Volume 75 // Issue 14

In this issue:

Student Life: Winter fashion on campus. Pg. 8

Opinion: Redefining terrorism. Pg. 3 Sports: The underdog mentality. Pg. 7 A&E: Our favorite albums of the year. Pg. 10 SINCE 1979

VOLUME 75 // ISSUE 14

DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2015

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

Associated Students votes in favor of Dream Center to support undocumented students Anna Kehrlein Staff Writer

Writing Center. She said she met all the requirements of the job but because she was undocumented, was denied.

“The only thing I lacked was U.S. citizenship. I know I am not the first undocumented student that got rejected from recieving services.

They led me to EOP but because I am not an EOP student, they couldn’t lead me anywhere,” said Nolasco. “We just want [people] to know that we [undocumented students] are here, and we exist.”

Sonoma State President Ruben Armiñana first announced the Dream Center during a meeting with California Faculty Association Council for Affirmative Action and the Dreamers Club in September. He announced that the wants the Dream Center completed by the end of his tenure and believes he is still on track

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STAR // Gustavo Vasquez Despite questions about funding, Associated Students President Brandon Mercer supports the establishment of a Dream Center.

onoma State University’s Associated Students heard from the community’s undocumented student population before voting on the establishment of the Dream Center on campus at Friday’s meeting. The meeting began with students standing against the walls of the room silently in solidarity with signs encouraging a Dream Center, signs that spoke for themselves before a single word was spoken. After comment from students and community members, Associated Students voted in favor of the resolution, approving the establishment of the center.

Sonoma State student Maria Nolasco shared her experience as an undocumented student applying to work at the university’s

to complete that goal. According to Armiñana, the Dream Center would be paid for by the university’s general fund budget.

Stephanie Segovia, a graduate student at University of San Francisco, conducted a needs assessment to see how Sonoma State can best help undocumented students. Her work was conducted in consolidation with colleagues Carolina Hernandez and Amanda Chavez.

According to her focus group, DREAMers would like the center to provide legal services, academic support and financial aid and scholarship information. A location for the Dream Center has not yet been identified. Students feel that in regards to location, a place that is both visible and accessible, such as Salazar Hall, would be ideal.

“For the physical structure of the center

they want to have a study area with some computers, offices for the staffs working at the center, and a private/conference room,” Segovia said. “But most importantly, they want this space to make undocumented students feel welcome.”

The DREAMer Club’s Faculty Adviser Mariana Martinez, agrees.

“The services a center would offer are similar to the ones other students receive but they would be specifically for undocumented students. This means that academic advising, financial aid and scholarships would be specifically for undocumented students,” said Martinez. “This would all be helpful so that they are not running around all over campus, with See DREAM CENTER on Pg. 5

University replaces online sexual assault training following hack in September Francisco Carbajal Staff Writer

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onoma State University has been given an update on the sexual awareness training replacement program to take the place of the failed Agent of Change program students were required to complete last semester.

Students will be expected to complete the new training program by Feb. 14.

“We have selected a new online sexual assault prevention training program called ‘Think About It’ administered by Campus Clarity. We use this same company for our employee online training,” said Joyce Suzuki, managing director, employee relations and compliance of Title IX. The failed online interactive program called Agent of Change, administered by We End Violence, was made mandatory with the warning that it would put a hold on students’ spring registration if not completed by a set deadline. The deadlines were delayed multiple times to accommodate students during the first weeks of school in the fall semester. After many email reminders about the hold punishment, Agent of Change was hacked on Sept. 3, resulting in students’ private information being at risk.

Suzuki also has given a new timetable for this new program. “The training will be rolled out to

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students at the beginning of the spring semester,” said Suzuki. “It is a required refresher training for all students regardless if they were able to complete the Agent of Change training or not. The CSU requires all students to do a refresher training once a year.”

“Although [the program is] time consuming and we think we know about the issue [of sexual assault], I believe that it’s a good way to remind our students and campus where to reach for help.

I just wished they had picked a better trainer,” said Gyuwha Lee, junior nursing major.

Some students aren’t too happy with the decision of a new required training program. “I get why they’re doing it but it really wasn’t effective the first time around and the responses were so unrealistic,” said Amanda Gonyer, senior psychology major. “I don’t think anyone took it seriously. I hope the

new program is way better or Sonoma State shouldn’t do it all especially if it comes from our tuition.”

The money from the hacked Agent of Change can only be refunded by the Chancellor’s Office since it was a systemwide contract according to Suzuki. When asked where the money came to fund the Title IX training, Suzuki replied, “We use campus Operating Funds to pay for this training.

The Operating Fund includes both state appropriation and student tuition revenues. The campus has not received a grant or other funds to pay for these trainings.”

“The irony of the fact that I am learning about web security in a class that I am taking at a university which compromised our security is laughable, disappointing and not to mention the program was so poorly made. I really do hope the school gets their/ our money back,” said student Andranik Paylozyan.

STAR // Connor Gibson Weaver’s Winter Wonderland, located in Rohnert Park, draws students and community members alike during the holiday season,

Seasonal happenings in Sonoma County See the full story on page 9.

New university president to be announced in January Rachael Newman Staff Writer

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STAR // Brandon Stachnik Sonoma State University students will be expected to complete a new sexual assault training program by Feb. 14.

@sonomastatestar

@sonomastatestar

onoma State University is scheduled to announce the university’s next president on Jan. 27. The presidential selection process is an extensive and private process according to the Board of Trustees Policy for the Selection of Presidents. California State University Chancellor Timothy White and the Board of Trustees are searching for a well qualified applicant with much experience and outstanding leadership skills to fill current Sonoma State President Ruben Armiñana’s shoes.

“The CSU Board of Trustees is conducting the search for our next president, not Sonoma State,” said Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Susan Kashack.

“This was a surprise to us as we expected to be heavily involved in the

/sonomastatestar

process, but found that is not how hiring new presidents is handled in the CSU.” The Chair of the Board of Trustees designates a Trustees Committee for the selection of the president. The members on the presidential search committee are obliged to keep any information about the search under confidence, according to the Chair of the Faculty and Academic Senate and Professor of anthropology Richard Senghas. Those serving on the committee can’t mention any applicants, the amount of candidates, or how many people advanced into the semi-final stages. Candidates advancing to the next level of consideration were decided on Dec. 1 by the Trustees Committee for the selection of the president.

No information about the candidates can be released in order to keep the search professional.

See PRESIDENT on Pg. 4

Visit: sonomastatestar.com

Page 2

Editorial

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 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 Tommy Call, 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 Gustavo Vasquez, Editorial Car toonist Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Aubrey Anzelmo, Natalie Aro Justin Barrientos, Nikki Bridges 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 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:

“University replaces online sexual assault training following hack in September” Sonoma State University has announced it will be requiring a new sexual assault awareness program for students to complete. Staff Writer Francisco Carbajal delivers the details with quotes straight from the source.

Read the story on page 1 Corrections/Clarifications

A column titled “The loves and woes of a Theatre Arts and Dance major” that appeared Dec. 8, implied the writer of the piece, Lawrence Ricardo, was a Theatre Arts and Dance major. He is a business major.

In the article titled “French exchange student reflects on Paris attacks”, published Dec. 8, it’s written the most recent terrorist attacks on Paris occurred on Dec. 4. The attacks referenced in the article took place Nov. 13.

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.

The perpetual burden of student debt H ard work and dedication used to be all one needed to succeed in the world of higher education.

Nowadays, college is becoming increasingly inaccessible—is this sign of the times or something changing within American culture that doesn’t support the academic pursuits of young people? Tuition costs in the California State University have more than doubled since 2005, an obvious indication that college is becoming less accessible to students in California.

Education is a basic right all young people should have access to no matter one’s socioeconomic status or family background. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the current generation of college students.

The cost of higher education is eliminating people who may not have the needed financial resources to attend college, which is ref lective of the changing world of higher education.

The California State University is considered one of the most affordable educational systems in the U.S. But is college in California really afford-

able when the cost of attendance—no matter how affordable—prevents so many people from attending?

