Volume 79 // Issue 5

IN THIS ISSUE

STAR music playlist

New Seawolf Ambassador program

Stevenson elevator alerts

What are The STAR’s editors listening to right now? Catch our current playlist on page 7.

New Sonoma State University program is currently training 20 students in an initiative to bring more students together. Pg. 8.

Faculty and students have mixed reactions after Stevenson elevator breaks down five times in one semester. Pg. 4.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 79 // ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 2, 2017

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

SSU panel confronts the rise of fake news ucdavis.edu Michal Kuriaender, the researcher of the study, finds the CSU’s ‘Early Start’ program has not given students significant improvements.

Early Start program shows limited success FRANCISCO CARBAJAL STAFF WRITER

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study from April has shown that the required Early Start Program for some college freshmen, the remediation program for the California State University system doesn’t work, and the problem may lie in the K-12 system.

The study by UC Davis researcher Michal Kurlaender demonstrates that “Early Start as a CSU-wide policy effort has not resulted in significant improvements in performance or persistence of students identified in need of remediation,” says Kurlaender.

Kurlaender has discovered that the Early Start Program has “found evidence of modest improvements in third year persistence rates in English (about 2 percentage points overall), but not in math.” All this evidence suggests that it all starts under the K-12 education system.

Students of color in the study were even less prepared than whites. Kurlaender believes that the reason for this is because students of color have less funded schools. “The biggest reason for disparity is unequal K- 12 preparation. The CSU is not responsible for this, its K-12 preparation,”says Kurlaender. “Students of color have unequal disparities because they’re more likely to enroll in K-12 schools that are underfunded, [or] have higher teacher turnover; on average low-income students are less likely to go to schools that we know lead to higher educational achievements.”

According to Kurlaender there is a solution to this problem. “[The solution] is to bridge the curricular gap and opportunity gap, for students coming from schools which need more resources to ensure college success, says Kurlaender. “We need more efforts to focus on preparing students with the skills they will need in college, not just to apply to college.”

The CSU might already be taking Kurlaender’s study into mind as Chancellor Timothy White has signed an executive order last month that will no longer require placement exams in English and math. The executive order also drops the noncredit remedial courses that more than 25,000 freshmen all over the CSU have been required to take each fall.

Minwha Lee, a senior business major, welcomes the change. “I think it’s great. Some majors don’t really need students to be able to do calculus so there shouldn’t be a requirement. It also makes graduating slower as I know some of my friends had to take some prerequisite courses first before they really got into their GE,” says Lee. “It just makes common sense.”

Stephany Kirk, a third year criminal justice major, went to school in Lynwood. “I went to a very underfunded high school,” Kirk says.

“Until I came here to Sonoma State University and there was events and free stuff all the time, I didn’t know how they could do this every day or how they even had the money for it. People from my area, some relied on free backpack giveaways for school supplies and we couldn’t afford to lose a textbook.”

Dylan Petersen, a second year biology major, believes this to be true. “I know that I certainly didn’t go to the best school in my town,” Petersen says. “We were always having to have as a school fundraiser to even buy school supplies like notebooks for students. So how can we pay for better prepared teachers?

We couldn’t.”

STAR// Lauren Eipp The panel, which included (left to right) Annika Toernqvist, Dave McCuan, Karl Olson and David Snyder, discussing the First Amendment and the rise of fake news, especially on social media.

Panel seeks to give answers to combat fake news NATE GALVAN NEWS EDITOR

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ccording to a recent poll, nearly twothirds of Americans say fake news causes confusion about current events.

But what can we do about it, and how do readers identify fake news when they see it on social media?

These were some of the issues discussed in Ballroom D on Tuesday, as a panel discussion featuring The Press Democrat, First Amendment Coalition and Sonoma State University came together to discuss fake news, specifically how we can regulate within the First Amendment and what the media can do to combat it.

Titled “Fake News and the First Amendment,” the panel included Annika Toernqvist, digital director for Sonoma Media Investments at The Press Democrat, Sonoma State political science professor Dave McCu-

an, David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition based in San Rafael and First Amendment attorney Karl Olson.

Paul Gullixson, editorial director for The Press Democrat, and faculty adviser to the Sonoma State STAR, moderated the discussion.

According to Snyder, fake news isn’t a new entity, but there is something different about the current version of it. He accounts this change to both structural and social causes.

“We no longer have the gatekeeper organizations, such as The New York Times, ABC News and CBS News, to keep truly ridiculous and false information out of circulation,” Snyder said. “With social media people pay less attention to where things are coming from while paying more attention to things they want to see.”

This modern consumption of news brought forth the discussion of social media accounts being created,

STAR// Lauren Eipp Ballroom D, which has a capacity of 136, was standing room only, as a crowd of students, faculty and community members watch the panel. many times by foreign entities, simply for the sharing of news stories that are deliberately fake. According to Gullixson, ‘bots,’ or algorithms that act like real social media users, are bought to promote tweets, giving an impression that it’s been viewed by thousands, pos-

sibly giving false credibility to the source of the tweet.

When comparing this fact to fake news’ role in the 2016 election, McCuan said, “This is paradigm shattering.”

See Panel on pg. 5

Interview with a dean known for diversity KAYLA BUIE

STAFF WRITER

L STAR// Kayla Kring Lynn Stauffer, dean of the School of Science and Technology at Sonoma State.

ynn Stauffer, dean of the School of Science and Technology at Sonoma State University and the first female professor in the department of computer science, recently received the Inspiring Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics award from Insight into Diversity magazine. After coming to Sonoma State in 1994, she became dean of the School of Science and Technology in 2010. Among the Inspiring Leaders in STEM, award she also received a Woman in Business award. In an interview with Stauffer, she offered some thoughts on her professional accomplishments and what drives her to make a difference in her community and her students’ lives.

See Award on pg. 4

2 Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board Shannon Brown, Editor-in-Chief Ethan Helms, Executive Editor Nate Galvan, News Editor Olivia Hunt, Opinion Editor Brigitte Maina, Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor Tyler Heberle, Student Life Editor Bianca Sanborn, Spor ts Editor Alyssa Archerda, Photo Editor Alex Randolph, Copy Editor Alexis Austin, Copy Editor Kitana Gachero, Copy Editor Alex Daniels, Adver tising Manager Lauren Sniffin, Social Media Manager Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Kevin Brill, Nolan Brough, Anna Burke, Kayla Buie, Braden Car twright, Madison Caballero, Francisco Carbajal, Nick Coats, Jana Duncan, Lauren Eipp, Ryan Estes, Becca Garner, Kaitlyn Haas, Kaitlyn Haga, Paige Hunter, Luis Mejia, Andrea Mendoza, Kailey O’Hehir, Suleika Perez-Usher, Suzette Plumley, Samantha Schuh, Roland Schmidt, Emily Shaheen, Chad Shaver, Sierra Sorrentino, McKayla Taylor, Amber Weinstock

Photographers Kayla Kring, Alice Tennigkeit, Lauren Eipp

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Telephone: 707-664-2776 Business & General Inquiries:

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Earthquake safety crucial in wake of global natural disasters

T

he state of 2017’s hurricane season has sparked recurring conversation of Mother Nature’s resilient force and our role in climate change.

Like most topics, talking about natural disasters opens a bottomless pit of personal views and the differentiating strategies one would use in surviving one.

Despite how ­­one has thought out their plan for surviving an overdue California earthquake sitting in the back of our minds could be life or death. Locals should draw out safety plans and repeat them enough for any moment.

Government resources only extend so far before and during the initial waves of an earthquake. Especially in California, warnings signs are minimal and dependent on your own two eyes. Seismologists of the Pacific West are actively trying to change that as funding for an earthquake early warning system called ShakeAlert is in development. Neighbor and recent survivor of multiple magnitude 5.0 and above shakes, Mexico has a similar warning system in place since its 8.0 magnitude quake of 1985 killed well over 20,000 people. After sensing early P-waves

– primary, or pressure, waves which travel before, faster, and are less harmful than secondary waves – Mexico’s system triggers warning sounds and alerts the public. The system arguably prevented thousands of casualties in the powerful quakes that struck Mexico City and Oaxaca this month.

As of now, ShakeAlert’s users involve numerous universities up and down the coast, power plants, and our very own BART. But it’s not public. To directly influence you and your loved ones’ safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration advocates for being aware of the basics: picking practical places for safety; often under a sturdy table or against a wall away from potential debris, and practicing “drop, cover and hold-on.” Repetition is key, for in the wake of a disaster, quick thinking is necessary and responding quickly minimizes the threat of injury.

