Volume 78 // Issue 5

In this issue: Student Life: SSU Observatory to undergo renovation. Pg. 9

Opinion: Transgender rights threatened by Trump administration. Pg. 3 A&E: Future album misses the beat. Pg. 7

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 78 // ISSUE 5

Sports: Men’s basketball prepares for playoffs. Pg. 10

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 6, 2017

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

Sonoma State earns Hispanic Serving Institution designation Edgar Sanchez Staff Writer

S

STAR // Brennan Spark Members of Alpha Delta Pi perform for Alpha Gamma Delta’s philanthropy called Lip Jam. Each competing organization was given a year to develop a theme. Alpha Delta Pi has won the competitoin for the second year in a row.

Alpha Delta Pi wins consecutive Lip Jam title Shannon Brown Editor-in-Chief

I

n just two hours, a sold-out Green Music Center saw 25 years of music, dozens of hit songs, 13 organizations and one winner. All for one important cause and the ultimate throwback.

On Saturday, these organizations came together at Sonoma State University’s GMC to support Alpha Gamma Delta at this year’s 25th annual Lip Jam. The theme, “From the 90s Till Now,” featured songs from the Billboard Top 100 chart. Each organization was given a year from 1994 to 2016, and it was up to their interpretation as to how to portray their given year.

There were two shows on Saturday along with two sets of judges who would score each organization’s performance to determine the winner and the superlative awards.

Following tradition, the new members of Alpha Gamma Delta started the show, and graduating seniors ended it.

The new members gave a spunky kick off with 1994 and “Whatta Man” by Salt-nPepa and En Vogue while seniors finished the show with hit songs from 2016 including “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd and “My House” by Flo Rida.

Fraternity’s also came out to support

the cause and naturally gave the audience a laugh as some wore skirts, others wore their underwear and some even banana costumes.

Alpha Psi, who won a superlative award for most creative, was the first fraternity to perform with its year of 1995. O.J. Simpson and “Toy Story” related dances earned whispers and giggles from the crowd as they performed “You Got a Friend in Me” by Randy Newman and “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio.

Alpha Epsilon Pi, which won a superlative for Most Entertaining and the People’s Choice Award, gave their rendition of Britney Spears’ “...Baby One More Time” complete with blonde wigs and white crop tops to finish off the 90s.

Six sororitys also joined in this year as well as dance crew, Blue Baronz. Alpha Omicron Pi, who won Best Portrayal of the Theme, gave their account of 2004 which included “Mean Girls” and the Olympics. Song choices were Usher’s “Yeah!” and J-Kwon’s “Tipsy” that made the audience jump in their seats.

Gamma Phi Beta rocked the Green Music Center with their take of 2003, when “School of Rock” was released. Taking on a ‘School of Rap’ interpretation, songs included “In Da Club” by 50 Cent and “Hey Ya” by OutKast.

onoma State University announced it had achieved Hispanic-Serving Institution status, a designation that will make the school eligible to compete for millions of dollars in federal grants.

The U.S. Department of Education awards the designation to universities that are able to meet two requirements.

First, Latinos must make up at least one-quarter of the undergraduate student body. With a 33 percent Latino student population, this requirement was met

by Sonoma State. However, the university failed to meet the second requirement, which is having at least 50 percent of the student body receive federal financial aid.

Nonetheless, obtaining HSI status had been a top priority for University President Judy K. Sakaki, which is why a work group was formed to make a “compelling case” to the U.S. Department of Education on why they should award Sonoma State with the designation.

“Sonoma State is committed to doing everything in its power to help all of our students be successful and graduate in a timely fashion so they can go out into the larger world and succeed there as well,” Sakaki said through a statement.

“We submitted a 20-page waiver and received support from congressmen,” Sakaki’s chief of staff and member of the work

W

hen Judy Sakaki began as president of Sonoma State University in the fall, she pledged to help the university earn its designation as an Hispanic-serving institution, thus opening the door to millions in federal grants to help students.

Last week, Sakaki was able to announce that she had delivered on that promise.

“This is wonderful news for our students and for the Sonoma State community,” Sakaki said Tues-

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day. “It’s not enough to just open our doors to Latino students and others who have been traditionally under-represented on college campuses. We must do everything we can to help all of our students succeed and graduate.”

Sakaki also announced creation of the UndocuResource Center, a facility that will help undocumented students with a variety of school-related tasks.

The new center’s location has not yet been determined.

In order to qualify as a Hispanic-serving institution, schools must have at least 33 percent enrollment

@sonomastatestar

See HSI on Pg. 5

See LIP JAM on Pg. 9

Undocumented students soon to have resource center Nathan Jew Staff Writer

group, Bill Kidder, said.

Other members of the team that helped achieve the HSI designation are Chicano and Latino studies professors’ Ron Lopez and Daniel Malpica and psychology professor Eliza Velasquez.

“Becoming a HSI was a key priority for President Sakaki because of the federal grant opportunities that will help our students and our campus,” Kidder said.

The grants the university will now be able to apply for are mostly used for tutoring, outreach and STEM programs.

Kidder explained that although those funds have an emphasis in helping Latino students succeed, they will have a positive impact in the university as a whole.

Apart from being able to apply for more federal grants, HSI designation provides an opportunity for Sonoma State to create stronger partnerships with other universities and organizations that are also HSI. “[Obtaining HSI is] faithful to our core values and mission,” Kidder said. “It places a spotlight on the importance of enhancing and valuing the diversity of our campus. I think that has value above and beyond the mere numbers of federal grants and so on.”

Sakaki has made clear that increasing the university’s diversity is an important item on her team’s agenda. Sonoma State was one of three California State Universities to not possess HSI designation.

of low-income Hispanic students. Sonoma State had built up a case to apply for the designation because it does not meet that requirement on paper.

Mariana G. Martinez, the coordinator for the new Undocu-Resource Center, said the high cost of living creates difficulties for many students to qualify as low-income. “Many students cannot be classified as low-income because they work full time,” she said, “but those same students can barely afford to live here.”

See UNDOCU-RESOURCE CENTER on Pg. 4

@sonomastatestar

STAR // Brennan Chin Guard Ronnie Harris, No. 10, drives against a defender from Cal State Los Angeles on Feb. 17.

Sonoma State men’s basketball heads to playoffs tonight for first time since 2012 Come to the Wolves’ Den and support the Sonoma State men’s basketball team as they take on Cal Poly Pomona.

Game starts at 7:30 p.m.

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Page 2

Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board Shannon Brown, Editor-in-Chief Thomas Call lll, Executive Editor Kim Baptista, Managing Editor Joseph Encinas, News Editor Nate Galvan, Asst. News Editor Jenna Fischer, Opinion Editor Emma Devitt, Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor Ethan Helms, Student Life Editor Bianca Sanborn, Spor ts Editor Sara Wildman, Photo Editor Rene De Aramal, Copy Editor Alex T. Randolph, Copy Editor Ashley Mar tin, Adver tising Manager Brennan Chin, Distribution Director Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser

Staff Writers Alyssa Archerda, Alexis Austin, Kevin Brill, Nolan Brough, Emma Capper, Braden Car twright, Simon Cherin-Gordon, Sean Curzon, Alexandra Daniels, Sam Evans, Cailan Ferrel, Annie Finck, Kitana Gachero, Peter Gatembu, Kendall Grove, Tyler Heberle, Naaman Hightower, Lindsey Huffman, Olivia Hunt, Jacqueline Huynh, Nathan Jew, Matthew Koch, Brigitte Maina, Jahred Nunes, Erika Peterson, Edgar Sanchez, Konrad Schoffer, Chad Shaver, Lauren Sniffin, Jacob Tucker, Antonia VanWinkle, Michelle Violetti, Bailey Young

Photographers

Megan Corcoran, Jade Eriksson, Joseph Magill, Amber Rodar te, Jeno Veltri

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:

“President Sakaki meets with Alianza for Equity”

Sakaki sits down with students and faculty to talk about undocumented students and Sonoma State University’s plan to become an Hispanic-Serving Insitution.

Read the story on page 4

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.

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

A threat to our democracy

A

functional democracy hinges on the public having access to crucial information on what is going on in the government. President Donald Trump and Press Secretary Sean Spicer directly attacked our democracy on Friday when CNN, The New York Times, Buzzfeed News, Politico, BBC, the Los Angeles Times and the Huffington Post were barred from attending a press briefing.

This is an unprecedented move. Outlets or reporters have never been barred based on the president’s dislike of the coverage.

President Richard Nixon banned the Washington Post at social events after the Watergate scandal broke and Barack Obama took away seats on his airplane from three conservative-leaning newspapers in the days before his election in 2008. What is unusual is having a handpicked group for a public briefing inside the White House. In lesser fashion, it has happened, but not at public press conferences.

While we all knew President Trump repeatedly called CNN, Buzzfeed News and other barred outlets “fake news,” we should all be very concerned about Trump barring these outlets. These are highly accredited and trusted sources to a large portion of U.S. citizens, and barring reporters from daily briefings will only hurt the

public. This is a threat to our democracy at its core level.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump went so far as to say that certain media, implying the barred outlets, are the “enemy of the people.” This rhetoric is incredibly dangerous because, while Trump may disagree with what they report on, these outlets report crucial information on what Trump is doing to the American people.

In blocking reporting he doesn’t like and only allowing friendly organizations to attend briefings, Trump is attempting a power grab and/or seeking to manipulate how he is perceived by the public. If he continues to only allow reporting by outlets who favor him, like Breitbart and Fox News, it’s obvious his goal is to discredit any reporting that casts him or his administration in a poor light. Trump, in essence, is setting up an authoritarian-style government, similar to a dictatorship, to discredit and mock the free press.

It’s propaganda.

This administration is trying to set its own narrative and control it by any means possible, even if it means trying to silence the press.

The media need to band together, and if this should happen again, all journalists should walk out in protest as Time magazine, USA Today and Associated Press did. This is no longer just a Trump administra-

tion problem, this a free press issue. All of those reporters should have stood up and supported one another regardless of their leanings.

This is what will bring the presidency to its knees if they show how this is a dictatorship in the making.

The American people need to be aware of the tyrannical tendencies here. This is not a normal presidency.

This is not standard, and we should not tolerate or accept this. Trump is trying to distract the American people with this rhetoric to cover up his incredibly controversial actions— such as the immigration ban, his border wall plan, his unqualified cabinet picks and his ties to Russia to name a few— by silencing reporters who are doing legitimate journalism.

Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the famous Watergate reporters from the Washington Post, did the same caliber of reporting.

They were not enemies of the people; Bernstein and Woodward were American heroes. Journalists closely following possible conflicts of interest are serving the people by exposing corruption within our government.

The public needs to seek out reliable information and stay informed. And they depend on a free press to do that, whether the president likes it or not.

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

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Opinion

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

Oklahoma bill to require male permission for abortion

Alex Daniels Staff Writer

S

tate Rep. Justin Humphrey in Oklahoma recently proposed a bill that would require a woman to obtain written consent from her fetus’ father before being allowed to have an abortion.