According to the Wall Street Journal, student debt in the U.S. has more than tripled in the last decade with the number most recently surpassing $1.2 trillion nationwide.

In August, Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton spoke out on the concept of debt-free tuition at public universities—something that is unimaginable to many current college students.

Clinton’s plan would cost an estimated $350 million over the next 10 years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

As students at a public university in California, graduating college with thousands of dollars of debt is inexcusable.

College is supposed to be a time when students can expand their minds and focus solely on learning. Students shouldn’t have to worry about how to pay tuition or rent—which is all too common for college students of this generation.

The stress of money and finances is a reality for the average student at Sonoma State University—a stress that some-

times overtakes lives and makes one forget about why they’re in college. The tuition cost of attending Sonoma State in 2005, a mere decade ago, was $2,520 and for this academic year the cost is $5,472, a clear example of the rising costs of college throughout the year.

Tuition is not the only price of attending Sonoma State. In addition to basic tuition, students pay an extra $929 categorized as campus-based fees, a number that varies at each CSU campus.

It’s easy to simply talk about why college should be cheaper and more accessible, but is it realistic to picture a world where college is attainable no matter one’s financial state? Maybe not—but it can’t hurt to encourage lawmakers and university leaders to make a change when it comes to the cost of higher education.

The world of higher education is f lawed in terms of cost, but does a high cost increase the value of a college degree in terms of its worth?

The answer is yes, but the degree’s value still doesn’t make up for the fact that some students’ may spend the rest of their lives in debt.

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

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Opinion

Dec . 15 - Dec . 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Page 3

Take your experience and run with it

Florencia Hasson Staff Writer

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’m 22 years old, about to begin my last semester of college; I’m starting to wonder, “what was the point of it all?” Perhaps I am just confronting the regular college senior blues and deeply existential thoughts, but I think there’s more to it this time.

From the day we are put into kindergarten to the day we submit our first college applications, we are constantly being conditioned to believe one thing: without receiving a good, college-level education or attending a prestigious university, we are nothing. In societal standards this may ring true, but should it?

Everyone should value a good education, and education shouldn’t be a privilege, although our bureaucratic society would seem to suggest that it is. We fight alongside our peers to receive the best grades, with college as the golden trophy at the end of our race. What we don’t realize is there is no use for a college degree if in the end, we’re just half-assing it for the sake of saying that we have one.

At the end of the day, no one cares if you went to college, it’s what you did while you were there and the plans and dreams that you aspired to have with your degree that matters. The problem with this is many of us don’t have solid dreams or aspirations when we graduate high school and we still haven’t really gotten it figured out by the time we’re well into college. We’re told we must declare a major, and once we have, we’re still somehow wasting our time taking useless anthropology general education courses that have nothing to do with what we want to study.

If I could do it all over again, I would have taken a gap year (or two) to work, figure myself out and learn what I’m passionate about. Not waste the best, most vital years of my life drinking and partying to the point where you have that scary realization of “what the hell am I doing with my life?” But maybe we need that. Perhaps that’s part of growing up; but I could’ve done that without spending 15 grand or more a year.

I love college, everyone’s young and excited, carefree

and bubbling with new ideas. But why must we put so much pressure on the importance of going to a four year university? It’s especially silly when we don’t know what we want to do. It all ties back into our societal bad habits. I chose to study Communications because I thought, “well I like people and I’m a good communicator… Communications it is,” and that’s not the way it should be. I should have never felt the pressure I felt and still feel to make something out of myself. I can become someone without following bureaucratic and societal standards.

I have a daunting image that my mother has ingrained in my head of me becoming a big, fat, failure; but shouldn’t it be my happiness that really matters? Not what makes her happy or what society tells me will give me happiness or a good life.

I have felt overwhelmed with the pressures my family and other adults have put on me by asking the most dreaded sentence; “what do you want to do once you graduate?” I can’t tell you how much I hate that sentence and how often I’ve heard it. Sure some people have it plain and simple, figured out; they’re going to go to grad school and study medicine, or become a lawyer, or work on their music or work for some startup in San Francisco. Me? I don’t know, I change my answer every time, and I’ve gotten pretty good and creative at sounding like I know what I’m going to do.

Courtesy // Tiffany McGaughey

False face of terrorism

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Ryan Green Staff Writer

he definition of terrorism in America has become nearly as skewed as the crime itself. If you ask anyone to imagine a terrorist, chances are they’ll imagine him with a turban on his head. What led Americans to this racist and incorrect conclusion?

Throughout history, the public’s idea of terrorism has evolved, targeting certain groups. For example, in 1914 the terrorists were the Serbian Black Hand, the group that assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. In 1939, it was the Nazi party. In the 50s and 60s, it was the Communists. And now it is al-Qaeda and ISIS. The terrorists change based on recent global conflicts.

Islamophobia, or fear of Muslims, is something that has been increasing exponentially over the past five years.

US Uncut reports that in 2014 there were 154 hate crimes against Muslims, and the number is expected to be higher than that for 2015. In the past week alone, there have been 19 hate crimes against Muslims nationally.

America, with help from biased media outlets, has decided that all Muslims are dangerous, militaristic extremists.

Because of this, the stereotype

against Muslims has been summed up by calling them ‘terrorists’.

But to get it straight, the formal definition of terrorism according to MerriamWebster is “the use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal.”

When given this definition, terrorism can be applied to much more than what we know as terrorists. The definition also doesn’t specify that the group trying to achieve their goal must be the group to commit the violent act.

Terrorists can be any race, any religion and have any motive. Being a terrorist doesn’t mean that you are Muslim, in fact that is an outright racist conclusion.

In August, Rohnert Park police officer Dave Rodriguez drew his gun on Don McComas in an attempt of intimidation, to try and stop McComas from recording the encounter on his phone. The violent act was the drawing of the gun on McComas.

The Patriot Act, which expired in June of this year, was signed into law by President Bush soon after 9/11 and was enacted in order to “intercept and obstruct terrorism”, as stated in the act. The Patriot Act used the country’s fear of terror to disguise several laws involving strictly internal affairs, such as Section 215 (which violated the Fourth

The important thing I’ve realized is I don’t need to please anyone but myself; I don’t need to quiver at the idea of being a failure in the eyes of my mother because I know as long as I’m happy she will be too.

So when I walk the stage this May to grab my much anticipated college diploma and turn to face my unknown future, I’ll have a new sense of self-confidence and comfort that whatever I choose to do, I don’t need to figure it all out right away. I’m only young once, and if I want to travel, explore and continue learning and growing as a person, I should do just that. I’m not ready to take up a desk job at some small office downtown, running someone’s boring social media account. I have so much more in store for myself and I don’t need to prove my self-worth to anyone but myself.

There will be plenty of time in the future to sit at a desk and do the “adult life” and provide for my family. For now, I have my youthful spirit, energy, curiosity and soon a degree in the mail, but I have time to live a little first before I condemn myself to an eternity of work. Money can buy happiness for some, but so can experiences, and I’d rather make the memories now. There will be plenty of time later on to make money or go back and get a masters, but for now I just plan on living and learning about myself and what I love, and with the idea that it will all work out in the end, one way or another.

Amendment), allowing for their ratification. The violent act used in this case was 9/11.

One could even say that megalomaniac Donald Trump is using a form of terrorism in his campaign, instilling fear of ‘radical Islam’ in his followers in order to gain the popular vote.

Those are some examples of the true definition of terrorism, all of which take place in our own country and are committed by our own country.

Another misconception about terrorism, Islamic terrorism in particular, is that it’s caused purely by religious conflicts. Here’s an example: ISIS claimed that the attack in Paris last month was retaliation for French air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, as well as French President François Hollande’s foreign policy towards Muslims worldwide.

Actually, Islam and Christianity have a surprising amount of similarities, in that they both worship God, advocate peace (the word Islam comes from the arabic word salam, meaning ‘peace’), follow the Ten Commandments and believe in heaven and hell.

The idea is that terrorism changes through the ages. Terrorists can be any race, any religion and have any motive.

