Volume74issue13

Sonoma State Star SINCE 1979

MAY 5 - MAY 11, 2015

VOLUME 74 // ISSUE 13

SONOMASTATESTAR.COM

Project Censored founder passes at 85 Joshua Gutierrez Staff Writer

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STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University students came together Thursday for Take Back the Night, an event highlighting Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The event advocates open conversation about sexual assault and aims to end the ongoing issues in society.

See the full story on Take Back the Night on Pg. 8 and more photos on Pg. 12

See CARL JENSEN on Pg. 4

University system addresses student hunger, homelessness

Student attends national research conference

Ciara Smith Staff Writer

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Kayla E. Galloway News Editor

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onoma State University student Mercedes Mack and professor of political science Cynthia Boaz attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research last month at Eastern Washington University in Spokane, Washington.

Mack, a fourth-year political science major, is the only Sonoma State student to have attended this conference. At the conference, Mack presented a research paper on media frames and implication for nonviolent struggles in Palestine.

The National Conference of Undergraduate Research is an annual conference that allows students in the United States, from a wide range of universities, the opportunity to showcase their academic research and have work published in a national publication following the conference.

Boaz sees this conference as an opportunity for students to do research and gain academic experience outside of the classroom that prepares students for graduate school and future academic endeavors.

“There are roughly 500 student papers that are presented in the conference,” said Boaz. “The goal of the conference is to promote undergraduate research and students doing their own research and analysis’ and writing up their findings.”

The conference takes place at a different university each year and is considered one of the most renowned research conferences in the nation.

Mack and Boaz’ trip to the conference in Washington was supported by Sonoma State and Boaz hopes that more opportunities for under-

roject Censored founder and former Sonoma State University professor Carl Jensen passed away on April 23 in his Cotati home at the age of 85 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

Founded in 1976, Project Censored has gained recognition worldwide for its yearly publication, which highlights the top 25 underreported stories in the national media. In addition, Project Censored has developed radio, education and research programs and released two documentaries.

“Carl Jensen was really a pioneer,” said current Project Censored director Mickey Huff.

“Not only in terms of his dedication to a free press system and helping people understand censorship, but his commitment to education and students was unrivaled. Nearly 40 years after he began, we pride ourselves in reaching out to the next generation of citizen journalists and

people wanting to pursue and support free press, or free press interests.”

Project Censored now incorporated more than two dozen campuses, with hundreds of faculty and students. The collective effort of sifting through the independent news sources culminates with their flagship publication.

Though the publication is unaffiliated with Sonoma State University, Project Censored remains connected with the campus.

“All over the world if you say Sonoma State University, people say that is where Project Censored is,” said president of Media Freedom Foundation and former director of Project Censored Peter Phillips. “Millions of people have been informed by our stories. Four million onsite reviews annually. Our books have been published and translated all over the world. It’s brought Sonoma State a great deal of publicity.”

Phillips said the origin of

COURTESY // Cynthia Boaz Sonoma State University student Mercedes Mack attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research to present research. graduate research at SSU and the opportunity to attend this conference will be available for students in the future.

“The conference is considered very selective.

[The conference] has a long history in the U.S. and internationally as being the most prestigious undergraduate forum,” said Boaz.

Mack’s paper on media frames on nonviolent struggles in Palestine was inspired by Boaz, who focuses on related subjects in her career. The paper discusses the role the media has in covering society’s non-violent resistance in Palestine since 2004. Mack is also a research assistant to Boaz and had been working on her project since December, prior to presenting it at the conference last month.

“I looked at Iran and Palestine,”said Mack.

“I’ve been working under Professor Boaz for awhile now and that’s one of her areas of study See CONFERENCE on Pg. 4

he California State University system has addressed issues of hunger and homelessness, which continues as an ongoing problem for students. The Chancellor’s office has proposed a study to give a better understanding of college students who experience housing instability and food insecurity across all 23 CSU campuses.

“Many campuses already provide homeless and hungry students with resources, but this study will help the CSU do more by developing recommendations,” said public affairs web communications specialist and spokesperson for the university system, Elizabeth Chaplin, “for serving our students with food and housing insecurity. We want every one of our students to have the opportunity to reach her/his full potential.”

The one-year project effects will report the current services offered to homeless and food-insecure students for all of the CSU campuses.

It will also include all of the data-driven recommendations for the best practices for CSU

campuses. The number of students who experience food insecurity is largely undocumented and unknown.

Sonoma State students gave their opinion on homelessness and the rising costs of college. Though a present issue in higher education, many have yet to meet homeless students.

“I think homelessness is pretty common no matter where you go. The rising in college costs definitely makes it harder for people to attend college,” said Hutchins major, Saphrina Bradshaw. “but at the same time for, every rise in costs there is an increase in scholarships and other financial aids.”

The number of homeless students is underreported because many students are either unaware of the status description or just not willing to identify themselves as homeless.

“From my understanding, I don’t believe homelessness among college students is common. I’m sure there are cases of homeless in the situation that students cannot support themselves and don’t have support from family and friends,” said English major Hannah Richardson. “With the rising costs of college, it’s more complicated to attend with the

burden of student loans tacked onto countless other financial duties.”

The university system educates the most ethnically, economically and socially diverse student body in the nation. Nearly 338,000 CSU students received financial aid and 77 percent of undergraduate financial aid recipients had their tuition fees fully covered in the 2013-2014 year. Onethird of the CSU’s undergraduates are first-generation college students in their families and nearly half are Pell Grant recipients.

Other campuses are currently offering resources for students experiencing food and housing instability.

Chico State has a program, Hungry Wildcat Program, which has helped more than 100 students to prevent hunger since it started in 2012.

Hornet Proud Fund from Sacramento State helps fulltime undergraduate students by reimbursing them up to $1,500 of actual expenses for them experiencing financial crisis due to an unexpected event.

Humboldt State has a program called Food Cupboard, which helps aid students in need of healthy food.

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Editorial 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

May 5 - May 11, 2015

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Information age: Project Censored, Baltimore protests

Read more about the passing of Carl Jensen on Pg. 1.

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n 1976, Carl Jensen started Project Censored to “promote independent investigative journalism, media literacy and critical thinking.” With an opposition to news censorship, Jensen focused on exposing under-reported news (“The News that Didn’t Make the News”), free press and its role in a democratic selfgovernment.

Jensen, who started the communication studies bachelor’s and journalism certificate programs at Sonoma State University, passed away April 23 at age 85.

Living in a time where knowledge is stored on a device in one’s pocket, alerts, updates and news coverage is received in a matter of seconds thanks to apps and technology, but it still seems like only a pinch of information is being fed. It’s as if large news stories are a bag of Skittles, but consumers are only finding the purple and green pieces.

An individual who wants to know what’s going on has the tools, such as computers and the Internet, but it might take a little digging to get all sides of the story.

Shouldn’t there be a closer look at the type of information the public receives from its news outlet? Are they getting the most informative stories possible? Why are there limited sides to a story?

News comes from multiple areas.

There are newspapers, magazines and even Twitter feeds. As issues surface, the biggest names in news report on the same thing with no change of angle or in-depth look.

