Volume 81 // Issue 9

IN THIS ISSUE

Harvest stomp

Stevenson renovation Learn about how the construction project will affect the rest of the university on PAGE 4.

Discover the joy of stomping on grapes on PAGE 8.

CAPS sexual assault group Read about the barriers of getting into the support group on PAGE 3.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 81 // ISSUE 9 OCTOBER 23 - OCTOBER 29, 2018

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

SSU hires Title IX director, releases annual report

ANALY BRAVO STAFF WRITER

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COURTESY // Department of Education

FAFSA debuts app LAURIE KELSO STAFF WRITER

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his summer, Federal Student Aid announced the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is now accessible through the My Student Aid app.

The app aims to make the form easier for students and parents to complete the FAFSA. According to Sonoma State’s website, 64 percent of students receive some type of financial aid.

The 2018-2019 FAFSA form is available on apple and android phones. The FAFSA saves the progress as students and parents continue throughout the form, and the information is transferred and saved on the website as well.

Susan Gutierrez, the director of financial aid is optimistic that this new app will improve the process for all types of students, as well as the financial aid office. “The new app helps students because using apps is second nature to them and many students prefer it over using web browsers. Also, many low income students only have their phones.

They don’t often have laptops, tablets, or a computer at home,” she said. “The app is good for the financial aid office because the easier it is for students to apply, therefore it is easier for us to help students finish the process and receive the financial aid funds that help them be successful in school.”

The federal student aid website claims the changes will “help schools, partners, and stakeholders assist applicants with navigating and completing the FAFSA form more efficiently.”

Whitney McDowell, the state programs and processing coordinator at

Sonoma State, explained how the app will make things easier. “MyStudentAid app allows easier access to the FAFSA application since nowadays most of us are on our phones more than a computer. The app will allow parents and counselors access to FAFSA on any device. Parents and students do not have to be together to fill out FAFSA, students can complete their section then parents can add information on their own time, all without access to a computer.”

Students and parents can still choose to fill out the on the website if they choose. “I think the app is a helpful tool with phones and tablets being at the forefront of our technology use. I feel it’s a personal choice,” McDowell said.

The FAFSA website has also been redesigned and mirrors the myStudentAid app, so pages will fit the screen size and shape of any device.

“Our hope is students and parents will find submission of FAFSA is easier whether using the app or website.We believe based on questions that come through our office that students are using the myStudentAid Mobile App, however many are also still using FAFSA website,” McDowell said.

The app also includes access to previous student aid history and compares other information about different schools. see APP on pg. 5

onoma State University has hired Sarah Clegg to be the new director of Title IX. She previously worked as a Title IX investigator at Kennesaw State University, in Georgia, since 2015. By hiring Clegg, the university fills a position that had been vacant since the start of the school year.

Also, the Title IX department released its annual report detailing its activity at the university.

According to the 2017-2018 report, a total of 49 sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence, and stalking were reported between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018. Of those, 19 cases were reported to be student respondents, nine were employee respondents, 11 were third party respondents and 10 were reported as unknown.

“We want to support students and employees who are having difficulty coming forward or are trying to decide what, if anything, they want to do” said Jesse Andrews, Sonoma State’s Title IX investigation and training specialist.

Confidential resources on campus, such as CAPS and the confidential advocate are options for students trying to figure out what is best for them to utilize.

“The Title IX Services office can also offer academic support and other interim measures that may be appropriate,” Andrews said.

These reports dropped in numbers compared to SSU’s 20162017 reports where a total of 72 sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence, and stalking were reported between July 1 of 2016 and June 30 of 2017. Of these, 37 cases were reported to be student respondents, 6 were employee respondents, 17 were third party respondents and 12 were reported as unknown.

In order to protect the privacy of all individuals involved, reports do not contain identifying information about specific cases nor can the fully convey the complexity of circumstances of each incident.

“We hope to have a more visible presence on campus throughout the year” said Andrews. “Sexual assault Awareness Month is in April and there will also be a number of programs and activities occurring that month.”

Students can report sexual assault, sexual harassment, discrimination, stalking, and dating and

COURTESY // LinkedIn Sarah Clegg is the new, permanent Title IX director. domestic violence. Under this federal law students can expect an education environment that is free from sexual violence and harassment, reasonable academic accommodations, and an internal investigation of reported incidents.

The Title IX office responded to reports where the information given was insufficient to open a full investigation on the case. Some of these cases involved incidents were the person reporting the misconduct requests their identity not to be disclosed in any investigation or a request that no investigation be opened. Other circumstances included persons who report incidents to police but not to administration and request that their identity kept confidential or decline to identify any perpetrator.

Of the same sexual misconduct, dating or domestic violence, and stalking reports, 40 were completed without a full administrative investigation.

Title IX prevents gender discrimination in the United States educational system. It provides equal rights to each gender in educational programs, activities, and federal financial assistance. This law also prohibits sexual harassment and sexual violence and applies to all educational institutions, both public and private, that receive federal funds.

There are multiple ways to report a situation to the title IX office. Other than calling the number provided on the Title IX website, there is an online reporting form that can be found. “Because almost all professional employees of SSU are considered ‘Responsible Employees’ and mandated to report, disclosing to a university employee will also gerente a report to the Title IX Office” said Andrews.

The Department of Human Resources at Sonoma State is committed to meeting the needs of the university through the highest level of consultation, responsiveness, and accuracy in their service delivery. One of the many services provided by SSU’s HR Office includes Title IX compliance.

Charging locker aimed at preventing phone theft EMILY TWISSELMANN STAFF WRITER

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tatistics coming from Ball State University and ChargeTech show that 98.9 percent of college students own a cellphone. Currently, there’s more professors who assign and grade homework exclusively online than ever before. For better or for worse, people have slowly become more reliant on their technology to go about their lives.

Statistics also go to show that 68 percent of students make last minute changes to their assignments and 92 percent study last minute with with their smartphones.

After a recent series of laptop thefts came to light, Conference and Event Center employee Jessica Way spoke about Sonoma State’s recently

installed solution to these issues.

“We looked at getting a locker,” Way said, “and we found QuickBoost.

We figured it was a secure place.

Whether you’re in the living room, on the third floor, in the kitchens, or even going to work out at the rec center you can charge your stuff and come back to get it.”

Ultimately, what it comes down to for modern college students is this: a dead battery or a stolen phone is a huge disadvantage. Thanks to a note from one of the Student Center’s suggestion boxes, students can now share their opinion on and use the public charging locker the can be found on the first floor of the student center. see LOCKER on pg. 5

STAR // Emily Twisselmann Freshman Year Experience students pose with the new charging locker, located on the first floor of the student center.

2 Editorial

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 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, Jessica Bennett, Analy Bravo, Kelly Britton, Lukas Brown, Madeleine Brown, Nicholas Ceschin, Gillian Chaffer, Mar tin Contreras, Christian Francisco, Alex Funchess, Ashley Gieseke, Teresa Maria Gulli, Amanda Hadley, Emily Hoffman, Laurie Kelso, Mandela Linder, Nina Lopez, Mariah Maldonado, Emiliana Mar tinez, Carly Olsen, Kathleen Perry, Joseph Piombo, Kailey Priest, Renee Rodgers, Alison Snider, Jennifer Spence, Natalya Swensen, Michelle Tadlock, Emily Twisselmann

Photographers Mariah Ponce, Luis Madrigal, Natalie Dolan, Kaylie Boettner

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: “CAPS screening limits sexual assualt efforts” Staff writer Alison Snider delves into CAPS inaccessible sexual assault support group.

Read the story on page 3

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

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

Opinions

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

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

COURTESY // Alexander Long

Rebuilding after disasters may be ill-advised After a disaster, when all the people have been accounted for, the dust has settled, and the scale of the destruction is apparent, the focus usually turns to rebuilding.

For victims of a fire, earthquake, hurricane, tornado or other natural disaster, the desire to return to a normal life after losing everything is paramount.

If someone loses their home, it is usually that person’s natural instinct to want what they lost back.

This is why, after an out-of control wildfire ripped through Santa Rosa last year, destroying five percent of the buildings in the city, construction is now well underway to restore the area to ordinary.

People want to rebuild for a variety of reasons. Resilience is one. People choose to rebuild because that is how they bounce back and return to normalcy.

They don’t want to let a disaster stop them from living the life they had.

Judy Sakaki, Sonoma State’s president, faced the same dilemma that all disaster victims do -- to stay or to go.

