Spartan Daily Vol. 162 No. 1 by Spartan Daily

WINNER OF 2023 ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS PACEMAKER AWARD, NEWSPAPER/NEWSMAGAZINE NAMED BEST CAMPUS NEWSPAPER IN CALIFORNIA FOR 2022 BY THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Volume 162 No. 1 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY

SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934

PHOTO BY ALINA TA | SPARTAN DAILY

Senior assistant librarian and university archivist for SJSU Carli Lowe holds her daughter and shakes a makeshift noisemaker in front of the MLK Jr., Library.

CFA Ends System-Wide Strike By Alina Ta EXECUTIVE EDITOR

California Faculty Association (CFA) ended its system-wide strike four days early after reaching an agreement with leadership from the California State University system (CSU). Ray Buyco, San José State’s CFA chapter president, said strikes for the rest of the week have been called off and that faculty union members returned to work on Tuesday. “Management moved quite a bit on the first day of the strike, and while it is not everything we wanted, there are some significant CFA wins in this settlement,” Buyco said. CFA started what initially was supposed to be a week-long strike across all 23 campuses in the CSU system on Monday after both parties were unable to reach an agreement during previous negotiations. The CSU and CFA reached a tentative agreement on Monday night agreeing to settle for a 5% general salary increase for all faculty in July, increasing paid parental leave from six to ten weeks, increasing protections for faculty who interact with the police, improving access to gender neutral restrooms and more, according to a letter from the CFA.

CSU Chancellor Mildred García said she is appreciative that CFA ended their strike immediately after the agreement. “I am extremely pleased and deeply appreciative that we have reached common ground with CFA that will end the strike immediately," García said in a Jan. 22 press release from the CSU. “The agreement enables the CSU to fairly compensate its valued, world-class faculty while protecting the university system’s long-term financial sustainability." On Monday, dozens of faculty union members wore red shirts and held signs on all four sides of SJSU’s campus to demand for higher pay, longer parental leave and more. At 10 a.m., two dozen faculty union members chanted in the rain “No cuts, no fees, CSU is run by thieves” on the street entrance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library Chris Cox, the associated vice president for CFA’s council in racial and social justice at SJSU, said he was going to be on strike for the rest of the day. “Weather will not make any difference in my participation,” Cox said. Cox said CFA members went on strike because they were bargaining for better pay and with improvements that could

create better working conditions for faculty and staff, while also increasing the quality of education students are receiving. “So for that reason, I think it’s important for us to be out here and just show our strength and to let management know that

ensure faculty members could receive raises as soon as possible. "We have been in the bargaining process for eight months and the CFA has shown no movement, leaving us no other option," Freedman said, according to the same press release.

Two years from now I’m not going to forget that my teachers went on strike . . . that’s a blemish on your reputation, on the CSU’s reputation. Jelani Finkley Environmental Studies sophomore

it’s really important for them to get back to the table with some serious offers in mind,” he said. “(And) with some serious changes to what they’ve offered so far.” At the beginning of the month, CSU announced it would provide all instructional faculty, librarians, counselors and coaches a 5% general salary increase on Jan. 31, but would increase parking fees, according to a Jan. 9 press release from the CSU. Leora D. Freedman, the vice chancellor for CSU’s Human Resources, said this action would

PHOTO BY ALINA TA | SPARTAN DAILY

California Faculty Association members protest in the rain near the SJSU campus.

Buyco said the 5% general salary increase proposal was not enough to satisfy CFA’s demands because the pay increase wasn’t high enough to balance inflation. Inflation in the Pacific region of the U.S., including California, has been increasing the price of most goods annually between 3% and 8% since 2021, according to an Aug. 3 2023 article from the Public Institute of California. John Jabagchourian, a senior lecturer at SJSU’s College of Education, said he decided to join the strike because he wants a fair contract. Jabagchourian said over the past few years inflation has gone up and the cost of living has increased, but wages have not risen at the same rate. “I would title it (myself) as middle class, but I’m living in a one bedroom apartment and I’ve been living in a one bedroom apartment for 15 years because I can’t get enough funds to save up,” he said. “Cost of living and housing is going up at a higher rate than what I’m paying getting savings.” Carli Lowe, a senior assistant librarian and a university archivist for SJSU, said it’s important for the union members to stand in solidarity with one another to make sure their demands are met. Lowe said she brought her daughter to the strike because she wanted to see how solidarity works. She said she had to use parental leave during the Fall

