Volume 81 // Issue 4

IN THIS ISSUE

Music for a cause

Read about an upcoming rock concert by the Jazz Orchestra on PAGE 6.

Trivia Night

Hear about all the fun that was had at a special Disney night at Lobo’s on PAGE 8.

‘Woyzeck’ play

Learn about how a Sonoma State play fits in with the #MeToo movement on PAGE 4.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 81 // ISSUE 4 SEPTEMBER 18 - SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

Academic Senate discusses array of issues BRADEN CARTWRIGHT NEWS EDITOR

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epresentatives from various divisions across Sonoma State met on Thursday to discuss new hires, class scheduling, different policy changes for staff, General Education revisions, proposed statelevel bills affecting college campuses, and many other issues facing the university The biweekly Academic Senate meeting didn’t yield as much information as the previous one, where the new budget and the Stevenson remodel were announced. There were brief discussions about the General Education revisions that are being worked on, with more information promised at a later date.

“The GE revision subcommittee is tramping along,” Provost Lisa Vollendorf said. Their recommendations are expected by the end of the year. General Education requirements are being revised after the state mandated certain changes. There are multiple ideas swirling around as to how the GE pattern will be changed, according to Jenn Lillig, the chair of the Educational Planning Committee.

Streamlining freshman learning communities, examining double-counting (when one class meets

room utilization. WIth a number this low, the chances of securing funding for a capital project are “basically zero,” Vollendorf said. The Stevenson remodel and Tech High leaving should help by opening up additional classrooms.

Perri also mentioned creating a budget website that would update in real time.

Last week, Title IX coordinator candidates were on campus as the university tries to fill the open position. “I hope to be finalizing that in the next week or so,” Vice President of Administration and Finance Joyce Lopes said.

It was also announced that the university hired a new assistant vice president of research. Steve Karp, who held a similar position at Humboldt State, will be filling the role. He will help faculty with “pre-award” research. “We haven’t been focused on outreach… so that’s the turn we’re making,” Vollendorf said.

The provost also announced that Sonoma State’s website is having issues with its search function. The website had used a Google search engine adapted to educational institutions, but this is no longer the case.

“Our search engine is really bad right now, internal-

COURTESY // Mike Thompson Professor Dave McCuan smiles with Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St.Helena following the lunchtime interview.

Congressman addresses SSU

LUKAS BROWN STAFF WRITER

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STAR // Braden Cartwright Roughly 30 people representing different factions gather for the meeting. University President Judy Sakaki wasn’t able to attend as she was at a Board of Trustees meeting for the CSU. two requirements), and fitting in general education with major requirements are all things the GE revision subcommittee is looking at.

Another topic of discussion was the under-use of classrooms on campus. “One of the problems is we have differential outfitted our classrooms, so we are looking to create minimum standards for classrooms,” Vollendorf said.

Mark Perri, the chair of the academic planning committee, said a problem his committee has looked at is the multiple scheduling modules Sonoma State uses that may have created inefficiency. The school is looking into purchasing a scheduling module.

Right now, the university is at 53 percent class-

ly,” Vollendorf said. Another member of the senate recommended using Google, set with a filter to look only at Sonoma State’s website, if you are trying to find something.

A bill that will affect all college campuses has made its way through California’s legislature and is awaiting the governor’s signature. SB 968 will increase the number of counselors mandated by the state. Erma Jean Sims, the president of the California Faculty Association (CFA), said that the CFA is sponsoring and supporting this bill, which require CSU management to ensure there is at least one full-timeequivalent mental health counselor for every 1,000 students on a CSU campus.

Rohnert Park downtown still in the works EMILIANA MARTINEZ STAFF WRITER

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ohnert Park is only two short years away from having a luxury downtown area that will offer housing, office spaces, dining and shopping. Citizens and students are eager to experience the space. “Station Avenue is a unique opportunity for the city of Rohnert Park to develop a downtown for everyone,” the mayor of the city of Rohnert Park, Pam Stafford said. “It is offering us the chance to have housing near the rail line and a downtown with living, working, shopping and restaurants.”

The website for this development explained a

little more about this area, “As the premier development in Rohnert Park’s new downtown, Station Avenue, a 32-acre mixed-use transit oriented development, is designed around the 18-hour day - where life doesn’t stop before, during, or after work. Station Avenue will celebrate its grand opening in fall 2020.”

This development should be a big change for the city, which currently has no downtown.

Station Avenue will offer a new downtown experience for Rohnert Park citizens and visitors. see DOWNTOWN on pg. 5

COURTESY // Laulima Development A rendering of the planned downtown area, as envisioned by the private developers who own the space.

ongressman Mike Thompson, from the fifth district of California, visited Sonoma State last week to speak about many issues facing the community.

Mike Thompson’s congressional fifth district stretches across the North Bay and includes Sonoma State University. Thompson has served as one of the 435 members of the House of Representatives since 1999 and is a relatively centrist Democrat.

The forum was sponsored by the Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association (ERFSA), which is a group of retirees who maintain an interest of the well-being of the campus. ERFSA planned this event at Sonoma State to bring attention to the major election coming up in November.

Over 200 students, faculty, and members of the community attended the event.

Professor David McCuan, a political science instructor at Sonoma State, interviewed Congressman Thompson on a wide-range of political issues facing our country. The discussion began with Thompson emphasizing the need for Democrats to win seats in this upcoming election. “The Democrats need to win 23 seats to take control of the house,” said Thompson. He went on saying that the Democratic party has recruited many quality candidates that could possibly win up to 55 seats.

Thompson spoke about the student loan crisis and how the average student graduates with $25,000 in student loan debt. Thompson, a member of the blue dog coalition -- a caucus that was formed for fiscal responsibility -- said that congress needs to discover new ways to keep college tuition costs down while increasing government grants. “I think how they are handling the student loan crisis is despicable. It affects our community and our economy,” Thompson said.

Professor McCuan asked Thompson about his view on the border wall. Thompson responded by saying that the border wall was a nonsense way for then candidate Trump to drum up people in his race. “It was political poppycock. Folks will tunnel under a wall, they will find a way to get around it, a wall is not going to keep people out,” said Thompson.

Members of the audience were given the opportunity to ask Thompson questions. A student in the audience raised the question regarding gun violence and the repeal of the second amendment.

To fix this problem, Thompson said we should increase the number of background checks. The issue is that the national registry system is faulty, there needs to be a system that requires background checks on all purchases, whether it be online, at a gun show, or in a gun shop.

“I believe in the second amendment, as far as repealing the second amendment, well that’s just not going to happen,” said Thompson.

Another audience member asked Thompson about Democrats ability to focus on important issues facing the country and not only on the impeachment of Trump. Thompson answered by saying that there are Democrats solely focused on getting Trump impeached and there are Democrats working hard to combat the many issues our country is facing. see CONGRESSMAN on pg. 4

2 Editorial

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

THE STAR Editorial Board Kendall Grove, Editor-in-Chief Braden Car twright, News Editor Luis Mejia, Opinion Editor Ashley Napier, Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor Haley Kara, Student Life Editor Brennan Craig, Spor ts Editor Alyssa Archerda, Photo Editor Lukas Brown, Adver tising Manager Christine Von Raesfeld, Social Media Manager Savannah Lizarraga, Copy Editor Gillian Chaffer, Copy Editor Mandela Linder, Copy Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Morgan Arancio, Kaylie Boettner, Kelly Britton, Lukas Brown, Madeleine Brown, Nicholas Ceschin, Gillian Chaffer, Mar tin Contreras, Christian Francisco, Alex Funchess, Ashley Gieseke, Maria Gulli, Amanda Hadley, Emily Hoffman, Laurie Kelso, Mandela Linder, Luis Madrigal, Mariah Maldonado, Emiliana Mar tinez, Carly Olsen, Kathleen Perry, Joseph Piombo, Michelle Ponce, Kailey Priest, Renee Rodgers, Alison Snider, Jennifer Spence, Natalya Swensen, Emily Twisselmann

Photographers Analy Bravo, Michelle Tadlock Natalie Dolan, Jessica Bennett

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: “SSU play joins national conversation on ‘intimacy coaching’’’

Staff Writer Mandela Linder talks to a Theatre Arts Professor on how they are using “intiamacy coaching” in their new performance.

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.

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

Opinions

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

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

COURTESY // Alexander Long

Security measures needed in campus parking lots

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n recent years, Sonoma State University has experienced a fair amount of crimes occurring on campus.

From Kirk Kimberly’s murder in 2016 to the fatal stabbing in the spring of last semester, students are no strangers to crimes.

Beyond these significant events, everyday crimes go unsolved as well.

According to the Sonoma State University Daily Crime Log published online, 50 percent of recorded crimes on campus in 2018 have occured in parking lots. Of that 50 percent, 62.5 percent of those crimes are currently suspended, meaning they are unsolved cases no longer undergoing further investigation.

