Volume 76 // Issue 7

In this issue:

Sports: Could the Warriors beat the ‘95 -’96 Bulls?

Pg. 11

Opinion: The faculty strike may be more complicated than we think. Pg. 3 A&E: Two views on new superhero blockbuster. Pg. 7

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 76 // ISSUE 7

Student Life: Sapphires win first place at national competition. Pg. 8 MARCH 29 - APRIL 4, 2016

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

Associated Students campaign season underway Nate Galvan Staff Writer

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ows of tables, covered with stacks of fliers and candidate information, and lined with candidates for presidents, vice presidents, and senators filled Seawolf Plaza on March 23. Associated Students campaign season is under way.

Starting at 9 a.m on April 4 to 5 p.m on April 6, students will be able to vote for AS executive officers, as well as special interest senators. Along with this each student will be asked to elect a senator for their academic school, meaning a student majoring in the school of arts and humanities, for example, will elect a senator from within that school.

On March 23, the first event of the campaign season was brought to students as a meet and greet with all running candidates held in the Seawolf Plaza. When asked about their reasons for running candidates displayed a wide array of answers involving information related to their possible positions.

“I’ve always been involved in leadership since my freshman year,” said Alicia Rivett, a junior business administration major running for School of Business and Economics Senator, “I was involved in a president role of Verdot and several business clubs and AS was the next step in terms of my leadership on campus.”

Claudia Sisomphou, a junior environmental studies and planning major running for Sustainability Senator, related her views on sustainability as to her reasons for running.

“I want to make students think about how the environment is not just the water and the trees, it is our community, it is where we work and live and if the people aren’t cared for we won’t be productive.”

As students visited tables, trying to

get an understanding of the personalities of the differing candidates, one could get overwhelmed with all the information being thrown at them. To aid this, candidates seem prepared to focus on what their goals would be if they were to get elected.

“There is a lot that needs to be changed in the grant process,” said Ricky Albanese, an Economics major and Statistics minor who is Running for AS Vice President of Finance, will be a fifth year senior next year. “I’ve submitted grants for the rowing team and have found it inefficient, it takes forever to apply for grants and I don’t think there is enough coordination with club, sport, or greek leaders to help find out what they need.”

The day before the meet and greet, in front of the Sonoma State STAR staff, the AS presidential candidates gave details about themselves and answered questions.

The first candidate, Emily Hinton, is a philosophy student with a concentration in pre-law and applied ethics.

In her second year at Sonoma State, Hinton has graduated from the Future Officer Program through AS, has been Village Council President of upperclassmen dorms, and currently serves as a student representative of multiple committees including the Fee Advisory Committee. A first generation low income student, Hinton heavily focused on the financial changes she would like to implement

if she was elected.

When asked what she would do if she was given $300,000 dollars to use with her AS budget Hinton replied, “I would want to make sure our faculty is getting paid along with hiring new faculty to help students graduate earlier as well as lowering student fees.

Most students are unaware that they pay about $300 dollars to sports and athletics and this is off putting to students who don’t participate and are struggling to pay for their own books.”

See CAMPAIGN on Pg. 4

STAR // Brennan Chin Associated Students presidential candidates Kate Chavez, left, and Emily Hinton, right, speak to the Sonoma State STAR staff about their platforms and goals on March 22.

Sexual assault reported on campus Nicole Detmers Staff Writer

E STAR // Megan Corcoran With the factfinding process going public, the California Faculty Association now has legal grounds to strike. The strike is expected to be held April 13-15 and 18-19.

Faculty obtain right to strike

Christine Edwards Staff Writer

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ne of the largest strikes in California State University system history is expected to take place next month across all 23 California State campuses.

Faculty and other supporters of the “fight for five” are planning on picketing, although

campuses will remain open and all student services will still be available.

The California Faculty Association (CFA) has been locked in a contract dispute over pay increased. Both parties came to an agreement to increase salaries for the 2014-15 year.

However, the faculty salaries for the remaining two

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years on the contract have yet to be agreed upon.

The CFA felt the Chancellor’s offer for the remaining two years on the contract was too low, so the collective bargaining process began, and an outside third party is being used as a mediator in an attempt to reach an agreement.

The CSU is currently offering

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a 2 percent pay increase, however the CFA says a 5 percent pay increase would be fair.

Negotiations have stalled, and the third party has completed a factfinding report, the final step in the dispute resolution process.

The contents of the report have been released, See STRIKE on Pg. 4

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very two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted and over half of victims are violated by someone they know, according to Sonoma State police services.

Students received notice of a sexual assault that occurred on campus on March 17.

According to a warning notice by police, the assault occurred around 4 a.m. on March 16 in the Beaujolais residential halls. The victim and her alleged perpetrator were acquaintances, according to the notice.

Police say the chance of there being witnesses is slim to none because the assault occurred over spring break.

More specific details in this case were withheld to protect the privacy of the individuals. According to police services, this case is unrelated to the other two sexual assault cases that were reported on Oct. 5, and Nov. 14 of last year.

“I think it’s an ongoing issue and I think the information we provide is helpful – just getting the word out there is the best approach to help the community be more aware,” Sonoma State Police Captain David Dougherty said when asked about the severity of the increase of sexual assaults on campus.

When asked about how to protect one’s self, Dougherty added, “Trust your instincts, and when you go out, use the buddy system.”

The case for the assault reported on

/sonomastatestar

March 17 remains under investigation and police services encourage anyone who knows any information to contact police services at (707) 664-4444.

According to the university website, sexual assault occurs when an individual does not consent in sexual contact and individuals are unable to consent while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.

Verity, a resource for assault victims in Sonoma County, has a crisis line available at all times and assert that education is key to prevention.

This semester, students are required to undergo an online sexual assault prevention training titled “Think About It” that’s supposed to take students about thirty minutes to complete and includes scenarios, directing students to take action.

The training was required to be completed by students in February.

Verity, campus police and the Health Center provide the same set of advice for those at risk: Get to a safe place, call a family member or friend for support, call the police and that you have the right to be treated with respect and dignity.

Police services, the Health Center and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Sonoma State have a number of resources available to students who are victims of sexual assault or those individuals who are interested in finding out ways to protect themselves through awareness.

Visit: sonomastatestar.com

Page 2

Editorial

March 29 - April 4, 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 Aubrie Tolliver, Asst. Spor ts Editor Brennan Chin, Photo Editor Kaila Sanders, Asst. Photo Editor Kimberley Baptista, Copy Editor Kyler Khan, Copy Editor Julia Albo, Editorial Car toonist 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 Edgar Sanchez, Andrea Serles, Nathan Shapiro Jessica Shipma, Kristen Spear, Hailee Zastrow

Photographers Megan Corcoran, Sara Wildman, Shane Bickford

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:

“Complexities behind the faculty strike”

The California Faculty Association has threated to strike as a result of the CSU’s refusal to raise their salaries.

Staff Writer Shane Welch commented on the history of the budget cuts the CSU has faced and argued that the controversy is more perplexing than it seems.

Read the story on page 3 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.

STAR // Julia Albo

Supporting Hinton in race for AS president E lection buzz is fluttering through the Sonoma State University campus.

Not only is the national presidential nomination up for grabs, but Sonoma State is also set to elect a new student government president for the upcoming 20162017 year.

Junior political science major and current Associated Students Vice President Kate Chavez is running against sophomore philosophy major Emily Hinton.

After each candidate presented their respective platforms to the STAR staff on March 22, it was apparent that both candidates are highly qualified for the position.

But in a closely divided vote, we give our support to Hinton whom we believe offers a more cohesive plan for her role as AS president.

Although Chavez’s decorated résumé paired with her experience as the AS vice president would make a great representative for the students of Sonoma State, Hinton’s fresh face and new outlook is what this university needs.

Although she is only a sophomore, Hinton has immersed herself in a wide range of activities across the Sonoma State campus.

She currently serves as village council president for the upperclass dorm rooms and is involved in both the science and gaming clubs on campus. Being so involved has helped Hinton gauge the needs of a diverse range of students all across campus.

Hinton is also a representative of the Fee Advisory Committee,

the Student Center Board of Advisory Committee and the Academic Freedom Subcommittee. She developed a passion for student government in her involvement with these many committees and her devotion to student government grew when she became the “voice of the low income student.” She wants her voice to be heard now as the AS president.

“I want our school to be treated more as an institution of academia rather than a business administration,” said Hinton. “The administration’s priority is not in the student’s best interest at this time, and I would like to change that.”

This sentiment echoed through the classroom when Hinton spoke.

Hinton said that her main goal she if elected AS president is to make matters more transparent between the student body and administration; especially where student money is being spent.

Hinton, a self-described, firstgeneration, low-income student, would like there to be an explanation for every dollar a student spends at Sonoma State, believing that upgrading technology to better explain where fees are going will satisfy the students’ constant wonder of what they are paying for.

Hinton believes she can avoid situations that cause outbursts among the students, like the unveiling of the costly and infamous “Lobovision” did, by enhancing communication between the ad-

ministration and the student body.

“I want to know where my fees are going and where my money is being spent,” said Hinton. “Money needs to be spent on upgrading classrooms and technology instead of how our campus looks.”

Junior Political Science major Kate Chavez has the dynamic track record to become an enticing AS president. Chavez, the current AS vice president and president of sorority Alpha Xi Delta, has served as a member of Sonoma State’s Lobby Core and was a co-writer for the Dream Center resolution.

Chavez said she would like to see students feel proud to be a student of Sonoma State with an increase in school spirit around campus.

