,” they do just that.

facebook.com Of Montreal’s “Aureate Gloom” released Tuesday.

facebook.com Of Montreal’s latest record is an upbeat one despite being inspired by front man Kevin Barne’s most recent break-up.

Albums releasing this week Madonna - “Rebel Heart” (Pop) Luke Bryan - “Spring Break...Checkin Out” (Country)

Heems -

“Eat, Pray, Thug” (Rap)

facebook.com “Unfinished Business,” starring Vince Vaughn and Dave Franco, lacks many assets that are crucial to a feature comedy.

Vince Vaughn film offers no potential Jake Burke Staff Writer

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Review

he newest Vince Vaughn comedy “Unfinished Business” is not only a bad movie, it may be one of the worst movies an audience will ever see.

After viewing this movie with only six other people in the theater, four of which left around half way through, there was an incredibly apparent problem.

“Unfinished Business” is a movie that has no idea what it is, the film constantly struggles with its own genre.

The film constantly juggles between a comedy, a drama and, oddly, a public service announcement against cyber bullying while managing to fail at all three simultaneously.

In the beginning of the film, audiences find Vince Vaughn in his stereotypical good man down-on-his-luck state.

Within the first 10 minutes he quits his job and starts his own company with the help of Dave Franco (“21 Jump Street”) and Tom Wilkinson, (“Batman Begins”).

After the movie’s set up, the plot goes haywire and the audience is expected to follow along the windy road of business jargon, family issues and forced humor.

Humor manages to be Vince Vaughn and company’s worst enemy in this movie as every joke swings and misses.

The only laughable joke was the constant mention-

“Unfinished Business” is a blatantly nonhumorous comedy and sadly no character has enough gusto to save the sinking ship. ing of Dave Franco’s character’s last name, which won’t be spoiled. Besides this one quality joke, “Unfinished Business” will stop at nothing to try to get the audience to chuckle.

Eventually the film reaches that awkward point where they add nudity into the equation, only to again swing and miss, despite the many boobs and penises one will see.

“Unfinished Business” is a blatantly non-humorous comedy and sadly no character has enough gusto to save the sinking ship.

The characters are another massive force working against the success of the film, even with the help of a supporting character, Mike, played by the always-charming Dave Franco.

In fact, after seeing this film, his “always charming” title should be revoked as he plays the film’s worse character.

When “Unfinished Business” introduces Mike he seems to be the lovable idiot, but after about 10 minutes he becomes a borderline offensive mentally-handicapped individual.

His character is in-fact so dumb that his lines are often

slurred for an attempted comedic moment, which never actually makes one laugh.

This character, alongside the extremely dull Tim, played by two-time Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson, only pull “Unfinished Business” further away from being enjoyable.

Vince Vaughn’s character, Dan Trunkman, is surprisingly the film’s strongest aspect.

He manages to remain the most human and relatable character that has serious commitment issues between the genres of drama and comedy.

This is extremely prevalently at every voiceover where he continuously asks himself the question: “what kind of dad am I?” That is where the slightly uncomfortable cyber bullying subplot emerges, as his overweight son struggles with the mean kids at school the audience never sees.

This PSA-like story is never fully resolved as Vaughn’s only solution to the problem is to tell his son that cyber-bullying will never stop so just deal with it, which proves the public service announcement ineffective.

“Unfinished Business” is just an awful movie that never has a high point amongst its many lows.

Vaughn tries to save a dying film, but it’s obvious that even he can’t wiggle his way through this train wreck of a script.

If given the choice between watching “Unfinished Business” or a DVD menu on repeat, the latter is recommended.

Movies releasing this week Cinderella - starring: Lily James, Hayley Atwell, Richard Madden

Run All Night - starring: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman

It Follows - starring: Maika Monroe, Keir

Harm’s Way - “Rust” (Punk)

Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi

Young Guv - “Ripe For Luv” (AIndie

Seymour: An Introduction -

Pop)

starring: Seymour Bernstein, Ethan Hawke

Page 8

Features

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Connor Gibson Through the use of comedy, comedian Brian Wetzel shares his personal story about struggling with depression with Sonoma State University students on Thursday in the Student Center Ballroom. Wetzel’s lecture was just one of several events that were held in association with Mental Health Awareness Week, March 2 to March 6.