2022 semester to take care of her daughter. “I got lucky because she was born in November, so I was able to extend what would have been my normal time off,” Lowe said. “There was Thanksgiving break and then winter break, so I got some extra time that wouldn't have happened if she’s been born in another time.” Lowe said she still had to pay for extra time off using all of her sick leave and her vacation days. She said it’s common for most parents to return from parental leave due to not having any sick days or vacation days left. Lowe said as a result, many parents had to pay for their own days off to take care of their children when they needed childcare. “Even the cost of everyday life without a child on the salaries that we’re paid is tight, and then you add the thousands and thousands of dollars a month that it costs to put your child in a childcare that you can trust and count on, and it becomes nearly impossible,” she said. Lowe said she believes that if the union members stand together they can get what they need and in turn what the students need. Environmental studies sophomore Jelani Finkley said it’s embarrassing to see faculty members be forced to go on strike because they are not getting paid enough. Finkley said he thought professors were supposed to earn six figures. “As a CSU system it’s embarrassing on their part because I’m not gonna forget this,” he said. “Two years from now I’m not going to forget that my teachers went on strike . . . that’s a blemish on your reputation, on the CSU’s reputation.”

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024

Students confused by new FAFSA Melany Gutierrez MANAGING EDITOR

Students and family members are facing challenges in filling out their 2024-2025 financial aid forms after the Student Federal Aid Department made multiple changes on Dec. 31, 2023. These changes are all part of the Federal Aid Department's FAFSA Simplification Act, according to the Federal Student Aid website. The act is designed to be a revamp of the procedures and systems used in granting federal student aid leading to many new modifications that affects all schools that use the Federal Student Aid program, according to the same website. Mary Le, a private college consultant, said the changes implemented from the Simplification Act are a soft launch and will inevitably face some technical issues over the next couple of months. Le said one major change is in how parents and guardians will share personal financial information and how it affects financial aid eligibility for students in their care. “The scope is to help students that are low income and underrepresented,” Le said. “The middle class, high net worth, high income folks, it may not help them as much because it’s not meant for them.” As part of the Simplification Act, the determination analysis for financial aid eligibility has been renamed to Student Aid Index (SAI) and will provide a different measure of determining ability to pay for college, according to a Federal Student Aid website. The formula removes the impact of having multiple family members in college from the calculation and implements separate eligibility determination criteria for Federal Pell Grants, according to the same website. Federal Pell Grants are a type of federal financial award available to only undergraduate students who show great financial need, according to a Federal Student Aid website. This financial award, unlike loans, does not need to be repaid. The Simplification Act expands the eligibility for students to receive Federal Pell Grants and will link eligibility to family size and federal poverty level, according to the same website. Kristen Weaver, the interim senior student affairs case manager at SJSU Cares, said in an effort to provide holistic support to San José State students, SJSU Cares does offer services to help students with FAFSA and with

obtaining any other financial assistance like CALFresh, that may benefit them. CALFresh is a program that provides financial assistance in relation to food and health to low-income families or individuals who meet federal income eligibility requirements, according to the CALFresh website. SJSU Cares is a program at SJSU that assists students who are facing economic crisis by providing support through case management and referrals for resources to basic essentials such as food, housing, emergency assistance or academic help, according to its website. Weaver said because it is a new form and therefore a new process, students should give themselves plenty of time to become acquainted with the new form, information and questions and not rush through it. “I would really recommend that people start early on the form, develop and ask questions,” Weaver said. “Contact our partners at financial aid, ask for assistance as you need it and just try to be communicative throughout the process.” Le said students shouldn’t stress out when filling out the application and instead, take it slowly and be sure to use a laptop to see more accurately. Le said students should carve out one to three hours to dedicate to filling out the FAFSA form and endure through all the frustration of technical or other problems. “This is your future financial aid so take your time to do it,” Le said. “It’s worth it.” Weaver said students should use programs on campus, like SJSU Cares, to arrange proper meetings and discover what sort of resources they have access to, if any. John Tello, a history graduate student said he doesn’t understand the purpose of the new adjustments being made to the 2024-2025 FAFSA form. Tello also said he feels like there are no helping hands or good resources on campus to go to for help with FAFSA. “Even though I've been in school this long, I (feel like I’m) new because all of this is new,” he said. “Honestly I'm still trying to figure it out, like where do I even go?” Tello said that with these new brackets of information in FAFSA, there is a strong need for education on financial literacy. Le said she also sees the need for financial aid awareness and literacy with the new changes that might confuse both returning students and new students. Le said this new act will

