Volume 75 // Issue 6

In this issue: Opinion: Women’s Halloween costumes: Less scary, too sexy. Pg. 3

A&E: “The Martian” is out of this world. Pg. 6

Sports: Men’s golf places fourth. Pg. 10 Student Life: Jimmy John’s: A convenient, delicious option.

Pg. 9

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 75 // ISSUE 6

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

OCTOBER 6 - OCTOBER 12, 2015

Green Music Center amphitheater awaiting funding Ryan Green Staff Writer

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he construction of an amphitheater behind the Green Music Center has come to a stop over uncertainty about whether the funds exist to complete the stage, according to university officials.

The amphitheater would host a wider range of artists, appealing more to the student demographic. The Green Music Center, which opened in 2012, was designed to present orchestras, chamber ensembles and more formal acts. But students have been craving louder, more exciting acts, ones that could not be held in the Green Music Center, on account of their noise level. “[The new pavilion] would allow the music center to present artists and talent that are more to [students’] tastes and preferences, and give us a place for louder shows,” said Larry Furukawa-Schlereth, vice president of finance and administration, in a meeting with STAR staff on Tuesday.

The amphitheater, sponsored by MasterCard and aptly named MasterCard Pavilion, would be located between the music center and Petaluma Hill Road.

“What’s there is a great lawn, which has the capacity for 10,000 people,” said Christopher Dinno, associate vice president of administration and finance and facilities operations and planning.

“It’s pretty much all ready to go, the remaining piece is just to construct the stage.”

The location as well as the administration is prepared for construction to begin, however the main setback is financial backing.

“[The university] has $6 million from MasterCard to build the pavilion, so the question is could we build it for $6 million,” said Furukawa-Schlereth. “If the answer to that could be yes, I think we would move full speed ahead.”

The university financial office is in the process of identifying costs, and expect to have a construction cost estimate at the end of the fall 2015 semester. However, Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana wants the estimate sooner, because of his upcoming retirement.

“We need the answer much sooner than that if you want a decision from a known quantity, me, versus an unknown quantity, whoever comes next,” said Armiñana. “You need to get those numbers out, even though they might not be perfect.”

Dinno said the cost of building the pavilion could go over the $6 million amount given to the university by MasterCard, which would require a trustee buyin.

However if the construction estimate fits within MasterCard’s budget, construction could begin in May 2016.

“The GMC is an amazing place, but it isn’t set up for the type of concerts that college students would attend,” said sophomore Scotty Santina. “This new venue will bring in performers that are more popular among students.”

“If Ruben [Armiñana] has his way, we will be underway. If we want to hang on to the MasterCard money, we have to be complete by 2018,” said FurukawaSchlereth.

STAR // Brennan Chin Pianist Lang Lang performed at the 4 Green Music Center season-opening gala on Saturday. th

See full story of the Green Music Center’s seasonopening gala on page 6 and the full gallery on page 12.

Faculty association threatens strike Joseph Encinas Staff Writer

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he faculty of the nation’s largest public university system has proposed a strike over salary disputes. The California Faculty Association, a union of 23,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches, is asking for a 5 percent salary increase, as well as an extra 2.65 percent for faculty on the bottom end of the pay scale. However, CSU management is proposing a 2 percent hike in wages and they do not wish to go above this number.

“We have not received regular raises like other faculty at the JC’s and UC’s have,” said Carmen Works, assistant professor of chemistry and a representative for CFA. “The CSU faculty went without salary step increases, or SSI, for about seven years, and we also went most of those years without general salary increases.”

According to Toni Molle, director of public affairs for the CSU office of the chancellor, the university system is budgeted for $65.5 million this year.

“The five percent that CFA is asking for

will amount to a total of $101.7 million,” said Molle. “The CSU must maintain a balanced approach when it comes to compensation and funding the remainder of the operating budget of the university.”

The 2 percent salary increase that the CSU Board of Trustees is willing to give would amount to $32.8 million out of the $65.5 million allotted to the CSU system.

The last documented raise for the CSU faculty members was in August 2013, which was documented by the Long Beach Press Telegram as a ‘modest pay raise’.

The last salary increase for the UC system, however, occurred in March 2014, which called for a 3 percent increase for both UC faculty and other non-unionized academic staff. The lack of routine pay raises has caused the CSU faculty members to fall behind the cost of living and put faculty behind the pace of inflation, said Works. The basic argument from the CFA is to have employees at CSU campuses earning a solid enough wage to support themselves and their family.

“In order for faculty to catch up with See STRIKE on Pg. 5

Father of Trayvon Martin speaks on racial injustices

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Rachael Newman Staff Writer

racy Martin doesn’t have to be reminded how much time has passed. “Three years, seven months and four days ago Trayvon passed,” Martin told a Sonoma State University crowd on Wednesday. Martin said he has continuously counted the days, hours, minutes and even seconds since the day his son passed away.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Tracy Martin, father of the late Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla in 2012, spoke at Sonoma State University on Wednesday.

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Tracy Martin, who is the father of Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla. Feb. 26, 2012 by a neighborhood watch volunteer, spoke at Sonoma State last week. Trayvon’s death set off a national conversation about racial justice, gun violence and profiling that continues to this day.

Tracy Martin passionately spoke to students and guests about his son and family, along with race, education, laws and social change.

He visited Sonoma State Wednesday evening and moved many lis-

@sonomastatestar

teners with his humbling voice and powerful words. Tracy Martin shared the struggles and heartache he and his family went through after losing Trayvon. The Martin’s experience with the justice system was an enormous let down, and the man who took his son’s life was cleared of all charges.

Tracy Martin and his family received letters, emails, calls and support from the community, he said.

Some people were eager to take this tragedy to the streets in attempt to get Trayvon Martin justice. However, Tracy Martin and his family asked themselves what they can do to deescalate the situation. Rallies and riots have destroyed communities and further poverty in economically depressed areas.

“Two injustices do not make a right,” said Tracy Martin in attempt to channel negative energy into something positive.

Nick Kilinger, a junior, thinks it’s great Tracy Martin took the time to come to Sonoma State and is

/sonomastatestar

reaching out to touch people’s lives.

“Tracy Martin has a wise perspective on many issues our country is dealing with today, and visiting colleges and sharing his message does have a heavy impact,” said Kilinger. “But reaching out to high schoolers and younger aged children would be very beneficial to communities as well.”

Tracy Martin also discussed his daughter and her homecoming dance and one of his son’s prom and graduation; a few major events a parent looks forward with their child, but something he will not get to experience with Trayvon Martin.

Values, morals and respect are things Trayvon Martin and his father would discuss frequently. Trayvon Martin’s parents were separated years ago but maintained a solid family foundation with both parents actively involved in their children’s lives as strong co-parents.

Continued on Pg. 8

Visit: sonomastatestar.com

Page 2

Editorial

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

THE STAR Editorial Board Brandon Stachnik, Editor-in-Chief Kayla E. Galloway, News Editor Jenna Fischer, Opinion Editor Ashley Mar tin, Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor Shannon Brown, Student Life Editor Kory Arnold, Spor ts Editor Brennan Chin, Photo Editor Edward Goquingco, Copy Editor Kyler Khan, Copy Editor & Marketing Director Jalissa Tello, Adver tising Director Connor Gibson, Distribution Director Eddie Blake, Editorial Car toonist Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Natalie Aro, Justin Barrientos Nikki Bridges, Thomas Call Francisco Carbajal, Jerri Cohen Megan Corcoran, Sean Curzon Samuel Davis, Christine Edwards Joseph Encinas, Noe Felix Justin Freeman, Ryan Green Florencia Hasson, Olivia Hunt Anna Kehrlein, Olivia Lucchese Rachael Newman, Cassandra Owens Lawrence Ricardo, Kaila Sanders Aubrie Tolliver Photographers Aubrey Anzelmo, Nicole Detmers Sarah Fishback

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: “Faculty association threatens strike” Growing frustration among professors of the CSU system reagarding salaries has almost reached its peak. Staff Writer Joseph Encinas reports on the dispute and offers every statistic needed to understand the situation.

Read the story on page 6

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.

STAR // Eddie Blake

Racism is not a trend

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t has never been, and never will be appropriate to challenge the idea of the “black lives matter” movement.

Many advocates of the movement will be the first to agree that indeed, all lives do matter. However, those who use this rebuttal are completely missing the point.

Of course all lives matter, but it seems as though nowadays, many need to be reminded that black lives need a special and distinct focus. Why? Because according to the CDC, the number one cause of death of black males ages 15-24 is homicide.

Truthfully, many generations of Americans are forgetting that minorities have been mistreated for much longer than just the past few years. Racism did not end when slavery was abolished, nor did it end when the Jim Crow laws were lifted in most of the country (some states even kept the laws in books until as late as the year 2000).

Cornell University history professor Edward E. Baptist wrote a column for the New York Times communicating his frustration with the reactions he has received during his career when teaching slavery to his students.

His anecdote told of two white students who argued that “criticizing enslavers was modern-day moralizing” and that “slaves might have actually been happy.”

It’s this type of denial and ignorance that inhibits any change in thinking that might further social progress.

In the comments section of that very article, some readers claim that we shouldn’t give “daily reminders and guilt trips on how evil America was” and we should rather “celebrate the fact we overcame them in a relatively short period of time.”

Some Americans still reject the notion that racism is alive in 2015. Maybe this is because some Americans are privileged to live in a city or town where they don’t witness discrimination first hand.

They are able to live in a comfortable bubble where the only discussions of racial injustices are started on news stations after the extreme harassment or murder of a person who is not white. Then many of us decide to start “protesting” institutionalized racism.

Standing against racial inequality shouldn’t be a social trend like eating kale or growing a beard. Racism

hasn’t just bloomed like an ugly flower in America’s perfect garden. The truth is, it’s never gone away and the next generation is starting to get mad enough for the rest of the country totake notice.

Unfortunately, many white Americans become offended when confronted with the fact that their ancestors may have endorsed racism.

It’s time Americans came to terms with the fact that prejudice was indeed institutionalized to help certain races (and genders) maintain an advantage over others.