Unfortunately, we have yet to hear how school spirit will be boosted by either candidate. Both candidates only say they plan to reach out to students on how to accomplish such a feat.

Chavez would like see an increase in the four-year graduation rate while in office, believing that enhancing the advising system would speed up the process of graduation.

We believe both candidates would do sufficient job representing Sonoma State as AS president.

However, Hinton shows the passion and will to best represent the students aspirations at Sonoma State.

Voting for all AS positions is scheduled to start April 4 and close on April 6.

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.

Opinion

M arch 29 - A pril 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

Page 3

Complexities behind the faculty strike

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Shane Welch Staff Writer

he faculty strike scheduled to occur in April across all 23 California State University campuses brings up difficult questions in regard to budget allocation.

On one hand, the California Faculty Association demands a five percent increase, citing stagnant wages amid higher costs of living and higher wages at comparable colleges.

On the other hand, the CSU administration cites that even though the money allotted to CSU activities has increased, it does not come close enough to meet the demands of increased application rates for students.

For both circumstances one thing is clear: Access to an affordable education for students and attracting the staff and faculty capable of providing a quality education are a top priority.

Access to a quality college education for many Californians has been part of California’s public postsecondary educational system since the enactment of the Donahoe Higher Educa-

tion Act in 1960. The act provided the framework for how California’s public colleges and universities run today.

The way these institutions run should be reassessed to accommodate modern challenges.

One of CSU’s biggest advantages is in-state tuition, one of the most affordable in the nation, an advantage that’s increasingly compromised through a budget which is stretched thin.

According to the CSU’s Budget Central news resource, state funding was renewed to the equivalent levels of funding before the economic recession that hit in 2008.

However, universities have to make due with this budget despite an increase of around 50 thousand more students since that time. Each campus has roughly 2,000 more students than it did before the recession.

Despite the large need for more resources to accommodate increasing student enrollments, CSU Chancellor Timothy White said in an interview with Sacramento’s Capital Public Radio last year that the CSU is not looking to increase the average full time tuition rate of $5,472 for the 2015-2016 academic year.

“Our students and our board were not ready to do that at this time,” said White.

The first report in a series of reports by the California Faculty Association titled “Race to the bottom,” argues the notion that CSU’s budget woes are a result of increased enrollments and strenuous budget cuts doesn’t add

Recent sexual assaults raise questions

Sean Curzon Staff Writer

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ecently I opened my Sonoma State University email, as I regularly do during mornings, to see if I received any emails from teachers or any important news. I saw an email titled “Timely Warning Notice- Sexual Assault.” I shook my head and went on with my day, but the more I thought about it, the more upset I was.

I transferred here last semester, and since then I’ve received a total of three of these emails. If you are expecting another dig at the lack of lighting at night, think again. All three of these emails read the sexual assault “occurred in an on-campus residence” and “the female victim was acquainted with the suspect.” These weren’t sinister figures hiding in the shadows, but friends and neighbors. This is far more terrifying.

According to a study conducted by the Association of American Studies, 9.8 percent of students in a partnered relationship reported experiencing intimate partner violence. Not to say the stranger hiding in the dark doesn’t happen, but sexual assault is far more complex and dangerous than most students think.

The AAS survey states “The incidence of sexual assault and sexual misconduct due to physical force, threats of physical force, or incapacitation among female undergraduate student respondents was 23.1 percent.”

According to the emails, an alleged sexual battery and false imprisonment happened on Sept. 27, 2015 and was reported on Oct. 5, 2015. The next one, an alleged sexual assault, happened on Nov. 11, 2015 and was reported Nov. 13, 2015.

The latest, another alleged sexual assault, happened on March 16 and reported the next day.

A major factor of this is how our culture frames sexual activity. Sex for man is treated like a challenge, a goal to reach. Movies don’t help. Many Hollywood movies depict college as a place for parties and sex. Classic comedies feature the “heroic” main characters committing horrible acts of sexual assault. In “Revenge of the Nerds” (1984) one of the nerds wears a mask and has sex with a girl pretending to be her boyfriend. This is framed as a heroic action. I’m not joking.

Another famous college comedy “Animal House” (1978) features one of the protagonist peeking in on women changing clothing and the main character is treated as a hero for barely resisting raping an unconscious girl. What the hell Hollywood?

Students are now all required to take “Think About It,” an online sexual assault training course. While I was taking the course I thought two things: Why are we taking this thing online? Wouldn’t the message sink in better if we were hearing someone talk in person as opposed to watching a poor CGI character with a flat voice actor or reading a wall of text with links to more walls of texts?

Why are we just learning about this now? Why isn’t this kind of thing taught in high school? This would be far more effective if taught to high school students when their minds are still developing. Rape and sexual assault isn’t only a college problem.

Back in 2012, two high school students in Steubenville, Ohio raped an unconscious girl at a party. They said they didn’t think it was rape since she didn’t say no.

This shows how fundamentally flawed sex education is when it comes to rape. We have a tendency to move the blame to the victim in rape cases.

We need to teach everyone the nature of rape and consent as well as the dangers of sexual aggression.

up; as administration at other university institutions, such as the University of California, and various community colleges have done a good job at protecting the salaries of faculty and staff despite inf lation and budget cuts due to the recession.

The report demonstrated the average salary adjusted for inf lation between 2004 and 2013 for UC staff rose around $6,000 at the same time that the average purchasing power for CSU faculty fell around $10,000.

There is a wage disparity between CSU staff and CSU administrative personnel as well. According to the second report in the California Faculty Association’s “Race to the bottom” series of reports, most CSU administrator wages have increased generously between 2004 and 2014, with an average

salary increase of $22,917 for campus presidents,while at the same time the average salary for faculty decreased $9,056.

At Sonoma State University alone the average change in salary for full time faculty was $4,505, while managers and supervisors averaged $20,616 in increases in salaries.

Compensating for staff wages through reshifting administrative wages won’t cover the difference, and raising tuition goes against the CSU system’s vision for affordable and quality education.

Perhaps the goal of access to quality education starts at the picket lines, but ultimately ends at the ballot, prioritizing better wage for staff and continuing to provide affordable education for California’s students.

STAR // Nicole Detmers

Parental leave shouldn’t be a luxury

Noe Felix Staff Writer

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merica has always prided itself on being a country founded on family morals. Common wisdom seems to dictate that we’re supposed to always put our families above all.

However, when one is starting a family in the United States, that can be more than difficult. The U.S. doesn’t make any effort to help people start families.

Starting a family is especially taxing on men because of the lack of a good paid paternity leave programs. While women are given some paid maternity leave, at a rate that varies from state to state, men are given less opportunities to be with their newborns in the first few months of their lives.

It’s appalling we put more emphasis on men being the main breadwinners, instead of being actual fathers.

According to a study by the Center for Work and Family at Boston College, dads rarely take time off after the birth of their child. In fact, the same study goes on to report that three quarters of men who don’t receive a form of paternity leave take off a week at work. What’s even more shocking is 16 percent of them are unable to take any days off.

What kind of country are we living in if we can’t offer more than a measly week off with pay? Moreover, how must a new father feel if they can’t take any days off from work?

It’s not solely the government’s fault we don’t have a comprehensive paternity leave program, the companies have a

hand in it too. Out of the many companies that we have stateside, only a meager 13 percent of employers offer a paid paternity leave, also reported by the Center for Work and Family at Boston College.

Furthermore, fathers have a fear of losing their jobs for taking time off to be with their newborn. I’m not a father, but I can only imagine the kind of toll that it must take.They want to be with their child and be there for them in their time of need, but if they’re not at work, who’s going to provide for their necessities? They need a steady flow of income now more than ever.

We put more emphasis on men being the main breadwinners, instead of being actual fathers.

As a country, we should examine other countries and adopt similar policies of this nature. Sweden is a prime example of what we should be doing. Sweden offers new fathers a well paid two months, in addition to a 13-month parental leave in the workplace.

This gives the father the ability to care for their child and the relief that their job will be secure when they’re ready to go back to work. In similar fashion, Norway offers new fathers two and a half months paid leave and up to 11 months of unpaid/protected leave.

What’s worse is it doesn’t seem to cause an uproar among men that have had or are expecting children. As a society, we must push for change.

New families have such difficulties bestowed on them because of the lack of aid. In order for us to be better, we have to actually do better. America is too greedy and selfish at times and that needs to change. Nowadays, it seems we care more about money than we do about family, which is a shame.

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News

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

Students participate in social justice week Ethan Helms Staff Writer

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he week of March 20 was Social Justice Week at Sonoma State University, showcasing different social movements and ideas through a series of events. The week was set up and planned by a group of students called the Social Justice Club and their hope is to bring awareness to college students about a variety of issues.

“Social Justice Week is a week long event where we work with 20 - 30 on and off campus organizations, local and national, and we cover different social issues that are happening at a local, global and national level,” said Club President Elizabeth Casteñon The issues that are highlighted shift day by day, that way students can learn about a variety of topics that could affect them.

“Each day there’s a different theme. Monday was a kickoff, Tuesday was ‘Women’s Justice Day’. Our whole purpose is to raise awareness to college students about things they might not know about or might not hear,” said Casteñon.

On Wednesday March 23, ‘Davey D.’ led a talk in the Student Center Ballroom. Davey is a hip hop historian, DJ and an adjunct professor at

San Francisco State University.

“He (talked) about black lives matter, the war on drugs, and racism. He was saying how he didn’t know whether to wear a red jacket or a black jacket, because he didn’t want to be targeted, or seen as a drug dealer because outside of Oakland, red might be seen as a gang affiliation,” Casteñon said.

For many students, attending the events of Social Justice Week could have been the first step they are taking toward committing themselves to the social justice fight.