Being a terrorist doesn’t mean that you are Muslim, in fact ,that is an outright racist conclusion.

The fearmongering that American politicians and media companies have been doing has destroyed the country’s ability to think open-mindedly about Muslims.

In fact, we reject the idea so much that we don’t even notice the fearmongering that has been happening in our own country.

Humble for the holidays

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Kyler Khan Copy Editor & Marketing Director

hanksgiving was almost a month ago but as we continue through the holiday season, it’s another good time to be thankful once again. During the holidays can be too caught up in the buying, the gifts and the things. For example, a recent photo caption I read mentioned how Black Friday brings out people to buy more things after being thankful for what they already had in their life. The winter holidays can be the same way with gifts.

These things, like Starbucks cup controversies, can be distractions to what’s really important about the winter break. No matter what our religious preference, we all get the same amount of time away as an opportunity to spend time with family and friends.

Before walking into the grocery store the other day, I looked at the prices on some of the smaller Christmas trees being sold out front. Some of them cost more than I expected, between 30 and 60 dollars. As a college student, I’ve been budgeting for my main, important costs and trees are important, but this was out of my range. Regardless, the smell of the trees reminded me of the great times our family had growing up during this time of year.

As a family, we’d pick our tree together and it was the only time of year we could run around in the tree lot. It also reminded me that the people, specifically our parents, that made the experiences got us into the spirit possible.

The decorations were great, they were the icing on the cake, but it’s nicer to have the familiar faces around to spend time with.

Some of us have certain holiday traditions that make this time of year memorable, like picking a tree or seeing friends from high school that you haven’t seen since the summer. After finals week, some students will head home for the winter break. For those of us heading back to our hometown, we can enjoy the break but if we have the home and decorations to go home to, we are very fortunate.

For those of us with any down time during the break, volunteering at a local food bank or soup kitchen could become a new tradition. If we have more than enough clothes in our closet, a trip to the Salvation Army could become a tradition.

Let’s make it a memorable break and enjoy the great holiday no matter how many things we have.

The popular Christmas cartoon movie, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” probably explains it best. After Charlie Brown got picked on for having a small tree with one ornament, Linus tells him, “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”

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News

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

TOP NEWS STORIES FROM THE FALL '15 SEMESTER

Aug. 31 President Ruben Arminana announces retirement Sonoma State University searches for next president

Sept. 15 Search for next university president begins New president to be announced in January

Oct. 13 Students question safety after reports of rape on campus Two reports of rape prompt students to speak out

Oct. 27 Alph Sigma reinstated after alleged conduct violation Organization to be off probation in January

Nov. 3 Fake gun scare prompts alert Halloween costume gone wrong

Nov. 10 Faculty association votes to strike Strike expected to occur next semester

Nov. 17 Bike theft suspect arrested Associated Students discuss remedy to bike theft problem

California student among those killed in Paris attacks CSU Long Beach mourns student’s death in vigil

Dec. 8 French exchange student reflects on Paris attacks

facebook.com/DREAMERSClubSSU Sonoma State University’s DREAMers Club has been advocating for the establishment of a Dream Center to assist the university’s undocumented population and on Friday, Associated Students voted in the club’s favor.

DREAM CENTER: Funded by university’s general fund

Exchange student gives first-hand account on the terror in Paris Continued from Pg. 1

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana announced his retirement at this year’s convocation. The CSU is still in search of Armiñana’s successor, though the next university president is expected to be announced on Jan. 27.

PRESIDENT: University amid final stages of search process Continued from Pg. 1

“The search committee is very strong and brings with it such a diverse group of minds to critically analyze every candidate,” said Associated Students President Brandon Mercer.

Although, Mercer said the committee lacks student representation, and the students are the majority. He is the only student in the room, and represents the student population with his voice.

Mercer is happy with the candidates that have advanced thus far.

“We are getting closer everyday, to finding a fantastic candidate to lead Sonoma State,” said Mercer.

The search process consists of many meetings, some open to the public and others private.

According to the Board of Trustees Policy for the Selection of Presidents, the Trustees Committee meet together to go over Sonoma

State’s campus needs and the expectations or desired qualities or characteristics of the new president.

After these meetings and discussions, applications were accepted and the candidate pool developed.

“The Sonoma State presidential search process is on target with the goal of appointing a new president before the close of the academic year,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs Laurie Weidner.

“I think our students deserve a president that is heavily integrated into everyday campus life. Our students deserve a great leader moving forward that they feel comfortable stopping and talking to on their way to class or running into them in the student center,” said Mercer. “After all, Sonoma State has over 9,000 students, we are the absolute majority and the primary reason this institution exists; a new president must realize who the primary stakeholders

in this university really are.”

The final decision and responsibility for the new president is up to the board, and the chancellor selected a staff to back the process.

Armiñana will retire June 30, 2016 and the new president will take office on July 1, 2016.

Armiñana has been with Sonoma State for 24 years by the time of his retirement, making him the longest serving president in the CSU. “President Armiñana has been such a great ally of mine this year and an invaluable mentor. Even throughout this search process, I have sought his guidance as to strategies to effectively serve all our students in a room where I have the least seniority,” said Mercer. “I am so thankful for his warm greetings every time I meet with him and his unwavering love for this university and its students.”

For more information on Sonoma State’s presidential search, visit sonoma.edu/presidentialsearch.

a center it all would be centralized.”

Ideally, Martinez would like the center to have a director, a program coordinator, and at least two student assistants. Martinez believes that since the Dream Center is something that Armiñana committed to, he should not place the cost on students’ shoulders.

Instead, she suggests he redirect already existing funds towards the Dream Center from departments such as athletics, which she says are amply funded. According

to Martinez, 67.5 percent of student fee revenue funds the athletics department, which consists of 300 students, or about 2 percent of the student body.

According to Associated Students President Brandon Mercer, the Dream Center would be located in the HUB in an office space that is currently being used for storage.

He wishes to clarify that this office space is not a storage closet as he thought at a previous meeting, but a normal office space.

Despite funding concerns, Mercer is fully supportive of a Dream Center.

“I think a Dream Center at Sonoma State would be fantastic. This is just one more step the university is taking to serve our students and provide the resources they need to succeed and graduate in a timely manner,” said Mercer. “I think this topic has drawn controversy in the Senate because we as students need to know where the funding is coming from. It is too common a trend for money to be spontaneously ‘found’ in order to pay for these activities; we all deserve to know exactly where this money is coming from.”

CAMPUS CRIME Dec. 2-Dec. 10

Crime Date

Status

Petty theft 12/3/2015 Suspended Petty theft 12/4/2015 Suspended Vandalism Public 12/6/2015 Arrest: Eric D. intoxication Reab, 21 Obstruct public officer Grand theft 12/7/2015 Suspended Petty theft 12/7/2015 Arrest Petty theft 12/3/2015- Suspended 12/7/2015 Warrant 12/10/2015 Arrest: Kevin P. White, 47

News

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Associated Students discusses remedies to issue of parking on campus Joseph Encinas Staff Writer

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housands of students flock to the campus of Sonoma State University in search of a space to study and prepare for the upcoming week of finals.

During this time, the 9300 students of Noma Nation crowd the library, study rooms and cafes for hours on end to get as much cramming in as possible, which is also causing a crowding in the parking lots around campus. The lack of parking spaces available and the amount of students on campus has become an issue that has captured the attention of Associated Students of Sonoma State.

In a Senate meeting held Friday, Dec. 11, Associated Students decided to hear the resolution. Every year, students have something to say about how to improve parking at Sonoma State, so Associated Students has decided to give their fellow Seawolves a voice.

The resolution calls for the extension of general parking passes to include reserved evening parking pass spaces and hours, as well as making parking available all weekends.

Out of the 9,414 students that attend Sonoma State University, only 29 reserved evening parking passes have been purchased, as of Oct. 30.

Modern college students are hounded with various financial

burdens, whether it be tuition, transportation, books or groceries, so extending the boundaries of the general parking pass may help ease some of that burden.