Eventually, after looking into the whole process of rebuilding, she and her husband decided it

would be better to get settled now rather than later, so she bought a home away from the disaster area.

Home insurance gives many the ability to rebuild, if they are covered. This doesn’t mean rebuilding is the right decision.

In fact, when you look at this issue on a societal scale instead of an individual one, rebuilding is often a bad decision, based on poor planning and lack of knowledge of historical events.

The reason part of Santa Rosa burned is because it is in an area that is highly susceptible to fires.

In 1964, the Hanley Fire followed a similar path as last year’s fires. Although the 1964 fire didn’t travel as far into the city, it still destroyed the Fountaingrove neighborhood.

After the Hanley Fire, the Fountaingrove neighborhood was rebuilt. Fifty-four years later, Fountaingrove burned down again.

Now, in 2018, Fountaingrove is being rebuilt for a second time. We’ll see how long the neighborhood lasts this time.

The same thing happens with hurricanes. After Hurri-

cane Florence hit the Carolinas last month, the state once again went through the process of replenishing its beaches by pumping tons of sand back where it once was. The logic behind this is that this is high value property, so dredging up a fresh beach is worth it.

But when replenishing beaches with sand becomes an annual affair, costing millions of dollars, it might be time to move on.

Climate change has made disasters worse. They are more frequent, more powerful, and more destructive. Instead of trying to fight these disasters by rebuilding over and over again, we need to adapt. Sometimes, this might mean moving on from an area that has a lot of value just because the risk of disaster is too high.

Climate change will affect what areas can continue to be inhabited safely.

Repeated disasters in the same area are a sign that that spot is no longer a viable place to live.

Instead of denying the reality of these changes, adaptation is necessary to avoid disasters, even if that means abandoning areas that were once home.

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

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29 , 2018 sonomastatestar.com

The undeserved art of tipping in California

TERESA GULLI STAFF WRITER

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ipping in California is a mistake.

As much as it seems like a courtesy or a reward, people who receive tips are not reliant on them.

As a result, they have basically become glorified bonuses. The beneficiaries of this needy practice are already getting paid to do their job, whether that be as a server, a bartender, barista, delivery service or an Uber driver.

People are being pressured to pay extra on top of their bill as it is a cultural norm to tip for good service, or even for bad service. When paying together at restaurants with family, friends or colleagues, the expectation to tip is high, which

leads the non-tipper to look cheap.

To be quite honest, it is unnecessary to pay the waiter or waitress extra for doing their job. They simply take your order, serve your meal (sometimes have another server do it) and checkup to refill water or bring the condiment you asked for.

Understandably, servers, and other tipping job employees, work hard. But to receive a bonus for doing what they originally get paid to do should not be expected.

According to insider Curt Jaimungal, a former server of eight years explains, “It’s gotten to the point where, in the absence of amazingly enthusiastic fervor, the consumer starts to look at people who aren’t even soliciting tips and think ‘Boy, that’s bad service. Where’s their manager?’”

The ridesharing app, Uber, has recently added in-app tipping. This has also brought many people to believe that this is another service to add a tip to, even when before it was not an applicable feature.

With Uber, drivers make their own schedules, so the conversation of salary becomes very indefinite.

Without knowing this information, it brings the bigger question as to why a customer would reward a driver when the driver could be

making a larger salary to begin with.

According to Vox, “Your Uber driver is not a neighborhood cabbie you recognize at the taxi stand or a server at a restaurant you frequent.

You may only see an Uber driver one time. They may drive for a couple months, then stop, then switch neighborhoods depending on where the crowds are. There is no relationship with Uber drivers, so thinking of them as faceless workers is easier.”

Millennials in California are bad tippers in general due to the fact that they are more careful with their money due to the wrath of school loans and higher rent.

Val Gui, Chief Operating Officer of Instamotor, conducted a survey explaining, “Millennials are accustomed to the concept of the sharing economy, whereas the older generation may view companies such as Uber and Lyft as more traditional services, like taxis,” Since new generations is already prone to not tipping as frequently, cutting it all together in California would be much easier, instead of maintaining a competitive culture for tips having to prove thier “worth” to strangers in exchange for a bonus or reward.

CAPS screening limits sexual assault efforts

ALISON SNIDER

STAFF WRITER

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ow that the first six weeks of the semester have passed, and we’ve exited the so-called “redzone,” Sonoma State’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has talked extensively about forming a sexual assault survivor support group, which should be great news.

It sounds like a wonderful idea and a much-needed resource . . . as long as you’re one of the small handful of students that actually get accepted into the program.

A Sonoma State student had concerns about how the support group is expected to be conducted. The student, who will be kept anonymous, is a recent sexual assault survivor, and went to CAPS to discuss the sexual assault support group at the recommendation of a peer mentor. Upon meeting with Dr. Martinez, the student came to find that the support group was not as accessible as expected.

According to their conversation with Dr. Martinez, the group is intended to consist of eight people, but

a ninth member may be considered if necessary. Members will not be permitted to bring anyone outside of the group for emotional support, and will be expected to attend every meeting time, acting almost as a class period.

This is likely meant to ensure that members feel more comfortable sharing with the group and maintain confidentiality.

However, perhaps the most problematic part of the program’s intended construction is that prospective members are expected to go through a screening process in order to be admitted into the group. Individuals who express interest in the program can expect to be contacted and interviewed

by CAPS to see if they are a good fit for the group.

This screening process includes an interested party sharing their sexual assault history and answering questions about how they can contribute to the group.

College campuses everywhere are also just now exiting the redzone.

The redzone is defined by the National Organization for Women as the “time at the beginning of the first six weeks of the fall semester during which campus sexual violence is particularly high.”

The need for an open and accessible support group is crucial, especially taking into consideration the likely spike in sexual assaults in the past few weeks.

According to the Rape, Assault & Incest National Network (RAINN), 33 percent of women who are raped contemplate suicide and 70 percent of sexual assault victims experience moderate to severe distress.

The obstacles for survivors seek-

ing support are already substantial enough without the added difficulties of being turned away by what is supposed to be their greatest resource.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reported that over 90 percent of sexual assaults on campus go unreported. When a Sonoma State student is assaulted, one of the first resources given to them is CAPS. By using a screening process and being highly selective with a sexual assault survivor support group, CAPS is running the risk of making survivors feel as if even mental health professionals do not believe them. Turning away the people who try and seek help might be extremely detrimental to the way they view their experience.

This is not to say that the process is the fault of CAPS or Dr. Martinez.

A small survivor support group is undoubtedly better than no support group at all.

The problem lies at the heart of the insufficient funds received by CAPS in the first place. There is only so much that can be accomplished when CAPS is already so overloaded.

Students feeling neglected or waiting weeks to get appointments for services is not unheard of, but it stems from the understaffing of the department.

If gone about the right way, the sexual assault survivor support group has the potential to be an outstanding resource for Sonoma State. Ideally, it would be preferred for the program to be open, accessible, and welcoming.

If that is not immediately possible, CAPS needs to ensure that all sexual assault survivors on campus are validated and given the support they deserve.

Sexual assault, an epidemic for men also

GILLIAN CHAFFER

STAFF WRITER

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hen a conversation about sexual assault arises, one typically pictures a young, collegeaged female being a victim. Many women talk openly about their stories of survival, and speak about how more women need to discuss their assaults with the world. However, rarely do we see men step forward to talk about their experiences.

The stigma around sexual assault only happening to women is extremely dangerous because this completely eliminates the fact that 2.78 million men in America are victims of assault and rape.

More women coming forward about their assaults is obviously an important development. Many of these individuals are able to seek professional help, inspire other people to share their stories and put their attacker in prison. The issue here is the stereotype around sexual assault, and the fact that men are conditioned by society to always be in a position of power.

Any survivor fears vulnerability, backlash and embarrassment, but for men, these stresses are rooted much deeper in toxic masculinity.

As addressed, society tends to warp a young adult’s view of the world and their place within it. Boys are taught to take control, be masculine and man up, but not every person who identifies as male has to do any of these things. These lessons are very damaging because they are putting boys in a position to not want to talk about their feelings and struggles, and potentially not come forward about traumatic events that need to be addressed.

Joe Ehrmann, a coach and former NFL player, tells it like it is: “The three most destructive words that every man receives when he’s a boy is when he’s told to ‘be a man.’”

Rape and assault that occur towards men are not always done by another man. The definition of rape is usually seen as purely penetration, however other types of sex can be identified as rape as well, and sexual harassment also falls under the sexual assault category.

According to The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, “among men reporting forms of sexual victimization, 68.6 percent reported female perpetrators.”