Humphrey believes men should be able to have a say in whether or not their child will be born. According to the bill, a woman would be required “to provide, in writing, the identity of the father of the fetus to the physician who is to perform or induce the abortion.”

The bill was voted 5-2 in favor by The House Public Health Committee, and it now proceeds to the full House.

Although it may not pass, the vote in favor by The House Public Health Committee has caused anger and disapproval by many people.

“I understand that they feel like that is their body,” Humphrey claimed.

“I feel like it is a separate — what I call them is, is you’re a host. And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that, then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant. … After you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.”

It was wrong of him to refer to women as ‘hosts’ and it has caused outrage by women everywhere. His belief that it’s the woman’s responsibility to stay protected in a relationship was extremely narrow minded. It’s both the man and the woman’s responsibility to take precautions together if their ultimate desire is to not conceive a child.

Restricting abortions would cause more women to seek an illegal, and usually, unsafe way to terminate their pregnancies. According to the Orlando Women’s Center, a women dies every seven minutes around the world due to an unsafe, illegal abortion. Keeping abortions legal and unrestricted significantly reduces maternal mortality.

Approving this bill would take away the rights that women are able to make regarding their own bodies.

“It’s shameful that Oklahoma politicians advanced this measure, which is

demeaning, patently unconstitutional, and puts women in abusive relationships at risk,” said senior state legislative counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights, Amanda Allen. “We call on the Oklahoma legislature to reject this outrageous measure and trust women to make their own healthcare decisions.”

Women are not just hosts. Women aren’t solely the carrier for men’s babies; nor is it only their responsibility to be protected from pregnancy in a relationship. Fetuses are carried in the woman’s body, therefore giving her the right to determine the fate of both herself and her fetus.

Abortion has been a controversial topic for years, and will continue to be in the future. With that said, it’s a constitutional right for a woman to have the choice to terminate her pregnancy if she wants to do so.

In the 1973 case of Roe v. Wade, “the Court held that the constitutional right to privacy includes a woman’s right to decide whether to have an abortion,” according to the National Women’s Law Center.

Passing Rep. Humphrey’s bill would violate the rights of women that are presented in the constitution. A woman should continue to be allowed to make her own decisions for herself regarding her body and health.

Justin Trudeau makes broad immigration promises

T

Peter Gatembu Staff Writer

he Canadian Border Services Agency reported a 63 percent increase in the number of asylum seekers this year in Canada compared to last year.

A tweet late last month from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will continue to accept asylum seekers crossing illegally from the United States but will ensure security measures are taken to keep Canadians safe.

Critics questioned the Canadian Prime Minister’s stance in the wake of America’s newly elected President Donald Trump’s immigration order, which is currently focusing on removing any individual charged with or convicted of any criminal offense, as well as anyone already ordered deported.

Hundreds of statusless migrants are still crossing over to int Canada in hopes of refuge because of President Trump’s executive order on illegal migrants in the U.S. Most of the individuals that have a desire to cross over to Can-

ada are using other routes other than the already government designated points of entry.

The reason why many asylum seekers are using alternative routes to illegally get into Canada is because of the Third Country Agreement which is a bilateral agreement signed in 2004 between America and Canada which prohibits refugees the right to seek refuge in Canada once they set foot on American soil, for America is considered a safe country from which to apply or obtain asylum status.

A section of Canadians are starting to question the legitimacy of Trudeau’s commitment to asylum seekers. The Canadian opposition conservatives want Trudeau’s liberal government to stem the f low of asylum seekers from the United States citing security fears and a lack of adequate resources allocated to deal with them.

Many citizens of Canada are scared the refugees f leeing Trump’s America are criminals and terrorists with bad intentions that could eventually harm the Canadian people.

Canada and the U.S. have had a stable relationship that has spurned regional growth in terms of trade and economics, so both countries need each other.

In a joint press statement on Monday, both leaders pledged a longstanding commitment to close cooperation in addressing challenges affecting both nations. According to Canada’s government

website, nearly nine million U.S jobs depend on trade and investment in Canada, while Canada is the top customer for 35 U.S states.

With President Trump taking a conservative standpoint, and Prime Minister Trudeau leaning more on the liberal side, most North American citizens are weary of that the relationship between Canada and the U.S. might erode.

The worrying aspect to many Canadians is that some of the refugees who are now crossing to Canada could be criminals and terrorists who are f leeing the U.S following Trump’s order to crackdown on illegal aliens.

Earlier this week, Canada vowed to now help more immigrants from Iraq. Many are starting to question if the Canadian Prime Minister is really ready to handle the large number of illegal immigrants being admitted into Canada. Could it be a political stance being pulled by Trudeau, so as to look better than Trump?

Only time will tell.

The U.S. should respect Article 14 of the universal Declaration of Human Rights which protects and gives all individuals the right to seek and enjoy protection from persecution if considered an asylum seeker.

Trump’s contradicting policy on immigration has not only left Canada with an inf lux of illegal immigrants crossing over its borders, but has also instilled fear among innocent non-violent undocumented immigrants like students and children.

Page 3

Hate crimes spike in U.S.

Kitana Gachero Staff Writer

“B

uild the Wall,” “Go Home,” and “Vote Trump” have all been triggering buzzwords connected to the recent outbreak of hate crimes across the United States.

Profane graffiti, derogatory remarks and racially charged vandalism have all been major examples of the rampant hate-crimes occurring across the United States directly following the presidential election.

The increase in hate-crimes in the U.S. can be attributed to the current rhetoric communicated by President Donald Trump. As a country, we should hold those in power responsible for what they say publicly. Moreover, it is Trump’s civil duty to lead with integrity, fairness and social justice. Most of which he has failed to fulfill.

The Southern Poverty Law Center collected research data which between Nov. 8 to Dec. 12, a time period in which 1,094 hate crimes were reported.

The SPLC calls these incidents reports of “biasrelated harassment and intimidation” which can be read by many as hate-crimes. The FBI defines hate crimes as “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”

Of the 1,094 incidents reported, 315 were anti-immigrant incidents. A definite correlation can be drawn between the language and rhetoric Trump uses publicly when addressing immigrants to the hate crimes committed against them. In an interview with CNN, Trump insinuatesn a Mexican-American judge is incapable of presiding over a case he was involved with due to his heritage. This itself is the definition of racism. Startlingly, 37 percent of the 1,094 hate crimes reported referenced Trump directly or one of his notorious campaign slogans, as reported by the SPLC. In the local city of Windsor, an elementary school was the target of a hate crime. This past October, the Cali Calmecac Language Academy had their campus vandalized with graffiti that read “Trump” on several walls as well as “build the wall higher,” as reported by the Press Democrat.

Trump’s seemingly infamous slogan is “build the wall” essentially means he is going to build a barrier between the U.S. and Mexico. This is problematic because it communicates the idea that not only will the limit relations politically, but will also ban Mexican immigrants from entering the country.

Some of the other groups targeted of these hate crimes are African-Americans, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ communities. The SPLC website allows live submissions on their “#ReportHate” intake page of hate-crimes reported by people all over the country, some of which are horrifying to read.

One was a hateful voicemail to Grand Rapids church in Michigan that is known for supporting the immigrant community. A snippet of the voicemail reads includes incendiary remarks toward certain demographics of people and throughout the voicemail the person continuously chants “Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump.“ The fact Trump’s name can be directly linked to hate crimes demonstrates how influential his platform is and how he is using it to cultivate a culture of racial aggression in America. This kind of rampant hate and disregard for the respect of the ethnic, racial, people should not be tolerated. It’s even more disappointing the the leader of our country can be pointed to as a source for so many hate-crimes.

Transgender rights are attacked by Trump

Kendall Grove Staff Writer

T

he controversy around binary gendered bathrooms has been well debated in the past few years, yet it seems that even after Obama’s directive in 2016 it continues to be a source of argument.

In May of the year, the Obama administration sent a letter to schools from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education. The letter highlighted the important aspects of Title-IX and said, “A school may provide separate facilities on the basis of sex, but must

allow transgender students access to such facilities consistent with their gender identity.”

This directive applied to both bathroom and locker rooms.

This was a step forward for the transgender community because of the confusion that was caused by binary gendered bathrooms. It also paved the way for the massive retailer, Target, to announce a similar policy which encouraged people to use whatever bathroom they felt comfortable with.

Although Target received major backlash for their new policy, Target CEO Brian Cornell told Fortune magazine that they, “have not seen a material or measurable impact on business.”

Last Wednesday, a letter was released under Trump’s administration which referenced the directive letter from May 2016 and said, “the Department of Education and the Department of Justice have decided to withdraw and rescind the above-referenced guidance documents in order to further and more completely consider the legal issues involved.”

The letter released by under Trump’s administration does not allow transgender peo-

ple to choose a bathroom based on their gender identity. The letter also stated that, “this withdrawal of these guidance documents does not leave students without protections from discrimination, bullying or harassment.

All schools must ensure that all students, including LGBTQ students, are able to learn and thrive in a safe environment.”

With the claims of LGBTQ protection, the 2017 directive letter does not account for the potential harm of transgender students who now may be fearful of attending school or using the restroom.

In a survey published by the National LGBTQ Task Force, 63 percent of adult participants claimed they experienced bullying in school from teachers and students along with severe harassment.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information explains “increasing societal acceptance of the transgender community and decreasing gender-based prejudice may help prevent suicide in this highly stigmatized population.” The removal of the Obama administration’s ruling is a step backwards and directly contradicts any promises Trump made to the LGBTQ community.

Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender man, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit which will be taken to the Supreme Court in March. Grimm told the Huffington Post that, “As a transgender student and thinking about transgender students everywhere, hearing that your presidential administration has gone out of its way just to further discriminate against you ... it’s very upsetting and disappointing news.”

Many people in the LGBTQ have pushed back against the directive letter, taking to social media and the streets to support Grimm and voice their concern. Anyone who is able to is encouraged to donate money to organizations such as the Transgender Law Center.

The National LGBTQ Task Force explains that “consequences of these widespread injustices are human and real, ranging from unemployment and homelessness to illness and death.”

It’s vital that the U.S. government provides a safe and nurturing environment for the youth of America. Under the Trump administration’s new directive the well being of transgender children is at stake.

Page 4

News

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

President Sakaki meets with Alianza for Equity

I

Tyler Heberle Staff Writer

n a Jan. 31 statement, Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki declared her support for undocumented and immigrant students in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s executive orders.

Sakaki expanded on this initial promise at a meeting in Salazar Hall Friday, where she spoke with the Alianza for Equity about issues such as retention rates, on-campus diversity and Sonoma State’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution.

Sakaki opened the meeting by saying she cares “a great deal about equity issues” and that she noticed a lack of support systems when she began her position at Sonoma State.

“My whole career has been focused on access, affordability, and equity,” Sakaki said.