“I could afford the $98 general parking pass, but the $175 reserved evening pass was just out of my financial ability,” said freshman environmental studies and planning major Nick DiMario. “Having available parking spaces should not be the student’s worry, it should be provided.”

Besides the financial factor, the safety of students is also a big reason for Associated Students being the voice of the campus community on this issue.

According to a release put out by Associated Students, students have expressed their concern when walking to and from their evening classes from General Parking lots, citing poorly lit walkways and long distances as the main reasons for feeling like their safety is at risk.

“Walking to class at night, especially after the time change, is that much more sketchy,” said Alyssa Mejia, junior kinesiology major at Sonoma State. “And during finals week, parking becomes more and more scarce, and even further away from campus each time.”

Of the five closest parking lots to buildings on campus that involve the least amount of walking for students,

four are reserved lots.

This includes Lot A, parking closest to Carson Hall and the Art Building, Lots B, C and D, which all surround the library and are closest to the Student Center and the Recreation Center.

These areas, especially during the last two weeks of school, see the most foot traffic on a daily basis and are the areas students would prefer to park in.

“I have received two tickets in the last month of the semester because no general parking was left,” explained Junior Business Marketing major Thomas Lynch. “So I chose to park in reserved lots because after spending twenty minutes going up and down the general parking, I was fed up. I have only done this twice, and both times I got a ticket for it. There just is not enough parking.”

Officials for parking services say they are constantly working towards making parking easily accessible to students and will continue to find ways to alleviate parking struggles during times where students are on campus most, particularly during finals week. The school has already allocated for more study spaces on campus, but that is only half of the battle.

For any further information or to clarify any outstanding questions, visit Police and Safety Services on campus or visit sonoma.edu/ps.

Page 5

NEWS

IN BRIEF

San Francisco On Monday, ESPN reported the San Francisco Giants signed Pitcher Johnny Cueto to a sixyear, $130 million deal that gives him the option to opt out after two years. Cueto, formerly with the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds, has been considered one of the best pitchers in the American League, though ESPN speculates the Giants took a risk signing Cueto with an elbow injury that plagued him last season. Cueto joins the Giants along Pitcher Jeff Samardzija for the 2016 season with a combined ERA of 5.29 in the last year.

San Bernardino The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that one of the shooters in the San Bernardino attacks, Tashfeen Malik, messaged friends on Facebook about her support for Islamic Jihad, showing that U.S. law enforcement missed early signs of her terrorist connections. During investigations following tha attack on Dec. 4, the FBI looked into both Malik and her husband’s social media accounts, recovering two private messages send to Malik’s friends in Pakistan. FBI officials say her messages “expressed her desire” to become a jihadist.

Deltona, Fla. The Associated Press reports that a Florida woman found 22-year-old Eryn Rice in her home, wearing her husband’s pajamas and believed her husband was having an affair. As a twist, Rice had been running from the law, after allegedly shoplifting. Rice hid in the woman’s house, washed her clothes and took a nap, when the woman found her. She assumed her husband was cheating on her with the 22-year-old, but her husband denied it, saying he’d never seen the woman. Both the woman and her husband then took Rice back to her home and called local authorities, who then arrested her on suspicion of shoplifting.

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Arts

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Art, one line at a time Justin Freeman Staff Writer

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Commentary

onoma State University’s very own University Art Gallery always seems to have something interesting on display. From Nov. 5 to Dec. 13, the Art Gallery showcased three professional artists in an exhibition called “Linear Equations.”

The works of these artists all had a style of their own, but each shared the common characteristic of being made from lines of different types.

From nylon straps to copper wires, and long strings of yarn to strokes of paint, these artists embodied the long-standing history of linework through their creations, all while maintaining unique styles of their own.

For instance, the displayed works of artist Marc Katano, who is based in Sonoma County, consisted of dark brushstrokes over blank canvases. They looked much like cross-breeds of Eastern calligraphy and contemporary graffiti art.

While the largest piece must have been 12 feet tall by 12 feet long, the smallest was maybe only three feet high by three feet across.

It was interesting to see just how many shapes one could make out of the simplistic lines of paint; one would perhaps be reminded of cloud gazing in doing so, as it was easy to see how two different people could interpret the same picture in two completely different ways.

“While his compositions are organic in form,” says Michael Schwager, the director of the University Art Gallery, “Katano does not intend them as emulations of nature but rather abstract records of their own creation.”

‘Abstract’ was certainly a good word to use, as Katano’s paintings didn’t seem to take on the shape of anything, except for the shapes people saw for themselves.

Napa’s Sabine Reckewell, another professional artist who was featured in “Linear Equations,” created her works mostly by pinning strings of yarn to the wall, with the exception of one piece, which was made from straps of nylon. It was fascinating to see how the lines would criss-cross each other and work together to comprise a greater whole.

One piece in particular, called “Under and Over” consisted of two different shapes.

The first was a twisted plane of stark orange yarn, which was so simple in design, yet so difficult to describe through words. It was contrasted by an elongated ray of perhaps 30-40 strings, stretched tightly to form a stiff beam shooting over the orange shape below, complementing the bright orange with its mellowing blue hue. According to Schwager, “Reckewell calls these installations three-dimensional drawings.”

This could certainly be seen in her other works as well, which may have struck viewers as merely two-dimensional on the first glance.

The triple dimensionality of these pieces was created by alternating colors, which made the flat planes of string appear to have elements of depth to them, that may have been easily missed by casual passersby.

The third artist showcased by the University Art Gallery this past month was Mari Andrews, who lives in Emeryville.

She worked mostly with steel wires to create her pieces, but added bits of nature throughout as well such as acorns, wood, flax, and mica.

This was an interesting blend of manmade materials and natural formations.

One of the first pieces visible upon entering the Art Gallery was Andrews’s “Wild Hair.” Whereas some may have indeed seen a mess of hair in those metal wires, others may have seen a lightbulb, or even a hot air balloon. This rang true for Andrew’s other works as well; just like Katano and Reckewell.

Andrews created pieces that could be seen in many different ways. Like Katano, her works were abstract, and like Reckewell, they had both two and three dimensional aspects to them. Reckewell’s “Curleaf”, which was made from metal wire and bamboo, bore resemblance to a human being putting their hands on their heart, perhaps out of flattery, or perhaps out of disgust.

The fact that “Curleaf” had no vestige of a face made this particular interpretation a compelling one, and showed the power that lines have to define images that we see.

Truly, lines do play a major role in our sense of sight. “Line as an element of visual art,” noted Schwager, “has been described as an identifiable path created by a point moving in space and varying in width, direction, and length.”

By seeing the how the same image can be viewed in different ways simultaneously, one can perhaps attain an appreciation for how our perceptions can shape our perspectives on reality.

facebook.com “In the Heart of the Sea” earned $11 million it’s opening weekend.

Howard makes a ripple, not a splash Sean Curzon Staff Writer

Review

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STAR // Justin Freeman The Sonoma State University Art Gallery featured three professional artists’ work with a common theme: the use of lines.

MOVIES RELEASING THIS WEEK 23

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“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” -

n the Heart of the Sea,” directed by Ron Howard is loosely based on the true of the whaling ship Essex and its attack by a whale. The film follows “Moby Dick” author Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) as he interviews Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) about his time as a cabin boy (played by future Spiderman Tom Holland) aboard the Essex with Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker) and First Mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemmsworth) as the ship is attacked by a sperm whale.

The technical side of the film is well done but good direction doesn’t stop the writing from sinking the film.

This film is well put together. The camera does an excellent job of simulating what it’s like to be at sea without giving the audience seasickness. The action captures both the dangers and the excitement of fighting a killer sperm whale. The special effects are fine as well. The CGI blends in with the sets and the actors so that it doesn’t distract from the action.

The major problem is that the emotional moments never seem to land. The movie jumps from moment to moment without archiving the emotional beat that Howard was going for. The main reason being that many plot threads are introduced, then dropped repeatedly.

One example of this was a theme of class warfare between Pollard, who comes from a long line of whalers, and Chase, whose father was a poor farmer, with each character making snide comments about each other’s background for the first half of the movie. This is completely dropped in the second half of the film once they start whale hunting.