People have no control over what race, ethnicity or gender they are.

But it’s a problem when one contests their own privilege and refuses to acknowledge there is in issue, whether it’s in your neighborhood, or not. Pretending there isn’t a problem is just as bad as contributing to it.

White Americans, whether they are in support of the black lives matter movement or not, can’t speak on the behalf of any other race.

What all Americans can do, is acknowledge there is still racism in our country and ask themselves how they can help fight it. That’s our first step in ending it.

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.

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Sonoma Media Group. 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 400 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.

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Opinion

Oct . 6 - Oct . 12, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Replacing the scary with sexy

Stepping away from dance stereotypes

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Noe Felix Staff Writer

here’s always been a stereotypical connotation attached to dancing. When people think of ballet, jazz or dance in general, they usually identify it as a very feminine activity.

Rarely do people associate dancing and men in the same category and if they do, people automatically assume he is gay.

As a straight, male dancer, I find it very frustrating to see people take these points of view because dance itself is universal.

Gender, race, or any classifications shouldn’t tie it down; it simply is a form of expression that is accessible to all.

Although many people see dance as a female-only activity, it isn’t. Men have crucial roles in the world of dance.

In all honesty, I used to think in that stereotypical way. Growing up, I had no desire to learn how to dance. From the many

movies and T.V. shows I saw, they all connoted that dancing was for girls. I never saw any type of media that made me think otherwise. I too thought that if a guy danced, he was automatically a homosexual. How foolish was I. If I had let those influences win, dance would’ve never been such a big part of my life like it is today.

I remember telling people I would meet that I danced. A lot of them responded with “Why?” “Well why not,” I said. They would usually respond with something along the lines of “why don’t you play like an actual sport? Have you ever tried [insert any male dominated sport here]. I feel you’re strong enough for it.”

As if dance was only for weaklings. People everywhere underestimate the amount of strength, skill and endurance dance takes.

In my personal experience, dancing with girls and lifting them is no easy feat. You have to be strong to lift your partners, lifting a 115 pound girl is no walk in the park for an average person.

When we take this discussion from the stage where the world of ballet, jazz, tap, etc. live and move it to the streets, those stereotypes are quickly thrown at the door.

All of a sudden if you’re a break-dancer or a b-boy, that’s

deemed masculine. I won’t lie, any type of street dance is awesome, but it’s seen in a different light. That style of dance is seen as very male-oriented, and is believed to take an incredible amount of skill.

It’s right, being a street dancer takes an incredible amount of strength, but it takes as much strength to do ballet or jazz.

No genre of dance is more feminine or masculine than the other, rather the dancers use their bodies in different ways. One style might be more centered around being graceful, while the other requires you to be hardhitting.

In our society today, graceful is associated with femininity, while being hard is associated with masculinity. When I tell people I primarily dance hip-hop they say “that’s awesome.”

However, when I tell them I also do ballet and jazz, their response is lukewarm. Their excitement level drops down. In my mind though, those genres are as intense as hip-hop.

Ultimately, dance shouldn’t be restricted to gender, or have one style be more masculine or feminine than the other.

If a man decides to dance, he shouldn’t be demeaned by these stereotypes. He shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed because he likes to dance. I truly believe that dance is genderless.

Courtesy // Tiffany McGaughey

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Christine Edwards Staff Writer

f you haven’t started shopping for this year’s Halloween costume, you’ve at least been thinking about what you might like to dress up as. Halloween is a fun holiday, there’s no other day of the year when you can dress up a character and put on an entirely different persona. As fun and light as Halloween may seem, the holiday can put a lot of pressure on women and girls when it comes to deciding which costume to wear.

There seems to be a sexy version of everything available, even Disney characters. There is a sexy Mickey Mouse- which is basically just a leotard accompanied by mouse ears, as well as a sexy Princess Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin. Why we need sexualized Disney costumes in the first place is beyond me, but seeing the latter brought back a memory I had when I was about 11 and my older sister was around 12.

Our Mom had sewn my sister a costume that looked very similar to today’s sexy Jasmine. It was a long sleeve bra-like top with puffy genie pants. I remember what happened that day very clearly when she tried the costume on. My dad’s mildly creepy friend was over and I remember the way he was looking at her in that costume and it made me absolutely outraged and disgusted.

How many other young girls are being looked at sexually based on the Halloween costumes they are wearing while trick-or-treating?

Is it really necessary for a child to be dressed as a sexy (insert pretty much anything you can think of here)?

She was wearing a very age inappropriate costume because that’s what all of her friends were wearing. I was no better, but at the time I didn’t see it as a problem in the way I do now. That is simply what retailers are putting on the shelves because that’s what’s selling.

The idea of wearing a revealing Halloween costume is instilled early on with girls, and there is certainly an ethical dilemma when it comes to what’s made and available for purchase. Last month, one mom wrote a complaint to costume retailer Party City’s Facebook page, citing that while 30 percent of available costumes for boys were related to an occupation, only seven percent of the costumes for girls were occupation-related.

Young women are offered the same provocative costume options; you would be hard-pressed to find a costume already made and ready to buy that does not show a decent amount of skin. The pressure to look sexy on Halloween is certainly pushed on women, and the slut-shaming that can come along with these revealing costumes is unnecessary. Halloween is about getting into a character, it’s supposed to be fun, not a time to make women feel self-conscious about what costume they have chosen or will choose to wear. Wearing a clever, “non-slutty” costume shouldn’t be an irregularity either.

We are beginning to see more programs meant to educate young adults and teens about intolerance and violence, including rape. An example would be “Agents of Change”, the online tutorial Sonoma State students were required to take in attempt to raise awareness surrounding these issues. With programs such as these become more prevalent, I am hoping that we are moving away from the rape culture- in which we blame the victim and objectify women- that seems to be becoming our social norm.

Cultural appropriation: Blown out of proportion?

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Justin Freeman Staff Writer

hen Iggy Azalea rose to prominence within the hip-hop genre, she was met with a fire storm of criticism from listeners and artists alike. Many accused Azalea of distorting hip-hop culture for her own profit. This wasn’t just because she was a white woman from Australia. No, Azalea was blamed for ignoring the roots of hip-hop.

In a direct address to Azalea over Twitter, old-school rap legend Q-Tip referred to hip-hop as an “artistic and socio-political movement.” Q-Tip went on to lecture Azalea about the roots of hip-hop, mentioning how it served as a creative outlet and empowering mode of expression for marginalized communities.

Oftentimes hip-hop artists who come from rough backgrounds carry on the tradition of using their elevated status in society to bring about positive change in the world. For example: Eminem, Jay-Z, and the late 2pac (just to name a few) have all done an incredible amount of philanthropy through the various foundations they established.

The problem many people have with Azalea is that she is living the rock star life and not giving back to the society that has given so much to her, which many take as a slap in the face to hip-hop culture.

With regards to Azalea, many have denoted her music as a form of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is a controversial sociological concept. As a term, it carries negative connotations. It refers to the process of one culture assimilating aspects of another culture while being

oppressed by the first.

Many people accused Vanessa Hudgens of cultural appropriation when she wore a South Asian bindi on her forehead during Coachella 2014. This is because the bindi has religious significance to many people throughout India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc. The idea was that by wearing a bindi, Hudgens was devaluing these people’s religious beliefs and cultural practices. However, a defender of Hudgens may say that it’s within her basic human rights to not restrict her choice of apparel, so long as her clothing isn’t hurting anyone. So, does cultural appropriation cause harm?

It depends on the context. It’s the nature of cultures to spread and to transform as they do so. Human beings are innovators, but we are also imitators; we learn by observing others and emulating them, whether it’s for language, art, technology, warfare… The list goes on. As certain ideas and actions spread, cultures develop as time rolls on, cultures change drastically. The Roman pantheon of gods, for example, is based on the far older Greek pantheon. In fact, Roman mythology is nearly identical to Greek mythology—Nearly, but not exactly. Despite the obvious plagiarism, the religious outlooks of these two civilizations did have their differences.

One of these Roman gods, Saturn (whose name was Cronus to the Greeks), was celebrated during the festival of Saturnalia, which happened towards the end of December and featured the tradition of gift-giving, among other things. Saturnalia was extremely popular throughout the Roman Empire, and did not disappear when Christianity swept over Europe. Rather, the celebration of Saturnalia was assimilated into the culture of the Christian religion. A similar holiday featuring gift-giving is still celebrated today towards the end of December, although for different reasons than it was millennia ago. Culture is constantly evolving, and it’s ridiculous to expect a culture to stay contained within one society or community, or for a culture to remain unchanged and untouched forever.

Ethnically speaking, I’m white, just like Iggy Azalea.

However, I am far more inclined to say “word” than “right on,” and way more likely to say “yo, what up dog” than “hi, how are you, buddy.” I understand that a large part of my vernacular has its roots in African-American culture, but

aren’t these ways of speaking now a part of my culture, too?

After all, I grew up talking like this. Am I really stealing someone else’s cultural property when I call my friends my homies?

As a lover of old-school hip-hop, Azalea isn’t the kind of rapper that I appreciate. I wish she would pay more homage to the origins of hip-hop culture and use her fortunate position in life to bring about positive change in the world, but who am I to tell her what proper hip-hop looks like?

Similarly, if Vanessa Hudgens likes something about the bindi, who are the people of South Asian cultures to tell Hudgens how to wear it, or not to wear it at all?

However, cultural appropriation isn’t always acceptable. It can absolutely cause damage. For instance, the Nazis didn’t invent the infamous Swastika: the Swastika has been considered a sacred symbol throughout Asia for thousands of years before it was altered by Hitler. It is highly present in the religions of Buddhism and Hinduism, but if I got a tattoo of a Swastika, I don’t think people would see my passion for eastern philosophies. The reputation of the Swastika is just too tarnished.

Another case of harmful cultural appropriation shows through in the regalia of Washington Redskins fans. Often adorned in feather headdresses and face paint, these fans come across as highly offensive to many. Personally, I know enough historical context to not let these fans color my perceptions of Native Americans, so I don’t really care what they wear, to be honest. However, I know that not everyone has the same sense of history that I do, and I can see how stereotypes can become bolstered through the bow and arrow paraphernalia.

