Volume 76 // Issue 1

In this issue: Sports: Baseball team wins in a walk-off Pg. 11

Opinion: Star Wars Twitter campaign sparks controversy. Pg. 3 A&E: Students accepted into Cannes...again. Pg. 6

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 76 // ISSUE 1

Student Life: Students ‘Rock n’ Roll’ into spring. Pg. 9

FEBRUARY 2 - FEBRUARY 8, 2016

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

Cal State alumna Judy Sakaki named as university president Joseph Encinas Asst. News Editor

F sonoma.edu Judy K. Sakaki was announced as the new university president, set to take over on July 1.

or the first time in 24 years, the California State University Board of Trustees has named a new president of University Affairs for Sonoma State University.

Dr. Judy K. Sakaki, vice president of student affairs at the University of California, Office of the President, is Ruben Armiñana’s successor who is retiring on June 30 of this year. The announcement

of the new president came at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday during the Board of Trustees Committee on University and Faculty Personnel.

“I was absolutely honored and elated when I first learned that I had been selected to be Sonoma State’s next president,” Sakaki told the STAR. “It was a wonderful and very exciting moment in my life.”

Sakaki will be filling in the spot for Armiñana, the longest serving president in the California State University system. Since 1992, when Armiñana was named

president of Sonoma State, he has put the 269-acre campus through an overhaul, overseeing the construction of new buildings such as the Green Music Center and the Student Center, the central hub of student life on campus. On top of that, the student population of Sonoma State has grown to all-time highs while Armiñana manned the helm.

“I have known Dr. Sakaki for a number of years and I believe that she is a great fit for [ Sonoma State ],” said Armiñana. “She will be a very successful president here.”

Sakaki, 62, is inheriting an institution of higher education that welcomes 9,400 students and 1,300 faculty and staff members. Prior to her current position at the Office of the President, Sakaki served as vice chancellor of student affairs at University of California, Davis, as well as the vice president and dean of student affairs at Fresno State University.

A majority of Sakaki’s life has been dedicated to the California State University See PRESIDENT on Pg. 5

Dorm, cars burglarized Nicole Detmers Staff Writer

R

esidents were still asleep in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, Jan. 26 as a burglar broke into a Tuscany Village dorm room, stealing a laptop and other personal property.

“Waking up to find our doors wide open and window busted in was scary, to say the least.

And realizing that this wasn’t just some prank or mistake, but that this was a robbery and noticing that major personal belongings had been stolen, was really hard,” said Natalie Mandeville, sophomore and resident of the Tuscany Village.

Mandeville said the police were very helpful in handling the situation, but still feels a loss of trust and security in her environment.

According to the Campus Crime Report, since September 2015, about 49 percent of reported crime involved petty theft or burglary of some kind.

The dorm of Mandeville and her suitemates was victim to one of three on-campus thefts that occurred in the past month.

When asked why students might have been targeted, Campus Police Captain and Patrol Commander Dave Dougherty said theft occurs when property is left unattended, doors or windows are left open or unlocked.

They also warn against leaving valuable items ­— like laptops or credit cards — in the open and not leaving out hidden keys, as thieves are able to find them.

“Since this happened, we have been extremely diligent about closing and locking all windows, as well as being very aware of who

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we bring into our home, whether it be old friends or new acquaintances,” said Mandeville, “We’ve brought all personal belongings of value into our rooms and leave nothing in the living room or kitchen anymore, for fear that it will happen again.”

Mandeville also said students should acknowledge their surroundings and pay special attention to details such as windows left cracked open, unfamiliar people lingering around the dorms and maintaining a knowledge of where your belongings are.

A level of cautious advice has also been extended by campus police to Sonoma State motorists.

Dougherty provided some general vehicle safety advice in light of recent car burglaries, telling students to approach their cars with keys in hand, take caution and look in the back seat before entering the car and lock doors after you have entered the vehicle.

Dougherty also reminds students to keep car doors locked, windows up and valuable items including mail out of sight.

Potential thieves can read your address and follow you home.

“Personally, I would like to see a major increase in active prevention of crime from the campus police and the residential life office, either by the installation of a basic surveillance system, or the implementation of on-duty officers/ CSA’s doing a nightly tour through the residential buildings, or something of the sort,” said Mandeville.

Campus Police See THEFTS on Pg. 4

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STAR // Megan Corcoran Sonoma State University students showed off their talents at Saturday’s “Seawolves Got Talent” show at Lobo’s. Student Vita Rodriguez performed a stand-up comedy routine, entertaining the crowd of students.

Students take center stage at ‘Seawolves Got Talent’ See the full recap on page 8.

University bans hoverboards amid safety concerns Shane Welch Staff Writer

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mid the rapid rise in popularity of hoverboards and similar electric personal vehicles, Sonoma State University’s Housing Services recently announced a ban on the use and storage of the vehicles in campus residential areas. Housing services cited numerous incidents nationwide involving the devices potential to catch fire and explode while charging and when in operation.

The ban went into effect on Jan. 15.

Hoverboards are small selfbalancing electric vehicles which sense the user’s momentum in order to propel the user in the direction they wish to go. The devices, which have recently gained widespread popularity, have raised issues concerning the large amount of energy stored within the batteries of the de-

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vices and their fast rate of discharge which have the potential to lead to battery failures and cause damage while charging and when in use.

These concerns are compounded by numerous reports of the devices catching fire, damaging property and even causing injury. According to reports from The Press Democrat, in Sonoma County alone two of the devices have caught fire within the last week causing property damage in both cases and the loss of two dogs in one incident that took place on Jan. 20 in Santa Rosa.

In a newsletter that went out to students who reside on campus, it’s stated that the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as the California State Fire Marshall have issued warnings about the dangers associated with the devices. The newsletter also includes protocols that state all electronic devices in university housing have to be certified by Underwriter Lab-

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oratories, an independent safety company that certifies products. As of Jan. 15, a public notice by Underwriter Laboratories stated none of the hoverboards on the market were approved for safety by the company.

“Our safety concern is with the battery or other components of the devices catching fire and causing damage on campus property,” said Director of Campus Housing Nicole Hendry.

She also clarified that all appliances and electronics in residential housing must have Underwriter Laboratories certification.

Although the restriction was enacted on Jan. 15 for Sonoma State residents, those who have hoverboards on residential property were given advanced notice.

“Housing and Residential Life sent email notifications to all residence See HOVERBOARDS on Pg. 4

Visit: sonomastatestar.com

Page 2

Editorial

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

THE STAR Editorial Board Brandon Stachnik, Editor-in-Chief Peter Njoroge, Executive Editor Kayla E. Galloway, News Editor Joseph Encinas, Asst. News Editor Jenna Fischer, Opinion Editor Ashley Mar tin, Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor Shannon Brown, Student Life Editor Thomas Call III, Spor ts Editor Brennan Chin, Photo Editor Kimberly Baptista, Copy Editor Kyler Khan, Copy Editor Cassandra Owens, Adver tising Director Connor Gibson, Distribution Director Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser

Staff Writers Audrey Altman, Diana Arroyo, Shane Bickford Nikki Bridges, Josephine Clements, Sean Curzon Rene De Amaral, Nicole Detmers, Emilie Devitt Christine Edwards, Noe Felix, Sarah Fishback Nathanael Galvan, Nicholas Gray, Florencia Hasson Ethan Helms, Michele Herber t, Naaman Hightower Olivia Hunt, Allison Kelley, Vasilios Loufas Rachel McCloskey, Katelyn Quinn, Kathryn Reidy Blake Robinson, Carly Saber, Bianca Sanborn Kaila Sanders, Edgar Sanchez, Andrea Serles Nathan Shapiro , Jessica Shipma, Kristen Spear Shane Welch, Hailee Zastrow

Photographers Megan Corcoran, Sara Wildman

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: “Ri-Ri is back, darker than ever” Hip-Hop icon, Rihanna, released her album, “Anti”, last week on Jay-Z’s music streaming site, Tidal. Staff Writer Noe Felix described the album as “dark and “heavy” and ultimately convinced members of the STAR staff to give it a listen.

Read the story on page 7 Corrections/Clarifications The STAR values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication. However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know. Please report errors to the editor at star@sonoma.edu.

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

COURTESY // Gustavo Vasquez

Getting back on track T

Stakes are high for new university president

he students and faculty of the California State University system have witnessed to a steady decline in university funding for the last 20 years. Granted, the trend has improved in the budget over the last few years as a result of higher enrollment, but universities have had to tighten their belts, nonetheless.

The president of the university serves as chief executive officer and, per calstate. edu, should show general administrative effectiveness including management of human, fiscal and physical resources.

Current president of Sonoma State University, Dr. Ruben Armiñana has shown effectiveness in accomplishing plans and expanding the university’s campus.

In his tenure at Sonoma State, Dr. Armiñana helped develop the Jean and Charles Shultz information center in August of 2000, the Green Music Center in 2012 and the Student Center in 2013.

Although partially privately funded, the price tags on these buildings were not cheap, with the project cost of the library at $41.5 million, the Green Music Center at $140 million and the Student Center at $62 million.

While the students of

Sonoma State did approve the Student Center by vote (an election that was later challenged) they didn’t approve the consequences that faced allocating funds to the buildings. Class availability is still low while the acceptance rate of Sonoma State is still high, reaching 90 percent according to U.S. News and World Report.

Unfortunately, a general consensus has formed that the school’s finances were not properly handled and the voices of the students not heard.

However, a qualified professional trained in student affairs in the University of California system may be the answer to Sonoma State’s qualms.

Dr. Judy Sakaki, former vice chancellor of student affairs at University of California, Davis, was named as Armiñana’s successor, effective July 1.

Dr. Sakaki is very familiar with the CSU system, earning her bachelor’s degree in human development and master’s degree in educational psychology at CSU Eastbay.

Her history with the CSU system and her most recent experience with the UC system should translate into a comprehensive understanding of the interworking of the state’s education budget.

A university needs a president who shows they are concerned about students’ needs, not one who says they know better.

While a new student center was a stylish addition, it doesn’t serve as a replacement for faculty. What this university needs isn’t a new outdoor jumbo-television screen. It needs efficient class offerings to match the record acceptance rates.

When students beg for private parking lots to be opened and parking pass prices lowered, they don’t want to hear there is plenty of parking at the GMC. Instead, a president should offer the students the opportunity to cooperate with them and consider options and compromises.

According to The Press Democrat, Dr. Sakaki has worked to ensure student access, affordability and success in the UC system by creating policies and initiatives. While success is a relative term, many would consider earning a bachelor’s degree in a four-year span a great achievement.