Heck, even the whale hunting doesn’t receive enough focus. They only kill one whale. When you are trying to say something is bad because of the obsession and greed it causes, you should properly show the characters doing it more than once. The movie doesn’t really know what it wants to be about. Is it about the survival of man? The danger that whaling inf licts upon whales?

It doesn’t focus on any theme in depth. This movie could easily be mistaken for the cliff notes version.

The problem is the whale that attacks them never feels like a character in its own right. The whale follows the main cast around like the shark from “Jaws” but the audience doesn’t have an emotional connection to the creature.

The framing device of Melville interviewing Nickerson serves as nothing but a disruption to the f low of the story, increasing the problems mentioned above. The film constantly cuts back to the interview with Melville commenting on what was happening.

The only reasons these scenes seem to exist is to pass the time and explain to the audience what they are supposed to be feeling, as if the film knows it’s not strong enough on its own and to remind the audience that Melville will go on to write “Moby Dick.” Not the best idea to constantly compare your film to one of the greatest stories of all time.

ALBUMS RELEASING THIS WEEK Chris Brown - “Royalty” (R&B)

starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac “Sisters” - starring: Amy Poehler, John Cena, James Brolin, Tina Fey “Extraction” - starring: Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz, Steve Coulter, D.B. Sweeney

Cage the Elephant - “Tell Me I’m Pretty” (Alternative Rock) Baroness - “Purple” (Metal) Pusha T - “Darkest Before The Dawn” (Hip-Hop)

Entertainment

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

‘The Ridiculous 6’ charms Netflix with cheap laughs Christine Edwards Staff Writer

Review

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his western-comedy tells the story of White Knife, a cowboy with an identity crisis played by Adam Sandler, who sets out on a mission to save his estranged father after being kidnapped by a gang of greedy bandits. As White Knife begins his journey to track down his missing father, he is met by many obstacles and opponents. Along the way he is reunited with five of his half-brothers, who quickly agree to help him in the search for their father.

As they attempt to locate and protect this man who has been removed from their lives for as long as they can remember, the six brothers are brought closer together and they begin to form an unbreakable bond.

White Knife, also known as Tommy, has a particular set of skills that he brings to the table. He is stealthy and is able to outsmart opponents with his Kung-Fu-like quickness. He obtained great wisdom after becoming orphaned at a young age and raised by the Apache Indian chief Screaming Eagle afterhis mother’s murder.

“The Ridiculous Six” is a Netflix original movie released this past Friday, and it aims to poke fun at western films, particularly the 1960 classic “The Magnificent Seven.”

This film has a couple of interesting plot twists that were unexpected, and the ending is likely not what the audience had anticipated. Like any western film, moviegoers must wait with anticipation until the end to see if the guy will get the girl, and whether or not good will trump evil.

And wait you shall, as this film seemed somewhat long and tedious to finish with nearly two hours of playing time. The cheap laughs and crude humor are typical of other Happy Madison productions, and if you have

ever seen an Adam Sandler film in the past, “The Ridiculous Six” measures up well to his past work such as “Billy Madison,” “Happy Gilmore” and “The Wedding Singer.”

Not only is Sandler the star of the film, he is also co-writer as well as co-producer.

There are many noteworthy actors in the cast including Taylor Lautner as the “special” redneck brother, Rob Schneider as Ramon, the donkey-loving hispanic brother and Steve Zahn, the cock-eyed cowboy out to stop the Stockburn Brothers from finding their father.

Vanilla Ice even makes an appearance as a rapping Mark Twain, showcasing his lyrical genius to fellow upper-class cowboy comrades. The number of hilarious actors in this film alone make it worth watching, and you are sure to be laughing throughout the majority of the movie. It could have been cut a little shorter however, as my mind began to drift midway through the film.

The film, although clearly a parody, did receive some bad publicity after upsetting some members of the Navajo Nation Indian Tribe.

Over 100 Native American tribe members were recruited to join the cast as extras, and several of them had reportedly walked off set after being offended by the film’s portrayal of women and Native Americans.

This film is obviously meant to illicit laughter and is a good example of yet another Happy Madison Productions success.

The film is good, but not great, yet it will certainly offer some cheap laughs and offensive jokes.

The writers rile everyone across the board however, as they poke fun at white people for their inability to dance, African Americans for working as entertainers for the white and wealthy, and women for being kept around solely as sex objects for men.

The jokes in this film are stupid-funny, rather than being witty and clever, but this is familiar territory when dealing with Adam Sandler. The bad stunts and weak acting only embrace the silliness that Sandler was going for, and this fun comedy is sure to make you laugh.

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Top Albums of 2015 Noe Felix Staff Writer

5. “The Album About Nothing” -Wale

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his album is without a doubt one of the most underappreciated albums of the year, yet one of the biggest highlights. “The Album About Nothing” shows that Wale is a lyricist to be reckoned with, and it proves to be his strongest body of work to date. The album content is meaningful and mature, touching on issues that range from racism to commercialism.

“The White Shoes” is an amazing track that talks about materialism and its affect on how people view others.

Wale argues that people care more about how they look than what they

4. “Beauty Behind The Madness” -The Weeknd

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his album spawned multiple Billboard top 10 singles, and for good reason. The Weeknd’s sophomore debut marked his first step into mainstream music, without leaving his signature drug and lust content behind.

With sleek production by Kanye West, “Tell Your Friends” lets listeners know that he is still The Weeknd they fell in love with through his lyrics, “I’m that n**ga with the hair/ singing bout poppin’ pills/ f**cking bitches/ living life so

3. “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” -Drake

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rake has been getting a lot of backlash over the years from everyone, with comments that say that he is too emotional and soft.

This album proved that Drake was everything but that. No hooks, no pop songs, just good ol’ lyricism at its finest.

Everyone is used to Drake rapping about losing love, and while there are a few tracks that show that, most are Drake proving that he is not to be messed with.

His machismo and bravado are abound in this album. Drake vents his anger, his paranoia and the hardships of keeping friends in this business, all with amaz-

are doing with their lives. Album highlight, “The Need To Know” discusses the fine line between friends and lovers.

These stories make “The Album About Nothing” standout from the other mundane rap albums that 2015 brought.

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trill,” he croons. “Dark Times,” is arguably the best song on the album, painting the picture of late night bar fights and failing to keep one’s promises. The content here is dark and bleak, but that’s what makes it so memorable.

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ing ferocity. The Ginuwine-sampling “Legend,” finds Drake bragging about being, of course, a legend in his city.

It’s this sense of confidence that makes every track standout. “Jungle” slows everything down, and takes the listeners to a Drake they are most used to. This album left fans wondering where Drake will go next.

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facebook.com The first season of “Jessica Jones” was released by Netflix on Nov. 20.

Marvel shows a more mature side Sean Curzon Staff Writer

Review

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ometimes you need a hero, other times you just need a detective.

This is one of the latter. Based on the comic “Alias,” “Jessica Jones” brings yet another great show to enhance Marvel’s reputation. The name of the show was changed in order to avoid confusion with the old ABC show with the same name.

All 13 episodes of “Jessica Jones” were released on Nov. 20. The series follows title character Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), a former superhero who retired after a disturbing run-in with the super villain Kilgrave (David Tennant) who has the ability to control minds.

Jones currently acts as a private investigator, but when a missing person case leads

her back to Kilgrave, she must face her past. She is joined by her friend Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), former child star-turned-radio talk show host. Luke Cage (Mike Colter) plays a bartender with indestructible skin and ties with Jessica’s past.

“Jessica Jones” is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While in continuity with “The Avengers” films and the Netflix show “Daredevil,” they’re not required homework to watch beforehand. The show follows as Jones deals with being in a world where people with powers are an everyday occurrence.

The performances are great. Ritter brings out the edge in Jones. Tennant steals the show as Kilgrave. His performance adequately displays the ego and psychopathic nature of someone who can literally get whatever they want.