Sakaki said it is important for Sonoma State to work with families to recruit more diverse and underrepresented students, adding that an outreach counselor helped her to achieve her current position.

“Sonoma State is a place [where] we not only want you, but you will be successful once you get here,” Sakaki said.

When asked how she plans to increase the student body’s diversity, Sakaki said Sonoma State will need to improve efforts with its Human Resources Department, outreach programs and committees to keep track of openings for underrepresented applicants.

“We do know that we’re going to have to work together and think together about that,” Sakaki said.

Sakaki said that she worked to more quickly advance the process toward eligibility as an official Hispanic serving institution, and that this status will open many new possibilities for Sonoma State.

“It puts us on the road map. It opens up many doors for us, for grants that we might not have been eligible for,” Sakaki said.

Bill Kidder, associate vice president and chief of staff for the Office of the President, said Sonoma State is looking at “the beginnings of an integrated sponsored awards and research office” that would accept both pre-awards and post-awards.

“That’s an opportunity to leverage greater capacity,” Kidder said. “This is one area where we need to grow our capacity far beyond what is in our comfort zone based on the past.”

Daniel Malpica, chair of the Alianza for Equity, said the organization, which first met in summer

2016, consists of 50 to 60 “concerned” faculty, staff and students who aim to discuss issues that pertain to Sonoma State community of Latino or Hispanic descent.

“I think there’s not sufficient faculty of color [at Sonoma State],” Malpica said. “This is a big, big issue, and we want the president and the administrators to address this.”

Malpica said the meeting was the Alianza for Equity’s first with Sakaki, and served as an opportunity for the Alianza to express their willingness to collaborate with Sonoma State’s president and administration.

“The way we see the organization is sort of like a resource where the president can come and consult and collaborate,” Malpica said.

Elisa Velasquez, psychology department chair and a co-founder of the Alianza for Equity, said Sakaki “made it clear from the beginning” of her commitment to making Sonoma State a Hispanic Serving Institution.

“We want to be a group that works in collaboration with everybody here on campus… making sure Dr. Sakaki’s goals are achieved,” Velasquez said.

The Alianza for Equity started shortly after Velasquez noticed Sonoma State’s Latino faculty-tostudent ratio was decreasing since fall 2015, she said.

“We know that the graduation [rate] of underrepresented students is lower than the majority students,” Velasquez said.

Additional staff and advisors for the Educational Opportunity Program, more affordable textbook prices and more diversity-centric classes in Sonoma State’s curriculum would all help more Latino and Hispanic students to successfully graduate, Velasquez said.

Ayala said the Alianza for Equity is still working to clarify its mission statement, which would set up the organization’s vision and goals.

“We need to find common principles on which we agree,” Ayala said. “Otherwise, we’re going to be drawn to different groups and advocacy efforts that are not focused on an agreement.”

Malpica said he and the Alianza for Equity will gladly continue to collaborate with Sakaki.

“We need to find common principles on which we agree. Otherwise, we’re going to be drawn to different groups and advocacy efforts that are not focused on an agreement.”

UNDOCU-RESERVE CENTER: Salazar will be home to resource center Continued from Pg. 1

“Our enrollment of low-income Hispanic students right now is at 25 percent,” Martinez said, “but that number does not include undocumented students. Including them in the figures, the number is closer to 30 percent.”

Eligibility as a Hispanic-Serving Institution allows Sonoma State to apply for grants from Title III and Title V of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965.

Title III grants help schools to support Hispanic students in science, technology, engineering and math.

Sonoma State can use Title V grants to create more benefits such as internships, facility improvement, hiring faculty and many other services that can enrich education for low-income Hispanic students.

“Efforts will officially start on March 1,” Martinez said. “We don’t have a location just yet but it will definitely be in Salazar Hall. Our priority right now is raising awareness for the center and the support we can offer students.”

The center will offer students advising with financial aid, Cal Grant applications, and a quiet place to study. Martinez says another major goal is making sure students know their rights.

Martinez stressed that the Title III and V grants cannot support undocumented students, which means that funding will

not be going to the Undocu-Resource Center.

“The center is a commitment from President Sakaki,” Martinez said. “She has been very outspoken about her support of the new facility.”

The idea for the center has been around since former Sonoma State President Ruben Armiñana’s administration.

Sonoma State Academic Advisor Ariana Aparicio Aguilar says the idea first came up in a kinesiology meeting in 2014. “It has been a group effort,” Aguilar said, “and it is truly amazing to see those conversation finally come to fruition.

To finally have a designated space and team to help this student population is a great step in the right direction to ensure that SSU supports and protects all of the students they serve.”

Sonoma State Director of Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Lauren Morimoto attended the meeting when the Undocu-Resource Center was first conceived.

“Sonoma State can support its undocumented community better thanks to the center, which emerged from the conversations, advocacy and activism of many individuals.” Morimoto said.

“Ideally the new facility will provide a space where undocumented students, staff and faculty can connect with each other, cultivate a sense of belonging and obtain accurate information, services and support.”

STAR // Jade Erickson President Judy K. Sakaki (top) spoke with students, staff and faculty during a meeting with Alianza for Equity at Sonoma State Friday. Both groups reinforced the ideal that Sonoma State will stand with undocumented students.

“I hope it is clear to the president that we are very willing to work with her and her team,” Malpica said, “That we are motivated and very enthusiastic of the direction that she’s leading us, and that in many occasions we want to be in the table as participants when a lot of these very important decisions are taking place.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Santa Rosa, CA The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office identified two related people who were murdered in two different locations in Santa Rosa on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as Dale and Jessica Carson, a 57year-old male and 37-year-old female, both from Santa Rosa. Both bodies were found on Feb. 25 in separate residences, Santa Rosa police say the homicides are most likely related.

North Carolina On Feb. 27, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on whether a North Carolina law, barring sex offenders from accessing certain social media sites, is a violation of the First Amendment. Lester Packingham was 21 when he became a convicted sex offender for having sexual relations with a 13-year-old. In 2010, he was convicted of having a Facebook account, a crime in North Carolina for sex offenders. The state contends the law is a way to stop predators from taking a first step in sexual assault of a child, while Packingham contends his free speech rights were violated.

Ontario, Canada

STAR // Sara Wildman Sonoma State will be welcoming a resource center to campus that will have space provided in Salazar Hall.

Researchers at Trent University’s Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory found that the chicken meat served at Subway restaurants may only contain about 50 percent chicken DNA. According to the DNA testing, soy makes up the rest of the meat. Subway Canada issued a statement saying they cannot confirm the results of the testing and that its chicken is made of 100 percent white meat chicken.

News

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

Page 5

Sonoma State literary magazine now accepting submissions Amira Dabbas Staff Writer

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Facebook.com Zaum is preparing to launch the release of the 21st edition of the student-run literary magazine.

onoma State’s very own literary magazine, Zaum, will be releasing its 21st edition this semester. Formally known as the Mandala, and since 1996 as Zaum, the student-run magazine focuses on publishing works created by other students.

“These authors range from local students to students across the nation,” said Sean Johnson, senior editor of Zaum. “On average, we get close to 200 applicants in our timeline.”

Each issue publishes work such as poetry, fiction, nonfiction or visual art of about 20 to 30 different applicants.

In order to be eligible, you must be a current student and not had your piece published elsewhere.

Pieces are accepted or rejected by a majority vote. When a majority decision can’t be made, the senior editor is the one who makes the final decision.

The senior editor is the only one who sees the names of the person who has submitted

their work. To make sure that editors accept the pieces on merit only, they remove the applicant’s name from the piece.

Zaum has received many national student awards from the Associated Writing Programs; in 1996 for its editorial vision and in 1998 for graphic design. Student work was also nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

“Students are encouraged to send any and all work that they would like to try and have published,” said Johnson. “Our publication has won awards for its content and can likely help students get their foot in the door with any sort of work they are likely trying to accomplish.”

The magazine is shared throughout the Bay Area, and is even distributed nationally and internationally because of the contributing students from other states or countries.

Submissions for for Zaum XS, their online edition, are to be turned in before the deadlines (Priority: Feb. 27 and Final: March 10).

Submissions can be sent to zaummag@ gmail.com.

English Department hosts panel discussion on “fake news” Bailey Young Staff Writer

T

he question for the chosen lecturers was “How can and should we parse information in a posttruth era?” The program called Questions of Democracy was aimed to discuss “fake news”, the phenomenon that it has caused much debate lately, and what the Sonoma State community can do to recognize this controversy. English Professor Anthony Rizzuto was one of five speakers at the roundtable discussion hosted by the Sonoma State University English Department on Thursday.

“Fake news is not new; what is new is that facts are being presented in media now as less important than feelings, which has been part of the Trump strategy the whole time,” said Rizzuto. “For the first time ever, the government is calling attention to the way in which they lie.”

According to Rizzuto, we don’t live in a posttruth era since the public craves the truth. He also joked that the whirlwind of this campaign has caused his English students to readily talk about the media being biased and unfair.

The panel consisted of a range of representatives from across campus. Professors Ed Beebout and Elizabeth Burch from the Communications Department and Sheila Cunningham spoke on behalf of the library. Talayah Hudson was the only student on the

panel, representing the Black Student Union.

“I want to say on behalf of black people, fake news isn’t new,” Hudson started with. “Fake news has always been a part of the perpetuation of stereotypes against black people which normalizes them and it has real consequences for them.”

Hudson contributed the media for historically being able to turn stories around against AfricanAmericans. Additionally, Hudson praised Ferguson micro-bloggers and investigative reporters for getting real-time information out in the open; this allowed the public to see up close what was happening and urged them to stand up for those in Ferguson.

“Fake news is really sad and the fact that it’s able to get to so many is also very scary,” said Hudson, whose speech also covered the need to research articles before spreading them on social media. “We combat fake news with common sense. Usually if something sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Check our sources, authors and websites, even dates.” There are websites available to fact check news stories such as Snopes.com and FactCheck.org.

“I’ve always said the great thing about the internet is that anyone can go on and be a media publisher,” said Beebout. “The bad thing about it is that anyone can go on and be a media publisher. So it’s about how we use the internet and, yes, it can have the potential for great good.”

Beebout spent 25 years in the news media indus-

HSI: Designation comes during tense time for undocumented students Continued from Pg. 1

CSU Maritime and CSU San Luis Obispo are now the only Cal State campuses that do not have HSI designation.

In the 2014-2015 academic year, California produced 211,948 Hispanic/Latino high school graduates, 1,663 of which came from Sonoma County, according a report released by the university.

“HSI designation presents an opportunity to get more Hispanic students into college, and to show that Sonoma State is committed to diversity and that it is something we truly value,” Associated Students Senator of Diversity Savannah Guinn said.

Another milestone for the university accompanied the HSI announcement – the formal announcement of the Dream Center for undocumented students by the Sakaki administration.

Both announcements came at a time of great uncertainty and anxiety from undocumented students and their communities due to new and stricter federal immigration guidelines.