The most popular crime: property only hit and runs.

Property only hit and runs occur when a vehicle is damaged by another vehicle anonymously and without repercussion.

Dena Peacock, Sonoma State University Computer Science and Geology Administrative Coordinator, has had her car damaged four times while in the handicapped parking space in parking lot C in the past two years.

During the second hit and run, a student saw the person who hit Peacock’s car get out, inspect the damage and then leave. The student who witnessed the event left a note. The police, when consulted on her fourth accident, which resulted in her bumper needing to be removed, said they could not do anything because

there are no cameras in the parking lot and there was no way to prove who did the damage to her car.

Peacock is not concerned as much with the safety of her car, rather the safety of Sonoma State students. When speaking about the damage to her car, Peacock said it can always be fixed, but that injury to another person would not be so easily fixed.

Parking lots, according to a National Institute of Justice research article, are expansive with very little constant activity, which is why “Crime is more likely to occur in a parking facility than in other commercial facilities.”

Research conducted by the Bureau of Justice between 2004 and 2008 found that parking lots or garages in the U.S. accounted for 7.3 percent of violent crimes.

With parking lots making up a significant percentage of colleges campuses, it is important that these areas are monitored to assure safety for everyone in them.

Violent crime such as sexual assault is a major concern on a college campuses. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 55 percent of sexual assault occurs at or near a victim’s home, 15 percent in an open public space, and 8 percent on school property. Sonoma State parking lots, like most other college campuses, are unique in that they encompass all three of those qualities. These statistics are potent when considering, “11.2 percent of all [college] students

experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation,” according to RAINN. In light of these statistics, actions should be put in place to create a safer environment for students and cut down on anonymous vehicle damage and theft.

Security measures such as the installation of cameras have been suggested. Cameras in parking lots throughout Sonoma State have the potential to be low cost, according to a College Planning and Management.

The benefits of cameras would be identifying the perpetrators of property only hit and run cases, such as in Peacock’s case, but also discouraging crime in the first place.

When asked about security cameras on campus, Sonoma State University Police had no comment.

A 2011 study on the impact of security cameras in Washington D.C. by Urban Institute states “when actively monitored, [cameras] have a cost-beneficial impact on crime with no statistically significant evidence of displacement to neighboring areas.”

With cameras having the potential to be relatively inexpensive and parking lots having the potential to be hostile, we cannot afford to be left behind in the future of campus security.

Sonoma State holds the responsibility to ensure the safety of all students and faculty, and this includes peace of mind.

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

Opinion 3

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Assisted suicide provides one last privilege

KAYLIE BOETTNER STAFF WRITER

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eath is a taboo subject most have no interest in talking about, especially when planning their own.

Physician-assisted suicide is a choice many terminally ill patients prefer to have access to, but do not.

Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, along with Washington D.C., are the only locations in the country that provide opportunity for assisted suicide via legislation. California, which used to be another of those states, recently had its ruling overturned by a Riverside County Judge, according to the Los Angeles Times. Montana, meanwhile, is the one state that has legal physician-assisted suicide by court ruling.

As expected, there are prerequisites and legal protocols in place in

all states besides Montana. According to ProCon.org, a patient must be 18 years or older, they must be a resident in that state, they must have a diagnosis of six months to live or less, two oral requests from their physician 15 to 20 days apart, and one written request.

Physician-assisted suicide, not to be confused with euthanasia, is when a physician provides the means for death to their patients usually through a prescription. This makes it so a patient can decide at any time when to end their life, while being allowed to do so in the comfort of their own home. The patients hold the responsibility of when to take their own lives giving them power in a time when they feel powerless over their diagnosis; a kind of last beacon of hope, if you will.

According to the Oregon Health Authority’s Death with Dignity Act, as of January, prescriptions were written for 1,967 people in Oregon, and of those people, 1,275 died from taking the drugs legally prescribed to them, demonstrating that not every patient prescribed the drug goes through with using it.

The people that choose to die with dignity are those who have been told they have six months or

less to live and that those months will not be simple if hope is to be upheld. They may consist of painful treatments, countless visits to the doctor to hear the same bad news, and in the end, the burden of knowing is just to prolong the inevitable.

Going through all of that is agonizing enough but having to watch loved ones crumble against their own will is always unjustifiable.

There is worry that this could be the gateway into normalizing suicide and making it readily available to anyone.

The laws in place ensure only people who really need the drugs have access to them. People who are depressed or mentally ill do not have access to this sort of medical assistance, but instead more helpful alternatives. In such cases, treatments and recovery options are offered whereas terminally ill patients no longer have a choice.

No one should feel that the only way out of their misery is through taking their own life, but when that fate was already chosen for them, they deserve a say.

It is not anyone’s job to play God and decide who lives and who dies. Letting people choose is letting people die with dignity.

Rise of body expression breeds adversity before achievement

NATALYA SWENSEN

STAFF WRITER

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he expression of nude women is slowly becoming a much more accepted and formidable force in today’s society. #Freethenipple is a well known campaign that promotes women going braless, an expression of women’s rights and a promotion of feminism. But this is not the first time a ban on bras has been attempted.

According to the Smithsonian, the 1960s brought many women to burn their bras to show their independence of men. These feminist movements are still prominent today, both in memory and in practice, and for the same reasons as before, women want equality with men but after 50 plus years feel as if they still have not achieved that.

Take breastfeeding, for example.

A perfectly normal action often ridiculously judged for it taking place in public. Babies need to be fed the same as anyone else, but apparently

their meals need to be private.

This goes along with the fact that breasts are often sexualized, so breastfeeding as a result, also suffers a similar stigma.

According to Mother.ly, breastfeeding in public places is now legal in all 50 states, and yet, many mothers are still scrutinized for doing it.

Similarly, a recent incident occurred where a girl was discriminated against due to a school’s dress code.

According to The New York Times, a female student at Braden River High School in Bradenton, Florida, could not wear a bra to school because of her badly sunburnt back. Wearing a bra in this instance would have been incredibly uncomfortable and painful.

She was made to change for fear that her nipples would offend others even though her shirt was longsleeved and dark. The school then took further actions by making her put tape over her nipples, ultimately humiliating her in front of her peers.

These sorts of things do not happen to boys, and they have nipples too. The larger problem here is that girls and women’s bodies need to be desexualized.

Women who are comfortable in their own skin and choose not to wear a bra for comfort or feminist reasons are labeled as “slutty.” Some would argue that by not wearing bras, breasts are indirectly made to be more sexualized towards men. This idea stems from societies’ oversexual ideas about women’s bodies.

Some people take this clothing choice as an invitation to be crude

and inappropriate towards those particular women, sounding a lot like the promoters of the “she was asking for it” mentality. Women should have the right to live without a restricting piece of fabric on their chest. After all, men are not expected to wear an athletic cup every day and there is little difference between the two.

Bras are not only uncomfortable to most women, they are expensive.

There is a popular misconception that women wearing certain clothing or not wearing a bra are more sexual and therefore a larger target for harassment. This puts women in danger when they are just expressing their bodies. Women are especially prone to harassment and possible danger when they post body-positive pictures on social media.

While it is understandable that some things put on social media are not socially acceptable, it is still not the fault of the person posting a picture to bear the burden of harrassment. Rather the fault goes to the person sexualizing the picture despite it supposed to signify something more.

The #freethenipple campaign is a great stride towards equality of the sexes. The only critique that has been brought up is that it only caters to a small group of women.

By promoting this hashtag with mainly white, thin, higher class women, it devolves it to less of a feminist issue and one of race, which sparks another unwarranted problem. Once it is relevant to all diversities of women is when it will make a real impact in society.

Erratic intellect hinders innovation

KASEY WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

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lon Musk, billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla Inc., recently found himself in hot water over an interview he participated in where he smoked marijuana for the first time with comedic podcast host Joe Rogan.

Prior to that, Musk garnered attention just weeks before for calling one of the scuba divers involved in the rescue of a Taiwanese soccer team a “pedo guy,” all the while sleeping at the Tesla factory as he slaves over malfunctioning equipment at odd hours of the day.

The reaction to these stunts will likely depend on what we individually deem “appropriate” behavior, but the backlash has been well-documented.

The Tesla stock has been a rollercoaster ride mostly on the downward with stock having dropped some 5 percent after struggling to recover from earlier that week, when recently-appointed Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton abruptly quit.

What’s worse, certain insider “sabotage” has had Musk threatening to take the stock private, all the while tending to his malfunctioning equipment himself. “There were times when I didn’t leave the factory for three or four days – days when I didn’t go outside,” he recently told The New York Times. Among other things, sleep deprivation can lower white blood cell count, lead to chronic disease or cancer, and ultimately a shorter life span, though that seems to be the least of his worries.