The job of Dr. Sakaki is now to help Sonoma State students graduate on time and ensure they not be distracted by material things such as the giant screen that illuminates Seawolf Plaza.

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

F eb . 2 - F eb . 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Suppressing the real issue

K

Naaman Hightower Staff Writer

nown for its sloping streets and diverse culture, San Francisco is also known for a very overwhelming population of homeless residents in the 14th largest city in the nation. With one of the largest Sundays of the year being hosted mere miles away from San Francisco, the Super Bowl will no doubt attract many tourists to visit the famous city.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is in a rush to fix the infamous problem in San Francisco. this is another example of America trying to hide who we really are in the effort to earn millions of dollars.

According to the New York Times, a host city for the Super Bowl will bring in somewhere close to a half-billion dollars in revenue. With thousands of out-of-town visitors, hundreds of thousands of dollars made during this time will be collected by the host city.

Now, San Francisco is not the host city for the big game this year, however being only 45 minutes away, it will no doubt be most desirable place to visit during the Super Bowl.

What do you think will be the sight for sore eyes to the tourists and the embarrassment for Mayor Lee when they arrive? Homelessness.

Data from the Council for Community and Economic Research shows the total cost of living in San Francisco is 62.6 percent higher than the U.S. average. It has risen dramatically over the past year, and residents

don’t believe it’s going to decline any time soon.

As much as I want to be surprised or feel bad about the on-going problem in San Francisco, this has been America’s history for the last 30 years. We claim to be the greatest and most powerful country in the world, but according to U.S. Census, we lead the world in numbers of incarcerated citizens per capita, our economy is nowhere near where it used to be, the highest number of school shooting and then there’s our homeless problem. Now people like Mayor Lee try to cover up one of our major problems in efforts to be a good host for the Super Bowl? The problem here is not just San Francisco’s homelessness.

This problem with our country has been unveiled many times: we are money hungry.

From the time you are a child, the media shows you if you want to be successful, you have to be selfish. We force down our children’s throats about climbing the economic ladder by shoving whoever gets in our way without regard. We have no consideration or empathy for the crowd of people at the bottom of the economic ladder. Our lack of willingness to make a difference is the cause for the problem of homelessness in the city.

In order to begin to heal this issue, I believe we as a community need more empathy.

Homeless people are people nonetheless, and once we begin to see them as equal, we can gain a better understanding of how to help them. Surviving each day is more valuable than making millions of dollars that the majority of the population never sees.

COURTESY // Florencia Hasson

My body, my rules

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T

wo weeks after being declared a federal state of emergency

by President Obama, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan is still far from resolved.

The city’s water, previously sourced from the Flint River, hasn’t been treated properly since April 2014, resulting in the corrosion of city pipes and a dangerous level of lead being introduced into the water system.

The fact that it’s 2016 and a crisis of this magnitude is occurring is incredulous.

At this point, the city’s 102,434 residents weretold their water is unsafe to drink or to prepare food with. The impending health consequences of this exposure—especially to the city’s most vulnerable 8,657 children—has only begun to be uncovered. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder currently has no plan to replace the corroded pipes, nor has he proposed any specific actions to address the growing health concerns of the community.

There are a number of actions that could have been taken to evade or mitigate this situation. In large part, the citizens of Flint are suffering due to a gross ineptitude of the people appointed to take care of them. Sadly, this crisis has been years in the making.

In 2011, amid a financial state of emergency, the State of Michigan took over

Flint’s finances and appointed a financial manager to “cut the budget--at any cost,” said state Congressman Dan Kildee. At this time, the city stopped purchasing its water from Lake Huron and started sourcing it from Flint River.

CNN experts immediately recommended the state allocate $100 per day to add an anti-corrosive agent to the water to satisfy drinkability standards. Had this suggestion been taken seriously, the Flint water crisis would likely never have happened.

Rather than adhering to the advice of field experts, however, government officials failed to act.

In April 2014, then-mayor Dwayne Walling and other city employees appeared before local media to publicly drink Flint River water and dissuade complaints from concerned citizens.

Despite this heroic act from the Mayor, Flint residents were not convinced their water was safe. Civilians complained about the brown color and the foul odor of tap water.

When these concerns were ignored by city officials, some petitioned the help of outside experts. In September 2015, Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards was asked to look into the situation. His results were as undeniable and staggering: lead levels were the worst he had ever seen.

The same month, Flint pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha presented data that showed the percentage of children with elevated

blood lead levels had doubled throughout the city.

Finally, the city of Flint had concrete evidence to support their concerns. Yet both studies were shrugged off by the government and Dr. Hanna-Attisha and Professor Edwards were similarly shunned for “causing near hysteria,” according to Hanna-Attisha.

Although government officials continued to publicly deny the city’s water contamination, measures were being made to cover up their mistake. According to emails released by political group Progress Michigan, state employees began receiving bottled water in January 2015, following a notice “regarding violations to the drinking water standards.”

Finally, in October 2015, the water supply was switched back from Flint River to Lake Huron. But at that point, the damage had been done: the corroded pipes are past the point of repair, and the lead has already been ingested by virtually every citizen—40 percent of whom live below the poverty line.

This issue was avoidable and it’s absolutely unacceptable. It’s clear that the government only started to care about this lowincome community when the water situation became an outright disaster. The state officials knowingly breached their contracts by allowing these health violations to continue, and they simply need to be held accountable. The people of Flint deserve justice.

Olivia hunt Staff Writer

s a non-profit women’s health organization that provides services linked to controversial topics such as abortion, Planned Parenthood is used to receiving a plethora of scrutiny.

The organization is constantly fighting against losing their funding, which makes it especially hard when anti-abortionist extremists spread rumors that fetal tissue is being illegally sold inside their doors. On top of spreading false rumors, The Center for Medical Progress went as far as hiring actors to create scenarios in which Planned Parenthood representatives were depicted selling fetal body parts to outside sources. These ridiculous allegations led to many states taking investigative measures in order to ensure protocol was being followed No evidence was found and the clinic’s reputation was restored. Planned Parenthood spokespeople commented, “all of the organization’s tissue donations are made with full, appropriate consent from patients and under the highest ethical and legal standards and there is no financial benefit.”

This case dating all the way back to 2015 re-invigorated the long-running political debate over abortion rights in the United States. Although proved false, this case threatened to have the non-profit defunded which would put countless women at a huge disadvantage and take away from our rights. This controversy made the news yet again earlier this week with the grand jury indictment of the founder of The Center for Medical Progress.

Although the rumors were proved false, the fight to keep medical abortions legal is a long and hard road. Unfortunately, society has not yet reached a level where abortion is a widely accepted topic, stemming from the severe sensitivity of the subject. Pro-lifers protest viciously outside Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide and harass patients in attempt to shame them into changing their minds.

These acts are malicious and can be extremely traumatizing for a woman who is going through a hard process.

A common misconception that people have about Planned Parenthood is that their only service is performing

abortions. This stigma places a negative connotation on the organization and is an injustice to their work.

What many people don’t realize is that only three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services. Their other services include breast exams, pap tests, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and preventative pregnancy services. Another stigma attached is they only provide services for women. In fact, more than five million women, men and adolescents receive services from their medically trained professionals each year. They essentially function as any other doctor’s office, and provide simple tasks such as flu shots and routine check ups.

For most women, making the decision to get an abortion is not an easy one, and is a serious decision that calls for immense support and love, not hostility and judgement. If women were forced to go through with every pregnancy, it would have negative implications on the economy, the population and the education of women in general.

For example, if a college student unintentionally became pregnant and was forced to go through with the pregnancy, she would most likely have to drop out of school and move back home, thus stunting her education and future.

Therefore, she would struggle later in life to find a job to support her family. Granted, this isn’t always the case.

There are many times that a woman is financially and emotionally ready to support a child if an unwanted pregnancy did occur.

The concept that so many people struggle to grasp is the idea of pro-choice.

Women are human beings and should have the right to do what they want with their bodies. Some people who support abortion rights see abortion as a last resort and focus on a number of situations where they feel abortion is a necessary option.

Regardless of the situation, there are always going to be people who feel strongly one way or another about the situation, despite their viewpoint. One can only hope that in years to come, women have the power to make their own decisions regarding their bodies.

Where’s Rey?

Disaster by negligence Michele Herbert Staff Writer

Page 3

Rene De Amaral StaffWriter s a child, I remember walking into a toy store and being provided with limited options. Sure there were many different brands of dolls, such as Barbie and Bratz, but they were generally all the same: a generic female doll that you could dress up. I often would gravitate towards the more “boyish” section, just to change it up.

Now, not much has changed. Some movies have brought strong female characters to life on the big screen, such as Gamora from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Black Widow from the “Avengers” series and most recently, Rey from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” What do all these female characters have in common? They were left out of products, specifically toys, for each of their respective movies.

According to IMDb, “Avengers” was the highest grossing movie of 2012, “Guardians of the Galaxy” was the third highest grossing movie of 2014 and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was the highest grossing movie of 2015. With results like that, it’s hard to believe that any company would want to exclude a character, let alone a main protagonist, from store shelves. Yet, that’s what happened.

The most recent victim of this is Rey, the protagonist in the newest “Star Wars” installment. As an avid “Star Wars” fan, I was so excited to see that for once, a strong female character was in the protagonist role. The character not only embodies a strong new future for the movie industry, but also for young girls who don’t just want to shop in the Barbie aisle. It was disappointing to see, like in the past with other characters, Rey was left out of many toys in the first few waves of products.

According to Time Magazine, one of the biggest outcries from the public was that Rey was left out as a character option in the new “Star Wars” monopoly game, prompting the creation of the hashtag #wheresrey. Who did they replace her with?

Darth Vader, who aside from being a burnt helmet that Kylo Ren broods at, is not a character in “Star Wars: the Force Awakens”, and has no business being there.

Not only is it an insult to Daisy Ridley, who played the new iconic character, it’s an insult to Rey as a character.

Entertainment Weekly was the first to release a statement from Hasbro that said “The Star Wars: Monopoly game was released in September, months before the movie’s release, and Rey was not included to avoid revealing a key plotline that she takes on Kylo Ren and joins the Rebel Alliance.”

As if the many theatrical trailers where Rey was the central focus wasn’t enough of a hint to how important she was going to be to the film.

To remedy the situation, Hasbro has announced via twitter, that they will add Rey to the newest version of the monopoly game this coming summer, and many more Rey toys will be available in the fall. It’s just a shame that so many fans, young and old, were deprived of amazing Rey merchandise to begin with.

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COURTESY // Amazon.com The “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” set, missing a figure for Rey.