This issue of limited coverage could be rooted in conglomerates and monopolies, which run the news outlets. Certain groups, like VICE News, aim to show the other sides of important news from an unscripted view with the help of homemovie style documentaries.

An example of these types of repetitive news reports came in the wake of the Baltimore protests.

The intentions were peaceful protests with thousands of people marching through the streets in an attempt to send a message of wanting justice for Freddie Gray, a man who died from injuries sustained while in police custody while being driven in a police van without a seatbelt with his hands and feet shackled.

Many main news outlets posted photos of the city at night and noted the unrest, riots, looting and violence. For example, CNN’s Instagram account shows a photo of a burned-out police car and van sitting in the street.

Tweets from major news groups gained popularity with thousands of favorites, while there were independent journalists and reporters who went in

and only got a few hundred. The issue isn’t showing this side of the story, it’s that this was the overwhelming coverage of the story.

More tame coverage and interesting stories, such as a man protesting and impersonating Michael Jackson as he danced to “Beat It” and photos from the lowest-attended MLB game between the Orioles and White Sox at Camden Yards, came to light later on.

With some searching, stories from inside the protests of citizens holding hands as a blockade and walking with signs will surface. Positive headlines came up recently as well. On Sunday, a piece from CNN was titled, “Baltimore protests largely peaceful.”

It is possible people had no background information and weren’t sure what the protests were before they saw photos and coverage of looting and violence. Where’s the major coverage of the peaceful protests?

Jensen encouraged individuals to get the full story in situations like this and others.

In the past year or two, there have been several occasions, such as the Michael Brown and Eric Garner shooting, Ebola health warnings, ISIS danger, as examples, that should spark further research from all to be educated on important matters.

Connor Gibson, Niquie Wilson

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:

“Wine Mixology Competition results are in” Living right in the center of wine country, it’s no doubt there’s plenty of people who are enthusiastic and interested in the competitive side of the business. Staff Writer Emily Johnstone covers the Wine Mixology Competition, and the creative minds behind the fun and informational event.

Read the story on Pg. 8

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.

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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.

STAR // Eddie Blake

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

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

Opinion

May 5 - May 11, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Post-grad life

Olivia Johnson Staff Writer

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STAR // Caleigh Hanson

Instagram? More like Insta-bland

Aidan Guthrie Opinion Assistant

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ecently I found myself going through my nightly ritual that inevitably ends in scrolling down my news feed either on Instagram, Facebook or Tumblr before falling asleep. A creeping feeling started to form in the back of my subconscious as I observed photo after photo of my peers posing at the beach, enjoying an artistically assembled breakfast platter or candidly laughing together at a party.

It hit me when I eventually came across a promoted Instagram post from the account of a very popular blogger. The heavily filtered photo was of a bright sunset at the beach, with the silhouettes of two figures clasping hands in the background. I immediately thought, “All this sh**s the same.”

Sure the photo was beautiful, a happy couple casually walking along the beach at sunset, but I’ve seen a thousand photos before just like this one. What was so special about this one that made it get so

many likes? Why was this blogger’s photos, which in my opinion were just as well executed as some of my own friends’, so wildly popular?

It seems like if someone wants to get Internet famous today they have to conform to a strict series of socially constructed ideals about what constitutes a “good” photo. In other words, it seems like many people sacrifice originality at the altar of conformity for the sake of achieving greater popularity.

I find myself continuously underwhelmed by the similar sense of humor employed by the most popular Internet stars on YouTube. The frequency of certain archetypes like sunsets, coffee and selfies on Facebook and Instagram also unsettles me.

What makes certain types of photos so popular? Who determines these standards? And what does this homogeneousness in social media reflect about society or more specifically millennials?

These were some of the questions that arose in my mind.

A study conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology last year ran algorithms on 2.3 million Flickr photos in order to determine the factors that make a photo popular.

Certain content factors like texture, color or sharpness can make a photo more popular if they add to its overall visual appeal and

stimulation. Certain types of photos such as those that tend to use bright colors or contain images of people rather than scenery tend to be more popular. Similarly, photos with a darker filter or of inanimate objects are less popular.

I would like to recognize that there is a great deal of uniqueness and originality that can be found throughout social media. Yet the most popular accounts, regardless of what forum they are on, all adhere to an eerily similar sense of aesthetics. With a few exceptions, the more original or eccentric accounts or profiles tend to garner much less attention than those with a more mainstream bend and thus a broader base of appeal.

What really concerns me most is the social implications that this trend toward conformity holds for society at large. The threat of repetitive and similar posts is that social media may devolve into a state of continuous mediocrity. This trend shows no signs of slowing down.

In a worst case scenario I fear that people who participate in social media may carry this theme of blandness into other facets of their life. Real day-to-day life decisions could come to be shaped, at least in part, with the mindset or agenda of trying to capture a perfect photo.

I’ve already observed the first signs of this trend in my peers.

It seems like young people today

will spend upward of 10 minutes taking and editing a photo, debating over angles and filters to make it “just right.” Whole conversations can literally be consumed by talk critiquing other people’s latest statuses or pictures. All of this behavior seems a bit vain to me and I worry that it will only continue to become the new norm.

Digital art expressed through social media has undoubtedly opened up new avenues which art can be created and shared. Simultaneously, this new medium tends to distract people away from traditional, more tangible forms of artistic expression while pushing people toward greater homogeneousness. Art is a subject where the last thing you would want is people trying to emulate each other.

Only time will tell how social media and artistic expression mold each other in the future. But if we are to steer the direction of where digital art is heading in the future than we must lead by example.

Post the things that are weird, eccentric or that you like, don’t worry about the recognition. If people genuinely enjoy your perception of the world and what you choose to upload to the Internet, they will come.

Because what’s the point of praise or popularity if it comes through something that doesn’t really represent you?

ith the semester coming to an end and graduation quickly approaching, excitement is in the air at Sonoma State. However, graduating seniors can’t help but feel the pressure of entering the real world.

The brink of graduation comes with constantly having to answer the question, so what are you doing next? Some might be attending graduate school, but for others the next step is to get a real job. Also known as a job that not only includes benefits but one that could potentially turn into the career they have for the rest of their life.

This then explains the high pressure for these, soon to be former, students. The type of job they hope to land will determine a majority of how their post-college life will turn out.

The job will control how much a person will make, where one will live and what a new typical day will be like. Therefore, it’s very important they go for the right job as well as establish a strong work ethic.

In an online Entrepreneur magazine article titled, “4 Ways College Grads Can Prepare For Their First Real Job,” written by Eddy Ricci, the four key components to landing a career job are shared.

The article’s main objective is to address what post-grad students should do if they want to go far in the business world. It also included tips on how to boost your work reputation.

The article began by stating how a month prior to graduation, and entering the adult world, students should wonder and focus on who they need to get to know, what they have learned about themselves, and some short or long-term outcomes of their first choice career.

E-cigarettes: What’s the big deal?