Though men raping other men is more common, the amount of women who assault and harass men is through the roof. This may be because men are expected to “enjoy it” or “always be in the mood,” or simply because men are often just as sexualized, especially in the media. If a man is assaulted by a woman, he might not even know that he has been harrassed.

Men and boys are told to be strong, and many don’t want to discuss their most vulnerable moments for fear of being called weak, powerless, or even homosexual if they were assaulted by a man.

Individuals need to stop talking about sexual assault like it only happens to women. Many do not recognize the signs of assault and harassment when they see them. Girls sexualizing male celebrities, grabbing their crotch and trying to kiss them, is harassment. Women objectifying women’s bodies is degrading and disrespectful. And men taught to be indestructible is sexist.

Both female and male survivors deserve the same amount of support, and the victim of an assault, regardless of gender or orientation, should be respected wholeheartedly, without these destructive stigmas designed to tear them down.

‘Cornerstore Caroline’ racially accuses child of assault

NICK CESCHIN STAFF WRITER

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elieve it or not, the most astonishing part of this haphazard and unsystematic world in which we live today, is how some people in it still find a way to surprise you every once in a while, no matter how absurd or grotesque it may seem.

Hey, what do you know? It’s the usual story, when a woman named Teresa Klein called the cops and claimed that she was sexually assaulted by 9-year-old Jeremiah while shopping with his mother in a New

York deli last week.

Jason Littlejohn, who lives nearby the market, captured the scene on video and uploaded it to Facebook, quickly dubbing her “Cornerstore Caroline.”

“I was just sexually assaulted by a child,” Klein can be heard barking at the police on an urgent phone call.

After replaying the security tape footage, it became clear that Jeremiah had not at all groped the woman, as Klein so brashly claimed, but instead his backpack had brushed up against her as he walked down a narrow aisle in the deli.

As a result, Klein apologizes as best she can. “Young man, I don’t know your name, but I’m sorry.” Good work, Klein, your remorse and sympathy is very obvious.

Jeremiah is not so quick to get over the subject. “It’s still hard because lately on my mind, like, I can’t think nothing but this,” says Jeremiah, who teared up on the scene.

However, Jeremiah a couple days later chose to accept Klein’s apology with love, saying, “friendship is the key.”

It would appear that the role of adult and child is reversed.

Jeremiah’s mother recalls Klein mak-

ing the issue about race immediately. “She’s on the phone and she’s saying that I’m a white woman, that I’m standing in front of this deli . . . stating that this black mom and her two black kids are out here and that the son sexually assaulted me.”

Frankly, this doesn’t surprise anyone anymore, as racism still exists in this country, though not always as blatant or showy.

It begs one to question whether a 9-yearold white boy in the same position would produce the same outcome. No, it probably wouldn’t.

But let’s pretend for a second that race had nothing to do with it. The other problem that should come to mind is how much of a crazy world we live in today where any person can get on the phone and claim an outright lie to the authorities or the media, and if there aren’t any security cameras present (luckily in this case, there were), then someone’s life can seriously be ruined.

In this day and age, an accidental brush in a New York deli aisle is a claim to fame for someone as deranged as Teresa Klein.

And she, just like any of us, has the power to whip out a camera or a cell phone and create a story out of thin air.

As evident by Klein’s unnecessary reaction, contemporary civilization almost demands that we call out our problems instead of face them directly, entertaining the idea that we might indeed be turning soft.

Sexual assault is and should be treated as a major issue, but Klein was clearly prompted to take out her anger and stress from other outside issues on Jeremiah and his family, and that is not okay.

As an upstanding member of society, you cannot make claims like this that are not true. It is unacceptable to use someone else’s vulnerability or tarnish their name in order to gain status or respect, or even exercising outrage for the sake of outrage.

Klein posed as a victim but really played the bully all along.

Thankfully, there are people out there who still clearly see what is really going on and are willing to step in, if nothing more than for the defense of a child. We have yet to reach a point where we are all oblivious to obvious truths, but if this example isn’t proof enough, losing ourselves in that hole may not be that difficult.

Let’s never allow ourselves to reach the point that people like Klein have reached.

4 News

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Stevenson renovation will displace employees

ASHLEY GIESEKE STAFF WRITER

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ue to the two year renovation of Stevenson Hall, many offices will be relocated to the second floor of the university library.

All library functions and policies will remain the same, but there will be reduced study space for students to make room for offices and meeting areas for those displaced by the construction on Stevenson Hall.

The school released a list of frequently asked questions about the remodel and resulting movement of offices, called the surge, that detail how the project will affect the university.

To separate the relocated offices from the rest of the library, a glass door will be installed that will require a key card to go through. There will also be a reception desk at the entrances to the work area.

Students and staff will start being asked to move their things out of the Stevenson building after commencement 2020 with some even being asked to leave earlier than that. The actual construction project will begin summer 2020 and it’s planned to be completed in early summer 2022.

The surge will use large rooms in the library that are often used for non-library events. Events that normally take place in these rooms will have to use a different space on campus.

Using the library instead of portables was a route the university saw as best. “The cost to acquire and outfit enough portable buildings to house all of the faculty and staff moving from Stevenson, in combination with finding the campus space to house that many units, made this solution impracticable,” it reads on Sonoma State’s website.

A potential problem is the noise created on the second floor by staff working can trickle to the third floor, which is a quiet study area.

Another concern in moving to a different space is the fact that students and staff need necessary technology. The Stevenson Hall renovation team is addressing this,ensuring that there are the same amount of study spaces throughout campus, although less space will be available in the library.

Freshmen Sienna Woods says she would feel a little bit uneasy about all the extra commotion in the library. “Having so many more people in one of the main buildings on campus is really going to make it a lot more difficult to get work or studying done,” she said.

“Although I’ll already be graduated, I can’t imagine having so much going on in the library and still being able to focus,” senior Kimberly DeCastro said. “During weeks like those of midterms or finals it’s already hard to focus with the STAR // Natalie Dolan amount of people, and doubling that doesn’t sound Stevenson Hall was the first building built at Sonoma State, with construction finishing in 1964. Here, like it will work.” vines cling to the side of the building as ferns grow in its shadow.

BRADEN CARTWRIGHT NEWS EDITOR

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SSU hires executive chef

onoma State has hired executive chef Don Cortes to oversee culinary services on campus, including its nine different dining venues.

“One of the things that I value about college dining is that you are providing a home away from home, and I find that rewarding,” Cortes said in a press release. “I find that I may not be a doctor, I may not be a thereapist, but I am providing something people can fall back on.”

According to a press release from university culinary services, Cortes is originally from the Phillipines. He was formally trained at the California Culinary Acadamey in French culinary tradition.

“Because of his world travels and cultural inf luences, he views f lavor as an immersive and enlightening experience,” a press release said.

Cortes lives in San Francisco, and says he often tests out recipes with his three-year-old daughter to get “genuine feedback.”

He promotes healthy and sustainable eating, and likes making students feel like they are at home when they are eating his food.

His experience in the field includes working at restaraunts, hotels, corporate dining, and highSTAR // Mariah Ponce er education food service. He has also worked at Chef Don Cortes does a brief presentation teaching students how to execute a delicious meal.

San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley.

CAMPUS CRIME Crime

Date

Location

Status

Disturbance

Oct. 13

Beaujolais Alsace

Closed

Vandalism

Oct. 15

Darwin Hall

Closed

Vandalism

Oct. 15

Zinfandel Village

Closed

Disturbance

Oct. 3

Sauvignon Sirah

Closed

Vandalism

Oct. 4

Carson Hall

Suspended

Grand Theft

Oct. 16-17

Sauvignon Grenache

Open

Rape

Oct. 1

Unknown Dorm

Referred to Title IX

News 5

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

SSU talks election involvement MANDELA LINDER STAFF WRITER

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COURTESY // Press Democrat Tyler Bratton’s mugshot, following his arrest on May 13 in Sauvignon Village.

Campus stabber remains in custody BRADEN CARTWRIGHT NEWS EDITOR

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yler Bratton, the perpetrator in last May’s fatal dorm room stabbing, is no longer in custody for the involuntary manslaughter charge that he plead no contest to last month.

Bratton, 20, killed Steven John Garcia, 26, on May 13, and has been held in Sonoma County jail ever since.

After pleading no contest, he recieved three years probation and was credited with time served for his 157 days in jail.

Bratton faces four years and eight months in prison if he violates his probation, according to Sonoma County Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Brady.