“Dr. Sakaki has made it very clear that she values diversity and will not tolerate int ole r a n c e ,” Guinn said.

“I believe this designation could not have come at a more perfect time.”

try first-hand and was a trained journalist. He said he believes that although reporters may be educated to be truthful, the institutional problem with the media is that news teams like to swoop in during large events rather than small, every-day matters. Beebout strongly believes a free press is essential to our democracy.

Beebout said Trump’s rhetoric towards the media is probably the strongest a president has had yet, although presidents not favoring the media isn’t new; they want the best media coverage and media aims for the truth.

Beebout insists confirmation bias causes the circulation of false news quoting the famous tweet in which Trump stated that if he ran for president, he would run as a Republican since they’re “the dumbest” group of voters in the country. Social media users have shared this all over the internet, but it’s a fake tweet.

“We should to be careful of any kind of news that we’re getting,” said Breanna Gaither, junior at Sonoma State who attended the discussion with classmates. “Any information we’re getting has a point.

There’s some sort of agenda going on when someone says you need to be aware of something or even when they say we need to be ignoring something. We need to think about what we’re being told.”

Gaither mentioned the best thing to do was take things with a grain of sand; whether the news is real

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Arts

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

“The Magic Flute” brings opera to Sonoma State Brigitte Maina Staff Writer

Review

P

remiering in 1779, the grand opera “The Magic Flute” has had centuries to be translated, adapted and performed time and time again. Sonoma State University Theater Arts and Dance Department leapt out of those masses with their colorful rendition for the department’s Spring production.

“Into the Woods,” the 30-year-old musical connecting the adventurous, action packed, Grimm Brother’s tales to haunting music, had the campus skipping and humming all the way to grandma’s house after the department’s production last spring. If the thought of the singing being hard to top crossed your mind, “The Magic Flute” blows it out of the water.

For the unaware, “The Magic Flute” is a love story set and written to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Trials of love, tests of loyalty and the surprise comeback of a giant serpent aid Prince Talimo, played by James Leng, and his sidekick Papageno, portrayed by Malik-Charles Wade I, on a classical journey. Themes of family values and trust ring throughout this play.

The efforts of the design team are impossible to go unnoticed, beginning with set design. Senior Kristopher East’s forest drop design, used in both acts, transcended the audience into the visions of Henry David Thoreau and the joy freshly bloomed umbrellas can bring. Costume designer Samantha Summerfield is no stranger to glitter and patterns dressing the royalty and servers. In particular, the costumes of the playful spirits, portrayed by Kyra Leetz, Meghan Muller and Alexis Zent, features whimsical, pointed hats embroidered in the most reflective of jewels, patterned, gaucho-cut pants which dance as they skip and contrasting elastic body suits to tie it together. Mood lighting is taken to a new levels thanks to light designer and senior Lauren Eckis. Eckis’ precision with time shines in act two during part the queen’s song where use of strobe lighting to intensify the presence of thunder shook the crowd. Between scenes and

in between songs spotlights are constantly changing, growing brighter and dimming, requiring careful, watchful eyes.

Part-student, part-professional, the orchestra played Mozart in fine tune as its symbiotic relationship with the actors and actresses unfolded in front of the crowd. At times, the singers could be lost in the acoustics of the instruments, but the performers were quick to recognize volume levels and adjusted their voices accordingly.

And for many, lyrics in opera can sound meshed against drawn out notes, a problem solved by set design by displaying the lyrics above the stage.

Jamina Brown, portraying princess Pamina, widened eyes, lured audience members from their chairs and earned a standing ovation post-performance. Personally, set a new bar for every other musical seen after this, Brown held some of the highest of notes in the show the same way she carried herself in her hot pink and pink petal-colored robes: effortlessly. Supporting each other, James Leng, portraying Prince Talimo, and Brown harmoniously mesh singing in the highest of keys, giving the Queen, portrayed by Sarah Phelan, some friendly competition. Malik-Charles Wade 1, portraying Papageno, and Kimberly Colisch, portraying Papagena, will have you laughing, crying, and in love with them just as quick as they fall into with each other.

Experience the power of Papageno’s magic beans, detailed costumes and rise of the lethal serpent first hand at 7:30 p.m. in the Evert B. Person Theatre between Feb. 23-25 and March 2-4. A matinee show can be caught on Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. A piano-only performance can be seen on March 1 at 10 a.m; and the productions last night on March 5 at 5 p.m.

President Trump plans to lower spending on art programs Emma Capper Staff Writer

Commentary facebook.com “Get Out” hit theaters Feb. 24 earning $30 million it opening weekend.

“Get Out” a modern day horror story Alexis Austin Staff Writer

Review

I

t’s a sunny day just like any other and you are on your way to visit your girlfriend’s parent’s home for the first time. You are a part of an inter-racial relationship, and you just happen to be black and she just happens to be white, but this can’t be a big deal; it’s 2017… right? But when you arrive, her parents seem friendly, they seem normal, yet the groundskeeper and housekeeper are a black man and woman, give you a concerning glare and establish the prospect that something is not quite right.

This is only the beginning of the distorted reality of Jordan Peele’s visually spectacular creation “Get Out.” The film took the meaning of suspense to an entirely new level. The viewer is left with an overpowering sense of hopelessness.

It was exceedingly impossible to predict what was going to happen next. Each scene was vital and around every corner was something genuinely unanticipated. It was this sense of hopeless, uncomfortable fear that was justly terrifying.

Every aspect of the film added to its plausibility. The writing, the camera angles, different uses of point-of-view and the actors all made the story incredible and believable. The shots split perspective and drew the eye to further nerve-wrecking aspects within a scene.

The dialogue brought the audience on a rollercoaster from optimism and expectations to doubt and misperception. That “funny feeling” was always present and the lines between truth and lies only further blurred as the story progressed.

While the acting was phenomenal across the board, Daniel Kaluuya’s performance was distinctly amazing.

Kaluuya, an English actor more commonly known for his characters on the UK shows “Skins” and “Black Mirror,” played the lead character Chris. His emotions, feelings and innermost thoughts seemingly pierced through camera. What he felt, the audience felt. In the movie, his character’s deepest trauma is psychologically used against him and his mind is toyed with in various ways. His portrayal of things of this nature, of psychological warfare and very human emotion drawn from present and past trauma was more than anything believable and realistic. It was a truly amazing performance from Kaluuya yet also of every actor. There was never an instance that the mind was taken aback from the realm of this film, regardless of how bad you wanted to “get out,” it was simply that well done.

What remained extremely essential and appreciated as well throughout the movie was the comedic relief. Quick bursts of entirely off guard hilarity exposed within the writing. Certain expressions and subtleties provided guarded comfort and additional readability into the threatened characters. The aid of humor was present and well executed, yet it did not overpower the genre of the film. It was overwhelmingly horrific and Peele’s embedded comedy only made the film better in its entirety. This movie is doing extremely well with critics and audiences so far, with a 100 percent certified fresh rating on the notoriously critical site Rotten Tomatoes.

Ultimately, the film played on present day racial tension. It’s a modern day horror story, with an exceptionally accurate portrayal of a racial apprehension descendent from a more than questionable past of race relations in the United States.

H

ey, you. Yes, you with the newspaper. The fact that you’re reading this means that you should be concerned about Donald Trump’s plan for lowering government spending.

Among the nine organizations targeted for cuts are the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

Now more than ever, it’s vital to acknowledge that these organizations are relevant to everyone. If you’ve seen the Santa Rosa Symphony at the Green Music Center, this affects you. If you’ve admired the public art in downtown Santa Rosa, this affects you. If you’ve visited a library or listened to public radio or remember watching Arthur as a kid, this affects you.

The NEA and NEH provide grants for educators and artists, both locally and nationally. The CPB funds public broadcasting, from television to radio.

Especially in rural areas, the funds from CPB are what keep businesses alive.

When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill in 1965 he said, “While no government can call a great artist or scholar into existence, it is necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to help create and sustain not only a climate encouraging freedom of thought, imagination and inquiry, but also the material conditions facilitating the release of this creative talent.”

Trump wants to frame the NEA, NEH and CBP as a federal issue, but it needs to be viewed as a local one. A report from the NEA shows that in 2012, Santa Rosa received a $50,000 grant to support a public master art plan for the city. With that grant came local jobs

and dedication to making Santa Rosa an artistic destination. Additionally, the Santa Rosa Symphony received multiple grants of up to $10,000 that supported special performances and funding of music education classes.

“I feel extremely discouraged for the future youth of our school system whose creative passions and pursuits could be hindered. Art really does change lives for the better and brings and inner peace to the maker and the viewer,” said Brooke Mallory, an art student at Sonoma State University.

According to the New York Times, the 2016 budget for both organizations was $148 million. For CPB it was $500 million. That is just 0.02 percent of the $4 trillion Trump is projected to spend this year. Conservatives like Ronald Reagan, Jesse Helms and Newt Gingrich have fought to lower federal funding of the arts before, but reports say that Trump is planning to abolish them completely. The low cost of these organizations sparks the question, why do republicans want to dismantle the funding for the arts? It has been said that some politicians see art as a threat to the conservative agenda. The arts allow freedom of thought and human connection, posing a threat to the propaganda that is “Make America Great Again.”

Trump’s campaign was based off of his claim that America is in peril and he is the only one that can fix it. Fortunately, the media, educators and artists have the power to explore those claims. Without funding, public thought will become less visible. North Korea maintains its totalitarianism by disallowing any connection to the outside world. Tourists can’t even bring Bibles into the country. Taking away outlets for expression only gives those in power more control. Trump, a president who takes questions as insults, would certainly sleep better at night by limiting the arts, especially in the form of media. Supporting conservatives frames the arts as an extravagance for the elite. But in reality, art is what fuels a pure and democratic society.

facebook.com Sonoma County is full of public art instalations funded by government art programs.

Entertainment

FEB. 28- MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

Too much hype, generic lyrics abound

Page 7

Sam Evans Staff Writer facebook.com

Review

Jordan Horowitz (left), producer of “La La Land,” holds up the card revealing “Moonlight” as Best Picture. Writer and director of “Moonlight” Barry Jenkins (right) gives an emotional acceptance speech.

I

f there’s one thing Future is good at, it’s building hype. He knows the best way to get listeners excited about his music in this day and age is to juxtapose four to eight bars of a quiet, minimal introduction against a loud and heavy bass drop. It’s tried, it’s true and it’s been dominating popular electronic music in the United States ever since Skrillex picked up a synthesizer and released “Scary Monsters” in 2010. Unfortunately, Future’s talents as a rapper and musician don’t extend much further than his ability to foster a fleeting excitement in his listeners. And even this becomes less impressive after noting that he has done this by repeating the exact same Trap Rap formula for nearly every song he has released thus far. Predictably, his self-titled album that was released on Feb. 17 is no different.

