Volume 75 // Issue 10

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In this issue: Sports: Women’s Volleyball on 14 win streak

Opinion: Cat-calling, a too-common occurence for women. Pg. 3 A&E: Petaluma Art Center shows diversity in art. Pg. 6

Student Life: Preview of Mental Health Awareness Week. Pg. 8

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 75 // ISSUE 10

NOVEMBER 3 - NOVEMBER 9, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

Fake gun scare prompts alert Kayla E. Galloway News Editor

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STAR // Nicole Detmers Democratic Assemblymember Bill Dodd was present at a California Faculty Association meeting last Wednesday at Sonoma State University, where faculty discussed negotiations for a salary increase and a potential strike.

Faculty association strike decision to be announced Wednesday Joseph Encinas Staff Writer

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fter extended negotiations with the California State University, the California Faculty Association is gearing up for a demonstration on Nov. 17. The demonstration is in response to the Chancellor’s Office denying the association a 5 percent salary increase and offering a 2 percent wage raise instead. The association held a vote to decide whether to strike in protest of the CSU’s refusal to increase their wages by 5 percent. The results of the vote are expected to be announced tomorrow. As covered in the STAR, the faculty association and the Chancellor’s Office were in talks about finding a solution to the problem as peaceful as possible, however, since that story broke, mediation has concluded and the mediator has enacted the process of fact-finding. In this stage, both parties find as many facts, backed up with evidence, and present them to a neutral third party, who will then create a factfinding report that ultimately suggests the best way an agreement can be found. Both the faculty association and the university system will have 10 days to evaluate the report and possibly find common ground, and if not, the report becomes public record. At any point in time after the report has been made known to both parties, they can come back to the table and try to find an answer to this issue. “Fact-finding is set to begin on Nov. 23 in Sacramen-

to,” said Toni Molle, director of public affairs for the Office of the Chancellor, “Each side will present their proposals to a three-party panel, one neutral and one representative for each party [CSU and CFA].” According to Molle, the Office of the Chancellor and the California State University expects the strike vote authorization to pass, but the results will not be known until Wednesday. Since the ending of mediation and the commencement of fact-finding, the CFA chapter at Sonoma State held a postelection get-together at Lobo’s last Wednesday to acknowledge the next step in the battle over wages. “The clear message to the chancellor is, 5 percent is a fair amount. They have the money, we deserve it,” said Andy Merrifield, professor of political science and member of the bargaining team for the faculty association, “two percent is not enough and we deserve more, we have taken enough hits financially for many years.” The meeting featured Democratic Assemblyman Bill Dodd, who represents the fourth district in California which includes all of Napa County, Lake County, and parts of Sonoma, Yolo and Solano counties. “The Legislature worked very hard to get that $97 million for the state university system,” said Dodd. “I have taken a look and listen to the length of time that they’ve [faculty] had a raise, and I don’t think that what they are asking for in unreasonable.” When it comes down to the process of fact-finding, the

name of the process says it all; facts will be the only things reviewed and all opinions get taken out of the argument. The only party that gets to form an opinion is the neutral party. “At the end of the statutory process, the CSU can impose their last, best and final offer, which is apparently 2 percent,” said Merrifield. “If they propose 2 percent, then we [faculty] can use our economic weapon which is to strike.” Both parties have no idea what a possible strike would look like on the 23 California State University campuses. There is no word on whether strikes will occur, and if they do occur, the strikes could be rolling strikes or a full strike across all higher education schools in the system. A strike authorization vote does not necessarily mean that the only option on the table for the CFA is a strike. It means that the members of the faculty association have granted permission to the leadership to authorize a strike or other concerted activities at the end of the statutory process. “If a strike does occur, the CSU will take the appropriate steps to keep students on their path to degree completion.” said Molle. “We have no interest in striking, unless we have to, and we have no interest in harming the students,” said Merrifield. “Our primary goal is to be faculty to teach our students, nonetheless, if the system breaks down because the chancellor refuses to spend money he has on the faculty, the implications for the overall system are impossible to predict at this time.

onoma State University students were on alert Friday afternoon when Police Services notified the campus of an alleged gunman between Lot G and the Environmental Technology Center. Students received an alert about the alleged threat to campus at 12:25 p.m. on Friday. In a Facebook post, Sonoma State officials confirmed the gun was fake and part of the individual’s Halloween costume. “Police Services quickly located the person, who had a fake gun as part of their Halloween costume,” wrote officials. According to sources, the student with the fake gun is a member of Sonoma State’s baseball team and the fake gun was part of his Halloween costume. Two students on the base-

ball team, including the student with the fake firearm, were dressed as members of the Taliban, sparking fear in students. “I was in the car driving back to campus when a police car zoomed past us,” said Sophomore Lily Denesha. “The driver had to pull over because we were going towards the parking lot [when officers] said to stay clear. We weren’t sure what to do.” Sonoma State University officials encourage students who didn’t receive an alert on Friday to sign up for the Emergency Notification System (ENS) at sonoma.edu/ps/ emergency/ens.html. Under the emergency alert systems, those who signed up receive alerts via text, email and phone in times of emergency or potential threat. “It was pretty scary and sudden,” said Denesha. “It’s reassuring to know that the campus texts us as soon as something happens.”

El Niño storm approaching

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Olivia Hunt Staff Writer

anceled classes, inside-out umbrellas, fallen trees and drenched clothes are all viable scenarios for this year’s El Niño, according to statistics. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting this year’s El Niño to be among the strongest on record and is expected to influence weather and climate patterns this winter by impacting the position of the Pacific jet stream. The waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean are heating up, scientists say, building towards an El Niño with the intensity level of the 1997 weather anomaly. “There is a greater than 90 percent chance that El Niño will continue through Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, and around an 85 percent chance it will last into early spring 2016,” the NOAA said in a statement. Although some theories claim global warming will affect El Niños in the future, The United Nations says confidence is low that this is the case. Despite this, one of the likely by-products of global warming is more extreme precipitation, as warmer tem-

peratures can hold more water vapor in the atmosphere; thus making El Niño floods even more devastating. “I remember last year right before winter break there was a lot of flooding around campus due to all the rain,” Sophomore Ella Corbett said. “There was a huge puddle in front of my dorm, making it difficult to get up the stairs.” Extreme weather phenomenons such as these require preparation to ensure a safe environment for the community. The County of Sonoma Emergency Operations Center provides prompt and accurate information regarding current weather conditions to the general public, media, and local agencies during periods of potential emergency. The Auxiliary Communications Service is another branch of the Sonoma County Department that aids in providing the community with valuable time-sensitive information. The radio is part of local government and operates under the Authority of the Sonoma County Fire and Emergency Services Department. ACS may provide communications support using amateur radio, cellular and See STORM on Pg. 5

Warren Court essay contest deadline on Thursday

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Francisco Carbajal Staff Writer

onoma State University has an annual scholarship opportunity for students interested in writing about civil liberties and ethics. The Warren Court Essay contest is sponsored by the

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Center for Ethics, Law, and Society, a sub-department of the Philosophy Department, with the submission period ending Thursday. The contest is open to all students in good standing, with a 2.0 GPA. The contest is named after Earl Warren, 14th chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. For the con-

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test, students must write and research a topic related to ethics, justice, or constitutional law that reflects empirical research, textual analysis, or theoretical innovation and must present an argument. The winner will be awarded at a ceremony on Dec. 2 in Stevenson 1002. The essay contest rewards the first place win-

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ner with $500, $250 for second place and, $100 to an honorable mention. The prize money is donated by retired professor Dr. Ken Marcus. “The goal of the Warren Court Prize is to encourage excellence in student See CONTEST on Pg. 5

Visit: sonomastatestar.com


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Editorial

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 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 Cassandra Owens, 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, Lawrence Ricardo Kaila Sanders, Aubrie Tolliver Photographers Aubrey Anzelmo, Nicole Detmers Sarah Fishback, Thomas Lynch

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:

“Not just art, but activism”