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Isra Ahmad Guest Contributor

efore I began college, I couldn’t have identified an e-cigarette if I saw one. In my first semester at San Jose State, I sat next to a student who was openly smoking an e-cigarette in my community health class, to my surprise. Since I didn’t know much about e-cigarettes, he was nice enough to explain how they work.

While smoking a traditional cigarette in a classroom is unthinkable, much less a health class, e-cigarettes have emerged as a strangely acceptable practice. I fear this trend will erode the progress that has been made over decades in the fight against tobacco.

Although I always knew cigarettes can kill, the “truth campaign” helped me learn just how much the tobacco companies were willing to do to keep people addicted. These days it seems

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that health organizations are fighting the same battles as they did years ago, but this time against e-cigarettes.

I’m taking notice because this time it’s personal. They are targeting my generation. This is about teens and young adults, those who will write the next chapter of California’s history. Have you noticed that e-cigarette marketing is more pervasive than traditional cigarettes, and that the ads seem to be speaking to you specifically?

That’s because e-cigarettes are heavily advertised and targeting young adults through television and radio – channels where cigarette ads were banned more than 40 years ago. They can even pass out samples at concerts, bars and festivals.

What I’ve come to learn is that of the more than $80 million spent on ecigarette advertising in 2013, the vast majority came from Big Tobacco companies.

This is because they own several of the e-cigarette brands now. For example, Lorillard, the nation’s third-largest cigarette company, bought blu, the clear market leader in e-cigarettes.

In the last three years, the amount of e-cigarette advertising rose more than 1,200 percent, clearly showing that the tobacco industry is investing in a

new market.

They are aiming to recruit the next generation of smokers to replace the one they are killing off now with traditional tobacco cigarettes. And there’s a lot they’re not telling us about what’s actually in e-cigarettes.

E-cigarette companies are currently not required to disclose the ingredients (and toxins) in their products.

There are no safety or health standards associated with e-cigarettes...right now, pet food has more safety standards than e-cigarettes. Take a look at the facts behind the recent growth in e-cigarette use: ·E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance (as addictive as heroin). ·E-cigarette use among young adults, ages 18 to 29, increased from 2.3 percent in 2012 to 7.6 percent in 2013.

Young adults in California are three times more likely to use e-cigarettes than those 30 and older. ·E-cigarettes are purposefully marketed to a younger audience with fruit, candy and alcohol-flavored e-juice. ·E-cigarettes pose health risks not just to those who use them, but also to people who may be exposed to the secondhand aerosol emitted from e-cigarettes, which contains harmful chemi-

cals – it’s not just harmless water vapor.

What really scares me though is that all of this of e-cigarette marketing, and rapidly increasing usage, is making the act of smoking seem…normal again. And these electronic devices are clearly aimed at introducing our generation to nicotine addiction.

This directly undermines California’s progress to establish tobacco-free norms, which reduced smoking rates by 50 percent, saving people’s lives and reducing healthcare costs.

The California Department of Public Health recently released its first campaign to educate Californians on the health risks of e-cigarettes, and these aggressive marketing practices used to recruit the next generation of smokers.

As students taught to question our surroundings, I encourage you to get smart and educate yourself about e-cigarettes. Together we can ensure younger Californians do not fall victim to the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing and rewrite the history we should be living.

Isra Ahmad is a student adviser board member of Campuses Organized and United for Good Health. COUGH is a California Youth Advocacy Network that is making efforts to change the tobacco use culture in California’s schools.

When it comes to getting a job, connections are key. Who you know can help you out a lot when it comes to searching and applying.

Having connections can open a lot of doors of opportunity. In the article, Ricci shares that having connections with your coworkers and boss are very important when first starting out.

She stresses that no matter how busy you think you are, you are never too busy to grab a cup of coffee with someone superior to you. Second piece of advice he states is to be aware of what motivates you.

Whether it be money, knowledge, independence or recognition, the writer believes after learning which one suites you to share this information with your new boss.

By learning what motivates you will help and make somewhat of a guide of how to reach your maximum work ethic.

Furthermore, talk to people who previously worked for the same company. With great advances like the website LinkedIn, you can talk to the people who have had your job.

Ask questions like why did they leave it?

What were they able to take from it? What did they wish they knew beforehand? And any other pertinent questions. Some responses could come out negatively, but at least now you know.

Lastly, as the writer puts it, win big win some.

You can either win big and stay with the company for long-term or win some by leaving but now with something under your belt.

The article ends with stating how following these steps into a “prelaunch” can have an effect on your first job that could lead into your overall career success.

“Once you’re done with school the only thing to do now is to become an adult,” said senior Hilary Hill, “which means full-time job, full-time responsibilities. We’ve spent majority of our lives preparing and going to school for this moment. How you choose to go about it will either make or break your career.”

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May 5 - May 11, 2015

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CARL JENSEN: A legacy that lives on Continued from Pg. 1

Project Censored started when Jensen’s media censorship class asked him why Richard Nixon got re-elected in 1972.

By 1976, Nixon had been resigned for roughly two years following the Watergate scandal.

According to Phillips, Jensen found many independent news agencies which wrote of the Watergate scandal before the election of 1972. Phillips said Jensen wondered just what else corporate media chose not to cover.

Coupled with Jensen’s experience as a weekly newspaper publisher, daily newspaper reporter, advertising executive and public relations practitioner, Project Censored was formed.

In 1976, Jensen and his Sonoma State classroom meticulously chose what they deemed the most censored stories.

The inaugural Project Censored received notoriety instantly with their no. 1 story

about then-President Jimmy Carter’s connection with David Rockefeller’s Trilateral Commission, an economic and political policy-making organization. Chief of their concerns was national media’s focus on Carter as a peanut farmer and little else.

Project Censored for many years was a pamphlet and press release, until Jensen wrote “Censored: The News That Didn’t Make the News and Why in 1996.”

In addition to writing five volumes of Project Censored’s yearly publication, Jensen wrote “20 years of Censored News, Stories That Changed America” and a three-volume encyclopedia titled “Censorship.”

In Jensen’s lifetime, he received among many other awards the Hugh Hefner First Amendment Award, the Society of Professional Journalist’s Freedom of Information Award, California Newspaper Publisher’s Association’s Outstanding Professor of Journalism Award.

Jensen stepped down as director of Project Censored in 1996 and recruited Phillips, who had been a recent hire by the Sonoma State sociology department.

“Carl was always very supportive of me,” said Phillips. “In my 10 years as director there were controversial issues and he backed the project 100 percent. He was always a historical presence through the project and a psychological support for me and my efforts.”

Jensen remained active on Project Censored’s board of directors until his health deteriorated. Huff, hired as the third director in Project Censored’s history, ref lected on Jensen.

“Carl was an incredible human being,” said Huff. “He was incredibly compassionate, and despite a lot of the things going on in the world that seemed to be going wrong, he remained the consummate optimist. I am very humbled to be able to try to carry on the mission of Project Censored, which Carl started nearly 40 years ago.”

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wikipedia.org On April 25, Nepal endured a catastrophic earthquake that the nation is still recovering from.