Page 4

News

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Faculty strike possible for university system Sarah Fishback Staff Writer

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ormally, Sonoma State University students starting spring semester concern themselves with the challenge of new classes and the accompanying homework, new school T-shirts and sweatshirts, club events, Residential Student Association trips, or, for those who want to be in a sorority or a fraternity, spring recruitment. However, this year there is a new concern that all students who attend California State Universities have to worry about.

Last semester, the California Faculty Association, a union that represents California State University faculty, authorized its members to strike. Perhaps surprisingly, most students on this campus are unaware of this strike and its objectives.

“Ever since we got back from break students have not been updated about this strike and do not know why professors are wanting to strike,” stated freshman Amber Pearson.

What students also need to know is that California State University professors did not receive the raise that they requested back on Nov. 4, according to an article written by Sonoma State’s statistics professor Elaine Newman. She is one of the many professors on campus involved in this potential strike.

In an opinion piece she wrote for The Press Democrat, Newman states that “for almost a decade, we received no raises at all, suffered under a year of furlough, reductions in pay, and saw our classrooms get more crowded. Faculty at Sonoma State have lost about $10,000 per year in purchasing power since 2004,” she said.

For some students like Breanna Gaither, the idea of a strike is upsetting. “It is sad that it is necessary that a strike will have to occur in order for professors to gain the money that they deserve,” said

Gaither. “The professors are not asking for that much of a raise and that administrators of the California State University schools are paid fives times more than teachers every year.”

Prietika Williams is a sophomore and believes that “it is understandable that the professors want a raise because they work hard and deserve to be paid for their work.”

She also believes that “the school has more than enough money to meet the professor’s request.” However, one thing Prietika is worried about is “if the professors pay is raised, will tuition be more expensive?”

Thankfully, students have some time before the strike potentially will begin, since the process of mounting a strike takes a long time.

This past week, the professors on the Sonoma State campus met up and discussed what they will need to do in order to make this strike happen. “The meeting also involved talking about how professors will reach out to students about the strike” stated Newman.

Since creating a strike involves legal process behind it, Newman could not comment on when the strike might officially begin. “If this strike were to actually happen, it could be between anytime after spring break and or mid-semester,” said Newman.

Knowing this new information will hopefully keep the Sonoma State University community more aware of what this strike is about, and why this strike is potentially so significant.

“The most important thing that students have to remember is that this strike would not hurt students. It would only allow faculty to attract more great teachers to Sonoma State University, and, with that, student’s education would be worth more. Overall, what students need to remember is that your teachers are fighting for you and a reinvestment in CSU education,” said Newman.

STAR // Megan Corcoran Sonoma State University students fell victim to thefts last week, with multiple burglaries occuring in dorms and parking lots around campus.

THEFTS: Police advise students to be cautious Continued from Pg. 1

issued a timely bulletin in accordance to the Jeanne Cleary Act, which was signed into law in 1990 ensuring that college police report campus crime statistics in a timely manner.

According to the Cleary Act website, this act was signed into law after the rape and murder of Jeanne Cleary in her college campus in order to create more awareness of crimes on campuses throughout the nation.

“Yes, we were all home, asleep, when it happened. As terrifying as it is, knowing that someone was inside our dorm while we were all peacefully asleep,” Mandeville said. “I’m grateful that we did not have to encounter the burglar face-to-face, because I fear that could have ended much more disastrously than this.”

Dougherty reminds students to dial 911 to report a crime that is in-progress and call Police Services 707-664-4444 to request an officer to respond or to obtain information for a report.

STAR // Connor Gibson Associated Students President Brandon Mercer was sworn in last May and now the student organization is looking for the next group of officers for the upcoming academic year.

Associated Students accepting applications for fall semester N ikki B ridges Staff Writer

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s the 2016 spring semester begins, so does the opportunity to become part of Associated Students at Sonoma State University. Do you want the opportunity for your voice to be heard and to make a difference in our university? If so, elections for the 2016/2017 year have opened and anyone who believes they are eligible should apply.

Not only is it something great to put on a resume, but it also comes with gaining leadership skills as well as many other benefits, according to current officers.

“Being on Associated Students had many benefits and has been one of the best decisions I’ve made,” said Associated Students Vice President Kate Chavez.

“Along with the professional skills acquired, we run a $2 million corporation and gain business skills.”

Associated Students includes Student Government, Associated Students Productions, Join Us Making Progress(JUMP), and the Children’s School on campus. Although all of these departments have separate intentions, each works

to fulfill the overall goal of bettering the Sonoma State campus.

Associated Students are solely student run and serve as the voice of students to make Sonoma State an even better university to attend.

The organizations consists of a 14-person Senate with one senator from each academic school, six special interest senators and four executive board members.

The organization members are open to student ideas, interests and says it wants to represent the student body in the best light.

Associated Students’ goal is to advocate and represent the 9,400 students on the Sonoma State campus and to improve student life and experience.

They also support and promote other programs and organizations to inform other students on how they can get involved on campus.

The current positions on the board are president, executive vice president and vice president of finance.

Positions for school senators open for application include arts and humanities, business and economics, education, science and technology and social sciences. Special interests are looking for people to fill

community affairs, diversity, involvement, students services, sustainability and undeclared.

Associated Students will be holding information sessions on various days to talk to students about what the positions entail.

The various sessions will be held by Associated Students and other board members to explain what they are looking for in a candidate.

These include the week of Feb. 1 as well as the following week. All of these sessions will be held in Erin Fisher Room located on the second f loor of the Student Center.

Applications are available to fill out online on Associated Students OrgSync page until Feb. 26 no later than 5 p.m.

“After learning a bit about it I actually could be open to applying because I think it would look great on a resume as well as be a really good social skills challenge,” said environmental studies major Patricia Barr, “I also have some ideas about how to improve our campus like having more sections for major classes, because it was hard for me to register for the classes I needed.”

HOVERBOARDS: Ban took effect last month Continued from Pg. 1

about the storage of hoverboards,” said Cyndie Morozumi, director of the office of Residential Life on campus. “We posted notices in each building as well.”

She also noted that residents will have time to remove the items from campus housing. “We will give them 24 hours to remove the board and issue a warning generally. If a fire results because of the item, or residents disregard the 24-hour notice then our conduct response would obviously look different.”

Sonoma State’s action in banning hoverboards in campus housing comes at a time when other California State Universities are banning them as well. California State University Monterey Bay, California State University

Chico, as well as many other CSU campuses have issued notices that restrict the storage of hoverboard devices in campus residences.

Although the primary concern of hoverboards are their potential to catch fire, other mechanics of the device follow similar safety concerns as other small personal vehicles and are expected to follow the same basic safety precautions..

“We expect for those using hoverboards to follow similar safety precautions as would anyone using any other small wheeled device” said Chief of Sonoma State Police and Safety Services Nathan Johnson. “So far, albeit the concept is still new, we have not experienced any major problems or issues concerning their use,” he said in regards to reported problems with the safety of hoverboards on campus.

News

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

Proposal for Dream Center expected to be given to administration this month Edgar Sanchez Staff Writer

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efore the end of the fall semester the Associated Students of Sonoma State University decided to follow the footsteps of California State Fullerton, Northridge, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Santa Rosa Junior College by approving a resolution to establish a Dream Center on campus — a resource to aid undocumented students through their college careers.

However, while many students are celebrating this historic decision, others feel in the dark about the logistics of the establishment. Some of the students’ major concerns are: How will the Dream Center be funded and where will it be located?

Brandon Mercer, president of the Associated Students, said a major point of debate on whether to approve the resolution was the vague information they had received on how the Dream Center would be funded.

“So far, the only indications [Associated Students] has received is that money will

be allocated from the general fund, the overall operating fund of the university which is about $100 million [in different reports],” said Mercer.

Mercer also wants to make sure his team will be able to provide “utter and complete transparency to the students of Sonoma State,” as he regards doing so as one of the most important aspects of his job.

For Griselda Madrigal, senior and president of the DREAMers Club, the positive outcome received from Associated Students was a major victory. However, she wants to make sure the ball does not stop rolling there.

“Can you imagine how many undocumented students have had to drop out of school because they were not supported at our predominantly white institution?” said Madrigal.

“With the establishment of a Dream Center, we will make sure undocumented students receive the mentorship necessary to thrive at our university.”

Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief Student Affairs Officer Matthew LopezPhillips said he is working

hard to make sure President Ruben Armiñana’s promise to inaugurate the Dream Center before the end of his tenure becomes a reality.

Lopez-Phillips regards the Dream Center as critically important because “Sonoma State must provide for the underserved population of students who have different struggles that do not fit into the services we normally provide.”

Lopez-Phillips is also aware that the needs of undocumented students are different at every college campus and for that reason believes, “there must be a strong connection to the undocumented students of Sonoma State to make sure we build the right Dream Center and not just a center.” LopezPhillips in collaboration with Mark Fabionar, director of the HUB, hope to turn in a proposal to the administration of Armiñana by Feb. 15 in which they plan to detail every aspect and service provided at the Dream Center with some of the most relevant being legal services and mentorship.

When asked where the new center would be located, Lopez-Philips wanted to clarify

a miscommunication between himself and Mercer as some students believed the administration was planning to assign a storage closet in the HUB as the location of this center.

“We are not interested in giving any student-group a closet. It is actually a full office that is currently being used to store materials from the HUB,” said Lopez-Phillips.

The official location of the center is not yet known, however, the office space in the

HUB appears to be the most promising option.

All three, Lopez-Phillips, Mercer and Madrigal, believe the Dream Center comes a bit late to the Sonoma State campus, yet they are happy and excited for the current students who will be able to use it and who will only benefit from it.

“I am glad Sonoma State is doing it now and not kicking it down the road until the next year, and the next year,” said Mercer.​

STAR // Nicole Detmers Sonoma State University students spoke out at the Associated Students’ last meeting of the fall semester, advocating the importance of a Dream Center.

PRESIDENT: Sakaki to take office in July Continued from Pg. 1

system, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and her master’s in educational psychology from Cal State’s Hayward campus, now known as CSU East Bay. “It is nice to know that our next president attended a California state university,” said Jorge Bautista, sophomore computer science major and employee of Sonoma State’s Outreach office, “That makes it feel like I can connect to her a little bit easier. Maybe she knows a little more accurately how to appeal to the students.”

Later, Sakaki earned her doctorate in education from University of California, Berkeley.

“Dr. Sakaki is taking over the leadership of a campus that is in very good shape and can move it even farther in providing retention, graduation and satisfaction to the students,” said Armiñana.

Now that the Board of Trustees has made its decision, it ultimately comes down to a transition process with Arminana on the way out and Sakaki moving in.