This is the most adult project that Marvel Studios has done. The show creates a feel of paranoia as Jones

never knows who is under Kilgrave’s control. Another theme is recovering and dealing with trauma.

The show, without hesitation, talks about subjects like rape and abortion. “Jessica Jones” talks about these subjects in a way that’s frank without becoming graphic or gratuitous.

The side plots are not as interesting as the main story.

The episodes get bogged down with Jones’ eccentric neighbors or the marriage problems of her lawyer, all of which are just not essential to the series.

The show is shot rather realistically, as opposed to the noir style that most detective shows have. Voiceover is only used in the first and last episodes. Even the superpowers are presented very matter-of-fact. They’re no wham shots showcasing Jones’ powers. She just has super strength. No big deal.

“Jessica Jones” is a dark, yet mature look at superheroes from another perspective.

2. “To Pimp A Butterfly” -Kendrick Lamar

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endrick Lamar puts civil rights at the forefront of the album, rapping about the realities of our world. The MC reminds everyone that systematic oppression still exists, and that it’s time for people to stand up and make a change. Everything from old school hip-hop to funk to soul are present in this album. “King Kunta” finds Lamar rapping about people who are afraid of a black man with power.

With slick funk productions, Lamar raps, “B*tch, where was you when I was walking?/ Now I run the game got the

1. “You Should Be Here” -Kehlani

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ewcomer Kehlani stole the show this year. This album is the shot in the arm R&B needed. It’s about joy and sadness, jealousy and hate, love and lust. It takes a listener on a journey through one’s life.

Kehlani’s voice is raspy, yet filled with so much soul. The great thing about this album is that no two tracks sound similar. Each song is carefully woven into a different story. “Bright” is a blues influenced song about self-love. “The Letter” is a powerful ballad that discusses her broken relationship with her mother. Album highlight, “The Way,” is a smooth and slow production that weaves in and out of its bouncy synth, and is helped by a memorable verse

whole world talking/ Everybody want to cut the legs off him (Kunta)/ Black man taking no losses.” “Alright” is an uplifting track, finding Lamar rapping about the struggles he’s been through.

There’s so much weight in the content presented, that it leaves its mark as the album ends.

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from Chance the Rapper. The song finds Kehlani showing her true feelings to the man she’s with. “Never met someone who spoke my language/ never met a n**ga done with playin’/ you the type of n**ga make me lane switch,” she sings.

Kehlani’s album is astonishing and is a must-buy for any music lover out there.

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Student Life Campus fashion watch

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Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015

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sonomastatestar.com

Winter edition Jerri Cohen Staff Writer

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ith the help of cold weather and final exams, it’s easy to slump right into leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. I‘m here to remind the female students at Sonoma State University that looking chic, trendy and put-together is not as difficult and tedious as it’s hyped up to be in students’ heads. Clothing is a representation of how one would like to be portrayed at a first sight so swing by the local mall to pick up some items represented by my favorite winter trends.

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ith this outfit, I went for a casual, yet trendy approach. Plaid is one of my favorite trends that can easily be dressed up or dressed down. When most think of plaid, it’s commonly affiliated with ripped jeans or leggings, but it can easily be elevated with a little bit of creativity.

Here I am wearing black wax coated jeans that look similar to how a leather pant would. These highrise black wax pants give this festive flannel more of an urban edge. To tie these pieces all together, I threw on a denim jacket and a pair of black booties. Plaid is always a go to- it’s cozy, colorful and comfortable.

A plaid can add the perfect amount of pattern and warmth when it’s worn as a layering piece.

COURTESY // Jerri Cohen

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COURTESY // Jerri Cohen

ll black everything has been trending for quite some time now. Towards the end of fall and beginning of winter, I find it socially acceptable to pair black items with other black items. Black merchandise always tends to pair well with one another.

Whether it’s black leather and black suede or black silk and black denim, anything goes. This outfit may be a bit more formal than your everyday boyfriend jeans and flannel, but I love the elevated and elegant look of this dress with these shoes. Because it is a bit more brisk outside, I threw on a pair of tights for warmth.

This is a great day-to-night outfit. This dress is the perfect dress to wear to work with a pair of black booties and chunky scarf and can easily transition into an evening appropriate look. Just throw on a favorite leather jacket, and heels for your date downtown. Accessories with an outfit make all of the difference to me. To top off this sleek look, I added a black and gold statement necklace to add some edge. Black on black is always an easy, chic and versatile look.

COURTESY // Jerri Cohen

yelp.com The “Big & Sexy Fries” are one of the Jaded Toad’s most popular menu items and features sweet potato fries topped with onions, shredded cheese and chilli.

his outfit is simple yet trendy. Turtlenecks are one of my favorite trends to date. I took a simple black turtleneck sweater and “lazy tucked” the front end of the sweater into a pair of high wasted, maroon colored garment died skinny jeans.

To top off this outfit, I chose to go with a simple black belt, a black beanie and a minimal gold necklace. This outfit is cozy, chic and comfortable. This outfit showcases two of my favorite winter trends right now - cozy sweaters and colored pants.

I chose this outfit to demonstrate because the comeback of turtlenecks may be intimidating to some, so I decided to keep it simple. It’s hard to go wrong when pairing two of one’s favorite basic items together, so feel free to mix and match.

Great and inexpensive pieces like these items can easily be found at any Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Nordstrom or Gap.

facebook.com The outdoor environment that the Jaded Toad offers gives a cozy and homey vibe. With a fire pit and lights hanging from the deck, the Jaded Toad is a casual place to get together with friends.

One kiss with this toad and it’s love Lawrence Ricardo Staff Writer

Review

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ommunity, diversity and inclusiveness are three of the most important values that owner Greg Maples claims that his new Cotati restaurant, Jaded Toad BBQ and Grill, is founded on. With its opening a little over two weeks ago, this restaurant may have had a shaky start, but my experience has me thinking they have a promising future.

The Jaded Toad is located in the Oliver’s shopping center in Cotati at 500 East Cotati Ave. that features an outdoor seating location with fire pits, community tables and an impressive outdoor bar.

Maples has an original Jaded Toad location in Windsor, CA, but wanted to bring a bigger location to the Cotati community because it offered a great target base as the area acts as a melting pot of cultures between the Sonoma County natives and the Sonoma State University college students. However, the opening of the Cotati location was not ideal for its timing. When I first heard of this place, I

questioned why an outdoor restaurant would open during the coldest season of the year. With El Niño expecting to hit within a few months, one can’t help but question the poorly planned timing.

“I actually did some digging around and heard that they ran out of money before they finished building it, so they had to force open it,” said Sonoma State alumni, Jamila Dozier.

Turns out they did open early, and consider this a “soft opening” as their official opening is on New Years Eve, according to my waitress. However, owner Greg Maples explains the situation differently, in which he says the restaurant was supposed to be open months earlier.

“Timing didn’t work out the way that I wanted it. It was supposed to be a spring or summer opening, but it got delayed,” said Maples. “It was mainly because of dealing with five different agencies to open a restaurant—ABC, health, building, planning, and fire, in which you have to make them all happy.” The process that should have been much quicker ended up being dragged out.

Though the timing was not ideal for the business, it was apparent that the restaurant seems to be picking up momentum through the consistent flow of customers.

The Jaded Toad offers a happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in which all “munchies” menu items, also known as appetizers, are half-off in addition to $1 off all alcohol

purchases. This location is perfect if you are looking for an environment and ambiance that resembles locations such as the Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol and Lagunitas Brewing Co. in Petaluma.

I had the “Big & Sexy Fries” which were house cut fries and chili, topped with chopped onions & shredded cheeses. For the most part, it offered a reasonable amount of toppings to compliment the fries themselves.

I was pleased to see that flavor was important to them, which justified the costs of their menu items. My friend ordered the “Pulled Pork Sliders” that also proved satisfactory to its cost. It is on the costly side, but the option for a happy hour dining experience offers a good alternative.

“The food reminded me of southern barbeque with a twist,” said Sonoma State student Julia Burton-Christie.

“The outdoor seating was friendly and cozy, something you don’t see at a typical restaurant.”