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez

Consuming more than turkey

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hanksgiving has been an American tradition for decades. It’s a time to spend with loved ones while reflecting on what those are thankful for. Over time however, it’s become poisoned by American consumerism. It was this that led to the development of Black Friday; a time to spend money while reflecting on what one doesn’t have in their lives. Every year it seems as though large retailers are opening their doors earlier and earlier. With Target opening as soon as 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, it begs the question as to what the holiday has become. In years past, Black Friday was just an afterthought. Now with stores opening on Thanksgiving day, it has become much more of an ordeal. A majority of students employed by the large retailers are going to be tending to the masses this holiday season. Black Friday has now creeped its way into Thanksgiving Day, and students are going to be forced to work instead of going home to see their families. Popular outdoor equipment retail chain, REI, announced last week that it will be closing all of their stores on Black Friday and

sending their employees home with paid leave. REI made a large step to bringing awareness to the fact that the holidays need to be spent with family. Students who are working Thanksgiving Day and consequently Black Friday are assisting hundreds of people in buying millions of dollars in products. The news site about.com estimated that Americans spent just over $9 billion on Black Friday last year alone. When looking at the numbers, it’s hard to imagine that some workers will only be getting a few dollars more per hour than minimum wage. Students who are taking time from their school break and are away from their families, are being paid close to the same amount as an average working day. Companies like Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Staples are opening their doors on a holiday traditionally reserved for spending time with family, and forcing their employees to come to work to sell their products. It seems unfair that students are compromising for consumerism. Yes, consumerism helps the national economy and Black Friday

certainly brings in money, but it has gone too far. Optimistically enough, REI, Nordstrom and Costco have all decided to close their doors on Black Friday in order to give their employees the day off. REI took it a step further this year though when it announced it will be closing its distribution centers, all 143 of its stores, their headquarters and even their website on Black Friday. Although that may be extreme for some companies, REI has certainly set a precedent that will hopefully stick. After their Thanksgiving meal, Americans have a new appetite - a hungry desire for more and more possessions. Retailers recognize this and in order to support the masses, they open their doors earlier and hire more employees to work. Students can’t book a ticket home because they are booked to work and employers find it difficult to sympathize when they are bringing in so much revenue. Hopefully in the future, Americans as well as retailers can find a way to stray away from Black Friday and bring the focus back to family and the real meaning behind Thanksgiving.

One of the Petaluma Art Center’s current exhibitions, “Black Artists on Art”, features the work of numerous African American artists. Staff Writer Lawrence Ricardo depicts the gallery and offers the voice of those who appreciate what the exhibit means for African Americans.

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.

Read the story on page 6

Letters to the Editor

Corrections/Clarifications

Confidentiality ensured with CAPS

The STAR values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication. However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know. Please report errors to the editor at star@sonoma.edu.

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by 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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ear Sonoma State Community,

A recent STAR article entitled “Advocating for more than just abortions” contained some misinformation about confidentiality policies and crisis advocacy. It is important that everyone be aware of what is available through Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). Most critically, please be assured that, as licensed psychologists, we are mandated by law to keep all client information strictly confidential except in unusual circumstances. The exceptions include imminent danger to self or others; reported child, elder or dependent adult abuse; and rare legal circumstances as required by court order. The only other time we release any information is upon the client’s request. We will not even confirm or deny that a student is a client of CAPS without permission from the student. Students can come to CAPS and speak to any counselor about a sexual assault without concern about confidentiality. In fact, we are the only employees of SSU who cannot be required to report to either police or the Title IX office. The Student Health Center does not have responsibility to report to the Title IX office. However, all health care providers in California are required by law to make a report to the police department if they provide medical services for an injury due to a sexual assault. The patient

may request confidentiality from the police and there is no obligation for the patient to file a police complaint. All other Sonoma State University employees must report sexual assault to the Title IX office. The Title IX office has the responsibility to ensure that all individuals have the right to participate fully in campus programs and activities free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation. While they take victims’ wishes into account, they will investigate complaints as necessary to protect the campus community. Also please note that CAPS does provide crisis advocacy services including ongoing support and counseling for survivors; provision of information about reporting options; assistance with locating on and off campus resources including legal assistance (restraining orders), restitution and housing; safety planning; and assistance in making arrangements with professors regarding missed classes or late assignments. Finally, Sonoma County’s rape crisis center is Verity and not Planned Parenthood. Verity provides confidential advocacy and support and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please contact CAPS or visit our website for more information. We are here to help. Laura Williams, Psy.D. Laura Williams is director and a licensed psychologist for Counseling and Psychological Services at Sonoma State University.


Opinion

N ov . 3 - N ov . 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Cat calling isn’t flattering

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Christine Edwards Staff Writer

t’s a beautiful afternoon, I’m enjoying a nice ride along the paved bike paths when I decide to make a pit-stop at a park near the trail. “Hey, nice ass!” I hear being yelled, completely interrupting the zen moment I was enjoying. I look across my shoulder and see a small group of what must be pre-teenage boys. I was shocked at how young these kids looked, and wondered where they learned that this type of behavior is appropriate. I am old enough to be their mother, so being accosted by children was a new thing for me. The level of disrespect that I felt was almost enough to make me turn around and ask them where they learned to speak to women that way, but I held my tongue and rode on. Being addressed by strangers in this manner is nothing new, this type of harassment has been around for a long time, but it’s only somewhat recently that women are speaking up about the damaging

effects of this. This behavior is known as catcalling and comes in the form of a shout, whistle or comment of sexual nature, usually to a female passerby. It seems women cannot go outside to enjoy any outdoor recreation without some form of this harassment; according to stopstreetharassment.org, a survey of 911 female respondents revealed 99 percent had experienced street harassment at least once in their lives, with 38 percent reporting this happening at least on a monthly basis. So why is this so common? I was somewhat perplexed by the comment of those boys, and it got me wondering why men (or boys) act this way- so I started to ask. I found most men believe they are being complimentary and f lattering the woman. Other men told me that sometimes this hollering works, they will shout to an attractive woman from afar and she will smile and saunter over. I found the latter not quite believable. However, in this society where objectifying women is commonplace, I am not surprised that some women might actually feel f lattered by these sort of comments. Men may think, “okay, so what’s the problem then?” The problem is that with many types of abuse, verbal, physical, psychological, etc., the behavior escalates when the perpetrator sees he can

get away with it. Verbal harassment can turn into men approaching the woman, or even following or stalking her. When a man makes an inappropriate comment to me and I have to walk by them, it makes me feel very unsafe and uncomfortable. I wonder if they are going to follow me or approach me. I am not alone: stopstreetharassment.org reports further that 75 percent of women reported being followed at least once by an unknown stranger in public and 62 percent reported a stranger purposely blocking their path at least once. It gets worse: 57 percent have reported being touched or grabbed by a stranger in public, and 18 percent say they have been touched or grabbed sexually six or more times in their lives by strangers in public. Thinking back to these prepubescent boys that felt it appropriate to comment on my backside as I rode by on my bike, I know that more needs to be done to raise awareness about what sexual harassment is and isn’t. I am unsure of what was going through that kid’s head, but the issue is understanding the difference between a compliment and a cat call. It is absolutely possible to compliment a woman in a nonthreatening way by telling her “you have a beautiful smile,” without making her feel harassed or uncomfortable. It’s all about your demeanor and the intent of the comment.

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New grading scale will enable laziness

Justin Freeman Staff Writer

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ecently, the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District instituted a new grading scale system in an effort to help students succeed. According to a Press Democrat article published on Oct. 27, the A through F grading scale remains, but in a significantly altered way: under the new system, each teacher can pick from five different grading scales, and customize them to fit their needs. One of the scales under scrutiny calls for letter grades given according to 20 percent intervals. 60 percent is now considered to be worthy of a high C, whereas a score of 60 percent used to earn students a low D.

icy, even if this is only because higher grades will become far easier to achieve. The real question is whether or not the students’ performance in school will improve. If a student in Los Angeles gets an F on a test, while another student in Sonoma County, who’s taking the exact same test and giving the exact same answers, gets a C, then difference is merely one of appearance. On paper, the C looks better than the A. However, the substance is identical. How the substance is rewarded is the key. Would the Sonoma County student be a better student than the Los Angeles student, simply because the local school district here says so? So, the school district would benefit because of the higher grades, but this doesn’t mean the quality of education would become any higher. Even if a straight F student begins to earn straight C’s, that doesn’t mean the student is going to be learning at a superior level.

Would the Sonoma County student be a better student than the Los Angeles student, simply because the local school district here says so?

Courtesy // Tiffany McGaughey

Protection shouldn’t entail brutality

Noe Felix Staff Writer

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o protect and serve” has always been the motto of law enforcement. Unfortunately, many people don’t believe in that statement anymore. It’s hard to not be afraid of police with the amount of incidents that have occurred even in this last year. To add to the list of these atrocities, on Oct. 27, 2015, another incident of police brutality transpired at a high school in South Carolina. Students caught Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Fields with a camera phone as he horrifically wrestled an African American girl out of her desk and threw her shortly thereafter. I was shocked

when I first saw the footage. I was disgusted to see a grown man wrap his arm around a teenage girl’s neck, and brutally throw her out of her desk. Witnesses that saw this take place say that the police officer was called because the student refused to turn over her cellphone to the teacher. This officer saw it fit to use such excessive force because she refused to turn over one of her belongings? In what right mind is that fair or “just.” Last June, there was a similar incident in Texas, where police officers were on the scene at a local high school student’s swimming pool party to break up a fight that was occurring between the predominantly African American kids and white residents that were harassing them. However, things quickly escalated past that. When one of the African American girls refused to leave, an officer handcuffed her, hurled her towards the ground, and pinned her down. As two of the girls’ friends came to help her, the officer

drew his gun, causing the two friends to run away. I find it hard to think the police are protecting us, when they use such drastic means, especially on those that are clearly underage. It’s horrible these girls went through such a traumatic experience but we live in a time where we have to think, “well, it could’ve been worse.”