Of the 17 songs on “FUTURE,” 11 of them start with a 12-15 second introduction followed by the thud of a sub bass kick and sharp, rattling high-hats. Eight of these 11 songs follow the formula outlined above so precisely, that the bass drops at exactly 12 seconds into each track. It’s hard to get excited about a heavy Trap beat when you already know what’s going to happen before you even hear it. Every instrumental on “FUTURE” adheres so strictly to the generic Trap blueprint, it is actually difficult to differentiate between them.

The instrumental portion of “FUTURE” is a failure, but what about the actual rapping? After all, hiphop is a vocal-centric genre. Although the beat is important, its main purpose is to serve as a foundation for the delivery of the raps. A hip-hop beat can be as boring and lifeless as the click of a metronome, but if there is a talented rapper delivering good lyrics with an interesting rhythmic flow on top, then that tends to outweigh the deficiency of the beat. In this case however, Future is no such rapper.

For the most part, his flow is simplistic and unengaging. Finding a safe niche within the eighth beats with a heavy emphasis on the one and two, he rarely ventures outside this comfort zone. If someone were to play a metronome set to eighth beats throughout this album, the majority of the syllables in Future’s rapping would land directly on a click. The instances where he does break free of his tight metronomic shackles make for some of his most enjoyable deliveries. His rapping on the opening song “Rent Money” explores some interesting rhythmic pockets and “Draco” has some of the most syncopated and rhythmically complex rapping on the album. However, these moments of proficiency are too few and far between to make up for the general laziness of Future’s flow.

The lyrics here are equally unoriginal and uninspired. Anyone who has listened to hip-hop before has almost certainly already heard everything that is said on “FUTURE,” and likely in a more clever and eloquent way. The opening lines of the album are, “Got the money comin’ in, it ain’t no issues. I just a f***ed a rapper b**ch, I should have dissed you. Got the MAC-11 cocked, it got the kick too.”

So let’s see, three sentences into the album and we’ve already heard about money, guns and demeaning women. The only thing that’s missing is drugs. Perhaps if we look at the chorus of “Mask Off” where Future chants, “Percocets Molly Percocets Percocets Molly Percocets.”

This review could have easily been filled with examples of Future’s stereotypically superficial lyricism, but if the two examples provided here aren’t enough, I encourage you listen to any of the other lyrics on the album. You’re bound to find more of the same.

Many would argue that Future’s merit as an artist is supported by his wide influence in hip-hop. Although Future has been an influential figure in modern popular hip-hop, his influence has only served as a catalyst for the lobotomization of the genre. Today, mumbling unintelligibly and unintelligently over cookie-cutter trap beats is not only accepted by many hip-hop listeners, but it is celebrated. Future is largely responsible for this trend and his new album is nothing more than another entry in the growing encyclopedia of derivative Trap Rap. I suppose it is possible to ride a dead horse, but it certainly isn’t going to take you anywhere.

facebook.com Future released “FUTURE” on Feb. 17.

Oscars mix-up reveals big win for “Moonlight” Sean Curzon Staff Writer

Commentary

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n Sunday, the 89th academy awards celebrated the past year in cinema, but ended the night on one of the biggest mistakes in Oscar history as presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read out “La La Land” for Best Picture instead of the real winner “Moonlight.” “La La Land” won nearly half of its 14 nominations including Best Director and Best Actress, but it was “Moonlight” who walked away with the Oscar for Best Picture after accidentally announced “La La Land,” as the presenters were accidentally given the envelope for Best Actress. “Moonlight” follows the struggles of a young, gay black man growing up in the rough neighborhoods of Miami.

There was a long pause as Beatty looked at the envelope he was given but Dunaway announced that “La La Land” won. As the cast and crew of “La La Land” took the stage, Beatty realized they had been given the wrong envelope. Producer Jordan Horowitz was in the middle of his speech when the truth was announced.

“I opened the envelope, and it said ‘Emma Stone, La La Land.’ That’s why I took such a long look at Faye and at you. I wasn’t trying to be funny,” Beatty explained about his pause.

After being given the Oscar, “Moonlight “director Barry Jenkins said, “Very clearly, very clearly in my dreams this could not be true. But to hell with my dreams. I’m done with it because this is true. Oh my goodness.”

A running theme for the night was past winners, with several montages of previous winners receiving their awards. Another theme of the night was inspi-

ration, by having several people in the industry talk about their movie inspirations.

In addition to Best Picture, “Moonlight” won Best Supporting Actor for Mahershalai Ali and Best Adapted Screenplay for adapting the stage play, “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.” Meanwhile, “La La Land” won six oscars including Best Actress for Emma Stone and Best Director for Damien Chazelle.

It also won Best Score and song for “City of Stars,” Best Production Design and cinematography. Casey Aff leck won Best Actor for his role in “Manchester by the Sea” which also took home the Oscar for Best Screenplay. Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Fences.”

Justin Timberlake kicked off the night with a truly awkward dance set to his Oscar-Nominated song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” Host Jimmy Kimmel was hilarious, taking shots at Matt Damon, President Trump, Meryl Streep and the awards show itself in his opening monologue. Kimmel is the host of the late night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC. He had a very self aware nature throughout the night. At one point, raining candy down onto the crowd. Later, a group of tourists were brought out to meet the stars. He also did his famous mean tweet bit, where celebrities read mean tweets about themselves.

The oscars were very aware of the political climate with some winners raising awareness for their favorite causes, particularly immigration, while talking of coming together. In a powerful moment, Asghar Farhadi, director of Best Foreign Film “The Salesman,” chose not to come to protest President Trump’s policies toward immigration. In fact, immigration was a big issue with several immigrants speaking up. During Sting’s performance, there was a cry for journalism. The need for art in school was also a big favorite with speech givers as well.

“Girlfriend’s Day” not to be taken seriously Nolan Brough Staff Writer

Review

N

etflix has been experimenting with a lot of new content as of late. Amongst a slew of TV shows and original movies, Netflix has also put out some interesting things on its site that doesn’t seem to fit very well into either of those definitions. “Girlfriend’s Day” is a short movie that serves a nice niche that other movies and TV shows don’t: it’s easy to digest. It doesn’t command hours and hours of dedication that TV shows do, nor does it tease and entice the viewer with cliffhanger endings. It doesn’t take vast strides to cling onto your attention like a two and-a-half hour movie does, stretching out its run time just because. Instead, “Girlfriend’s Day” utilizes its run time to tell everything it needs to.

Directed by Michael Paul Stephenson, the film follows the path of Ray, a greeting card writer played by Bob Odenkirk. Ray used to write the top selling Valentine’s Day cards for his company, but since his wife left him, he has been struggling to find his voice. He is eventually fired from his job, prompting a bender of laziness and binge watching “Bum Fights” on TV. Amidst Ray’s scraping of rock bottom, he hears the city will institute a new holiday: Girlfriend’s Day. There is also a contest to make the best card for the new holiday. Eager for rent money and a new claim to fame, Ray begins writing the card and finds himself entangled in a mess of murder, betrayal and a rivalry between two of the largest greeting card companies in the world.

“Girlfriend’s Day” is far from a perfect movie. In fact, it’s a subpar one. The story is a bit of a mess, introducing characters far too often and giving them little to no purpose throughout the film’s short 65 minute runtime.

Odenkirk carries the movie, delivering a perfor-

mance that mimics that of his character Saul Goodman from “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.” His unrelenting charm in the movie gracefully guides the viewer through the tongue in cheek shenanigans, despite the rocky plot. The cast is also full of familiar faces like Andy Richter and other recognizable but unnameable actors and actresses.

It’s hard to judge “Girlfriend’s Day” as a film because it hardly qualifies as one. Whereas “The Hunger Games” or “Lord of the Rings” feels like you’ve read a hefty set of novels after completing those series, “Girlfriend’s Day,” feels more like a short story. In an age where cinema is largely dominated by sequels and reboots, it’s refreshing to get an idea as fresh as this and in such a neat little package. Fundamentally the film is flawed for introducing too many characters and story arcs while utilizing too many cliches throughout the plot. However, that didn’t matter because you didn’t invest so much time into the film, you didn’t feel cheated by it.

“Girlfriend’s Day” is a delightful experiment from Netflix that is charming and original enough for the audience to look past some of the tropes of a bad film that would otherwise ruin a movie. Netflix should certainly invest in these shorter films to fill a market for fun films that don’t require too much from the viewer.

facebook.com Netflix released “Girlfriend’s Day” on Valentines Day.

Page 8

Student Life

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

Oh the places you’ll go, outside of Rohnert Park Antonia Van Winkle Staff Writer

S

onoma County Transit offers free bus rides for Sonoma State University students throughout the rest of the year. Places like Scandia, Graton and Cal Skate are all college orientated locations for fun and entertainment which can be reached by bus. However options for students aren’t limited to Rohnert Park, in fact there are destinations in other cities that are only a short bus ride away. Adventuring north can bring many unique and exciting opportunities. Students that feel caught in the same routine can find new entertainment in other areas of the North Bay. When in Windsor: Russian River Paddle Boards - With warm weather approaching, many may choose to soak up the sun paddle boarding on the Russian River. There are tours offered for both beginner and intermediate paddlers. There is a small price difference between the two tours. A beginner paddler pays $75, while an intermediate paddler will pay $85, but once the expenses are covered, all tours include a life jacket, paddle and leash. To reach this destination exit the bus

at the Mitchell Lane and Eighth Hole Drive bus stop.

Patterson’s Pub - Patterson’s Pub is a place where Windsor locals go for great music and food, but most importantly, company. The fish and chips draw many people to the pub, but the wild and friendly vibes are what keep those people coming back.

The food and full bar varies in price from $2 sodas to $4.50 pints, to $6 appetizers and $11.95 sandwiches, which provides affordable options for college kids on a budget. Get off at the Windsor River Road bus stop and join the fun.

When in Healdsburg: Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery - A visit to Ferrari Carano Vineyards gives people a taste of the finer things in life. With the two-for-one tasting pass, one does not have to break the bank to let loose.

With daily tastings and only having to pay $50, many may enjoy overlooking the expansive vineyards. A quick stop at the Geyserville Avenue and Walden Street bus station and wine enthusiasts are on their way to making unforgettable memories.

Historic Plaza - A short 20 minute bus ride that stops at Healdsburg Avenue and Tenth Street drops you right in the plaza near the center of Healdsburg.

This area is full of different shops like Zizi or Healdsburg Vintage, and restaurants like Scopa or Bear Re-

public Brewing Company. There is plenty of options to satisfy everyone’s cravings. Options ensure that shoppers can choose to spend as much, or as little, as they please.

When in Sebastopol: HopMonk Tavern - Live music, fresh beer, and delicious food all in one stop screams HopMonk. A lively patio helps guide one’s visit with ease. With beer on tap from $5 HopMonk Kellerbier, to $8 a local brew called North Coast Old #38, the bill stays quite affordable, unless patrons let the bar tab rack-up. Famous for their $16 taco four pack and their mac and cheese, it’s food you can splurge on without feeling guilty since both plates are large enough for leftovers.