Building a post-disaster kit can eliminate added stress caused by earthquake-related complications such as broken power lines, damaged water pipes, and unconnected cell phone towers.

OSHA‘s ideal emergency kit contains, but isn’t limited to: one gal-

lon of water per person per day for at least three days, three-day supply of non perishable food, a wrench or pliers, to turn off utilities, a flashlight, first-aid kit, local maps, a battery-powered radio, a manual can opener, a whistle, extra batteries and a cell phone with an extra charger and battery.

It seems large, without factoring in individual needs, but the load can keep you stable for at least a week, when power and order is hopefully restored.

It’s difficult to fear something you haven’t seen or even lived through.

For people born after 1958, the magnitude of California’s earthquakes is just a story, a legend. But Mexico’s recent trauma is a lesson in surviving natural disasters.

When they hit, more so often than not, residents become saviors of others; bouncing from bystander one minute to volunteer by the next. Damage could be too severe for emergency services to reach certain areas.

Leaving people to fend for themselves is precisely the reason OSHA recommends being and keeping up to date with firstaid training.

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.

sonomastatestar@gmail.com Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article:

“SSU panel confronts the rise of fake news” The Press Democrat, First Amendment Coalition and The Sonoma State STAR co-sponsored a panel discussion on fake news last Tuesday to discuss the rise of fake news in today’s society.

Read the story on Page 1

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E-MAIL ALL OPINIONS TO STAR@SONOMA.EDU

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

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Sonoma Media Group. The weekly publication of the STAR is made possible by Instructionally Related Activities Funding.

Opinions

Opinions expressed in the STAR are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the STAR or SSU. The editorial reflects the views of the STAR Editorial Board on issues it considers to be of particular relevance to the campus community.

Letters to the Editor Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 400 words will be allowed and must be submitted no later than the Friday before the publication date. Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts. The STAR reserves the right to refuse publication to any letter and to edit for length. Letters must sign all contributions and the editor must verify the signer and the writer are one in the same through personal conference. To send a letter to the editor, email star@sonoma.edu.

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Opinion 3

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Toxins found in Bay Area marijuana alarming

MIKKI TAYLOR STAFF WRITER

H

ealth concerns when it comes to marijuana have arisen for years.

Many studies have recently shown the plant’s production could cause dangerous health concerns. The plant contains toxins and mold that occurs during the growing process, and is eventually sold to patients and patrons in California.

We see these cases coming through locally in the Bay Area in the past couple months. Authorities should warn local users about these findings, and make moves to make the drug safer for people who need it medically.

Anresco Laboratories, headquartered in San Francisco, is a company that provides testing for local cannabis to see if it’s been contaminated. The company

ended up finding in early September that most sold marijuana has traces of mold and other chemicals. Herb.co, a cannabis education foundation, found that the 1,000-plus dispensaries in San Francisco would not pass the quality control test standards that are strongly enforced in Oregon and Colorado cities.

Anresco recently found in August at an event in San Francisco’s Cow Palace at Hempcon that cannabis, edibles and other concentrates showed 80 percent of the marijuana contained toxins.

San Francisco is one of many hotspots for the marijuana industry, and this should concern civilians who buy this drug.

Herb.co also states that many users choose to ingest the drug through oils, which is popular because of the high source of THC. San Francisco Mag states that pesticides and fungicides can appear in cannabis extracts at 1,000 times the level of concentration typically found in foods.

Steep Hill Laboratories in Berkeley has also found that many dispensaries and cannabis show harmful molds and toxins. Steep Hill said, “Cannabis patients and consumers need to be their own best advocate, and get in the habit of asking if the cannabis products they use are tested for mycotoxins, and if not, advise their supplier to test for mycotoxins.”

Steep Hill is a very reliable source from the Bay Area and an expert on mycotoxins, and how to critically test for them for users’ health. Steep Hill talks about how mycotoxin allergy can possibly affect people for the rest of their lives, meaning every time they are exposed to it, they will continue to get more ill.

Drugs, as we all know, are something we need to use with precautions or not at all. Medical marijuana, if pure, is helpful for some people with chronic pain and sickness. The use of medical marijuana today has the potential to be very harmful with the exposure of more toxins and mold.

Authorities should monitor partaking in it for fundamental reasons and educate more people on the topic. Buying this drug from dispensaries may seem safe, but as of now, in California it’s more dangerous than ever.

There are big plans in 2018 for marijuana laws and regulations. California will be setting stricter rules for the process of the plant for users, making it safer to consume. Herb.co said that California will be having the strictest rules when it comes to cannabis, compared to other states. This still doesn’t cover the fact that the infected marijuana is affecting users negatively, but having those strict rules soon will hopefully save many from harmful toxins.

Rape lawsuit costs Fox employee job

KAITLYN HAAS

STAFF WRITER

R

ape, sexual assault and harassment seems to be the theme of 2017 for Fox News.

Within the past year, 21st Century Fox has dealt with a series of serious rape and sexual harassment cases. The most recent case concerns political commentator Scottie Nell Hughes and anchor Charles Payne.

According to the Huffington Post, Hughes filed a lawsuit against Payne for raping her, and once Hughes approached Fox’s lawyers the network retaliated against her.

The unwelcome sexual relationship began in a New York hotel room in 2013 and continued well into 2015, also according to the Huffington Post.

Throughout the course of the forced relationship, Payne invited Hughes as a guest four to five times per week on Payne’s Fox Business Network show “Making Money,” but once she made the allegations, Hughes’ appearances shrank down

to five within a 10 month period, according to USA Today. The network put Payne on suspension while they investigated the allegations.

The suspension only lasted two short months and Payne is already back on the air. Hughes, in complete distress, told The Hill, “In July of 2013, I was raped by Charles Payne. In July of 2017, I was raped again by Fox News.”

Fox News already has a certain reputation, and this series of male employees taking advantage of the female employees is not helping.

Starting last summer, the network pushed out Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes due to multiple sexual harassment lawsuits against him.

Bill O’Reilly, former Fox prime-time star, was let go after having to pay $13 million to settle harassment claims from five different women and said in a statement he was let go for “political and financial reasons.”

A few months after, Fox News suspended and later terminated the contract of long-time host Eric Bolling due to allegations that he sent prurient messages to female coworkers, all according to the Huffington Post.

Despite Fox News’ sickening pattern of sexual misconduct within the network, they are choosing to vigorously defend Payne.

As reported by USA Today, Fox News released a statement that reads, “It’s worth noting that Doug [Hughes’ lawyer] is Ms. Hughes’ third representative in the last six

months to raise some variation of these claims which concern events from four years ago, since it apparently took some time to find someone willing to file this bogus case.”

Yep. Fox News just openly called an unsettled rape case bogus.

It’s one thing to stand behind and defend an employee who is being prosecuted for a rape crime, but it is another to blatantly call an open and ongoing rape case “bogus.”

The statement put out by Fox News shows utter disrespect and no regard for Hughes. This woman was living a nightmare for two years and all Fox News has to say is that it is “bogus.”

One would think that the news network would be walking on eggshells due to multiple sexual misconduct cases but they are proudly stomping on eggs and continuing to excuse the clear and shameful pattern their male anchors and hosts are following.

It is depressing and disappointing that in today’s society, a woman cannot come forward with rape allegations without being blamed as the victim or retaliated against. In large corporations, men take advantage of women way too often and the victim seldom receives the attention or help they need.

It is situations like this that discourage women from telling their stories and running from toxic relationships like Hughes says Payne coerced her into.

Rape and sexual harassment are grave issues that should be handled delicately and seriously, not paid off or called “bogus.”

Georgia Tech officer under scrutiny for shooting

LUIS MEJIA

STAFF WRITER

G

eorgia authorities continue to investigate the death of Georgia Tech student Scout Schultz, a 21-year-old senior and LGBTQ activist studying engineering who, on the evening of Sept. 16, had his life cut short on the wrong side of a confrontation with campus police officer Tyler Beck. What manifested after the tragedy is everything one would expect in 2017; mourning, public outrage and a brand new hashtag on Twitter’s homepage. Of course, this hardly changes anything, despite it rendering practically as a “rinse and repeat” method of dealing with these issues.