His erratic behavior has been worrisome to many, calling to question whether or not he is mentally fit for his entrepreneurial endeavors. Despite this, many fail to realize that this behavior may be “normal” for someone of Musk’s intelligence and innovation.

Melissa Schilling’s “Quirky: The Remarkable Story of the Traits, Foibles, and Genius of Breakthrough Innovators Who Changed the World,” includes chapters on Musk, reporting on his erratic behavior and what it means for him and others. “A lot of [these individuals] are . . . ‘low self-monitors,’ meaning they don’t monitor their persona or the way they present themselves very carefully,” Schilling says.

“This is actually relevant to their ability to generate unusual ideas and to persist in the face of criticism.”

It would make sense that visionaries like Musk, Steve Jobs, or Nikola Tesla would thrive in the face of adversity due to the fact that they simply do not care what others think of their behavior. Steve Jobs’ daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, published an entire memoir outlining the many ways in which her father was an utter and outright, infamous . . . well . . . jerk.

With the money invested in the fossil fuel industry worldwide, it is easy to see why some are rooting for the downfall of companies like Tesla.

The most troubling idea in all of this is that, with Musk’s public persona becoming a bit off-putting to some, he will struggle to get the support necessary for the kind of work he wants to do, namely: Save the planet and all its inhabitants. A big, big task to speak of, but apparently not too much for him.

Whether or not Musk’s companies become very profitable in the long run, if at all, is anyone’s guess, but Schilling hopes that they ultimately do.

“I wouldn’t lay odds on it, not with Musk at the helm,” she says. “But having said all that, I’m really glad he’s doing it. I’m glad someone like him is bold enough to do the kinds of projects he’s doing.”

Lack of knowledge leads to lack of safe sex

GILLIAN CHAFFER

STAFF WRITER

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or many, the American sex education system is not only an uncomfortable and awkward journey, but also a problematic one. Many students that are put through different health classes meant to educate them on the nature of sex come out confused, uneducated, and with potentially the wrong information.

One of the main issues with the sex education system is how normal school teachers are assigned the duty of discussing sex, relationships, and puberty with their students.

This can be very uncomfortable for both teacher and pupil, especially when not signed up for.

Though these teachers are given paperwork on how to present these topics, hardly are they trained to speak about sex or answer related questions. This makes students afraid to speak up and reach out, in fear that their teacher will look at them differently, in a time where they need support more than ever during a life-changing transition.

According to Time, “‘[Sex Ed] needs to be delivered by experts who are sex positive, who enjoy their work and who are in a position to maintain clear boundaries with students,”’ states Pandora Pound, a researcher working at the University of Bristol. Teachers will feel uncomfortable, which will make the student feel the same, and the atmosphere will be awkward, and anything but uneducational. Schools need to invest in speakers who are willing to give correct information to young people and be enthusiastic and involved.

Another problem with Sex Ed is its focus on the idea of sex, as opposed to the act of it. Most schools will discuss needing to use protection and the spread of STIs, but not

the different types of protection and diseases.

Many students are not told about female condoms, spermicide, dental dams or how to use them. They are only informed of the dangers of HIV and AIDS, but not other potentially dangerous infections like herpes, gonorrhea, HPV, etc.

Crucial information transpires to a liability when it plants fear into young people’s minds to potentially stop them from having sex, since there are so many dangers they are not ready to face. The Odyssey does not help when it states, “We are taught that ONLY two things can come out of sex: a baby or an STD.” The LGBTQ+ community is especially ignored in sex education. This can be very dangerous when teenagers who are having intercourse with the opposite sex without protection are more at risk for STDs. The reasoning behind this is that many gay and lesbian people who are sexually active do not know that they have the same obligation to use protection as well. Male condoms are discussed, though not as a necessary step for two men having intercourse.

Meanwhile, dental dams and other forms of protection for women tend not to

be talked about at all. In fact, many forms of sex are not even grazed, like anal and oral, or how to protect yourself. Sexual Education not only ignores those of different sexual orientations and gender identifications, but it puts people at risk by the lack of education.

When The Fader interviewed students and teachers about sex education, Talya Sokoll, teacher and librarian, said, “As early as possible, it’s vital to have conversations with kids about what bodies are capable of, should and shouldn’t be used for, and that not all are the same.”

Our sex education system has many missing pieces. If someone is being safe and respectful, intercourse is a normal and healthy experience. Because of this, the sex education system needs to be changed, desperately. It needs to focus on a variety of different means of protection, and take into consideration different sexualities, abuse, consent, and the emotional and physical happenings to the body during intercourse.

If schools continue to teach children in such a negative way, people will continue to fall victim to diseases and unfortunate situations due to being uneducated, at the arms of our own American schools.

4 News

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

SSU play joins national conversation on ‘intimacy coaching’

MANDELA LINDER STAFF WRITER

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discussion related to the #MeToo movement is taking place in the acting community. It’s about how to keep actors safe from abuse and sexual violation while onstage. Some productions are beginning to use what has been dubbed ‘intimacy coaching’, and Sonoma State’s acting department is among this group.

Theater and film productions have long been using “fight choreography”-a technique in which actors’ movements are carefully planned in order to ensure safety during violent scenes.

Intimacy coaching is similar choreography for scenes that may involve romance, sex, domestic violence, nudity, or anything related. “Woyzeck”, a German play by Georg Büchner being performed at Sonoma State, deals with many of these heavy topics. Director Paul Draper, professor of theater arts, has careful guidelines for how these types of scenes are conducted.

This is a process that focuses a great deal of attention on consent, and the lead actors in “Woyzeck” are grateful for it. “If we didn’t have someone taking each little thing and planning it, I know I might feel a little uncomfortable...you might not want to be touched in certain areas,” said Karina Pugh, the female lead.

Christopher Goodman, the male lead, agrees. “It’s really hard to be an actor and pretend that you’re being murdered by someone you care about, just as it’s really hard to be an actor and pretend that you’re murdering someone you care about. I think Carla has done a really excellent job of... keeping the actors safe,” Goodman said. Carla Pantoja, the fight choreographer for “Woyzeck”, has helped with intimacy training in the play.

First, actors are told before they are cast what types of scenes they will be in, and they have the opportunity to decide if they are comfortable with those scenes before consenting and ac-

cepting a role. According to Draper, just because they accept does not mean that they consent overall. In each scene they do what Draper calls “tapping in and out”, in which the two actors clap hands with each other and thus enter the scene, and do so again when the scene is over. In this way they are signaling their acknowledgment of the space they are in.

Another part of the process is that Draper has a third person, a fellow actor and student, operate as “deputy”.

This is a person an actor can approach with any concerns they may have, who can serve as a liaison between the actor and director if for any reason the actor doesn’t feel comfortable approaching Draper directly.

“The intimacy training is really designed to empower the actors to let all the participants in a scene--whether you’re working on something romantic or sexual or violent--to say ‘I have rights here, I have to know what I’m being asked to do, and then I have the right to say yes I’m willing to try that, or can I try that in a different way?’”, Draper said.

Juliet Pokorny, production manager for the Center for Performing Arts at Sonoma State, described a case in which intimacy coaching was not used.

“Killer Joe”, a 2010 play put on by Profile Theater in Buena Park, Calif., was reviewed for how realistic the sex and violence felt to the audience.

“They even commented in one of the reviews, ‘the bruises on her, as this man is beating her up, the bruises on her look real.’ And come to find out years later that she was literally being beaten up every night onstage,” Pokorny said. “You can say to yourself, ‘How is that possible’...With the whole #MeToo movement, how is it possible that this woman would let this happen?” The answer, according to Pokorny, is that she was young in her acting career, and she

Courtesy // Department of Theater Arts and Dance Sonoma State’s production of ‘Woyzeck’ will take place from Oct. 4-13. was just starting to become successful.

“This poor woman was literally being beaten up every night and didn’t know who to tell,” Pokorny said. “Because she’s finally “made it” in her career and what is she going to do now?”

The Chicago Reader delves deeper into the “Killer Joe” case. “‘It was real,’ says Darcy McGill, the costume designer, ‘because there was a psychopath onstage.’”

The “Killer Joe” case may be an extreme example of how things can go wrong, but there are more subtle ways that people can be made uncomfortable, without anyone else even knowing. Professor John Sullins, fight director, who is not working on Woyzeck, said, “A lot of times actors, especially female actors, are asked to play victims

and I don’t think very much attention has been paid in the past about what it means for an actor to have to do that, and to have to do that regularly. That’s all a very new conversation.”

So new, in fact, that it was only in March of this year that Pokorny attended a conference for representatives from acting unions in San Francisco.

There they discussed what this process could entail, and she brought these ideas back to Sonoma State. According to Draper, this isn’t something that he would have thought of 10 years ago because it simply wasn’t on most people’s radar at the time. However, as cases come to light, he and other members of production teams are becoming increasingly aware of how to address and prevent these types of situations.