Changing leaders can prove a challenging task, but Sakaki’s familiarity with the daily operations of an institution of higher learning will only make the transition easier.

Prior to earning this position, Sakaki visited Sonoma State for two days, interacting with students, staff and the campus life. During this visit,

she listened to the concerns that various people had about the coming president. The current administration plans on taking several steps in making sure that Sakaki can come into her presidency position on July 1 as prepared as possible.

“We will be setting a date for her to visit [ Sonoma State ] and have meetings with me and the university leadership,” said Armiñana, “Every cabinet member has been asked to provide her with a briefing statement about their area of responsibility and there will be an open reception for all to meet her.”

Armiñana still has this spring semester at the helm, and he still holds goals and ideas he would like to get started before he must vacate the seat.

Armiñana would like to see that the MasterCard Pavilion and the Wine Business Education Institute projects start construction before his last day.

He would also enjoy seeing the graduation rates increase. Once he retires, Armiñana will still benefit the community of Sonoma State by being a trustee professor.

For Sakaki, she said she intends to come into office with the intention going into the community, listening, and learning from students, staff, faculty, alums and community members so she can better assess the needs and be the best leader she can be “Sonoma State is truly a gem,” said Sakaki, “We are the ‘small campus with big ideas’ and the ‘light of the mind, light of the world’.”

Sonoma County Sonoma County Transit has extended its free bus ride program through the end of 2016, allowing students at Sonoma State University, Santa Rosa Junior College and the University of San Francisco to ride the bus for free. To ride the bus, students are required to show a student I.D.

San Francisco The U.S Department of Justice has launched a review of the San Francisco Police Department to look into the use of force and ethical discrepancies within the department. This review, announced Monday, coincides with increased racial tensions in the city following the death of Mario Woods last month. Woods was killed when five police officers opened fired after Woods refused to drop a knife used in an earlier stabbing.

Blacksburg, Va. January Crime

Date

Location Status

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs

01/01/16

Wolf Den Plaza

Arrest

Vandalism

01/04/16

Warehouse - CES

Suspended

Possession of Marijuana

01/21/16

Bike Path

Arrest

Auto - Theft from Vehicle

01/25/16

Parking Lot 3

Suspended

Theft from vehicle/ 01/26/16 Residence Halls Vandalism Rioja

Open

Two Virginia Tech students have been taken into custody for the alleged abduction and death of 13-year-old girl, Nicole Lovell. ABC News reports it’s unknown how the victim knew the alleged perpetrators, although Blacksburg police suspect one of the alleged killers, David Eisenhaur, was acquainted with her. The two suspects were arraigned Monday morning and preliminary hearings are anticipated to occur in late March.

Page 6

Arts

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

If you believe, you Cannes International film festival invites two student teams

Christine Edwards Staff Writer

S

ome of Sonoma State University’s very own have once again been invited to the largest and most prestigious film festival in the world, the Cannes International Film Festival, to have their short films screened in France this coming May. The three films that will be screened at the festival are “The Vision” ,“Slut Man Friends” and “Bobby”. The films range from light and sarcastic, to touching and deeply emotional.

Each of these short films were made during the Campus Movie Fest (CMF), a nationwide filmmaking event that comes to the Sonoma State campus every fall. Students are given one week to write, film, produce, edit and create an entire production from start to finish. All necessary equipment is provided for students by CMF and since Sonoma State is one of the only participating universities without a film program, as Jury Award-winner Anna Luna points out, “we’re lucky to even be considered for this competition.”

The two groups are hoping to attend Cannes Film Festival in order to gain recognition and rub elbows with some of the industry’s most elite. Cannes is internationally recognized as on of the most prestigious and well-known event in the film industry.

Luna is a graduating senior Communications and Media Studies major, and made her directorial debut with her touching short film “Bobby,” which gives the audience a first-person perspective of what it feels like to grow up gay in a less than accepting household. This theme is particularly culturally relevant and near to Luna’s heart, as the story is based on one of her own family members.

“A lot of family members looked up to him, especially his younger brother,” said Luna. “I decided to tell the story through his eyes to show perspective on how he was treated and how it affected everyone in the family.”

Luna confessed her main inspiration stemmed from personal experience and she felt it was a great time to tell the story with all of the recent advancements in gay rights.

This isn’t Luna’s first rodeo, as she had been part of a film that was accepted to Cannes last year, and credits that experience to driving her to create something of her own.

“I put in a lot of work and dedication, a lot of hours and brainstorming,” Luna said. “It always feels good when your hard work pays off.”

Becoming the general manager of the on-campus television studio, SSU-TV, has given Luna a great deal of experience in the industry.

“It’s taught me a lot of leadership skills and allowed me to take on these big projects,” said Luna.

However, it is her fellow classmates that she says inspire her most. Luna aspires to become a director and has plans to move to L.A. post-graduation.

Another winner and Hollywood finalist, “Slut Man Friends,” was written and produced by senior Communication and Media Studies major Sean Tadlock. Both short films mentioned above were made in collaboration with their team of fellow student filmmakers, Studio 1063. Tadlock, also an actor in the short film, says the idea is based on a true story and showcases an unconventional friendship between a gay and a straight man.

“It’s a bold comedy geared towards a younger audience,” said Tadlock, “I also touch upon slut-shaming in the video, which I also feel makes it kind of pop more,” Tadlock continues, “As funny as I think it is, it also sends that message out towards the world that we shouldn’t be calling girls these names. Even though it is called “Slut Man Friends,” it’s kind of like us taking back the word in a way; owning it but not necessarily in the way that it’s been used in a negative (way).

It comments on the privilege that we as males have.”

Along with “Bobby,” and another CMF short film titled “The Vision,” “Slut Man Friends” will be screened at the Cannes Festival in May. “It’s definitely a huge honor,” said Tadlock, “I never thought I’d have this opportunity at such a young age.”

But students will not be able to take advantage of this opportunity until they raise the necessary program fees and travel expenses.

“It’s not totally real yet until I know for sure I’m going,” Tadlock said.

Tadlock manages the SSU-TV short film group and is also a photographer/videographer for Associated Student Productions. He largely credits his desire to go into the film industry to his professors, who have inspired him to believe in himself and never give up.

“I really owe my career start to my professors and the network of students I’ve met along the way,” said Tadlock.

He also has plans to move to L.A. after graduation and would like to get more into the behind-the-scenes world of filmmaking by writing comedy screenplays.

The third film being screened at the Cannes Festival this May is called “The Vision,” and was created by a team of SSU-TV students led by “Captain” Max Heller. This short film is a parody of the process the team went through filming for the CMF competition.

Professor Ed Beebout, who runs SSU-TV, has seen these students blossom and can only imagine what the future holds for these young filmmakers.

“I’m extremely proud that our students have received this kind of recognition not only this year but two years in a row now. It’s a testament to the amount of hard work and time they’ve put in,” Beebout said.

Each group of students has until Mar. 20 to come up with the necessary program fees to attend Cannes International Film Festival, which is about $2900 (not including travel expenses) per short film, each film being represented by two students.

facebook.com Charlie Baker, Sean Tadlock, Anna Luna and Kayley Kemp at Campus Movie Fest 2015.

‘Grease: Live!’ A blast from the past Emma Devitt Staff Writer

Commentary

G

rease was the word on Sunday, when “Grease: Live!” premiered on Fox. Directed by Thomas Kail (director of “Hamilton”), the live event was adapted for television based on the 1978 film. Musician Jessie J kicked off the night with her soulful cover of “Grease Is the Word,” moving through the multiple sets and dancing with the cast.

The performance starred celebrities such as Julianne Hough (“Safe Haven,” “Footloose”) as Sandy, Aaron Tviet (“Les Miserables”) as Danny, and Vanessa Hudgens (“High School Musical,” “Sucker Punch”) as Rizzo.

Mario Lopez showed up as Vince Fontaine, Carly Rae Jepsen as Frenchy, and “Saturday Night Live” veteran Ana Gasteyer as Principal Mcgee, along with a few lesser-known but incredibly talented individuals.

Keke Palmer (“Scream Queens”) wowed audiences with her rendition of “Freddy My Love” in her role as Marty Maraschino, and Jordan Fisher wooed the ladies in the live audience as Doody with his guitar and phenomenal voice.

Real “Grease” fans would notice that two members of the original 1978 movie cast came to join the fun. DiDi Conn, the original Frenchy played Vi, the malt shop waitress, while Barry Pearl, the original Doody played a T.V. producer for American Bandstand.

A few musical guest appearances joined the cast, with Boys II Men serenading Frenchy in “Beauty School Drop Out” and DNCE playing Johnny Casino and The Gamblers for the dance competition. Joe Jonas was a great fit to sing “Born To Hand Jive”.

Though most of the event stayed true to the original “Grease” script, a few things were changed. Small things,

like Sandy being from Salt Lake City instead of Australia, the addition of a cheer-leading dance-off between Sandy and Patty Simcox, as well as a few inevitable technical errors. The costumes were incredible, staying very true to the original film and 1950’s style.

This cast is extremely talented.

Each of the actors embodied their characters perfectly, from attitude to movement. The chemistry between Hough and Tviet was undeniable, as they worked great together. One could really feel the connection between them as Sandy and Danny. Hough nailed “Hopelessly Devoted” perfectly, and Tviet’s smooth vocals captured Danny’s attitude in “Grease Lightnin’”.

One can see how much work the entire cast put into this production.

From the choreography to the vocals, it all flowed naturally. Despite running between at least six different sets, multiple costume changes and El Nino making the outdoor scenes difficult and wet, these actors would never let you know they were exhausted.

Perhaps the most talked about performance was Vanessa Hudgens, not only because she played a fantastic Betty Rizzo, but because only hours before “Grease: Live!” was filmed, her father passed away from cancer.

Hudgens tweeted the announcement and said she would be “doing the show in his honor.” Her incredible rendition of “There Are Worse Things (I Could Do)” was especially emotional knowing what Hudgens had been through that same day. After the cast took their final bow and the credits rolled, Fox dedicated the production to Hudgens’ father.

The event wrapped with the gang in the school gym at the end of the year fair. Cast members could be seen running outside to golf carts waiting to take them to the live audience for the final dance number, “We Go Together.” One could feel a lot of unity in the cast, as it was more like a bunch of old friends having fun during filming and between takes.

facebook.com “Grease: Live!” aired Sunday, starring Julianne Hough.

facebook.com “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has earned nearly 2 billion dollars nationwide.