Schultz approached an officer while holding what was, at the time, an unidentified object. Believing it to be a knife, Beck drew his weapon and ordered him to stay still. Schultz took a few more steps, mouthed some allegedly suicidal rhetoric, and before long - BAM, a gunshot. It was a single shot to the heart, killing Schultz instantly. “He died later at an Atlanta hospital,” the Washington Post said. Did I mention that this whole scene was caught on camera?

Upon watching the clip, I counted several problems. First, when a person in a position of obvious power tells you to do something, it never hurts to follow along. I don’t care how much of a rebel someone dares to identify as. A gun is a gun. I will swallow my own pride before I challenge a man who has the power to make my flesh swallow a bullet. That isn’t a Super Soaker an officer has in his hand, it’s a loaded firearm of which he has permission to use. Some may call my preferred course of action “spineless,” others “cowardly.” I will stick with “practical.”

I have learned to always respect authority, even during a shady incident. Being patient and following instructions for a short, unpleasant interval of time is a small price to pay to keep breathing. Unfortunately, even this is questionable in regards to the Schultz shooting.

According to the New York Post, an insightful piece of audio was released in which the caller who reported Schultz’s suspicious activities told police he was “skulking around outside,” and how it “looked like he has a knife in his hand.” I must ask, in the event that another person were to encounter Schultz at the same time of night, would suspicions be any different?

Then there is concern over the extent of force used by Beck, raising even more legitimate questions, and rightfully so. Schultz was “barefoot, disoriented, and having a mental breakdown that night,” his family’s lawyer said. Was it too much to ask to just aim for his leg to immobilize him? Both parties may have appreciated more experience as to how to deal with a mentally incompetent suspect, but it is rather late for wishful thinking. Everyone makes their judgments.

At a certain point, an individual must stop and adopt a little pragmatic thought. Staring down and approaching someone with a sharp object is not that. Neither is shooting someone prematurely. The need for all of us to act accordingly is crucial now more than ever. Schultz is not a martyr for police brutality against LGBTQ folk, he is another victim of mental health that our country tragically let down.

Victory for same-sex parental rights in Arizona

KATIE HAGA

STAFF WRITER

T

he Obama administration legalized gay marriage in the United States in 2015, arguably the biggest milestone to occur regarding same-sex couples in the U.S. Although our nation was not the first country to legalize gay marriage, following behind several other countries, it was still a big deal. Now comes another milestone for same-sex couples.

It feels as if it has been quite some time that our nation has received good news on same-sex couples. That positive-news-drystreak was recently broken when the Arizona

Supreme Court ruled same-sex spouses will now get equal parental rights as those of opposite-sex couples.

The new Arizona ruling emerged on Sept. 12 after a lesbian woman separated from her spouse and wanted equal custody of their son. The Tucson couple conceived their son through artificial insemination. After Kimberly McLaughlin gave birth to their son in 2011, both her and her spouse, Suzan McLaughlin, agreed to shared parenting.

However, Kimberly McLaughlin opposed that agreement after they broke up two years later, despite their legal agreement, according to the Los Angeles Times.

After the split, according to court records, Kimberly McLaughlin moved out with their son and tried to cut off any contact with her ex-partner. Because of this, Suzan McLaughlin decided to sue.

Before the Supreme Court made their final decision, two lower courts reached different conclusions. One court decided that under Obergefell, the case referring to samesex couples’ guaranteed fundamental right to marry, Suzan McLaughlin should have the same “presumption of parenting” that men would have in opposite-sex marriages. The

other court disagreed.

If something like this were to happen to a different-sex couple the case would easily conclude, depending on the circumstances.

Custody battles are very common among straight married couples which makes it easier for courts to make decisions. Some may have seen this case as a difficult decision to make, but to discriminate against a gay couple like this is unconstitutional.

When reviewing the 2015 law making same-sex marriage legal, Chief Justice Scott Bales said, “It would be inconsistent with the ruling to conclude that same-sex couples can legally marry but some states can deny them the same benefits of marriage afforded opposite-sex couples,” according to the Arizona Daily Sun. The chief justice believes it would be best for lawmakers of Arizona as well as the governor to repeal any rules or laws that discriminate.

When Suzan McLaughlin filed for divorce in 2013 she attempted to get joint custody of her son, citing laws that state the husband in the marriage would be the presumed parent when it comes to cases of custody.

The trial judge decided to have their case processed, which led Kimberly McLaughlin

to petition, saying that the law specifically only applies when the other spouse is a man.

The fact that Kimberly McLaughlin brought that up is entirely unfair to her ex-spouse.

According to court records, after Kimberly McLaughlin gave birth to their son she went back to work as a physician while Suzan McLaughlin stayed home and cared for their son.

Suzan McLaughlin is the other parent to their son, which means she deserves the right to have shared parental time. It is extremely selfish for Kimberly McLaughlin to try to revoke her parental rights when she was the one who spent the most time taking care of their son. Although Suzan McLaughlin was not the biological mother, she deserves every right as a mother to her son and co-parent with Kimberly McLaughlin, despite the divorce.

A couple who decides to raise a child together should have equal parental rights in the event of a divorce. No matter the sexual orientation of the couple, a child should have both its parents in its life. As said by Suzan McLaughlin’s attorney, Claudia Work, “It’s not an issue of biology, it’s an issue of equal treatment,” according to azcentral.

4 News AWARD: Stauffer discusses the challenges she faced in STEM

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Continued from Pg.1

STAR: How did you come to Sonoma State?

Stauffer: I earned my doctorate in computer science at UC Irvine and at that time I knew my passion was for education, so I interviewed at several institutions that valued undergraduate education and research and decided on that basis that Sonoma State was the best match with my priorities and values. That was in 1994, I was hired as an assistant professor and was the first female faculty member in the computer science department. Since that time, I would say one of my biggest achievements is being recognized as the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching award in 2006. Then I started serving in this dean role in 2010.

STAR: How did you become interested in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field?

Stauffer: This Inspiring Leader award in STEM came about because of that fact that I do a great deal to support students from all backgrounds to be successful in the disciplines that STEM covers. What really motivated me to do more work there is, first off, I am as a female in computer science underrepresented. Women are about 15 to 18 percent of the people in the computer science field, so I had my own experience and background there. As an educator, I wanted to broaden participation, and that came about from having students that are super capable but got overly discouraged from things that were out of their control. I wanted to do everything I possibly could to be supportive to all of those students to be successful. That really is what drives many of my efforts, but it ranges from my first beginnings here. I started the Women in Computer Science Clubs and we continue to get together in the spring at my house for a gathering of alumni, current students, faculty, and staff to really support that community of women in computer science. In 2008, I started the current nationwide Mathematics, Engineering, Science, and Achievement program at Sonoma State, which runs through the University of California’s Office of the President to provide support, development and advancement opportunities for students coming from underrepresented and underserved communities and backgrounds. More recently, I’ve been working to broaden participation for women in STEM and technology because our numbers in engineering and computer science aren’t where we want them to be for women in those majors. I’m also working in the community for Community Women Investing in STEM equity, and that is a partnership with the Career, Technical, and Education Foundation, and we’re working to build the structures that will advance the success of young girls and women in STEM. STAR: Why do you feel like it is so important to help minorities and underrepresented people in this particular field?

Stauffer: I think the work happening in these fields is incredibly important for the future of our region, state and world. The work is happening in STEM and health is incredibly important. It needs a lot of people to be a part of it. We need to be sure we’re pulling the talent pools, ideas and innovations from the largest group of capable and informed people that we can. That kind of advancement and innovation will be more impactful if we have a broader group weighing in on it.

STAR // Kayla Kring Lynn Stauffer stands in front of Darwin Hall, the main building for the School of Science and Technology, which she is the dean of.

STAR: As a woman in your profession, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Stauffer: The challenges varied. The most documented, and I battled this, is a lack of self confidence.

It’s often referred to as an “imposter syndrome,” making thoughts such as maybe it was a f luke that I’m here and doing what I’m doing. There is a doubt that creeps in thinking, “Do I belong? Am I good at this?” What you don’t see are many examples of people in your field who look like you and feel like you that makes you question if you belong here. There are also people who will underestimate abilities of women, and I think those people are fortunately declining in numbers or are being educated in understanding that women bring an incredible intelligence, capability and impact for any kind of group.

STAR: Are there any specific examples of this you have experienced?