CONGRESSMAN: Thompson interviewed on stage by SSU professor continued from pg. 1

Courtesy // Mike Thompson Mike Thompson meets an intrested students following the forum.

“There is a process in place where information is being gathered, if the information proves that there was wrong doing then that raises the question of impeachment,” Thompson said.

For over an hour and a half, Congressman Thompson covered a wide range of topics. The #metoo movement, DACA, sanctuary cities, as well as government shutdown were all discussed.

“Going into the event, I didn’t think any of it was going to be relevant to

Sonoma State students, but after I sat down and listened I found that many of the issues that were discussed were directly related to issues going on within our country,” said Kane Kutler, a Junior business major student at Sonoma State.

The forum allowed many students and members of the community to voice their concerns and learn from Congressman Thompson about the issues that congress is tackling. At the end of the event, ERFSA representative, Rick Luttmann urged students to register to vote so that they will make an impact in the upcoming November 6 election.

DOWNTOWN: Development still needs final approvals continued from pg. 1

City council members are excited to introduce this new establishment. “The City is very excited to have this wonderful opportunity to work with a company with a great reputation in developing beautiful and suitable properties,” Stafford said.

As of now, Cotati is the closest thing that residents of Rohnert Park would consider to be their downtown.

“I would love to see a nice downtown area especially being a student at SSU, it would make the town have a more “college” town feeling,” Alexa Woo a junior at Sonoma State, said.

“Having a college town experience was something that I felt I had to sacrifice when choosing SSU so building a downtown area where this could be created, would then give that feeling to future SSU students which would essentially make the university much more enticing when choosing colleges.” she also said “I am excited, even though I will be graduated I still can’t wait to see what it brings to Rohnert Park.”

This new downtown experience will help connect the city to all the destinations the new SMART train currently travels through. Having a station right at the heart of Rohnert Park will help connect the residents and student

residents to jobs, education and shop- opportunities for students and other more opportunities would get students ping, according to the Station Avenue members of the community to find new much more involved with the commuwebsite. The mayor of Rohnert Park jobs and housing. “This development nity making us all more knowledgeable said “The SMART train will eventually will benefit students because it will give about Rohnert Park and excited about reach the city of Cloverdale north.” this them an opportunity to live and work in events happening here.” expansion of the SMART train railway a walkable space. There will be many The Station Avenue website prowill help connect Rohnert Park with the job opportunities for students and othvides a countdown till the opening of Bay Area, and other cities throughout ers because of the office, retail and restaurants that will be part of this,” Staf- the development and today it marks 24 Northern California. months and 12 days. Yet, according to “The property that this project is ford said Sonoma State student Alexa Woo the city mayor, “There is no specific being developed on is independently owned, and does not belong to the City said “I think more job opportunities are date for the opening since they haven’t of Rohnert Park. It was for many years a necessity especially around a college. received the final approvals for the dethe regional offices for State Farm Insur- Having a downtown area where there are velopment.” ance. When they closed and left they sold the property to a developer who failed to do anything with the property,” Stafford said.

“Last year it was sold to Laulima who are proposing the development for a downtown.”

The opportunities that this new downtown will offer are varied, with the large area to work with. According to the website “As the heart of Rohnert Park’s new walkable downtown, Station Avenue will feature a curated mix of 130,000 square feet of cafes, restaurants, specialty retail shops, entertainment and essential service in an environment never before experienced Courtesy // Laulima Development in Sonoma County.”

Station Avenue will provide The proposed dowtown will be conveniently located next to a SMART station.

News 5

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Mother of murdered African-American Humboldt student fights for justice

LAURIE KELSO STAFF WRITER

O

n Wednesday morning, CSU Board of Trustees discussed the murder of African American student, David Josiah Lawson. Lawson was a student from Riverside, CA who was murdered at a Humboldt State party on April 15, 2017.

An article from the California Faculty Association explained that Lawson’s mother, along with other Faculty and Students intention at the meeting is to urge the CSU Board of Trustees to take action and “act on the unsolved case”.

The CFA gave more insight on to what exactly happened the night of the murder. Lawson, a 19-year-old Criminology and Justice Studies major, was attending a party on Easter Weekend with his girlfriend and other friends, when he was stabbed. The local police were said to respond to the call, but mainly focused on crowd control, instead of assisting Lawson.

The party was located in the neighborhood of Arcata, a mostly white community. It has been over a year since the murder happened, and the case still remains open. There are no known suspects as of now.

The CFA explains this was not the only irresolvable murder at Humboldt State. In 2001, a student named Corey S. Clark was shot at an apartment in Eureka. No suspect or motive was found.

On Wednesday morning, Lawson’s mother, Michelle Charmaine-Lawson spoke in front of the Board of Trustees members, wearing a “Justice for Josiah” t-shirt, with friends and family members standing behind her. She called on the board for action. “My son was 19 years old when he was viciously murdered on April 15th at an off campus party in Arcata. What are you doing to implement changes between the CSU system?” Lawson questioned.

She called on the President of Humboldt State directly. “Citizens and my family have expressed deep concerns, demanding that you act immediately

COURTESY // KHSU Radio

COURTESY // Daily 49er (Top) Michelle Charmaine-Lawson adresses the community last year, asking for any information on the murder of her son.

(Bottom) Supporters gather with Lawson at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting. on the behalf of students of color. We demand parents and safety checklist as part of the recruitment process.” Lawson said.

Lawson then addressed the campus police and the town of Arcata. “What are the procedures and training processes for campus police involved in an off campus event related to the stu-

dents?” Lawson asked. “Has Arcata updated their policies to protect students?”

Lawson stressed she wanted a change in a safe environment for students of color to be able to learn. She also called for more Professors of color to be in positions of leadership roles.

“Humboldt county is not a welcoming

place for students of color” Lawson said. “It’s going to be fifteen months on Saturday September 15th, since I lost my son” Lawson proclaimed, holding back tears. “His murder still remains unsolved.”

Lawson continues on to address the issue. “There is a systematic racism in Humboldt county that has been swept underneath the rug by Humboldt State University and the Arcata Police department for decades”.

Megan Haap, a Senior year Hutchins major, was shocked to learn the murder has not yet been solved.

“It’s very sad to hear that Humboldt State and the Arcata neighborhood has not much of an effort to resolve the murder” Haap said. “I’ve heard of many fights happening off campus hear at Sonoma, and I would hope our University and the Rohnert Park police would do everything they could to ensure students safety if something as terrible as that happened here.”

David Dougherty, the Chief of Police at Sonoma State explained who would be responsible with dealing with incidents off campus. “The law enforcement agency having primary jurisdiction over the location of the crime would generally be responsible for the response and investigation. We do enjoy a collaborative relationship with other agencies and work together as/if/when needed.”

Dougherty also explained the University’s policy. “UPD shares concurrent jurisdiction on adjacent streets/ areas surrounding University properties and UPD is visible in these areas in an effort to prevent crime and promote the safety of students, faculty and staff. The agency having primary jurisdiction over these areas is generally responsible for the response and investigation” Dougherty said.

Lawson chokes through tears at the end of her speech. “My son was smart,” Lawson said. “My son was compassionate. He was giving, ambitious, a leader. He was driven to succeed. My beloved son was destined for greatness”.

NEWS IN BRIEF Carolinas

Washington D.C.

Northern and Southern Carolina were hit last week with a huge storm that left a tremendous amount of damage. Florence started as a hurricane and is now considered a post-tropical cyclone. It has killed at least 25 people and caused extreme loss. Flash floods and tornadoes have also become an issue due to Florence and have caused some of the deaths.

The storm is covering about six states but North and South Carolina are being affected the most. The actual storm hit last week but it continues to have an extremely heavy downpour onto the states. The weather service said there is still catastrophic floods with about 30 inches of rain. Also, he storm is still producing gusty winds of up to 25 mph.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford, a 51-year-old professor in California. Ford accused Kavanaugh of groping her and attempting to undress her. Ford stated that the incident happened at a small get together the summer before their junior year and she has tried to just forget about it but hasn’t been able to. She states this happened back when her and Kavanaugh were in high school in the 80’s. Ford reached out to senator Dianne Feinstein to report the incident and Feinstein gave it to the FBI. Additional hearings are likely to be held on this issue, as the allegations put the judge’s confirmation in doubt.

CAMPUS CRIME Crime

Date

Location

Status

Hit and Run

Sept. 5

Parking Lot G

Open

Bicycle Theft

Sept. 5

Darwin Bicycle Rack

Suspended

Hit and Run

Sept. 6

Parking Lot C

Suspended

Disturbing the Peace

Sept. 6

Tuscany Village

Closed

Vandalism

Sept. 10

Art Building

Open

Cellphone Theft

Sept. 13

P.E. Building

Suspended

6 Arts

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

SSU Jazz Orchestra rocks out for a cause

ALISON SNIDER STAFF WRITER

F

eaturing popular classic rock arrangements from the 1970s and 1980s, the Sonoma State University Jazz Orchestra will be performing this Friday, September 21, in Rock, Strings & Horns - A Concert For Violet.Director of Jazz Studies Doug Leibinger is starting his tenth year with the Sonoma State Department of Music. The concert will be honoring his mother, Violet, who passed away from early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The performance is dedicated to Alzheimer’s awareness.