Part of his probation entails that he is not allowed on Sonoma State’s campus.

The two men were involved with two girls, one of whom was a Sonoma State student, that had gotten in several arguments in the days leading up to the altercation.

Bratton’s defense team argued that he acted in self defense after Garcia forced his way into the dorm room, and he was choking Bratton. An autopsy showed that Bratton stabbed Garcia 15 times.

Neither Bratton or Garcia was a student at Sonoma State.

Bratton hasn’t been released yet, because he is facing another misdemeanor charge from another county. It is a “very, very minor misdemeanor”, public defender Kathleen Pozzi said, and his release “will be imminent.”

ith the November midterm elections approaching, the level of involvement among young people is a topic of discussion.

At Sonoma State, speculation about how involved millennials will be differs between students and faculty, with students assuming their peers are showing more involvement. Members of faculty and leadership either don’t feel that students are showing an interest in politics, or they don’t know if students are politically active.

Eva Martinez, a business accounting senior, said “I’ve always been involved. I come from a community with low resources and I want someone to represent my community.”

Lydia Tjedy, an undeclared sophomore, feels the same way. Although she was required by a sophomore experience class to register to vote, she was glad for the assignment and would have done it anyway. “On campus, I think there should be more information about what’s going on so people can get more involved.”

A competition between California colleges called the “California University and College Ballot Bowl” recently concluded. The competition was an effort to get college students in California to vote. According to the Ballot Bowl official website, Sonoma State came in seventh with 100 voters registered through the competition. The college that took first place was CSU Fullerton, which got 2,097 new voters registered.

These numbers more accurately ref lect the predictions of Sonoma State faculty than of students. Elizabeth Burch, a professor in the Communications department at Sonoma State, does not feel that students are showing a particular interest in politics. Hollis Robbins, Dean of Arts and Humanities, said that she doesn’t yet know. “ I am still new so I don’t know how politically active Sonoma State students are,” said Robbins.

Historically, young voters are apathetic compared to older voters. According to NPR, only about 46 percent of millennial voters (those that were over age 18) actually voted in

NEWS IN BRIEF Turkey

Jamal Khashoggi, 59 year-old US resident, and Washington Post journalist was pronounced dead, as more details of his murder are coming out. Turkey’s ruling party said that Khashoggi’s killing “was planned in an extremely savage manner.” Saudi Arabia has said that Khashoggi’s death involved a fight inside the Istanbul consult explained as screaming and arguing when members of the team tried to stop him and Khashoggi was choked to death. After two weeks of denying he death had to do with the fight, they are now confirming this was the reason. Officials originally believed that Khashoggi had left the consult due to someone wearing his clothes and walking out the back entrance. There is still much confusion about what actually happened in Khashoggi’s death. Erdogan has said on Tuesday he will give a speech about Turkey’s investigation.

Washington D.C.

The Trump administration is taking a controversial step in considering to narrow the definition of gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth. The agency’s proposed definition would define sex as either male or female and determined by the genitals an individual is born with. The administration is making an effort to consider any dispute about one’s sex would have to be clarified during genetic testing. The department said in their draft, “The sex listed on a person’s birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person’s sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence.”

the last presidential election, while 72 percent of baby boomers voted. According to Vox, only 28 percent of voters under the age of 29 say that they are definitely going to vote in November. “Millennials are pretty reliable democrats, but unreliable voters,” Vox reported.

Janet Hess, professor of Art History and African Studies at Sonoma State, thinks that the young vote is just as important to the individual as it is to the community and country as a whole. “I think it is crucial for young people to vote because our very future is at stake. Most people now feel like strangers in their own land,” she said. “Voting is a way of announcing that you care about the world you live in, that you are an active participant in that world, and that you have the capacity and right--and, indeed, the responsibility-to shape the world.”

Midterm elections are less publicized than presidential elections, and have attracted less voters in the past. “Presidential elections have more media attention,” Martinez said. “It’s easier to ignore prop advertisements because you feel like you can just read about it later.”

However, according to Robbins, they’re still very important. “Often the elected officials that matter most in our day-to-day lives are local and regional officeholders: mayors, clerks, state representatives,” she said. “You should get in the habit of knowing who your local representatives are at all levels of government.”

Voting, however, is not the only thing that students—and non-students—can do to get involved. Burch has many suggestions.

“Tabling to register students to vote. Participate in protests. Volunteer for candidates.

Donate $5 if they can to politicians they want in office. Call, especially, and write their representatives to voice their opinions and demand action,” Burch said. “Write letters to the editor. Boycott Facebook and other social media if they don’t stop the spread of false news in elections...Ask their professors to recommend credible news sources.”

APP: Next year’s FAFSA due March 2 continued from pg. 1

“To help students navigate the financial aid world, one feature is myCollegeScorecard, which is helpful for high school students to compare information about different schools in order to make an informed decision of where to attend,” McDowell said.

The student aid office here at Sonoma State is working on spreading the word about the app.

“On Sonoma State Financial Aid’s Homepage “Things 2 Know @ FAO” we explain that 2019-2020 FAFSA is now available and the new option to

fill out FAFSA through myStudentAid app. We are also working on getting a spot on LoboVision.” McDowell said.

So far, the university has not received feedback on how well the app is doing.

“We have received our typical questions about how to fill out the FAFSA application, but not specifically about the app. The Department of Education’s intention was to streamline and simplify the FAFSA application process and so far we haven’t received a lot feedback either way,” McDowell said. “I feel like it’s easy to figure out, but I think time will tell.”

LOCKER: Charging station cost $700 continued from pg. 1

Second year psychology major and Sonoma State Kitchens employee Chris Walsh shared his take on the locker.

“A lot of people have been getting their stuff stolen,” Walsh said, “so I think this is a good way to both charge your phone and keep it safe from other people.”

With solutions like this, it’s difficult to see the downside. According to Way, however, a few challenges have arisen. Sometimes, front desk employees are forced to manually unlock the lockers when students forget their four digit codes.

Additionally, the privilege of owning this locker cost Sonoma State

$7,000. Lauren Slotsve, a second year photography major expressed her concern with this fact.

“I think there are a lot of other uses that the money could have gone to, to help the students more. Students don’t really need to charge their phones constantly. They can be without their phone or laptop for 20 minutes; they can get a charger. The money could have gone into one of the programs that’s underfunded,” Slotsve said.

For better or for worse, the new charging locker is here for students enjoy. People can now set their phones down in a public space—just outside of Sonoma State’s Kitchens—assured that it won’t be stolen or die during important classes.

Rohnert Park

Sonoma County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who died at the scene of the 1:10 am car crash early Friday morning as Mo’Tasem Haddad, 24, a resident of Rohnert Park. The crash happened at Rohnert Park Expressway and Country Club Drive. Haddad’s Audi was split in half after he ran a red light hitting high speeds colliding with a Lexus and running into a light pole. He reportedly swerved to avoid the Lexus and was then struck off course colliding into the light pole. The driver of the Audi was the only fatality.

Washington D.C.

On Monday, President Trump vowed to “substantially” limit aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador as migrant caravan grows.

Trump tweeted, “Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador were not able to do the job of stopping people from leaving their country and coming illegally to the U.S.” Trump alerted the U.S. Border Patrol and military to a national emergency.

STAR // Kaylie Boettner Some students have needed staff to unlock their lockers after forgetting their code.

6 Arts

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Powerful artist gives inspiring lecture at SSU

MICHELLE TADLOCK STAFF WRITER

S

am Vernon is an inspiring artist from New York City, known as an installation and performance artist. Her works range from different photographs, paintings, photocopied drawings or even sculptures. No matter the form, they all have a statement or sentimental value to her life and what she is passionate about. Vernon is creative and enthusiastic within her artwork, making every show unique and emotional.

Vermpm earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2009 from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. A private undergrad school that only accepts about sixty students a year, this was an incredible opportunity for Sam. She loved that it was in the middle of New York City because she had so many places and people to help inspire and grow her creative side.

After her time at Cooper Union she furthered her education at Yale University. She graduated in 2015 with a Master’s of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking.

“My components include the exploration of personal narrative and identity,” said Vernon. As she took an interest in photography she became obsessed with her own shadow and continues to takes pictures of her shadow on a regular basis. Her shadow resembles where she finds herself in the world. Vernon is also very appreciative of her African-American history and likes to exhibit this through her art pieces.

One of her first shows took place at the Seattle Art Museum in the middle of the pavillion.