Comedian helps laugh away the tears

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Shannon Brown Features Editor

n association with Mental Health Awareness Week, Sonoma State University brought comedian and speaker Brian Wetzel to share his personal knowledge and struggles with depression through comedy on Thursday.

Comedy and depression may not seem like they go hand in hand, but Wetzel was able to tie them in together in a way that kept the audience both laughing and thinking. Throughout the hour he spoke, there were no uncomfortable laughs from the crowd. Every joke he made didn’t seem unusual or out of taste, and the audience was kept entertained the entire time.

A large part of why it wasn’t uncomfortable was the fact that Wetzel knew comedy and depression didn’t go together and acknowledged it.

“I’ve been dealing with this for over 25 years of my life. I think it’s really hard to talk about but I think the best way to deal with

those things that are hard to talk about is to put them right out on the table and talk about them,” said Wetzel.

For those in the audience that had never dealt with any form of depression, Wetzel explained it as “the common cold of mental health”—it’s hard to explain and difficult to treat. Giving the example of the late Robin Williams, Wetzel’s hero, he told the audience, “If it can happen to Robin Williams, one of the best comedians of all time, it can happen to anybody.” This was a powerful message to begin his discussion into the misunderstood world of mental health.

What made Wetzel connect to every student that filled the Student Center Ballroom was his humor.

“I’ve never been through depression personally, but just to hear what he went through as a person my age and beyond, I was able to get a glimpse as to all the difficulties that he might have faced with depression,” said freshman Madison Muro.

Much of Wetzel’s young adult life was spent being depressed. For some students who

have never experienced this, Wetzel was able to build a picture in their minds about how tough it was for him to have depression while in college. “I did pretty well in college even dealing with depression,” said Wetzel. “I was fighting, trying to stay alive and get through college like all my friends were doing.”

While in college, Wetzel recounted the amount of confidence he had while struggling with depression. With his sarcastic humor, Wetzel told the audience about a time he wanted to ask a girl for her phone number.

Wetzel said, “I ended up walking right up to her and going ‘Hey how you doing? My name’s Brian. I have intimacy issues, low-self esteem and I’m chronically depressed. Can I get your phone number?’”

Audience members seemed to enjoy Wetzel’s story as they were kept laughing most of the hour he spoke.

“I really enjoyed the humor but I also thought that his story and how he overcame depression was what really made the talk memorable,” said freshman Sarah Fishback.

Toward the end as Wetzel was wrapping up

his story, he made a point to address how one can get help and how others can help someone if they know they are going through a difficult time.

“Getting help can be very overwhelming for anybody and who wants to admit it? You are vulnerable when you ask for help…but there can also be an exhilaration to it, a freedom, a new way of finally breaking through and living,” said Wetzel, “and I think you owe it to yourself instead of carrying that burden around versus not wanting to get help.”

Even though he had more than 25 years of stories about how much depression affected him, he only got to share an hour’s worth. Wetzel made it clear how difficult and challenging it could be for someone to admit they need help and then receive that help from those around them.

Mental Health Awareness Week was a time to reflect as well as to understand the personal struggles that many students go through. Wetzel was not only a delight to have on campus, but an inspiration to those struggling with the hardship of depression.

Barrel Tasting returns to Sonoma County Emily Johnstone Staff Writer

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hardonnay. Pinot Noir. Cabernet Sauvignon. These are just some of the types of wine that were found at the 37th Annual Barrel Tasting. This three-day weekend event attracts many wine enthusiasts from all over, including a large amount of Sonoma State students.

This event includes more than 100 wineries that are open for barrel tasting. Coordinators of this event have said that while approximately 19,000 people paid for the advance admission, an additional 6,000 to 8,000 were expected to purchase same-day admission tickets. The event is a phenomenon that has

brought extra tourism to Sonoma County .