Star Wars: The force is strong with episode VII Sean Curzon Staff Writer

Review

A

fter being out for over a month, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” has become the highest grossing film domestically and the third highest grossing film of all time. As of Sunday, it has earned nearly $2 billion dollars. But the question is: Is the movie any good? The answer is yes. As “Star Wars” has now been out for well over a month, this review will be filled with spoilers, so let this serve as a warning for that one person who hasn’t seen it yet.

Set thirty years after the end of “Return of the Jedi,” The First Order, a group created by surviving members of the Galactic Empire hunts for a map of the first Jedi temple, which is where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is hiding after the Knights of Ren, led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), killed his Jedi in training.

After witnessing a massacre on the desert planet Jakku, a Stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega) decides to rebel. He is joined by Resistance pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger abounded on Jakku, and BB-8, a droid with the map in question.

To start, this film is gorgeous. The cinematography captures the scale and scope of the galaxy. The sets are visually interesting. The mix of practical effects and CGI used sparingly makes the world feel real.

The fights are interesting. The lightsaber fights feel grounded. The fight moves seem much more realistic. There is no complicated choreography in this film, which gives the fight scenes emotional weight and urgency. All of which makes the characters seem to be in danger, there is risk. The lightsabers seem to have

weight to them, giving them a sense of power.

Much of what transpired between episode VI and episode VII remains a mystery. It helps to create an interest in what is happening on screen. It also helps to recreate that feeling the viewer was just dropped in the middle of the story, much like the previous “Star Wars” films.

However, this is a bit of a problem when Han Solo confronts Kylo Ren at the end. It’s hard to feel the emotion of what is happening when the viewer doesn’t have context of what happened between the two.

The biggest problem with the film is that it hits much of the same beats of “Star Wars Episode Four: A New Hope.” There’s the droid with vital information, there’s an enemy base that blows up planets, the X-wing fight to hit the self-destruct button and the rescue of the female member of the team on said base, only to watch the mentor figure get killed. This makes the movie predictable, especially in the third act.

This wouldn’t have been as big of a problem if the advertisement didn’t make such a big deal of keeping the plot as much of a secret as it had.

The best part is how the new characters seem to be a play on the old characters. There’s the wide-eyed hero living on a desert planet, but where Luke was a farm boy with his family dreaming of leaving Tatooine, Rey is a scavenger of spare parts abandoned on Jakku, determined to stay, hoping that whoever left her will return. There’s a hot shot pilot, but instead of a smuggler only looking out for himself, Poe is a loyal member of the Resistance. There’s a member dealing with the failure of a mission, but where Leia was a royal member of the rebel alliance captured sneaking important information, Finn is a Stormtrooper running away from the First Order after witnessing barbarism on his first mission.

Even the new villain, Kylo Ren, is an inverse of Darth Vader. Instead of having a calm demeanor hiding his rage like Vader, Ren is set off by the smallest thing, often destroying whatever is nearest to him.

Entertainment

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Page 7

Fresh, vulgar and worth the 11 dollars Jessica Shipma Staff Writer

Review

facebook.com Rihanna shows a darker side in her eighth studio album, “Anti”.

Ri-Ri is back, D darker than ever Noe Felix Staff Writer

Review

I

t’s been nearly four years since pop fans have heard a complete body of work from Rihanna. After having four consecutive albums come out yearly from 20092012, Ri-Ri seemingly needed a break to try and reinvent herself in this new age of pop.

Being responsible from some of the biggest pop hits in the last decade, expectations are high. Her latest album, “Anti,” has a sound that differs from Rihanna’s prior work, leaning more towards the R&B side of the spectrum. It’s hard to find upbeat songs like “What’s My Name,” “Don’t Stop The Music,” or “We Found Love.” In fact, there isn’t really a club song anywhere on the album.

The sound in this album is dark and heavy, and it sets itself apart sonically from any of Rihanna’s prior seven albums. Furthermore, Rihanna hired today’s biggest names in music to help hone her music. Her team consisted of producers like DJ Mustard and Timbaland, to artists like Drake and The Weekend.

While people might be initially hesitant to Rihanna’s new direction, when one listens they’ll find a new sound that works great for Rihanna’s voice and persona.

The Drake-assisted lead single, “Work,” happens to be one of the catchiest and best songs on the album. The mid-tempo track has a bouncy beat that tells a story of a lustful couple that seek to reignite their love. Rihanna expressing how she wants something real, something deep. She tells her lover that she believes in everything he does, that she’s always there for him.

Drake reassures her through his lyrics that he’s willing to put in work for her and that he’ll always choose her.

“Long distance, I need you/ When I see

potential I just gotta see it through/ If you had a twin, I would still choose you,” Drake sings.

The Timbaland-produced slow jam “Yeah, I Said It” stands to be one of Rihanna’s best baby makin’ songs. With minimal drums, the song echoes and gives one chills.

Her lyrics aren’t very explicit, but they’re seductive. It’s about two people that aren’t looking for more than just a hookup.

“Going slow and I want you to pop it/ And I think I kinda like ya/ Up against the wall, we don’t need a title,” she croons.

“Kiss It Better” is a sexy guitar-driven track that finds Rihanna pleading for her lover to come back. While they fight and argue, Rihanna wants to try to work it out.

They need each other in order to be happy.

She sings, “So why argue? You yell, but you take me back/ Who cares when it feels like crack/ Boy, you always do it right.

The bass-heavy DJ-Mustard produced “Needed Me” shows us the raw and cocky Rihanna people love. This isn’t Rihanna on the track, it’s “Bad Girl Ri-Ri.” It’s about not falling for a good-for-nothing type of guy. Someone was trying to use her, but she didn’t fall for it.

With ferocity in her voice she sings, “You was just another n**ga on the hit list/ Trying to fix your inner issues with a bad bitch/ Didn’t they tell you that I was a savage?”

“Love On The Brain” is love ballad that has essences of doo-wop and that showcases Rihanna’s vocal range.

Like any body of work, “Anti” has its flaws. Some songs feel ill fit for Rihanna.

The disappointing “Woo” sounds like she’s trying to recreate the Weeknd’s “The Hills.”

It’s an auto-tuned mess. “James Joint” feels like a throwaway track and “Higher” is corny track where Rihanna’s voice actually hurts one’s ears.

While not perfect, Rihanna’s album is something listeners should check out. It shows her growth as an artist and her pursuit to take chances with her music. If this album proves one thing, it’s that you better have her money.

isclaimer: If you can’t stand vulgarity, nudity or college-aged humor, “Dirty Grandpa” is not for you.

I sat behind a row of adults slightly older than my parents and watched them walk out early. Whether that was caused by my obnoxious laugh or the actual movie, I’m not sure. It was most likely a combination of both with an emphasis on the later.

This movie used the “dirty old man” tactic and crude humor. It likely will not be nominated for an Oscar, but this film will have you laughing until you can’t breathe and on occasion quoting from time to time.

If one reads other reviews, the majority are negative. This is most likely due to the age of the reviewer as well as what they expected from the film. Go into it with an open, but dirty mind. Think “Spring Breakers” but with an old man and a much lighter sense of humor.

As for the cast, they couldn’t have picked a more spot on group of actors for this film.

Robert De Niro was the perfect perverted grandfather, who’s ready to get back out there with the ladies. Due to De Niro’s character’s line of work, he was not around often enough for his son, which left them with a shaky relationship.

De Niro’s character makes a point to have a better relationship with his grandson in order to make up for being a lousy father.

Zac Efron plays a young lawyer who followed in his dad’s footsteps, rather than following his passion in life. Efron is set to marry Julianne Hough’s character, a rather overbearing and stressed out bride to be.

Aubrey Plaza portrays a college student with a fetish for older men, while Jason Mantzoukas plays a drug dealer.

The majority of the film takes place in Florida during spring break. As you’d expect, there is a surplus of drugs, alcohol and parties. You can also expect to see Efron dancing around nearly naked with only his “man parts” being covered by a wasp puppet.

The humor in this film was original. At no point will you find yourself saying, “not this again” or “that’s been overused.” “Dirty Grandpa” was fresh, vulgar and worth the $11 movie ticket. A majority of the humor in this film was either sexual or at Efron’s expense. This kind of humor was perfect for college students and post-grads. A majority of the notably humorous parts of the movie were plot twists. The cast and crew did a great job of keeping the audience engaged in the current scene while setting it up for a hilarious and well-thought-out scene to follow. Do yourself a favor and don’t leave right after the movie ends.; there is a surprise one won’t want to miss during the ending credits.

This film was certainly meant for a specific target audience, roughly 18 through 30 years of age. The film seems like it was a lot of fun to be a part of and that’s probably why these huge actors chose to be in it. It was nice to watch a film that rivaled the humor of “American Pie” and got it right. If you are easily offended, this film is not for you. If you’re a twenty-something with some spare time and a dirty mind, you’ll love it. At the end of the day this is just another Hollywood film meant to be enjoyed, after all. Also, for $11, you get to see Zac Efron’s butt and that alone should make this movie a priority.

facebook.com “Dirty Grandpa,” starring Robert Di Niro, released on Jan. 22.

Watch out, Oscars; SAG dominates in diversity Blake Robinson Staff Writer

T

Commentary

he 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards painted more memorabilia of the finest acting performances throughout 2015. Held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, this honoring night awarded the best achievements in film and television performances throughout this past year. Presented on Saturday, the night kicked off with humorous inspirational moments of what it means to be an actor.

No surprise, the array of uncomfortable presenters stayed consistent and awkward throughout all of the SAG Awards. From the very first presenters, Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm, the series of unsweetened silences and jokes remained steady and dependable all the way through to the slightly offensive and almost funny commentary from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

“Comedy is much harder than drama, comedic actors have to do all of the same things dramatic actors have to do, but faster, and often with a chimp,” said Poehler.

Not only did they look clumsily foolish, but also managed to make the other actors feel unwelcomed as well. After a few jabs at Michael Keaton for his dramatic performances, the distressing tensity soon grew into ungrateful tension. This annual award show had a large variety of all different dimensions of actors.

Uzo Aduba started off the night strong by winning the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series award for her performance in the hit series “Orange is the New Black.” This was the first of two awards this show would receive.

The cast of “Orange is the New Black” took the stage in numbers and pride of receiving its second award for Best Comedy Series. Powerful first words were spoken when first receiving the award by the group.

“Look at this stage, this is what we mean when we talk about diversity, different race color, creed, sexual orientation,” Said Laura Prepon. Prepon plays the role of Alex Vause, a powerful love interest throughout the series.

Actions like these are advantageous in the growth of becoming a more tolerable nation. It was a great gesture this cast did by sharing their support to how powerful we can become as a team, once starting to work together regardless of the differences.