“Before I joined sociology club, it was definitely harder for me to connect to other issue going on outside of my life,” Casteñon said. “The first step is becoming aware.

Sometimes it’s really negative and you don’t want to think about it, but you can’t do anything if you don’t know what’s is going on.”

Casteñon wasn’t the only one who urged these sentiments at the event. One student, Bobby Ramirez, shared his ideas on the social justice movement. Ramirez owns his own company called Azlant Industries, which is a record label and entertainment provider. On top of being a student and company owner, Ramirez considers himself to be a lyricist.

“I’m a sociology major, so a lot of the stuff I learn I try to implement into my music,” said Ramirez, “When I first started, it was a clothing brand. Then I decided I would take the stuff I wrote, and record one track. But when I recorded my music, I had such a good time.”

Ramirez uses Aztlan Industries as an outlet to share his ideas on social change. His rhymes touch on everything from gentrification to Black Lives Matter.

Much like Social Justice Week, there are other outlets that are available for students to help learn about what’s happening around the globe. Social Justice Week is about spreading the awareness of many topics and simply providing students an outlet.

“There’s a lot of messed up stuff in the world but it’s on us to change it. We’ve got to unite. And if we don’t step up and be the change, then we’ve got no right to talk about it,” Ramirez said.

By the end of the week, the Social Justice club hoped that many students saw the importance of the events.

“I think Social Justice Week was a good opportunity for students to be exposed to different social movements and ideas,” freshman Jordan Toy said.

STAR // Shane Bickford Phase one of the University District is expected to be completed in two to five years.

University District enters phase one Vasilios Loufas Staff Writer

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ohnert Park is awaiting the first housing development project since homes in Rohnert Park’s M Section were built in the mid-1990s. The project is being planned and constructed by Brookfield Residential Northern California Theproperty Brookfield is working with is on a 260-acre piece of land adjacent toSonoma State University and the Green Music Center. Located off of Rohnert Park Expressway and next to Petaluma Hill Road, the master plan for the land consists of 1,236 single-family homes. They will range from apartments, duplexes, townhomes and singlefamily homes.

Since last summer, some construction has taken place. With heavy-duty equipment, workers are putting piping into trenches in the ground for sewage and water. This is a step towards the future and the start to a massive housing project.

University district will be built in phases.

The first phase of homes that will open is just under 400 single-family homes. They will range in size from 1,777 square feet all the way to 2,838 square feet. The biggest of these will include five bedroom homes with two-car garages. There is no word yet on the price of

any of the types of housing units.

Brookfield Residential is planning out two public parks that will be constructed on the property.

There will be 100,000 square feet of commercial space and three miles of trails that will connect to Sonoma State and the city’s center.

The commercial space will be used for restaurants, stores, boutiques and anything that would help a Sonoma State student or Rohnert Park family.

Rohnert Park has a population of just over 40,000 people. According to Brookfield Residential, the University District will consist of 12 neighborhoods made up of 1,236 single-family detached homes. The district is part of a larger construction project throughout the city, which includes work on Snyder Lane and Rohnert Park Expressway.

Selling prices haven’t been disclosed and that leaves students and low-income families to ask if it will even be affordable. There is a municipal code in Rohnert Park that demands 15 percent of new housing to be considered affordable for low- and very low-income households. Students surely hope to find a good price on top of being in a good location.

Brookfield Residential has yet to confirm an updated date of completion, but as of the Sept. 2015 issue of the Sonoma State STAR, phase one of the development project is esti-

STRIKE: CSU faculty wants 5 percent increase Continued from Pg. 1

meaning the organization now has legal rights to strike. The report revealed that the CSU agrees that a 5 percent salary increase would be fair, however the additional $110 million that would be needed to cover this cost is simply not there.

“It’s not very contested that our faculty need to be paid more. Unfortunately, right now these are not the best conditions,” said Associated Student President Brandon Mercer,“ The campus would have to come up with the additional money and certain things will have to be cut.”

Response from the student body seems to be been supportive of the strike and most understand the impact quality educators have on their education.

“I don’t feel like the faculty is asking for too much, but I do understand that the university system may have their hands tied.” said Christian Casillas, sophomore communication major at Sonoma State.

By retaining tenured faculty, students are able to build a better connec-

tion with their professors, advisors and so many others that have a lasting impact on the lives of students.

“Quality of education is enhanced when we can retain tenured faculty; when we don’t have faculty that stick around, then the quality of education is decreased,” said Elaine Newman, professor of math and statistics and the CFA chapter president at Sonoma State University.

The strike is planned for April 13-15, and 18-19, but not all faculty will be supportive of the strike, and students should check with their individual professors to see whether or not classes will be held during those dates.

“We will be standing out with picket signs at all campus intersections, and we would love it if students join in; it will be fun- chanting, music, and street theater,” said Newman.

Safety remains a top priority, and police services are prepared to monitor the picket lines and ensure safety for all students, professors and other faculty.

An agreement may take place before

CAMPAIGN: Debate to be held March 29 Continued from Pg. 1

The competing candidate is Kate Chavez, the current executive vice president of AS. A third year political science major, Chavez is the president of Alpha Xi Delta and has been the village council president of Sauvignon. She was a coauthor to the Dreamcenter Resolution and wants to increase diversity on campus as well as overall school spirit. Chavez wants to have strong student outreach through AS which will then correlate to students being proud of being an SSU student, a focal point for her campaign.

“The biggest thing driving my campaign is the lack of ownership and desire to be at this university,” said Chavez when asked why she was running for president. “I want students to feel that they deserve to be here and they have a say in every decision made.”

On April 4 electronic ballots will be emailed to students at their Sonoma State emails and there will be voting booths available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on April 5 to 6 in the Seawolf Plaza. There are candidate handouts in the AS office that students can take as well as candidate bios next to their names on the ballets.

The next part of the campaign trail will be an AS debate on March 29 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the student center in Ballroom B involving the Executive Vice President, Vice President of Finance, and Presidential candidates. Results of the election will be announced at Lobos on April 6 at 7 p.m during open mic night. The STAR will keep students updated on further campaign events and developments.

the strike dates, but it is unlikely.

“I don’t see much budge on either side,” said Mercer. “I’d like to see our faculty get paid more, but within the confines of the budget we have now. I hope this gets completed in a timely manner.”

The dispute has been on-going since May of last year, and the CFA and CSU are working together with the state legislature in order to come up with additional funds to meet these salary demands, a strategy that has proved successful in the past.

A multi-year plan is in place to ensure salaries increase annually, and current proposals would result in an 8.34 percent pay increase over a four-year span.

Still, the fact-finding report has revealed that this salary increase is below market comparators. With the multi-year plan in place, it looks as though salary increases will occur, just not as quickly as the CFA is demanding.

The CFA has not budged in their demand for a 5 percent salary increase, and this will continue to be an on-going battle

for the CSU, which ultimately will hurt students most of all by having a negative impact on the quality of their education.

“We respect the free speech rights

of our students, faculty and staff. Retaliation of any kind for any position on the strike is illegal and inappropriate and can be reported on the incident reporting form that will be at sonoma. edu/facultystrike during the strike.” said Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Sonoma State University Susan Kashack.

If an agreement can be reached before the set strike dates, then there is a chance the strike will not actually take place.

Students can expect to receive updates through their Seawolf email accounts and should check them often for any new information.

Students are reminded that professors are prohibited in requiring them to participate in the strike in any way.

Students can find updates on the strike at calstate.edu/hr/employee-relations/ bargaining-updates/.

News

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

Meet the candidates Associated Student government to hold elections April 4 Kate Chavez AS President

M

y name is Kate Chavez, I am a Political Science major, and I am in my third year at Sonoma State University.

Sonoma State has offered me countless opportunities, and I would like a chance to give back to this institution.

I am currently the executive vice president of As-

Emily Hinton

M

AS President

y name is Emily Hinton, and I hope to be your Student President for the year of 2016-2017.

I am a Philosophy student with a concentration in pre-law and applied ethics. I have attended Sonoma State for two years; in which I have been Village Council President of upperclassmen dorms.

I have graduated from the Future Officer Program through AS and serve as a student representative for the Fee Advisory Committee, Academic

Freedom subcommittee and Student Center Board of Advisories committee.

While each student spends over 1500 dollars in student fees every year, most of us hardly understand where that money goes and what is being done with it.

With Sonoma State’s acceptance rate at 93%, it is clear that our administration has misrepresented priorities.

Bringing in as many new students as possible, impacting our classrooms and making it difficult to graduate in four years, our administration is focused solely on the money each student provides, treating our

AS Vice President

H

ello, my name is Ana Tongilava. I am currently a Math major and a Sophomore here at Sonoma State University.

Last year, I served as your Diversity Senator and it has been the greatest experience I’ve come across.

One of the many things that I have enjoyed the most in my Senator position is interacting

AS Vice President

H

ello! My name is Rachel McCloskey and I am thrilled to be running for Executive Vice President of Associated Students.

As Director of Campus Connections, I was constantly doing student outreach and making sure all student voices were heard and action was tak-

en accordingly. I worked with student government and the senate to ensure that ASP was doing its part to enrich every student’s college experience.

As Executive Vice President, I will work to advocate for the students needs and make sure that any action taken is in direct correlation with the requests of the student body.

I am motivated to work with faculty, staff, and administration to provide more sections of required classes, and to

Sonoma State.

My priorities include advising, student support systems, 4 year graduation rates and increased transparency for the students to obtain a real understanding of what occurs at SSU. In other words, I want the students at Sonoma State to have a strong and powerful voice. Student Government gives us an outlet to express our opinions and I will make sure we are heard.

school as a business corporation rather than a community.