Petaluma Avenue and Abbott takes you to the doors of HopMonk.

Screamin’ Mimi’s - This fun-filled ice cream shop was voted number four in USA Today’s “Best Ice Cream in the United States” article. Mimi’s has a very enthusiastic staff that provide a very welcoming presence. From the bestselling f lavor Mimi’s Mud, to dark chocolate peppermint fudge, galaxy and coconut caramel, to chocolate sorcery, there’s a f lavor that will please just about anyone. Hop on the bus and get off at the Morris Street and Highway 12 stop to be steps away from a $4 scoop.

STAR // Megan Corcoran For the rest of the year, Sonoma County Transit will provide free transportation for Sonoma State students when riders display their student ID card.

Giants field reporter shares her experience Jacqueline Huynh Staff Writer

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fter serving 10 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, sideline reporter Amy Gutierrez, or better known as her on-camera persona Amy G, visited Sonoma State University to give students insight about her career as a journalist on and off the baseball field. Many sports fans may believe that being a sports reporter is easy compared to most careers, but Gutierrez tells a different story.

A Petaluma native, Gutierrez had no idea what her future would hold. Today, she has been with the San Francisco Giants through three world series.

Networked with Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Gutierrez didn’t start off as a reporter when she graduated from UC Davis. In fact, she worked with Sonoma State communications Professor Ed Beebout in Santa Rosa at Channel 50. Beebout, a news anchor at the time, took Gutierrez under his wing to show her the ropes of television production. Fortunately for Gutierrez, working at a small station meant she quickly climbed up the ladder for success.

“Ed was a big mentor for me when it came to figuring out what I wanted to do in television. I wanted to be on camera, but I didn’t have a plan,” said Gutierrez.

During the guest lecture, students were able to glimpse the strong ongoing bond that Gutierrez and Beebout have together. Beebout was able to mentor her when producing a financial station for Channel 50. There he taught her how to put a show together and how to have it make sense to viewers at home. Originally, Gutierrez wanted to stick to producing. However, when an opportunity came up with her love for sports, she couldn’t turn the chance down.

“I applied to Channel 50 four times

and was denied three, but I kept pushing,” said Gutierrez.

She explained how she accepted the job, even though it meant being paid a low wage and working long hours. According to Gutierrez, she worked two jobs while under Beebout’s wing just to get by.

Through the hurdles of trying to become a successful reporter and journalist, Gutierrez has conveyed her success through the time she gets to spend with the players while interviewing them. From working strenuous hours, to now being on the sidelines covering a game she loves, Gutierrez shows fans what it’s like to be behind the scenes.

“When I first met Amy, I knew she had what it takes to be a successful broadcast journalist. She was not only intelligent, funny and a quick learner, she was absolutely passionate about doing the best job she could,” Beebout said.

“Things that I learned from Ed are still things that I use today,” said Gutierrez.

From what may be a rough start, her hard work has certainly paid off as she gets to do what she loves.

“I thought that she was really awesome. She is dominating a mostly male work field and is doing amazing,” said Danielle Factor, a third year major. “‘Just keep pushing,’ is something I would suggest to any career, resiliency is really hard to deny. Just keep knocking on the door,” said Gutierrez .

“It’s a field I want to get into, so hearing her advice on how to get there was cool. She mentioned a lot of interesting points to the class, such as our social media is practically a resume and it’s super important to make sure your image is good online,” Factor said.

Overall, through the ups and downs of her career, Gutierrez has shown fans that with hard work and determination, it’s possible to get to where you want to be.

COURTESY // Ed Beebout Comcast Sports Net Bay Area Reporter Amy Gutierrez spoke to students on Wednesday about her experiences in a male-dominated industry.

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Page 9

LIP JAM: Alpha Gamma Delta outsells previous years continued from pg. 1

With their plaid skirts and electric energy, the ladies danced their way to second place.

From “Up” to “Avatar,” the women of Alpha Xi Delta, third place winners, took the audience back to 2009 when the Yankees ruled the baseball world with Alicia Key’s “Empire State of Mind” and the music industry lost Michael Jackson with “Live Your Life” by T.I. One of the last performances of the night was Alpha Delta Pi who brought it back to 2015 when the popular franchise Hunger Games released “Catching Fire.”

They battled the Capitol with “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift and their shoes lit up the GMC while performing “Hanging Tree” by Jennifer Lawrence. All of which earned them first place for the second consecutive year.

Hosting the night was four students from different Greek organizations. Sam Gad from Phi Delta Theta, Kristianna Mitrick from Alpha Delta Pi, Clayton Hutcheson from Tau Kappa Epsilon and Jessica Galperson from Phi Sigma Sigma.

With their witty banter and clever introductions to each theme, they kept the audience laughing.

“On stage, nights like that make graduating bittersweet,” said Mitrick who gave her second performance as Lip Jam MC. “This event is one of the highlights

of people’s spring semester and I can’t wait to be in the audience next year.”

Preparation to be a Lip Jam MC is no easy task. “I was nervous weeks in advance as I was trying to memorize lines and finalize the script,” said Hutcheson, a junior. “The last few weeks we really started to have fun and see all our hard work come together. By the end of rehearsal, we were confident that people would love the performance.”

From ticket sales, donations and sponsors, Alpha Gamma Delta was able to raise over $50,000 for the Alpha Gamma Foundation at last year’s Lip Jam which supports Diabetes education and awareness as well as educational grants for members.

While the final donation count for this year hasn’t been finalized yet, the chapter is expecting to reach their goal from last year. They were able to sell nearly 400 more tickets than previous years because they had two shows.

Planning the event was no small feat and Alpha Gamma Delta members Carly Saber and Sammi Glatt were this year’s Lip Jam coordinators.

“It takes an incredible amount of work and planning, but in the end it is all worth when we see how much everyone looks forward to it and how much money we raise for our philanthropy,” said Saber. “The organizations that participate in our event are all extremely incredible and work insanely hard on their performances.”

In the end, the real winner is Alpha Gamma Delta as they put on another successful Lip Jam philanthropy event.

Sonoma State Surf Club makes waves

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Erika Peterson Staff Writer

hen people thinks of surfing, they often think of Hawaii, Santa Cruz and Southern California. However, a new club at Sonoma State University is hoping to change that mindset. Sonoma State now has their very own Surf Club. Many may find it surprising, being that campus is in the middle of suburbs and vineyards, but believe it or not the Surf Clubs goes surfing nearby almost every weekend.

While the Surf Club does strive to have students who surf at Sonoma State join the club, they also encourage anyone who has any interest in surfing or who has never even tried before. Danny Garcia, the president of the Sonoma State Surf Club, just rechartered the club last fall.

“We also offer to give lessons for anyone who wants to learn how to surf in the Surf Club. They can rent out any boards or wetsuits at Bodega Bay Surf Shack and we would just spend the whole day with them out on the water,” Garcia said.

Members of the Surf Club, you also get a 25 percent discount at Bodega Bay Surf Shack, which would help any new members who wanted to make purchases for surfing supplies.

Lucas Espinosa, a freshman in the club, believes that everyone should try surfing in their lifetime and the Surf Club makes that possibility a reality.

“I’m from San Diego so I have been surfing for some time now and it’s nice to be able to still get to surf up in Sonoma,” Espinosa said.

Espinosa and Garcia try to go surfing as often as they can, even if only a few of them can go that day.“We’ll go out Saturday morning to Bodega and go to beaches like Doran Beach. We will check a few along the coast and see what the waves

look like and how strong the wind is,” Garcia said. “We never check online anymore because it’s always wrong about the waves.”

Other beaches the club goes visits to surf can be as close as Salmon Creek, which is just North of Bodega Bay, or as far as Fort Point, which is right underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

All clubs at Sonoma State require positions, Elliot Olson is the Surf Club’s Safety Officer. Olson admits the position isn’t the most demanding, but he does have to assure the safety of his club members while making sure everything runs smoothly.

“We have had zero casualties so far, which is a pretty good thing. We surfed Fort Point the other day too which was pretty fun,” Olson said.

While Olson has been surfing for awhile, it was not his first sport that required balancing on a board. “Skateboarding got me involved with surfing. [The] best part is there’s no phones in the water,” Olson said.

Sonoma State’s Surf Club, while still being relatively new, has a lot of plans for the future.

“In the future we will start having more fundraisers and maybe even dues so we can start renting vans, having competitions and even shirts that have different surf shop logos on them for advertising,” Garcia said.

“We have been trying to reach out to other CSUs for surf competitions but most of them are already booked up this semester, so we need to start planning now for competitions in the fall,” said Espinosa.

Surf Club provides opportunities for students who have been surfing their entire life or for students who simply want to learn. If any students have questions, or wish to get in contact with the club, they can email Garcia at garcia7@sonoma.edu.

COURTESY // Danny Garcia New to Sonoma State, the surf club provides an outlet for both experienced surfers and any beginners interested in learning how.

Campus Observatory to receive overdue rennovation

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Konrad Schoffer Staff Writer

he Observatory at Sonoma State University that has seen more than four decades of operation and instruction in astronomy will soon undergo the process of being renovated.

“The old facility had a f lat roof design, which led to standing water that led to degradation over time.

The new facility will have a domed roof structure.

This will make a more effective protection from the environment,” said assistant professor Thomas Targett.

The Observatory is located at the most south east corner of the campus by the running track.

“Demolition of the old facility will begin in early March. The new facility will be smaller but I believe we will be able to do far more,” said Targett. “Although the completion of the observatory will happen this semester, setting up the various [hardware] including the telescope will delay the opening until next semester. The telescope will remain the same for now.”

Sonoma State President Judy K. Sakaki is set to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Sept. 8 in the coming fall semester. Students and faculty are encouraged to attend the event that will also include a viewing. “[The observatory has a] 14 inch SchmidtCassegrain telescope. The telescope gathers the light, [and] the bigger the mirror, the more light you can gather, but you’re still limited by what your eye can process,” said alumnus Ryan McDaniel. “It enables

you to get magnification and gather light so your eye can see.”

“It’s been a phenomenal facility that’s given us so much over the years. We get about 750 students, members of the public and families per semester. It’s seen a lot of traffic through the years,” Targett said.

Public Viewing Nights are a longstanding tradition at Sonoma State and are offered four times during the semester.

“When students arrive, we take a photo [of them] with the aperture left open for three seconds. You can see yourself with the sky and all the stars. Then you move into the structure. All public viewing nights have three telescopes. You’ll see things up close, then middle distance, and then far away. We always have cocoa and cookies,” said Targett.

The viewing nights use student docents from the physics and astronomy departments to assist in manning the telescopes and talking with those in attendance.

“It also gets used as part of our curriculum. The observatory is used in the introductory, intermediate and advanced astronomy laboratory. Its integrated into our astronomy program,” said Targett.