“Barrel Tasting Weekend in Sonoma County has grown from a small grass root efforts to a very successful example of wine tourism,” said Liz Thach, a professor of Wine Business and Management at Sonoma State University. “Locals and visitors alike look forward to celebrating the birth of a new vintage and the opportunity to taste from the barrel, while spending time with friends and family, and enjoying music, games and good food.”

Sonoma State has a wine business and management department which allows for interested students to learn about the industry. For those choosing to participate in the Barrel Tasting event, it’s a good learning

experience about everything involving wine. Wine representatives from each winery are more than happy to talk to participants about their products.

“Barrel tasting weekend is a great event for Sonoma Sate students to be able to branch out and learn more about the wine industry,” said wine business major Brielle Charmasson. “Sonoma County wineries are hidden gems within our own backyard and we are so lucky to have the opportunity to explore and have fun with friends.”

For participants who purchased tickets to the event, their first day usually starts with them having to sign in to whichever winery they agreed to start at in order to get their tasting glass. However, for

those who sign up to start at different starting points, they simply grab their glasses and move on to a different winery. The tasters are poured for those who are drinking, allowing them to learn and gain an understanding for the diverse types of wine.

VML Winery, Matrix Winery and Kendall Jackson, all located in Healdsburg, were just a few of the wineries that were open for Barrel Tasting. However, this weekend event had more than 100 wineries catered to Barrel Tasting participants.

“The weekends of Barrel Tasting are where some of the best memories are made, especially for students in this area,” said student and Barrel Tasting participant Ka-

trina Blickenstaff. “It’s pretty cool to see just how many people come out for this event. I feel like it’s a great chance for Sonoma County to show off its beauty.”

It’s because of the Barrel Tasting event that thousands of people come to visit the Sonoma County area. This event is open to the public and to students over the age of 21.

The event also allows for those who don’t live in the area to join in on the tasting experience.

For those choosing to participate in this event, make sure to have a designated driver in order to get to and from each of the wineries. Keeping everyone safe as they experience a fun, wine-filled weekend allows for the true beauty of Sonoma County to be seen by many.

STAR // Emily Johnstone HKG Estate Wines and Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens were just two of the numerous wineries participating in the 37 Annual Barrel Tasting March 6 to March 8.

Approximately 19,000 wine enthusiasts purchased advance admission to the popular event, while 6,000 to 8,000 people were expected to purchase same-day admission. th

Features

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sonomastatestar.com

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Generosity Service Day at COTS through JUMP

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facebook.com Bay Area native and hip-hop rapper IamSu! will perform at Spring Fling in the Student Center Grand Ballroom on Thursday. Born in Richmond, IamSu! will bring his unique style to the North Bay, along with DJ Shabazz and DJ Amen.

Bay Area’s IamSu! performing at Spring Fling Samantha Cardenas Staff Writer

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he eagerness for the first half of the semester to end is building. Students are preparing for midterms and planning to take off for spring break. But at Sonoma State University, Associated Students Productions can’t let everyone leave without a proper sendoff.

Bay Area native, rapper, producer of “The Invasion” and founder of The Heartbreak Gang, IamsSu!, will perform in the Student Center Grand Ballroom for this year’s Spring Fling on Thursday. Last year marked the first time Sonoma State threw a Spring Fling event and given its success, the university decided to bring it back. The event’s past headliners have included DJ Lacklustre, DJ Koniik, DJ Schnuckss and Sobey.

“ASP has been trying to create events where the main focus [is] building community and that allows opportunities for students to socialize and have fun in a safe environment,” said Associated Students Productions Senior Director Jackie Torres. “In that result, Associated Students Productions created the annual Spring Fling event to provide an event where students can gather and have fun on campus during the spring semester.”

This event gives students an opportunity to hang out with their friends before they leave for spring break.

This year’s event is already looking promising. About 1,200 tickets were released on Friday morning and sold-out within three hours. The ballroom will be at its maximum capacity with this amount of people in

Nastacia Yamashiro Guest Contributor

very month there are several events where people have the opportunity to volunteer at a non-profit organization.

These events are held by Sonoma State University’s on-campus community service club known as Join Us Making Progress.

Through JUMP, Sonoma State is provided with a program known as Days of Service where students who are unable to commit on a weekly basis can volunteer on specific days.