As Associated Students President, I intend to work with administration to acknowledge our university as an institution of academia again with the student’s needs as our first priority.

I have high hopes for positive change at our University and I would be honored to work

by Judy Sakaki’s side as a voice for all Sonoma State Students.

As the AS President position, I would strive to create transparency within administration, fight for student needs and advance student involvement.

Ana Tongilava

Rachel McCloskey

sociated Students as well as President of my sorority.

I would like to put work toward making Sonoma State the best school it can be and making sure the student’s needs are the number 1 priority on our campus.

I have learned so much about our school and the students from being the Vice President and I want to use my knowledge and leadership skills to strengthen the student experience at

with students on how to make this university an inclusive environment for every student.

This allowed me to use student’s voices to promote diversity such as creating the resolution in support of the Dream Center.

My motives as a Senator have expanded over time to a greater level of passion to create a sense of unity and belonging between students.

If elected as Executive Vice

President, I would like to focus not only on the Academic side, but also on the factors that students need to be successful academically such as having an active support system.

In this position, I will serve the students to the best of my abilities by leadership of honest advocacy and representation. I ask for your vote and your voice so that we can work in unity to create more accessibility for higher education.

have a variety of professors teaching those courses.

As Executive Vice President, I will meet with students to listen to their requests and desires of what Sonoma State can do for them.

My goal is to be able to translate those aspirations into a reality for all students.

Sonoma State will become a central place for learning, where students are able to get the classes they need, when they need them, not two years later.

Biographies and photos courtesy of Associated Students

NEWS IN BRIEF Rohnert Park

Rohnert Park

Rohnert Park

University Culinary Services at Sonoma state University is preparing to launch a brand new ice cream and boba tea spot on campus.

In the coming months, the Student Center of Sonoma State University will be adding a storefront offering 24 hour banking and food vending.

For the first time, these items will be for sale at the Student Center external storefronts next to the Made by Seawolves store.

Construction is set to begin adding three ATM machines, along with food and beverage vending.

The city of Rohnert Park has declared Sonoma State University President of University Affairs Ruben Arminana an Honorary Citizen of the city.

Administrators pushed for this spot to open after student feedback called for a boba shop on campus.

The venue is expected to open in the Fall 2016 and is in response to student feedback.

ATM machines will offer three types of financial institutions: Bank of America, Exchange Bank and Redwood Credit Union.

This concept of having banking options in the Student Center was a part of the building’s master plan and these options will be fully operational in fall 2016.

He is being commended for his 24 years of service and work for the community and the university.

Some of his largest contributions that factored into this praise includes the opening of the Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center and the $165 million Green Music Center.

Page 6

Arts

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar . com

Even pop stars aren’t immune to injustice Olivia Hunt Staff Writer

I

Commentary

t’s not unusual to grapple with issues of sexism and harassment in the entertainment industry. Nevertheless, these systemic injustices should never be ignored or thrown under the rug to avoid conflict with the business side of a career. In recent months, pop singer Kesha has publicly accused music producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald with allegations including sexual and emotional abuse, including rape.

Unfortunately, Kesha is still currently under contract with Sony Music, even after her opening up to the public about her experiences. Making the decision to hold Dr. Luke responsible for his actions is an extremely brave feat, considering we live in a legal system that is unsympathetic to both victims of rape and sexual assault.

When the accusations made against him were made public, Dr. Luke was quick to deny all statements made by Kesha as well as attempt to depict her as a liar.

The response and action taken by Sony has been extremely disappointing, but unfortunately, not shocking.

Respecting and giving equal rights to women in the workplace is still a vaguely new concept, are women are constantly given less power to stand up for themselves.

Women are often shut down and have their opinions delegitimized by people whose primary interest is profit. The shock following Sony’s insensitive response to the serious situation led several artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and Adele to come out and publicly support Kesha, along with criticizing Sony for their passive stance on the matter.

During her acceptance speech at the BRIT Awards last month, Adele took the opportunity to thank her manager and record label for embracing the fact that she’s a woman and for encouraging her. Before exiting the stage, Adele made a point to say she publicly supports Kesha during this painful and frustrating process.

It’s extremely discouraging a large-scale scandal such as this is still not enough evidence that women are being taken advantage of. Whether it be in the workplace or in day-to-day life, the abuser gets off with little damage to his record a majority of the time.

The decision to take cases such as these to court is a difficult process. Oftentimes the verdict is not in favor of the abused, which is quite honestly a major embarrassment to our legal system.

A New York judge denied Kesha’s motion for an injunction to leave her contract, claiming the story was unconvincing and there was no solid evidence. Sony Music and Dr. Luke are under the impression that these false allegations are being used to extort a contract renegotiation and money. The producer stands by his statement that he isn’t responsible for the acts for which he’s been accused.

Dr. Luke also took to Twitter in an attempt to clear his name, proclaiming that “Kesha and I made a lot of songs together and it was often good but there were creative differences at times.

It’s sad that she would turn a contract negotiation into something so horrendous and untrue.”

Sony has made it clear that until this matter is fully resolved, Kesha cannot work with music producers, publishers or record labels to release new music. Currently, there are too many rumors to know whether or not Sony will be dropping Dr. Luke, but his lawyer made a statement claiming that he has an “excellent relationship with Sony.

His representative is in regular contact with executives at the highest level at Sony, and this has never come up.”

It’s unlikely that Kesha would go through so much public trauma and scrutiny solely to get out of her contract, but hopefully the truth will come to light in the coming weeks.

facebook.com/UKNewsEdition Kesha has expressed plans to appeal a court ruling that prohibited her from leaving her recording contract with Dr. Luke.

Courtesy // David Papas The 2016 Spring Dance Concert is set to be held April 1-7 in Person Theatre and Weill Hall.

Spring 2016 Dance Concert, a team effort Sarah Fishback Staff Writer

T

he weeks following up to Spring Dance 2016 are filled with hours of rehearsal, sore bodies and determination for the 21 dancers in this year’s Spring 2016 Dance Concert.

What students and faculty should be aware of is how Spring Dance is a whole different ball game than Fall Dance. While the Fall Dance Concert focuses on student choreographers, the Spring Dance Concert is choreographed by different Sonoma State University dance instructors.

The choreographers for this upcoming event are Kristen Daley, Christina Cali, Eric Handman and Jennifer Meek. Members of the Sonoma State dance community might know Kristen Daley and Christina Cali from their department block dance classes they instruct.

In addition, the performance can’t happen without the help of the studentoperated crew. This crew consists of students involved in the Stagecraft class, like Rachel Eager, the Assistant Stage Manager and Wyatt Jadro, Stage Manager.

The crew is also made up of costume designer Ashley Williams along with other professional staff members that are in charge of lights and sound.

Joining the other choreographers from Sonoma State University’s Blue Baronz dance crew is Reggie Reguindin, a Political Science Major and senior.

“The choreographers for Spring Dance are focusing on some very heavyhanded topics that are plaguing the contemporary world,” said Reguindin.

The themes of the performances are beginning to feel very different from last semesters Fall Dance Concert.

“The pieces I’m in are inspired by social issues that have sparked controversy in the media. Each piece [showcases] the tragedies behind these issues while still treating it with the respect it deserves,” said Reguindin.

Another student dancer taking part in this year’s Spring Dance showcase is Kyle Her, a Dance and Human Development double major and senior.

Her discussed why he joined both the Fall and Spring Dance family.

“I wanted the opportunity to be able to work with the artists and choreographers who have experience in the real world,” said Her. “The fun part about being in Spring Dance is really

going through the whole process of putting the whole piece together and finally performing it and being able to share the beautiful work.”

Another part of Spring Dance is the behind-the-scenes production, which is crucial to creating a showcase such as this.

Christine Cali, an Assistant Professor of Dance at Sonoma State shared some insights of the department.

“The Theatre Arts and Dance Department at Sonoma State University is built upon a strong sense of community and collaboration,” said Cali. “This is one of the highlights of the Theatre Arts and Dance Department experience, everyone learns all roles in tech in order to understand the behind the scenes of production.”

Lastly, Cali discussed what it’s like to watch her student performers grow as dancers.

“The most inspiring part of working on Spring Dance is working with the students and being witness to their growth as dancers,” said Cali. “It’s a gift to have such rigorous, intelligent, and creative students to create.”

Performances are scheduled to be in Person Theater April 1-7 at 7:30 p.m., with a performance in Weill Hall on April 5 at 12:00 p.m.

Stop putting the art scene in the corner Nico Gray Staff Writer

Commentary

S

onoma State University has placed a renewed importance on its academics, student life and athletics. However, the art scene is one aspect that seems to go relatively unnoticed. The arts can be a tremendously beneficial facet to students regardless of whether or not they’re fans of art.

“Having a thriving arts scene on our campus helps students develop a greater appreciation for the arts,” said Film Studies professor Ajay Gehlawat.

The collaboration between music, film and more traditional forms of art creates an outlet to heighten campus activity, along with increasing learning opportunities. Although the construction of the Green Music Center has helped broaden the appeal with its dazzling architecture and multifunctional spaces, each department could substantially benefit from utilizing theses spaces and enhancing the exposure to what each department offers. Each department has its own unique needs and making those needs apparent to Sonoma State students can only help the betterment of our education.

Sonoma State University offers classes and programs that most students probably don’t know exist. Campus MovieFest is an amateur film competition where students enter their own short films for review. This event gives students pursuing careers in film the hands-on experience they need to get their foot in the door of the entertainment industry.