Police officers are here to protect our lives, not take them from us. That’s a horrible mentality for anyone to have, but it’s the reality we live in. Those girls could have had their lives taken away from them, and I’m thankful they weren’t. No police officer should have to use such force unless there is no other option. Police officers are here to protect our lives, not take them from us. The incident with Walter Scott, where he ran away from a police of-

ficer, so the police officer proceeded to shoot at him eight times, is a prime example of officers needlessly taking lives. There’s no reason this police officer couldn’t have chased after Scott, in order to avoid this tragedy. There was an idea proposed that all law enforcement should be equipped with a camera on their uniform, in order to moderate their actions. I feel this should be implemented because it would make officers consider their actions. If they were to commit an act of brutality, it would be caught on camera. I grow increasingly scared of police officers as incidents continue to occur. How is someone going to feel protected or safe when the very people who are designated to protect us, are the ones that are doing us harm? How is someone going to feel comfortable knowing that saying one wrong thing or doing something can either end up with them lying dead or alive on the ground? It’s a problem that must be addressed, for all of our sakes.

In order to receive a D, students now have to achieve a score between 20 and 40 percent. Likewise, A’s are handed out for any score above 80 percent. What’s more, a new policy mandates teachers to give 50 percent scores on assignments that aren’t ever turned in. Suffice it to say, many are baffled as to why such a ludicrous system was even seriously considered, let alone implemented. I strongly suspect the new grading scale will not improve the actual performance of students. In fact, it would not come as a surprise to me if the students began to perform worse on average, while simultaneously earning higher grades as a whole. Those who support the new grading scale argue that students generally become demoralized in the face of low grades, and the new system will encourage students to excel, because the higher letter grades will no longer be so difficult to obtain. On the other hand, critics say this system merely rewards poor performance with higher grades, which devalues higher grades in the process. It seems plausible that grades will improve due to this pol-

At the root of this issue is the grading system itself. Grades are not an accurate measurement of one’s character or learning capabilities. Grades simply show how well one can play the game of school. School shouldn’t be about getting good grades; school should be an environment where people, young or old, can learn about themselves and the world they live in. If grades are the highest priority of school administrations, then decisions will be made in order to increase grades, even if this means the students themselves aren’t going to receive a better learning experience. In the words of author John Green, “Public education does not exist for the benefit of students or for the benefits of their parents. It exists for the benefit of the social order. We have discovered as a species that it is useful to have an educated population.” Lowering the requirements for the highest marks of school will likely do our students and our society a disservice. If people think making school easier to pass will inspire kids to try harder in their studies, then they must not remember their teenage years very well.


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News

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

President Armiñana honored with North Bay Leadership award Francisco Carbajal Staff Writer

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sonoma.edu Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana received the Murray Legacy Leadership Award on Oct. 23 for his accomplishments as university president.

onoma State University President Ruben Armiñana was awarded the Murray Legacy Leadership Award by the North Bay Leadership Council (NBLC) on Oct. 23 at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Santa Rosa. The North Bay Leadership Council consists of leaders from all kinds of industries such as Sam Beldona, dean of Dominican University, Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, and Tom Forster of Skywalker Properties. Leadership council officials say Armiñana was chosen for the award because of his accomplishments during his tenure as president of Sonoma State. They also say he was recognized by the council for bringing more diversity to the campus throughout his presidency. Armiñana has been a leader in growing diversity

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on campus through his formation and support of the President’s Diversity Council and working to bring more qualified Latino students from Sonoma County to the university.

“It was wonderful to be so kindly recognized and the award is shared first with my spouse, Marne Olson, and with the executive staff that I have the privilege to work with.” “He has also doubled the number of residential villages with a third of students living on campus, and oversaw the renovation of Darwin and Salazar Halls and International Hall,” said a representative of the North Bay

Leadership Council. The Murray Legacy Leadership award was given for the first time to Cynthia Murray, president and CEO of the North Bay Leadership Council. Armiñana holds the award honor for its second year of existence. Murray is happy that the award went to Arminana. “This award is to honor a record of leadership that is significant and spans decades,” said Murray. Armiñana said he appreciated the council’s recognition. “It was wonderful to be so kindly recognized and the award is shared first with my spouse, Marne Olson, and with the executive staff that I have the privilege to work with,” said Armiñana. Armiñana also confirmed that with his retirement at the end of the school year the next Sonoma State President will take his place in the North Bay Leadership Council Board and will be able to forge their own success in the council.

New classes discussed at Associated Students Senate meeting

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Nikki Bridges Staff Writer

uring Sonoma State University’s Associated Students Senate meeting on Friday, student representatives discussed topics relating to students safety and class offerings. Each student senator gave their report for the week on the topics they are working on including installing LED lights on campus, updating crosswalks and upcoming class registration. A guest speaker came into talk about Title XI, which concerns discrimination on the basis of sex on college campuses. While at the senate meeting, student officers discussed liaison and advisor reports that impact the students at Sonoma State and campuses nation wide. Title XI said at Sonoma State that men and women sports teams must be equal in the amount of teams with the same amount of money being paid for each. The Title XI committee is also responsible for training and programs to prevent sexual violence on college campuses. This has been a problem at many campuses and the senate want to take steps

in helping prevent this issue. Their goal is to make campuses as safe as they can be. At the meeting, Arts and Humanities Senator Olivia Smith gave insight on new classes coming soon to Sonoma State, including a Portuguese language class as well as a new women and gender’s studies course. Smith also argued the campus needs better alarm systems in times of emergency. The current alarm system on campus sends alerts to campus police, within 10-15 seconds. Student representatives stressed the importance of students signing up for the university’s emergency alert system so they will get all call, text and email alerts of emergencies on campus. Also at last week’s senate meeting, officers discussed amending Associated Students’ scholarship program that brings more than 100 applicants each year and with only 10 recipients. The senate discussed reducing the amount of money to $500 and increasing the amount of recipients to 20 students. Associated Students meets every Friday at 1 p.m. in the Student Center.


News

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Rohnert Park

STAR // Jenna Fischer Sonoma State University students hope the El Niño storm will compensate for California’s drought.

STORM: Flooding expected Continued from Pg. 1

regular phones, computers, email, internet, public service radio satellite, television, and video-conference systems; as well as field and in-office support of personnel, in order to maintain the highest possible level of staff and equipment readiness. The program currently has 130 people ready to respond at any given time and also takes volunteers to

assist in broadcasting news during emergency situations. During the flood season last year, Petaluma opened the Emergency Operations Center in anticipation of the city experiencing localized flooding. A shelter was also opened at the Petaluma Community Center to support anyone affected by the weather. Similar measures will be taken this year in order to accommodate the extreme climate. Hopes are high that this year’s

El Niño will compensate for the drought that California has experienced throughout the past few years. “Chances are 50/50 of the El Niño delivering a wet winter,” said California Climatologist Michael Anderson. According to Mike Halpert, deputy director of the NOAA’s climate prediction center, California needs one and a half times the amount of normal rainfall to pull itself out of the drought.

CONTEST: Submissions on ethics, liberty Continued from Pg. 1

writing about constitutional law, civil liberties, ethics, and justice,” said Joshua Glasgow, assistant professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Ethics, Law and Society. “These are obviously pressing areas of concern, and SSU students are approaching them with energy, passion, and focus.” The contest is de-

signed to be entered with broad topics concerning ethics, justice, law and society. Last year’s Warren Court Prize honorable mention winner, Senior Lauren Funaro, wrote about assisted suicide. “I discussed the issue of assisted suicide for the terminally ill, and determined through research on various arguments that it is ethical when practiced correctly.” said Funaro.

Funaro encourages students to apply to the contest and to write about something one is interested in. “I would say to definitely go with something that you are interested in and want to learn more about. That makes the process more enjoyable,” said Funaro. “Also, find as many books or articles of various opinions on the topic as you can. I re-

searched for a little less than a month.” She still is deciding whether to enter this year’s contest though. The deadline for the Warren Court Prize for Excellence is Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. and submissions can be turned in to Nichols Hall 363. More detailed guidelines for the contest can be found at sonoma. edu /philosophy/CELS/ warrencourtprize/index. html.

A man was arrested in Rohnert Park on Friday for an alleged attempted kidnap and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl walking home from school. The perpetrator, Joseph Muthama, 53, is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court. The victim was not hurt in the attempted assault and kidnap.