Stauffer: There have been examples of blatant things, and I’ll give an example. When I was a graduate student, I was very lucky to get pregnant. I go in to talk to my Ph.D. adviser and I say I have good news, I’m expecting a little one. My adviser says, “I’m sorry you’re leaving the program.” There was an automatic assumption that because I was pregnant and a woman, that having a child would mean I would

no longer continue as a graduate student. I don’t think that same assumption would have been made if it had been a male sharing that news with their adviser. Is that discrimination? I don’t think so, I think it’s more of a lack of understanding and that there is a real bias against women.

STAR: What does this award mean to you?

Stauffer: It means a great deal to be honored from these efforts that really come from my heart, where my passion is and why I entered education in the first place. With my degree in computer science, there are other ways I could have gone. My passion and desire to work with people who are trying to improve themselves through education and helping to advance their dreams along with my own, means a great deal. Being recognized is very special to me, and I really have dedicated myself to it.

STAR: What advice would you give to people entering your field?

Stauffer: My advice is go for it. “Go for it” means a great deal. It means being willing to put in the hard work it takes to master some of these challenging questions, topics and ideas. It is also relying on the support and partnership of your networks of people that surround you, that is your family, friends, colleagues, fellow students and peers to really propel yourself forward. Dream big.

Stevenson elevator causes frustration after numerous email alerts ETHAN HELMS

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

M

embers of the Sonoma State University community may not be surprised to hear that the elevator in Stevenson Hall has been having issues.

Students, faculty and staff regularly receive emails informing them of the campus elevator problems, and have already received five notifications regarding the Stevenson elevator this semester.

Among concern for the increasing frequency of problems with the elevator, is

curiosity regarding the steps being taken to ensure the elevator is safe for use. According to emails sent by Christopher Dinno, senior director for Facilities Management and Capital Planning, Design and Construction, replacement parts were ordered and installed in both 2010 and 2012.

Despite promises made to “ensure that this problem is resolved in a safe and timely manner” via email by Dinno in January 2014, the Stevenson Hall elevator continued to malfunction eight more times.

Director of Operations and Engineering for Facilities Management John Duke, has expressed his understanding toward the need for timely repairs.

“The University understands the urgent need to bring the elevator back in service as soon as possible to ensure accessibility to all campus members,” said Duke.

Despite a majority of the problems involving the Stevenson Hall elevator, faculty members have expressed their concern toward the condition other elevators as well.

“I am very troubled by the noises emanating from the Nichols Hall elevator. [It] sounds like scraping metal,” said Adam Hill, coordinator of clinical mental health counseling. Hill, who has been at Sonoma State since 1998, noted that he hadn’t ever heard the elevator produce those noises before.

News 5

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Legislature allocates $30 million for DACA recipients in California BRADEN CARTWRIGHT STAFF WRITER

C STAR Senator President pro Tempore Kevin de León is a main contributor to the bill, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sept. 16.

alifornia lawmakers have passed a bill that allots $30 million to aid Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in the state. DACA recipients will use $20 million of the money for their legal fees, while college students will use the rest for financial aid.

DACA is an executive order passed by former President Barack Obama. It protects immigrants who came to the United States as children from deportation and allows them to apply for a work permit and attend college.

This bill is part of an ongoing resistance from California against President Trump’s decision to reverse DACA. Another bill passed by California legislators will make California a “sanctuary state,” which will forbid any state law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities to deport undocumented immigrants unless they have committed a serious crime. The

bill passed on Sept. 16 and is expected to be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown to become law. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has also filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming his decision was unconstitutional. Becerra said DACA is “fully lawful.”

California is home to roughly 220,000 DACA recipients, by far the most of any state. About half of the recipients are students. At Sonoma State, DACA protects about 180 students.

Of the $30 million allocated to help DACA recipients, $10 million will go to helping students. Of this money, $7 million will go to students attending community college, and CSUs and UCs will award the rest as financial aid.

“We will not let one man with xenophobic tendencies undercut years of progress we have made in California to integrate these young adults into our society and economy,” said Senator President pro Tempore Kevin de León in a statement about the DACA allocation.

PANEL: ‘First Amendment generally protects fake news’ Continued from Pg.1

According to McCuan, political transparency and disclosure are gone, and there is no longer a way to find out who is funding these bots, which are capable of getting information off just about anybody in the United States. This information, which is sometimes classified, directly correlates to the news stories an individual sees on their social media feed, McCuan said.

“Campaigns can drive messages to you that are fundamentally different, especially with the rise of bots,” McCuan said, “which is why this is different, because it’s difficult to ascribe transparency and legislation for what’s going on, especially when looking at the First Amendment.”

The First Amendment, according to Olson, protects erroneous statements, which generally protects most fake news. However, Snyder said the introduction of many 2016 California bills trying to combat fake news, even though almost all did not pass, shows an irrationality in today’s society.

“The election of President Trump has caused people to become hyper-emotional in a way that makes them forget what our founding documents are about,” Snyder said. He noted that one bill in particular that the California Legislature considered earlier this year, that sought to make fake news illegal, also would have prevented many forms of free speech, particularly speech in political campaigns where embellishment frequently occurs.

As media outlets try to change the momentum of fake news, the difficulty of covering stories not dealing

with fake news itself has become more challenging.

“We spend so much time dealing with fake news and trying to argue the facts and the truth that we should be well past, that it leads to real news not being covered,” said Gullixson, speaking of his experience at The Press Democrat.

Looking towards possible solutions for fake news comes with a variety of answers but no real solution.

According to Snyder, a way to combat fake news is for traditional news outlets to “keep doing what they’re doing but better than they’ve ever done it before.”

However, a problem may lie in the line that separates opinion from news and people’s ability to distinguish one from the other.

“What we’re challenged to do is teach people how to exercise judgment,” McCuan said. “Whether you are online or reading a newspaper, this a terribly difficult task... so anything that advances us, whether it be legislatively or a principle, that can add to teaching judgment is going to lead to civic discourse.”

Toernqvist noted that people have to make an effort to find out if they can trust a story or not.

When looking at a story, Toernqvist recommends looking at the author’s credentials, checking if the site the article was found on has an archive and looking for credible sources within the story. She also recommends

using sites like Snopes.com to check out a story’s validity, as well as using sites such as politifact.com or factcheck.org for fact checking within a story.

Additionally, search engines such as Google and Bing now flag users when they deem a story as illegitimate. Some sites are also using Snopes.com to let readers know a story has been proven “false,” and Facebook has begun alerting readers of facts within a story that some have disputed.

The Press Democrat suggests checking the sources of stories, especially if it’s not a well-known news organization, looking at URLs, as the Press Democrat notes that stories with a com.co or com.lo URL are most likely fake, and being wary of attention-grabbing headlines without a source.

NEWS IN BRIEF Forestville On Friday, Forestville sheriff officials said deputies were investigating a shooting that left one man dead and another gravely wounded. Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call at 6:40 p.m. about a shooting at River Road and Trenton Healdsburg Road. According to Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Crum, both men are in their 40s and due to the nearby marijuana fields, the sheriff’s office suspects the deaths were marijuana-related.

California California officially has a state dinosaur, as Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill claiming the Augustynolophus morrisi the state’s oldest representative. The 66-million-year-old fossilized remains have only been found only in California. The herbivorous hadrosaur joins a select club of 10 other dinosaurs that are state insignias, with Colorado being the first to claim one in 1982.

New York Ex-politician Anthony Weiner was sentenced Monday to 21 months in prison for “sexting” a 15-year-old girl. Weiner served the New York’s 9th congressional district from January 1999 until June 2011 when he resigned after a sexting scandal was made public. The scandal involved Weiner sending photos of himself, in only in underwear, to 40,000 Twitter followers, when he was trying to send the photo to a woman.

6 Arts

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

“Kingsman” sequal falls to cliché Review

SIERRA SORRENTINO Staff Writer

B

screenrant.com Harry Hart (Colin Firth), Poppy (Julianne Moore), and Statesman agent Tequila (Channing Tatum) make up a portion of the intermingling spies in Matthew Vaugn’s new film.

ritish accents, top-secret spy agencies, and sharply dressed men would connote a James Bond-style film.

However, “Kingman: The Golden Circle” tries to stray away from the stereotypical spy action film. Based on the comic book series written by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, both the sequel and its predecessor, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” create a blend of comedy, quirk, and action.

Both films still hold true to their action roots with Michael Bay-like explosions, highly intelligent weaponry like lighters disguised as hand grenades, and feats which seem so extreme that only spies can accomplish them. The plots of the movies follow the common storyline of saving the world from a diabolical individual, but what makes the “Kingsman” films enjoyable is the unique comedic flare.