The event is known as Generosity Service Day and took place on Feb. 21. For students who volunteer on these specific days, the location of the organization that they are assigned to is not revealed until the day of.

The reason for this is because there are different locations that students go to.

One scenario one can expect when involved in JUMP: A JUMP leader took four volunteers to help at a homeless shelter in Petaluma called Committee on the Shelterless. Although COTS may sound like an ordinary shelter, there are several unique aspects about it.

Unlike most shelters where one gets in and gets out the next day, COTS provides several homeless individuals and families a safe place to live for several months. However, some are required to complete a program while others have different requirements

attendance.

“We have received emails in [with an] overwhelming volume of students asking for tickets, as well as Santa Rosa Junior College students asking if they are able to attend,” said Torres. “It’s very unfortunate that we did not have a larger venue for this event.”

Born Sudan Ameer Williams, he is better known by all Bay Area hiphop fans as IamSu!, Su or Suzy 6 Speed. Older fans of IamSu!’s will remember him as he started out in “The Go-Gettaz” with fellow Heartbreak Gang member, P-Lo. IamSu! began to explore making music by experimenting with different instruments and studying big name artists, like Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Swedish indie rock duo Marching Band.

Things started picking up for

to fulfill. The shelter is located in the Mary Isaak Center and is connected to Petaluma Kitchen, which provides residents as well as nonresidents free meals from donated food that is received from various organizations.

Together, they operate as one to help people get their lives back on track.

While volunteering at COTS, volunteers can be assigned a myriad of tasks, including being placed to work in the back of the kitchen where one sorts vegetables and fruits into baskets.

The shelter receives several visits from people who bring in donations from home and from local stores. Volunteers can also help unload cars of donated goods and continue to sort through them, as well as help serve food in the cafeteria.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., COTS offers free lunch to their residents and to anyone who happens to come in. As one can imagine, there can be quite a crowd and volunteers are given the opportunity to interact with the people there, residents and non-residents who were friendly and polite. Volunteering can leave one feeling grateful that one was given the chance to help.

For anyone interested in meeting new people and helping out the community, join JUMP. Not only are the events exciting, but one can come out of the experience feeling good about themselves.

IamSu! when he attended college at CSU East Bay. In 2009, people began recognizing him and his music and things haven’t been the same since.

From 2010 to 2013, IamSu! released eight mixtapes which featured members of The Heartbreak Gang, until he finally released his debut studio album titled “Sincerely Yours” in May 2014. In addition to his countless mixtapes and his chart climbing album, he’s been featured on songs with fellow Bay Area native E-40, Casey Veggies, LoveRance and 50 Cent, among others. Some of IamSu!’s most popular songs include “Hipster Girls,” “Only That Real,” “Sincerely Yours” and “I Love My Squad.”

When word spread that IamSu! would be coming to Sonoma State, it got students talking and it was evident that they were excited.

“I think it’s dope that Sonoma State is putting on a free event for a well-known artist like IamSu!, especially considering that he’s local and from the Bay Area,” said junior Aaron Lopez. “I really think that this will be one of the big events for the year given the timing of the event right before spring break. Can’t wait.”

Long-time fans of IamSu! are especially looking forward to the event.

“I am a huge fan of IamSu! and was so excited to hear that he would be performing at Sonoma State University. Coming from the Bay Area and being an avid listener to Bay Area rap, it’s ‘no secret’ that he’ll ‘hold it down’ for SSU,” said freshman Rico Molo.

In addition to IamSu!, DJ Shabazz and the Bay Area’s premiere DJ, DJ Amen, will also make appearances.

facebook.com, STAR // Connor Gibson Electronic music record producer and performing artist Giraffage performed at the Student Center Ballroom B on Friday. Born Charlie Yin in the Bay Area, Giraffage performed later in the evening for Sonoma State University students, who screamed for excitement whenever one of his songs was played.

Giraffage takes over Sonoma State Ashley Martin Staff Writer

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n Friday, Spring Break came a bit early this year for students who bought Giraffage tickets.

The artist stopped by Sonoma State University as part of his North American tour that kicked off in January.