The show was called “How Ghost Sleep”, and it constituted a collection of her drawings on vinyl of 17-by-20 foot canvases which hung from the ceiling. Her art was portrayed as four different wallpaper-

MARTIN CONTRERAS

styled canvases. They were inspired through the style of afro-deco and art-deco. Art deco is a decorative style of geometric shapes with a combination of vibrant colors and unique patterns. Afro-deco is an African form of this using African textiles. The wallpaper emerged as it brought in design from the home, conceptually covering and changing a space, making it into a new environment. Vernon explained, “It started with a process of just drawing and sketching. I would then xeroxed that drawing and draw on top if it and kept doing that making it a collage and would just mess around on photoshop.” Her mom was able to collaborate with her constructions of the wall paper. Vernon expressed how this piece goes toward her mom and grandmother as they are the women who make up her ancestral background. This exhibit was up for an entire year and was a great opportunity for Vernon due to it opening up new opportunities and gaining a bigger audience.

Another place in Seattle asked her to do an installation, during the mix of Black Lives Matter content where she and her community were mourning. Her art was called “Graves Place” for public death in the media and death in general. She wanted it to feel as if something hit the room--and that something was her. “We painted every single inch of the gallery from color to black and white. A six to seven thousand square foot room and every inch was covered of dialistic feelings,” explained Vernon. It was abstract and catered to the people who could not make sense of the violence happening throughout the country. An expression of taking a pen and inscribing a thought she was having or for someone who has died due to police brutality. Whether she knew them or not it was for people who she thought of often because

STAR // Luis Madrigal (Top) Artist Sam Vernon poses for a quick picture before her lecture. (Bottom) Vernon displays her art “Graves Place” to the audience and gives a passionate lecture about its powerful meaning.

Student Spotlight: Natasha Potts

STAFF WRITER

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of the terrible impact it has on her community. Within the installation they invited local performers to host events inside of her exhibition bringing more attention to it.

Vernon’s parents are both in the artistic world, where her father is a painter and her mother is a fashion designer. Growing up she was influenced and fascinated with their work. At a young age they explored different museums and artwork so she was always surrounded by creative people and pieces. Without their inspirations Sam would not be the person she is today. Her artwork is an expression of who she is and what she believes in. She hopes to inspire more young artists every day. Vernon recently moved to California where she now focuses on her teachings of printmaking. She is an Assistant Professor at California College of the Arts in Oakland. Vernon is excited to live in California and make an impact on a new community.

ach thespian has their own unique story as to how the theatre took ahold of their heart. Fourth year Theatre Arts major Natasha Potts shares her story as to how she got involved in theatre, what her experience has been like throughout her four years at Sonoma State University, and details about the exciting, upcoming show “Mr. Burns, a postelectric play.”

“I did my first show in fifth grade because my band teacher said I should. It was so fun. I’ve done a show every year since and haven’t looked back,” said Potts.

In a thespian’s eyes, every show is another opportunity to learn and grow as an actor because they are working with another director, a new cast, and they get to play another character and become a different person.

Every production teaches them a completely different skillset, and the wide variety of productions that Sonoma State is able to run is very helpful in expanding and developing the actors’ skills.

The skills Potts learned while playing Judy in the production of “Bluebird”, a children’s play, was no less important than the ones she learned while performing Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” or “Into the Woods” by Sondheim.

Potts also shares her thoughts on the department as a whole and her experience in it.

“It’s been an experience as I feel like it is with any department. There are the amazing parts and the struggles, but overall this department has been and is so welcoming and supportive. All the professors are very supportive and have always pushed me and my peers to keep going. They just want the best for their students.”

The theatre program has grown every year since Potts’ arrival at Sonoma State.

There has been an inf lux with some years

bringing in more students than the previous, but on average the department has seen slow and steady growth, which is a testament to both the faculty and students’ hard work over the years.

This growth in classes has not only allowed for multiple sections of the same class, but it also gives Potts and her peers a chance to form a meaningful relationship and collaborate with excited new students.

When asked to look back on the multiple productions she has been a part of over the years and to choose a favorite Potts said, “We just did Twelfth Night and I had a lot of fun with that one. It was my first really large Shakespeare role and in it we all got to play different genders which was a nice little challenge to get into that characterization as opposed to your regular roles in a production. So I think I’ll have to go with that one for those reasons and given how long we worked on it.”

The theatre and drama department is putting together a new production titled “Mr. Burns: a post-electric play” by Anne Washburn, after capping off a very successful run of the production “Woyzeck.”

“Mr. Burns” is a three-act play that recounts the story of “Cape Feare,” an episode from The Simpsons in which a great catastrophe has just occured.

In this post-apocalyptic setting a group of survivors come together and shows how life has changed immediately after the catastrophe, how it changed seven years down the line, and finally how it’s affected life 75 years later.

This exciting new play, directed by Alexis Macnab, is going to be performed in the Evert B. Person Theatre from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4. Potts remarks about the upcoming play, “It’s going to be a lot of singing, dancing and craziness but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Potts invites any and all to go and see what the drama department has been working hard on.

She also had some closing thoughts

COURTESY // Natasha Potts for any thespians out in the world, whatever the age.

“If you have any interest in theatre whatsoever, just jump in and give it a try. The entire community is so caring and welcoming and we would love to have you join our family.”

For her senior project Potts will be running the production of Theresa Rebeck’s wonderful production “Sunday on the Rocks,” from March 7 through the 10.

Entertainment 7

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

KASEY WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

From ashes to art lending a hand to the relief efforts.

“Over the course of several mornings, I hung out on a curb near the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa working on a series project, photographing the door panels of as many different fire trucks as I could while the congregation of men and women came and went from their daily fire line assignments,” he said, totaling nearly half of the 500 estimated departments to aid in the relief effort.

Across the floor at the 2North exhibit area, several more of Dodrill’s photographs are on display throughout the exhibit, including photographs from the Coffey Park disaster, which suffered heavy damages after the Tubbs Fire jumped six lanes over Highway 101 and sent some 1,200 citizens scrambling to safety.

Other artists contributing to the exhibit include Ulysses Duterte Jr., Christopher Woodcock, Alan Ahmad, Kate E. Black, Mikayla Butchart, Martin Espinoza, and Marie Van Elder, among others, and the works they have included carry with them the unique perspective of the artist. Whether it be nothing more than a creative outlet at times of great stress, or a way to incite conversation surrounding the event, all of the art carries meaning.

The exhibit is a welcome hiatus from the grind of the semester, and Karen G. Schneider, the Dean of the Library, considers this exhibit a strong testament to human resilience and creativity.

“The exhibit is a testimony of the power of art to find meaning in all human experience, including catastrophic fire,” Schneider said. “We are honored that so many artists participated.”

Students and faculty, including friends and family, are encouraged to

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merican novelist Erica Jong once said, “Natural disasters are comforting because they reaffirm our impotence, in which, otherwise, we might stop believing,” and it sure felt like nobody believed in it last Wednesday, when family and friends gathered at Sonoma State University to observe the new art exhibit within the school’s library.

Entitled, “Reflections: After the Fire,” the entire display is dedicated to, and created by, the people affected by the North Coast fires from last October. With displays featuring the work of 21 local artists, the exhibit is to be on display in the Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center’s Library Gallery until Dec. 14.

Wednesday marked one year since Sonoma State reopened following its nine-day closure last October, when a series of massive wildfires ravaged Sonoma County, killing 24 people and destroying more than 5,000 structures, many of which were homes.

To commemorate, the school held an open reception from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., where the public, as well as students and faculty, could come to observe the art and interact with the artists themselves.

The art, featuring a mix of photography, videography, watercolor, ink-oncanvas, mixed media and more, focuses on events both during and after the fires.

Some displays featured mixed media found within the rubble of the aftermath, aiming to show that it can be possible to rebuild in the wake of tremendous disaster.

Jerry Dodrill’s “Mutual Aid,” a photo collage on aluminum, depicts images of nearly half of the fire department engines

STAR// Natalie Dolan (Top) Sonoma County Sheriff watching an artist’s short compilation film about last years fires in the library art gallery. (Bottom) Artist Corrine Haverinen (right) looks to her piece as she explains it to a guest at the Reflections reception in the library art gallery. come and enjoy the exhibit until its final day on Dec. 14, when the school will end finals week before winter intersession.

The crowd on Wednesday, many of whom were closely impacted by the fires, interacted and socialized liberally, engaging in conversation over the exhibit and discussing their experiences with one another; a comforting sign that the impotence against the wildfires can be forgotten, if only for an evening.