Although the performance is by the Jazz Orchestra, the event is a rock concert--including songs by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and others. “We will play rock tunes from the 70s and 80s orchestrated for a 50-piece band,” Leibinger said, “The choice of songs is inspired by tunes that I used to listen to with my mother growing up.”

Along with the Sonoma State students and community members that make up this semester’s Jazz Orchestra, the high energy concert will also feature Nicole Yarling from the Miami Jazz CoOp on vocals and electric violin, Sonoma State Faculty Eric Caballo on guitar, and Sonoma State Department of Music Chair John Palmer on keyboard and piano.

While being the director and conductor, Leibinger will also be featured on vocals, guitar, and even accordion. According to Leibinger, the Jazz Orchestra is “a 20-24 piece band, with 10 brass, 6 saxophones/ woodwinds, and rhythm section.” This concert also features a string section, a

chorus, and encourages the audience to participate by singing along.

Starting at 7 p.m. last Wednesday, in Weill Hall, the Jazz Orchestra began the rehearsal with the vocalists in the chorus. Grouped around the set of four microphones, the chorus laughed and joked around with one another during sound checks and in between instruction.

At around 7:30 p.m., the instrumentalists began to spill onto the stage. Soon Weill Hall was filled with the sound of chatter and various instruments warming up.

As the mass rehearsal began, Leibinger walked around the stage to listen for different parts of the orchestra and conduct, instead of choosing to remain stationary in center stage.

Throughout the rehearsal, the ensemble danced and sang along from their seats as each song went on. Having been in Sonoma State’s Symphonic Orchestra, junior cellist Brynn Dally is a first time member of the Jazz Orchestra. “I like how in Jazz Orchestra, it’s really open ended,” Dally said “we have to improvise.” When comparing the differences of the two ensembles, Dally emphasized the camaraderie between the members of the Jazz Orchestra felt greater.

Although the energy is high and the ensemble members are jamming out along with the score, the rehearsal remains focused. Sophomore cellist, Ryan Toulouse said, “Doug keeps very on task.” Toulouse went on to say that the rehearsal process is different in feeling.

Unlike the acoustic strings in Symphonic Orchestra, the string section of the Jazz Orchestra is microphoned. “It feels like they have more power,” he said.

COURTESY // Alison Snider Sonoma State University Jazz Orchestra rehearsing “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.”

Focusing on the nostalgia of the 1970s and 1980s, the setlist of the concert has strong emotional ties for many of the ensemble members. Sophomore baritone saxophone player, Matthew Bowker, said that his favorite song from the setlist is “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel. “My mom and I listen to it all the time,” he said. “It really hits home.”

The upcoming concert is only the

COURTESY // Daily Express

COURTESY // Streamseries

“Shameless” returns with Season 9 Review

TERESA GULLI STAFF WRITER

F

rom the first episode, it looks like the season will optimistically bring a more dysfunctional drama to the family than ever before. SHOWTIME’s American drama-comedy series, Shameless, is returning for it’s ninth season. This time, however, it adds fourteen new episodes to the season, with a mid-finale in Oct. and continues back up again in January.

After watching the premiere episode of the season on Sep. 9, “Are You There Shim? It’s Me, Ian,” this would be rated four out of five stars.

Each character comes back hard with an array of emotions, more so than any season has displayed before. Ian remains in jail from his arson outbreak and gay Jesus fiasco, with Fiona helping to bail him out. Debbie is still at work, fighting against discrimination in the workplace. Lip delves into a new romance while also protecting Eddie’s daughter, Xan, from sex-raging teenagers.

Carl returns to boot camp with his wife there by his side for the remaining days to cheer him on. Kevin and Vee are training their daughters like dogs, playing fetch, to tire them out so the couple can go back to their sex life. Liam is the anti-Gallagher who wants to return all the silverware he stole. Then there’s Frank, who lines the show with comedy as he somehow turns any bad situation he is stuck in on other characters.

Shameless still brings in a high viewing to their premiering episode but with the help of having an On-Demand way to watch the show at our own convenience this brings the premiere date showing even higher. According to Variety Magazine, “’Shameless’ drew 1.3 million viewers in its initial airing, off approximately 30 percent from the Season 8 premiere. However, when adding in replays that aired Sunday night

as well as

streaming and On Demand viewership, the show’s haul grows to 2.2 million.”

Emmy Rossum, portrayed as Fiona Gallagher, made the decision to leave after nine years on Shameless. She announced on Facebook her departure from the TV show, explaining how her career path is arranged to turn in a different direction. She seems to be taking the movie route with two new movies coming out before the end of the year- “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” and “That’s Harassment”. She is currently working on a film called “Cold Pursuit” with Liam Neeson.

“The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift.” Rossum stated. “There are few characters — female or otherwise — as layered and dynamic. She is a mother lion, fierce, flawed and sexually liberated. She is injured, vulnerable, but will never give up. She is living in an economic depression, but refuses to be depressed. She is resourceful. She is loyal. She is brave.” Fans are lucky to have a strong female lead in such an empowering show.

So, let’s enjoy Rossum’s character and enjoy what her character can bring to her final season. Season 8 left her off with a love interest, will a potential marriage be ahead for Fiona ultimately leading to her character moving to a new city? She looks like she is soon in the position where her family will not need her anymore and she will no longer need to provide for them.

Keep in touch with season nine Sunday at 9 p.m. exclusively on SHOWTIME. SHOWTIME can be watched online or On Demand and now can be activated with a student Spotify account with no extra fees.

first of the season for the Sonoma State University Jazz Orchestra. There will be two more Jazz Orchestra concerts this semester on Thursday, Oct. 18 and Friday, Dec. 7 in Weill Hall.

Sonoma State University Jazz Orchestra’s Rock, Strings & Horns - A Concert For Violet is Friday, Sept. 21 in Weill Hall. Tickets are $8 for the community and free for Sonoma State students.

“BlackkKlansman” Review

NINA LOPEZ

STAFF WRITER

I

n a brilliant effort to show the strikingly horrific parallels between past and present-day racism, legendary film director Spike Lee returns to tell the remarkable true story of the first AfricanAmerican cop to investigate, infiltrate and expose the malicious acts and ideologies of the infamous Ku Klux Klan.

Produced by the same team who brought you the Academy Award winning film “Get Out,” Lee’s two hour and 40 minute box office hit “BlacKkKlansman,” was released on Aug. 10, making $10.8 million during its first opening weekend, according to Forbes.

Based off the memoir “Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Story of a Lifetime,” written by Ron Stallworth, the film is set during the early 1970’s, a decade known for cultural change and political movements that would (hopefully) improve the lives of marginalized individuals living in America. It was during this pivotal time period of liberation when Colorado Springs Police Department decided to employ Stallworth, their very first AfricanAmerican officer.

Now recognized as an American hero, the real Stallworth was a member of the Colorado Springs chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in 1979, the year in which he launched his groundbreaking investigation after answering a newspaper advertisement calling for new Klan members in his city.

From here, Stallworth wrote them a letter disguising himself as a white man who shared similar views. Within the following week, the chapter president of the Colorado Springs Ku Klux Klan called Stallworth asking if they could meet.

Contrary to real life events, Stallworth’s character in the film, played by John David Washington, simply calls the Klan’s chapter president directly. Disguising himself as a white supremacist, Stallworth is able to seamlessly gain the chapter president’s trust while simultaneously landing an in-person meeting with the other Klansman to secure and authorize his membership. For obvious reasons, this

is when Stallworth’s plan grows rather complicated.

Stallworth, whom is clearly not white, decides to then recruit another member in the Colorado Springs Police Department to pass as him during Klansman meetings. Played by Adam Driver, Flip Zimmerman is the man Stallworth decides to drag into this investigation. Little does the Klan know that Zimmerman is most definitely not Stallworth. He’s also Jewish, making the operation that much more dangerous.

While Zimmerman meets with the Klan members face to face, Stallworth continues to contact them by telephone and even becomes acquainted with the grand wizard, David Duke. Contrary to the stereotypical, racist caricatures that are often found in mainstream Hollywood cinema, Duke is a persuasive and well-spoken leader whom is oddly likeable on the service level. Duke’s character is meant to show audiences that some of the most evil and clever masterminds are able to pass themselves off as charismatic, only making them more dangerous and undetectable.