Near the entrance of the highly anticipated concert, dozens of students were asking others if they had spare tickets, in hopes that they would get this treasured opportunity.

“It wasn’t what I expected,” said freshman Rheannon Eisworth. “Although it was kind of like a high school dance, it was pretty fun.”

The event was held in Ballroom B of the Student Center, which served as an odd setting for such a party-like concert. The ballroom consisted of a small stage that was

completely surrounded by about 300 dancing students, which left the rest of the ballroom fairly empty.

Giraffage, whose actual name is Charlie Yin, is originally from the Bay Area and has collaborated with musical artists such as Flume, Pretty Lights and XXYYXX. Giraffage attracted more of a rave-type of crowd, all of whom let their “crazy” out by dancing into the night.

“I love the atmosphere in here. When else do you get the chance to dance like this?” Giraffage is great,” said Jeremy Hern, a junior at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The artist of the night is known for his electronic remixes of songs, as he adds dream-like sound effects that has led to many dubbing his genre as “dream pop.” Giraffage makes electronica his own by infusing a unique happy spin into it, making it very popular among college students.

Giraffage didn’t perform until later in the

evening, which was disappointing to many, but the opening disc jockeys kept the crowd on their feet jumping and dancing until about midnight.

As students partied on, it became apparent that this was not one’s typical high school dance; physical boundaries ceased to exist in the ballroom after 11 p.m. If one dared to enter the huge crowd of rambunctious dancing college students, it became difficult to navigate one’s way out.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Yin said “I’m more of a homebody, definitely. I don’t really like going to clubs that much,” a statement that is completely ironic considering that he turned Ballroom B into a club for three hours Friday night.

Much of the crowd was stuck in a hot sweaty mess, but it looked like the perfect way to de-stress after a week of classes. “This is just what I needed,” said freshman Kara Sanchez. “I’m so happy that my friends dragged

me out of the house tonight.”

The audience made it clear when a song of his was popular. For instance, when Giraffage’s song “Tell Me” came on through the blasting speakers, screams of excitement filled the entire ballroom, which pumped up the audience even more, making for a positive, good-vibe atmosphere all night.

Associated Students Productions hit a home run with this event, as the artist was relevant to the college generation and brought some much appreciated excitement to campus. The fact that the tickets were free to all Sonoma State students only made it favorable.

Although most of the students hadn’t even heard of Giraffage until he came to Sonoma State, some brought homemade signs in support of Yin. This just proves that the up-and-coming artist does in fact have a fan base, which will continue to grow if he keeps on visiting college campuses like Sonoma State.

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Sports

March 10 - March 16, 2015

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STAR // Connor Gibson Left: Senior second-baseman Holli Brown rounds second base. Right: Freshman utility player Jordann White waits on a pitch.

Softball team nearly sweeps in San Diego Kayla Kring Staff Writer

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ver the past weekend the Sonoma State University softball team headed down to the UC San Diego to play a four-game series and walked away with three wins and one loss.

“We haven’t won a series against UCSD in a few years, we typically end up splitting,” said Assistant Coach Kaelene Curry.

With these three wins, the Sonoma State Seawolves now have a conference record of 9-2 and an overall record of 17-4, ranking them as No. 1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Amanda Llerena pitched all seven innings in game one, tallying eight strikeouts as the Seawolves were able to maintain a strong defense and keep the Tritons from scoring throughout the game. With Ancia Purdy starting the Seawolves off strong with a single to left field as well as stealing second, the team seemed to have brought their best to San Diego right off the bat, and looked for a sweeping weekend.

In game one, on Friday, the Seawolves brought in all of their runs during the top of the fourth inning, thanks to Olivia Lucchese and Leanna Georges for the first two runs, while Purdy stole home for the final run. From then on the Seawolves and Titans would show strong defense and the score would remain the same, therefore ending the game with a

score of 3-0, Seawolves.

As for game two, on Friday, the Seawolves had a strong start with Purdy hitting a double, stealing third and making it home in the first inning for their first run on the board. Except, their lead would be short lived, as the Tritons were capable of executing their at-bats, putting up two runs of their own on their next at-bat giving them a 2-1 lead at the end of the second inning.