Authentic cuisine found at Sol Azteca

EMILY HOFFMAN STAFF WRITER

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ol Azteca is a tiny restaurant on the corner of Camino Collegio and East Cotati next to Pizza Hut and A and l’s liquor just a couple blocks from campus. It looks like an obscure hole-in-the-wall that one tends to look right past as they drive by. However, the authentic Mexican cuisine is worth giving a try.

Rohnert Park isn’t exactly a place you come to for Mexican food but Sol Azteca may have the power to change that.

Sonoma State student Kevin Flynn said, “I tend to go to Santa Rosa or Petaluma when looking for quality food because Rohnert Park is a college town and mostly fast food when it comes to eating options. Mexican food is my favorite, so I am picky and nothing here does it justice. Only exception is Sol Azteca. I don’t know why nobody knows about this place. I could literally eat here every day and not get tired of it.”

Kevin is not the only one. When bringing up that I didn’t know where to eat after work, a local resident who reports living here for 24 years asked me before suggesting anything else, “Oh, have you ever tried Sol Azteca?

That’s the best option if you don’t want to leave ROPO [Rohnert Park].”

With authentic portraits of Mexican culture and the decorations lining the restaurant walls, it feels like you are on an adventure

MADELEINE BROWN STAFF WRITER

Review

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abroad, far from Rohnert Park. It’s obscure location is no obstacle for success. There is a constant flow of people of all ages coming in on their lunch breaks from work or to spend time with their friends no matter what time of day it is. Their relationship with Sonoma State in particular is apparent by the banner in the very front of the restaurant announcing discounts with Sonoma State student I.D’s.

The service is quick, friendly, and genuine. They take orders at the counter efficiently so that you aren’t waiting in line too long. If you don’t have much time you can order to go and it will be ready within just a few minutes as if it was a fast food joint, but with authentic restaurant quality. If you do want to sit and enjoy your meal, the service is just as quick with plenty of seating to enjoy.

They make anyone who walks in feel comforted and welcomed in the restaurant beyond just being a customer. A Sonoma State student wearing a seawolf jacket forgot his ID, and the cashier said, “It’s ok I already gave you the discount before anyways. You clearly have school spirit.”

The best part is the food! Customers receive chips on the house with homemade salsa right away. That in and of itself is a delicious starter that Safeway chips and salsa are a joke compared to. Their menu has every classic Mexican entrée’ including smaller portions

‘The

he Hate U Give” addresses a vital issue in American society today: the harsh reality of violence against black communities by the police force. It shows the balancing act between a young girl in high school trying to find her voice while protecting herself from all angles of the situation.

The movie starts off with the main character, Starr Carter, addressing the two versions of herself. On one side, she is from Garden Heights, a predominantly black community the characters refer to as “the hood”, where murder and violence is so frequent that gun shots at a party is hardly a reason for panic. On the other hand, Starr and her two brothers, Seven and Sekani, attend a private school called Williamson that primarily serves white privileged students.

She keeps these two versions of her-

COURTESY //Sol Azteca and ala carte so you can mix and match if you can’t decide between all the yummy options. They have 15 different meat selections to choose from. Their $5 smaller sized chicken quesadilla is a must. The cheese to chicken ratio is just right and the crispy tortilla that brings it all together makes each bite the perfect combination of flavor and texture. It didn’t even need sour cream and guacamole--it was that good on its own, although having those to accent the dish could not be a better touch. Choosing between that and the classic $6.75 tamale with one of their 15 different meat options and cheese is always a struggle. It comes with a side of tortillas, rice, and beans, and is topped to perfection if you choose to add guacamole and sour cream.

If you are getting tired of the same old spots in Rohnert Park, definitely keep your eye out for this little spot on your way down East Cotati. It does not disappoint!

Hate U Give’

self completely separate until she is faced with a challenging decision: to stand up for her community before a grand jury or keep quiet. Making herself known risks her reputation at her private school which hides her background in the hood and violent part of town. After being the key eyewitness to her best friend being fatally shot during a traffic stop, Starr initially wants to hide her identity in order to protect “Starr verison two” at Williamson, as well as to protect herself from the drug lords of her community. Eventually she realizes she needs to be the voice for her deceased best friend, Khalil, and the voice for her community in a powerful speech she gives at a black rights protest.

In the end, Starr has an epiphany and realizes that she shouldn’t have differing versions of her identity and that she must represent her people and be her full self or else she is not showing her authentic identity.

This picture was extremely well filmed illustrating to the audience the

depth of this nationwide problem and addressing both sides of the argument regarding police brutality. The director made a very important decision allowing the audience to see the cop’s reaction when he realizes the hairbrush Khalil is holding is not a gun. It displays the reality of how traffic stops involving black males can easily get misjudged by white police officers. This is vital in the film because it shows the side of many police officers’ arguments and gives you a feel for the all too familiar mistake. However the effects a small misreading like this are often fatal. Later in the film, Starr is speaking to her uncle that happens to be a police officer when she uncovers the truth that if it had been a white male the immediate response would be to shout, “Put your hands up!” whereas the immediate reaction when it involves a black male is to shoot and kill.

“The Hate U Give” also realistically portrays how black communities are depicted in the news and media. There is a

scene where the mother of the boy that got shot is on the news looking hysterical and deranged. Starr and her friend comment on this representation saying something along the lines of, “Why do they gotta use this footage of Mrs. Harris looking like that?” Furthermore, every step following the shooting, from the detectives to the news anchors, to the interviewers and even Starr’s classmates and friends shows everyone being primarily concerned with Khalil’s past.

They discuss his drug dealings, and that maybe the police officer had good reason to shoot.

This film was intense and dramatic but harshly realistic of the dangers, misrepresentations and misjudgements that black communities face on a daily basis.

The violence they face every day is an issue that continues despite the number of black people being shot and killed. I would highly recommend “The Hate U Give” to anyone looking for a humorous yet intense and eye-opening movie.

8 Student Life

STAR // Natalie Dolan Nicholas Wong (left) adds some toppings to his frozen yogurt during the Swirl Time Social in the Student Center Ballrooms on Oct. 21.

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Natalie Dolan Megan Compton (second from left) and her family laugh and enjoy their frozen yogurt at the Swirl Time Social during Family Weekend.

Families reunite during Family Weekend CARLY OLSEN STAFF WRITER

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onoma State University held its annual Family Weekend Oct. 19 through 21, where many families traveled to Rohnert Park to visit their college student and to see what Sonoma State had in store for them. This weekend included a variety of events, such as a public viewing night at our very own observatory, a frozen yogurt social, and even a brunch with President Judy Sakaki to welcome the families to the school.

In the past, this fun-filled weekend was hosted by Student Affairs, but the Orientation and Family Programming Department has now taken over. They

were supposed to put on the event last year, but due to the fires, they had to cancel. With that being said, this is the department’s first year putting on the event and everything went smoothly.

“Family Weekend was a huge success and it was really fun for our department to plan everything,” said staff member Mimi Peterson. “It was awesome to welcome all the families back to campus and put on cool events for them and their students. We really enjoyed all the campus collaboration too, reaching out to different departments to see if they would be able to offer things was very rewarding.”

While families may not have been able to make it to every

event, there were definitely many options available, including a frozen yogurt social hosted by local business Swirl Time on Saturday Oct. 20.

Many benefits were included with signing up for the weekend as well, including special Family Weekend swag and access to the Recreation Center and the Kitchens. Registration was $35 for adults and $15 for children ages 5-14, with brunch with the president being an extra $25 per ticket.

Families were walking around all weekend, getting to know the campus and spending time together. Parents were extremely excited to see their children and learn more about what they’re doing at school.

“This is the first family weekend we’ve been to and it’s been great so far. Last year it got cancelled because of the fires, so it’s nice to finally experience it,” said parents Monica and Stuart McIntyre. “We love coming up to visit our son because he doesn’t get to come home often, and it’s beautiful up here in wine country, so that’s a plus.”

Students were also excited to welcome their families and show them around. Leaving home and going to college can be difficult to adjust to for most, so when family comes to visit, you’re able to feel a little more at home. For those who aren’t local, it’s also an opportunity to show your family around Rohnert Park and let them in on

what your new home is like.

“I love Sonoma State so far, but I’m really glad my parents were able to come up from San Luis Obispo to visit me this weekend,” said freshman Jordyn Bauer. “Being away from home is hard at times, so it was really cool being able to show them my dorm and introduce them to my new friends.”