In “Kingman: The Secret Service,” the main character, Eggsy (Taron Egerton), seemed misplaced in a world of sophisticated, international espionage. As the film progressed, he proudly showed his strengths to those who doubted him and beat out the great majority for a spot as a Kingsman. After showing his worth, Eggsy truly earned his Kingsman glasses when he aided in defeating technological madman, Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), from controlling the minds of individuals worldwide via their cellphones.

The first film’s comedic quirks include the kidnapping of celebrities, such as Iggy Azalea, the name of Eggsy’s dog, JB, who, evidently, holds the same initials as a few classic action heroes, and the colorful, glittery way people blew to pieces in one of the final scenes. The pure fun and nuttiness of the film is what drew viewers to theatres and, after a three-year wait, they were hopeful the eccentric comedy would be a hit once again.

Right off the bat, the first scene to the squeal packs a cinematic punch. A surprise encounter between Eggsy and Charlie Hesketh (Edward Holcroft), estranged Kingsman tryout and transformed evil henchman, quickly leads to a gripping car chase that knocks the audience out of their seats. The

outstanding cinematography of the action sequences in “Kingsman: The Gold Circle,” is something to take note of.

Then again the audience should not expect anything else from the director of action-packed movies such as “X-Men: First Class.” Unlike “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” the sequel provides the viewers more skilled camera angles, a creative use of slow motion effects and enhanced combat moves that work together to marvel the eye.

Based on this opening scene, it seems as if the sequel meets the viewer’s hopes. However, the sequel’s great cinematography could not save it from its rather ordinary, spy-f lick plotline. The star-studded cast, consisting of Colin Firth, Channing Tatum, and Halle Berry to name a few, did not find comedy harmony. The jokes throughout the film will catch some laughs but nothing was new; viewers expect this type of comedy, with scenarios like obvious sexual innuendos, awkward meetings of the girlfriend’s parents, and overstated English versus American banter.

The saving grace of the film was Julianne Moore’s character, Poppy Adams, sociopath queen of the global drug trade. Adams borders the lines of a sociopath with her sweet exterior acting as a facade that she can quickly switch to. The movie shows this when Adams releases her robotic demon dogs on a henchman who crosses her and makes her newest recruit eat his former friend in a form of a burger she whipped up herself.

Poppy Adam’s goal is to make herself a well-known, international entrepreneur by making all processes of the drug trade legal.

To ensure the success of her plan, she infects the millions who use her drugs with a slowkilling illness and will only release the antidote if the president abides by her requirements. Moore does a wonderful job of portraying just the right amount of crazy to the point where even though Adams kidnapped and held Elton John hostage, the viewer might still find her alluring.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” may have fallen into the same category most movie sequels do, but that does not diminish its entertainment quality. However, waiting for its Redbox release instead of paying the $11 in standard movie theatres would leave you with a guarnteed silver lining regardless of how you feel after it.

Everyone can appreciate a discounted movie.

Concerts Ahead GMC

SAN FRANCISCO

BERKELEY

OAKLAND

MOUNTAIN VIEW

Entertainment 7

SEPT. 26- OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Lil Dicky unleashes Brain Review NICK COATS Staff Writer

L

il Dicky’s “Brain” launched its rap career in the most random, yet entertaining EP the Hip-Hop industry has ever seen. Born David Burd in March of 1988 in Pennsylvania, Lil Dicky is an American comedian and rapper who quickly rose to fame following the success of his 2013 mix-tape, “So Hard.” In Nov. of 2013, a kick-starter aimed at collecting $70,000 for Dicky to continue making music and videos, reached a total of $113,000, allowing him to go on tour and release his debut studio album, “Professional Rapper” in July of 2015.

This is where we first meet Brain, who serves as comedic relief in Dicky’s 11-minute track, “Pillow Talking.” It’s not until April of 2017 that we finally get to see Brain, with the release of the track’s music video. Brain is the living embodiment of Dicky’s mind, giving insight into Dicky’s creative thought process and his rhymes.

Leaving fans pleased and wanting more, Dicky delivers with the new EP released Sept. 14 titled “I’m Brain.”

Brain brings a completely unexpected twist to the rap-game, and it is clear Dicky is using this project as a way to send a message. Dicky’s rapping style, which he often discusses in interviews, is in response to the over-the-top egotistical nature that today’s rap

embodies. He understands his unconventional sound isn’t for everyone, and uses it to his advantage. His new 7-track project ref lects it, but if you are a fan of Dicky, you will appreciate his impressive f low, lyrical prowess and creative genius behind his character, Brain.

Although technically Brain’s project, Dicky once again serves as comedic relief, portraying a stoner persona who has basic f lows with rhymes that are mostly random. He then lets Brain take the lead with the heavy lyricism and f lows. Brain’s randomness mirrors a story through the tracklist; so the EP should be played in numerical order to best understood.

At face value, most fans of today’s hip-hop will overlook this project as stupid, or trash, but when you really engage and dive into the music you’ll notice the production and sound of the audio is clean, the beats are pretty hard, and Dicky periodically spits bars laced with comedic metaphors.

There are a few notable songs that can hold up on their own, the first being “Cocaine.” In the song, Dicky is peer pressured by a woman to try the substance, but trying to play it cool, opts to try MDMA instead. Brain enters the track when the substance starts to kick in and wonders why Dicky took is in the first place, causing him to ruin his chances with the woman.

In “How Can You Sleep?” a standout track, and the single the whole project f lows towards, Dicky asks Brain if he can do it without him. Dicky wants to go really hard, really bad without Brain and suggests that Brain will be the DJ Khaled, or executive

Cashing in on commentary The future of fair use

Commentary NOLAN BROUGH Staff Writer

E

ntertainment is a f luid industry that is constantly changing before our eyes.

New platforms arise everyday to cater to new audiences, and wind up attracting some and confusing others. One medium that houses a multitude of different forms of entertainment is YouTube, the world’s most popular video hosting site. By now this website has become a household name, as anyone can post almost anything and gain an audience. With such a large number of videos comes a wide variance of genres, too. And with so many users, content creators are constantly looking for ways to remain fresh and unique on an ever growing platform.

One genre of videos that has blossomed on YouTube in recent years are reaction videos. Hundreds if not thousands of YouTubers fall under this category, and each one puts their own spin on the genre.

And while each creator puts a personal touch on their videos, all of these videos feature a youtuber commenting on somebody else’s content, whether it be critique or praise. Being a rather new trend, the legality of this has come into question. Is it fair to use someone else’s content to gain followers?

Is it ok to say mean things about someone to rake in more views?

These questions and more have been easier to identify thanks to a landmark lawsuit that just wrapped up last month when a big YouTuber criticized the wrong guy.

In Feb. 2016, H3H3 Productions, a reaction video channel, posted a video criticizing Bold Guy, a comedy skit channel in which the bold guy in question se-

duces women with quick wit and parkour stunts. When Ethan and Hila Klein on H3H3 Productions took to Youtube to roast the antics of Bold Guy’s Matt Hoss, Hoss took them to court, arguing that the video reproduced too much of Hoss’s content in his video and that users were clicking on the video to watch Hoss’s content instead of H3H3’s added content.

Ethan Klein claimed that Hoss’s reasoning was masking the fact that “he doesn’t like that we made fun of him and so he’s suing us.”

The legal battle lasted over a year and cost the Kleins tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend themselves. In order to win the case, the Kleins had to argue that their video was protected by the Fair Use Act, a bill introduced in 2007 that lessens the stipulations of copyright infringement.

Basically, it allows creators to use someone else’s content to shape their own, as long as they are transforming it and adding something new, be it a critical analysis, a review, fodder for a comedy skit, etc. The bill was introduced to allow a creative outlet for smaller content creators and would stop large companies handing out copyright claims on anything with their content in it.

H3H3 Productions wound up victorious in a decisive victory in late August when the judge ruled that “there is no doubt” that the H3H3 video altered Hoss’s video by inserting “critical commentary,” a form of expression that is fully protected by the Fair Use Act. This is a very important case as it sets a precedent for future instances like this. People cannot bully others to take down a video simply because they disagree with the content of the video.