It’s nice to believe people support our student’s development; however, sometimes kind words don’t do enough.

In addition, those who submit their films even have the chance to participate in larger events such as the CSU Media Arts Festival that involves schools all across the CSU system.

Along with Campus MovieFest, the Sonoma Film Institute is the oldest repertory organization in the northern Bay Area.

Films are screened from all the world that won’t be playing at our local movie theatres. Students also have the opportunity to receive GE credit for attending the screenings and writing about the films.

The school has completely updated the film studies program, offering new courses in film production. It’s also in the process of developing a M.A. program to allow students to continue to further their artistic passions. The photography program has also been revamped where in the past it was mostly a dark room program.

“I’m really excited we’re moving the photo program forward,” said Professor Jennifer Shaw, Department Chair of Art and Art History. “We have a new curriculum for next year and are working on getting an upgraded digital lab.”

Although there has been a lot of progress and even more to look forward to, there are still nagging issues at hand, the biggest of those problems being money.

The majority of programs on campus are not properly funded and lack permanent faculty members. More funding would allow for more instructors, which, in turn creates a better

learning atmosphere, in addition to the potential for a new and more developed curriculum.

“We don’t have enough permanent faculty to do the best job we could,” said Shaw. “The faculty issue is across campus.”

“We are fortunate to have people who believe in the importance of the arts,” said Gehlawat. “Supporting our current programs and our plans to expand opportunities allows students to take further advantage of the thriving arts scene at Sonoma State.”

It’s nice to believe people support our students’ development; however, sometimes kind words don’t do enough. Funding is a real issue and a reduced number of faculty is a tremendous problem. It’s amazing the school has such a wide variety of courses to take, but there aren’t enough instructors to teach them. Students will continue to struggle finding classes and wonder if their money is going towards their education, or if it’s a ploy to keep them in college longer so the school can reap the financial benefits.

Does the school support academics and the well-being of specific programs, or do they support the business behind it and the additional profits? The GMC is perhaps the most talked about building regarding its financial clout. It brings in a lot of guests and performers, but it’s hard to tell if they’re brought in just for entertainment value.

Sonoma State students and departments have little to no say in who performs there or what events it will host. It’s one of the nicest features of our school, yet those who attend the school rarely get to experience it because it’s not properly utilized. It would be refreshing to attend more campus events that weren’t located in Ballroom A. The GMC is a great resource, but it could be used to offer so much more. The GMC could allow the art community to have a much larger presence on campus.

“We have this great music center and one day it would be nice to see this top notch art gallery and studio complex near the music center so the arts are together,” Shaw said.

The art community at Sonoma State is a great resource for students; it’s just a matter of finding it.

“Oftentimes students will say ‘I never even knew we had a film institute on campus.’ Once they discover it, they begin attending regularly,” said Ghelawat. “Increased promotion of events helps get the word out, and the earlier, the better.”

Promotion is everything. Students should at least be aware of everything the school has to offer. It would be great to see more collaboration between the different venues on campus to help house some of the great resources that are stuck in crowded classrooms.

There has been a lot of discussion on campus lately regarding where student’s money is going and how it’s being used. If funds can be set aside for campus additions like LoboVision, then the school needs to utilize additional funds from all departments to help enhance programs.

Assuming that the main emphasis of the university is to adhere to the needs of the students, then the school should do so by putting more attention towards classes. Also, making sure funds are properly distributed throughout campus so additional staff can be hired and students can experience a wider variety of classes.

The arts provide a level of creativity and inventiveness that isn’t found within a normal classroom. Students can be exposed to an entirely new way of learning and find something they never knew they had a passion for. Art is more than a form of expression. As author Chuck Klosterman says, “It’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you.”

Entertainment

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar . com

Page 7

‘Batman vs. Superman’: Debateable DC’s newest blockbuster dominates box offices, but earns mixed reviews

An optimist’s opinion Misha Herbert Staff Writer

I

f you haven’t seen it by now, chances are you’ve at least heard someone else’s review of “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Undoubtedly, it’s not the most impressive film that Director Zack Snyder has ever put out.

I’m not going to try and convince you to go see this film. Truthfully, I’m not sure that I would want to see it again myself.

The cinematic qualities — as discussed by my fellow staff writer Emma Devitt — are subpar at best. With that said, however, I think there are some aspects of the movie worth commending.

One of the most notable details of the film was the choice of characters featured in it. On many occasions, these beloved characters showed up just in time to save the crumbling plot and appease DC fans’ concerns that this just might be the worst superhero movie ever.

Many of the characters from “Man of Steel,” including Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent and Amy Adams’ Lois Lane were present in the film. Seeing these familiar faces was like finding a friend in a dire time of need; although you were suffering through the unnecessarily lengthy film, at least you had someone to go through it with.

Some other much appreciated appearances were made by other members of the Justice League. The Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman (played by Game of Thrones’ Jason Mamoa) all had brief introductions, leading fans to revel in the glory of the upcoming Justice League films. The most significant cameo, though, was made by Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot.

True to her form, Wonder Woman showed up just in time, when the both storyline and the other heroes needed her most.

Some would argue that Wonder Woman stole the show in “Batman vs. Superman,” but I’d say she saved it.

Beyond the character appearances, “Dawn of Justice” also provided an opportunity for some intriguing performances by its cast. Of course, there is much debate regarding Ben Affleck as Batman. The true achievement, however, came from the crazier-than-ever Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg.

Eisenberg took the character to new places in this film, allowing him to be angsty, formidable and enigmatic all at the same time.

Some have critiqued that Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was too similar to all of the other roles that he’s played. But truly, I think that’s what made this portrayal so dynamic and fascinating. Like Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Network,” Luthor was fidgety, clever and socially awkward. These details added a fresh interpretation to the typically smooth-talking LexCorp CEO. Eisenberg took the character to new places in this film, allowing him to be angsty, formidable and enigmatic all at the same time.

As a whole, “Batman vs. Superman” turned out the way that many expected it to: jerky, confusing, and more than a little frustrating.

But there were some saving graces wrapped up within the mess. Amongst the wreckage of this film, the outstanding characters and the actors that played them were there, serving as the real heroes holding it all together.

Let’s call a flop ‘a flop’ Emma Devitt Staff Writer

T

he much anticipated “Batman vs. Superman” opened in theaters this weekend, bringing with it much disappointment and confusion. Despite its estimated $172 million opening weekend, viewers have almost unanimously agreed it was a flop.

Ben Affleck as Batman has had fans talking and wondering for months on how he would portray The Dark Knight. Unfortunately, Affleck’s performance was much like a wet sock in a nice shoe: looks good from the outside, but soggy and stinky inside. The lack of character development left fans wondering why Affleck did some of the things he did in the film that were uncharacteristically Batman.

Director Zack Snyder’s attempt to start a new Batman course in the “Man of Steel” sequel is a big mistake. Perhaps a solely Batman film between “Man of Steel” and “Dawn of Justice” would have helped fans connect with Affleck’s Batman better. This would give them a more in-depth look at the character, instead of trying to stuff it all into one movie.

Affleck’s performance was much like a wet sock in a nice shoe: looks good from the outside, but soggy and stinky inside.

The film itself was all over the place.

Viewers had difficulty keeping track of the storyline, mostly because there were so many. The first hour and half was slow and boring, building up the rivalry between Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne, along with watching Lex Luthor (played by the incredible Jesse

Eisenberg) reveal more of his crazy hatred towards Superman, acquiring large chunks of Kryptonite to end him.

The slow beginning moves into the last short hour, squishing in Lex Luthor’s evil plan, a quick Batman and Superman fight scene, a Justice League introduction, Doomsday, the giant monster that absorbs energy, Wonder Woman kicking some butt, and a cliffhanger ending setting fans up for the next instalments.

So much was stuffed into the last hour, it was hard for viewers to connect with everything happening on the screen. Though it made fans excited for the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, the quick introduction to the upcoming Justice League felt shoved into a film that should have only focused on Batman and Superman.

Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg were tacked on in the cheesiest way, possibly as more of a service to the true fans of DC, rather than actually applying to the plot of the film.

Besides problems with the story and characters, even the quality of this film was boring. Overflowing with computer generated imagery (CGI), there was nothing visually striking. The amount of CGI in new, popular films is desensitizing viewers to the real craft in filmmaking. There is no doubt that CGI is needed for monsters and aliens, but when it’s used in every scene for things that could look better had they been made, the film becomes visually uninteresting. “Batman vs. Superman” had nothing that wowed audiences visually, leaving them with nothing to take away.

Snyder tried valiantly but failed to continue with a universe so many have come to love. Leaving them sad and disappointed, dreaming of what it could have been. If just a few things had been done differently, like casting or even sound editing, it might have been received better by those who truly appreciate the story.

facebook.com/BatmanvsSuperman Earning $424.1 million worldwide, “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” has recieved mixed reviews from fans and critics.

Shonda Rhimes is at it again with ‘The Catch’ Allison Kelley Staff Writer

Review

I

n any television series, the main goal should be to catch the audience’s attention, and that’s exactly what ABC’s “The Catch” did. The new series produced

by Shonda Rhimes, premiered Thursday night on ABC. Rhimes is known for her suspenseful and thrilling series “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” and has done it again with yet another exciting show that left the viewers wanting more.

The show starts off with a mysterious man walking into an art exhibit. He begins a f lirtatious encounter with the main character, Alice, who is a private investigator. The man somehow steals Alice’s access key from the art safe and steals a million dollar painting. Just as he thinks he is going to get away with it, Alice shows up along with the rest of the police and arrests him. The viewers now know that Alice is not one to mess with.