In today’s ever-globalizing world, cultures will unavoidably clash and mix with each other. The line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange is not well defined.

In recent decades, yoga has become widely popular throughout the U.S. Usually focused on the physical exercise portion of yoga, the spiritual roots of this ancient Indian practice are often unknown to American practitioners. But does this mean the American forms of yoga are somehow worth less than the ancient Indian forms? I don’t think so. I think there’s enough yoga to go around.

News President Armiñana discusses retirement, campus issues Page

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

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sonomastatestar.com

STAR: Do we know who the next president will be?

Armiñana: Nobody knows. There is a meeting [this week] on Oct. 8 where the search committee and advisory committee will meet and have an open forum for people to tell what they want in the next president. Then the process begins and the new president will be named sometime toward the end of January and will take over July 1, 2016. But nobody knows who he or she might be.

STAR: What qualities do you think the new president needs to succeed at Sonoma State?

Armiñana: Thick skin. The ability not to take criticisms personally, the ability to have a vision about what this institution should be and to stick to that vision. The key of it is not to do what everybody tells to do because then you would do thousands of things and 99 percent of which would be incompatible with each other. You have to have vision and you need thick skin.

“I am most proud of the good recognition of Sonoma State as a high quality institution and the acceptance by the community,” said Armiñana

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana spoke to the STAR staff on Tuesday about his upcoming retirement as well as other issues.

Kayla E. Galloway News Editor

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he STAR staff held its annual meeting with Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana and other university administrators on Tuesday to discuss issues the campus faces this year, as well as Armiñana’s approaching retirement. Armiñana has announced he will retire at the end of the school year. Topics discussed at the meeting included Sonoma State’s acceptance rate and growing student population, an eventual redesign of Sonoma State’s website, parking issues and Armiñana’s personal goals for the remainder of his presidency. A forum where the campus community can gived input on what they want to see in a new president is on Thursday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Student Center. Below is an excerpt of the interview with Armiñana and campus adminstrators.

STAR: Do you have any personal goals for your last nine months as president of Sonoma State?

Armiñana: Don’t screw it up. I’d like very much to see that we hire 18 new faculty. I’m a great believer in tenure faculty because they are the ones who build the university. We had years because of a [recession] when we didn’t hire anybody. We need to build back, and I think we’re moving in the right direction and I am looking forward to commencement. Some people take 4, 6 years to graduate. I have taken 24.

STAR: Why retire now?

Armiñana: I’m old. I have been president for 24 years, I am the senior president in the CSU, not in ages, but years of service. I started very young, I was 45 years

old. It’s just time. I have done it for a long time. I have accomplished a lot of the things I wanted to do. My timeline is coming to an end.

Police Chief Nathan Johnson: What Ruben has emphasized to us is that the students come first—we are partners with you, we are your president, dean, chief financial officer. We’re here with you, for you and that’s really important to remember.

Armiñana: I’ve always said the only reason we are here is because of you, the students. If for some strange reason, you all form a conspiracy and don’t show up — we’d close. We don’t get paid to teach each other. If you one day don’t show up, the university closes. You are the only reason we exist. Students have that ultimate power. Public universities are not created to do anything else but receive you and graduate you. Our end product is you graduating. It’s not how many of you come, it’s how many of you get out.

STAR: What are you most proud of during your time at Sonoma State?

Armiñana: When I first came to Sonoma State, I would go to a meeting and ask how many people have graduated from Sonoma State. [At that time] you never saw a car with an SSU sticker and [Sonoma State] was not well known or respected by the community. And now everywhere I go, [students] are proud to be graduates of Sonoma State. I am most proud of the good recognition of Sonoma State as a high quality institution and the acceptance by the community. I have built a lot of buildings — billions of dollars of buildings. Buildings are important [because they] give you the framework, but it’s what happens in those buildings. I am happy of what happens in those buildings.

STAR: Is there anything in your presidency you wish you had done differently?

Armiñana: Oh sure. There are many things I wish I had done differently or achieved. I believe that our curriculum should be based on four-unit courses. We have combinations of one- to four-unit classes. I haven’t found any coherent reason for it. When I was in school at the University of Texas, all courses were three-unit courses, and if you had a lab it was four.

Here, [the units] are all over the map. Some schools have moved to four units [per class]— social science and science courses.

Aside from symmetry, there’s also a practical reason [for four unit course]. California culture is that many students take four courses not five. Four courses at three units each is 12 units with funding [that supports student enrolled in] 15 units. If they were all four unit course, that would be 16. Everybody would be full time and students would be able to graduate in four years. On the faculty side, it would allow faculty to do less preparation. I have not been able to sell that and it will be an unachieved goal.

STAR: Are there more ways the university is going to be more sustainable on campus as far as composting?

Associate Vice President for Administration and Finance Christopher Dinno: Yes, we already have composting going on in the Student Center currently. In the residential halls, we have two kinds of programs. We are working with housing to bring the composting program to housing and I think there are two pilot programs going on in two of the villages.

STAR: How will the Sonoma State website be redesigned? When will the overhaul be finished?

Chief Communications Officer Susan Kashack: We’re doing a major overhaul of our website. It’s going to be on the navigation, the way [the website] looks, the photography and the way things are written. It’s going to be completely different.

We’ve already started the planning process of [revamping the website]. So we expect mid-year, maybe in another month or two.

We’re working with an outside company and they will be moving much more quickly than we tend to move on this campus. So once it all begins, we expect to have some of the major pages up and ready to go and online by about March.

STAR: With the increasing student population, how are housing options and class sizes going to be improved?

Associate Vice President of Academic Programs Richard Whitkus: That’s an ongoing project and so what we have to do is always think about what we are currently doing and what could we do better and sometimes we do things we’ve been doing for many many years and sometimes it takes a fresh look to look at these things and say ‘you know what’ if we would just alter [what we currently do], we can probably serve more students. In other cases, the institutions also carry a large number of faculty, something that President Armiñana started two years ago to increase the number of faculty. It also pushes on us the need to be creative, because we can’t just keep doing the things we’ve been doing while we increase [our student population].

STAR: Are there any plans to lower the acceptance rate at Sonoma State?

Armiñana: We have a commitment to the state of California to educate a number of students. That translates to around 1,800 or 1,900 freshman. Remember that a university is supposed to lose a fourth of its students in May and gain a fourth of its students in August. That’s how it works out if you graduate in four years. Therefore, we’re master-planned as a university to have 10,000 students, roughly 12,000 bodies. We count you as a full-time equivalent student if a student takes 15 units every semester.

Roughly, that is our number [of students], and I don’t foresee that number to lower.

STAR: Rather than lowering the acceptance rate, you want to expand facilities to accommodate more students. How do we do that?

Armiñana: Get more money and resources from the state of California. Public universities have four levels of resources.

1) State appropriation, right now that’s basically 50 percent [of our budget]. When I started [at Sonoma State] it was 80 percent.

2) Cost—what [students] pay. One time you paid 20 percent and now you pay 50 percent. 3) Philanthropy and fundraising. We do very well, we raise $10 to $11 million a year, but that money goes toward specific things. It doesn’t pay faculty or utilities.

4) Grants, contracts and research. We are not a research university but we still [do research]. Those are our four resources and how you manage them makes a difference.

With our own funding, we are creating more classrooms STAR: Will there be any changes in the future regarding reserved parking lots on campus to make students feel safer near Carson Hall?

Johnson: As always of course, we emphasize, if you feel unsafe, give us a call and we can get somebody out to you.

That being said, a transportation committee is meeting [Sept. 29] and we will start addressing parking and transportation issues.

So it’s a little premature to say what that’s going to look like but we want to get feedback from the community and everybody.

Hopefully in the spring semester sometime we’ll go forward with those [issues] and [we can] share more details with you then in a more concrete way.

STRIKE: Faculty wants 5 percent salary increase Continued from Pg. 1

inflation, and other faculty in similar institutions,” said Works. “five percent increase in GSI and a 2.65 percent SSI (for faculty that are eligible) will start us off in the correct direction.”

The first and last time faculty of CSU campuses went on strike was in November 2011, when CSU East Bay and CSU Dominguez Hills faculty

members marched on their respective campuses.

That was a result of the continuous debates with the CSU Board of Trustees over pay raises. Roughly 300 to 400 people went on strike, including professors.

The students of the professors on strike were told classes were canceled, and some received their assignments earlier in the week. The biggest concern for both the CFA

and the Chancellor’s office is the students enrolled in the CSU system.

“Once we know what the CFA strike plans are, the Chancellor’s Office and campuses will work together to communicate with the students what the strike action will look like and how it will impact students, classes and the campus community,” said Molle.

Katie Crabtree, a junior communication and

media studie studies major, shared how she views the disputes.

“If [faculty] weren’t very happy, they probably would not put much effort into their work, which would result in a less-thandesirable environment for me,” said Crabtree.

The California Faculty Association has scheduled their Strike Authorization Vote for Oct. 19-28.

As a union, the CFA stands for quality education for

CSU students, fairness for those who earn a living as teachers, and policies that ensure access to higher education.

Since the association is the only collective bargaining representative for the California State University faculty, the association is hoping that the possibility of a rolling strike will trigger more flexible negotiations with the CSU Board of Trustees.

“Currently, a strike is very possible, but we (the faculty), are very hopeful that the CSU will do the right thing and come back to the table and talk to and help us,” said Works.

The next mediation meeting between the California Faculty Association and the Office of the Chancellor will take place Oct. 8 in Sacramento.

For more information on the issues visit calfac. org. and calstate.edu.

News

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sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

Wine business receives donation from local winery Cassie Owens Staff Writer

C STAR // Aubrey Anzelmo Residents of Cabernet Village in the freshmen dorms were greeted with unfinished construction upon moving in August.