After a tough line up, Idris Elba won the award of Male Actor in a Supporting Role,

for his performance in the film “Beasts of no Nation.”

Elba spoke his mind about the truth this film brought to the public.

“We made a film about real people, and real lives.” Elba said as he gave thanks and acknowledgment to the people that were damaged during the Civil War in Africa.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to diverse T.V.,” Elba said, acknowledging the difference in diversity from the Oscars’ all white nominations.

Iconic actress Carol Burnett received a long reminiscing segment honoring her work in television and film.

This taste of time warmed the hearts of many and allowed the audience to appreciate a few stepping stones this actress placed. This easter-egg of an actress was complimented on all of the different types of roles she could play.

Burnett was awarded the Life Story award. Burnett has been known for her wacky and spontaneous roles which were shown before receiving her award and after her speech. After a long-standing applause from the crowd, Burnett gave a final wave and headed back to her seat.

In between awards was a pause, this pause gave a refreshing tribute to a few actors that have passed. These actors were honored from a clip and were appreciated through the memories they created. Recently deceased David Bowie and Alan Rickman had the audience applauding out of respect and admiration.

Leonardo DiCaprio is not a new face to the SAG awards. He has been previously nominated nine times, but had yet to take home the title of a SAG award holder. DiCaprio was nominated for his outstanding performance in “The Revenant” for Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Nervous emotions filled the auditorium as the neighboring actors softly cheered for their fellow actor. The silent anticipation made many hold their breaths before the announcement of DiCaprio’s achievement.

“We all stand on the shoulders of giants, I want to thank all the actors from the past that inspired me.” DiCaprio said to the audience after his big win, and first SAG award.

After the bonding and appreciating of the actors that came before, it’s only right that there would be an ending speech to tie them all together.

The 2016 Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards was more than just new actors taking their legacies, these awards allowed a symbolic connection to things that are happening in real time today. From the accomplishments of a diverse crowd, to honoring the ones that have past, the theme of the night was change. Like the previous actors that have paved the path for new evolving entertainment, the 2016 SAG Awards have set the tone of what entertainment should be.

Page 8

Student Life

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Alexis Simpson Last Wednesday, The HUB hosted one of its first events of the semester called SPOKE. In an intimate setting, students were able to speak with slam poet Corrina Bain and analyze one of her poems.

SPOKE poetry gets students thinking Ethan Helms Staff Writer

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hether they’re rushing to class or headed to the library, students never seem to take a moment for themselves. However, once every four weeks on Wednesday nights, they have the chance to express themselves through spoken word.

At The HUB, located on the second floor of the Student Center, there are always opportunities for students to express themselves. One opportunity in particular though, called SPOKE, allows students to participate in spoken word poetry. The first SPOKE event was held last Wednesday and featured slam poet, Corrina Bain. Bain has written poetry for about 17 years.

“I write every day. I free write, journal and write letters. Sometimes I have an idea for a poem and sit down and write it, or I go to a workshop with the aim of writing a poem. But there is definitely an element of it that is practice and grind and showing up every day,” said Bain.

The event began at 7 p.m. with a poem for the group to read aloud. After reading it over a few times, Bain asked the group to discuss which lines evoked emotion.

From there, Bain transitioned into a workshop, showing the room of eager listeners that sometimes using sounds to help describe emotion is easier and more poetic.

“I think the nice thing about readings at schools is there is a built-in sense of community, and everyone is sharing the experience of being a student,” said Bain.

The opportunity to meet other students interested in spoken word is one that isn’t common in many places. In fact, The HUB plays an important role by creating emotional outlets for the Sonoma State University campus and allows students the opportunity to get involved on campus too.

“The goal of SPOKE is to take in a professional poet and not only let them share their own work, but share their knowledge of how to create a poem and their creative process,” said freshman and student assistant Carly Solberg.

Many students may be finding out about SPOKE now, but the events are not new to campus. In fact, the spoken word events have been going on for a few years.

“We are always working on making it better and there’s always something new we can work on, but our artists are getting bigger and better,” said Solberg. “We’re definitely going to work on bringing more people in this

semester, so we really want to get the word out because this is such an amazing event, and it really truly is inspiring.”

Solberg also noted how comfortable the environment is in The HUB, another aspect of the event that helps promote sharing emotions. However, if slam poetry isn’t appealing but one is interested in getting involved, The HUB puts on plenty of other events.

“It’s one of the best ways to become more socially active, and a great way to try new things,” said junior Nicky Cisneros.

If one feels they need to express their opinion about a topic or just meet some new faces, there are other monthly events that go on as well.

“I’m in charge of Treats and Trending Topics, which is also a monthly event. I get to pick a trending topic of my choice, for example Black Lives Matter, and hold a discussion group on it,” said Solberg.

Treats and Trending Topics, which goes on every second Tuesday of the month at 2 p.m. in the HUB, is another chance for students to share their opinions and ideas on the occurrences of today. To find out more about events held at the HUB this semester, visit sonoma.edu/hub.

STAR // Megan Corcoran From rock bands to solo, intimate performances, “Seawolves Got Talent” showcased a variety of student talent. The first prize was given to band One Armed Joey who pumped up the audience and performed original songs of their EP.

Originality shines at ‘Seawolves Got Talent’ Carly Saber Staff Writer

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ast Saturday, the Student Center Ballroom was filled with students ready to witness the first ever Seawolves Got Talent. The show mimicked the format of some of the popular and long-lasting TV shows, such as “X-Factor” or “American Idol”.

The show kicked off with an introduction of the judges and a quick explanation of the prize money by host and Associated Student Productions director, Gabe Duran. He then jumped right in to kicking off the show with the first performer.

The show started off with a series of solo performers sharing their singing and guitar playing with the audience. Tyler Perez, a senior kinesiology major, was the first to take the stage and performed an original song titled “Drunk on Your Touch”. A melody about falling in love and and trying to navigate what’s going on around you.

Next was Jennifer Johnston, a sophomore involved in both Residential Life and JUMP, who performed a cover of the song “Not Pretty Enough” by Australian singer Kasey Chambers.

After Johnston was Marisa Wax, a freshman Early Childhood Studies major, who performed three original songs that are on her recently released EP. Wax has been writing music since she was six years old and her experience definitely showed. After the first four performances, the tone of the show began to switch.

“They did a really good job of putting on the show, and I like how it started off calm and ended with everyone hyped up,” said sophomore Allana Peerce.

Changing gears, the next performance was Vita Rodriquez, a fifth year environmental studies with an emphasis in conservation and restoration major, who did a comedy routine the audience really enjoyed. Her bit surrounded some of the struggles she has gone through being a lesbian in a Mexican family. She also joked about her experience being a waitress at the popular restaurant Sherri’s.

Keeping the upbeat pace, the next performer was Bobby Ramirez, a junior sociology major, who performed two rap songs from his album, “Last of the Mexica”.

“ASP did a nice job of getting everything together and once the show got started I thought everything went smoothly,” sophomore Mackenzie Roche said.

There were no delays between the acts and Duran kept the show moving quickly.

The next performer was Sebastian Cardona, a jazz major with an emphasis on piano. He performed an original song on the guitar about a girl who could not fall asleep and travels into the city to be comforted by the liveliness. The song was beautiful and awed the audience. He then pumped up the crowd by singing the Beyoncé classic, “Love on Top.” The following act was a rock band called One Armed Joey. They performed two original songs from their EP. A third song was on a collaboration album for suicide awareness. The crowd clapped along and jammed out to the boys’ performance.

The next act was a dance performance by two guys who call themselves The Funk Regimen. They performed on the f loor due to the band equipment on the stage. The guys urged everyone to get out of their seats and come close so that everyone can see.

“The only change to the show that I would make would have been instead of a wide stage, I would have liked it to branch out towards the audience more to allow performers without equipment to be able to easily move on the stage,” said junior Megan Carvalho.

The last performance of the night was the band Hot Start. They had the crowd stand in front of the stage and brought the night to an end on a high note.

While the scores were being tallied, the host Gabe sang for the audience and blew everyone away with his talent.

Third place with a $50 prize was Sebastian Cardona, second place with a $100 prize was The Funk Regimen and finally at first place with a $250 prize was One Armed Joey.

“I thought it was cool to see how talented Sonoma [State] students are,” Allana Peerce said. When the lights dimmed and the spotlight fell on the performer, the audience seemed to be quickly grow captivated. “If they did this in the future I will definitely be attending,” Carvalho said.

Showcasing student talent is a popular phenomenon at Sonoma State. From open-mic nights at Lobo’s and now with “Seawolves Got Talent”, students have the opportunity to show off and share personal, and original material.

Student Life

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Rollin’ into the new semester

Rachel McCloskey Staff Writer

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STAR // Sara Wildman Above: Students were able to sit on inflatable chairs and watch the movie “Talledaga Nights” which went with the night’s racing theme.

Below: With the rain last Friday, the racing was done indoors.

Sapphires bop to the top Andrea Serles Staff Writer

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he Sonoma State University dance team, the Sapphires, has been making history since 2005.

Although they’ve only been on campus for ten years and weren’t a competitive team until 2011, they have managed to take Sonoma State by storm.

With big things planned this spring semester, students can expect to see a lot from the Sapphires.

“You can expect to see a lot more involvement and school spirit,” said team member and Captain Erica Pecho.

With their “Pack the Den” Performance coming up on Feb. 6, and their annual Spring Show in May, it will be hard for students to miss the Sapphires in action.

This past semester was a big one for the Sapphires. Not only did they add seven new members, but they also made their way during winter break to the United Dance Association Collegiate Nationals Championship held in Orlando, Florida. With song choices by Britney Spears and Celine Dion, the dance style was quick and to the beat.

“UDA Nationals in Orlando, Florida was an experience of a lifetime. We were one out of three schools from California who ended up in the finals for our division, so being in the final competition was an honor,” said senior team member Carissa Pinnix.

Making it to the finals and placing eighth for Division II schools was an accomplishment for the Sapphires.

Two weeks of preparation during winter break, and nonstop practices past midnight seemed to be well worth it.

Although this is a big deal for the Sapphires dance team, it’s not the first time they have made it this far. Having attended many National Championships in Anaheim and Florida, people will see the Sapphires take the dance floor at a national level again.

“We will be competing in the USA Nationals March 18, 19 and 20. A lyrical performance to Celine Dion and a hip-hop Missy Elliott remix,” said Pecho.

Aside from Nationals, the Sapphires know how to keep busy. With three practices a week in the Sonoma State Rec Center and participating in many campus events and sport games, the Sapphires are always on the go.

“Right now we are getting ready to perform at Sonoma State’s Pack the Den on Feb. 6. We will be performing a hip-hop routine that we are all really excited about,” said Pinnix.