Queens, NY The Kansas City Royals celebrated a World Series win on Sunday, proving the amount of money a team has doesn’t always determine a team’s level of success. The Royals ended their 30-year World Series drought with a 7-2 Game 5 victory over the New York Mets. According to Forbes, the Royals have the third lowest monetary valuation, just above the Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays. The team’s World Series Parade is today at the city’s Union Station, where fans can relish in their team’s longawaited World Series win.

Omaha, NE A Nebraska woman broke into an Omaha Zoo on Saturday in attempt to pet a tiger, resulting in a painful injury to the women. Jacquilene Eide, 33, allegedly snuck past the zoo’s security guard to pet the tiger on Halloween night and is now at risk of losing her fingers after being injured by the big cat. Police say the women appeared intoxicated and under the influence of drugs at the time and has been cited for criminal tresspassing.

Louisville, KY President and officials at the University of Louisville dressed in stereotypical Mexican costumes for a Halloween luncheon last week, resulting in officials issuing an apology to the campus community for the “insensitive” costume choices. Students at the university were outraged over the university administrators dressing like a culture, that students say, aren’t meant to be costumes. The university president’s chief of staff sent out a campus-wide email expressing officials’ “deep regret”.

Woodbury Heights, NJ Pins and needles were allegedly found in kids’ Halloween candy this weekend and authorities are urging parents to carefully inspect their kids’ candy. A woman in Woodbury Heights, NJ posted on Facebook on Saturday about a piece of metal she found in her child’s candy, resulting in the post going viral. A similar scenario occured in Pennsylvania, where reports were made to police of a “needle-type item” being found in Halloween candy. Similar situations have occured across the nation, according to USA Today.


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Arts

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Local band: Dr. Palmer and His Darlings

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Courtesy // Tyler Chartier The Petaluma Art Center is showcasing the exhibit “Black Artists on Art,” through Nov 22.

Not just art, but activism Lawrence Ricardo Staff Writer

Commentary

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lack Lives Matter—Even in Petaluma. Now until Nov. 22, the Sonoma County community has the opportunity to participate, educate, and be inspired by the vibrant creativity that black artists, musicians and performers have poured into the shaping of American and world culture through Petaluma Art Center’s latest exhibit, “Black Artists on Art.” For the Petaluma Arts Center to host such an innovating exhibit shows a valiant effort in educating the community in the Black Lives Matter movement. According to the United States Census Bureau, African Americans in Petaluma comprise a mere 1.4 percent of the population, which stands 4.8 percent lower than the California percentage. Scott Hess, local Petaluma photographer and long-time Petaluma Arts Center supporter, is responsible for the exhibition being placed at the arts center. He had proposed that the arts center do an exhibition featuring the struggles occurring in the Black Lives Matter movement. Hess had come into contact with Trevor Parham and the Unity Lewis of the Oakstop Gallery in Oakland to collaborate and help bring the exhibition to Petaluma to promote not just art, but activism. The exhibit is based on the “Black Artists on Art” book series, by Samella Lewis in 1969. Lewis’ voice comes from her vision that the art from that time was activism-based. “I wanted to make a chronology of African American artists, and artists of African decent, to document our history,” said Lewis in a past interview with Unity Lewis. “The historians weren’t doing it. I felt it better the artists do it anyway.” Some may pose the question of why a Black Lives Matter movement exhibit would be showcased in an area that is hardly represented by people of color. “We had an exhibit on impressionist Edgar

Degas, which was hugely successful this past July. And somebody could say ‘what could nineteenth century French people have to do with me? They’re all dead, right?’ You could really ask that question about anything,” said Val Richman, executive director of the Petaluma Arts Center. “In a way, in any exhibition, anyone could say ‘well that’s got nothing to do with me.’ But I think the whole point of art is to open people’s eyes to the things they might not have seen or experienced before.” In order to help educate the surrounding community, schools have been encouraged to plan field trips to the art center to provide insight on American history through visual interpretation. “We’ve been reaching out to schools to get school groups down here [to the arts center],” said Richman. “I think that the Docent Tours that we are providing definitely put art within a context.” The HUB, Sonoma State’s multicultural center, focuses on the integral center for diversity, vitality and creativity. According to the HUB website, students in the organization learn how to become the innovative people they need to be, and how to work together to create the kind of world we want to live in. The commonalities between the HUB and the Black Artists on Art exhibit at the Petaluma Arts Center have inspired the students to unify through art. “I think it’s inspiring to see the Petaluma Arts Center provide an outlet for those who do not know what African Americans have been through,” said Shaitra Ken, student assistant at the HUB. “As an African-American woman, sometimes it’s hard to educate others on being oppressed without sounding too preachy, so I’m glad that I can tell people about this exhibit because then I can just let the art speak for itself.” It may be true that the African American population of Sonoma County is not large, but the exhibit has picked up respected sponsors including Petaluma Blacks for Community Development, Sonoma County Commission of Human Rights and 100 Black Men of Sonoma County. The exhibition runs through Nov. 22 at the Petaluma Arts Center.

ALBUMS RELEASING THIS WEEK Ellie Goulding - “Delirium” (Pop) Seal - “7” (Soul/R&B)

Florencia Hasson Staff Writer

rom the renown halls of Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center rose a band of students, composed of a drummer, a pianist and a vocalist; all inspired by one professor and his leather pants. The trio of jazz studies majors goes by “Dr. Palmer and His Darlings,” titled after one of the bands many creative inspirations, Dr. John Palmer. Palmer is an Sonoma State University professor who teaches an array of core music classes, ranging from music history to ear training. “He’s a funny musicologist who sometimes wears leather pants when the urge strikes him,” said Nate Dittle, the band’s pianist. When coming up with their name, Emily Hernandez, the singer and songwriter of the band explained, “we were just shooting s*** and were like ‘why don’t we name our band after JP [John Palmer]?’ and he was one of our favorite teachers in the music department, so we did it,” she said. “I texted him over the summer to make sure it was okay and he said he would be honored.” Dr. Palmer’s three darlings; Taylor Cuffie, the band’s drummer, Hernandez and Dittle; have created what they call a “swing-pop” genre of music, greatly influenced by jazz, blues and pop. Although they have been friends since the beginning of their college careers, they only recently decided that uniting together as a band could bring them more exciting opportunities and prospects. “I would like to see an album recorded and performed, and more gigging and all that fun stuff,” said Cuffie. “Once we get the bare bones done we can mess with it and go out and have fun with it.” “I hope and see this is as a project that will last for a while,” said Cuffie. The three of them contribute to writing songs for the group and has so far composed a total of nine songs together, a start for their hopes of releasing an album. When asked about the challenges they’ve faced, Dittle explained that “the hardest thing for me is being satisfied with something I write. A song in its nature is never a finite creation, at least not to me, it’s a constant evolving phenomena.” “And we don’t play the same way over and over again, we change it up,” said Hernandez. “We’re an improvisational kind of band,” Dittle said. Dittle and Hernandez agreed, “When you create something you’re never really satisfied anyways,” they said, completing each other’s sentences. “When you write a song it’s pretty much like putting a part of you into it. And most people don’t look at themselves and say ‘I’m the best person ever,’ and love everything about themselves. Usually there’s some things they don’t like,” Dittle said of songwriting. This holds true to many artists, who use their medium to express flaws they find in themselves, in others or in the world they live in. Hernandez, a senior with a triple major in jazz studies, early childhood studies and liberal arts, has been greatly influenced by Lianna la Havas and Esperanza Spaulding. The band performed at The Redwood Cafe last Thursday night. “There’s an Amy Winehouse sort of feel to her and the music,” said Sonoma State student Amelia Arifin. The band’s first real show together will be a show with a repertoire at the Big Easy in Petaluma on Dec. 11. They can be spotted doing open mics at Lobos every other Wednesday, or at some open mics put on by The Redwood Cafe on Thursday nights.

STAR // Florencia Hasson Students Nate Dittle, Emily Hernandez and Taylor Cuffie unite their musical talents in their band, “Dr. Palmer and His Darlings.”