After this back-and-forth exchange of runs, the Seawolves found the gaps they were looking for, giving them their chance to seize the win. In the top of the sixth with only one out, Allison Stycula was the first to make it home, but it wasn’t long until she was followed by fellow teammates Kristine Ricossa, Ashley Long, Olivia Lucchese and Amanda Rossetta.

When the Tritons were back at-bat in the bottom of the sixth, they would only be able to score one more time before the final score was called at 6-3, Seawolves.

On Saturday, the Seawolves faced the Tritons again in game three and were met with another tough challenge.

“I faced the same batters 12-15 times in one weekend and had to get creative and mix it up because they began to catch on and adjust,” said pitcher Amanda Llerena.

There is not better portrayal of their adjust-

Women’s water polo wins four of five on the road Ancia Purdy Staff Writer

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he women’s water polo team left a name for itself in Southern California as the Seawolves came out victorious in four of their five games, including three from the Convergence Tournament in Claremont.

In preparation for the big weekend, the women spent time perfecting their game and conditioning to stay in shape for the five games ahead of them.

“We spent the past week practicing new defenses and staying healthy so we could play in top shape for our games,” said junior Noelle Herrera.

It all seemed to pay off as Sonoma State started the weekend off on Friday, grabbing two wins against Cal Lutheran, 13-5 and La Verne, 12-7.

Though nobody scored more than two goals in either game, every player snagged at least one point.

“The win against Cal Lutheran definitely pumped us up for the rest of the weekend,” said senior Nicole Browning. “It’s hard to come back and play more games after a loss in tournaments and coming in strong felt great.”

Immediately after their first win against Cal Lutheran, the women were back in the pool to face off against La Verne. Despite being down after the first quarter, the Seawolves bounced back to grab nine points in the second and third quarters and two more in the last eight minutes to solidify their win.

Senior Alexa May, junior Shannon Bear, Browning and Herrera all had two goals apiece against La Verne while four other Seawolves added a goal.

“I definitely think winning both games on Friday was an immense asset to our motivation and confidence going into Saturday’s games,” said May. “Winning games in general is a big self-esteem booster, especially coming off a couple tough losses.”

Day two of the Convergence Tournament seemed to start as an extension of day one as Sonoma State came out victorious over Redlands University, 12-6.

Herrera gave the Seawolves the early lead, scoring her first of four goals of the game within a minute of the match. Though the Bulldogs matched Sonoma State goal three minutes later, the Seawolves answered back with five goals in the second quarter.

Senior goalkeeper Andrea Mallul made six saves in the three quarters she played while Herre-

ra shot a perfect game, making all five of her five attempts. Junior attacker Kaysie Lewis scored three as her teammate, freshman Lily Carlon, added two goals.

For the second game of day two, the Seawolves saw their first and only loss against Whittier College, 11-10, who they were unable to beat earlier in the season.

In interviews with the STAR, Browning, Herrera and May all agreed that Whittier was their hardest opponent of the weekend.

“They had a different offensive strategy than our other opponents and we had to adjust our playing more with them than other teams,” said Herrera.

Though the Seawolves went down early in the match, three seniors helped take the lead, scoring three consecutive goals as Sonoma State eventually went into halftime leading by three.

The last two quarters went back and forth; a winner was uncertain until the last seconds of the game.

With just under 30 seconds left in the match, Whittier College took the lead and ended the game, defeating the Seawolves for the second time this season.

Despite the loss, Lewis scored another three goals in game two and Mallul made nine saves.

The Seawolves ended the tournament with three wins and one loss before heading to Irvine to face off against Concordia University.

“We are going to finish this weekend with a win,” said May, in response to being asked about their mentality going into their final game of the weekend. “We came into the whole weekend with our goal being to go five for five, so after losing a super close game there was no other thought than going home with another win.”

And that’s exactly what May and her teammates did against the Eagles, winning by 10 points, 17-7.

Even though Concordia took the early lead, scoring the first goal of the game, Sonoma State answered back with seven consecutive goals into the second quarter.

Herrera added four more goals on the weekend and senior Megan McGrath contributed two.