Students react to Nepal quake Rissie Markarian Staff Writer

“M

y heart and prayers go out to everyone who was hurt by the earthquake,” said sophomore history major Kat Cahill. “It makes me wonder what will happen if one shakes here. It seems like we’re always told, ‘you’re next,’ after destructive earthquakes like this one.”

Geography and global studies professor Michelle Goman said why the recent Nepal earthquake was as catastrophic as it was. She said the region in which it occurred is characterized by a collision boundary.

This is where the Indian tectonic plate pushes underneath the Eurasian plate.

The Himalayan Mountains are a result of these plates pushing up together at an almost equal rate. The professor said they had been stuck, applying intense stress to the area.

“When the plates slipped the stress was released very rapidly,” said Goman. “The location of the slip occurred relatively close to the earth’s surface

(about 15 km) and so this makes the energy released more damaging. The city of Kathmandu was built on top of an ancient lake basin filled with sedimentary material. Because of their structure and composition, sedimentary rocks will amplify the shaking motion caused by the earthquake and the damage will be greater.”

Nepal is still cleaning up after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck at 11:56 Nepal time on April 25, followed by two major aftershocks at magnitudes of 6.6 and 6.7.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the epicenter was approximately 80 km to the northwest of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Areas also affected include China, Bangladesh, India and Bhutan.

More than 7,000 people have been pronounced dead as a result of this devastating quake and more than double that amounts to those injured. There have been four reported casualties from the United States.

The website also details two of four major earthquakes surpassing a

magnitude of six that have occurred in the last century around this particular area. In August of 1988, 1,500 fatalities occurred as a result of a 6.9 magnitude earthquake. The largest ever documented was the Nepal-Bihar earthquake of 1934. It was an eight on the scale, with 10,600 fatalities recorded.

Many California residents fear they are due for a large earthquake of their own.

“We need to take preparedness more seriously,” said junior psychology major Emerald Culmer. “It’s more likely that the big one might happen any day now.

We need to prepare with water, f lashlights and all those things included on the lists for emergency preparedness.”

For those interested in helping Nepal rebuild after the unfathomable devastation, text “Redcross” to 90999 to donate $10 to the cause.

The Red Cross, UNICEF and MercyCorps are just some organizations among many that include information for visitors to easily donate to the survivors of the earthquake.

CONFERENCE: University hopes to send more students Continued from Pg. 1

and that’s something I’m really interested in as well.”

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research is considered one of the most prestigious conferences in the United States where students from all majors and universities can present research. Mack’s paper was chosen out of nearly 4,000 submissions to be presented at the conference.

In the future, Boaz hopes Sonoma State will continue to support research opportunities for students and the university can continue to have a presence at the conference.

Boaz commends Mack’s research and her work at the conference. Boaz said seeing her student present research at the conference was very rewarding and she is proud of the work Mack at and before the conference.

“Mercedes did an outstanding [job] of presenting her work before a diverse group of undergraduates and professors from universities from around the country,” said Boaz.

The conference welcomes students of many academic subjects, not just political science. The conference featured work from the social sciences as well as the arts and sciences. “My hope is that Sonoma State will find the resources to support sending several students each year to this conference,” said Boaz.

Mack credits her interest in the conference to Boaz, who encouraged her to send in an abstract to the organization.

“So many people apply to get in [to the conference] and we just decided to [submit it],” said Mack.

Mack sees immense benefit from attending the conference.

“Part of going to the conference is you write your paper and you present what you found so far, so the paper isn’t completed [when you attend the conference],” said Mack. “So after the conference, you get feedback from other faculty members and other students. I learned a lot just by presenting the paper.”

News

May 5 - May 11, 2015

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Page 5

Seawolves SPEAK!

Texas A&M University at Galveston professor decides to fail an entire class.

Michelle Welling Staff Writer

S

tudents of a strategic management class at Texas A&M Galveston got the scare of the semester when they received an email

from their instructor Irwin Horwitz, saying they would all fail the class.

In the email to students, Houston News KPRC reported Horwitz said, “I have seen cheating, been told by students to ‘chill out,’ ‘get out of my space,’ ‘go back and teach,’ refuse to leave the room after being told to

do so following inappropriate conduct, called a ‘f*****g moron’ several times by a student to my face...”

Horwitz said students spread hurtful rumors about him, his wife and colleagues, and he felt the need for police protection in class.

Horwitz said it was apparent the

“I think it’s bad for the education system. Unless he has quantifiable test scores to show why he should fail them, he really just can’t fail an entire class on the basis of being insulted. You can’t expect every student who comes into a class to like what they’re learning. ” - Mack Cooper

“I think when teachers are failing students, I kind of put the blame on both of them...

I don’t agree that he failed his whole class because I’m sure there were people in that class who were actually trying.”

- John Wilcox

students were unwilling to cooperate or perform at the academic level the course required..

“The report that all students in this class will be failed is not correct,” said Louchouarn, an associate provost with Texas A&M University at Galveston in a statement. “Each stu-

dent will receive an individual grade based upon work completed during the semester.”

A department head will take over teaching the strategic management class; Horwitz was not removed from the class, but chose to leave it, officials said.

“In his case he should have only failed the cer tain students who were causing problems. I’m sure there were some students who were doing very well in his class, and I don’t think they should have been punished on behalf of other people.

- Rosa Martinez

“If you expect your students to be respectful, I think that’s something that needs to be established from the very beginning...If you don’t make that positive relationship early on, you’re not going to be able to form it later on.

- Ben Tourley

Page 6

Arts

May 5 - May 11, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

A year’s worth of creativity

B.F.A. Exhibit at the University Art Gallery Gustavo Vasquez Managing Editor

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STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Students and community members view works by Isaac Lopez and other graduating art majors at the Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition.

linking wine glasses and loud chatter could be heard from afar in the small University Art Gallery Thursday night for the opening reception of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition 2015.

Graduating bachelor of fine arts students have been waiting since the beginning of the academic year for the night that marked the end of their undergraduate career at Sonoma State University.

Known most commonly as the B.F.A. program by art students, the degree is 132 units where accepted students take an additional oneyear to complete, working in their emphasis of art.

“There’s a lot of potential in a lot of the artists in display,” said Katie Sue Anderson, graduating B.F.A art studio student, focusing on painting. “They all worked really hard.”

The plainly painted white walls of the University Art Gallery are covered with artworks of graduating seniors from the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at Sonoma State, works made in the mediums of photography, printmaking and painting.

“It’s pretty hard to even compare them because they are so incredibly different,” said Clare Joelson, graduating art studio major, focusing on painting. “There is no one similar to each other really and it’s always a really diverse group every B.F.A. show, always on a strong note.”

The 14 bachelor of fine arts students in the current exhibition include Kadie Sue Anderson (painting), Peter Brennan (photography), Will Elias (printmaking), Ashley Farlan (painting), Daniel Gardner (painting), Hillary Gattian (painting), Ali Haselbeck (painting), Sarah Heyward (painting), Dayana Leon(painting), Isaac Lopez (painting), Sarah Newcomb (painting), Hadley Radt (painting), Corinne Robertson (printmaking) and Cameron York (painting).

The lack of sculpture was present, with graduating artists only focusing on two-dimensional works on the walls.