MOVIES RELEASING THIS WEEK 23

“Spectre” - starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux

Little Mix - “Get Weird” (Pop/R&B)

“Brooklyn” - starring: Saoirse Ronan, Matt Glynn, Brid Brennan

Sara Bareilles - “What’s Inside: Songs from Waitress” (Broadway/ Pop)

“The Peanuts Movie” - starring: Francesca Capaldi, Bill Melendez

Tim McGraw - “Damn Country Music” (Country)

“Miss You Already” - starring: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper

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Entertainment

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 7

‘Supergirl’ shows no signs of weakness Justin Barrientos Staff Writer

Review

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s the planet Krypton is exploding around them due to its unstable radioactive core, Kal-El is sent rocketing into orbit towards Earth where he is to realize his destiny as the one and only Superman; however, in pursuit of the infant Kal-El’s rocket is his 12-year-old cousin, Kara Zor-El, intended to look after her cousin to ensure his safe journey. While Kal-El makes it safely to Earth, Kara is driven off course into the Phantom Zone and doesn’t make it to Earth until far after her cousin is grown and notorious throughout the world as Superman. While Kara has the same powers as her cousin, she is encouraged not to showcase them and lives an average life, until one day she finally decides to embrace her true self and be the hero she knows she is destined to be- thusly, Supergirl is born. “Supergirl” takes the viewer on a journey through a world of evil aliens and good ones alike, all fighting for power over the Earth. While the good aliens such as Kara and her cousin, Superman (who is never referred to by name, only by “he” or “him”) attempt to blend in and live their everyday lives, the evil ones, escaped prisoners from Fort Rozz, the maximum security alien prison, seek to rule over the humans and inflict destruction. Kara is a typical 24-year-old woman living in National City. She works for the Tribune as an assistant to media mogul Cat Grant, who has a Meryl Streep in the “Devil Wears Prada” vibe to her. Taught to suppress her identity her entire life by her sister Alex, Kara is reserved and somewhat ap-

prehensive, exemplified in her interactions with art director James Olsen who also takes pictures of her cousin and has a professional relationship with him. Pressure from her boss and the potential closure of the newspaper leads her to finally embrace her powers. Later in the episode she is seen saving a plane from free falling into a river. The city then starts to go crazy for Supergirl, but not everyone is a fan. Both aliens and humans alike seek to stop her and keep her from realizing her true potential. Her story is one of rising above what others say, and being true to oneself. Melissa Benoist does an excellent job as Supergirl, with her girl-next-door demeanor and relatively dynamic acting, even in the first episode. Other notable acting includes that of Calista Flockheart playing Cat Grant, as she plays the role quite excellently. Throughout the “Superman” franchise, Grant is egotistical and somewhat diabolical. This is exemplified when she ironically tells Kara in response to the anti-feminist naming of her alter-ego, “What do you think is so bad about ‘girl,’ huh? I’m a girl, and your boss, and powerful, and rich, and hot and smart. So if you perceive ‘Supergirl’ as anything less than excellent, isn’t the real problem you?” In addition, Mehcad Brooks delivers a solid supporting role as Jimmy Olsen, art director for the Tribune and Superman’s personal photographer. Brooks gives Olsen a nurturing attitude towards Supergirl, as he encourages her to embrace who she is and provides further words of encouragement from Superman himself. As with any superhero saga, the special effects were abundant and well-done. Naturally, the budget is not that of a summertime blockbuster, but the effects are entertaining and not excessive. From an exploding Krypton to Supergirl melting a specialized alien hammer with her heat vision, there were plenty of exhilarating effects shown off in the pilot. It will be interesting to see if they get more realistic if

the show ends up catching the eye of the public. The story has a feminist frame to it, as the lead is a woman superhero. Furthermore, there is no skimpy outfit or gimmicky, overly-sexualized banter or behavior. While she is indeed beautiful, she is down to Earth and intelligent as well. Supergirl embodies a feminine role that is lacking in today’s society. She is fighting a constant battle within her own life to realize her supernatural potential and be who she truly is meant to be in spite of what others tell her. She embodies true human emotion and is extremely relatable. She is both strong and lovable without being overbearing or cheesy. As the show progresses and characters begin to develop, it will be interesting to see where the story leads and what further special effects will be utilized. Supergirl is not just any hero, she’s a hero that people can relate to, a hero that needs to be promoted and embraced as an inspiration in today’s diverse and socially conscious society. While there is room for the show to further improve, after one episode a four star rating would be appropriate as the show was both entertaining and heartfelt.

facebook.com “Supergirl” earned almost 13 million viewers for its pilot episode on CBS.

Underwood pulls ‘a Taylor Swift’ in her new album Kaila Sanders Staff Writer

Review

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arking ten years since she conquered the American Idol stage, country-pop artist Carrie Underwood has released her fifth studio album. “Storyteller” was released on Oct. 23 and is Underwood’s first album in three years—and her first as a new mother. Just a decade ago, the sweet country girl from Checotah, OK took the “American Idol” stage and captured the hearts of viewers around the world. Underwood dominated the show with her small town, girl-next-door persona and her highly impressive powerhouse voice. Kicking off her career, “American Idol” paved the way for Underwood to finally make a name for herself in the music industry. Without a doubt, she succeeded in that aspect as she quickly became one of the biggest female names in country music. Underwood’s songs have always served to tell a story, which—hence the album name—regenerates on “Storyteller.” The ‘stories’ told on the majority of the songs on the album are seemingly fiction. Stereotypes aside, the album is undoubtedly what you would call ‘gender music,’ as the songs are generally aimed toward female listeners. The album kicks off with “Renegade Runaway,” an upbeat track warning a young man to stay away from a girl who will take everything from him— contrasting from her past songs that often warn a girl to stay away from an unfaithful man. “Yeah, that pretty face/ Love you, leave you, play you like a heartbreak bandit/ She’s an outlaw, a quick draw/ She’ll take it all,” Underwood sings. Similar to previous hits such as, “Before He Cheats” and “Two Black Cadillac’s,” the song “Dirty Laundry” is a perfect example of the revenge theme, as it is about a cheating man who is caught by a woman literally looking through his dirty laundry. “That lipstick on your collar, well, it ain’t my shade of pink/ And I can tell by the smell of that perfume, it’s like forty dollars too cheap,” she sings. The name of the next song, “Church Bells” likely leads one to believe it is another one of Underwood’s typical Jesusinspired tracks, however it proves to be quite the contrary. The song is actually about a young woman who marries an abusive, rich man and ends up murdering him—definitely not your average Gospelinspired track. The album’s lead single, “Smoke Break,” shines a light on the working class, in a song about a hard-working man and woman who are clearly tired and just need a break. This song is already a radio-hit

as it successfully appeals to the desires of radio listeners, while still maintaining its country roots. Although “Storyteller” is considered a country album, the majority of songs are much more pop and rock. Underwood pushes toward the pop side of country-pop on “Clock Don’t Stop” and combines country, rock and pop on tracks, “Chaser” and “Relapse.” Although many of the album’s songs are fictitious, a handful of them reveal Underwood’s personal side, as she takes a break from the darker revenge anthems that fill the album. “Heart Beat” is a lovely ode to her husband that features Sam Hunt singing background vocals. “Like I’ll Never Love You Again” is a heartfelt country-ballad that has a very sweet, genuine feel to it. “The Girl You Think I Am” is a touching tribute to both her parents but more specifically, her father. The song begins with her memories as an eight-year-old girl singing in church and ends with grown-up Underwood praising her parents for always believing in her. “You think I’m strong, you think I’m fearless/ Even when I’m at my weakest/ You always see the best in me when I can’t/ I wanna be the girl you think I am,” she sings. This sentimental tear-jerker is the perfect father-daughter dance song that will undoubtedly be played at weddings to come. “Storyteller” concludes with debatably the album’s best song “What I Never Knew I Always Wanted.” The song is clearly very personal to Underwood as she speaks about her feelings toward the two men in her life—her husband and infant son. “Thought I was happy on my own/ ‘Til you came and proved me wrong/ You’re stealing every bit of my heart with your daddy’s eyes / What a sweet surprise,” she sings. “Storyteller” will certainly bring about opposing responses from listeners, as people will either love it or hate it. As always, Underwood’s vocals undeniably shine, but the album’s major highlight is the songwriting. The production, however, is the album’s biggest disappointment as “Storyteller” is simply much more poprock than country.

facebook.com Carrie Underwood channels more pop in her latest album.

facebook.com Despite poor ratings, Sandra Bullock maintains her infamously good acting reputation in “Our Brand is Crisis.”