Although the film was set to occur nearly five decades ago, many have praised “BlacKkKlansman” for seamlessly weaving our country’s dark past and present together in a way that is neither subtle nor questionable. By doing this, Lee was able to create a film that truly shocked audiences into reality, summoning American citizens to wake up and face the realization that our past and present are one in the same.

This film is not to be taken lightly.

Although having comedic moments from time to time, Lee does not allow his audience to ever become comfortable with the subject matter. From start to finish, “BlacKkKlansman” will have you squirming in your seat, horrified with the stark reality presented in front of you, but perhaps that’s what makes this film a true piece of cinematic gold with a powerful message that will haunt you long after you leave the movie theater.

Entertainment 7

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

John Legend wins legendary title MARIAH PONCE STAFF WRITER

S

inger-songwriter John Legend is known for his world renowned voice, rocking the record labels, and racking up hardware at almost every award show. Legend brought much attention to his name last Sunday when he won another award at the 2018 Emmy’s, accepting an award for the live musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” The musical won the Outstanding Variety Special (live) award.

The beloved musical that gave the entertainer his hardware tells the story of Jesus’ life, but is told through the perspective of betrayer Judas Iscariot. The story develops as Judas watches Jesus and begins to believe that the savior is becoming arrogant and losing sight of his purpose. The musical stars John Legend, Alice Cooper and Sara Bareilles. It’s filled with amazing talent and voices that make the audience crave to hear more. Legend plays the role of Jesus Christ and wows the audience with his vocals, which earned him the award that granted him the four crown title of EGOT. To behold this prestigious award means that the entertainer has received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. The entertainer was afraid that many would criticize him for not looking how Jesus is traditionally portrayed, but with his Emmy in hand he knew that that wasn’t a problem.

Not only was winning an Emmy a great honor, Legend also got praised with earning an EGOT title. Legend accomplishing all of this has granted him not only

this quadruple crown title but has also earned him the honor of being titled the first black man to ever receive an EGOT. The first black woman entertainer to receive this title was Whoopi Goldberg in 2002. Variety writer Margeaux Sippell interviews Legend after his monumental win for “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” The entertainer only speaks positive and humble words, boasting endlessly about the project to Sippell.

He states how lucky he was to even be a part of the live TV musical and how he wouldn’t shy away from another opportunity to be involved in one. Looking back on the experience and the Emmy, Legend states, “We were really proud of what we did, and when you accomplish it as a big group like we were, with the producers, the cast, the crew, everybody, it feels extra special. And for that to be the final thing I needed for the EGOT is even better.” After his Emmy win he couldn’t help but boast about everyone that helped put on the production, not only focusing on his own success but on everyone’s.

When Legend started in the industry he didn’t know that his name and talents were going to go as far as they did. Legend started off as a singer and has progressed to many other artistic outlets. He branched out of his singing career and became a songwriter and actor, as well as a music and film producer. As a man of many talents, Legend has become one of the 15 entertainers in history to be able to say that he won all four awards. When he started his career, the artist received 10 Grammys, with best new artist as his first win in 2006. Once Legend won one award he wasn’t stopping. He broadened his career and won many awards which lead him to the

EGOT title, at the age of 39, making him the youngest to receive all the awards in such a short time period.

Legend met with Vanity Fair writer Yohana Desta and gave her a little insight on what he was feeling before he knew he was going to receive the EGOT title.

The entertainer expresses to Desta that he puts all of his efforts in every performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” Legend states that he never lip-synched any performance, nor relied on backing tracks that aren’t live, or using backing vocalists. The entertainer relies on his voice, putting a lot of wear and tear on his vocals and expending a lot of energy with every performance. With all of the hardware that Legend holds, one would think that arrogance would arise, fortunately that is far from the truth. The EGOT winner states, “I don’t take any of them for granted, because the competition’s always going to be there, and there’s always going to be other people that deserve it just as much.” Clearly, Legend is a man of great talents as well as outstanding morals.

Not only were his loyal fans there to cheer him on, but Chrissy Teigen, his wife, author and TV host was there to support her successful husband. Social media mogul Teigen took to social media to show her followers how proud and happy she was for Legend. One of Teigen’s posts shows Legend standing proudly in front of his many awards. The duo have had great success this year with Teigen’s award-winning cookbook and Legends EGOT title, clearly the husband and wife are making big names for themselves.

COURTESY // AwardsWatch

Apple unveils three new Iphones KAILEY PRIEST STAFF WRITER

J

ust a few days ago, word of a new and improved iPhone spread across the internet. However, they won’t be just releasing one-- there will be three phones that branch off from the original iPhone X. Introducing iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. They will be available to pre-order October 19th.

Apple’s font logo advertises that “Bigger screens are just the beginning,” and they aren’t wrong. John Ive, Chief design officer of the new Apple product is seeking a futuristic look on a modern phone to set it apart from the rest while adding a refined touch that is sure to appeal to just about everyone.

While there is still no home button in sight, the new amenities that these products bring seem to be a step up for Apple. The new iPhone XS as Apple describes is “completely uncompromising, the expansive super retina dis-

play with organic light-emitting diode delivers vivid brightness, true blacks and high dynamic range content.”

As for the iPhone XS Max, Apple notes that it is the “largest display ever on an iPhone,” and is now better than ever at resisting water and dirt, while expanding the color option to gold.

They claim to focus on their now even more durable screens as well as the advancements they’ve made with the camera, both on the front and on the back.

“Face ID enabled by the true depth camera system reinvents the way to securely unlock,” according to the Apple website. “The a12 Bionic chip is the smartest and most powerful chip ever in a smartphone, it’s next-generation neural engine dedicates machine learning to everything from augmented reality to photography with a more advanced dual camera system a neural Engine iPhone is again taking us to a new year era for photography.”

Not only is the quality better but they are introducing “portrait mode” to

the front camera as well, to maximize your selfie experience. The iPhone XR will include all these features, however, what is outstandingly different is the overall look. You will now be able to get different colors such as coral, white, black, red, yellow and blue.

Although with only one camera, unlike the others which have two, this includes everything the iPhone XS and XS Max have with the addition that it “allows iPhone XR to recognize people, map subjects and add depth, the depth of field is adjustable so you can take more dramatic portraits.”

With all these upgrades the price will have to match. According to apple, the iPhone XS will start at $999, the iPhone XS Max at $1099 and the iPhone XR for $749. However, the more gigabytes needed the higher the price will be.

A Sonoma State senior and Early Childhood Major, Katie Martin, is excited for the release of the new iPhones, stating “it sounds like they are stepping up their game, from fixing the problem

with the face recognition to hopefully improving the longevity of the phone itself with better class and structure, it seems promising. The camera improvements are always a great seller.

But for me, still having an iPhone with a home button, it will be weird to make the switch for good because it doesn’t look like they will be making them like that again.”

The price is also a bit discouraging for Martin, “of course the Max is going to be the most expensive one, however, the prices of phones just keep rising. I do appreciate that they have the iPhone XR as a cheaper option with all the same amenities, but the Max is just ridiculous; however, that has never stopped people before.”

There is always some sort of hype around the release of a new iPhone, and this time Apple dropped the bomb with three. While the pre-order date for the XS and XS Max has already passed, the XR pre-order date is still a month away, leaving you some time to decide.

Tinder U introduces new way to connect KATHLEEN PERRY STAFF WRITER

A

s of August 21, Tinder released an additional feature to the highly-used dating app.

This new addition, Tinder U, is meant to be a version of Tinder meant for college students on campus. While this app is widely used among people of all ages, this makes it easier for students to connect.

In order to access Tinder U, students must have a Tinder account and open it while on their campus. After being geolocated, users will be asked if they’re interested in trying Tinder U. In order to verify that the user is a student, they must confirm a .edu email address. Once students are logged into Tinder with their college and have verified their accounts with their emails, they will receive their acceptance email from Tinder University. The next time the user opens the app, they’ll experience the Tinder U feature and be able to see students who are also using the Tinder U extension both on their campus as well as other college campuses.

Tinder, which is primarily used as a way for people to meet, date and

often hook-up, has commented that this new way of connecting can move away from the hook-up culture and reputation. “Need a study buddy? Not a problem. Coffee date on the quad?

We’ve got you covered. Freshman year and you don’t know a soul? This is your ticket to the coolest crowd on campus” Tinder said on their blog section of gotinder.com.

However, other than showing students on campus first when swiping and limiting the people who come up in user’s feed, the Tinder U experience is not much different than the traditional version. Users are still able to see profiles, swipe left or right if they like or dislike the photos and bios, super like accounts, and message other users. Tinder U does not prevent students from swiping on people who are not on campus or campus connected, it just makes it easier by listing other students first.

“I didn’t use Tinder that often before but I figured I’d check out the new Tinder U thing once it launched and was honestly disappointed” said senior Autumn McElroy, one student who has connected with Tinder U. “I heard that it was supposed to veer away from dating and focus on other

aspects like forming a study group but it’s exactly the same as normal Tinder.”