This ruling will discourage the taking down of videos on YouTube, and is not just a victory for Ethan and Hila Klein, but a victory for all content creators.

hotnewhiphop.com Peering in, Brain graces his first cover (above) and weighs in on Lil Dicky’s Pillowtalk in their new music video. The 11 minute visual walks viewers through the multilayered conversations that make up pillow talk. producer, of the track and can pick the artists. Brain picks west coast veteran The Game, and he and Dicky absolutely go in on the track. Here we see Dicky take a completely serious approach, and takes shots at anyone who thinks he is not a real rapper, or is not good enough to hang with the rest of them.

In full perspective this project comes off as corny at first, but you have to remember that it is just Dicky’s style If you just enjoy hip-hop and need a good laugh, go check out this EP.

A STAR PLAYLIST • WHAT WE'RE JAMMING TO THIS WEEK•

SHANNON: Unforgettable Thomas Rhett NATE: Provider Frank Ocean

OLIVIA: Thinning Snail Mail BRIGITTE: An 8 Ball Affair Flamingosis TYLER: The Pressure Rare Futures BIANCA: You're Not Good Enough - Blood Orange ALYSSA: New Rules (Acoustic) - Dua Lipa ETHAN: Rockstar - Post Malone LAUREN: No Scrubs - TLC PAUL: Don't Stop Believing Journey •ALL TRACKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING ON SPOTIFY•

8 Student Life

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Emerging Leaders Conference focuses on helping students make a positive impact

SUZETTE PLUMLEY STAFF WRITER

T

o train a grasshopper, you must leave it in a shoebox. A grasshopper can jump ten times its body height but will only jump as high as the imagined barrier after the lid comes off the box.

This is the metaphor Bert “The Mentor Guy” Gervais used when describing leadership as he reiterated the importance of not standing in your own way and “removing your lid” at this years Emerging Leaders Conference on Sunday at Sonoma State University. Gervais also used his stories of emigration from Haiti and struggles in college to inspire students.

A variety of students, ranging from freshmen to fifth-years, attended the Sept.

24 conference in the Ballrooms and Valley Rooms of the Student Center. Students received valuable leadership skills from guest speakers, round table discussions and “breakout session” workshops.

Anthony Tucker, a third-year student in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies, said that being a leader means “being somebody that can be looked up [to].”

Tucker works for Sonoma State’s Student Involvement program, which plans campus events like Big Nite. He said he liked Bert’s talk about removing the “lid,” and the message of “breaking out of your lid to pursue things that you might not have.”

Those who attended the conference chose from two of the four workshops.

Cookie Garrett, the area coordinator for Residential Life, hosted a workshop entitled “The Road to Leadership is Paved with Service.”

By working closely with student leaders, Garrett said she hopes to leave an impact. “[I want to be] that guiding voice and positive influence to help them make good decisions [and] to accomplish their goals and be what they set out to be,” Garrett said. “I believe in investing in people that will be our future leaders.”

When asked why she has been work-

ing with Community Services Advisors for nine years she said, “I believe that collegiate students are a good pool of people that will develop into future leaders all over the world.”

Carina Buzo, the program coordinator for the HUB, presented a breakout session titled “Understanding Others.”

Buzo is a first generation college student and the first woman of color to direct “The Vagina Monologues” at Sonoma State.

During her workshop, Buzo revisited her experience transitioning from the diverse town of Stockton to a predominately white institution.

Using this experience, Buzo explained her three-step process for understanding others to the 27 students in the Sonoma Valley Room.

Buzo said in order to understand others, one must go through “oblivion, collision and response.”

“We don’t know where we’re from until we face something different,” Buzo said.

Alexis Lammawin, a third-year double major in liberal studies and studio art, said she connected to Buzo’s story about being a women of color in a leadership position and learned more about “transcending boundaries.”

“She showed incoming freshmen and other students a woman of color being a role model,” Lammawin said. “It further inspires me to be a good role model as well.”

Lammawin said her “favorite part about being a leader is leading with passion,” and if she is “leading with passion, then I know it’s going to be something I’m happy with.”

Lammawin is the outreach chair for the Filipino American Association of Sonoma State University, and deals with the organization’s external and internal relations. During her freshman year, Lammawin previously interned as the organization’s cultural chair.

“I want other women of color see me and say ‘Hey, I can do that too,’” Lammawin said.

STAR // Lauren Eipp Left: students and faculty at the Emerging Leader Conferene on Sunday in the Student Center Ballrooms. Right: Keynote Speaker Bertrand Gervais gives a talk on leadership.

Courtesy // Sonoma State University Sonoma State’s 2016-17 Seawolf Ambassadors pose near the Green Music Center entrance.

New Seawolf Ambassador program on campus seeks to support clubs, events and community JANA DUNCAN STAFF WRITER

T

he new Seawolf Ambassador program at Sonoma State University, while still in its infancy, is already offering students the opportunity to gain paid work experience.

Students who work in this program, who are known as Seawolf Ambassadors, will be helping at a variety of campus events, working as ushers, monitoring parking and providing security.

In addition to supporting multiple clubs and activities, ambassadors will be sources of knowledge regarding Sonoma State’s resources on Sonoma State’s campus and will be able to guide students and answer their questions.

The program is currently training about 20 students and will continue to interview any students interested in applying, which can be done through the online Seawolf Job-Link.

“These students [Seawolf Ambassadors] are here to engage their student base, to participate in student activities, to embrace diversity, to value social justice, to enhance sustainability initiatives and to be leaders and pillars of our Seawolf Commitment,” said Tyson Hill, the administrator of the Seawolf Ambassador program.

Hill said that he believes students are good at bringing the community together and “[bridging] a connection with [other students].”

He hopes that students involved with the program will learn lessons they will be able to carry into their own communities in the future.

“Our ambassadors strive to be kind, good listeners, team players, and gain real-world experience working with their peers, leading by example and becoming enhanced critical thinkers from our beautiful community,” Hill said.

One student who is taking a leadership role in this program is Matthew Alston, a third-year double major in electrical engineering and mathematics.

By being a leader in this program, Alston said he works hard to continue establishing the new program and ensures that it stays on track with the right ideals.

“We’re here to respond to students’ needs and make the campus feel a little bit more ‘for the students’… and make everybody feel more comfortable on campus,” Alston said.

According to Alston, the ambassadors aim to spread Seawolf pride and will respond wherever there is a need on campus.

Alston said he wants students to be comfortable on campus and for new students to have fellow students available to lend a helping hand. He hopes the ambassadors get the most out of their experiences.

Hank Pankratz, a fourth-year history major, is a new Seawolf Ambassador.

“I like spreading off good vibes and good times and having people feel like everybody’s welcome,” Pankratz said.

“That’s how it should be and that’s how Sonoma State should be.”

As the Seawolf Ambassador program gets on its feet, those involved say they are thinking positively about their mission ahead.

“We are here to support you all in the great things that you do. Please say hello to our friendly faces and please feel free to reach out to us if you believe we could assist you,” Hill said. “We are merely here to compliment the wonderful work of our student… staff members… and our great faculty. We want to be a part of the binding element that assists with pulling us all together as one great university.”

Student Life 9

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Lauren Eipp Students solved puzzles under a time limit in a variety of escape room scenarios, including Boom Room (left) and Extinction Room (right).

For students, there’s no escaping the fun in these rooms ANNA BURKE STAFF WRITER

B

eing trapped in a room with only some obscure clues to help you escape may not be everyone’s definition of fun. But escape rooms are a recent craze capitalizing on this unique sensation. Last Thursday and Friday, students lined up in anticipation to try out this rising trend at Sonoma State University.

The Student Center’s second floor meeting rooms were transformed into escape rooms with different scenarios that challenged students to use clues to solve puzzles in a limited amount of time to escape the rooms. The scenarios included “Extinction,” “Patient Zero,” “Boom Room,” and even a room based on the “Harry Potter” series.

The Student Involvement department brought back the escape rooms as a standalone spirit event after their success the previous year.

Mo Phillips, director of programming, said she anticipated to have at least 250 - 300 students go through the escape rooms each day.

“It’s nice to have these events for students, especially on [Thursday] and Friday as an alternative to going out and drinking,” Phillips said. “We also wanted to do something different and fun, and everything we do is based on community, spirit, and tradition.”

Phillips hired a company called Neon Entertainment to set up all the escape rooms before they opened

up for students. Rooms had different forms of lighting and spooky music, along with props such as locked briefcases, cryptic notes and bloody lab coats to set the mood.

In groups of up to twelve people, students used teamwork and problem-solving skills to make their way through puzzles and other obstacles. Each room had a different backstory to immerse participants.