Students awaiting compensation for delayed dorm construction Olivia Hunt Staff Writer

O

ver the summer, Sonoma State University’s Cabernet Village underwent a total remodel that was not completed before incoming freshmen were scheduled to move in. Prior to arriving to campus, students scheduled to live in Cabernet Village were not informed of renovation construction delays.

The delay prevented many students from moving into their dorms at the designated time of 9 a.m. on move-in day.

Construction workers were also forced to complete certain construction in the weeks following move-in day, such as sealing windows, baseboards and painting. The vast majority of the work that was done after move-in weekend was on the exterior of the buildings.

Actual work time in student living spaces were generally a few hours for one or two days depending on the building. In order to compensate for the inconvenience, Housing Services provided gift cards to students who were not able to move into their rooms right away. These

gift cards were made available so that students and their parents could get coffee or breakfast while they waited.

“The response to this was overwhelmingly positive, especially from former Cabernet residents,” said Ryan Ernst, director of sales and marketing at Sonoma State.

Sonoma State engaged in a construction contract with Fregoso Builders, Inc. which spelled out the timeline required for the project to be completed

by Aug. 11. Although the majority of residents did not move in until Aug. 22, construction continued to remain unfinished for several weeks into the fall term.

Over 3,000 students live in on-campus housing, and approximately 210 of them reside in the Cabernet Village. A resident of Cabernet is charged living space costs of $2,444 for a triple-occupancy room or $3,539 for a double-occupancy room for fall 2015 semester.

According to Ernst, the rooms now have hardwood f loors, new kitchens, updated finishes, and new bathroom fixtures. This update left Cabernet residents with mixed feelings.

“While I love my Cabernet dorm, I was disappointed to

find it relatively unfinished,” freshman Brooke Armendarez said. “A missing bathroom door, a broken doorknob, wires hanging out of the electrical outlet.

Fortunately, the maintenance workers did their job well.”

A meeting was held on Wednesday with Associate Vice President for Administration Christopher Dinno and Director of Housing Nicole Hendry to discuss the resolution that was brought to the Associated Students Senate regarding the unfinished construction.

The senate is working closely with the Administration and Finance department to make sure students are given reparations for the hindrance.

Although many options were discussed in the meeting, the resolution is ultimately in the hands of the Associated Students Senate and will be an action item on Friday.

The school board is currently working with Associated Students to further assist Cabernet residents who were affected by the unfinished housing.

In addition, school officials are working alongside Residential Life to create an “End of Construction” party for all of the Cabernet residents.

Club hopes to bring dreamers resource center to campus Francisco Carbajal Staff Writer

T

he fall semester has brought a new club to Sonoma State University aimed at undocumented students.

The DREAMers Club helps support undocumented students and their allies with services and information on many topics such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, obtaining licenses under AB60, the California Dream Act and many scholarship opportunities.

Club President Griselda Madrigal said there is a need for a support group for undocumented students at the university.

“I want the club to be active in community service projects but also educate other SSU students and administrators on what it means to be a DREAMer (or undocumented student) in higher education,”

said Madrigal.

The club is looking to open a Dreamer Resource Center on campus later this year to follow suit with the Santa Rosa Junior College opening a center recently.

A Dreamer Resource Center would expand the club’s efforts to bring more awareness to undocumented students and help unite this student group with the university, according to Madrigal.

The club hopes the center would help students with immigration, financial aid, housing and any other issues that they may have with their undocumented status.

“The resource center would continue the efforts of the club and expand them to more students making Sonoma State an undocu-friendly institution,” said Madrigal.

This mission includes reaching out to

the local high schools and middle schools in the area informing young students that it’s possible to go to college at Sonoma State while also being undocumented.

The resource center already has the support of Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana, Vice President for Student Affairs Matthew Lopez-Phillips, and the HUB. In the near future, there will be a survey that will be sent via email to all undocumented students who applied to Sonoma State under AB540 to see where the Dream Resource Center should be located and in order to receive input from these students.

Ariana Aparicio, an adviser to the DREAMers club, said the club is having a fundraiser in the upcoming weeks to help students visit universities for graduate school.

Madrigal also hopes to organize a 5K run at Sonoma State to raise funds for a onetime scholarship that can be given to an incoming freshman student. This is most likely to happen during the spring semester.

The DREAMers club is hoping to help all the undocumented students who have questions or want to get involved in the community as well.

“We encourage parent involvement to create a supportive environment in order to strengthen undocumented families in Sonoma County,” said Aparicio. “The Dreamers Resource Center would create a safe space for all undocumented students.

We hope to have all the support possible to make this happen.”

The DREAMers club meets every Monday from 1-2 p.m. at the HUB in the Student Center.

alifornia is known for producing some of the best wines in the U.S. Sonoma State University’s wine business program has had a large influence on the surrounding wine country in the nearly 20 years it has been at the university. Recently, a $300,000 donation from Peter Michael Winery in Calistoga will go towards the Wine Spectator Learning Center, set to open in 2016.

The wine business program received an initial $3 million donation last year from Wine Spectator Magazine which funded the Wine Business Institute, which will take place of the former University Commons. This additional $300,000 donation will be used directly for the Peter Michael Executive Classroom in the new learning center.

The learning center is estimated to cost over $9 million dollars to finish, and multiple sponsors have already donated most of the budget. The largest contributor besides the initial $3 million from Wine Spectator Magazine is now the Peter Michael Winery.

Said to be completed in 2016, the new learning center will house most of the wine business program, which now resides in Salazar Hall. The Wine Business Masters program is the only one of its kind in the world, making this institute unique to Sonoma State. With the

expansion of the program, it is clear there will be room for more students and a more defined place where the future of the wine industry will come to study.

“I’m looking forward to the new building that’s being constructed but unfortunately I won’t have the opportunity to use it,” said Taylor Hood, now working at Stryker Sonoma Winery and finishing up his last semester in the program. “I think a few years down the road after it has been constructed it will be the best time for learning.”

Hood also hopes to see improvement in the legal side of wine business education, but thanks the program for many aspects of his career.

“My current job was mentioned to me through networking and student alumni and I had the great opportunity to join such a great team,” said Hood. “By doing extra curricular activity and going abroad as well as participating in blind tastings I have learned so many sides.” “[The Wine Spectator Learning Center] will provide a home for all of our programs and a place for the wine industry to connect with our students,” said Ray Johnson, director of the Wine Business Institute.

When asked about the growth of the institute, Johnson said, “The number of students across all of our programs continues to grow; it’s an exciting time.”

Retired faculty discuss standards for new president Nikki Bridges Staff Writer

S

onoma State University’s Chapter of the Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association held a panel discussion last Thursday to begin the process of searching for a new president and discuss the qualities they want in a new president.

They discussed many issues they hope to address before the search and how they envision Sonoma State’s future. Each panelist commented on what they believe makes a good leader. Students will have the opportunity to play a role in choosing a new president by attending the first public presidential search meeting on Thursday in Ballroom A of the Student Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“The search for the next president is a closed process until he or she is announced, however, we want to get a resolution passed to make it more open,” said Richard Senghas, chair of the faculty and member of the search committee.

“It is essential with the new president that they make one of our priorities towards having a better budget for the faculty,” said Andy Merrifield, former president of Sonoma State’s chapter of the California Faculty Association.

Sonoma State’s retired and emeritus faculty hope there will be a balance between what Sonoma State adminstration does and the resources the university needs to carry out their goals.

The panelists believe the campus spends the least amount of money on the direct education of students and they hope to have that changed in the future.

The association would also like to see the problem of debt resolved so faculty can feel more supported by the university.

“One of the main issues is faculty working conditions and how it will affect students opportunity to learn,” said Elaine Newman, president of the California Faculty Association and elected faculty member of the search committee.

A common idea important to the panelists was faculty and curriculum development and administrative support, as well as maintaining the progress of the university by keeping students interested in attending Sonoma State.

“Leadership is most important to keep a sound environment,” said Ben Ford, elected faculty member on the search committee.

A huge part of what they believed to be an issue was discretion on campus. They want the university’s next president to be more involved with how students are being treated with the local community. The faculty also want Sonoma State to have a stronger connection with the Santa Rosa Junior College so that their students will want to transfer to the campus.

“Having a more diverse campus will enrich our culture and curriculum at campus” said Carmen Works, vice chair of the faculty and vice president of the CFA.

Page 6

Arts

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Disney’s standards are frozen

STAR // Brennan Chin

Florencia Hasson Staff Writer

Left: Larry Furukawa-Schlereth enjoys a glass of champagne at Prelude. Right: Guests walk to Weill Hall after the champagne reception.

GMC hosts own season-opening gala Lawrence Ricardo Staff Writer

S

aturday was an evening of music and celebration as the Green Music Center opened up its doors for its fourth season-opening Gala featuring world-renowned Chinese pianist, Lang Lang.

Lang performed his signature versions of music by Bach, Chopin and other muical greats. The gala would mark Lang’s third trip to the Green Music Center.

Guests dressed their best and walked the red carpet that lined the pathway to the center, welcoming them to a fruitful and diverse new season.

Prior to the performance, a champagne reception was held in the Prelude restaurant for the donors and community members who helped with the upbringing of the Green Music Center.

A few noteable attendees include President Ruben Armiñana, Co-Executive Directors Zarin Mehta and Larry Furukawa-Schlereth, Joan and Sanford Weill, and student representatives Brandon Mercer and Kevin McMahon.

While this event is a wonderful treat for the Sonoma County community, the question that always lingers is: where are the students? When looking around at the reception or at the Lang Lang performance itself, it was hard to pinpoint which patrons were Sonoma State Students. Students seemed to reside almost exclusively as staff.

Mercer and McMahon, both student voices for the Green Music Center offered their thoughts on the lack of students in attendance to GMC events.

“I think the biggest thing is to just open up the center to be more approachable to students,” said Mercer. “We need to start that trend so that students are acquainted with the hall. The only time I see students here is when they are assigned to come to a performance or see a speaker, and that’s unfortunate.”

In addition, he spoke on the programming at the venue.

“Seeing some of the shows that are put on, they don’t necessarily cater to student interests at the moment. It’s so heavy on classical music that it’s not the shows that are inviting to students,” said

Mercer.

