Volume 77 // Issue 1

Page 1

In this issue: Student Life: Hunter Hayes performs at Green Music Center

Opinion: Olympic coverage shows gender bias A&E: “Stranger Things” captivates Netflix subscribers Sports: Alumni scrimmage men’s soccer team

SINCE 1979

Annual convocation experiences new spark

VOLUME 77 // ISSUE 1

AUGUST 23 - AUGUST 29, 2016

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

Nate Galvan Staff Writer

O

n Aug. 22 Sonoma State University’s annual fall convocation was held at Weill Hall. But for the first time in over two decades a new president would take the podium to address her faculty, staff and students. Dr. Judy K. Sakaki is now in her eighth week as Sonoma State’s president and she was the first to address those in attendance, but not before an enormous amount of applause on her way to the stage. Beginning with her agenda over the previous summer months, which involved moving to a new city and meeting new faces, Sakaki described a gathering with faculty and friends over the previous weeks that involved the music constructed by cellist Yo­Yo Ma. “Yo­Yo Ma does with music what we in education need to move towards, pushing ourselves to think about new ways to better serve and meet the career needs of our new millennial students,” said Sakaki. Sakaki was vice president of student affairs for the University of California system and has also been head of student affairs for UC Davis and CSU Fresno. With a Ph.D. in education from UC Berkeley, Sakaki earned her M.A. in educational psychology as well as her B.A. in human development from CSU East Bay. The first half of Sakaki’s speech focused on the goals she wishes to accomplish not only in her first year as president, but the following years as well. With about 800 transfer students incoming this se-

mester, she hopes to smooth the transition of transfer students between Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State. With another 1,825 incoming freshman, Sakaki mentioned that she wants to ensure both staff and students have a voice on campus. “We are a family of about 1500 faculty and staff,” said Sakaki. “If each one of us committed to mentor, to look out for, to take a special interest in just one perspective student what a difference we could make.” The need for Sonoma State to become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) seemed to be a priority for Sakaki as she noted a university needs to have 25 percent of its undergraduates being hispanic to be declared an HSI. Currently Sonoma State is at 12 percent even though 53 percent of California’s K­-12 students are hispanic. To help Sakaki get familiar with her new job status, she has brought in a whole new team of cabinet members, all but one being on an interim basis, with some even having their first days falling on the day of convocation. While stating the school’s budget is “unhealthier” than she’d hoped, Sakaki made it clear that the school’s budget priorities will be one of the many tasks that the president’s interim staff will be working on in the coming months. “I am still in the process of reviewing our budget and am focused on making sure that our resources are lined up to support the educational mission of the university,” said Sakaki. “We are very committed to the success of every single student.” One of Sakaki’s interim cabinet members, Provost Jeri Echeverria, spoke after

COURTESY // Sonoma State University President Judy K. Sakaki addressed students, staff and faculty on Aug. 22 at the annual fall convocation. President Sakaki. Being a child of immigrant parents, Echeverria touched on the impact higher education had not only on her life but her parents as well. “The first time my father ever stepped foot on a school campus was the day I graduated college,” said Echeverria. “In many ways I’ve fulfilled my father’s dream of making it in America.” Previously serving as executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer of the California State University system before retiring, Provost Echeveria hopes to work on two different areas during her short time at Sonoma State. One area being improving academic affairs and the

other involving developing the position of provost to make it very attractive to future nominees. Echeverria also noted challenges involving current faculty on campus such as the decline in the number of faculty over the past 15 years while the compensation for these faculty is low compared to other CSU campuses. This area was also touched on by Professor Elaine Newman, See CONVOCATION on Pg. 5

Student athletes set GPA record Charlotte Grayson Staff Writer

T COURTESY // Sara Wildman Susan Kashack retired Aug. 26 after thirty two years serving Sonoma State University.

Susan Kashack retires after over three decades

I

Samantha Oyler Staff Writer

n the time of typewriters and pagers, Susan Kashack was creating a Sonoma State University community that will forever follow her legacy. Kashack started her journey 32 years ago at Sonoma State. She chose to spend her undergraduate years as a communications major. Finding that communications was the perfect fit for her, she dreamed of pursuing a career in marketing. The interesting classes Sonoma State provided gave her adequate preparation for her masters program at San Francisco State University. Kashack grew to love the Sonoma State community so much that she dedicated the rest of her career to make this blossoming campus thrive. Kashack loved communications so much she even became one of the advisors for the Sonoma State Star. After 32 years, in a time of growth in the Sonoma State community, she has found that now is a good time to start

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a new adventure, retirement. “Susan has been a colleague of mine for 13 years. She loves Sonoma State and will be greatly missed,” said Sandi Destiny, a colleague in University Affairs. Kashack is very well known on the Sonoma State campus. Like many educators, Kashack did her work primarily for her students. “My biggest accomplishment would be my students. We have had students intern in our office and go big places. It’s just really cool to see them go far,” said Kashack. Looking back, Kashack wishes she could bring back the employees who built the campus to what it is now, so that they could see what the foundation they created has become. Her colleague Jinnea Mullins shared that Kashack never missed anything at Sonoma State and was there through all the historic events that occurred throughout the years. See RETIREMENT on Pg. 3

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he Sonoma State University Seawolves have set a new GPA record for the second straight year. Sonoma State’s student-athletes earned a combined GPA of 3.097 during the 2015-2016 school year, breaking their record set in 2014-2015 of 3.037. Individual studentathletes have also earned academic accolades, helping Sonoma State set yet another record. Sonoma State’s website reports that 93 student-athletes received all-academic honors. 70 student-athletes were honored by the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference, which is more than any other California State University campus. The CCAA’s website explains to earn this honor, a student needs to be of at least sophomore standing, have at least a 3.3 GPA and participate in a sport sponsored by the conference during the season that they are honored. “None of this happens without the student-athlete being motivated and having

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a passion for learning. We have very basic department goals in academic excellence, competitive success and community outreach emphasizing those characteristics on a regular basis,” said Athletic Director Bill Fusco, “We make sure our student-athletes, their respective teams and coaching staffs are recognized for their achievement in academics.” Of the fourteen athletic programs offered at Sonoma State, ten earned a combined GPA over 3.0 last year. The athletic department celebrated this achievement on their social media pages. On Twitter, they expressed gratitude for the outstanding faculty for the part they played in keeping students on track. The athletic department also offered congratulations to the cross country team for earning the highest GPA as a team, together earning a 3.333. Student athletes were also honored on the athletic department’s Facebook page, as well as other social media sites linked to Sonoma State University. See GPA on Pg. 3

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