According to Pew Research, about 30 percent of 18-24 year olds use online dating apps as an acceptable form to meet and date people.

Following college-ages users, about 22 percent of 25-45 year olds are also using online dating apps. With college students being the primary audience for dating apps, Tinder U is a sensible addition. With other apps like Facebook adding in dating features, Tinder could use this ambitious angle to enhance their app over their competitors.

“I love it! I always want to meet students for friends or dates,” senior Nina Whitlock said. “It’s so much nicer to meet up with people who run in the same circles as you and now all my peers are easier to find and connect to.”

Tinder U recently launched for iPhones and Androids, continuing to raise its user base and revenue. According to mediapost.com, it has doubled in subscribers as of August 2018.

But many students are slowly veering away from Tinder and going towards similar apps and showing a preference for Tinder’s competitor, Bumble

or just not having the apps anymore at all. “I like [Tinder U] because it filters out the weirdos,” said senior Rohit Bazu. “But ultimately, I think [dating apps] are a waste of time and people should just introduce themselves to people they find attractive in person.”

COURTESY // Phone Arena

8 Student Life Students gather for Disney Trivia

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

CARLY OLSEN STAFF WRITER

D

isney lovers had a chance to shine and show their knowledge at Lobo’s Trivia Night on Friday, Sept. 14. While the facilitators got ready to start the event, students filled up the tables and formed teams with their game faces on, ready to answer the questions. The event is put on by Sonoma State University Residential Life staff who work with Student Involvement.

“We’re here to facilitate Trivia Night for students to come by and have some fun on the weekends,” said facilitator Megan Husa.

Riley Wilson, another facilitator of the event, chimed in, “Generally, there’s something going on at Lobo’s every weekend, such as trivia, karaoke, craft nights and scene-it movies. Students should definitely check it out.”

There were three rounds of Disney trivia for students to ponder on and try their best. The first and second rounds consisted of 10 questions while the third round got more intense with 17 questions. Teams were given pieces of paper to write down their answers and after each round the facilitators tallied up the points.

The first category included a mixture of simple questions that most would know, but got more difficult as the questions progressed.

For the second round of “Who Said It?,” the facilitators called out phrases and teams had to write down both the character and the movie of who said that quote to get it correct. The last round went quicker and had many questions people could figure out easily.

After all the points were tallied up, the winning team ended up getting 33 correct answers out of 37 and won prizes such as shirts, Lobo stress toys, car mounts, card holders and lanyards. Two teams were tied for second place and got a variety of these prizes. As for third place, students received an abundance of different candy to enjoy.

Many students were impressed with the event and thought the trivia was well-thought out. It gave them a chance to gather with friends, eat some food and have a good time working together and answering the questions.

“I thought Trivia Night was great. I really liked the company of the other students and the good environ-

STAR // Natalie Dolan Megan Husa reads off the questions to a group of students who came to “Lobos Late Night” and played Disney trivia. ment that Lobo’s has. It’s super fun to kick back with a beer and come to these events with friends after a long week of classes,” said senior Josh Bombard.

“My experience at Lobo’s Trivia Night was great, I had so much fun answering the questions about Disney with my friends. My favorite part was getting second place,” said junior Alejandra Amigo. “My favorite question was probably ‘Which princess has a mother that’s

alive but a father who’s dead?’ because it stumped my team for awhile, but we pulled through and were able to answer the question by working together.”

Be sure to be on the lookout for other events at Lobo’s this semester. There are two events coming up this week, ASP Open Mic Night on Wednesday and Game Night with Lobo on Friday.

STAR // Natalie Dolan (Left) Hosts Riley Wilson and Megan Husa laugh as they read off the next Disney trivia question during Lobos Late Night.

(Right) Yiiting Hsieh, left, smiles as she eats her dinner, while her teammates Maddie Rosa and Greg Thomas answer trivia questions.

Students flock for cost-free night at Fun Center JENNIFER SPENCE

STAFF WRITER

S

candia has been a long time go-to for Sonoma State students to hangout and let loose on the weekends. It has games like mini golf, bumper cars and their newest addition, the Vertical Boom which is a drop tower. Greek life, clubs, and other campus group have hosted events at Scandia in the past.

Seawolf Living hosted a Sonoma State University event at Scandia Family and Fun Center from Sept. 10, starting at 9 p.m. till closing that provided free admission and rides to all Sonoma State students who showed their IDs upon entry.

The only cost to students would be the food and drinks. The event continued into the next day, but tickets and games were regular price. The event was a huge success seeing as the whole venue was packed with students looking to have a good time.

About 300 people showed up on Monday, which was more than expected. “There were so many people that we had to open up the second golf window,” said Marisol Contreras, an employee at Scandia that was working in the golf section of Scandia. “There were around 100 people in the section I was

working in,” said Contreras.

There were still more people in the Arcade, Blaster Boats, and the batting cages.

Working the event was hectic because there were only a limited amount of staff and spots on rides, so the lines to wait for for the games were much longer than normal. “It was hard because they came in large groups,” said Contreras. “We started leaving the golf clubs out for people to take.”

Patrick Oregon, a recent transfer student, heard about the event from his neighbors in the BeaujoCourtesy // Jennifer Spence lais Village and decided to go with two Senior Kate Lanthrop plays Pump Up Prime 2 in the arcade at Scandia Family and Fun Center. of his roommates.

Oregon said it was definitely that the event was the first time rop. Going back to the venue as “It was packed! I couldn’t play any of the games worth it and he would go back she has been to Scandia since a senior reminded Lathrop of because they were all being even if it wasn’t free. The cam- her freshman year. Lathrop the times she went as a freshused.” said Oregon. According pus needs to have more events went on Tuesday night when man. “The first time I went to to Oregon, all who went seemed like these that bring students it was less busy but still had a Scandia I went with two of my to have a great time despite the together in an environment that great time. “I was playing the friends and my favorite game we can relax. dancing game and it was defi- was skiiball. I swear we spent event being so busy.

Kate Lathrop, a senior, said nitely a work out,” said Lath- hours there.”

Even though it was packed,

Student Life 9

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Michelle Tadlock A student at the Boisset Collection table gets to know more about their company and what kinds of job positions they have.

First ever part-time job fair comes to SSU EMILY TIWSSELMANN

STAFF WRITER

O

ver 100 representatives from wellknown franchises and local businesses could be seen tabling in front of Salazar Hall and in the Seawolf plaza on Wednesday Sept. 12. The employers were engaged in animated conversation, the students seemed eager and professional; to any passerby, the scene might have seemed like an average job fair.

However, this was, in fact, Sonoma State’s first part-time job fair. Students interested in part-time employment and gaining manageable work experiences were encouraged to show up in professional attire with their student ID card and their resume. According to many, the much-awaited event was a success.

These employers came from all sorts of fields: Health, Food Services, Education, and Sales. Additionally, they all came with the intent of hiring and making connections with Sonoma State students. Some tables even conducted on-site interviews to hire students that day.

Tawny Lee, Sonoma State’s Student Center Operations Manager, explained how she had worked as a part-time employee at Sonoma State herself before graduating and working as a full-time employee.

“I think I grew a lot while working here,” she said. “I can attribute it to my job and the people I worked with, and the responsibilities that come with it.”

On who she was looking to hire, Lee specified that she’s looking for a self-

starter who’s going to show up and work hard for the whole shift—someone whose hand you don’t have to hold throughout the whole experience.

Anne Van Roekel, a recruiter for Nugget Markets, could also be seen among the crowd at a table covered in informational forms and complementary sporks.

Nugget Markets, she explained, has been a local family-owned chain of grocery stores for 92 years.

The kinds of students they’re looking for, she said, should be “open to trying something new or expanding their retail experience… It’s not really about your experience as much as what you want to learn and how you interact with people.” What she really looks for in an interview, Van Roekel concluded, is a positive attitude.

Kathy Tringali, another representative and employee for Big 5 Sporting Goods, said she would be looking for similar things in students as well. Specifically, she noted that she’d pay attention to eyecontact, hand-shaking, and resumes during her interactions with students that day.

Tringali said that she really likes to come to Sonoma, because “there’s a great bunch of students here. I like the event— it’s very well organized.”

Dressed in her professional attire, Hailey Unger, first year business and wine major, offered a student’s perspective of the event.

“I’m glad to see that there’s a big turnout, that there’s going to be—hopefully—a lot of job opportunities and a nice variety.

Student Life Calendar Wednesday,

Game Night with Lobo

Sept. 19

7 p.m.

Dig Into Nature:

Lobos

STAR // Michelle Tadlock Emma Brolan and Katherine Kanarek, employees for the company Aeroteck, encourage students to work with them by explaining their experience with the company.

I’m looking for someone who’s able to understand that classes come first,” she said.