Overall, it seems like everyone had a great time at Family Weekend and appreciated the events put on by the school. With so many families coming to visit the campus, it was successful and Sonoma State will continue to plan this weekend every year for students and their loved ones to enjoy.

Harvest Stomp leaves a mark on students

KAYLIE PRIEST STAFF WRITER

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he new addition to University Culinary Services (UCS) on the Sonoma State campus, Stomping Grounds, a wine and coffee bar, is making their mark with none other than a wine stain.

Stomping Grounds first event of many, Harvest Stomp, took place on the patio of the Wine Spectator building in front of Stomping Grounds. The event allowed the first 100 people to stomp grapes and be able to customize their very own tee-shirt with their wine stained footprints in remembrance of the first annual grape stomp.

Casey Kelly, the Marketing Specialist who works for Entrepreneurial Activities here at Sonoma State, along with her team, did all the marketing for the Harvest Stomp.

“This event is important because it helps market Stomping Grounds as

being a new venue on campus,” said Kelly. “Stomping Grounds pairs well with the School of Business and Wine Business Institute’s vision for research and education about the business of wine.”

A student who attended the Harvest Stomp was senior communications and media studies major Grace Remeta. Her love for Stomping Grounds has only grown through this event, and she cannot wait to attend events they put on in the future.

“The whole atmosphere was incredible, I was so excited when I saw the barrels and the stained t-shirts hanging up,” said Remeta. “I loved being able to make a shirt with the grape stain, I think it’s so awesome that I can have a piece of the experience to remember. No other venue on campus has done anything like this before and that’s why I love Stomping

Grounds so much.”

The addition of Stomping Grounds opens up more opportunities to students and staff for a unique experience.

With UCS and Stomping Grounds in the works of creating monthly events, it will bring something new to campus and only enhance the experience here at the university.

The next event to look forward to is Wingo— which is a wine bingo.

Also, UCS is looking at doing a beer tasting in the future, plus more events to come.

While students and staff alike attended this event, Regan Chambers, a junior communications and media studies major, had been looking forward to this event ever since she first heard about it. With nothing like this ever having been done before on campus, it was something she was sure not to miss.

STAR // Luis Madrigal A student takes a break from stomping grapes during the first ever Harvest Stomp.

“With this being the first event that Stomping grounds has hosted, I was so impressed with the turnout, and even throughout the event the line to stomp grapes was so long,” said Chambers. “It was lots of fun and this event is just what Sonoma State

needs!”

Chambers goes on to explain the feeling of crushing grapes for the first time. “Actually being able to stomp grapes was a weird but interesting feeling and definitely gets you in the wine spirit in wine country!” said

Chambers.

For many students, it was their first time stomping grapes. But, for just about everyone it was their first time making something from their wine stained feet that they could have for the rest of their lives.

Student Life 9

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Creative outlet for filmakers returns to SSU NINA LOPEZ

STAFF WRITER

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lthough Sonoma State University is considered a liberal arts college, the university doesn’t offer many classes for students pursuing careers in cinema. Since the school doesn’t have the proper resources to accommodate upand-coming filmmakers or students who would like to dabble in the world of filmmaking, the week of Campus Movie Fest (CMF) has become a vital opportunity for students interested in film production.

Campus MovieFest started back in 2001 and is now the largest student film festival in the world. It all began at Emory University when four students devised an idea to provide their classmates with all the equipment they would need to make a five minute video in one week. With the help of sponsorships, CMF was able to expand and become what it is today.

According to CMF’s Promotions Manager, Meghan Moran, there are no limits as to what the students can film.

Video options can range anywhere from a comedy, drama, documentary or even a Snapchat series.

“Here at Campus Movie Fest, we believe that everyone has a story that needs to be told, we just give you the opportunity and the tools to tell that story,” said Moran. “We set up students with laptops, cameras, tripods, audio equipment… literally everything you could need to make a short film, we provide you with.”

CMF will choose the top 16 films produced by Sonoma State, and from

there, the top four films are sent to CMF Terminus, a national competition in Atlanta, Georgia. If a finalist, there is an opportunity to go to the Cannes Film Festival.

Ryan Harvey, a Sonoma State third year and communications major, is no stranger to CMF. Harvey started making films since third grade and has won CMF three times within the past two years with his film team. Of those three films, two of them have been screened at Cannes Film Festival.

Although Harvey doesn’t use the equipment CMF offers, he is still impressed by the quality. “They offer really good stuff. I think that’s really nice that they at least offer students the opportunity to not use a phone or a really cheap camera.”

Considering that Sonoma State doesn’t prioritize film, Harvey has found other ways to continue his passion for film outside of school and CMF. Currently, he is the general manager for Studio Blue, a communications media outlet class at Sonoma State, and he’s hoping to turn the class into a competitive film program for serious filmmakers.

Second year and criminal justice major, Victoria Burke, is also taking part in CMF and she’s hoping to land a spot in the top four. As someone with a passion for cinema, Burke truly appreciates CMF for all that they do.

“As somebody who works full time and is a full time student, I don’t have the money to go out and make my own films as much as I’d like,” said Burke.

STAR // Nina Lopez Students speak with the Campus MovieFest team in Ballroom B. “CMF gives me an opportunity to have that creative outlet with like-minded people.”

Although Burke is incredibly thankful and appreciative of CMF, she wishes that Sonoma State had more opportunities such as these for film enthusiasts.

Burke was originally a communications major before switching to criminal justice and she was disappointed to see that there wasn’t a minor available for communications, let alone film production.

“Being a liberal arts school, you kind of hope they would be more invested in their arts programs,” said Burke.

“I think that the communications major in general needs to expand. I would love to see some minors in something more specific.”

Regardless, Burke is taking advantage of the equipment CMF offers for the time being in order to fulfill her filmmaking passion and her dream of becoming a director.

The CMF Premiere will take place this Thursday, Oct. 25, where you can watch the top films made by Sonoma State students. A reception will take place at 6 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Center in Ballroom A, followed by the film screenings at 7:30 p.m.

Seawolves SPEAK!

“When you have an hour break during the day, what is your favorite thing to do on campus and why?”

MORGAN ARANCIO STAFF WRITER

A

s a student, sometimes juggling everything that life throws at you can be challenging. Classwork on top of work, internships and other activities can be daunting. We wanted to know what students choose to do with their free time while on campus, what helps them during the week to relax and breathe and how they prefer to spend their time on campus.

From Charlie Brown’s to sitting at the ponds, there are many options “My favorite thing to do on campus when I have a free hour is to go to the Rec Center with my friends and workout and play some volleyball.”

-Olivia Gergus, Freshman, Business Major

for students who want to eat, socialize, relax or study. While many students are inclined to go home and take a nap when they get a chance, there are those that choose to stay on campus. When talking to different students, it became apparent that those that want to stay on campus enjoy it. Some do it to save gas or the headache of finding a parking spot. Others would rather be productive and get a jump on their next assignments or mingle with their friends.

“I do different things depending on the week. I try to be efficient with the time and either see my advisor or meet with a professor if I have any questions.”

-Tanner Gunning, Senior, Communications Major

“Everyday I’ll go into the Rec Center and shoot some hoops.

If I’m not doing that, I will take a nap in the bottom floor of the Student Center. When stuff is happening on campus, I like to go check it out.”

“I usually find a nice spot outside and lay there relaxing, listening to my music. I like doing that when I have time because it brings me comfort with everything going on and puts me at ease.”

-Clayton Chatterley, Fifth Year, Geography Major

-Jazlin Bautista, Senior, Art Major

“I like going to Charlie Browns and getting a smoothie, they’re so good. Then sometimes I’ll head to the library and relax before class.”

“I like to sit outside of Lobos or W&B with some of my friends or I hit the library to get some work done.”

-Dayonna Fulcher, Sophomore, Psychology Major

-Joe Heintz, Junior, Business Major

10 Sports

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Men’s golf shooting for Nationals ALEX FUNCHESS STAFF WRITER

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he Sonoma State Men’s Golf Team may just take home the national trophy by the end of the 2018-19 season. Both new and returning players are filled with optimism as we mark the halfway point of the fall semester.

The Seawolves started the season off strong, winning first place in the Sonoma State Invitational last month. The team will surely encounter challenges along the way but look to continue their success by finishing 2018 on a strong note, as explained by Spencer Clapp, a Senior on the team.

“Winning our home tournament was a huge motivation for us since we only had four people on our team at the time,” explained Clapp. “Normally in a tournament, you take five guys and only count four toward your score, so we knew everyone had to play well.”