The “Patient Zero” room challenged students to reverse the DNA of “Dr. Figaro Skaramousch” to neutralize a virus before everyone became infected and turned into zombies.

The “Boom Room” scenario emphasized time sensitivity, with the ticking clock of a “bomb” pressuring students to quickly solve clues.

In each room, students were granted 45 minutes to figure out how to escape. According to Phillips, the success rate of students escaping the rooms last year was 20 percent.

After completing some of this year’s escape rooms, several students filed out while exclaiming how they were “only one clue away” or wondering what would have happened if they “only had a few more minutes.”

This year, students could walk into an escape room and join a team without having to reserve spots. Many students joined groups with people they didn’t know and bonded over the frantic challenge of trying to escape the room.

Juliana Ponce, a fifth-year Student Involvement

STUDENT LIFE CALENDAR Tuesday,

Thursday,

Sept. 26

Sept. 28

Advisor Appreciation

ASP Presents: Campus

Luncheon

Movie Fest Finale

11:30 a.m.

8 p.m.

Sonoma Valley Room

Ballroom A

Wednesday,

Friday,

Sept. 27

Sept. 29

Women in

Fall Sports Pep Rally

Conversation

4 p.m.

3:30 p.m. (Experience);

Soccer Fields

member who helps Phillips put on campus events, said the goal of the event was to bring people together.

“It’s so fun and brings everyone together,” Ponce said. “We have a lot of staffs going in together as well, [and] we even have some professors going in with students, which I think is really cool.”

Sophomore Kristyna Hewitt said the opportunities for bonding and bringing friends together were exactly why she tried the escape rooms.

“These are all my sorority sisters [in] Lambda Kappa Pi,” Hewitt said, gesturing to all her sisters. “I was looking for something fun to do with my sisters because we love bonding all the time.”

Hewitt said she and her friends were trapped in the “Patient Zero” escape room and were not able to figure out the last clue to win the game.

“I felt really smart during it, and after not so much,” Hewitt said, laughing.

Although the success rate with escape rooms may seem low, the popularity seems to be very high as well as the opportunity to have lots of fun.

Phillips said that she believes the popularity of escape rooms is rooted in their difficulty and the opportunity they provide to bond with friends.

“It’s the challenge of trying to finish something, [and] it’s also working together as a team,” Phillips said.

“You could do it probably on your own, but it wouldn’t be as fun.”

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Shooting for a publication provides as an excellent résumé builder

6:30 p.m.

(Conversation Begins)

Saturday,

Weill Hall

Sept. 30 Get Out to the Green

IFC Presents: Sex with

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the Lights On

7:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

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Cooperage 3

Courtesy of: seawolfliving.com

Email star@sonoma.edu with a preview of your work to join the team!

10 Sports

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Seawolves of the Week Courtney Seda

Andrew Ogilvy

Class: Senior Position: Setter Hometown: Santa Rosa

Class: Senior Position: Forward Hometown: San Diego

Senior setter Courtney Seda premiered as a freshman in 2014, where she led the team in assists with 603 on the season. During Seda’s sophomore year, she recorded 582 assists, 245 digs, and started in 29 of 30 matches. As a junior, she started in all 27 matches and led the team with 953 assists. She earned an All-CCAA Honorable Mention her freshman year and was CCAA player of the week two seasons later in October 2016.

In conference play alone this season, Seda leads the team with 176 assists in just four games, offensively helping the team to its dominant 4-0 conference start.

Senior forward Andrew Ogilvy transferred from San Francisco State where he was the third-leading scorer his freshman year. In his sophomore year debut with Sonoma State, he played 12 games, scoring his first SSU goal against Cal State Monterey Bay. His junior year, Ogilvy led the team with 12 goals in the season and scored the game-winning goal against Cal State LA in overtime. He played 14 games with seven starts in 2016.

So far this season, Ogilvy has scored three goals, two of which helped the Seawolves dominate Cal State East Bay 3-0 on Sept. 17.

Sports Schedule Tuesday, Sept. 26 Women’s Golf Tournament Thursday, Sept. 28 Women’s Tennis @ ITA Fall Regional Championship Men’s Tennis @ ITA Fall Regional Championship Friday Sept. 29 Women’s Tennis @ ITA Fall Regional Championship Men’s Tennis @ ITA Fall Regional Championship Women’s Soccer vs Stanislaus State 12:30 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs Stanislaus State 3 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs Chico State 7 p.m.

Saturday Sept. 30 Women’s Tennis @ ITA Fall Regional Championship Men’s Tennis @ ITA Fall Regional Championship Women’s Cross Country @ SSU Invitational Women’s Volleyball vs Stanislaus State 7 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 1 Women’s Soccer vs Chico State 11:30 a.m.

Men’s Soccer vs Chico State 2 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 2 Women’s Golf Dixie State Fall invitational

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Alexis Espitia, No. 30 dribbles past two of Humboldt’s defenders.

Women’s soccer team holds three-game win streak KEVIN BRILL

STAFF WRITER

T

he nationally ranked Sonoma State University women’s soccer team held its dominance with a pair of shutouts at Humboldt State on Wednesday and against UC Santa Cruz at home on Friday. This season has been an exciting one for the Seawolves, they have had to work for every point it seems.

Whether it’s on or off the field, this group of women has shown both its strength and determination and the love for the game.

As the team traveled to Arcata to play the Humboldt State Lumberjacks, Sonoma State planned to leave it all on the field. The Seawolves have battled for every win and anticipated doing just the same against the Lumberjacks.

In the first half alone, Sonoma shot on goal 11 times and only allowed Humboldt a single shot. With the clock at 26 minutes in the first half, Sonoma State’s senior defender Cecilia Sifuentes headed in a corner kick for a 1-0 lead.

The Seawolves’ senior midfielder, Holle Depina, was relentless and knocked in a shot in the 76th minute of the game, leaving little hope for the Humboldt Lumberjacks.

With time running out and Sonoma State up by two, it was clear that the Seawolves had secured another victory under their belts. It was time to pack up and prepare for their Friday match.

Although the Seawolves were bringing back a win for Sonoma, they had locked their minds in and focused on the game ahead. On Friday, the Seawolves played the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs on their own turf.

Fired up from the previous match, Sifuentes tapped in a goal within 21 minutes of play. With the early lead, Riley West, So-

noma’s sophomore defender, shot from 25 yards out and hooked it into the top left corner of the net making the score 2-0. Sifuentes added another goal for the Seawolves in the second half, making Sonoma State closer to sealing another victory.

In the 55th minute of the match, Sonoma State’s Kristyn Lerma, sophomore forward, and Sara Van Wagoner, senior forward, shot on the Banana Slug’s net. The victorious Seawolves ended the match 5-0, sending UC Santa Cruz back home in defeat.

“Looking at this weekend that is coming up, I think our team is hyper focused on our ongoing goal of being 2 percent better every day,” junior midfielder Bella Amyx said. “Whether that is in training or a in a match, we are always looking to be better in any way possible.”.

After decisive wins on Wednesday and Friday, the women of Sonoma State look to take on two home games this coming week.

The Seawolves play Stanislaus State at 12:30 p.m. on Friday and have a quick turnaround time as they play Chico State at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at Sonoma State’s home field.

“We are looking forward to playing some opponents that are truly going to test our abilities as a team. In the past, both Stanislaus and Chico gave us a good battle and we are looking to put them both away at home,” Van Wagoner said.

Sonoma State hopes to keep the momentum going and continue its three-game winning streak. With their 8-1 record and the season being about halfway done, the only loss for the Seawolves was an away game against Cal State Monterey Bay. The Seawolves have shown that they can not only bounce back from a tough loss but that they are well deserving of being ranked No. 17 in the nation.

Sports 11

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

Women’s volleyball team remains perfect in conference play CHAD SHAVER STAFF WRITER

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he Sonoma State University women’s volleyball team picked up two more wins last week to continue its four-game win streak.

On Wednesday the Seawolves faced San Francisco State at the Wolves’ Den. Coming off two strong wins the previous weekend, the Seawolves were seeking to keep their momentum, and they did just that, defeating the Gators 3-0. The scores for the sets were a dominant 25-14, 25-17 and 28-26.

In the first, set the Seawolves had a total of 11 kills as opposed to the Gators’ seven. For the Seawolves in set two, they had 12 kills and only two errors. As for the Gators in this set, they had 14 kills and only six errors. Despite the better play for the Gators, this clearly didn’t faze the Seawolves, as they still won the set 25-17.