It’s an exciting opportunity to have the Jaded Toad in the Cotati community. Open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and 12 a.m. on weekends, the grill provides the opportunity for Sonoma State students an alternative to the overcrowded and overhyped “Cotati Crawl”. However, you can have the best of both worlds and have dinner and a drink at the Jaded Toad and then walk less than five minutes to the Downtown Cotati bars.

Student Life

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Seawolves SPEAK! Holiday traditions

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Sammuel Davis Staff Writer ith the holidays just right around the corner, students are excited to be able to return to their families for the holidays. With a total of five weeks of freedom, seawolves are eager to start their breaks. All students are ready for their family traditions and home cooking. The STAR asked Sonoma State Univeristy students, “Do you have any holiday traditions that you will be celebrating over winter break?”

“This year for Christmas break I will be working and taking a winter class. On Christmas Eve my family opens one gift which is always PJs and a book with a note from my dad on the inside cover. On Christmas Day, my family always goes to the movies and the kids cook dinner for the parents.”

-Gretchen Muller, third year communication and media studies major

“My mom makes homemade ravioli and cookies on Christmas Eve. It’s a tradition we have had ever since I was little. Instead of my mom writing our names on our gifts, she gives us our own color of wrapping paper. We always find out on Christmas eve what color we are going to get; it’s a family tradition.”

- Daisy Agers, first year and early childhood studies major “I am going to be going to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland for the holidays with my family. I am also going to hangout with my friends.

I have a tradition with my friends where we take a New Year’s hike. We drive up to Santa Cruz and go hiking for the day.” - Juan Orantes, first year and sociology major

“Over Christmas break, I will be going back home to San Diego. My family and I go to Disneyland every Christmas, it’s our family tradition. My roommate lives in L.A. so I’m going to visit her as well. This is going to be the first road trip I have done with my family.” - Dalia Calixto, first year sociology major

Local holiday happenings

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Megan Corcoran Staff Writer

or college students, the saying “winter is coming” tends to really mean, “finals are coming”. With one week left in the semester now is the time to hit the books and do those last few extra credit assignments.

“Located at 1190 Cielo Court the Weaver’s have been transforming their house into a magical display for over 20 years. Every cutout, including the giant castle, is hand carved and painted by Scott Weaver and his family.”

But it’s also okay to take a break from studying and indulge in the holiday festivities and good cheer.

For those sticking around for a while after the semester comes to an end there are plenty of events and activities that come just once a year to Sonoma County. After Thanksgiving passes, neighborhoods begin to slowly pop up with light displays and epic decorations. What some people may not know is that Rohnert Park has it’s own magical winter wonderland. The Weaver’s Winter Wonderland to be exact.

Located at 1190 Cielo Court, the Weaver’s have been transforming their house into a magical display for over 20 years. Every cutout, including the giant castle, is hand-carved and painted by Scott Weaver and his family.

“The Weaver’s Winter Wonderland is breathtaking. There’s so much to look at and there’s even a red sleigh you can take pictures in,” said junior Megan Masek.

Taking four weeks to completely assemble, the house caught the attention of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight last year and resulted in the Weaver’s taking first place and a grand prize of $50,000.

The lights are on from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will be on display until Dec. 31. With the holiday season also comes theatrical plays and events such as “The Nutcracker”. The Santa Rosa Dance Theater is putting on a production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”, and will feature the Sonoma County Philharmonic.

“Seeing The Nutcracker has always been a holiday tradition for my family, and I can’t wait to hear the Sonoma County Philharmonic play”, said junior Stephanie Light.

The play will run Dec. 18, 19, and 20 at Spreckels Performing Arts Center. For show times and ticket prices see santarosadancetheater.com.For those that have always wanted to have a movie-moment horse carriage ride the 28-year Railroad Square tradition is back for this holiday season.

Historic Railroad Square is in the heart of “Old Town” Santa Rosa and free horse carriage rides are taking place every weekend until Christmas. Pick-up is at the depot and hours run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sat and Sun and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Thinking about

GRADUATE SCHOOL? 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

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Sports

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Twelve days of seawolves The Sonoma State Athletic Association finds a way to give back to its supporters Olivia Luchesse Staff Writer

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ave you ever wondered how Sonoma State Athletics raises money? How scholarships are paid for? Or, who puts on athletic events?

Well, the answer to each of these questions is the Sonoma State Athletic Association, also known as the SSAA. The SSAA provides both mental and financial support for intercollegiate athletics at Sonoma State University.

Membership is open to alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of Sonoma State Seawolf Athletics.

Their goals are to increase corporate funding to the athletics department on campus and develop a program that is visible on both the local and national scale.

They also promote team and individual accomplishments on campus along with coaching excellence.

The association is ran by former Sonoma State head football coach, Frank Scalercio, who works hand-inhand with students who are involved in the program as well.

The goal of the students involved is to help put on events for alumni and students in order to raise money

for Sonoma State Athletics.

The students are in charge of putting on events such as Pack The Den, which is meant to bring students together for university spirit and to get more support for Sonoma State sports and athletes.

“I love being involved with SSAA,” said Kate Dalman. “I was an athlete my whole life so getting to be apart of athletics here has been so much fun.”

The objective of the videos, Cantu said, is to “give back and show them all how much we all care about their support.

It’s to give them appreciation in a fun and creative way.”

Another student that is a part of the SSAA is senior Josh Cantu, a photographer who can be found at most Sonoma State games.

His work with SSAA gives the students and supporters a visual on SSU athletics.

This year, Cantu and the SSAA started a new tradition called the “Twelve Days of Seawolves.” Every day

for 12 days in December, a video from each of the men’s and women’s sports teams is posted to the SSAA Facebook page.

In it, athletes express their gratitude for everyone who supports each of the teams that make up Sonoma State Athletics. It gives fans of Sonoma State athletics a chance to get to know the players that represent their unviersity on the field of play.

The objective of the videos, Cantu said, is to “give back and show them all how much we all care about their support. It’s to give them appreciation in a fun and creative way.”

Cantu has done a lot for the marketing side of SSAA as well, and has used his photography and video-making skills to help this association.

Each student involved has taken on a different role to help this association in their own way.

To view the “12 Days of Seawolves” videos, visit the SSAA – Sonoma State Athletic Association Facebook page.

SSAA is always open to getting more students involved and helping the athletics in any way.

If you are interested in getting involved or want to donate to Sonoma State Athletics please Email Frank Scalercio at Frank.scalercio@sonoma.edu or go to sonomaseawolves.com

facebook.com

The underdog advantage

Aubrie Tolliver Staff Writer

E

ven we expected to lose, although we didn’t want to admit it.

The odds were stacked against us.

We knew it, the other team knew it and the people in the stands knew it.

We were playing in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Division II Regional softball tournament against our rival, Humboldt State; the team that had beaten us in our four previous meetings (one of those games by ten runs).

Always be the underdog.

Even with the odds in your favor and the expectation to win, every victory in life must be fought for.

Needless to say, when their team hit a grand slam that put them ahead 5-1 in the second inning it was heartbreaking but expected.

In my experience as an athlete, I have found that playing with the expectation to win is one of the hardest things to do. Playing with no expectations, though, is one of the easiest.

Luckily, that was us.

We were the underdogs. We had nothing to lose, no expectations and no pressure.

Humboldt State, on the other hand, in that same moment, had everything to lose. And with that pressure weighing heavily on their shoulders, they crumbled.

They would only get one more hit for the rest of the game. As for us, in the top of the sixth we hit a grand slam of our own and held on to win by a final score of 5-4.

The “top dogs”, like Humboldt, are usually

the teams that possess the best record, most talent and greatest confidence. All of those traits together would seem to make up an unstoppable team. But if that were so, then why don’t those types of teams finish their seasons undefeated?

Former NFL running back Archie Griffin answered this question f lawlessly when he famously said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.”

Just like Archie said, the fight is what it ultimately comes down to.

An underdog is constantly being faced with adversity. They may not possess the greatest talent but where they lack in skill they make up for in heart.