When talking to Co-Executive Director Zarin Mehta, he spoke very highly on the upcoming season and the accomplishments that are being made during this fourth year.

“Every concert we do, we get more and more people coming here for the first time,” said Mehta, “To be perfectly honest, I find it depressing that the students don’t take advantage of what’s going on at the Green Music Center.”

Contrasting from Mercer, Mehta believes the core part of education is to broaden your surroundings and to try something new, such as classical music. “If you don’t know the people [performing], it’s a question of education. That’s why you’re here.”

Are students not willing to immerse themselves into a world of classical culture? Or is the Green Music Center not willing to appeal to the more “pop-culture” genre of music that the millennials have grown up with? Is there a compromise that can be made? Co-Executive Director Furukawa-Schlereth seems to believe so, as he explains the efforts being put into this upcoming season.

“The season that Zarin has put together is probably presented as the most diversified programming that we’ve done in comparison to the previous three seasons,” Furukawa-Schlereth said.

The upcoming season encompasses an array of genres including opera, Bollywood, gospel, flamenco, acapella, in addition to the standard classical music.

“We have a richness in the On Campus Presents season, for the programs that are associated with the students,” said Furukawa-Schlereth. The upcoming programming includes motivational speakers, Christie Rampone, the captain of the United States women’s national soccer team, and Laverne Cox, LGBT advocate and actress in the Netflix television series, “Orange Is the New Black,” in addition to comedian and “Reno 911!” actor Nick Swardson.

Regardless of which side needs to put forth a greater effort, there isn’t a question that the Green Music Center has put Sonoma State University on the map. Now the incoming students have two reasons to come to Sonoma State. Before it was because of the nice dorms and beautiful campus, but now you can add the prestigious Green Music Center on that list.

‘The Martian’ not only survives, but conquers Justin Barrientos Staff Writer

Review

D

uring a manned mission to Mars dubbed “Aries III,” a team of astronauts find themselves in the middle of a tumultuous wind storm that threatens to destroy their only chance of getting off the planet alive. One astronaut, Mark Watney, is struck by a piece of metal and presumed dead, thus left alone on the planet to die. The Martian tells his story, one of survival, human ingenuity and the triumph of the human spirit.

With critically acclaimed director Ridley Scott, who is quite familiar with the sci-fi thriller genre (“Aliens,” “Prometheus”) and A-list actor Matt Damonwho has recently appeared in a similar role in “Interstellar” in which he plays an astronaut stranded on a foreign planet seeking to be rescued, as well as an incredibly strong screenplay with both intelligent language and comedic relief, the film is no doubt a hit. With moviegoers showing a more profound interest in otherworldly, outer space based thrillers, “The Martian” is not only sure to entertain, but also inspire with its tale of humanity coming together in pursuit of a common goal and a gratifying ending that will leave viewers satisfied and feeling positive about the story as a whole.

After he is left on Mars by his crew

and presumed dead, Watney awakens after being knocked unconscious only to find his suit has been punctured by a piece of the spacecraft. Watney quickly makes his way into the base he and his crew had set up on the planet and takes action to remove the object from his wound, and stapled his skin shut to stop the bleeding. Thus is only the first in a series of many survival-based decisions Watney is forced to make in order to survive on the Red Planet alone. At times, it becomes uncomfortable watching Watney trying to, as he elegantly puts it, “Science the s**t” out of his situation, such as the aforementioned self surgery.

Other times viewers will find themselves amazed at the ingenuity and will this one man has to survive, regardless of the odds.

Watney, a botanist (self-proclaimed as the best Earth has to offer) finds a way to create water and cultivates an entire crop using dirt from the planet, potatoes and human excrement. All the while, NASA and its associates were striving to find the best possible way to get him back to Earth safe and sound as the entire world watches and cheers on the return of “the Martian.”

One cannot help but be impressed and feel sympathy for Damon’s character. With most of his interactions being nothing more than a monologue into a camera documenting his escapades, Damon does an incredible job making the audience feel as if they have a personal relationship with Watney. Watching his struggles and his triumphs, the audience is taken on an anxiety-riddled emotional roller coaster. This was highlighted particularly for me, when towards the end

of the movie, as his rations are running dangerously low, Damon walks out fully nude, ungroomed, his body perhaps at least 50 lbs lighter and covered in burns from the harsh conditions he’s subjected to. However, through all the trials and tribulations, you can’t help but to have faith that somehow, some way, this man will make it back to Earth alive. I believe this was what was most impressive about Damon’s job as an actor, that he translated a feeling of hope back to the audience.

Damon, however, was not the only stellar performance in “The Martian.”

Several key performances from a wide array of actors including Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels and Sean Bean provided the film with a more serious, businesslike tone, while traditionally comedic actors such as Donald Glover, Kristen Wiig and Michael Pena brought the film comedic relief while simultaneously progressing the storyline in key roles.

Most notable of these performances was that of Donald Glover, whose eccentric, genius-type character played a crucial role in the attempts to get the protagonist home.

“The Martian” grossed $55 million dollars during its debut weekend, second only to “Gravity” for the highest grossing October release. With the magnificent desert scenery of the Red Planet, rockets jetting through space, detailed space machinery, extravagant explosions or spectacular depictions of spacecraft launching into orbit, the special effects were not only impressive, but incredibly realistic. I would highly recommend seeing this film in theaters as the astounding scenery, space scenes, and special effects all are amplified on the silver screen.

Commentary

W

e’ve all grown up with them or have seen them splashed across commercials. Their stories traditionally beginning with “once upon a time” and never fail to conclude with happy endings. Disney movies with their unattainable standards of beautiful princesses and daring prince charmings have always portrayed this image of perfection in a happy world where good triumphs evil, but the messages being received by its young and easily-influenced audience haven’t always been good, happy or perfect.

Despite Disney’s recent efforts to create new princesses and movies with racially diverse characters, there are still underlying racially skewed messages, which always seem to suggest that white is good and the “norm.” The newest racially diverse princess is Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog,” released in 2009. It was the first Disney movie to come out with an African American protagonist. Even though it was seen as a breakthrough and had been anticipated for many years, the film was a box office failure. “The Princess and the Frog” made a gross income of $104.4 million compared to “Frozen” with a grand total of $401 million, or “Despicable Me” with $251.5 million, which all came out within five years of each other.

However, this seems to be a trend with Disney movies. “Pocahontas,” the first recognized non-Caucasian protagonist Disney film, only made a $141.6 million gross income. “Mulan” made $120.6 million and “Aladdin,” $208.5 million, all movies with culturally and ethnically diverse protagonists, contrasting from the usual frosty white princes and princesses. This also begins to raise the question as to whether it’s Disney’s fault for not for marketing their more racially diverse movies differently, or is it ours, the viewers who care less to see a more realistic representation of our lives in the cherished fantasy world of Disney.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Disney’s first motion picture to come out in 1937 made $185 million, which with an adjusted inflated gross income, translates to $6.7 billion today. If by judging the inflated gross income and what it would have been, “Snow White” would have surpassed the “Lion King” in having been Disney’s most successful movie.

Disney has a huge responsibility to educate children about race issues, feminist ideals, body image, and many other social problems which our society faces today. Despite Disney’s efforts to throw in a few diverse movies here and there, are they really doing the best they can to set an example for the millions of kids who grow up watching these films? I would say almost all the films of this nature, with the exception of “Pocahontas,” never focus or integrate different racial groups, and if so, it’s a big deal. This in itself sends a subtle, yet strong cultural message that can be detrimental to the way kids view race and the issues surrounding it.

I’m curious to see that if despite Disney’s efforts to produce a diverse array of movies that, historically, have not had much success, will they choose to continue to produce a sporadic few films of this nature and pat themselves on the back, or integrate the characters in their movies more to have a closer representation of our real life, multicultural world.

facebook.com Disney’s portrayal of princesses may be more influential than some believe.

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Entertainment

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Abraham Lincoln to come out of the closet

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Anna Kehrlein Staff Writer

tudents of Sonoma State University, get ready for a gay, top-hat laden extravaganza. Yes, the Pride Festival already happened - The next big event is “Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party,” the upcoming play the theater arts and dance department has prepared for this fall.

The setting is modern day Menard County, Illinois, in the small town where Abraham Lincoln was born 206 years ago.

The election for state governor is looming when an elementary school teacher tells her students that their homegrown hero was gay. Children, parents and politicians alike then proceed to erupt into chaos in this circus act-meets-dramedy performance.

“There’s parts of [the performance] which on one hand feel dated, on the other hand the sort of social bigotry against people based on sexual orientation is something that obviously continues, and that’s what this play is wrestling with.”

Doyle Ott presented the idea to direct “Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Party” when he brought the script to the head of the acting program seven years ago. The head of the department decided that in light of the upcoming national elections, 2015 was the prime year for Ott to direct the play.

“I think it’s interesting to do this play at a point where some aspects of it are just starting to feel a little bit dated with the recent Supreme Court decision about gay marriage,” said Ott. “There’s parts of it which on one hand feel dated on the other hand the sort of social bigotry against people based on sexual orientation is something that obviously continues and that’s what this play is wrestling with.”

Despite this, Ott believes that students will still enjoy the play simply on the basis that it’s a dance party, and who doesn’t like dance parties?

According to Ott, the play is full of connections to recent history and he thinks that students might leave knowing a little bit more about the history of gay rights in America, or at least come away with a different perspective.

Anna Leach, who plays Esmerelda Diaz, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, also thinks students will like the performance.

“It’s fun. There’s a lot of humor and dance and random moments of singing, but it’s not a musical. It’s not

set up like a musical.” Leach said.

“There’s these random moments that pop up that just kind of make you chuckle, so it has this lightheartedness to it but it also will f lip on a dime and be very, very serious.”

Leach would describe “Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party” as a dramedy, as it mimics the unexpectedness of everyday life.

Emotions in the play are all over the map; from chaos to normalcy, from silliness to seriousness, from joy to sadness. It’s a show meant to keep the audience on the toes – and the actors as well.