“Last season, we lost in a onehole playoff for the last spot to nationals, which was definitely disappointing. But with the new season here, I know the rest of the guys are ready to work on our weaknesses,” Clapp added. Our Seawolves have proved that they work well together as they hope to continue their success during tournaments. Optimistic about his team’s future, Clapp also focuses on his struggles as a player.

“I think the big challenge I face is the ability to stay in the present. A lot of times I think too much of where I am on the leaderboard during tournaments. I need to think about one shot at a time which will be the shot that is right in front of me,” said Clapp.

Consisting mostly of seniors, the team veterans look to overcome their

individual obstacles. The team also has new promising talent from Blake Bourelle, a Junior form Tact Junior College.

“I would say our shining star this year has to be Blake Bourelle.

He comes to practice with a positive attitude and confidence that rubs off on people in a great way,” said Clapp.

Bourelle won last month’s tournament for the Seawolves, finishing with a score of eight under for the three rounds. Starting the year off strong, Bourelle is confident his team can make it to nationals.

“Everyone on the team is a very good player and can play well on any given day,” explained Bourelle.

“Our team goal for the season is to compete for a national title. We work hard and push each other to get better every day.” Shooting two under as a team last month, the Seawolves remain confident and hungry for the challenges that lie ahead.

“Our biggest challenge this season is that we have a very small team and it’s important that everyone plays well in every tournament,” Bourelle emphasized. “We can’t afford to have anyone not give their 100% because there are so few of us.”

The Men’s Golf Team is prepared to have a winning season while conquering their weaknesses.

Our Seawolves prove they can play together in a great way no matter the size of their team. The new addition of Blake Bourelle will surely benefit the team as the Seawolves look to finish the fall semester strong with the help of returning Senior veterans.

Keep on the lookout for the men’s golf team as they move up the ranking in an effort to win nationals.

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Senior Spencer Clap teeing off at the Dixie State Regional Preview

COURTESY // sonomaseawolves.com Left: Senior Spencer Clapp Right: Junior Blake Bourelle

Men’s lacrosse finishes up fall season and looks forward to spring JOEY PIOMBO STAFF WRITER

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he Sonoma State University Lacrosse Club was founded in 1985 and they currently compete in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). The MCLA consists of nine division one club conferences throughout the United States and the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) and has been home to the Seawolves

since 1989.

This conference is stacked with many great schools such as University of California-Berkeley, Stanford University, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California State University-Chico, Dominican University and the University of Nevada, Reno. Since joining the MCLA, the Sonoma State lacrosse club has

COURTESY // Sonoma State Men’s Lacrosse The team gathers around after their win

made history by earning its first National Championship Trophy in 2002.

Each year the fall semester provides a huge building period in preparation for the spring season. The club started their fall practices with a meeting in late August. Throughout the fall semester, they spend three days practicing.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday the team hits the field from 4-6 pm.

The combined six hours on the field each week helps build the team's chemistry in preparation for fall scrimmages and ultimately the spring season.

The team also spends time together focusing on their academics throughout the fall.

Each Tuesday the team gets together for a two-hour study sessions to make sure that all athletes are on top of their studies.

To wrap up the teams fall play, the team spent the month of October scrimmaging four opponents.

The team played showcased their skills against four team this fall. The club had their first test on October 6 when facing the Sonoma State Alumni team.

The game was very laid back but competitive with the current club beating the alumni 11-8. The team’s second scrimmage came a week later when playing Biola University on October 12. The game was extremely one-sided with the Seawolves coming out on top 17-2. The next day the team traveled to Navato, California to play the East Bay Athletic Club lacrosse team. Their roster is decorated with former highlevel players from the MCLA and NCAA. The Seawolves battled and won the game 13-8. The final test of the fall season was the Dominican University of California in San Rafael, California on October 19.. For years, these

two teams have played in many competitive games against each other sparking a unique rivalry.

It was a hard fought game but the Seawolves took their only loss of the fall semester 21-14.

The team went 3-1 this fall.

Despite the scrimmage outcomes, the team grew as a family. The fall has always been a learning and building period for the club. When talking to Panchito Ojeda, the head coach of the team, he described the fall season for the team when saying, “We learned a lot about success, we learned about failure and what it takes to win.”

When asked what the team was focused on, everyone unanimously agreed it was to just work on getting better everyday. The fall semester provided the team with an opportunity to grow as a unit. Coach Ojeda described the team's growth when saying, “We grew as a team culturally...it will be important to play blue collar lacrosse.”

The team has now completed fall practices and will not practice again until next season.

Since the club is a member of a very competitive league it is vital that the team continues their growth in the off-season. When asked what the team needs to do in order to prepare for the spring Ojeda explained, “We're going to be working on fundamental defense, fundamental offense, shooting, off-ball movement and other things like that.”

The team will start spring practices in the month of January. The Seawolves first spring game will be against Claremont on February 9 at Sonoma State.

The club plans to continue their momentum from the fall season and have high hope of competing in Salt Lake City for the MCLA National Championships in early May. For more information about the upcoming season visit ssulacrosse.com.

Sports 11

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Women’s volleyball faced tough weekend on the road

JESSICA BENNETT STAFF WRITER

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onoma State Women’s volleyball traveled all the way to California State San Marcos on Friday and unfortunately, this series ended in a hard loss for the ladies in blue. Sonoma State is now 8-14 overall and 4-9 in the CCAA after this San Marcos game.

During the first set Sonoma State automatically fell behind the Cal State Cougars 4-2 and then ended up getting a tie 5-5. After that Sonoma fell 12 points and was sadly stuck at 13. Ending the first match 25-13. Coming into the second match Sonoma had a lead, 10-8. Things were looking up for the ladies in blue, however, they let it slip falling 25-15. And to wrap up the last match was coming around and Sonoma was down 2-0. The Seawolves tied this match 1-1 but Cal State San Marcos came and swept the series 25-10.

During this series number two, a familiar player Tate Battistini and a redshirt freshman number four, Emily Eaton had six kills each.

Number 11 Jenna Miller helped out with 19 assists, juniors Caiti Wiesner and Ashleigh Phelps each had six digs. The series is set at a tie.

The next game Sonoma State put up a fight. The ladies in blue traveled to UC San Diego for this Saturday series. Unfortunately, this series ended in yet another loss of the Seawolves.

Sonoma State fell 3-1 and now places 8-15 overall and 4-8 in CCAA. Everything was looking up when Sonoma State beat San Diego during the first match. With 14 kills Sonoma got that first win. However, that one win was not enough. During set two the Sonoma State ladies had a total of seven kills but fell behind San Diego early in the game 13-3.

They could not keep up, ending set two 25-17. Coming up to set three Sonoma came back 5-1 with 12 kills taking the lead over the Tritons 13-11. This set was a close one extending the lead 25-24 but the Seawolves fell short just by one point to the Tritons.

Closing the fourth and final match Sonoma State took a slight lead 5-4 but the Seawolves did not give up having over 12 ties during this game. Unfortunately, the San Diego Tritons claimed four out of the final six points and won the final match 25-21.

Battistini had another great game scoring 15 kills and 16 digs. As well as junior Wiesner, with her season-high of 20 digs. And to wrap up Miller had 35 assists.

After this tough weekend Sonoma needs to turn it around especially with the weekend coming up, Miller said, “We just need to work on a few things and play hard in practice! We have been changing around positions and systems but continue to make progress and get better.”

Sonoma State Seawolves are traveling again to all time rival California State University Chico and the Seawolves will take on Stanislaus State Saturday Oct. 27.

STAR// LUIS MADRIGAL Top: The Seawolves gather together in between sets to get ready for the challenge to come.

Bottom: Junior Lexi Mudd, 8, serves the ball in an effort to rally back and get the team into a good rhythm

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12 Photo

OCT. 23 - OCT. 29, 2018 sonomastatestar.com

Reflections: After the Fire exhibit

STAR // Natalie Dolan Guests of the Reflections: After the Fires reception admiring the art pieces in the library art gallery.

STAR // Natalie Dolan (Top Left) Rohnert Park visitor gazes at the artwork on display. (Bottom Left) Artist Jerry Dodrill (right) giving insight into his piece to a guest. (Above) Artist Corrine Haverinen (right) observing paintings with a fellow guest on Wednesday.

STAR // Kaylie Boettner The competitors of the men’s wing eating competition chow down while students watch closely to see who will win.

STAR // Kaylie Boettner Daisy Agers (left) and Breauna Fracassa (right) enjoy their time on Phi Delta Theta’s teeter totter.

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open select Dates FroM octoBer 12-31