When they’re not dancing, fundraisers and bake sales are another way that the Sapphires stay busy. Because they are a self-funded organization, they work hard to raise money and sponsorships to keep their organization going.

“We fundraise a lot by raising money with bake sales and car washes,” said Pinnix.

The Sapphires want to make sure they are leaving a mark on the community.

“We also like to get involved with the community by participating in parades and serving at Sonoma Serves,” said Pecho.

The Sapphires have left a huge mark at Sonoma State University and it’s safe to say that it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

he smell of nachos swirled through the air as the doors opened and students began trudging up the stairs toward the ballroom.

The sound of timeless 70s tunes could be heard throughout the Student Center; “Rockin’ and Rollin’ into Spring” had begun.

In June of last year, Campus Life Programmer Mo Phillips and senior Brandon Plair-Holmes, the Director of Campus Connections for Associated Student Productions, began brainstorming the kick-off event for this semester’s first spirit week, Lobofest.

Sonoma State University spirit weeks happen twice every semester and are programmed by Campus life, Associated Student Productions, The HUB and other departments on campus. The first spirit week of the semester always has high expectations.

“We wanted to do a winter wonderland but realized with the drought we couldn’t really justify using the water to make snow. So we decided to change the event to more of a “Rollin’ and Rockin’ into Spring”

where we could have gocarts in the parking lots and the movie ‘Talladega Nights.” Everything rollin and rockin,” said Phillips.

Rockin’ and Rollin’ into Spring is the first event of its kind at Sonoma State.

“We have a lot of different games that probably wouldn’t relate to the same crowd that our other events might relate to,” said Phillips. “It’s always nice to try to be thinking about different students needs, wants and what are we’re offering, what we’re missing, what we’re missing the mark on.”

As the hours passed, the different activities at the event got more and more visitors. The roller rink seemed to be a huge hit among students and while waiting in line, frisbees were given out for the spin art table, one of the many crafts available last Friday evening.

Other activities included video games, mini-car racing, a wax hands art craft and a showing of the movie “Talladega Nights.”

These different novelty acts gave students lots to do in the four-hour event.

There was also a nacho and hot chocolate bar to

ensure students had a tasty treat between activities.

With over 150 people in attendance, the night had a steady flow of students coming in and out of the ballroom.

“As a student, it’s pretty fun being able to put something on for the student body as a whole. My goal is always to get as many students invested in campus and get students involved. Of course we all want to have fun here so I like knowing I am able to do that for my fellow Seawolves,” said Plair-Homes.

When the evening was coming to a close, students were slowly making their way out of the building, feet sore from roller skating, hands covered in paint from the spin art and bellies full from endless nachos and hot chocolate.

The event was originally planned to be in parking lot D but was moved to the ballroom when rain was expected.

“I’m impressed they were able to be so spontaneous because it [was] raining outside, and being able to move it in here, they were very flexible with that,” said junior Associated Student Senator Conner Diegelman.

Page 10

Sports

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Softball team looks to build off historic season After a magical 2015, 2016 has promise from the start

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Hailee Zastrow Staff Writer

oftball season is around the corner at Sonoma State University and the Seawolves have one thing on their minds; championship.

“Our plan is to not only repeat the successful season we had last year,” said senior Aubrie Tolliver, “but to build on it; starting with a CCAA championship.”

Tolliver and the Sonoma State softball team is scheduled to start their 2016 season this weekend coming off last year’s run at the NCAA Division II West Super Regional and a 42-21 record.

The team was voted the preseason favorite by the CCAA coaches, projecting to finish first in the California Collegiate Athletic Association for the first time in the program’s history.

The Seawolves will now be moving away from the “underdog” tag and look to gain the title of top dog.

“The start of this season feels absolutely different from my previous seasons,” said Tolliver, a catcher for the Seawolves, “I feel like in the past we have always played like the underdogs beginning our season but this year we get to start on top and that’s a great feeling to have.”

The Seawolves are confident they can back up their preseason ranking.

“Being ranked first is very exciting. We have always been the underdogs proving ourselves. The pressure is on, yes, but as long as we focus on one game at a time we will go all the way. This is our chance to prove our-

“Since we are ranked to finish so high it is important to start the season off with a bang and let everyone know who we are,” said Tolliver. selves,” said senior third baseman Olivia Lucchese The Seawolves’ top hitters, Ancia Purdy and Keeley Ray, who both hit over .400 last season, graduated last spring, but Tolliver and Lucchese are positive the team has the abilities to be successful without the centers of their offensive powerhouse.

“Ancia and Keeley definitely set the tone last year and made such a big impact on our team,” said Tolliver, “but we had such great depth in our lineup last year that I am confident that we have players that will be able to pick up where they left off and even some freshmen that can get the job done.”

The Seawolves will miss Purdy and Ray, but hope to build on the legacy they left behind.

“It definitely has helped a lot of us step up in their place,” said Lucchese. “I think knowing they won’t be with us encourages us all to contribute in any way that we can.”

The Seawolves are returning a talented crop of eight seniors in 2016. Including two time CCAA most valuable pitcher Amanda Llerena who led the conference in strikeouts with 244 and sported an impressive 2.29 career earned run average.

The Seawolves will also bring back two key hitters from last season, Senior Taylor Batey who jacked seven home runs last season and Senior Jena Kaser who had a .358 batting average in 2015.

“This year we brought in a lot of talent. We have strengths in all aspects. I think that’s what makes us so successful. We have power hitters, along with speed. We have great pitching along with strong defense. This is what makes us so intimidating to face and what brings us the confidence to succeed,” said Lucchese.

The team is headed to Las Vegas to open their season at the MSUB Desert Stinger on Feb. 5 against California Baptist.

“Last year we set the record for the most home run hits with 16,” said Tolliver, “and we definitely want to start the season off strong and match or even beat that number. Since we are ranked to finish so high it is important to start the season off with a bang and let everyone know who we are.”

The Seawolves will now look to shift their focus away from the success of last season and create some history of their own.

“After having such a great season last year, this year we are hoping to make it past super regionals for the first time in school history,” Lucchese said. “We expect to go even further than last season, it’s just a matter of focusing on one game at a time.”

After the tournament, the Seawolves are scheduled to start conference play on their home turf against Chico State Friday, Feb. 12. The first game of the double header is at 12 p.m. at the Seawolf Softball Field.

Tennis teams have high hopes for 2016 Allison Kelley Staff Writer

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f you are starting to hear grunts or see green f lying objects around the tennis courts on Sonoma State University’s campus, don’t worry that’s just the Seawolf men’s and women’s tennis teams practicing for their upcoming season.

With games quickly approaching, both teams are waiting anxiously to show off their new skills and strategies for the 2016 season.

The men’s tennis team wrapped up their regular season with a 2-13 record in singles play and a 1-7 in doubles.

The team opened their 2016 season with a 7-0 loss against NCAA Division I Santa Clara this past wednesday.

The Seawolves plan on playing three scrimmages now up until regular season games start.

Senior Daniel Holz is excited to have some new faces on the team this season that can contribute to success on the court.

“We have only three players, myself included, this year who were team members last year as well. However, we received a lot of promising new players, so I’m hopeful for a strong year,” said Holz.

The men’s team will play in their next scrimmage today at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Holz discussed what the team has planned strategy wise when going into this next scrimmages and the new season.

“We have been working a lot on improving our doubles game, specifically finding players with play styles that compliment each other,” Daniel said. “If we get ahead in doubles matches, we gain a big advantage over the other team.

Tennis is a very mental game, so we plan on keeping a positive energy in each match so each player plays to the best of their abilities at all times.”

The men’s team will be competing in their next home game against Holy Names University on Friday at 12 p.m. at the Sonoma State tennis courts.

The Sonoma State women’s team is more than excited to get the ball rolling into this upcoming spring championship season. The lady Seawolves were very successful in finishing off their 2015 season.

The women took away a total of five titles at the Warrior Invitational in Turlock in October.

Sophomore and Junior, Kaitlyn Haithcock and Jacquelyn Ward triumphed in doubles play, ending with an 8-5 victory. Among these women that took trophies home, Jensyn Warren, won a singles title in the black bracket, ending with a 6-0 win.

To start off the 2016 season, the women will play in their first scrimmage against Holy Names University on their home court.

The Seawolves believe a key to a championship run is built through teamwork.

“I think that our main goal is to make it to Nationals, but a huge priority for us as a team is that we make sure to continue to support each other no matter what, which will lead to a successful season,” said Warren.

The team had a 10-1 win during all of their home games in the 2015 season.

Jordyn Kearney, a junior, mentioned why the ladies dominate during their home games.

“I’d say at home we play better because we feel a lot more comfortable since we practice and train on these courts and are used to anything that could happen,” said Kearney.

The ladies are eager to begin their season and excited to see what it has in store for them.

“I’m looking forward to all of the fun experiences with my teammates and coaches,” Kearney said. “As well as the competition from the other schools and seeing how we match up with all of our hard work we have put in this past year.”

Following the scrimmage match against Holy Names University, the women have matches against UC Santa Cruz, Mills College, and Dixie State University within the next two weeks.

Both Sonoma State’s men and women’s teams are up for the challenge of a refreshing new 2016 season and are ready to leave nothing left behind on the court.

STAR // Nicole Detmers The men’s basketball three game winning streak was snapped Saturday.

Three-pointers squander the Seawolves’ road trip Nathan Shapiro Staff Writer

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e aren’t panicking at all.”

Those were the words from senior forward James Slade following Sonoma State University men’s basketball team’s 88-65 loss against Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday at the Torodome in Carson.

This loss put a stop to the Seawolves’ 3-game winning streak who now have an overall record of 12-7 and 7-6 in CCAA conference play. They are now tied for sixth with Cal State Monterey Bay and only one game behind Humboldt State (14-5, 8-5 CCAA). Cal State Dominguez Hills record now sits at 10-11 and 4-9 in the conference.

Off to an uneasy start, the Seawolves missed all shooting attempts in the first two minutes of the game. The Toros quickly built up a 25-7 lead in the first eight and a half minutes of the bout. Sonoma would get within six early in the second half at 40-34, but a 23-6 run by CSU Dominguez Hills was the ultimate factor to put away the Seawolves. The Toros achieved the 23 point differential from the record-setting 20 three-pointers dropped over the course of the game. The 20 three pointers by CSU Bernadino set a record for points beyond the arch by a Sonoma State opponent; the previous record set by Cal State Bernadino in 2004 with 16 three-pointers.