“I think this is important for students on campus to know about because we put so much work and effort into it,” said Cameron York, graduating bachelor of fine arts student. “Young artists are out here doing their thing you know, finding their voice.”

The exhibition represents the diverse creativity of the program, every student has their own

voice and style of art which was seen walking by every few feet in the exhibition.

Lopez, with his larger than life paintings, painted his canvas all red before going over with different gradients of gray and black. Many of his works focus on political and religious issues.

Anderson, working with photographing and painting, creates alter egos and documents them, with influence from the iconic photographer Cindy Sherman.

“I started initially dressing up and photographing myself in different characters, just as a tribute to her, Cindy Sherman,” said Anderson.

“As time went by, I developed the ideas further and hit a stride of my own, where I am creating further developed characters and placing them in ironic, funny situations.”

During the opening reception, Anderson came dressed in an alter ego, Carlotta Weintrob, a New York art dealer. When asked why, she said she wanted to dress up like someone important in the art world.

Brennan works with photography and printmaking, he created a slideshow of images shot on color film and shown in a loop of edited images at different perspectives.

Applying to the program requires students to submit a body of work in their emphasis of art; photography, printmaking, painting or sculpture.

“It kind of reminds you what you can end on, what you are capable of and what your peers are capable of,” said Joelson. “We all have the same teachers, but end with such different results, and we all want to say different things. The art department in general is really strong, and that makes the students really strong.”

The BFA exhibition will be up for viewing through May 16.

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez The Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition is open for viewing in the University Art Gallery through May 16.

Pacific culture brought to life Sierra Smith Staff Writer

I

t’s the time of year where the university’s largest multicultural organization, Filipino-American Association of Sonoma State University, puts on its sixth annual Pacific Culture Night.

Exclusively run by the association with the help from many friends, families and volunteers, Pacific Culture Night features various cultural dances that are performed and choreographed by members of the organization and community.

This year, Pacific Culture Night took the audience on a journey from island to island to experience the Filipino culture in addition to other cultures from countries such as New Zealand, Tahiti and the United States.

Amber Vang, women and gender studies major, was especially excited for the event.

“This is my fourth time going to PCN,” said Vang. “The performances are my favorite; my nephew is in a lot of them. But my favorites are Haka and Tahitian dances.”

The two-night event began with America’s National Anthem, sung by Jessica Amen and Roy Kitaoka, followed by the Philippine National Anthem sung by KAPWA. The hosts of the evening, FAASSU President Paolo Ochoa and FAASSU Vice President Sebastian Cardona, welcomed the audience with some friendly, light-hearted chatter to start the night with an inclusive and comfortable aura.

The performances began with a traditional Philippine dance, Malakas at Maganda, which translates in English to “the strong and the beautiful.”

The interpreted dance featured the first man, Malakas, and the first wom-

an, Maganda, and the people of the island.

After a few other traditional Philippine dances, a Hawaiian dance wellknown as the Hula, featured a Disney rendition of “Lilo and Stitch” with dancers dressed as Lilo, and KAPWA coordinator and FAASSU executive board member Kyle Her dressed as Stitch.

“I felt very proud and excited for everything we accomplished,” said environmental studies major Laurel Smith.

“Did you guys see Stitch?” said Ochoa in-between performances. “And a whole bunch of Lilo’s?”

One of the most recognizable dances originated from New Zealand, Haka, is known as an ancestral war cry from the Maori people.

It’s most characterized from its vigorous and fierce movements, revealing the man’s strength, pride and unity with one another.

“It’s kinda scary with their big, oily bodies,” said Ochoa in-between introducing performances.

With their empowerment, Haka includes animated and exotic facial expressions, hissing and spitting, making it one of the most memorable and perhaps scary, dances.

Between performances, Ochoa and Cardona shared Filipino trivia with the audience, offering FAASSU T-shirts to engage the audience if they got any of the trivia correct.

The hosts would also invite some of the dancers of particular dances such as Haka and Tahitian to come on

stage and teach volunteers the essential moves for their perspective dance.

Toward the latter part of the night, hosts and audience arrived to the “American Islands” for modern dance, featuring a vocal performance cover of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down” by Samantha Basa’s and dance performances by The New Knights trio, Sonoma State’s step team and the campus’ hiphop dance crew, Blue Baronz.

“Everyone is super nervous before going on stage,” said communications major Philip Gilbert, “but it always turns out way better than we thought.”

Gilbert is a member of the association as well as Blue Baronz, and was featured in dances including traditional Philippine dances Malakas at Maganda and Sakuting.

The evening commenced with a few Philippine dances, including a new one for this year’s Pacific Culture Night not featured in the past called Jota Caviteña, a Spanish inspired dance from the northern part of Spain.

“I felt very proud and excited for everything we accomplished,” said environmental studies major Laurel Smith. “Everyone put in so much work into the dances that we practiced for since the beginning of the semester.

My favorite part was at the end when everyone was on stage and we came together as a family and chanted our FAASSU cheer.”

Smith is a member of the association and was featured in Philippine dances Malakas at Maganda and Pagapir.

Pacific Culture Night gave students at Sonoma State an opportunity to showcase their culture to the community and bring the campus and its students closer as a family, while spreading diversity with the Filipino and other Pacific Island cultures.

COURTESY // Isabella Lee Pacific Culture Night, held by the Filipino-American Association of Sonoma State University took place in Person Theatre on Friday.

Entertainment

May 5 - May 11, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 7

Earth’s mightiest heroes conquer box office Jake Burke Staff Writer

Review

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facebook.com “Avengers: Age of Ultron” breaks box office records, grossing $191.3 million during the film’s opening weekend.

n 2012, the world saw Earth’s mightiest heroes come together to create movie history, now the sequel was faced with the enormous competition left by its predecessor.

So to answer that plain and simple, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” does live up to the hype.

When the film begins, the Avengers are together and deep in action; there’s no time wasted setting up the heroes, and there is no need to.

Marvel understands audiences already know Tony Stark is Iron Man and there’s no need to give any backstory. It’s a successful strategy for plot development and enhances the film.

A key element of this film is it allows the audience to learn more about the characters usually in the background. Characters such as Hawkeye, Bruce

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: The new disco Alex Sanchez Staff Writer

Review

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ew Zealand band Unknown Mortal Orchestra has always changed their sound through the course of each album. From their 2011 self-titled debut and its 2013 follow up, “Unknown Mortal Orchestra II,” the overall sound of the band has evolved from eerily catchy indie rock to more straightforward and conventional sounds.

Now with their third album, “Multi-Love,” Unknown Mortal Orchestra has decided to follow the path of electronic funk-pop.

“Multi-Love” is endlessly catchy from beginning to end; despite the fact the sound is a little common like that of most “indie electronic” bands these days.

When the record begins, it almost sounds like U.K. electronic indie pop act Hot Chip in every way as the bleeps and bloops that inhabit the air sound almost exactly like their 2012 record “In Our Heads” or even their brand new album “Why Make Sense?” However, the sound evolves into a combination of Parliament and Chic mixed with a little bit of disco, much like that of late-70s KISS. One standout track, lead single “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone,” showcases this newfound sonic pathway and mixes it expertly with Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s original odd sound.