GRAPHIC BY MELANY GUTIERREZ

simplify the financial aid process as intended but it warrants a period of adaptation for those who grew accustomed to the previous FAFSA form. She said the most apparent changes to the form will focus on the financial supporter of a student. Le said instead of the traditional use of language typically seen in the FAFSA form such as “Parent 1,” “Parent 2” or “Spouse,” any financially supportive figure in a student’s FAFSA form will instead be called a “Contributor.” A contributor refers to anyone who will provide their information, consent and approval to have their federal tax information automatically transferred from the IRS, according to the Federal Student Aid website. A contributor is the person who also provides a student with the most financial support even if they do not live with them or did not raise them, according to the same website. The student's financial aid eligibility will then be based on the contributor’s income two years prior to when the form is being filled out and any other information on the contributor’s federal tax form, according to the same website.

Le said it’s important for students to also recognize the difference between assets and income in relation to financial aid. “Just because you have a high income doesn't mean you're not going to get financial aid,” she said. “The equation is based on the income two years prior to the year that you start and it’s also based on assets, it's total wealth.” Tello said he has never experienced fair determination in eligibility for financial aid and many underrepresented students feel the same way. Tello was offered admission to Columbia University in 2020 for a graduate degree in history but was unable to attend because of lack of funds. He said the financial aid he was offered was nowhere near close enough to cover the cost of Columbia’s tuition. “The quarters or the semester (at Columbia) cost like 30 grand and my financial aid only covered like $20,000,” Tello said. “If I wanted to take it I was going to have to come up with $10,000 in a pandemic.” Tello said at every university he applied to, whether it be SJSU or Columbia, financial problems always got in the way of finishing his degree. “We can't ignore important

underrepresented voices of students with all these continuous barriers to finishing a degree, especially if there are going to be new limitations to financial aid,” Tello said. He said the broke college student cliché is very real and the bare minimum should be provided to students who need financial education and access to information to be able to complete their FAFSA. “There should at least be an info sheet on the desk (of campus resource centers) that students can access to get information on the changes to financial aid because it should be made clear,” Tello said. Le said many students assume they don’t qualify for FAFSA and end up not applying. “I don't care how much you make. You should do your part and apply for FAFSA,” Le said. “California schools don't get money until we get FAFSA submitted.”

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Spartan Daily remembers Jeremy Martin Alexia Frederickson NEWS EDITOR

Jeremy Randall Martin, a San José State journalism alumnus, died suddenly on Dec 15th. He was 26. Jeremy was born with a congenital heart defect that affected him throughout his life, but it never stopped him from pursuing his dreams and ambitions. Randall Martin, his father, said he spent many of his summers at Camp Taylor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to children with heart diseases and their families. “Jeremy took his experience and passion for helping others with the same condition by becoming a mentor and camp counselor, giving new and existing families hope for the future,” said Christie Martin, his mother. He was an avid video game collector, and wrote a column on the Spartan Daily as a senior staff writer dedicated to his love for the medium called “Jeremy’s Campaign.” On most mornings,

Jeremy was always the first to enter into the newsroom at Dwight Bentall Hall. As a writer, Jeremy had an incredible attention to detail, always working to make sure his writing was the best it could be. He would constantly contact his editors throughout the day to give updates and make sure he was on track with his work. In Spring of 2023, Jeremy wrote an article for the Mental Health special issue titled “Video games healed my inner child.” In the story, he wrote about how video games helped him cope with his illness and shaped him into the person he had become. “Video games teach everyone that no matter who you are, anyone can be a hero,” he wrote. Jeremy graduated from San José State with a Bachelor of Science in journalism in May 2023. He worked as a production assistant at KNTV NBC Bay Area, which he loved. He was approached by NBC to work with them after seeing a video he had made with