“We anticipated they would try to play fast and find their shooters on the perimeter. We did not bring our A-game and they did,” said senior guard David Ahern. “We did a poor job of containing penetration and they hit 20 threes.”

The hottest hands of the night belonged to CSU Dominguez Hill’s junior guard Ivan Dooley who dropped 9-of-11 attempted threes, finishing the game with 31 points.

This was significant to the Toros’ win.The Seawolves did score more points than CSU Dominguez Hills in points off turnovers (12-10), bench points (32-10), second chance points (10-6), and points in the paint (22-16).

Two of Sonoma States top three scorers - senior guard Michael Avery shot 4-of-5 with 11 points in 22 minutes along with sophomore guard Armani Nicolas had 9 points on 3-4 shooting in 9 minutes of play- each guard did not start for the Seawolves, but did play well in their tough loss.

“I thought Mike and Armani did a great job of being aggressive and attacking the basket,” commented Ahern.

Slade credited the men’s bench performance to their ongoing drive and effort in practice, saying it “paid off” in the game despite the loss.

Senior center Luke Cochran also had a noteworthy night putting up 10 points with 5 rebounds.

Both Slade and Ahern agreed that their not-so-satisfying performances are already far behind them and the team is preparing for their next game.

Sonoma State plays again Friday at home against Cal Poly Pomona (16-4 record, 9-4 CCAA) who sits third in conference standings behind Sonoma State’s rival Chico State (16-3, 10-2 CCAA) and top-dog UC San Diego (17-3, 12-2 CCAA).

After being asked what change he wants to see moving forward, Slade answered, “there’s only four home games left. Let’s fill the gym for them and show some school spirit.”

Sports

Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

Page 11

Seawolves SPEAK! Super Bowl 50 Predictions Kristen Spear Staff Writer

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he AFC champion Denver Broncos will battle the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers in an epic showdown for NFL glory in this season’s Super Bowl. Super Bowl 50 will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Both the Panthers (15-1) and the Broncos (12-4) were led by mauling defenses over the season, but the quarterbacks will be on display in the big game. NFL veteran Peyton Manning will start for the Broncos after having an up and down season plagued by injuries. Manning will be gunning for his second Super Bowl ring, but his first with Denver.

Carolina’s Cam Newton looks to cap off his MVP-caliber season with the first Super Bowl championship in Panthers history. Newton will look to dab up and down the sidelines Sunday during the final leg of the Panthers’ Super Bowl run.

San Francisco will be packed from January 30- February 7 as the Super Bowl will be hosting events throughout the city for fans of the big game. “Super Bowl City” will be putting on events that are free for fans and the public, such as Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular, The 12th annual Puppy Bowl, the re-lighting of The Lights on the Bay Bridge and performances by Alicia Keys and One Republic. The Moscone Center will be holding “The NFL Experience” a interactive NFL theme park. CBS is also providing “aroundthe-clock” coverage in the Bay Area, including Radio Row at the Moscone Center and Media Day at The SAP center If you can’t make it out to the city, tune in February 7 at 3:30 p.m. on CBS to see who takes home the title as your 2016 Super Bowl 50 champions.​ The STAR asked Sonoma State students who their favorite is for Sunday’s big game.

“The Broncos are going to win because Broncos are faster than Panthers.” 43-7 Broncos -Rachel Eslick, freshman liberal studies major

STAR // Sara Wildman Freshman Trevor Mallett celebrates knocking home an RBI.

Baseball team earns first win in walk-off fashion Vasilios Loufas Staff Writer

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ith the spring semester gearing up, baseball players around campus are pulling out their cleats and digging into the fresh 2016 infield dirt.

“ I think we know what we need to work on and as the season goes on, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the CCAA,” said Richards.

The Sonoma State University baseball team kicked off their season with an opening series at home versus the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes.

The three-game series over this weekend was won by San Bernardino 2-1.

The first game was dropped by a score of only 1-0. San Bernardino pitcher Tyler Wells held down the Seawolves to no score through six innings.

Wells struck out 12 of 20 batters that he was up against and only allowed two hits during his reign on the mound.

For the Seawolves, Ryan Luna got the start and went four frames into the game without allowing a score. Ricky Clark took over for the next four innings and allowed the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.

A baseball-packed Saturday kicked off with a doubleheader against the Coyotes. The first game defense was on display, there was only one run allowed in Saturday’s opener.

The second game brought on more hits which led to an offensive explosion. Just in the first inning, both teams knocked in 2 runs of their own and after the second inning Sonoma State had taken the 3-2 lead.

The Coyotes’ Buchanan doubled down the left field line to knock in the tying run in the fifth inning.

It was too dark, therefore they had to delay the game until morning.

The next day they had to finish game two before beginning game three. Sonoma State jumped to the lead in the sixth inning with a Ryan O’Malley home run but that would be the Seawolf peak since after that 4-3

lead the Coyotes would end up winning 7-4.

Sunday’s game three was a very exciting showcase of baseball from the two teams.

They were tied at four runs through the first five innings.

In the fifth inning, Matthew Richards and Ryan O’Malley each knocked out homers. Richards knocked in a solo and O’Malley hit a 2-run shot.

The San Bernardino Coyotes came back strong with three runs in the sixth inning but the Seawolves answered right back in the seventh with three runs of their own.

After that no scoring would take place as the game would head to extra innings.

In the bottom of the 11th , Ryan O’Malley smacked the ball and it went out the park to lift the Seawolves to their first victory of the 2016 season with a score of 8-7.

O’Malley, who went 4 for 6 with 2 home runs on Sunday told the STAR, “we’ve got a great group of guys this year with a ton of talent. Unfortunately, we were only able to show that in glimpses this weekend. But one poor weekend will not spoil our goal of winning a conference championship.”

Sonoma State baseball is now 1-2.

Outfielder Matthew Richards, who also hit a home run in Sunday’s thriller, was asked about this coming season.

“I think our team has a lot of potential this year. We are fortunate to have a very deep pitching staff that includes a lot of great returners as well as new guys.

Our lineup consists of solid players that are all a threat at the plate in their own way,” said Richards.

After a slow opening series Richards is confident the Seawolves can retain their winning form.

“Our pitching staff did a great job keeping us in every game. We did struggle at hitting in the beginning but we got rid of the season opener jitters and finally started to play the game we know how to,” said Richards. “ I think we know what we need to work on and as the season goes on, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the CCAA.” The Seawolves play a doubleheader versus Cetys Universidad from Mexico on Wednesday at home starting at noon and will head to Seaside to play a doubleheader versus CSU Monterey Bay on Saturday.

“Cam Newton is an incredible quarterback. He will run 100 yards and throw for 200” 21-14 Panthers -Brandon Cloffi, undeclared freshman

Staff Picks:

“Because Cam Newton... A major key.” 28-24 Panthers -Mitch Hash, senior sociology major “I believe the Broncos will because they are a powerhouse team with Peyton Manning on their side.” Broncos, 17-14 -Shelby Espinosa, sophomore computer science major

Hailee Zastrow: Panthers, 24-17 Kristen Spear: Panthers, 27-17 Nathan Shapiro: Panthers, 31-28 Elios Loufas: Broncos, 31-24 Bianca Sanborn: Panthers, 35-21 Allison Kelley: Panthers, 24-17 Tommy Call : Broncos, 38-21 Brandon Stachnik: Panthers, 28-10

Women’s basketball team drop two straight in L.A. Bianca Sanborn Staff Writer

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he Sonoma State University women’s basketball team had a busy weekend in Southern California, with back-to-back losses against Cal State L.A. on Friday (50-63), and CSU Dominguez Hills (60-68) on Saturday. The result of the first and only matchup this season against Cal State LA became apparent when The Golden Eagles pulled away from a close first quarter, outscoring Sonoma State 38-20 in the second and third quarters. The Seawolves refused to go down without a fight, closing a 21 point lead to just 13 in the last quarter of the game.

Freshman Kylie Kiech, dominated the court on Friday, shooting 57% from the floor and finishing with a career-high of 16 points off the bench against L.A. “It feels good knowing I can contribute to the team and help us move towards our goals. I knew that L.A. was going to be an aggressive team, so I tried to match their intensity from the time I got in the game,” said Kiech.

The Seawolves now have 3 wins and 10 losses in the CCAA, trailing CSU L.A. who holds a 4-9 record. Just 20 minutes South of Los Angeles, Sonoma took another loss against the CSU Dominguez Hills Toros on Saturday. The team fought hard against the first place contenders, maintaining control throughout most of the first half of the game. Unfortunately, the Seawolves were unable to hold onto their hard-earned lead in the beginning of the fourth quarter, and the Toros pulled away to an 8 point victory.

“As a team I think we need to work on keeping a lead when we are ahead in the second half and closing out with the win,” said sophomore Madison Burroughs. “We need to focus on doing the little things, such as rebounding every possession and making the smartest decisions out on the court.”

Burroughs maintained her high-scoring consistency, finishing the game with 16 points in 29 minutes on the court.

As a relatively new team with plenty of fresh faces, these Seawolves recognize that they still have a lot to learn about themselves as individual players, and as a unit.

“I think we have all the people and skills we need but with eight of us being new we’re trying to figure out each other’s strengths. We can improve on executing our plays as a team in our games, especially in the second half,” Kiech said, echoing Burroughs’ reflection of the last two games at Los Angeles and Dominguez Hills.

Although the Sonoma State Women’s basketball team was unable to claim a victory from their SoCal road trip, they are still optimistic that they can defeat Cal State Pomona this Friday at home.

“We are still keeping our heads up and are ready for next weekend,” said Burroughs. “We are all still determined and want to make it into the playoffs. With that being said, we have to stay focused one game at a time.”

CSU Pomona holds a 5-8 conference record and will prove to be fierce competition for the players this weekend.

The Seawolves’ most recent matchup against Cal Poly Pomona in the 2014-15 season resulted in a 25-point loss, but with a strong, motivated, and constantly improving group of girls, the team is confident they can claim another victory to add to their 8-14 overall record. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Wolves’ Den this Friday.

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Feb. 2 - Feb. 8, 2016

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Megan Corcoran Sonoma State freshman, Marisa Wax, was one of nine performers competing for a cash prize at “Seawolves Got Talent” on Saturday night.

STAR // Megan Corcoran

STAR // Megan Corcoran Vita Rodriguez performed stand-up comedy at “Seawolves Got Talent”.

Bobby Aslan performed his original rap songs at “Seawolves Got Talent”.

STAR // Sara Wildman Philip Ramous, #3 prepared for his at bat at home against CSU San Bernardino on Sunday.

STAR // Megan Corcoran Marisa Wax sang her orginal song “Let’s Do It Again” at “Seawolves Got Talent”.