The track is about waiting for a response from a loved one and sweating bullets over the anticipation one goes through while waiting for the next text message. While “Multi-Love” is not a classic, it’s indeed a testament to the creativity Unknown Mortal Orchestra encompasses.

It’s a different and more experimental approach than most bands would endeavor, especially one

whose music is played on mainstream radio. Bands like Arctic Monkeys, whose 2013 album “AM” displayed a more rhythm and blues sound compared to their frenetic garage rock or moody stoner rock sound, have tried but failed in recent times.

Even veterans The Strokes attempted the same project and missed, almost sounding like 80s new wave rather than the bands of now.

While not the most enjoyable, “Multi-Love” still gives the listener an eye-opening listening experience, especially when the record as a whole sounds just like the record’s cover, a practice space lit by an ominous pink blob in the corner.

“Multi-Love,” exchanges creaky guitar and odd sounds for staccato chords and synthesizers that, while sounding like 70s disco and funk laced with hallucinogens, still makes for an interesting trip that may lead listeners to discover other discoinfluenced artists who can also successfully create this sound.

In fact, throughout “Avengers: Age of Ultron” there really isn’t a single still moment in its two and half hour run time.

Banner (The Hulk) and Black Widow are given real depth and plenty to do.

There is definitely plenty to do in this film. In fact, throughout “Avengers: Age of Ultron” there really isn’t a single still moment in its two and a half hour run time.

This is perhaps the only fault in Marvel’s latest film. It is truly one exhausting non-stop action sequence. This has its upsides, as there is never a dull moment, but on the downside, there isn’t a single mental break.

The film’s pacing is go, go, go, making it near impossible to catch a breath.

Despite this one fault, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” does plenty right. One of the movie’s best qualities is Ultron himself.

The unique robotic villain played by James Spader is truly

terrifying. Somehow Spader manages to make Ultron frightening while still fairly grounded; at his core he is just a confused teenager looking for acceptance.

In addition, he looks spectacular, as an 8-foot robot one would truly believe is a worthy opponent for these heroes. Ultron is definitely a villain to be remembered and a welcomed member of the Marvel Universe.

The film’s new characters are some of the coolest and most unique heroes introduced to the Avengers. The two “Enhanced” twins: Quicksilver, a teen with super speed, and his sister, Scarlet Witch, a girl with magic abilities.

These two new Avengers are some of the most interesting characters to date as they struggle to find themselves in this

world of heroes and villains.

Both actors give their roles great depth and care while also being eye-candy. Their powers are visually appealing and that separates them from the Avengers the audience already knows.

With great heroes there are always bound to be some great action moments, and this film is filled with amazing set pieces and huge battles.

The action in “Age of Ultron” is intense, brutal and fun.

Director Joss Whedon still manages to mix crazy action moments with hilarious jokes.

In fact, there are many jokes that match the humor of the first movie, and each joke only adds to the relationships of the characters.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” is a huge blockbuster action movie, but at its core this film is about the characters themselves.

It hits all the right beats and is a successful sequel that meets the high expectations of the Avengers’ dedicated fan base.

Albums releasing this week Mumford & Sons - “Wilder Mind”

(Alternative)

Best Coast - “California Nights” (Surf Rock) Coliseum - “Anxiety’s Kiss” (Rock) Nosaij Thing - “Fated” (Electronic)

Movies releasing this week Hot Pursuit - starring: Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, Jodi Lyn Brockton

5 Flights Up - starring: Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman

Maggie - starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail

Breslin, Joely Richardson facebook.com Unknown Mortal Orchestra will release their third album, “Multi-Love” on May 26.

Page 8

Features

May 5 - May 11, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University students took part in Take Back the Night on Thursday. Counseling and Psychological Services and the cast of “The Vagina Monologues” lent support to victims, who shared their stories with those in attendance. The evening ended just before 10 p.m. with a march around campus.

Take Back the Night supports victims F

Shannon Brown Features Editor

or the last event of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, on Thursday, Counseling and Psychological Services at Sonoma State University hosted Take Back the Night, a time to ref lect on the wounds some still hold as sexual assault survivors.

Shirts hung in Salazar Plaza for the Clothesline Project were fitted onto chairs inside the Student Center Ballroom.

As audience members filed into their seats, they were able to look at the T-shirts sexual assault survivors had once made to voice their emotions. Once the ballroom fell silent, the night began.

With short introductions from

“The Vagina Monologues” cast and a representative from the sexual assault crisis center, Verity, the f loor opened for students to speak about their personal experiences.

The stories that followed within the next hour and a half captivated the audience and brought most to tears.

Hearing about the challenges some women on campus face was a humbling experience for those in the audience.

“I have never been to an event regarding sexual assault,” said freshman Madison Muro. “It was eye- opening to be able to hear girls who have gone through such horrible things and are coming out stronger in the end.”

After each woman shared their sexual assault story, the audience

gave their support with applause.

It was evident sharing their stories was not an easy task, especially in front of a crowded room.

However, the consideration given by the audience, Counseling and Psychological Services and the girls from “The Vagina Monologues” made the night nothing but supportive. The sharing ended just before 10 p.m. and the march began shortly after.

The Take Back the Night March was first held in San Francisco in 1978 to protest violence against women. The idea was for women to fill the streets of their communities and demand they be made safe for them.

“The candlelight march through campus honors the experience of survivors and is a wonderful way to

express our community’s solidarity in the stance that we will no longer tolerate sexual assault,” said Counseling and Psychological Services psychologist Laura Williams.

For the march, victims and their supporters held a candle as they walked around campus.

Students in the Sauvignon residence hall could hear “yes means yes, no means no” being chanted as they marched.

“Marching was an extremely powerful experience for me,” said freshman Emily Buchner. “Even though I’m not a sexual assault survivor, marching with those who are made me feel invincible and powerful like I had a voice.”

Take Back the Night was a significant part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month for both survivors

and students at Sonoma State.

“Often survivors tell me that being able to finally talk openly about their experience is an integral part of their healing process. The event also helps to build compassion and understanding for the ongoing struggles and courage of survivors,” said Williams. “Witnessing others tell their stories and relate ways they have found to heal may also inspire other survivors to come forward and either get help or become active in the cause.”

Take Back the Night was a time for ref lection, building empathy, awareness and community in order to prevent sexual assault.

As the girls who shared their stories made clear, the fight is not over and sexual assault demands to be talked about.

Wine Mixology Competition results are in Emily Johnstone Staff Writer

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eing in the middle of wine country, Sonoma State University students interested in the wine industry may already think they’re getting to know everything there is about wine. However, professors wanted to open students up to the knowledge of how diverse and innovative wine can be.

Wine business professors Liz Thach from Sonoma State and Natalia Velikova from Texas Tech wanted to hold a friendly competition between their students. While attending the Wine Industry Financial Symposium last September, they hoped to create a fun and informative competition about wine mixology.

The Wine Mixology Competition called for 42 Sonoma State and 24 Texas Tech students in teams of two to three, to create wine cocktails that would be judged by a panel of experts.