The goalkeepers made a total of 11 saves, nine for Mallul while freshman Mikayla Kloss saved two. Lewis’ seven points was one goal short of tying the program’s single-game record.

The Seawolves will host their first match of the season on Saturday against CSU Monterey Bay at noon.

ments than in Saturday’s games. With a close game in the morning (game three) and a win in the afternoon (game four) the Tritons seemed to be getting their heads back in the game to hopefully finish out strong.

Thanks to a couple of walks and a hit-by-pitch taken by catcher Aubrie Tolliver, the Seawolves were able to start the game off with a score in the top of the first inning. Yet, the Tritons responded in the bottom of the second inning with four runs in from Lauren Sanders, Rachel Phillips, Emma Schneider and Kelsi Maday.

Just like the Tritons the Seawolves were able to respond immediately. In the top of the third inning, the Seawolves found the gaps and executed their offense to bring in six runs, resulting in seven total runs. One of the big plays was a double to left-center from Leanna Georges, which scored three runs by Lucchese, Tolliver and Holli Brown. The Tritons, in their attempt at a comeback, would soon follow with two more runs, one in the bottom of the third

by Kendall Baker and the last run would be made in the bottom of the fifth by Emma Schneider, making the final score 7-6, Seawolves.

Although the Seawolves battled hard, they could not keep up the winning streak for the entire weekend.

In game four on Saturday the Tritons would be the one to take home the win with a score of 3-2. It

would be the Tritons who started the game off strong with a two-run lead in the bottom of the third. While both teams would play strong defense, it would not be enough for the Seawolves attempt at a comeback in game four against UC San Diego, instead they would come up short, only scoring in the top of the fifth, as well as the seventh.

The Tritons were able to find the “hitting gaps and holes in our defense,” said Curry.

The Tritons walked away with their lone win of the weekend after game four.

“Our biggest challenge in the fourth game was leaving runners in scoring positions and letting their offense execute and we could have been sharper on defense,” said Curry.

Yet, she was not the only one who had something to say about the way the Seawolves played over the weekend.

“Overall I think we played really well as a team, we came out with lots of energy and fight knowing that this weekend was going to be a challenge,” said outfielder Keeley Ray. A challenge it was, although they swept them the majority of the weekend, the Tritons refused to give up.

As for next weekend, catch the Sonoma State Seawolves at home on Friday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. against CSU East Bay.

Baseball Gallery: Two walk-off wins Continued on page 11

STAR // Connor Gibson Top: Junior catcher/first baseman Cody Morris tries tagging the runner.

Middle: Junior catcher Spencer Neves keeps his eye on the ball.

Bottom: Junior pitcher DeVon Golden releases at the top of his windup.

Sports

March 10 - March 16, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 11

Player Profile: Adam Manzer Kory Arnold Staff Writer

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STAR // Connor Gibson Top: Junior catcher Spencer Neves follows through after making contact.

Middle: The baseball team looks on during a day game.

Bottom: Senior infielder Alex Crosby fouls it off.

t’s fair to say a majority of athletes that attend Sonoma State University live within at least a 500-mile radius of the school, or at least live in California; this is not the case for Sonoma State baseball player Adam Manzer, who was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Now take that 500 miles and multiply it by about 100 going north and that is about where one will find Anchorage.

Ever since being a young little-leaguer, Manzer always had aspirations to play baseball in the golden state of California and to one day, potentially be drafted into the MLB. “Growing up in Alaska, it was hard to pick a favorite baseball team with only having the Seattle Mariners being the closest which is still over a thousand miles away,” said Manzer. “That’s why I paid very close attention to teams like the Giants, Dodgers and A’s in California because I loved the style in which they played and wanted nothing more than [to] be a part of it one day.”

Manzer, 21, a Geology major at Sonoma State, spent his entire childhood and young adult life living in Anchorage before heading out to California to pursue his baseball career.

His parents still reside in Anchorage currently, but are in the works of making a permanent move out to California as well.

Being so far away from home can sometimes take a toll on Manzer but he always reminds himself why he is here and wants nothing more than to make is family proud.