Bullock shines through ratings crisis Anna Kehrlein Staff Writer

Review

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on’t let its low score on rotten tomatoes dissuade you- “Our Brand is Crisis” is yet another killer performance by Sandra Bullock that entertains and enlightens all the way through. Political strategist Jane Bodin, A.K.A. Calamity Jane, (played by Sandra Bullock) flies to Bolivia to discover the Bolivian presidential frontrunner’s strategist is none other than her long-time rival Pat Candy (played by Billy Bob Thornton) and that her own candidate, Pedro Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida) is a whopping 28 points behind. What audiences might not expect is the dark and satirical humor that’s intertwined with its serious political and moral message. These random moments are often caused by Bodin’s reckless, borderline crazy behavior, and while they may not cause one to fall out of their chair, are still amusing. Despite being highly regarded in her field, these episodes eventually land her a night in a Bolivian prison, though they do help her bond with the

locals. In one scene, Bodin and her colleagues shoot a campaign commercial in which the candidate talks about how llamas will save the Bolivian economy, however, things don’t go as planned. Right before filming, their llama wanders into the street, and moments after, gets hit by a car. In moments like these, not only does this movie portray the central role political strategists have in elections, but it shows all the hilarious antics that go on behind the scenes, which can be just as dark and as humorous as anything else imaginable. Bodin is such a strong character because she is also flawed. However, she also has many admirable qualities including her ambition. Bullock’s performance could best be compared to her role in “The Blindside.” In both movies, she portrays an assertive, independent woman in a way that’s believable and easy to connect with. Part of the character’s likability, however, comes with the un-likability of her nemesis, Candy, whose actor, Thornton, deserves almost as much of an applause as Bullock. He brings the character to life in a way that’s so cringeworthy and nonchalantly despicable and crass, that the audience finds themselves wanting Castillo

to win almost as much as Bodin herself. More than just acting, the movie has an overall message that is important to remember in such a money and power-driven world. There are some things, like the friendships you make, that are more important than money, and no matter what field you enter it’s important to not lose your morality. Why “Our Brand is Crisis” flopped at the box office and in reviews is puzzling. With Bullock being such a huge name in Hollywood right now and political satire being so popular, one would expect quite the turnout, yet the film earned a disappointing $3.4 million during its opening weekend. Part of the film’s negative criticism may be due to unrealistically-high expectations. Compared to her past movies “Gravity” and “The Blindside,” “Our Brand is Crisis” seems a little cliché and predictable for a Bullock movie. The film lacked the artistic appeal of “Gravity” and the poignancy of “The Blindside.” However, it was leagues above most of the blockbuster crap shown in theatres these days. For these reasons, I give “Our Brand Crisis” three and half stars. It may not be getting an Oscar anytime soon, but the script was surprisingly witty, and the acting was 100 percent on point.


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Student Life

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Furry friends will keep students sane

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Megan Corcoran Staff Writer

Commentary

oing off to college can be a big step. If one moves far away they’re leaving their friends and family behind. Even if students stick close to home they’re still not around as much. Sonoma State University students are in a new environment with large classes, annoyingly small beds, and a new roommate who will either be their best friend or their mortal enemy by the end of the year. But perhaps what they will miss the most is their small, furry family member they have to leave at home. When it comes to pets, most colleges have a “fish only” policy, with the rule that aquariums be no larger than ten gallons. Service animals are allowed but it’s a strenuous process with a stack of paperwork to go through to get a pet approved. Besides these service animals, I think colleges should allow students to have small pets in designated dorms. Don’t get me wrong, when I say small pet I mean a hamster or a bunny or maybe even a cat. When I was a freshman I lived in a dorm with nine girls and one of them decided to get two labrador puppies and bring them back to her personal dorm room. As excited as I was about these adorable puppies, we knew the situation could cause trouble. We also weren’t surprised when the CSA’s knocked on our door before Thanksgiving break saying they weren’t stupid and puppies aren’t exactly the most quiet pets. My roommate was told to take the puppies home or to find a new place for them and that they’ll be back to check after the break. Thanksgiving break came to an end and our roommate came back, but with one of the puppies in tow. She claimed she was having it registered as a “companion animal” and the school had to let her keep it. Once again we got several visits from the CSA’s and after she failed to have the correct paperwork filled out, our roommate and her puppy were kicked off campus. While the puppies were adorable, they were also a handful and caused an insane amount of stress, as well as a hefty fee in damages for the girls room. So while I am advocating for small pets to be allowed, I don’t agree with having dogs in dorms unless they are service animals. Volunteer at a shelter or attend one of the school’s puppy days to get your fill of doggy love. As far as other animals go, studies have shown that pets help people live mentally healthier lives. They can have a calming effect on a person, just by petting them or being around them. My roommate, who lives with me off-campus, just finished fostering kittens and after a long day of school or work I would come home and notice a difference in my energy levels when playing with them. With a kitten cuddled up on my shoulder I felt instantly relaxed while doing homework or just de-stressing. Pets are a big responsibility. However, if a student were to bring a small pet, there should still be rules and guidelines. Designating dorms to be pet friendly as well as having a contract that would hold the student responsible for any damages the pet causes is the only way allowing small pets can work. Also, the number of pets should be limited and all roommates living in the dorm would need signed approval. It would be beyond beneficial for a students to have a small pet with them in college. Not only will it be a way to keep their stress levels low, but it’s also a way to make friends and have something to look forward to going home to after a long day of class or work.

flickr.com Casino Night, happening in the Student Center Ballroom on Nov. 7, will feature casino games for which winners will get gift cards and Giants merchandise.

Bet on casino night to be a win Sean Curzon Staff Writer

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he sound of dice rattling together, the flipping of cards and the racking of the wheel will soon fill the Student Center Ballroom. Students need to start practicing their dice throwing skills and their deck shuffling. Luck be a lady because Casino Night is coming to Sonoma State University. Casino Night is scheduled for Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. The event is co-produced by multiple student organizations including Associated Student Productions, Campus Life Programming, Village Council and Residential Student Association. “We are all working together to make this event bigger and better than ever before,” said Residential Student Association president Austin Gardner. Casino Night is free for any Sonoma State student. Free food will also be available all night including mocktails. “We are having a circus circus casino theme this year with cool lights, red and white tents, peanuts and a fun circus feel,” said Emily Wirdzek, senior lead Campus Life Programmer. According to the event overseers, the night will have standard poker and blackjack. In addition to casino games there will be plinko, wheel of fortune, spoons and apples to apples. Students can win chips and trade them in

for raffle tickets. The students can enter the raffle tickets for specific prizes. Mini raffles will be held every half hour with the main raffle planned for the end of the night. Prizes include bike helmets, gift cards and Giants merchandise. “I hope they have a chance to enjoy a night out with friends in a safe environment, where they can take fun pictures, win some prizes and make memories. I would love for them to see how awesome on campus events can be and are encouraged to come out to more,” said Wirdzek. Other activities will include a photo booth and big jenga, which is like regular jenga but with large pieces that reache about four feet when stacked. There will also be a live band karaoke. That is, instead of a karaoke machine, the music to sing to is supplied by a live band. “It’s like an event within the event,” said Casey LaBarbera, advisor for Associated Student Productions. “I hope the students are able to come to Casino Night and enjoy a safe and exciting environment, while socializing with fellow residents and the campus community on a Friday and Saturday night,” Gardner said. “The main goal of this event is for students to make new friends and enjoy themselves.” “This 25 year event is a tradition,” said Director of Campus Life Programming, Mo Phillips. “It’s a social event for students to connect with new people and reconnect with old friends.”

Mental health awareness week aims to promote wellness Jerri Cohen Staff Writer

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tarting Nov. 9 and wrapping up Nov. 13, Sonoma State University will be hosting Mental Health Awareness Week. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) will be hosting this event in collaboration with various other groups including Campus Life, The HUB, Associated Student Productions, Student Affairs, Rec Sports, Residence Life, Peer Mentors and the Student Health Center. The student clubs that will be supporting this week of events include Psi Chi, Support Our Students (SOS), Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) and HUB interns. Even the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Sonoma County and Aurora Behavioral Health will be involved. “This is the second annual Mental Health Awareness Week. Last year the focus was on awareness and reducing stigma around mental illness. This year we are complimenting that and focusing on the promotion of mental health and wellness,” Dr. Joseph Puentes said, a representative from CAPS and the lead for Mental Health Awareness week. To emphasize the importance of mental health, there will be a visual exhibit of 1100 hearts hanging from a tree that represent the 1100 college students that die as a result of suicide each year. Each member of the community will be invited to put messages of hope, encouragement and support on the backs of these hearts. This will represent members of the community supporting one another. “The hearts will be hung from the trees in front of Salazar during the week. The hearts project is a true collaboration between students, faculty and staff,” Puentes said. The project was created by Georgie Kujiraoka, a Sonoma State student counselor, Carina Buzo at The HUB/Campus Life, Alivin Nguyen and the peer mentors, Sarah Hinchman and Paolo Ochoa of ASP.