After presenting their projects during the

first week of April, it was up to each of the universities to vote and submit their top three cocktails.

“The purpose of the project was to develop creative wine cocktails as a potential marketing method to create more excitement around wine,” said Thach. “Craft beer and spirits mixology are gaining market share, and we wanted to try to ensure that wine continues to grow in popularity as well.”

Students from Sonoma State developed 33 original wine cocktails with the hope of bringing attention to the trendiness and diversity of wine.

“While there are countries around the world with a healthy culture of wine cocktails, the U.S. hasn’t really shown much creativity around wine mixology,” said Velikova in a prepared statement.

Four of the nine judges are Master Sommeliers, a title only 140 professionals have earned in North America. The others have an extensive background in wine recipes, making

the stakes higher for those students competing.

After a blind taste test, judges Ian Cauble, Gillian Balance, James Tidwell, Melissa Monosoff and Tim Hanni selected the top three winning cocktails. The top two winners were Sonoma State students, while two Texas Tech students took third place.

Lavender Lady was the winning cocktail, created by Sonoma State senior Laina Carter and junior Jessica Piel. Judges said the drink was unique in its ingredients and provided a creative f lavor.

“We were very excited to do the project because it’s not really a typical class project and it allowed us to be creative,” said Carter.

“Jess and I put a lot of thought into the drink we wanted to make and tried different variations of it before we decided which ingredients we wanted to use.”

Tasteful Blush, the second place cocktail, was created by Itze Pena-Andrade and Miranda Aswad from Sonoma State. Connor Hud-

speth and Kady Augustus from Texas Tech came in third place for their cocktail called Mendoza Margarita.

Each of the winning cocktail teams received a cash prize for their creations ranging from $100-$200 donated by the Wine Industry Symposium Group, Young’s Market Company and Dolan Family Ranches.

Their creations will also be featured on a wine cocktail blog managed by Thach. The blog contains wine cocktail original recipes that allow students to contribute their ideas.

Each post consists of the ingredients needed, directions of how to make the cocktail and a video of one being made.

The results from this contest made professors and students from both Sonoma State and Texas Tech enthusiastic for the next competition. Professor Thach said if possible, she would like to continue to hold competitions each semester and perhaps invite other wine universities, such as UC Davis, Fresno State or Cornell to participate in the contest.

winecocktails.wordpress.com Sonoma State University and Texas Tech students took part in the Wine Mixology Competition held during the first week in April. From far left to right: The Lavender Lady drink, created by Sonoma State students Laina Carter and Jessica Piel, was chosen as the winning cocktail. The Tasteful Blush, created by Sonoma State students Itze Pena-Andrade and Miranda Aswad, came in second. The Mendoza Margarita, created by Texas Tech students Connor Hudspeth and Kady Augustus, came in third.

Features

May 5 - May 11, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Preview: B Natural Seawolf Singers showcase Samantha Cardenas Staff Writer

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oin Sonoma State University’s B Natural Seawolf Singers club on Sunday in Ives 101 at 7 p.m. for their second annual vocal showcase. This year’s theme is “Off the Charts,” where they will be singing classics and “underground anthems.”

B Natural is a student-run club and a show choir group that includes singers and musicians of different genres and musical backgrounds that formed over their mutual love of music and performing. In the past, they have partnered with different campus organizations to put on fundraising events to support different causes.

Past events include a partnership with the Filipino-American Association at Sonoma State University or Pacific Culture Night to celebrate Filipino culture through music and dance and a performance at Gender Bender Night to show appreciation and celebrate the differences of all cultures, genders and sexualities through song and dance.

This year’s show will be split up into two acts with an intermission. A total of 24 songs will be sung, divided between solos, duets and group numbers. Guests can also snack on food and drinks during intermission while also signing up for a raffle giveaway.

In preparation for the event, B Natural wanted to make sure they catered to every musical taste palate.

“The music in our club is very diverse,” said Megan Kleszcz, social and spirit chair of B Natural. “We have songs like ‘Pretty Hurts’ by Beyonce, ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri, as well as ‘Gettin’ You Home’ by ‘Chris Young’ and ‘Take Me to Church’ by Hozier.”

Although the club is fairly new, it seems to already have a following. “I saw B Natural perform Leona Lewis’s ‘Lovebird’ at Lobo’s one night. I was a part of my high school’s show choir and am still part of my church’s choir,” said sophomore Carolina Owens. “I was so surprised at how good they were and how many different singing styles they had in their group.

I got a chance to talk to a couple members after the show and they said they’re always welcoming new members. Next semester I am hoping I can join the group.”

The group has been preparing all year for this event by meeting three times a week to perfect their craft. This will be their biggest event of the year and they’ve decided to pull out all the stops to make sure their performance is flawless. Strobe lights and fog machines will be placed to provide a fun and exciting ambiance for attendees.

Since the event is so close to finals, it will provide students with a break inbetween studying for exams and getting ready for summer.

With the event scheduled on Mother’s Day, it gives students an opportunity to join their fellow Seawolves, mothers and loved ones, and sing along to classics while supporting local artists and musicians.

Although last year’s event was such a success, attendees are encouraged to arrive early to get a seat. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

COURTESY // Megan Kleszcz B Natural performers rehearse in order to perfect their for performance by Sunday.

Seawolf Scholar program recognizes foster students

A

Aaron Walker Staff Writer

ccording to Child Trends, 402,000 children spent time in U.S. foster care in 2013, for an average of more than two years. May is National Foster Care Month, a month dedicated to parents, family members, volunteers, mentors and other members of the foster care system.

While some kids in the foster care system are fortunate enough to find permanent homes, according to Children’s Rights, 14 percent of foster youth live in group homes.

Studies done by the University of Chicago indicate that children who leave care without permanently being linked to a family have higher chances of experiencing homelessness and incarceration.

Foster youth face the danger of being placed into an unfit or abusive household.

Some families join the foster care system to provide a home to a child in need while some do it strictly for the foster care reimbursement checks the state provides. As a result, foster kids can be neglected or face moving into another home.

To support current and former students in foster care, Sonoma State University established the Seawolf Scholar in fall 2014. The Seawolf Scholar helps provide year round housing, financial assistance and any other services that foster youth need.

“Seawolf Scholars was established this last semester to provide much needed resources for current and former foster youth on the Sonoma State campus,” said Seawolf Scholar program coordinator Danielle Hansen.

Constantly moving can make a child feel lost and unwanted, which can have a traumatic effect. According to Child Trends, foster kids are likely to be suspended or expelled from school, and to exhibit low levels of engagement and involvement in extracurricular activities.

Due to the stress of living in state care, foster kids are likely to have trouble succeeding in school. According to Children Uniting Nations, less than 3 percent of kids who age

out of foster care in the United States go to college. This leaves foster children at a disadvantage when it comes to advancing their education.

Unadopted foster children often find themselves unemployed and homeless. According to Child Uniting Nations, 65 percent emancipate without having a home, and 51 percent are unemployed. The reality is many foster care children are not set up for success, and as a result could end up homeless.