As the story continues, we find that Alice is after a guy named Mr. X, who is stealing money from her client’s accounts. The team has been searching for Mr. X, played by Peter Krause, for quite some time. Once at home after a long day of trying to hunt down this thief, Alice starts to vent to her finance about her struggles. The story then takes its biggest plot twist: her fiancé is Mr. X. Now he is on the run, and Alice must catch him.

“The Catch” is filled with many subliminal messages. For example, the infamous painting that mystery man attempted to steal in the beginning was of a couple wrapped around each other. The man’s face was covered, buried deep inside his mistress, just as we come to find out later on, Mr. X’s face is never shown in any photographs. “He’s not showing you his eyes. Just because it doesn’t last, doesn’t mean it doesn’t love,” says the mystery thief about the painting. This quote could symbolize the rest of the show’s dynamics.

Just like Rhimes’s other series, “The Catch” is filled with many twists and turns. Once you think something is going to happen, it completely changes direction. The show is unpredictable, leaving the viewers on their toes. Having this kind of plotline makes the series more desirable to watch continuously.

Rhimes has set the bar high not only for other producers, but for herself as well. One of television’s most popular shows, “Grey’s Anatomy” is hard live up to, specifically because it has captured the hearts of so many viewers. “The Catch” might be just be as huge of a hit as “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Mireille Enos did a stunning job as her role of a detective. She was confident, intriguing, smart and sexy. The acting overall was smooth and consistent. It was as though the viewers were right alongside the characters when everything was going down. I felt a connection to the characters as well as sympathy when things weren’t going right.

“The Catch” incorporated neat graphic designs that faded in and out on the screen during certain scenes. Different frames, boxes and squares would overlap each other, making it unlike any other show. Some boxes would pause and zoom into a particular scene, which gave a sense of importance.

I enjoyed the song choices used to lighten the mood during the heavier scenes. Although the overall genre of “The Catch” is crime-thriller, the score choices made it seem like the show wasn’t as intense.

“The Catch” caught my eye, will it catch others’, too?

facebook.com/The CatchABC Shonda Rhimes, producer of many hit series such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” has returned with a new crime-thriller.

Page 8

Student Life

March 29- April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Sonoma State Sapphires Sonoma State University’s dance team, the Sapphires, won first place in their division for hip-hop and second place for their lyrical dance at the USA Nationals dance competition in Anaheim, CA on March 20.

Sonoma State Sapphires make history with win at nationals for hip-hop routine Rachel McCloskey Staff Writer

T

he Sonoma State University dance team, the Sapphires, made history this year at their 2016 USA Nationals competition.

Having never taken home a championship title, the Sapphires proved themselves in taking home the Grand Hip-Hop Championship title for division II and III. The Sapphires also took second place in the open style category, falling short to Chapman University who are six-time national titleholders.

The two days the Sapphires spent in Anaheim over spring break were packed full of dancing. On the first day, March 19, the Sapphires won first place in the pre-liminary round for their hip-hop routine and kept their spot the following day during the finals round. Their winning hip-hop routine was to a remix of Missy Elliot hits and their lyrical performance slowed it down to the tune of “I Surrender” by Celin Dion.

To prepare for this competition and other school events, the Sapphires practice year-round, dancing three nights a week to perfect their technique, stage presence and routines. Senior and captain Erica Pecho joined the Sapphires her freshman year and made it a commitment throughout her time at Sonoma State.

“I have stayed on dance team all four years because of the passion I have for dancing,” said Pecho. “It honestly felt so surreal when we won. All of the hard work,

especially for us seniors has truly paid off. It still feels unreal.”

“The work ethic of all the members was remarkable and we all had the same goal in mind,” said Sapphires team coach and Sonoma State alumnae Megan Bowcot.

“Our next goal is to keep the number of members high on the team and of course defend ourtitle at Nationals. Sonoma State has never been a top pick for competitive dancers and I can’t wait to see this change in the future.”

After winning their national competition, the Sapphires are now preparing for their annual Spring showcase. This Spring Show allows members of the Sapphires to come up with routines and choreograph them with their fellow dance team members.

“I’m really excited about this years’ sping show because I’ll be choregraphing two dances,” said member Madison Muro. “We have already started practing and working on our routines to get ready for the show come April.”

The Spring show is the Sapphire’s last chance to leave their heart on the dance floor before spring auditions roll around.

Spring auditions will be held Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Wolves’ Den. “I think students should join because it’s tons of fun and you become a family with everyone else,” said Bowcot. “I think of all of the members on the team as my family and would do anything for them.”

For more information on the Sapphires or for audition information go to sonomastatesapphires.weebly.com.

STAR // Sara Wildman The Work Intern Volunteer Abroad fair showcased different volunteer abroad opportunities that are available to students. From places like Australia to Barcelona, there were a wide variety of programs to choose from.

Work fair showcases volunteer abroad opportunities

W

Katelynn Quinn Staff Writer

IVA, or Work Intern Volunteer Abroad, is an organization set up to promote other programs that allow students to travel abroad.

The opportunities these programs provide are numerous. They include studying certain majors abroad, working for internships abroad and doing various types of community service.

Last Saturday, WIVA held a small fair outside Salazar Quad. The setting was simple but colorful, with a table for each program set up and flags from all over the world above them.

Each table was decorated uniquely, having souvenirs from the countries the programs represented on the table to various folders laid out containing more information.

“The WIVA program is available for all current students as well as alumni,” said Becky Petrow, a leader of the organization. “Current students can gain experience in schools in other countries as well as learn how to work for certain companies. We also connect with graduate programs abroad for alumni.”

All of the programs provide a variety of opportunities in other countries. CRCC Asia for instance, has a

variety of programs to allow students to gain business experience with internships, as well as gain exposure to China’s diverse culture.

“72 percent of people who became involved with our organization end up receiving full time employment later on,” said CRCC representative Thao Li. This is also the case for other organizations such as Barcelona, where students not only get a chance to study abroad and receive internship opportunities, but they also learn more about the Spanish language and culture.

Education isn’t the only goal of the programs. At the fair, people also learned how they can perform community service in other countries.

Integral Without Borders provides a network of multidisciplinary methods with a goal for global change.

“Our programs provide a lot of disciplines to not only provide a stronger experience for travelling students, but to assist in situations as well”, said Co-Director Sushant Shrestha. “Students gain exposure to various majors as well, from our top ones such as social change, economics, business and ones with less focus such as physics and chemistry.”

The table for IWB provided a great amount of information on opportunities in Nepal.

“We’re hoping to get more people on community

service for there, especially after Nepal faced one of the worst earthquakes in history last year,” said Shrestha.

Other tables that provided volunteer opportunities were the Peace Corps and Camp Counselors USA. The latter has programs set up in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,and Russia.

“Students get to choose what they feel would work best for them,” said program coordinator Amy Nichols.

The variety includes working with animals in both Australia and South Africa, working at kids camps in Australia and assisting in family programs in Russia.

With the Peace Corps, there are even more countries students have the chance to travel to and assist people in, as well submerge themselves within the cultures.

Anyone has the opportunity to get involved as long as they are over 18, and the program is free of charge.

“As a bonus, the people involved do get paid, though it is still meant to be an experience with serving those in need,” said regional representative Barbara Smith, who performed community service in Zambia from 2010 to 2014.

The fair provided not only a more inside look at the WIVA programs, but also provided a chance to learn more about the programs from the directors themselves.

Students can discover more atsonoma.edu/cie/wiva.

Student Life

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

Social Justice Week sheds light on Palestine Jessica Shipma Staff Writer

T

he sociology club brought awareness to Social Justice Week with many different seminars and opportunities to get students involved.

One of the seminars they put on focuses on Palestine and Israel.

The seminar began with a man in a green “Save Palestine” shirt named Rebel Fagin, asking the audience to imagine what Palestine looks like.

He described some common American stereotypes of Palestine and points out how incorrect these misconceptions are.

Fagin proceeded to mention some myths and facts about Palestine and Israel.

“Myth: Israel is the only democracy in the region. Fact: Israel is a democracy for about 80 percent of the population, those who are Jewish,” said Fagin.

“Those who are not live under a separate set of laws with diminished rights which, according to the United Nations, makes it an apartheid state.”

Fagin shared more myths and facts

before sharing how Sonoma State University students are being affected by what’s happening in Palestine and Israel, and how students can get more involved.

Fagin suggests starting a “Students for Justice in Palestine club” on campus.

For students interested in more information, Fagin suggested visiting bdsmovement.net, jewishvoiceforpeace. org and ifamericaknew.org.

Fagin then handed the mic over to Therese Mughannam, a Palestinian woman who has been living in the United States since the age of 10.

Mughannam began her presentation with a PowerPoint. One of the first slides on the screen displays maps showing how Palestine has changed from 1947 to 2010.

After the Partition of 1947, Palestine became roughly 50 percent Palestine and 50 percent Israel. From this point forward, Israel began to expand as Palestine began to shrink.

In the 2010 map, Israel maked up roughly 80 percent of the land and Palestine made up 20 percent.

“The majority of the Palestinian people were basically displaced from

Palestine, including my own family,” said Mughannam. “I was just a few months old so I don’t remember any of that stuff, but I grew up in it.”

Mughannam compared her story to a scenario of if a homeless person came into an audience member’s house and refused to leave.

Mughannam continued to mention the thousands of people that were massacred and the 800,000 people who were displaced in order to create Israel.

She suggested students read Ilan Pappe’s, “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine” and Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi’s “Original Sins” to learn more about that time period through the writings of Israeli historians.