In this respect, Unger is not alone. Sonoma State students often find themselves with either too little hours to financially support themselves or are overwhelmed with too many hours due to a lack of supporting staff.

For example, Mikaela King—a second year Kinesiology major—sided with

Unger on this issue. On the fair providing a solution to this issue, she said, “it shows students that there’s more opportunities for work than they think. If people don’t want to work on campus, I think this is a great way to involved in the community.”

Considering the turnout, the diversity of opportunities, and the student reviews, it’s safe to say that this event should be something to look forward to in the future.

Bye-bye Wait list.

Insects After Dark 6 p.m.

Saturday,

Galbreath Preserve

Sept. 22 Emerging Leaders

ASP Open Mic Night

Conference

8 p.m.

10 a.m.

Lobo’s

Student Center

Thursday,Sept. 20

Ballrooms B, C, D

Escape Rooms 6 p.m.

Student Center Second floor meeting rooms

Friday, Sept. 21 Asian/Pacific Islander Community & Ally Lunch Mixer

SHAC Doggy Day Play 2 p.m.

Hello Grad list.

Sauvignon Green

WINTER INTER SESSION

Scene It Movie ft.

Ocean’s 8 9 p.m.

2019

Ives 101

12 p.m.

Class schedule posted October 10.

The HUB

Stop #gradu-waiting Classes run January 3 - 16

For more info, visit: sonoma.education/Winter2019

10 Sports

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Analy Bravo Sam Layman, No. 15, gets ahold of the ball before passing it to her teammate.

Women’s Soccer: Recap of the Week JESSICA BENNETT STAFF WRITER

A

nother Sonoma State win. The lady Seawolves dominated against Humboldt State Lumberjacks Wednesday Sept. 12 with the final score being 2-0, starting off conference undefeated.

Starting forwards sophomore Alexis Espitia and junior Sarah Lindborg attacked the field and scored a goal in each half, securing that Sonoma State Seawolf win.

Molly Murphy assisted Espitia with a corner kick to get the first point of the game. Sonoma States striker Espitia came in and poked the ball through the Humboldt State Jacks defenders and into the back of the net to score the first goal.

The Seawolves were beyond aggressive going into that second half to secure the winning game. Sonoma was finally able to get that other point with Lindborg came in to lock it up. Sophomore Madison Watts came in to help assist Lindborg with the goal to get that 2-0 lead on the Humboldt Jacks.

The game was exciting from start to finish, but the Seawolves had the upper hand throughout the entire match. There were certain points in the game in which it looked like the Jacks were getting close to an opportunity for a goal, but the Seawolves defense held strong.

Steadily scoring a goal each half gave the Seawolves the early confidence they need to start a season. The momentum from the game against Humboldt kept rolling when they played the San Francisco State Gators two days later.

Going into game two the Seawolves win again. Against the San Francisco State Gators the Seawolves dominated the game resulting in a 2-0 win on Friday, Sept. 14.

Head Coach Emiria Salzmann Dunn stated; “With this being our fourth game in nine days, I have to applaud the energy and determination of our players to win the game.” She continued to say, “It is a great way to start the season and hopefully we can build a little momentum as we get on the road.”

Keeping the win streak rolling seems to be the main goal for everyone associated with the team.

Starting off the game Sonoma was on the board in minutes all thanks to Bella Amyx a Senior Midfielder. She took the shot through the box, and that went straight past the goalkeeper.

Sonoma State was able to control the game shortly after and prevented the Gators for scoring.

Freshman Riley West had her first goal was a Seawolf and Murphy assisted.

Murphy rif led the ball up the corner right past goalie Nicki Rucki’s head.

Thankfully, the Sonoma State goalkeeper, senior Kristen Spear made two saves during this match.

Dunn said, “Kristen provides the right kind of mentality for the moment and has a way of leading that is both demanding and encouraging. She’s been in big games and gives us the stability we need in the back.”

Seawolf ladies are traveling for the next four games to California State Dominguez Hills and California State Los Angeles. Later on Sonoma will be going head to head against the UC San diego Tritons as well as California State San Marcos. For any additional information visit the Women’s Soccer team tab on Sonoma State’s University Athletics page.

STAR // Analy Bravo The Seawolves get into their defensive postions during a free kick from the Gators.

STAR // Jessica Bennett Riley West, No.14, prepares to go through the Gators defense.

Sports 11

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Womens Lacrosse Club aims to get back to playoffs

JOEY PIOMBO STAFF WRITER

T

he Seawolfs have been winning on the lacrosse field for years, and the women’s team looks to keep that momentum going.

The sport of Women’s Lacrosse was introduced to Sonoma State in 2007. They currently compete under the division two club team category. The Seawolves are a member of the Western Women's Lacrosse League or WWLL. The WWLL has 32 teams all competing for a championship. It is a very competitive league with teams all over California, Arizona and Nevada.

Each year the club competes against a wide variety of universities. The play against opponents like San Jose State University, Stanford University, California State University Chico and University of Nevada, Reno.

Last season was a success for the Seawolves. They competed hard the whole year and eventually earned a bid to the playoffs in Santa Barbara, California. The team finished around eighth place in their league and achieved the goal of making playoffs. Sadly, the girls were not able to compete in playoffs because of funding issues but Senior President Sophie Loughran-Smith described the playoff berth as, “ very exciting... we did have a new coaching staff as well.”

The game of Women's Lacrosse is extremely different from the men's sport. The two games have a couple similarities but most rules are very different. The women's version of the game is much less aggressive than the men’s.

This is because of the fact that there are more possible violations in the girls games when it comes to hitting another player.

Gear for Women’s Lacrosse consist of only goggles and mouthpieces; which is less gear than the Men’s team uses. When the whistle blows during the game each players is required to stop immediately and stand still.

Another unique rule the game is played with is the idea that each girl cannot follow through with a

check. A check is when a player is trying to use her stick to take away the ball from an opponent. If the check is too harsh, the athlete will be immediately punished.

Things are looking up for the Seawolves in the 2019 season.

They will have 40 girls on roster which will bring a wide majority of skill to their squad. The new additions to the team will allow the team’s growth to skyrocket while adding new friendships into the mix.

The team will be starting practice on October 1. They plan to start the year off great. LoughranSmith describes the intensive practice schedule when saying, “We do 6-8am practices Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays in the fall; mostly conditioning a team bonding.”

The team will continue to work hard throughout the fall semester while preparing for the spring competition. This fall the team will not be participating in any scrimmages but instead will be taking the time to work on themselves as a team.

This new season presents another opportunity for the Seawolves to grow as a team and get better. With the new season arriving soon the team has an opportunity to fulfill some goals.

“Some goals would be to create more of a team bond between us...team building exercises during practices and just to get everyone more comfortable playing as a team,” says Loughran-Smith.

To achieve those goals each player will have to buy into the program and work hard. President Loughran-Smith believes that, “spending more time together.. team dinners or mixers gets us as a team out there.” This time spent with each other will help them achieve their goals when the season come around.

The majority of games in the spring will be home games. Fans looking to follow what is already shaping to be a great season can watch home games next year on campus on the Beaujolais fields. For more information visit WWLL.com.

COURTESY// Sonoma State Women’s Lacrosse Facebook Page

Sports Schedule Tuesday, Sept. 18

Saturday, Sept. 22

Men’s Golf Sonoma State Invitational @ Foxtail Golf Club Rohnert Park, CA

Women’s Volleyball @Humboldt State 5 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 21 Women’s Cross Country SF State Gator Invitational 4:15 p.m.

Women’s Soccer @Cal State Dominguez Hills 4:30 p.m.

Men’s Soccer @Cal State Dominguez Hills 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 23 Men’s Soccer @ Cal State Los Angeles 11:30 p.m.

Women’s Soccer @ Cal State Los Angeles 2 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 24 Women’s Golf WNMU Fall Intercollegiate

12 Photo Club week sparks student interest

SEPT. 18 - SEPT. 24, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Analy Bravo A student getting information about clubs at the Multicultural Club and Organization Alliance (MOCA) tabling fair on Thursday in Seawolf Plaza.

STAR // Analy Bravo Members of the Filipino American Association of Sonoma State University (FAASSU) performing at the MOCA tabling fair in Seawolf Plaza.

STAR // Analy Bravo Madison Hughes and Sarah Williams helping Neshia Parker sign up to attend QSA meetings at the MOCA tabling fair.

STAR // Analy Bravo Miranda Sanchez, No. 21, stealing the ball from the opposing team.

STAR // Analy Bravo Sam Layman, No. 15, races against the opposing team to get to the ball.

STAR // Analy Bravo Miranda Sanchez, No. 21, keeping the ball away from the opposing team.

STAR // Jessica Bennett Alexis Espitia, No. 30, beats the opposing team to the ball.

STAR // Michelle Tadlock SSU womens soccer players standing in anticipation for a goal.