“We have a long history of astronomy [at Sonoma State]. Anyone interested in the night sky and nurtures a passion for science [is welcome],” said Scott Severson, associate professor of physics and astronomy.

“If you want to have the opportunity to really have some observational astronomy on campus, Sonoma State is one of the better places to do it,” said student Henry Arbaugh. “You can learn in a class

about practical astronomy, but it’s a different thing to come out and see what goes into finding those things out.”

The observatory offers three tiers of learning in Astronomy. Public Viewing nights, classes and student research projects.

“The greatest thing that an observatory can bring is so much of what’s esoteric, especially astronomy. When you’re confronted with the vastness of the universe. An observatory is a way that can connect to you in a very meaningful way with the heavens and what you can see in the sky,” said Targett.

Targett explained that with the use of the telescopes, viewers can see the rings around Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, craters on the Moon and even the features of Mars.

“Even the basic knowledge of astronomy can give people a perspective on our world, that one wouldn’t otherwise have. It teaches you to look into deep time and put yourself not just where your eyes are in the present. It allows you to see into the future and the past.,” Arbaugh said.

The Physics and Astronomy Dept. takes care of most of the physical maintenance of the observatory and each Public Viewing Nights has a different theme.

The next viewing will be March 3 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. and include the Winter Circle.

Call ahead at (707) 664- 2267 to confirm the viewing during incliment weather. For more information on Public Viewing Nights visit Dept. of Physics and Astronomy website at http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu/publicviewingnight.

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Sports

FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

Men’s basketball team split final conference matchups before entering playoffs Simon Cherin-Gordon Staff Writer

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onoma State overcame a 10-point half-time deficit on Thursday in Humboldt, but could not repeat the feat two nights and 700 miles later in Pomona.

The morning after their 65-56 come-from-behind win against Humboldt State, the Seawolves embarked on a 10-and-a-half-hour voyage. A five-hour bus ride, a delayed flight, a quick film session and another night of sleep later, they returned to the court against the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos. This time, they did not find the energy to make up for their slow start.

“The guys were tired, and they played like it,” said Head Coach Pat Fuscaldo. The Broncos won, 55-51. The Seawolves did, again, put together a strong second half. They cut Pomona’s 29-19 halftime lead to within one or two possessions several times, but in each instance one mistake or another prevented them from climbing in front. Missed free throws were Chief among those problems. The Seawolves went 13-of-22 from the line.

“We missed three or four front ends of 1-and-1s,” Fuscaldo said.

“So you’re talking about the difference of maybe another eight, 10, or 12 points.”

Like in their nail-biting loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills a week earlier, missed layups were also a major factor. Fuscaldo described one sequence that was especially costly.

“We ran a play for (senior guard Jimmy Golden), he got to the basket, he got fouled. He gets fouled every time,” Fuscaldo said. “The ball was in, and all of a sudden it just popped out of the basket. You start to think, ‘Maybe tonight’s not your night.’”

Golden didn’t get the foul call on that play. That sort of stingy whistle was another common theme Saturday, which is problematic for a team that relies on slowing tempo and living at the line. They hope things are different on Tuesday, when the Broncos come to Rohnert Park for a rematch that doubles as a first-round CCAA playoff game.

“We haven’t been knocking down as many threes lately, so we’ve had to attack the basket,” sophomore wing Mason Phillips said. “Hopefully, being at home will swing the calls our way a little more.”

The Seawolves will enjoy playing at the Wolves’ Den after a grueling weekend, but aren’t solely relying on home-court advantage. Adjustments, particularly on offense, are on everyone’s mind.

Junior guard Jackson Gion brought up ball movement as a key to Tuesday’s game.

“We need to push the pace a bit…get ourselves more opportunities to score in the 30 second shot clock,” Gion said.

“They cover ground,” Fuscaldo said of Pomona’s defense. “They’re all 6’4, 6’5, long athletes.” He went on to cite Pomona’s ball pressure and how they double the post as the impetus for adjustments he will make.

The Seawolves do not have the athletes to overpower Pomona, but they do have a balanced scoring attack. Besides Golden’s 11.6 points per game, no one on the team averages double figures, but they have eight or nine guys who are a threat on any given night.

Thursday’s win over Humboldt put that depth on display.

Golden had 10, including nine in the team’s dominating 36-17 second half.

But it was 16 from senior center Nathan Molony-Benjamin and nine from junior guard Ronnie Harris that gave Sonoma a boost, powering it to its 15th conference win.

Molony-Benjamin and Harris struggled in Pomona, but senior center Luke Cochran (12 points, including seven in the second half) and Gion (13 points, 10 in the second) nearly brought the team back.

While the second-half comebacks are encouraging, starting flat in two straight games is the more pertinent—and troubling—trend heading into the playoffs.

When asked how the team can play with intensity beginning in the first minute and not the 21st, Gion said, “That’s a good question, and one we’ll try to solve by Tuesday night.”

Hot streak continues for baseball team Jake Tucker Staff Writer

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he Sonoma State Seawolves and the San Francisco State Gators both traveled up to Sypher Field in Santa Rosa to face off in a Friday afternoon doubleheader.

The first game proved fruitful for the Seawolves. After a lone RBI single by the Gators in the third, the Seawolves would answer with four individual runs of their own. Mitch West drove in Nathan Mann on an RBI single in the home half of the third, Mann scored again in the fifth on a groundout to second base by Daniel Caresio.

Then Bryce Nagata would score once in the sixth off of a Montelongo single and in the eighth off of a Grant St. Martin double to give the final score of game one, 4-1.

Senior starter Haydon Turpin earned his second win of the season going five strong innings with four strikeouts, while surrendering four hits, two walks, and one earned run. Aldo Severson earned his first save of the season, throwing the game’s remaining four innings while only surrendering one hit.

“I was really impressed with the way our team played this weekend,” said Turpin.

“We played together as a whole and everyone picked each other up. The intensity in the dugout was great. It was disappointing to lose that last game of the series the way we did but that’s baseball. Good teams bounce back from losses like that and I’m hoping we will get the job done next week against Stanislaus State.”

The Seawolves didn’t hold anything back in the second game either, as they open the match with a three-run homer by Grant St. Martin in the first, scoring West and Caresio. The 3-0 score would remain until the seventh inning when the Gators got a run on a deep sacrifice fly, and a two-run double by Caresio in the home half of the inning, plating Riley Jones and Nicco Toni.

After the Gators put up an unearned run in the 8th, the foot was taken off the gas, as the game finished 5-2 in Sonoma State’s favor. Senior right-handed pitcher Matt Hammonds threw a gem, lasting six full, shutout innings with three strikeouts, while only allowing four hits and no walks.

“The games this weekend went well,” said senior outfielder Caresio. “Our pitching has been really solid and keeping us in games and our offense is producing and doing the little things right. Good teams always rebound from a loss and I feel like this team really has what it takes to do great things this year.”

After a great start to the weekend on Friday, The Gators and Seawolves joined together again on Santa Rosa JC’s field for a Sunday afternoon doubleheader.

Sonoma had a huge offensive performance in game one, as the began the scoring on a Jake Sahagian solo homerun to right field in the second. The score would remain 1-0 until the sixth inning when Sahagian and St. Martin scored on a Mann double down the left field line, followed by a sacrifice fly by Kory Brown, scoring Mann.

The Gators would retaliate with their only run in the 8th on an RBI single. Then in the ninth, the Seawolves capped off their scoring performance with an RBI single by West and a grand slam by Jackson Leslie to left field.

Ricky Clark collected his first win of the season in the first game, throwing six shutout innings with four strikeouts, one hit and one walk surrendered.

“We haven’t gotten off to a start like this in the four years I’ve been here so that’s been nice,” said Clark. “Getting rained out is always tough because you want to play and get games in before conference play but we’re doing a good job of taking it one game at a time no matter how our adjusted schedule plays out. This weekend was good for us; taking three games from anyone in the CCAA puts you in a good spot. So far we’re scoring runs when we need to, playing good team defense, and pitching well, so that’s a good formula. The key is to play that way every weekend.”

The Seawolves’ fortune would slightly change in their fourth game of the weekend against the Gators. They got off to a good start, putting up three runs in the first on an RBI single by Nagata, a run scoring groundout by St. Martin, and a sacrifice fly

by Mann. The Gators would come back to tie it at three with a two-run homer in the fourth and an RBI single in the fifth.

After putting up another run in the top half of the seventh on an RBI double from Mann, the Gators would walk-off in the bottom half, tying the game at 4, scoring on an error by second baseman Jackson Leslie, then scoring the unearned game-winning run on a single up the middle.

Taking three out of four this weekend adds to the team’s hot start. The Seawolves are currently 6-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Their next game will be this Tuesday at 2 p.m. on the Sonoma State baseball field.

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Seawolves Ian Hofmann, Rei Echizenya, Isaiah Aguirre, Devin Gregg, Spencer Clapp, Andrew Hansen, Chase Dossa, Chase Fritz, and Justin Shluker (from left to right).

Men’s golf team places second in Tim Tierney Pioneer shootout Annie Finck Staff Writer

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his weekend, Sonoma State University’s men’s golf team had great success after placing second in the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout at California State East Bay. There were 10 competitors in attendance, and the men of the golf team were able to hold fast.

They started strong Friday afternoon when they faced their competitors and pulled ahead. Ian Hofmann set a tone that would help lead the team to their final placing by taking a lead of 18 points in the tournament.

“We felt really good about our first and third round. We lost a lot of ground on the second and we know that is something we need to improve on moving forward,” senior Justin Shluker said.

Along with Hoffman’s success, Spencer Clapp made his mark in the final round of the tournament when he had the best round out of any other player.

This round not only made a huge impact in the tournament, but in all of Sonoma State’s history, it was the third-best 18-hole round.

“When I was playing I wasn’t really thinking about where I was going to end up on the leaderboard,” Clapp said. “All I was really thinking about was that our team was nine shots back of the lead, and I knew that our whole team was going to need to shoot a low number to catch East Bay.” The team held strong despite their deficit in the second round. Keeping their team morale high, they were able to keep the tournament’s outcome in their favor.

“I think the fact that we believed

in each other to go out and do our jobs,” said Shluker. “We had a good week of preparation beforehand and I think we just had a good mindset coming into the tournament.”

Shluker tied for 10th place with teammate Devin Gregg. Both men had a score of 218 at the end of the tournament.

“Overall the tournament was a good tournament for the team. Individually it was not my best performance and I felt that I need to improve a lot in the next coming weeks in order to help our team improve in the rankings,” Shluker said.

Even with the team’s success the players maintained a level of personal criticism, even Clapp, who played a large role in the team placing second struggles with this level of critique.

“It’s hard for athletes, especially when they compete at the collegiate level like we do, to face the fact that in golf sometimes you are dealt bad breaks,” Clapp said. “For me it is not easy to get over that and typically when I make my first bogey in a round I go from being completely confident to more in a cautious state of mind.”