The week will kick off with a screening of the film “HAPPY” in Stevenson 1002 at 8 p.m. The producers of “HAPPY” set out to answer the age old questions: What makes us happy? School? Family? Do we live in a world that promotes happiness and well-being? The film explores the secrets behind this most valued emotion. On Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a Mental Health Promotion Fair in the Seawolf Plaza. There will be interactive games, prizes, wellness resources and the chance to play with some therapy dogs. The Sonoma State community is coming together to put on this event, so each organization will be bringing something special for students to enjoy. At 12 p.m. that same day there will be an interactive workshop in The HUB student center titled EmBodied: Positive Queer Body Image. The workshop will explore unique body image challenges we face within the queer community. It gives students the opportunity to participate in creative activities to move towards self-love and acceptance that honor your intersecting identities. Then from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, there will be a workshop that promotes self-compassion in the Student Center Sonoma Valley Room titled “End the War, Start the Peace: The Rewarding Practice of Self-Compassion.” The workshop aims to help students brush off the haters and make peace with themselves. On Thursday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. there will be suicide prevention training in the Alexander Valley Room in the Student Center. The workshop will teach students how they can save a life in three easy steps. To attend, email Dr. Puentes at puentesj@sonoma.edu. Also on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. mental health will be promoted through self-expression in art in the Cooperage, hosted by The HUB. Art will be used to build a community of support, foster self-awareness and realize a clear sense of self. A Yoga class which aims to leave students refreshed, awakened and inspired will be the last event of the week held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Rec Center.


Student Life

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Ronnie’s deli offers unique deals L

Rachael Newman Staff Writer

ocated in Rohnert Park, Ronnie’s is a unique place that serves a variety of options. It’s a deli, market and bar. Ronnie’s has mouthwatering sandwiches served in the deli, along with prepared sides and salads, a small market with many choices, and a bar menu with dinner entrees. Owner Ronnie Rao opened his restaurant on Aug. 15 of this year. The deli section of Ronnie’s gives the option to build your own sandwich for $7.95. All sandwiches are $7.95 unless listed otherwise. Salads are served and some side dishes are prepared and sold daily. The meats to choose from are turkey, ham, salami, roast beef and pastrami. The cheeses include mozzarella, provolone, pepper jack, cheddar, jack and swiss. You can add options such as jalapeno, avocados, grilled onions, bacon and more for a little extra ranging from $1 to $2. Ronnie’s has classics like the B.L.T, the club and the meatball sub but also has specialty sandwiches with fun names such as The Godfather, Blazing Saddle and Ragin’ Cajun. The Woodstock sounds like a tasty vegetarian option with grilled veggies, jack cheese, avocado, grilled peppers and onions, lettuce, tomato and special sauce. I tried the Kryptonite Chicken which has a chicken breast with swiss cheese, grilled peppers and onions, smothered with pesto sauce. The market portion of Ronnie’s is unique in a few ways. It has over 200 premium beer options, tons of red and white wine choices, as well as some high-end selections of champagne. Rao mentioned that his wine and champagne prices are 35 percent less than others. There is a beer cave which holds 30 racks of beer and keeps them chilled. Many classic glass bottle sodas are sold at Ronnie’s too. Boyd’s coffee and cappuccinos are also served. Fresh smoothies will be coming soon. Candy, chips, and other convenient items are sold inside the market as well. The bar menu includes Seawolf Sliders that are $3 each, which are mini burgers with choice of cheese, secret sauce, tomato, lettuce and pickles. There is also a special burger menu, one of which is the Seawolf burger. It’s a half-

pound burger with premium bacon, pepper jack cheese, fire-roasted habanero ranch, with lettuce and tomato for $12.95, and comes with a side of french fries, chips, deli salads or chilli. Another item is Jonny’s buffalo wings with habanero ranch, blue cheese, and Chef Mario’s special sauce for $9.99. One of the dinner entrees listed is the Chef’s Louisiana Style-ribs for $12.99. Slow cooked ribs with Chef Mario’s sauce with a side one can choose. Guests can choose from tables inside, which has the atmosphere of most delis, or outside in the patio area with some shade, as well as in the designated bar area, called Ronnie and Jonnie’s Fan Room. Jonnie Contreras, Rau’s partner, helped design and construct the new establishment. The Fan Room has two large flat screens for one’s entertainment. There is WiFi and plenty of outlets for the students who want to have a beer and do some homework. Ronnie’s has lovely specials each day. On the weekend, happy hour goes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. On weekdays, happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. ‘Game’s on, Deal’s on’ is whenever a bay area team is playing, $2 off of pints as well as happy hour prices. When the Forty-Niners or Raiders score, then $1 pints are served. No hard alcohol is served at Ronnie’s. Some daily specials include, Two for Tuesdays, which is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and when one buys any draft beer at a regular price, get a second for $2. Thirsty Thursday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pabst Blue Ribbon 16oz. beer cans are two for $4, and domestic 16oz beer cans are two for $7. Some beers on tap include Lagunitas, Angry Orchard, Modelo, Almanac Beer Co, Dust Bowl, Hop Valley, Grapefruit Sculpin Stone, Mermaid’s Red, Baby Daddy and Sonoma Cider. Sonoma State students receive a special 10 percent discount. No students are employed at Ronnie’s but don’t hesitate to stop on by. For those who want to stop by Ronnie’s for a drink or a bite to eat, it’s only a few minutes from campus, located at 1460 East Cotati Avenue. The prices are right and the food is scrumptious. Stop by Ronnie’s and try a unique beer and a tasty sandwich.

COURTESY // Ronnie’s Deli Ronnie’s Deli in Rohnert Park offers a variety of dining options. Most known for their unique sandwhiches, guests can also enjoy regular deals on beer.

Thinking about

GRADUATE SCHOOL? Tuesday,

Stevenson 1028

Nov. 3

CSA & TLA Info

Study Abroad

Meeting

Information

7 p.m.

Meeting

Knights Valley

3 p.m.

Room

International Hall

Live at Lobo’s Open Mic Night

Wednesday,

8 p.m.

Nov. 4

Lobo’s

New Perspectives to Computer Vision

Thursday,

From Algebraic

Nov. 5

Geometry and

The Hummingbird

Optimization, Math

Wars

Colloquium

7:30 p.m.

3:45 p.m. - 5:45

Ives Hall Studio 76

p.m. Darwin 103

ASP Free Super Hero Bowling Night

German Film Series:

10 p.m.

Downfall

Double Decker

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Lanes

Come Explore The More Than 50 Graduate Programs We Offer In: » Arts and Sciences » Education » Law

» Management » Nursing and Health Professions

Enjoy light food and refreshments. Meet our faculty and staff. Circulate and ask questions. Enter to win one of three Kindle Fire 3s.

Graduate School Information Evening TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 6PM MCLAREN CONFERENCE CENTER University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco Come early for information sessions about the application process and financial aid. Sessions begin at 5:00 and 5:30.

RSVP: www.usfca.edu/grad Free parking available


Page 10

Sports

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Men’s soccer earns CCAA bid Tommy Call Staff Writer

E

yeing a postseason berth for the second time in the past three seasons, the Sonoma State University men’s soccer team facedoff against Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona with their playoff hopes on the line. The Seawolves would need a win to reach 19 points in CCAA play to qualify for the CCAA championship tournament. Sonoma State would have to play two conference opponents in the final two games of the CCAA regular season, needing a win in just one of them to send them into the postseason. The Seawolves overall record of (9-5-2), with a conference record of (5-4-1), has them currently tied for fourth place in the CCAA. The Seawolves would need to finish in the top six to advance to the championship tournament. Junior forward Armando Coronel was confident about his team’s chances of making the playoffs. “We were in a great position. We controlled our own fate,” said Coronel. “Our focus was on getting that one win.” Sonoma State battled the Coyotes into an overtime thriller at Coyote Premier Field in their first match of the week. San Bernardino is backing up the bottom of the CCAA with a record of (3-8-3). Senior Dylan Stafford started the scoring off, heading in a high pass from teammate Jose Avalos. The header gave the Seawolves the lead in minute 8. The Sonoma State defense then looked to take over the match and seal the victory. A valiant effort was made by sophomore goalkeeper Mitch North, who defended 31 shots, with 14 coming his way in the second half. The Coyotes were able to slip the equalizing goal past North in minute 81. The rest of the game, as well as the first period of overtime remained scoreless, sending the game to a second overtime period of golden goal soccer. It didn’t take long, as junior TJ Perez fired in the game winning golden goal in minute 106. Not only did the goal get the Seawolves the victory, but it also secured a playoff berth. It

was Perez’s sixth goal of the season, but the most crucial of his career. “It was a big time clutch goal, especially being that it came in overtime,” said teammate Coronel. “The team was overcome with excitement because we knew the goal locked us into the tournament.” Perez had nothing but praise for his teammates after his walk-off golden goal. “The ball from Armando was the perfect set up to that goal,” said Perez. “It was amazing.” Goalkeeper North was at the center of the Seawolves exciting victory, turning in another impressive stat sheet. North had 10 saves and defended 31 Coyote shots. His teammates emphasized how important he was in their stretch before the playoffs. “He is without a doubt a huge reason for our success,” said Coronel. “He has had some amazing saves that have kept us in a lot of games.” North leads the CCAA in saves this season with 71, while also recording six shutouts throughout the season. Sonoma State squared off against Cal Poly Pomona at Kellogg Stadium in Pomona Saturday, to close out the final game of the CCAA regular season in a playoff tune-up game. The Seawolves dug themselves into a hole early, giving up two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. When the Broncos added their third goal of the half, making the score 0-3, coach Ziemer decided to clear the bench and give his starters some much needed rest before their playoff showdown. Sonoma State dropped the final game of the regular season 0-5 to Cal Poly Pomona, moving their final record to (10-6-2) for the season. The loss to the Broncos moved the Seawolves to the five seed for the CCAA championship tournament, matching them up with the four seed Stanislaus State. Sonoma State lost their only game against the Stanislaus State Warriors earlier this season, with a score of 0-2. The Seawolves will look to redeem their loss against the Warriors by playing traditional Sonoma State soccer.