“The distance from home can be extremely tough and frustrating, not being able to go home for months on end,” Manzer said. “But every time I get down about it, I go hit a round of balls in the cage and remind myself of the reason of why I traveled this far.”

When Manzer first came out to California in 2012, he initially played for College of Marin in Kentfield before transferring to Sonoma State the following year. He red-shirted for Sonoma State in 2014 because of his eligibility but with countless hours of hard work, he now currently is a vital force on the current roster.

Former College of Marin teammate and still close friend Nate Cantrell said that Manzer’s work ethic was something that he rarely sees.

“The kid is like a sponge man, he’s always looking to improve and is willing to listen and work with anyone that gives him more insight on himself,” said Cantrell. “He really is some-

sonomaseawolves.com thing special that you do not see often in today’s game.”

Another aspect of what makes Ganzer unique is the fact that he does not have one set position on the field but is considered a utility player who can cover multiple positions.

Initially being just a catcher, he never stopped tuning his abilities in the other positions and can play proficiently in both the infield and outfield.

“When I came to SSU, I prominently went out for the catcher but after seeing how much quality and quantity we already had at the position, I had no issues playing anywhere else,” said Manzer.

Manzer is currently the starting left-fielder for the Seawolves but with no hesitation he will be geared up and ready to go behind the plate at a moment’s notice.

“Adam is the type of kid that doesn’t come around very often, he just thinks differently,” said Sonoma State position coach as well as former player Zack Pace. “He’s got the right mindset everyday day and knows that there’s plenty of business to be taken care of in order to win.”

Manzer is currently hitting at a respectable .313 batting average with one home run to add to his credit this year.

The Seawolves will certainly need Manzer’s assistance as they attempt to grind out the rest of the season in sought of reaching the conference playoff tournament once again.

Seawolf Standouts Angelique Lopez, Tori Dwyer (Women’s Track & Field)

In this past week’s Kim Duyst Invitational, hosted by Cal State Stanislaus, some Seawolves set program records for their events. Freshman Angelique Lopez ran a 12.58 second 100-meter dash, which set the eighthbest mark for the program. Junior Tori Dwyer set the second-best mark for 3000-meter Steeplechase with a 12:59.08 finish.

O’Koyea Dickson (Alumni)

Former Seawolf baseball player O’Koyea Dickson has hit two home runs and a double in just nine at-bats for the Los Angeles Dodgers during this year’s Spring Training. Dickson is coming off his best minor-league season with 17 home runs and 36 doubles for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts.

Seawolves Schedule Mar. 13

Women’s Tennis at Nevada TBA Reno, NV

Baseball vs. Cal Poly Pomona 2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond

Baseball vs. Cal Poly Pomona 11 a.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond

Mar. 14

Women’s Water Polo vs Harvard 1:00 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Pool

Baseball vs. Cal Poly Pomona 11 a.m./2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond Softball at Cal State East Bay 12 p.m./2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Field Women’s Water Polo vs Cal State Monterey Bay 12:00 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Pool

THERAPIST

Mar. 15

Softball vs. Cal State East Bay 1 p.m./3 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Field

Women’s Tennis vs. Cal State Stanislaus TBA Reno, NV

BECOME A

Mar. 16

Women’s Water Polo vs Marist 3:00 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Pool

Mar. 17

Baseball vs. Academy of Art 2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond

Earn your MA in Counseling Psychology Marriage and Family Therapy INFORMATION MEETING Wednesday, March 18, 5:30pm To RSVP call 707.527.9612 visit www.usfca.edu/santarosa email santarosacampus@usfca.edu

CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HERE

Page 12

Photo This week in photos...

March 10 - March 16, 2015

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For more, visit our galleries at SonomaStateStar.com

Associated Students Elections

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Candidates for Associated Students President, Brandon Mercer and Nicole Dominique, engage in a debate before elections are held. Voting continues through Wednesday via Seawolf email accounts. Read more about the debate on page 1.

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Current Associated Students President Anthony Gallino and Vice President for Finance Adam Rosenkranz discuss the fee increase to fund the Tutorial Center, Join Us Making Progress and other student services. For more info, see page 2 and 5.