In the final, set the Seawolves came out fired up, but so did the Gators, making the score of the last set very close at 28-26. When it came to kills for this set, the Gators had a total of 22, as opposed to the Seawolves’ 20. Despite having more kills than the Seawolves, the Gators had two more errors in the final set, which might have been the difference.

The Seawolves almost played f lawlessly with again only two errors in the last set. As for the offense for the Seawolves in game one of the week, Calan Seitz held it down with a total of 12 kills on 19 attempts and only one hitting error. Kelsey McIntire and Caiti Wiesner also contributed to the offense for SSU with 11 kills and 10 kills. As for the defensive side for Seawolves in game one, Megan Bohorquez had an great day averaging seven digs per set, ending with a total of 22.

On Friday the Seawolves took on Humboldt State University. Despite the dominating win earlier in the week, the Seawolves came out slow in game two, but were still able to pull off a victory with a score of 3-1, keeping the win streak alive.

In the first set of the game the Seawolves were down quickly 17-11, but were able bounce back, defeating the Lumberjacks in set one 28-25. Seeing that the Seawolves were struggling, the Lumberjacks knew they had to take advantage of it and did, winning the second set 25-13. Now with the game tied 1-1, the Seawolves were ready to crank it up a notch. In the third set SSU came out ready to play and wasted no time, winning the set 25-19. With the momentum of the game now in favor of the Seawolves, they were able to clinch the final and game deciding set, 25-17.

For the Seawolves’ offense , it was again Seitz, crushing the ball with a total of 11 kills. McIntire and Amy Trephan of the Seawolves also got into the mix on offense with a nine kills each. When it came to defense for the Seawolves, it was

Bohorquez again collecting 11 digs.

Although the Seawolves started out slow, they never gave up and now with this win Sonoma State moves to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in CCAA play. The Seawolves with a four-game win streak take on their rival Chico State on Friday and Stanislaus State on Saturday at the Wolves’ Den.

STAR // Lauren Eipp Sonoma State hold a 4-0 conference record after defeating San Francisco State and Humboldt State last week.

Sports in Brief

Men’s Golf The men’s golf team placed second in the season-opening SSU Invitational, following 17 shots behind Chico State. Devin Gregg finished seventh and Dexter Simonds took 12th, while Riley Killip, Spencer Clapp, Armand Melendez and Kevin Steinfeld each tied for 15th at 233 (+17). The team will have two weeks to prepare before facing off against Chico State again at the Interwest Insurance Wildcat Classic.

Men’s Soccer (2-1-0 CCAA) Humboldt State snapped the men’s soccer four-game win streak, but not before the Seawolves secured a commanding nonconference win against Holy Names just days before. Just a minute before halftime, forward Sebastian Santos netted one to the far post to put Sonoma State up 1-0. Eric Alvarado tacked another goal with a penalty kick, pulling further away from Holy Names.

Picking up momentum just a little too late, Holy Names’ Hernan Mercado hit the final goal of the game but lost 2-1 to the Seawolves.

Hoping to keep their win streak alive, the Seawolves faced the Humboldt State Jacks. HSU wasted no time against the Seawolves, netting its first goal in the premier minutes of the game and adding another less than a minute later. Sonoma State couldn’t get on the board until the second half when Angel Acevedo landed one. Four minutes later, Santos, assisted by Evan Roehrig, tied the game just a minute before a Jack landed the game-determining penalty kick. The Seawolves had no response, losing the game 3-2.

Women’s Cross Country The women’s cross country team took seventh at the San Francisco State Gator Invitational, led by Jasmine Casillas who placed 37th with a time of 23:37.8. Sonoma State fell to California Baptist, which took first, followed by Humboldt State, Academy of Art, San Francisco State, Western Oregon, and Cuyamaca. Placing seventh out of 11 teams, Sonoma State hopes to fare better at its own invitational this weekend.

Major League Baseball’s major flaw ROLAND SCHMIDT STAFF WRITER

I

Commentary

t took a 105-mph heat-seeking missile off the bat of New York Yankee third-baseman Todd Frazier over the third base dugout, a shot that landed on the fragile face of a 2-year-old child, for Major League Baseball to finally reach a consensus that fan safety at baseball games is of utmost importance. For this to ultimately act as the fire starter that whips Major League Baseball into shape, this must undoubtedly be a new low.

While fan safety at Sonoma State University baseball games is a non-issue due to the protective netting that encompasses the stands behind home plate and slightly down the lines – it is the unchanging temples like Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, and 16 other Major League ballparks that are in dire need of all-around safety improvements.

Prior to the Sept. 20 incident, only 10 teams – the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Minnesota Twins – had previously taken the necessary steps to extend the safety netting from behind home plate to foul ball hot-zones such as the first and third base dugouts. Following the episode at Yankee Stadium that saw players knelt in prayer, with heads in hands, hoping that everything would be alright with the toddler – the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, San

Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners have all pledged to provide better safety around their respective stadiums.

Although commendable that these four teams have decided to take a stand, this does not absolve them of their prior transgressions, as they only decided to make this promise once something horrific took place.

As decades have now gone by without significant improvements to fan safety, an estimated 2,500 people each year leave the park with some sort of serious injury – whether it be from a foul ball, broken bat or some other freak accident. Perhaps a faction of those 2,500 people were too distracted by their smartphones to keep their eyes on the field, or possibly became too inebriated after indulging themselves in an undue amount of $12 beers to recognize that a live game had been going on right before their eyes – yes, these things do happen. To those people, viewing a game from the comfort of their couch might be the best option to remain injury-free. But, for the others who innocently wind up wounded from a trip to the ballpark, you aren’t to blame for this neglectful treatment you received. For only one-third of the league to engage in improved safety efforts, the other two-thirds are asleep, slow to act with such blatant disregard for the most essential piece of their operation – the fans.

In light of this, each year that passes by, fans continue to shell out obscene amounts of money just to obtain the best view of home plate, but only in certain locations – mainly behind the dish – are they guarded from errant throws, soaring lumber, and scorching foul balls.

For the money, one might expect great emphasis is put on fan safety, but apparently this matter is unimportant to 70 percent of the league – further inviting more opportuni-

ties for velocious, aimless circular projectiles to strike more young children in the face, similar to the one that collided with a pint-sized 2-year-old girl at Yankee Stadium. As a result of this unfortunate circumstance, the lack of protective netting along the first and third base lines is inexcusable, and, in all honesty, morally repugnant. It is every organization’s obligation to keep those in attendance out of harm’s way, but to continue to allow such carelessness to go on, Major League Baseball should be ashamed of itself and do everything in its power to right their wrongs – before the impending wrath of the internet does it first. It’s not too late.

Now, change in baseball is difficult to achieve, and has been since the game came into existence long ago.

Die-hard fans will scoff at the idea of any changes to do with their field view, and rightfully so, as a significant amount of them pay premium figures for those seats.

With that being said, the idea of requiring every Major League organization to extend the existing netting from behind home plate, past the dugouts, and possibly to the foul poles, is far from the most popular idea among purists who prefer an unobstructed view of the action. But, if the view is more important than the safety of parents, grandparents, and children, maybe fans need a reality check to better understand that lives are more significant than an unobstructed view of a game. So, the next time you decide to attend the historical AT&T Park, or any other baseball stadium for that matter, keep in mind that a small child’s life was nearly ended instantly with a single 105 mph crack of the bat. As a result of this chance, it’s important to stay alert and pay attention to what may be happening on the field.

12 Photo

SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2017

sonomastatestar.com

SSU panel offers tips on spotting fake news

STAR // Alyssa Archerda A crowd of students, faculty and community members fill Ballroom D for a forum titled “Fake News and the First Amendment,� on Sept. 19. See the story on page one.

STAR // Alyssa Archerda Political science professor Dave McCuan answers a question from the audience.

STAR // Alyssa Archerda A member from the audience asks the panelists a question.

STAR // Lauren Eipp Sarah Kaden (left) and Savannah Goytia (right) work together to find clues on potion bottles in the Harry Potter Room. See the story on page 9.

STAR // Kayla Kring TJ Perez, No. 15, prepares to pass the ball to a fellow teammate.

STAR // Lauren Eipp A zombie escapes from the Extinction Room.

STAR // Kayla Kring Evan Roehrig, No. 25, prepares to score a goal. See the story on page 11.