Women’s basketball ready for fresh start Aubrie Tolliver Staff Writer

“F

ear the Pack.” That is a motto of a team looking to bounce back from their years of defeat and find success in their 2015

season. The Sonoma State University women’s basketball team sported a 6-20 overall record and a 4-18 CCAA record last season, which landed them at eleventh place in the conference standings. “Last year we didn’t have a senior or sophomore on the team,” said head coach Mark Rigby, who is returning for his 19th season this fall. “We lacked experience, which leads into leadership.” However, this year is a different story. The Seawolves will feature three seniors on their 16-player roster, which is the kind of leadership the team was lacking last season according to Rigby. One of those seniors that can be seen on the court this year is point guard Tanner Adams, who says she can see vast improvements in her team, not only from the returners, but from the freshmen class as well. “Compared to last year, I think we are doing a lot better,” said Adams. “We have a few freshmen that are really going to help us.” Rigby also agrees that the seven freshmen added to the roster in the offseason will play an important part in the success of the team. That success, and the ultimate goal for the Lady Seawolves this season, Adams says will be a .500 winning percentage in conference. She believes that will be possible due to her team’s collective offensive skill. Rigby said the overall team attitude is unlike most of the teams he has ever coached. Each girl is willing to learn and improve while maintaining a positive approach at each practice. “I really like this team,” said Rigby. “As a group we have a very good understanding of the game.” The chemistry between the girls is also something Adams considers to be a team strength, describing the group of players as not only a team, but as a family.

“We love each other,” said Adams. “Even the freshmen are fitting in so nice with the program and all the girls get along super well. We have a really good group of girls this year.” Like the other seniors on her team, Adams says that she will making the most out of her last season on the court. “Every game just matters that much more and I know that every game is one game closer to the end,” said Adams. “I am going to cherish this season especially and I don’t think I’ll be dreading any practices because I know that this will be my last time playing basketball.” Adams and the 2015 Lady Seawolves begin their run for CCAA championship on Nov. 13, where they are scheduled to open their season at the CCAA/PacWest Challenge tournament in Chico on Nov.13. They will then return home to play their first game in the Wolves’ Den on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. against William Jessup University.

“The main focus is to stay true to our game,” said Perez. “We are going to take one game at a time and try to make a final stretch for the championship.” The game will take place in Turlock, at Warrior Stadium on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. If the Seawolves pull out the victory, they will advance to face the No. 1 overall seed Cal State Dominguez Hills in the semifinals on Friday.

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Junior TJ Perez scored the golden goal in overtime for the Seawolves against CSU San Bernardino on Thursday to secure a spot in the CCAA championship tournament.

SEAWOLVES SPORTS Tuesday, Nov. 3 Men’s soccer at Stanislaus State 7:00 p.m.

Men’s basketball at St. John’s (Exhibition) 1:00 p.m. ESPN3

Friday, Nov. 6 Women’s soccer vs #4 UC San Diego or #5 Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona, CA 1:30 p.m.

Women’s basketball at Pacific (Exhibition) 2:00 p.m.

Women’s volleyball at Cal State Dominguez Hills 7:00 p.m. Men’s soccer vs Cal State Dominguez Hills in Pomona, CA 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 Women’s X-country NCAA West Regional

Women’s volleyball at Cal State L.A. 2:00 p.m Sunday, Nov. 8 Women’s volleyball at Cal State San Marcos 12:00 p.m. Women’s soccer vs CCAA Final in Pomona, CA 12:30 p.m. Men’s soccer vs CCAA Final in Pomona, CA 3:00 p.m.

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Senior point guard Tanner Adams will be a leader this season for the Seawolves as they look to improve from previous years.

Courtesy of sonomaseawolves.com


Sports

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Volleyball extends win streak to 14 Olivia Lucchese Staff Writer

W

ith a 14-game winning streak riding in behind them, the Sonoma State University women’s volleyball team is looking unstoppable. The 22nd ranked Seawolves have won 14 consecutive matches in a row, improving their record to 18-3 overall and 14-1 in the CCAA. “We are improving so much as a team with each match we play and when we make mistakes, we recover from them very fast,” said sophomore Calan Seitz. With the gymnasium stuffed on Friday night for the Pack the Den event, school spirit came alive as the Sonoma State volleyball team took a win against San Francisco State with a final of 3-0. Outside the court, there was free food, candy and cups for the Sonoma State students who came out and supported their volleyball team as a part of the Pack the Den rally. Junior Rachel Andrews led with 13 points, eight blocks and eight kills, along with senior Madelyn Densberger, who had 11 kills with a .524 hitting percentage. With the dominating performance, the Seawolves swept SFSU 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-13). Senior Jaclyn Clark from San Francisco State had nine kills on the night, which made her the sixth player in San Francisco State history to hit the 1,000-career, kill milestone. On Saturday against Cal State East Bay, the Sonoma State volleyball team took in another home sweep, with a final of 3-0. The Seawolves hit .400 as a team for the third time this season.

Senior Caylie Seitz led with 14 kills, while junior Lexi Reddick scored a match-high of 15 points and 11 kills. Calan Seitz led the team with 19 assists and Densberger had nine digs and three blocks. With great teamwork all around the board, the Seawolves are continuing to roll through the competition. “The games have been going really well, we have been extremely steady with our ups and downs and I think that is very important,” said Calan Seitz. With the last three regular season matches coming up this weekend against Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State L.A. and Cal State San Marcos, the Seawolves will head to Southern California to compete. Their last home games are Nov. 13 against Stanislaus State and Nov. 14 against Chico State.

BE A STAR 1

2

Gain photography experience shooting events and people all over campus

Shooting for a publication provides as an excellent résumé builder

STAR// Nicole Detmers Junior Lexi Reddick delivers the kill against SFSU on Friday night for Pack the Den.

Women’s soccer goes undefeated in CCAA play Sammy Davis Staff Writer

1

0 straight victories for the Sonoma State women’s soccer team marks a historic win over Cal Poly Pomona. The ninth-ranked Seawolves have made history with this win on Sunday over Cal Poly Pomona, with this being only the fifth time in school history that the Seawolves have won 10 straight games going into the postseason. At minute 72, sophomore Katie Mohr headered in the first goal of the day, right past the Bronco goalkeeper. Freshman Bella Amyx then was able to break away from the pack, going one on one with the Bronco goalie to eventually fire the ball through the net, putting the Seawolves up 2-0. The Broncos did not go down easily, outshooting Sonoma State 11-8, and causing senior goalie Ashley Luis to lose her shutout streak. The streak, which started on Sept. 23, lasted a total of 958 minutes. At minute 87, Haley James from the Broncos kicked it in from 22 yards out, to put the first goal on the board for Cal Poly Pomona. Luis made three saves to help keep the 10 game winning streak going. Sonoma State won the match with an ending score of 2-1. The Seawolves will go into the upcoming CCAA post-season tournament as the No. 1 seed and will receive a first round bye. The Seawolves will return back to Pomona on Friday to begin the tournament, facing off against the winner of Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego at 1:30 p.m.

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Senior goalkeeper Ashley Luis held a shutout streak this season that lasted 958 minutes and began on Sept. 23.

3 Email star@sonoma.edu with a preview of your work to join the team!

Page 11


Page 12

Photo

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Women’s volleyball wins their 14th straight game against San Francisco State University

STAR // Nicole Detmers Lexi Reddick, #24 and Kelsey McIntire, #2 went up for a block against Taylor Brownlee, #20 of San Francisco State.

STAR // Thomas Lynch Emily Papale, #16 attempted to hit the ball over her defender.

STAR // Thomas Lynch A Seawolf middle blocker reached out to hit the ball over the net against her opponent.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Democratic assembly member Bill Dodd was in attendance at a meeting regarding a CSU strike on Wednesday.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Teachers, among other faculty, gathered at Lobos to discuss a possible strike.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Women’s volleyball defeated San Francsico State 3-0 on Friday.


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