However, even though players like Clapp face this level of personal criticism, it seems as though they are striving not to let these things affect how they play.

“This season I have been working with different tools and focusing a lot on my routine and just my overall process which is netting me really good results in tournaments. For the spring season I am averaging below par so it is definitely working,” Clapp said.

After such a successful tournament, the Sonoma State men’s team will be participating in the NDNU invitational in Livermore March 13 and 14.

Sports

FEB. 28 - MARCH. 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com McKaiela Tyler scored 11 points in 24 minutes

Seawolves secure playoff spot K evin Brill Staff Writer

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he Sonoma State University women’s basketball team finished the regular season strong and clinched a playoff spot against UC San Diego on the weekend.

The Seawolves battled it out against Humboldt State Thursday and were victorious, winning 62-51.

Unfortunately, Sonoma was unable to keep the win streak alive, losing 49-45 to Cal Poly Pomona last Saturday.

Sonoma played what could arguably be the most important game of the season Thursday against the Humboldt State Lumberjacks.

Humboldt State came out strong in the first quarter and held a seven point lead over the Seawolves.However, Sonoma knew what was on the line and played outstanding defense that left the ‘Jacks in a one point deficit after being held to only three points in the second quarter.

Madison Burroughs contributed six steals in the game, allowing the Seawolves to create scoring opportunities off turnovers.

“We played exceptional defense and our execution on offense was great. When we were down, we never let it affect us. We focused on getting a stop and making a basket,” junior center Molly Donovan said.

In the third quarter, Sonoma went on a destructive 12-0 run, which helped the Seawolves seal the deal against the Humboldt Lumberjacks.

One of Sonoma’s star players, Kylie Kiech, returned after missing action because of an injury last week. Kiech contributed 15 points and led the team with six rebounds.

Burroughs added 17 points to lead the squad and Jessica Mitz pitched in 12 points in Sonoma’s victory over the Lumberjacks. With this win, the Seawolves secured a playoff spot.

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After seizing the big win over Humboldt State, the Seawolves were unable to finish the regular season with a win in a close matchup against Cal Poly Pomona. Sonoma was up at the half 20-15, and held the lead over the Broncos in the third quarter.

The Seawolves hit trouble in the fourth quarter, with Pomona outscoring them and putting up 24 points in the final quarter alone.

Burroughs and McKaiela Tyler put up big numbers for the Seawolves with a combined score of 24 points.

Mitz had five steals in the game, but it was not enough to force a loss for the Broncos. Priscilla Brooks, junior forward from Pomona, was the biggest offensive threat, as she put up 15 points in the game and dominated the glass with 10 rebounds.

Chelsea Waddy-Blow, Pomona’s junior forward, added 12 points to the scoreboard for the Broncos and was 6-6 in free throws.

“Our game plan against UC San Diego is to just play our game and play like we’ve got nothing to lose.

Our biggest thing will be tough defense and taking away what they want to do. As long as we execute and do all those things it will be a good night for us,” junior point guard Carly Gill said.

These final two regular season games put the Seawolves to an overall 13-13 record on the season.

The Seawolves’ first playoff match is against UC San Diego on March 3 in La Jolla.

The women’s basketball team plans to put it all on the line to extend their post-season play, as it is single elimination.

Sports Schedule Tuesday Feb. 28

Friday March 3

Softball vs Dominican 12 p.m. & 2 p.m.

Women’s Basketball @ CCAA Championships

Baseball vs Academy of Art 2 p.m.

Women’s basketball @ UC San Diego 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs Cal Poly Pomona 7 p.m.

Men’s Basketball @ CCAA Championships Women’s Track @ Kim Duyst Invitational Women’s Tennis vs Notre Dame de Namur 12 p.m.

Women’s Waterpolo vs Azusa Pacific (Claremont, CA) 3 p.m. vs Pomona Pitzer 6:45 p.m.

Baseball @ Stanislaus State 6 p.m.

Saturday March 4 Women’s Track @ Kim Duyst Invitational

Women’s Basketball @ CCAA Championships Men’s Basketball @ CCAA Championships Women’s Waterpolo vs Chapman (Claremont, CA) 9:15 a.m. vs Whittier 1 p.m.

Men’s Tennis vs Holy Names 10 a.m.

Baseball @ Stanislaus State 12 p.m.

Baseball @ Stanislaus State 2 p.m. & 5:30

Monday March 6

Women’s Tennis vs Holy Names 2 p.m.

Women’s Golf @ Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout

Sunday March 5 Women’s Waterpolo @ Redlands 11 a.m.

Softball team one loss shy of sweeping Stanislaus State Chad Shaver Staff Writer

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onoma State’s softball team continues to stay hot in a four-game series against Stanislaus State on Thursday and Friday at the Seawolf Softball Field. Coming off a 11-3 victory over Monterey Bay, the Seawolves were hungry to get their next win.

With Brigid Ruiz pitching the first game, Sonoma State knew all they needed to do is put runs on the board. With a total eight hits and their starting pitcher Ruiz pitching a complete game, the Seawolves were able to pull off a victory in the first game of the series 5-4.

“I would say going into the game I had a positive outlook on the game and new that if I was getting the job done I would stay in,” said Ruiz. “It was rewarding feeling to get my first conference win with my new team at our home field, it felt great!”

With only eight hits for the Seawolves in the first game, they were determined to get more for the second. Stanislaus state came out hot and scored 2 runs first in the second inning.

Feeling the momentum of the game starting to shift away from them, the Seawolves knew they must score runs fast if they wanted to stay in this game. In their next at bats, SSU answered back scoring two runs, making the game even at 2-2 in the second inning.

As the game stayed tied for three more innings, the Stanislaus State Warriors pulled ahead first in the top of the fifth inning scoring just one run. The Warriors, determined to hold their one-run lead, lost it when the Seawolves had their chance to score runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring fifth the Seawolves scored two runs.

The two runs were brought in by infielder Jenny Collazo and catcher Sarah Langley, making the score 4-3 Sonoma State leading. But in the top of the seventh inning, the War-

riors were able to scrape together some hits, which manufactured a run, tying the game once again, this time at 4-4.

The Seawolves, losing the lead once again, knew that this was going to be a battle.

The game went scoreless for five more innings, pushing it to extra innings. Finally, with runners in scoring position, Langley came up to the plate in the bottom of the twelfth.

Knowing that the game could be all over in one pitch, Langley stayed calm and hit a ball to right field, scoring Collazo from third.

The Seawolves won in walk-off fashion. With two wins in the first day of the series Jenny Collazo of Sonoma State, went 4-8 with a double and a triple and two walks and two RBI’s.

“Coming into the series I was really focused on our team goals. I really wanted to contribute to the team so I worked hard during practice to make adjustments and improvements and to prepare myself for this match,” said infielder Collazo.

With Two wins now under their belt for the series, the Seawolves made sure they weren’t over confident for the next games and made adjustments. Despite having the momentum going into the third game, Sonoma State lost to the Stanislaus State Warriors 9-5. Although the Seawolves bats were still alive in game three, it just wasn’t enough to top the Warriors nine runs.

With the sweep of the series no longer possible for the Seawolves, Sonoma State regained focus and kept their heads up for their final game of the series. In game four, it was Sonoma State’s turn to put runs on the board first. SSU scored runs in the first inning of the game, putting the momentum in their hands and making the score 1-0 in the first inning. With this momentum, the Seawolves capitalized upon it, scoring 3 more runs for the game, ultimately winning 4-1.

Sonoma State coming off a strong victory and series, hopes to keep the ball rolling for the rest of the season.

Did KD sacrifice brotherhood for a shot at a ring?

Naaman Hightower Staff Writer

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Commentary

s a child, we all remember our favorite teammate.

The one that would always have our back, in the best of times and the worst of times. Some of us maintain those tight bonds to this day.

With Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, this not the case. The latter of the duo made a blockbuster move by leaving his teammate of eight years in the off-season. The controversy comes because Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors, the same team that defeated the Thunder in the 2016 NBA Playoffs.

If the NBA is a business, why is it such a big deal?

When Durant and Westbrook were teammates, they recorded several milestones together, such as becoming the first pair of teammates to score 40 points in a single game.

In 2013, Durant won the NBA Most Valuable Player award. When he gave his speech, he spoke about every one of his teammates, saving Westbrook for last.

“I know ya’ll think I forgot about Russ,” Durant laughed.

“But I could speak all night about Russell. An emotional guy, who would run through a wall for me. I love you man.”

By most accounts, the duo were as close as brothers.

That’s where the controversy lies.

As a child, the unspoken rule of tattle-telling on your brother is synonymous to Durant leaving Westbrook for the Warriors. Was he wrong from a business aspect? No. Did he permanently scar a friendship forever? That remains to be seen.

Most would say yes. Both players were voted into AllStar Weekend for their play during the first half of the NBA season, and the entire world was watching.

The media did their job to make sure any contact or noncontact between the two superstars was publicly put on the front page. Reporters barraged the two with questions about each other so much that one would have thought they had a secret bromance under wraps. Russell continually took the high road by changing the subject to fashion whenever a question about Durant rose.

“Russ, what’s it going to be like to be back in a locker room with your old teammate Durant?”one reporter asked.

“Man, fashion week has been great,” Westbrook said. “I love fashion week, you seen fashion week? Been paying attention to fashion week?”

Russell is clearly either choosing not to talk about Durant, or is suppressing his anger until he gets on the court.

Maybe both.

In a heated game on Feb. 11, the duo exchanged words in a confrontation during the fourth quarter. Other NBA analysts have chimed in on the situation about who was wrong in their eyes.

“I know exactly how Westbrook feels,” said future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. “I did the same things to Penny Hardaway when I was on the Magic.”

What it comes down to is business. Kevin Durant made a business decision, because after eight years and zero championship rings to show for it, he’s thinking of his legacy.

Lebron James made his famous move to Miami for the same reason. No doubt Lebron loves his hometown, but a legacy is how a player is remembered. Durant still loves Oklahoma City and Westbrook, but his goal is winning. Only time will tell if Durant made the right decision or not.

COURTESY // Thebiglead.com Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook exchanged heated conversation in their matchup on Feb. 11

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FEB. 28 - MARCH 6, 2017 sonomastatestar.com

Lip Jam 2017 takes us back in time from 1994 ‘til now

STAR // Brennan Chin Phi Delta Theta performs songs from the year 2005, left, and Tau Kappa Epsilon performs songs from the year 2008, right.

STAR // Sara Wildman Gamma Phi Beta performs a routine based off of the movie School of Rock.

STAR // Brennan Chin Alpha Gamma Delta seniors perform songs from the year 2016.

STAR // Brennan Chin Alpha Xi Delta performs a routinue of songs from the year 2009.

STAR // Sara Wildman Alpha Xi Delta perfoms a dance based off the movie Up and Avatar.

STAR // Sara Wildman Clayton Hutcheson, one of the MCs, performs a skit before a performance.