A top dog usually doesn’t face much adversity; rather, they rely on sheer skill to win their games. Therefore, when faced with struggle, they are easily rattled.

So, my question to Archie would be this: Is it possible to posses both the talent of a top dog and the passion and fight of an underdog?

Although Archie wasn’t able to answer my question, I have found somebody who could— the Golden State Warriors.

They are, in every sense of the word, a top dog. The reigning 2015 NBA Champions have some of the greatest players in the league and possibly to ever step on the court.

But even though the Warriors are expected to win, essentially, every game and must play with the pressure of a world championship on the line, they fight.

“We’ve had some battles and, obviously, we’ve had some lopsided victories,” said Stephen Curry, the team’s point guard and leading scorer. “But what gets lost in the record is the tough games we’ve had to claw our way out of.”

That is why they see success: they continue to fight as if they were the underdogs. And that is the difference.

Always be the underdog.

Even with the odds in your favor and the expectation to win, every victory in life must be fought for.

That was the difference between my team and Humboldt’s that day: we were fighting. We were fighting every inning, every play and every pitch during that game.

And when that ball went off of my bat and over the fence with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, I realized that being the underdog in a hard-fought victory is the greatest kind of victory there is.

SEAWOLVES SPORTS

Saturday Dec. 19 Women’s Basketball at The Wolves’ Den vs. Chico State 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball at The Wolves’ Den vs. Chico State 7:30p.m.

Sunday Dec. 20 Women’s Basketball at The Wolves’ Den vs. Maryville 5:00 p.m.

Courtesy of sonomaseawolves.com

Sports

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

Page 11

Men’s basketball team drops third straight Aubrie tolliver Staff Writer

“W COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com

Men’s Basketball

1

2

F

Sonoma State University

33

29

62 (5-4)

Humboldt State University

39

38

77 (6-1)

Sr. David Ahern: 17pts, 3/8 3FG, 1 Ast Women’s Basketball

1

2

3

4

F

12

17

12

16

57 (4-6)

Humboldt State University 11

12

20

22

65 (4-5)

Sonoma State University

Sr. Hannah Sourek: 14pts, 4 Reb, 1 Stl, 1 Ast

e’re not broken, but we’re bent,” That was what Head Coach Pat Fuscaldo had to say after his team dropped their third, consecutive conference game Saturday night against Humboldt State in Arcata.

“What we need to do is find a way for us to raise our level of play to a consistent level,” said Fuscaldo.

The 77-62 loss to the Lumberjacks slumped the Seawolves record to 5-4 overall and 0-3 in conference while Humboldt improves to 2-1 in the CCAA and 5-1 overall.

Although the ‘Jacks were the first to score in the first half, senior forward James Slade got the ball rolling for the Seawolves after draining a 3-pointer less than one minute into the game.

Then, Sonoma found themselves in a hole with eight minutes to go in the first half and down by 16.

An offensive rally, led by senior guard David Ahern, made the deficit just six by half time. Ahern scored eight of his 17 points during that time, including three from behind the arc.

After Slade began the second half with a jumper, the Lumberjacks went on to score 11 unanswered points. At the 1:28 mark, Humboldt led by 19, the greatest deficit of the night.

The Seawolves drained three more shots in a last minute effort by the offense but it wasn’t enough to triumph over the ‘Jacks.

The buzzer blew and the Seawolves’ fate was sealed.

Ahern led his team with 17 points on the night, which was a season-high for him. Junior Nathan Maloney-Benjamin’s six rebounds were also enough to top his team.

Senior center Luke Cochran also had a noteworthy night, contributing 11 points and snatching five balls off the backboard.

The Seawolves have yet to win a game versus a CCAA opponent, losing to UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos and, now, Humboldt.

Fuscaldo says that his team’s 0-3 start is due in part to opening up their season against some of the toughest conference opponents.

UCSD remains undefeated on the season while San Marcos and Humboldt State have dropped just one game each against the CCAA. Each team finds themselves in the top half of the standings.

Fuscaldo says that in order turn the season around, his team must be able to find their A-game.

“Hopefully, practice Tuesday through Friday we’ll find it,” said Fuscaldo. “They know that they are better than they have been playing,” The team is scheduled to return home Saturday night to play rival Chico State in the last game of 2015. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Wolves’ Den. The Seawolves are hoping to pull off an upset with the Wildcats being unbeaten in their nine games this season.

Women’s Soccer • • • • • • •

Nationally Ranked #24 Overall Record 14-3-3 Undefeated in Conference Play CCAA Champions Program Record 14 Shutouts 9 players received all conference Honors Coach Emiria Salzmann-Dunn Received CCAA Coach of the year • Senior Carolyn Greco Received Defensive player of year • Senior Goalkeeper Ashley Luis 958 Minute Scoreless Streak • Senior Margi Osmundson First Team NSCAA All American

Women’s Volleyball • • • • • • •

Nationally Ranked #18 Overall Record 26-4 CCAA Champions 22 Match Winning Streak 5 Players Received All Conference Honors Bear Grassl CCAA Coach of the year Kaitlyn Connolly CCAA Libero of the year

STAR // Connor Gibson Courtney Seda, #6 set the ball for Caylie Seitz, #5.

Senior Caylie Seitz (Volleyball) • • • •

CCAA Player of the year D2CCA All west region player of the year 1st Team AVCA All American SSU All-Time Leader in Kills, Kills Per Set, Attack Attempts, Points and Matches Played.

• Ranked 2nd all time in Kills in Division II

Women’s Golf • • • •

Champion of SSU invitational at Foxtail Golf Course Senior Sarah Rotter Placed 1st Overall at SSU invitational 2nd Place Finish in Dixie State Invitational Finished in Top Ten of every tournament in fall season

Women’s Cross Country

• 2nd Place Finish at Humbolt State Invitational. Best Finish in Program History.

• 2nd Place Finish at SSU Invitational. Best Finish in Program History.

• Senior Maria Hurtado Led SSU as Top Finisher in all tournaments • Hurtado was Lone SSU Representative at NCAA West Regional Tournament.

Men’s Soccer

• Overall Record of 10-7-2 • Four Players received All CCAA Honors • Senior Brenton Frame led team in goals scored with 7 goals this season • Sophomore Mitch North Led CCAA in Saves with 90

Men’s Golf

• Champion of The SSU Invitational at Foxtail Golf Course • Two top five finishes • Brandon Lee and Nicholas Daniels named GCAA Division II All American Scholars

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Senior Soccer player Margi Osmundson knocking in a header.

Page 12

Photo

Dec. 15 - Dec. 21, 2015 sonomastatestar.com

A semester through a lens

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State University dancers performed at the university’s annual Fall Dance Concert held in Evert B. Person Theatre.

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez Upperclassmen welcomed the incoming freshmen class at the inaugural “Potenia.”

STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University’s volleyball team won 22 consecutive games, ranked 18th nationally, were CCAA regular-season and tournament champions and made it to the opening round of the 2015 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship.

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State Cheerleaders performed at“Midnite Madness.”

STAR // Brennan Chin Pianist Lang Lang performed at the 4 Green Music Center seasonopening gala. th

STAR // Connor Gibson Sonoma State University junior TJ Perez, #15 broke away from his defenders in the weekend home opener. The men’s soccer team finished with a 10-7-2 record.

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State President Dr. Ruben Armiñana reflected on his accomplishments at Sonoma State University.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Mel (played by Ashlyn Kelley), right, grasps Kate’s (played by Rosemarie Kingfisher) hand during “The Hummingbird Wars”.

STAR // Brennan Chin Students posed for photos with Snoopy during the Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center’s 10th anniversary celebration.

STAR // Brennan Chin Sonoma State University students gathered to celebrate the start of basketball season at the university’s annual Midnite Madness.

STAR // Nicole Detmers Tracy Martin addressed Sonoma State students at the “We are all Trayvon“ presentation in the Student Center Ballroom.

STAR // Brennan Chin YouTube star Jimmy Tatro took a picture with his fans at the FLI HIGH Nightclub after his performance.