“Just yesterday I was in a group with two Rabbis and they talked about how difficult it is for them to deal with what is going on in Israel/Palestine today. Many Jews don’t agree with what’s going on.

They don’t agree with what the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinians in their name,” said Mughannam.

Mughannam also showed pictures taken during her last trip to Palestine.

She showed pictures of demolished

buildings, a 26-foot-tall concrete wall that extends miles into the West Bank and pictures of Palestinian students who have missed their classes after waiting in line for hours at a checkpoint.

“Just like you, your age, they couldn’t get to their classes. They had to go through the checkpoints. At some point people give up,” said Mughannam.

“They say, ‘I’m going to go to Germany’ or ‘I’m going to go here or there and get my education.’ These are really very motivated, very bright kids and they’ve figured out that their ticket to success is their education.”

The final person to speak was a Jewish woman named Lois Pearlman. She began by talking about how myths are created.

“These myths don’t just sort of come out of the blue sky, they’re actually created. The Israeli government creates these myths,” said Pearlman.

When asked why Sonoma State students should get involved in this matter, especially ones who are neither Jewish or Palestinian, Fagin responded that she is neither Palestinian or Jewish and it comes down to justice.

Honor societies worth the résumé boost

Carly Saber Staff Writer

H

Commentary

onor societies have long had the reputation of being prestigious groups that are for select elite students. While this does hold some truth, many students have the opportunity to join during their college years.

What is an honor society? An honor society is an organization that seeks to group together people with academic merit, leadership abilities or other similar interests, such as specific professions.

Many of these societies are named after the Greek alphabet, and an invitation is usually required to join. There is also always a fee that must be paid to join the society, and then there is usually a smaller membership fee to pay to renew status each semester.

At Sonoma State University, there are various academic honor societies to join that are related to different majors and areas of study. With the required GPA, students could be eligible to join the honor society that correlates with their degree. The GPA requirement varies from a 3.0 to a 3.5 minimum.

Also, Sigma Alpha Lambda is an honor society that focuses on leadership. This organization is invitation only, but if one is interested in joining, students can go to their website and request an invitation.

Being in an honor society has many pros and cons. One of the most sought after benefits of being in an honor society myself, is the ability to put it on a résumé. In college, nearly everyone is looking for ways to make their resume stand out from the rest.

According to the Labor Bureau of Statistics, 65.9 percent of American high school students attended college the fall semester following their spring graduation in 2013.

With majority of students attending college, and an increasingly more competitive job market, graduates need more than just their degree to be hired.

Other advantages of being involved in an honor society are the networking possibilities. Once membership is granted, it lasts a lifetime.

Alumni come back to school for events and ceremonies, which allows the younger members to meet people who are in their specific field of interest.

With the right connections, a job application could be moved to the top of a pile, a recommendation could be made or an open position could be saved. It also provides an opportunity to network with other students on campus that have similar goals and interests.

Though honor societies appear to come with many rewards, there are also a couple of downsides. One of the biggest turn-offs from joining one can be the price. They are not cheap.

The dues range anywhere from $25 to $120. There is usually a renewal fee each semester that ranges from $5 to $50.

These fees often can seem steep, especially for the organizations that do not require any real involvement aside from the initiation ceremony.

However, other organizations do host events, some social and some philanthropic, and the dues help pay for the necessary resources to put on those events.

Having an honor society on a résumé can definitely be a conversation starter in a job interview.

This can be good or bad. If there was limited involvement required to be an active member, then it may be awkward when the employer asks about it. But, it can look extremely positive if you can discuss different events you partook in throughout your time in the organization, or some of the people you were able to meet.

In general, it seems that when invited to join an honor society, the pros outweigh the cons. In this dog-eat-dog society, any opportunity to improve your résumé and provide an edge over other applicants is highly recommended.

Tuesday, March 29 Bisexual Discussion Group 12 p.m.

Stevenson 3095

Friday, April 1 Spring Dance Concert 7:30 p.m.

Weill Hall

AS Candidate Debate 5 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom B

Walking Your Talk: Living and Leading with Integrity 9 - 3:30 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom A

Wednesday, March 30 Women of Color Collective 12 p.m.

The HUB SSU Night Swim 6:30 p.m.

SSU Pool

Saturday, April 2 Scene It Big Screen Movie Night: The Peanuts Movie 7 - 9 p.m.

Schroeder Hall

Page 10

Sports

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

Women’s soccer squares off with USA National team Kristen Spear Staff Writer

S

onoma State women’s soccer team kicked their spring season into action during spring break by scrimmaging the U19 USA national team. Playing against some of the best of the best, the Seawolves were put to the test in some of the toughest competition they have faced in program history.

Both teams are training and picking up games to perform against different levels of play to ensure them for upcoming competition. This was the second training camp for the U19 USWNT as they prepare themselves for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup to be held in Papua, New Guinea. As the reigning CCAA champions, Sonoma State’s spring schedule is filled with D1 opponents as well to challenge themselves before their 2016 fall season.

“I look at the game as a measure of how far we have come in the past five seasons. It’s a real testament to the players and the program that a national team would consider us a worthy opponent,” said head coach Emiria Salzmann Dunn.

The game was divided into three quarters of 30 minutes to allow players to get minutes and teams to try different formations. Coaches were also able to test their players capabilities in unique situations.

The USWNT came out strong in the first quarter, scoring two of their three goals, but Sonoma grabbed a hold of the game as their defense got organized and attacking got stronger.

Although Sonoma State did not put one up on the board, there were multiple attempts and close calls.

Sophomore forward Courtney Shoda was able to score in a questionable call but the ball was determined stopped before the goal line instead of inching across the line.

Sonoma adapted to the national team’s speed and movement off the ball which made it easier for them to keep the ball on their opponent’s side of the half and making the USWNT work extra hard.

However, The USWNT was able to steal another goal from Sonoma State “We had to make sure we were all getting behind the ball and keeping their speed in front to ensure they didn’t get past

our defensive line on break-aways,” said sophomore captain Cecilia Sifuentes.

“We picked up their top players, became more aggressive, and more organized to play faster and build as a team going forward.”

The final whistle blew for much more than the end of the game, as respect was given from both sides of the field. The U19 USWNT presented Sonoma State with one of their very own flags, and all players of the national team signed an old women’s soccer jersey as a keepsake of what an memorable experience this was.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said senior midfielder Kristal Luna. “We played against the best of the best, but in order to be the best, you have to train with the best.”

The women’s soccer team will battle against a wide range of opponents over the spring in preparation of defending their CCAA title in the fall.

“I’m excited to see how this group of players stands up to the test, but also what the team reveals to us in terms of how we best play together,” said Emiria Salzmann Dunn on their challenging spring season ahead.

COURTESY// Cindy Van Wagoner Sonoma State Women’s Soccer celebrates with the U19 Women’s National team after a tough and fun scrimmage.

Hockey club improving and growing Hailee Zastrow Staff Writer

S

onoma State has a hockey team? That’s usually the first thing you hear when there is any mention of hockey team on campus. Sonoma State’s roller hockey club team participates in division IV of the Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League. Last season they came in second, two points behind UC Davis, in their division ranking.

The Seawolves’ season is split up into three to four tournaments. The team travels all over, from San Jose, Chico, and Huntington Beach. They compete in tournaments, often playing division III teams.

“This last season went fairly well. We had a rocky start to the season but we practiced hard and we managed to do well during the middle and end of the season,” said former club president Alex Shearin.

On Saturdays, you can usually find the team practicing at the outdoor rink next to Snoopy’s Home Ice in Santa Rosa. The team even travels to Oakland sometimes, just to practice indoor at the Dry Ice Roller Hockey Arena.

Following his older brothers footsteps, Shearin started

playing hockey in fifth grade and fell in love with the sport.

When he came to Sonoma State, the roller hockey team allowed him to continue what he loves.

“My time with the team has been amazing,” Shearin said. “Everyone on the team has become good friends and we all have a great time traveling to play in tournaments and just hanging out during and after practices.”

They are now led by goalie Chase Watson, who took over as president for Alex Shearin after his two years. “I came in as a freshmen and found the club falling apart, I was forced to step up as a leader and be president of the club for two years before I passed the torch to Chase Watson who has been doing a great job keeping the club running for the last year and a half,” Shearin said.

Even Kat Langer has become close with her team, despite being the only woman playing a sport usually dominated by men. Langer isn’t afraid to be “one of the boys”. Her interest in hockey started after going to a San Jose Sharks game in high school. She admits she’s still a beginner, but said “I was able to keep up better this year than last year.”

“The team has been instrumental in helping me learn the game.” Langer said.

ssuhockey.weebly.com Being the only girl hasn’t stopped her from giving her all. She has been accepted by her team, and in the league, with open arms. “Having a girl hasn’t seemed to change the dynamics of the team,” Shearin said. “I have noticed that most of the other team’s players are really nice and they make sure she is okay after a hit. To me, that shows real sportsmanship and tells you a lot about hockey players.”

You can keep up with the Sonoma State Roller Hockey team starting this October when the 2016-2017 season is scheduled to begin.

Softball teams’ bats light up against the Coyotes T

Aubrie Tolliver Asst. Sports Editor

he Sonoma State softball team pounced on the San Bernardino Coyotes, taking home three wins in their 4-game series on Friday and Saturday in San Bernardino.

The Seawolves, led by senior Jena Kaser who ended the series going 6-14 at the plate with a homerun, improve to 17-12 overall and 14-9 against CCAA opponents. The Coyotes, on the other hand, fall to 18-19 on the season and 14-15 in conference, losing 11 of their lost 12 games.