Throughout the play, random audiences will be selected to decide which of the three acts they want to see next, so each play will be almost as much of a new experience for the actors as the audience members watching.

Connor Pratt, who plays Thomas Houser, Abraham Lincoln, and Walter Kopaczek, thinks that “Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party” is a play that students will understand on a personal level.

“Something that I think that the students here at SSU will relate to is the idea of being a human stuck in this highly politically charged environment,” said Pratt. “The play deals with controversy of children being told that President Lincoln is gay, and as young adults growing up in a world where we’re constantly trying to figure out the moral center on so many of these political issues, I feel like people will understand that.”

From walking on stilts, tap-dancing, roller-skating, and learning how to cartwheel, students in the acting program have been doing all sorts of ridiculous things to prepare for their performance. Pratt’s favorite part about the play is how it presents political issues without making a decision for you.

“It doesn’t present you a clear answer of what is right or wrong,” said Pratt. “It’s all wrapped in this vagueness so that the audience can decide, and I myself am a personal fan of shows that allow the audience to decide for themselves how they’re going to take this advice.”

The play opens Oct. 5 and will run until Oct. 24 in the Person Theatre.

Ticket prices range from $10 to $17, but students who bring their Sonoma State ID’s can come for free.

There is a post-show discussion on Oct. 18, and a student matinee on Oct. 21 where elementary and secondary school students can attend for free.

Staff and faculty who attend Oct. 22 also can go for free and seniors and visiting students who come on this night receive $5 discount tickets.

Students can buy tickets for their friends online at www.sonoma.edu/ theatreanddance/, or call the box office number at (707) 664 – 4246.

facebook.com Director Doyle Ott brings a more eccentric play to Sonoma State.

facebook.com The YouTube sensation, comedian and actor Jimmy Tatro is set to perform at Sonoma State on Oct. 16.

The college dropout drops by Sonoma State Kaila Sanders Staff Writer

F

rom making YouTube videos to being featured on the big screen, and now his own comedy tour, Jimmy Tatro shows no signs of slowing down. The 23-year-old comedian and actor is currently touring across the country performing his show “Jimmy Tatro Live: Memoirs of a College Dropout.” The show will be touching down on Sonoma State Univerity’s campus on Oct 16.

In 2011, Tatro made debatably his smartest career move by sharing his sketch comedy videos with the YouTube world. At the time, Tatro was attending the University of Arizona and was a member of Pi Kappa Phi, living a fairly typical college ‘frat life.’ His videos are known for their comedic portrayal of the everyday problems a typical college student goes through.

The success of his videos go beyond the comedic atmosphere; they are also relatable to almost every college student in some way.

Not only is Tatro the star of his videos, but he is also the writer, director and producer as well. Popular videos such as “THAT Drunk Guy” and “Breaking Up with Overly Attached Girlfriend” quickly captured the attention of millions. This made him rise to fame, nearly overnight. His YouTube channel “LifeAccordingToJimmy” has now gained approximately 2.4 million subscribers and is continuously growing.

His over-the-top portrayal of a hard-partying frat boy even caught the attention of actor Adam Sandler, providing him the opportunity to hit the big screen. Tatro made his film debut in 2012’s “Grown Ups 2” and later made his next big appearance co-starring opposite Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in 2014’s “22 Jump Street.”

Many might say that Sonoma State is pretty much the complete opposite of what is portrayed in Tatro’s videos.

Edgework Entertainment, the company

hosting the show, has a strong desire to change this.

“We want to create a ‘real’ college environment with an active nightlife scene similar to almost every other college your friends go to,” said Adam Loria, head of Edgework Entertainment. Their goal is to put on a special event that is catered specifically to college students. Attendees can expect to walk into a college-themed venue with a lounge, food, full bar and drinking games (for those who are 21+). The show will be hosted by Tatro’s best friend and his co-star, Christian Pierce.

Additionally, an after party will be hosted by FLI HIGH Night Club, which will be free for all those who purchased a ticket and are over the age of 21. For anyone unable to get a ticket to the show, tickets to the after party will be sold at the door on a first come, first serve basis. Both Tatro and Pierce will be attending the after party, where there will be two student DJ’s, a full bar, an open lounge and drinking games.

“It will be a very unique opportunity for students of all ages to come together in a safe social setting other than a house party, the bars or some campus event that is seldom geared towards college students and their interests,” Loria stated.

This event was created entirely with Sonoma State students in mind.

The venue is located one mile from Sonoma State campus at Sonoma Mountain Village Event Center, so students can really enjoy all the perks of being off campus while at the event.

With safety as the number one priority, attendees will have the option to purchase a $3 round-trip shuttle service to and from campus that will run from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The “Jimmy Tatro Live: Memoirs of a College Dropout” will take place on October 16 at 9 p.m. (doors open at 8 p.m.) The after party will begin once the show ends. It is an opportunity for Sonoma State students to experience a fun, unique night out.

Page 8

Student Life

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Student spotlight: Griselda Madrigal

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Megan Corcoran Staff Writer

or Griselda Madrigal, college was a chance to make a difference and help others in a way that would always be remembered at Sonoma State University.

This chance is the DREAMers Club.

Starting her fifth and last year at Sonoma State, Madrigal is the president of the DREAMers Club, a new on-campus organization that provides support and raises awareness for undocumented students.

“The main goal of the DREAMers Club is to be a support for undocumented students and, of course, their allies, because we can not just leave them out,” Madrigal said.

Born in a small town called Santa Rosa de Lima in Michoacán, Mexico, Madrigal migrated to the United States with her family when she was eight years old. She started her college education at Santa Rosa Junior College then transferred to Sonoma State to finish her Bachelors degree.

A McNair scholar, she is currently applying to several graduate schools for next fall and hopes to attend Claremont University to get her Masters and PhD in education.

The DREAMers Club began as an idea between Madrigal and friend Sairi Aragón last year. With 178 known undocumented students on campus, they saw a need and took the responsibility to provide a safe haven.

The name DREAMers being a political phrase named after the DREAM Act, which helps provide financial aid to undocumented students.

Aragon recently graduated from Sonoma State with the class of 2015 and just started her Masters in Mexican/American and Latino Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I believe Griselda saw a real need for a group where DREAMers were welcomed in a space where they felt safe and supported,” Aragon said. “The faculty and staff at SSU provided this environment and it’s only the beginning.”

Together they co-founded the club and managed to get it chartered last spring with the help of the club’s faculty advisor, Mariana Martinez. Madrigal was a student in Martinez’s CALS 403 class last spring and is also involved with her through the McNair Scholars Program.

“She has faced multiple challenges to get to this point in her life yet she has not derailed in reaching her sueños (dreams),” Martinez said. “To be honest, I always feel honored and humbled that she has allowed me to be part of her educational journey.”

Through the McNair Scholars Program, Madrigal has been able to actively research the topic of undocumented students in the U.S. She had the opportunity to present her research at SCURF (Society Culture Undergraduate Research Forum) last year and the MALCS (Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social) Conference at the University of New Mexico last summer.

She was also on the committee to help organize the visit of the parents and students of Ayotzinapa, Mexico last semester and has gained the support of Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana through her great achievements.

facebook.com Griselda Madrigal, president of the DREAMers club, hopes to build a strong and supportive community for undocumented students.

As the first president of the DREAMers club, Madrigal has already taken steps to leave the organization well-known on campus when she graduates in the spring.

Club member and Sonoma State senior Emily Crawford said, “The club would not be as strong without Griselda as our leader, already this year we have been able to do great things by hosting the DREAMers Conference.”

The first DREAMers conference was held on Sept. 19 and was a success with many attendees including President Armiñana and acclaimed guest speaker, Iliana Perez. Perez is a Claremont doctoral student and an advocate for raising awareness and helping students who do not have legal status receive financial aid.

The most memorable part of the conference for Madrigal was the surprise an-

STAR // Nicole Detmers Tracy Martin, father of the late Trayvon Martin, came to Sonoma State University to discuss how injustices involving police brutality should not lead to more violence.

MARTIN: sterotypes still exist Continued from page 1

Broken homes have a heavy impact, especially on young men in society, Martin believes. Instilling respect in today’s youth is important.

Sometimes police officers approach people in an intimidating manner, and don’t give each person an equal opportunity to explain themselves, Martin said.

Martin talked about the movement ‘Black Lives Matter’ and how the bible says god created man, not a black man, white man, a Hispanic man, just man.

African Americans helped in wars and the building of this country’s foundation, but were excluded when it came to writing the laws and voting.

“The American system is not built for all mankind,” said Martin.

He emphasized the importance of diversity in helping people grow. Learning to understand each other and eliminating assumptions with skin color is the right direction for social change.

Junior Marissa Isaacs offered her own thoughts on racial profiling. “It’s unfortunate that today in this world stigmas and stereotypes exist that become hard to disregard and take day by day trying to disprove,” said Isaacs.

Martin grew up in east St. Louis, Illinois, a city that has

struggled with poverty for decades. In his day, the city went on strike which affected schools and families.

He stated that people are afraid to discuss racism still and ignore the fact that our country was built on diversity.

East St. Louis is 98 percent African American and the city is on strike again currently.

Martin believes that some do not want America to unite and succeed. He pointed out that our government doesn’t want to put a Microsoft or Starbucks in an impoverished areas, which would lead to economic change and potentially eliminate strikes that take children out of school, when they are the real ones suffering from the economic suppression.

Martin concluded his talk with questions from the audience. One guest asked what gives him hope after such a tragedy.

“Knowing you have a diversified group willing to fight for your cause,” said Martin.

Their family received numerous letters and prayers from random supporters.

A question was asked about the Stand Your Ground Law in Florida and how he feels about it. “The Stand Your Ground law is a problem waiting to happen,” said Martin. It basically is saying that if you and another person get into an altercation and you get hurt,

even though you started it, and if you shoot the other person, it can be considered self defense.

“How can you be defending yourself, when you are the one starting it,” said Martin.

Another question asked was concerning the fact many police are military veterans and are trained with violence and could potentially be trigger happy. Martin said, many police officers lack experience with diversity.