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIE AND RANDALL MARTIN

the Spartan Daily. “The Nintendo 64 is very near and dear to me,” he said in the video. “I was born with a heart condition, so I remember playing a lot of it in the hospital, especially Pokémon Stadium.” Jeremy said his dream was to become a TV anchor. NBC Bay Area honored him with a memorial segment on their news

broadcast after his death. “Jeremy Martin was a much-loved part of our production team and a very bright light in our newsroom,” said Jessica Aguirre, an NBC Bay Area news anchor. Aguirre said that Jeremy was a beloved coworker who would always bring a smile to the newsroom, even on the most stressful days. She

said that he was kind and giving, and had an infectious passion for his work and his work family. “Jeremy did everything he dreamed of, he succeeded in his college journey and completed it with everything he had,” said Christie Martin. “Jeremy struggled with anxieties and feared the unknown but he never let this knock him down.”

In remembering Jeremy Martin, the Spartan Daily honors his dedication to his family, friends and community, and his unbreakable spirit that will continue to inspire those who were around him. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024

Henze makes chocolate and art meet By Alina Ta EXECUTIVE EDITOR

At a gourmet chocolate shop in Palo Alto, a retired professor from San José State presents her paintings to show her love for the natural landscapes visited during childhood. Rosemary Henze, a retired linguistic and language development professor from SJSU, said her friend invited her to have her art show at his chocolate shop. “I just figured this is a good way to sort of see if I like exhibiting my work,” Henze said. On each of the deep red walls of Alegio Chocolaté, oil paintings of the Sierra Nevadas and other scenic locations throughout California are hung above small boxes of chocolate. In each of the canvases, smooth paint strokes recreate the images of natural scenery ranging from desert rocks to various trees that can be seen throughout the state. Henze said she travels to different locations, she takes multiple photographs as reference. She said when she sketches her artwork she combines all of her photo references together. “I combine all of the photographs and the sketches into something completely new,” she said. Henze said everyeach scenery she painted on eachevery canvas has a lot of meaning for her because she grew up visiting each of those locations throughout her childhood. She said many of these locations have lots of memories and stories with family and friends. “There’s certain lakes and mountains that I’ve known since childhood so they have lots of meaning and lots of stories, family stories,” she said. “When I’m painting there, I feel like I’m sort of recapitulating a lot of narratives and history.” Henze said in her largest painting in the chocolate shop, she

ALINA TA | SPARTAN DAILY

Rosemary Henze, a retired SJSU linguistic and language development professor, displays her paintings of Sierra Nevadas in Palo Alto on Friday.

painted the center of Chocolate Peak, a mountain peak located in the Eastern Sierras. She said she grew up camping in front of the lake painted at the bottom of the painting. Henze said she has also brought her nieces and nephews to the same area to camp there until they grew up and started bringing their own children to those camping areas as well. “It’s like another generation of little kids that have gone camping there with me,” Henze said. “It has this intergenerational feel to it.” Covrina Grieco, Henze’s step-daughter, said she and her family have been traveling to many of these locations around twice a year for the past eight years. Grieco said she feels very fortunate to be a part of Henze’s family and to visit the Eastern Sierras.

“I know those mountains, I know which lake that is just from looking at it,” she said. “So it is a very personal experience.” Grieco said she’s been watching Henze paint since she was nine years old. She said she used to watch Henze her sketch and paint with mostly watercolor whenever she was out in nature. “Any trips that we took, she would be sketching in a little watercolor pad with a travel watercolor kit,” Grieco said. She said watching Henze transition into painting with oils instead of watercolor has been a journey. Henze also said both mediums are very different in comparison to one another because oil paints take a long time to dry and because they are easy to smudge. “I think it’s a great skill

that she’s giving herself the time to move into,” Grieco said. “I think oil paint is totally scary . . . It’s a really intimidating medium.” Henze said she used to make small watercolor paintings in her sketchbooks while she was out hiking. She said she switched to painting with oil paints in 2018 after retiring from SJSU. San José State University. “I decided that now that I’m retired, I really want to expand my practice of art,” Henze said. Henze said to expand her painting skills, she took a class at Berkeley with Afsaneh Michaels. Michaels is an art teacher and a private coach who has been teaching students how to make art for 25 years, according to her website. Henze said Michaels first taught her how to paint with acrylics and eventually taught her how to paint with oil paints.

She also said after some time Michaels taught her how to paint on larger canvases. “After some experimentation, her art became about recording and connecting with places and the memories associated with these places in her past that were formative and meaningful to her,” Michaels said. “It’s as though these places in the landscape spoke to her through the rocks, the earth, the plants and flowers and the water and reminded her of who she is.”