Senior Amanda Llerena took the mound for game one on Friday in San Bernardino and kept the Coyotes to just one run, striking out a season-high 11 batters.

The Seawolves would score three times, however.

A bomb off the bat of senior Jena Kaser to right field and a double from junior Emma Ryan in the second put the Seawolves on top 2-0.

Then in the fifth, sophomore Jordann White put the icing on the cake when an infield single to third scored teammate Leanna Georges. The Seawolves took game one 3-1.

Nine innings into game two both teams were tied at 3 apiece. It was too dark to continue though so the game was resumed the following day.

After two innings of scoreless play, senior Carlie

Game 4: 3/25/16

Daniel’s clutch RBI double tilted the score and Llerena shut down the Coyote offense in the bottom of the inning, finalizing the score at 4-3.

Daniel finished the game 2 for 6, knocking in two of the four runs while Llerena grabbed her second win of the weekend.

The Coyotes’ freshman pitcher, Amanda Ramirez, practically eliminated the Seawolf offense in game three, allowing just two hits. Llerena was served her first loss of the weekend. San Bernardino plated seven runs on twelves hits, defeating Sonoma State 7-0.

Right of the gate senior Carlie Daniel launched the ball far over the right-field fence in the first inning of game four, which initiated a Seawolf offensive domination.

Sonoma would go onto score nine runs on 10 hits while freshman pitcher Brielle Vidmar held the Coyotes to just three runs on eight hits. White ended the game 2-3 with two runs batted in.

“We scored early and that definitely gave us confidence going into the rest of the game,” said Kaser on her team’s booming offense in game four. “That way we don’t scape for runs late in the game.”

Sonoma State is scheduled to play seven games in four days during the week.

They will begin by playing Western Washington Thursday night at 4 p.m. at Cal State Stanislaus be-

fore competing in the Tournament of Champions Friday through Sunday at the Pedretti Sports Complex in Turlock as well, hosted by Stanislaus.

The Seawolves are currently holding on tight to fourth place and have 14 more conference games left on the season.

R H E

Sonoma State:

001 100 100 001

4 10 2

CSUSB:

020 010 000 000

3 11 1

WP:Amanda Llerena (11-6) LP: Cassandra Williams (12-11)

STAR// Megan Corcoran #7 Sarah Langley batted .363 against CSUSB

Sports

March 29- April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

SEAWOLF SPORTS Thursday 3/31

Saturday 4/2

SOFTBALL Vs Western Washington 4 p.m.

Turlock,Ca

MEN’S TENNIS @ Holy Names 1 p.m.

Friday 4/1 WOMEN’S TRACK @SF State Distance Carnival WOMEN’S TENNIS Vs Notre Dame de Namur 11 a.m.

Vs Dominican 2 p.m.

SSU Tennis Courts SOFTBALL Vs Academy of Art 2 p.m.

Vs Hawaii- Hilo 7 p.m.

Turlock, Ca

Saturday 4/2 WOMEN’S TRACK @SF State Distance Carnival WOMEN’S WATER POLO Vs UC San Diego 10 a.m.

Vs Cal State Monterey Bay 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Rudolff Pool

BASEBALL @ Cal State LA (DH) 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.

SOFTBALL Vs Hawaii-Pacific 4:30 p.m.

VS Chaminade 7 p.m.

Turlock, Ca

Sunday 4/3 MEN’S TENNIS @ UC Santa Cruz 1 p.m.

SOFTBALL Vs Notre Dame de Namur 1:45 p.m.

Vs Holy Names 4:30 p.m.

Turlock, Ca

Monday 4/4 WOMEN’S GOLF Sonoma State Spring Invitational Major League Baseball Opening Day

Courtesy of sonomaseawolves.com

Page 11

Is the game becoming soft? ish once punched Bill Laimbeer without receiving a technical foul, while in 2007 Tim Duncan gets a technical for laughing on the bench.

Referees have been under fire more than ever before in the last few years because of their attempts to “clean up” the game. Granted, the NBA shouldn’t promote outright violence, yet not allowing the more physically gifted players to compete freely is robbing them of their strong suites.

Naaman H ightower Staff Writer

A

s he walks into the gym, a crowd of 10-year-olds rushes him. He quietly signs multiple autographs, smiling gently as the children parade him with questions about his famous trash-talking days with Michael Jordan.

“Yeah, I gave him problems when I guarded him,” he said.

Well known for his defensive prowess and toughness, Gary Payton sat courtside at a local prep school game in Napa, California.

During the bout, he even stood up and had a back-and-forth with a top high school player, Josh Jackson.

Less than a month ago, Payton tweeted, “I could never play basketball in this soft era.

All of my contract money would go toward fines.”

Payton has a point. Is the sport of basketball becoming a less physical and of a finesse game?

In Payton’s heyday, a physical and psychological game was part of basketball. Receiving the third most technical fouls of all time, he frequently was viewed as the symbol of grit, competitiveness and toughness. If you were to watch an NBA game from the 1990’s, a sharp contrast from a 2016 Golden State Warrior’s game is what you would see.

Long three point shots from 35 feet away?

Doubtful. Extreme efforts to fake as if you’re being fouled (i.e f lopping)? Rare.

Payton played in the age where the NBA was frequently said to be an acronym of No Boys Allowed. From blows thrown to all-out brawls in Detroit, a timid player wouldn’t have survived.

Former Boston Celtics player Robert Par-

“What’s undeniable is the lack of physicality and aggression in a sport that was once lauded for both.”

Nowadays, the league promotes athleticism, versatility and potential. Very rarely will you see a six foot nine, 253-pound bruiser like Karl Malone gracing the court, punishing defenders with his body. Arguably the most famous big man of all time, Shaquille O’Neal, is ancient talk.

Now we have 7’’3’ players shooting three pointers instead of posting up, some guy named Curry regularly shooting threes from beyond 26 feet, and a lack of true NBA centers.

On top of that, in the NCAA world, the major changes were put in place starting this season in effort to increase scoring output.

From changing the shot clock to 30 seconds, the NCAA wants to reduce inaction.

Faster play means less fouls, which translates to less physicality.

One glaring rule put in place for the first time this year is the extermination of the five-second closely guarded rule. Defensiveminded players such as Payton will no longer able to be rewarded for hounding an opposing player.

So is Payton right when he says the game is getting soft?

It depends on who you ask, but what’s undeniable is the lack of physicality and aggression in a sport that was once lauded for both.

It’s less exciting to watch for a fan such as myself, yet may be enjoyable to the younger fans who are being raised on Curry and the three ball.

To each, their own.

Seawolves SPEAK!

’15-’16 Warriors vs. ’95-’96 Bulls

Bianca Sanborn Staff Writer

“The dubs are definitely capable of beating the record. Especially with Andre Igoudala expected to return soon.

If they played the Bulls back then, in my opinion that would be a close call. I think the Dubs would finish them off in the last quarter, with their undeniable teamwork and a couple of Chef Curry’s signature 3’s.”

-Franchesa Galetti, Sophomore buisness major

W

“I do think they will break the record. Considering their schedule.

The NBA back then was a lot more physical of a game, compared to now where a lot more fouls get called. it would be a tough game. If Steph, Klay and the Warriors shot lights out, the Bulls wouldn’t really have a chance.”

-Dallas Burciaga, sophomore communications major

Staff Picks:

ith “His Airness” Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen leading the way, the Bulls finished the regular season with 72 wins and 10 losses. Jordan, considered the best player in NBA history, finished his unforgettable career with six NBA titles and was honored five times as the league’s MVP. Twenty years of basketball never even threatened to challenge Chicago’s success in ‘96 — until now.

Utilizing two of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA, the league’s second leader in triple-doubles, and a bench that is arguably stronger than most team’s starting lineup, the reigning champions are rewriting the record books.

This season alone, the team has broken multiple standing records, including the longest winning streak at home (54 straight), best start to a season (24-0), and most threes scored in a game (22).

The stakes are higher than ever as the Warriors approach the end of their 2015-16 season and strive to sweep their remaining nine games, six of which are at home. After two weekend victories against the Mavericks and 76ers, Golden State is dangerously close to breaking the record, only needing a 7-2 run to eclipse Chicago’s standings.

But can the champs match the magnitude of such a legendary team? The STAR asked students whether or not they think the Warriors will break the Bull’s franchise legacy, and which team they think would win in a matchup.

Kim Baptista: Bulls Shannon Brown: Bulls Bianca Sanborn: Warriors Joesph Encinas: Bulls Naaman Hightower: Bulls Brandon Stachnik: Warriors Andrea Serles: Warriors Aubrie Tolliver: Warriors Blake Robinson: Bulls Haiilee Zastrow: Warriors Tommy Call: Warriors

“I think they’ll beat the record. They’re on a wave, they have a lot of momentum. Especially with Steve Kerr as the head coach. He was on that ’95-96 team so he knows what it takes to to win.

I think the Bulls would beat them in a seven game series. The Bull’s tenacity was grade A, but I love the way the Warriors play, they’re unselfish.’” -Ronnie Harris, junior communications major.

I do think they’ll end up beating the record.

They really know how to feed off the home crowd They might have some trouble with the Spurs.

The Bulls would win overall because they were great for many years. The Warriors are being overhyped after only being good for the past two seasons.

-Brigitte Maina, sophomore communications major

Page 12

Photo

March 29 - April 4, 2016 sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Shane Bickford An aerial photo shows the progress of the University District being developed adjacent to the north Sonoma State University.

STAR // Sara Wildman Sonoma State students were able to learn how they could work, volunteer and get an internship abroad at the WIVA Fair in Salazar Plaza on Thursday.