Any attitude or body language will set them off and they will gladly get out of the car with their finger on the trigger.

Earlier, Martin mentioned that many officers need to remain professional and not aggressively throw a person on the ground without any explanation.

The media and recordings should teach police a lesson but a big concern of Martin’s is how to prevent the violence before even needing video evidence. “America does not see the uproar,” said Martin.

Martin and his family shut down when they left the courtroom that day without justice for Trayvon. They learned to ignore the media and reporters.

He remains a strong parent to Trayvon’s siblings as well a coach for little league football. He invests himself in his family as well as programs for children and their communities as well as scholarships.

nouncement from President Armiñana that by this time next year Sonoma State will have a DREAM Center on campus. A DREAM Center is a building that houses multiple resources for undocumented students for help with housing, financial aid and anything they might find difficult because of their legal status.

“I think it will be helpful to just have a safe space,” Madrigal said. When asked for her goals as the first DREAMers president this coming year Madrigal said, “I just wish there was more awareness of what it means to be a DREAMer, what it means to be undocumented and especially what it means to be undocumented in higher education.”

The DREAMers club is always open to new members. They meet Mondays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in The HUB.

Tuesday,

How Normal are

Oct. 6

Normal Numbers?

The 90s are all

Math Colloquium

that!

3:45 p.m. - 5:30

8 p.m. - 10 p.m.

p.m.

Student Center

Darwin 103

Ballroom Where’s LOBO? Writers at Sonoma

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Presents: Reading

Sonoma State

with Poets Lisa

Campus

Fishman and Richard Meier

Thursday,

7:30 p.m. - 9:30

Oct. 8

p.m.

Feminist Lecture

Schroeder Hall

Series: Feminism, Activism, and

Wednesday,

Social Justice

Oct. 7

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Live at LOBO’S

Stevenson 1002

Open Mic Night 8 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 9 SSU Improvaholics 11:55 p.m.

Ives 101

Courtesy of seawolfliving.com

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Student Life

Page 9

STAR // Nicole Detmers Jimmy John’s recently opened two new locations in Rohnert Park. One is conveniently located in the Wolves’ Den across from campus and offers grourmet sandwiches at reasonable prices.

Jimmy John’s offers convenience, quality Sean Curzon Staff Writer

Review

W

hen entering the building, one can’t help but be filled with a sense of welcome. The red and white tiles create a nice atmosphere. The wall is adorned with fun signs saying things like, “your mom wants to eat at Jimmy Johns.”

A little boastful, but does add to the fun, “we’re good at what we do” feel to the place.

Jimmy Johns is a new deli restaurant that opened across from Sonoma State University in the Wolves Den. They offer classics like turkey, ham, tuna and even have a vegetarian option. The vegetarian does come with cheese and mayo, so if one is vegan, be sure to hold off on such ingredients.

The bread is good, but limited in choices. They have french bread or wheat slices.

That’s it. No sourdough or white bread. There is a lettuce wrap for those who don’t like bread as well.

Another huge problem is for pickle lovers. They don’t put pickles on the sandwiches. Pickles can be ordered as sides and one can put the pickle on the sandwich. Still, they charge for the pickle, which is annoying if a customer was planning to buy chips.

It’s frustrating since most other places put pickles on their sandwiches at no additional cost. They offer to put dijon mustard on the sandwich, but if one likes the classic deli

Safety week hopes to educate students Jerri Cohen Staff Writer

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rom Oct. 12 to Oct. 15, the Sonoma State University Police Department will be holding safety week to give law enforcement and students the opportunity to interact while informing the student body about how to be safer in everyday life.

“The week-long event showcases the various agencies and offers educational opportunities in areas such as information security, safety, alcohol and drug abuse, crime prevention, self-defense, emergency management and sexual assault prevention,” said Nathan Johnson, chief of police at Sonoma State.

Through these events, the police hope to provide education to the campus community on how to lead safer lives both on and off campus.

“The interactions throughout the week will hopefully build partnerships and trust with our community partners and create an opportunity for open dialogue and candid conversation,” Johnson said.

The week begins with a question and answer session with the chief of police at Charlie Brown’s on Oct. 12. At 10 a.m., the chief will welcome students to have a cup of coffee and ask any questions one has ever had for an officer. From the law enforcement system to how to be safer, students can get all the information that they need.

At 12 p.m. that same day, the week’s official kick off event will be held on the main quad. There will be emergency vehicles driving around the quad and a tabling event that will have information about all the events in the coming week and will be staffed by people who can answer all of your questions.

Also at 12 p.m. on Oct. 12, The Sonoma County Bike Coalition will hold a session about bicycle safety

and offer free bike registration.

On the Oct. 13, a free self-defense class which will help students protect themselves if they’re in a dangerous situation will be offered.

It will be held in the Recreation Center at 11:30 a.m.

At noon, there will be tabling in the main quad. The table will be staffed with people answering questions about sexual assault, how to prevent it and any other questions one may have.

On Oct. 14 at 12:30 p.m. a car that was destroyed in a real DUI accident will be on display. The Rancho Adobe Fire Department will be on site to answer any questions students may have and to demonstrate the process of extricating passengers from vehicles that have experienced collisions because of DUI accidents.

At 6 p.m. that evening in the Recreation Center there will be a demonstration with drunk goggles so one can see first hand how intoxication impairs your ability to do everyday tasks.

The week wraps up with tabling on the quad on Oct. 15 at noon. Ask questions and get information on how to be the most prepared that you can be for a natural disaster.

Learn what students need to have in a disaster kit, how to safely evacuate a building and what ones best plan of action is in an earthquake or other natural disaster.

According to Johnson, around 1,000 people participated in Sonoma State’s safety week last year and he’s hoping to have an even better turn out in Safety Week’s second year.

“We have participants from other campuses, local agencies and CHP will be flying in with their helicopter for a demonstration as well,” Johnson said. “SSU Faculty, staff and students, and others can participate as well.”

To get the listed full schedule of the events visit seawolfliving.com

mustard, it comes in small packets to put on after the sandwich is made. It’s strange when they spread the mayo on, but then hand the costumer two packets of mustard. It’s not a huge inconvenience, but still odd.

The B.L.T. (bacon, lettuce and tomato) was good. Often times, delis will fall into the pitfall of putting too much lettuce and not enough mayo. I’m looking at you subway.

Fortunately, the condiment ratio was perfect. The bacon itself was not as hot as it should be but it wasn’t super cold. I was still able to enjoy it.

In addition to their regular 8-inch subs, they have specialty club sandwiches with thick wheat bread.

Like most delis, Jimmy John’s has chips and cookies. Unlike other deli’s, however, Jimmy John’s has its own brand of chips and cookies. They have kettle cooked potato chips called Jimmy Chips, which come in several flavors including regular, BBQ, jalapeno and salt & vinegar. The chips are nice, thick and salty with a satisfying crunch that one looks for in chips. The cookies are big and tasty. The cookies have one flaw though-- they’re not soft enough. It’s not that they’re hard, but they really aren’t all that soft.

Jimmy John’s delivers, which is strange for a sandwich restaurant. It’s convenient if someone doesn’t want to leave the house for food during a homework session.

The staff was welcoming and courteous which is always a plus when at a restaurant. The service was really fast as well. Jimmy Johns is a nice deli store for students who need a sandwich fast. It’s not the cheapest food, but it’s not going to break your wallet. If students want to shake things up, It’s recommend.

Page 10

Sports

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Men’s golf bounces back with fourth place finish Tommy Call Staff Writer

T

he Sonoma State University men’s golf team packed their clubs and took off to Las Cruces, New Mexico last Monday and Tuesday for the WNMU intercollegiate golf tournament.

The University Golf Club in Las Cruces served as the men’s NCAA regional preview, where 24 golf teams from across the country showcased their skills on the course.

Four of the 24 teams were from the CCAA conference, including the Seawolves.

Seniors Brandon Lee, Nicholas Daniels and Kenny Maroney represented the Seawolves at the tournament, along with Junior Justin Shulker and Sophomore Tyler Manna to complete the five-man squad.

On day one of the tournament, the Seawolves shot a total of 287. Senior Brandon Lee knew the Seawolves had to start fast and play consistent to finish on top of the leaderboard at this tournament.

“The tournament was 36 holes, so we knew we had to start well right out of the gate,” said Lee. “We kicked it into gear quickly and started making some birdies.”

The 287 score put Sonoma State in a tie for third place overall going into the final 18 holes of the tournament.

The Seawolves put together a great round on day two, putting themselves into a three-way tie for first place going into the final hole of the 36-hole tournament. Lee said that keeping calm and staying focused in the final hole was crucial for the Seawolves.

“We had to play one shot at a time and not get ahead of ourselves,” said Lee. “We needed to stay in the moment.”

The Seawolves fell short of victory but finished with an impressive fourth place overall, only three strokes behind the winning squad from Cal State Monterey Bay. Three of the top four teams all came from the CCAA conference.

The Seawolves made a massive improvement from

their 15th place finish in the first tournament of the season.

“I think we were all able to handle our emotions really well and execute some good shots; I think we’re all moving forward in the right direction,” said Lee. “We definitely performed better, but that being said, there is still a lot of room for improvement.”

Senior Kenny Maroney opened up the tournament firing a 70, one under par after 18 holes, then went on to shoot a 74 on day two for a score of 144.

Maroney finished in a tie at 17th place overall with fellow teammate Taylor Manna, who dropped in five birdies over the course of the tournament.

Lee put together rounds of 74 and 71 to place 25th overall. Nicholas Daniels was consistent, knocking in 25 pars throughout the tournament as he finished in 65th place.

Junior Brandon Shulker led the Seawolves, shooting a 70 in the first day of the tournament, followed with a

72 on the final day to finish with an impressive 10th place overall out of the 120 total competitors.

“It felt great to see glimpses of my hard work pay off,” said Shulker. “ I just stuck to the game plan that the team and I had going into the tournament.”

Shulker putted a team-high of seven birdies, along with 24 pars for the tournament.

“I credit a lot of this tournament to my coaches and teammates, the confidence they put in me helped me attack and play well,” said Shulker.