National Foster Care Month began with President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The focus is to give recognition to families that have opened their homes to foster children and to encourage more people to adopt children from the foster care system.

Supporters of National Foster Care Month include The Children’s Bureau, Children Welfare Information Gateway and the National Resource for Permanency and Family Connections. These organizations work to improve the framework of the foster care system while providing children with the care they need.

While most Sonoma State students are not in the position to adopt a foster child, there are other ways students can help. Foster Care to Success is an organization dedicated to providing support to children in the foster care system.

The organization relies on sponsor donations, which go to paying a foster child’s tuition, textbook or care packages of essential supplies sent to their home. Sponsors can also sign up to mentor a foster child and provide the guidance many foster children grow up without.

In honor of National Foster Care Month, students may ask themselves what they could do to support children in the foster care system. Chances are some students at Sonoma State have been part of the foster care system and to them this month may have a special meaning.

National Foster Care Month is dedicated to all of those who make the foster care system possible and to honor the children who grow up in the system.

Give Someone the Joy of Creating a Family

Become a Pacific Fertility Center Egg Donor  We welcome women of all

ethnicities, academic achievements, & creative talents!  $8,000 + expenses per cycle  Between the ages of 21-29

Go to pfcdonoragency.com and apply today!

COURTESY // Danielle Hansen The Seawolf Scholars program, established in fall 2014, celebrates current and former foster students with financial assistance and year-round housing.

Page 10

Sports

May 5 - May 11, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

sonomaseawolves.com The Seawolves went 1-2 in the CCAA Tournament but begin the NCCA Division II Regionals as the fifth seed Friday in Seaside.

Softball team: third place in CCAA Tourney NCCA Division II Regionals this week Jennifer González Staff Writer

S

onoma State University’s softball team played in Stockton for the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament. Over the past weekend, they played a total of three games at Arnaiz Stadium.

“The CCAA tournament is something our team looks forward to competing in. It’s one of our long term goals throughout the season to earn the title and accompanying banner,” said junior Jena Kaser.

The first game was played Friday against the Humboldt State Jacks. The outcome of the game wasn’t what the team wanted it to be.

At the second inning of the first game, the Jacks took the lead 1-0. They continued to take the lead in the game during the sixth inning when they scored three more runs, which made the final score of the game 4-0.

The game lasted seven innings and the Sea-

wolves were unable to score runs.

Even though this game resulted in a loss, the Seawolves made great accomplishments. Outfielder Keeley Ray had consecutive games with two hits.

“We worked hard, physically and mentally, the week leading up to the CCAA tournament preparing for Humboldt specifically,” said first baseman Amanda Rossetta. “In the first game, we stuck to our plan on defense and met most of our goals which were crucial when it comes to Humboldt’s batters, but unfortunately we just didn’t come together offensively to back up Mandy’s (Amanda Llerena, pitcher) stellar work on the mound and we fell short.”

The Seawolves played two games on Saturday. The first game was played against Chico State. The Seawolves put in their all and it showed in the final score with a 6-3 win.

In the first inning, the Seawolves took the lead as Ancia Purdy scored home when Ashley Long hit a single up the middle of the field. Shortly after Long hit, she came home after a home run

by Kaser that made the score 3-0.

During the second inning, Chico State responded with two runs and then another run in the third inning, tying the game up.

The Seawolves were not going to let Chico take the victory in this game.

In the bottom of the third inning, Mayleen Mazon hit the ball to right field, bringing Kristine Ricossa home.

Shortly after, Karly Macadangdang hit a double toward left-centerfield and Mazon scored.

The game would result in Sonoma State’s first win of the weekend. It’d be the Seawolves only win as well.

The second game on Saturday was another matchup against Humboldt State.

“Unfortunately, we took a couple of losses to Humboldt, and could not proceed to Sunday’s semi-final and final games,” said Kaser. “This weekend allowed us to narrow our focus onto what we need to work on as we head into this week’s practices and upcoming regional in post season play.”

In this game, Humboldt State dominated throughout the whole game just like the first game. This time the Seawolves were able to get on the board.

During the bottom of the fifth inning, Purdy hit a single and advanced to second base on a throw while catcher, Aubrie Tolliver scored home.

The final score was 8-1.

“This week we’re just going back to the drawing board and figuring out what we need to do as a team to be better for this coming weekend at regionals,” said Rossetta, “so we can show them what Sonoma State softball is really capable of.”

The Seawolves finished in third place in the CCAA tournament. The team qualified at the No. 5 seed for the 2015 NCAA Division II Softball Championship Tournament that will take place in Seaside.

The Seawolves will play in the first game of the tournament against Humboldt State on Friday.

Seawolves Schedule May 8

sonomaseawolves.com Tori Dwyer ran her third-best time of the 2015 season in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in the CCAA championships.

Women’s track finishes strong Kayla Kring Staff Writer

T

he Sonoma State Seawolves headed down to San Francisco to compete in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship at Cox Stadium.

During the past weekend Sonoma State University competed in San Francisco for the Championship, but: Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona, Dominguez Hills, CSU Stanislaus, CSU Los Angeles, CSU East Bay, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU University of San Bernardino, Humboldt State, San Francisco State and UC San Diego were present as well.

Every single competitor this weekend fought long and hard in their respective areas in order to gain points for their school.

Sonoma State athlete Tori Dwyer ran her third-best time of the 2015 season in the 3,000 meter steeplechase as she crossed the finish line with a time of 12:11.91. She placed 15th in an event holding 18 competitors.

Although the women at Sonoma State gave it their all, it would be the reigning champ, Chico State, to take home the title of CCAA Champions for the sixth year in a row.

Yet, it was not an easy road for Chico as they fell behind Friday with UC San Diego in the lead by only 10 points, making it anyone’s meet.

It would be the Chico State Wildcat’s perseverance and desire to win the title once again that helped them win with a total of 213.5 points.

Following suit would be Cal Poly Pomona at 142, UC San Diego at 138.5, CSU Stanislaus with 100, Humboldt State at 95, San Francisco State at 63, CSU Dominguez Hills at 36.5, CSU Los Angeles at 13.5, UC Santa Barbara with 6, Cal State Monterey Bay with 6 and CSU East Bay with 4.

The Seawolves would not place in the meet.

As the championships came to a close, so did the 2015 Women’s Track season. With plenty of records being set this season, including Angelique Lopez in the 100 meter dash at Kim Duyst Invitational, Tori Dwyer had recorded three different times, each breaking the one prior, in the 3000 meter Steeplechase.

Maria Hurtado would set a best time for Sonoma State in the 1500 meter run as she crossed the line at 4:57.00 at San Francisco State Distance Carnival.

Softball vs Humboldt State 12 p.m.

Seaside, CA

May 5 - May 11, 2015

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Sports

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Photo

May 5 - May 11, 2015

This week in photos...

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For more, visit our galleries at sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University students unite at the Take Back the Night march and rally to bring awareness to sexual assault. Read the story on Pg. 8.

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Kadie Sue Anderson examines a piece of artwork, depicting her alter egos, which she created for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition. Read the story on Pg. 6.

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