Next up for the Seawolf men’s golf team is their host tournament at Foxtail Golf Course in Rohnert Park. Lee and the Seawolves look to defend their home course with confidence.

“We should run away with our home event, it always feels great to play there,” said Lee. The Sonoma State Invitational will take place on Oct. 12.

sonomaseawolves.com Junior Justin Shluker shot a 142 for the tournament and finished tied for 10 place overall. th

SEAWOLVES SPORTS Tuesday, Oct. 6 Women’s Volleyball at Humboldt State 7:00 p.m.

sonomaseawolves.com The Seawolves have won six consecutive matches to put them atop the CCAA.

Women’s volleyball scorches to sixth straight victory Olivia Lucchese Staff Writer

T

his past weekend, the Sonoma State University volleyball team walked away with two impressive victories over Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego.

“This weekend was huge for us, both San Bernardino and UC San Diego are top teams in our conference that we only get to play once this year so it made us work a little bit harder each game,” said senior Madelyn Densberger.

On Friday, they faced Cal State San Bernardino at home and defeated the Coyotes with a winning score of 3-2. The game was a nail biter, with each team fighting back every chance they could but Sonoma State fought until the very end and pulled off the victory.

The gymnasium was packed with family, faculty and students alike. Although being nationally-ranked 25th, the Seawolves were not phased and pulled out a victory in five sets over the visiting Coyotes.

Sonoma State snapped a 17match-losing streak to the Coyotes on their home floor, which

was the first time the Seawolves had beaten them at home since 1992.

“We’ve always been very competitive with San Bernardino because of our history with them; they won the conference every year until last year when we took home the title. Every time we play them I think we are playing for a little bit more than just a win,” said Densberger.

The Seawolves had a long list of stand-outs with senior Caylie Seitz at 20 kills, junior Emily Papale with 13 kills, Densberger and junior Lexi Reddick both with 12 kills and junior Rachel Andrews had 10 kills while recording a team high of four blocks.

On Saturday, they faced UC San Diego at home, obtaining a five set victory of 3-2 (28-26, 21-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-12). The Seawolves winning their sixth game in a row puts them at 10-3 this season, with a sole possession of first place in the conference.

Sonoma State made it a defensive battle from the opening set, as the two teams achieved 199 digs and 30 blocks while holding each other to under .161 on offense.

Seitz again led the way in

kills for Sonoma State with 19, but was held to just a .200 clip.

Reddick added 12 kills, including the match-winner, followed by 11 from Densberger and 10 from Papale. Sophomore Courtney Seda passed out 27 assists, had two aces and made 12 digs on defense, while sophomore Calan Seitz assisted on 23 kills to go along with 16 digs, her career-best.

With an outstanding weekend in the bag for the Seawolves, they will travel to Humboldt State this Tuesday in hopes to take home another victory.

“We have a little chip on our shoulder going into Humboldt because last year was a loss,” said Densberger.

With the Seawolves on their sixth straight win, they are expecting great things to come at the end of this season, but first, they will have to put up a huge fight against their last few oppenents.

“Every year is something different,” said Densberger.

“We never know what to expect.

Last year, we had no expectation of going as far as we did so right now we are just taking it game by game and seeing what works well for us down the final stretch.”

Women’s Golf at Dixie State Invitational All Day Wednesday, Oct. 7 Men’s Soccer vs Notre Dame de Namur 3:00 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 9 Women’s Soccer vs UC Santa Cruz 12:30 p.m.

Men’s Soccer at Academy of Art 1:00 p.m.

Women’s Cross Country at SF State Invitational 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10 Women’s Volleyball vs Humboldt State 7:00 p.m.

Men’s Tennis at Santa Rosa JC Invitational All Day

Monday, Oct. 12 Men’s Golf Sonoma State Invitational All Day

Courtesy of sonomaseawolves.com

Sports

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 11

A sense of pride

Kory Arnold Sports Editor sonomaseawolves.com Junior Kristal Luna is rushed by teammates after scoring the gamewinning goal against CSUMB.

Women’s soccer keeps on rolling Sammy Davis Staff Writer

T

he Seawolves took their talents to San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay this weekend.

The Sonoma State women’s soccer team looked to continue their five-game winning streak. The Seawolves defeated the hosting San Francisco Gators Friday with a score of 1-0.

On Sunday, the Seawolves defeated Cal Sate Monterey Bay in Seaside 1-0.

The two victories exemplified why the team is currently ranked 14th in the NCAA Division II national rankings.

With a scoreless first half in San Francisco, Kristal Luna came in clutch to break the 0-0 tie at minute 52.

As the Seawolves drove the ball deep into Gator territory, they were fouled and Luna took a huge shot to find the upper right corner of the goal to end the game.

Luna silenced the Gator crowd with the huge game-winning shot.

Luna is at the top of leader boards for the Seawolves, with a team-high of three goals.

Sonoma State finished with a 16-8 shot advantage over the Gators to end the match.

With two incredible saves, Ashley Luis recorded her sixth shutout of the season, which currently leads the entire CCAA. The seawolves continued their hot streak by beating Cal State Monterey on their home turf. With a 1-0 victory over the Otters, the Seawolves pushed their winning streak to five games.

Luna continued her goal streak by also securing another game-winner.

The match was scoreless until minute 87, when Miriam Bloom found Luna to head the ball over the Otter goalie’s outstretched hands.

This goal would end up being the game winning shot to seal the deal for the Seawolves.

Sonoma State will try to keep their winning streak alive at home for the next five games. These will be the last five home games of the season.

The Seawolves will play nonconference UC Santa Cruz on Friday, where Luna looks to continue her scoring streak in this match, while Luis will attempt to keep her shutout streak alive as well.

The game will take placet on Friday at 12:00 p.m. at the Seawolf soccer field.

A

s I was walking toward Stanford Stadium on Saturday night for the first time to watch the Cardinals take on the Arizona Wildcats, I heard a deafening sound that mimicked the horn of a 50-car locomotive.

I was not sure if the Cardinals had done something tremendously well, or if they were attempting to set off their opponent, but nonetheless, the sound itself was enough to send the game-time atmosphere chills down my spine before I could even see the lights.

As it turns out, the horn is set off every time that Stanford scores a touchdown, meaning that we had just missed the first big play of the game. Little did I know that Stanford would eventually go on to beat the University of Arizona with a whooping score of 55-17, so I was still able to receive my fair dose of the eardrum-numbing sound throughout the remainder of the game.

Nonetheless, with this being my first Stanford football game and even with the lop-sided score, I was still extremely taken aback by the immense amount of pride that was displayed for all of the university’s athletics by its students.

Stanford University’s football program has only been prominent in the national scene these last five years, but along with the school’s already outstanding reputation as one of the top educational institutions in the nation, their athletics programs are also exemplified by the tremendous amount of pride by students, alumni and fans alike.

Take football for example.

Every Saturday home game generates a type of environment on campus of which is almost treated as a celebration, although it is only coming from the anticipation of the big game.

Whether the game is at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m., supporters of all kinds rush out to

the stadium parking lots hours in advance to partake in pre-game festivities such as BBQing and playing games like washers or just playing catch (although most students are now sticking to beer pong).

It is an atmosphere like this that gets students and fans enthusiastic about their school because it provides them with an outlet to be able to support their school’s athletic programs, while also having a great time in doing so.

These pre-game celebrations have attracted so much attention across the country within the last decade, ESPN now sends a crew of analysts to cover a different school each week to provide insight for the match up depending on its significance.

But now, the majority of the segment is dedicated to the hosting university being able to rally support from the rest of the country by showing off their various forms of school pride in front of millions of viewers.

A university’s pull factor towards students should be based primarily on their educational resources and not the social aspect, but when a school is able to provide excitement every given week when a certain sporting event is taking place, that can be an extremely appealing factor to attending that university.

Here at Sonoma State, we are ranked as a NCAA Division II university which means that we can only sponsor at least five sports for men and women alike, which certainly limits the amount of funding for each sport given the CSU’s current budget.

In 1996, Sonoma State was forced to eliminate the football program due to its financial restraint and because the school was more concerned for the future of its athletic program as a whole.

I know the budget situation has only grown to become much worse over the last twenty years and I am not asking for the football program to be re-instated, but if Sonoma State were to put more effort around supporting athletics by providing a medium for students to enjoy themselves when they go out to show their pride and attend the sporting events, it would serve as a major pull-factor compared to the other CSU’s.

Sonoma State is not even close to being as recognized as Stanford on a national level, especially with available resources, but if this school is able to exemplify its school pride and attempt to mirror some of the approaches that Stanford and many other major universities take when promoting its athletics, it would make for a much more inviting university for future students and athletes alike.

Page 12

Photo

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Season-Opening gala at the Green Music Center

STAR // Brennan Chin Former Associated Students President Anthony Gallino attends the champagne reception at the Prelude champagne reception.

Dr. Andrew Rogerson attends the champagne reception at the Prelude Restaurant before the Gala concert with Lang Lang.

STAR // Brennan Chin

STAR // Brennan Chin Lorna Calas (left) and Lisa Grotts (right) attend the reception at Prelude Restaurant.

STAR // Brennan Chin

Appetizers were offered in addition to champagne during the reception.

STAR // Brennan Chin Pianist Lang Lang performed at Weill Hall at the 2015-2016 Gala on Saturday.

STAR // Brennan Chin Joan Weill spoke with donors at the Prelude Restaurant. Read the story on pg. 6.

STAR // Brennan Chin Lang Lang greeted the crowd at Weill Hall before his performance on Saturday.

STAR // Brennan Chin Susan Kashack informs the STAR staff about the upcoming changes to the Sonoma State University website. Read the Q&A on pg. 4.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Tracy Martin addressed the audience at the “We are all Trayvon“ event in the Student Center Ballroom on Wednesday.

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State President Dr. Ruben Armiñana reflected on his accomplishments at Sonoma State University. Read the Q&A on pg. 4.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Tracy Martin received a standing ovation after his speech at the Student Center Ballroom on Wednesday. Read the story on pg. 1.