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Ravers spend their weekend wobbling Julia Chie PRODUCTION EDITOR

This weekend, ravers from all over the Bay Area threw down together at a heavy-bass electronic dance music (EDM) festival named “Wobbleland”. Raves were originally illegal, underground gatherings in the 1980s that celebrated electronic music, according to an article by Grinnell College. Ravers originally organized as a response to mainstream culture, but today due to commercialization, they are corporate-sponsored multimillion dollar money making ventures, according to the article. Located at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium across from San Francisco’s Civic Center, artists Adventure Club and SVDDEN DEATH headlined on Friday. Kai Wachi and Black Tiger Sex Machine ended the fest on Saturday, Jan. 20. Ever since my first rave a little over a year ago, EDM culture has leaked through my eardrums and into my life, becoming not only a favorite music genre, but a huge hobby. Wobbleland was one of my favorite electronic experiences of the 13-plus I have been to. First off, so many of my friends and acquaintances were there. As raves become more mainstream, with self-made DJs on the rise and more commercialized festivals popping up, PLUR culture is ever more important to protect the scene. Peace Love Unity and Respect (PLUR) is an ethical guide for ravers that grew from a desire to be a safe and inclusive community, according to an article published by EDM Identity.. The Peace Love Unity Movement was started by Frankie Bones, one of the first American DJs to play abroad on a major

stage in 1990, according to the article. It eventually evolved into the acronym PLUR, a mantra that encourages anyone to find a home on the dance floor. It was comforting to witness PLUR this at the festival with a huge audience and I’m glad I had the honor of trading Kandi bracelets with some people. Kandi bracelets are brightly colored beaded bracelets that are designed to be traded away as a sign of PLUR, according to the iHeartRaves blog. Vital and Another Planet Entertainment‘s 5:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. two-day festival featured some of my favorite recent artists in the scene. My favorite smaller artists that attended in order would have to be Jessica Audiffred, HOL!, Lil Texas, Crankdat, Kompany, RZRKT and Space Wizard. Audiffred’s set surprised me the most. Female DJs have a special place in my heart and her set was equally inspiring and invigorating. One of my favorite aspects of electronic music is how grand it feels.With booming reverb, exciting buildups and slamming drops depending on the subgenre. Audiffred mastered the range of emotion in her music, while providing heavy visuals of flowers and skulls. Adventure Club was my favorite set of the night. Heavy dubstep artists like SVDDEN DEATH and Black Tiger Sex Machine have a very clear vision of what their music is and what it should look like. They tend to stick to that for their entire set. Intense raging, themes of war, robots and skeletons are just their thing, and I can definitely get down to that. Something was just different about Adventure Club. Their pacing was phenomenal with the perfect musical story from start to finish that didn’t tire you out,

PHOTO COURTESY OF EDEN SHOHAT

Ravers jam out to heavy-bass EDM music at Bill Graham Auditorium in San Francisco on Saturday.

but it kept you excited for more. Bill Graham as a venue is The duo also imbued a lot of fun also amazing. Unlike the San

the multiple stages features. The second stage at Wobbleland made way to showcase up-and-coming artists and allowed for showgoers to have options. Festivals like this also allow for movement around the building that isn’t as comfortable at a cold, outdoor venue in the winter. Looking back on that night, “Wobbleland” was my favorite of the three festivals I have attended Julia Chie and one of my favorite raves. If you are interested in going to Production Editor a rave this year, please remember to respect the existing culture and José Civic Center, the floor is don’t forget to have fun. I can completely open. This gives the definitely say I’m looking forward balcony and floor great contrast to wobbling next year. in both experience and audience, as older and more experienced ravers are at the top. With this being said, being on the floor at Bill Graham is a neighborhood block party with better music and flashier outfits. Follow Julia One feature I love about on X (formerly Twitter) festivals versus normal raves are @juijui122e

Ever since my first rave a little over a year ago, EDM culture has leaked through my eardrums and into my life, becoming nt only a favorite music genre, but a huge hobby.

into their show which a lot of bass artists fail to see past the intensity. The first festival I ever went to was also my first rave – “Countdown NYE 2023” in San Bernardino. Even though it was a life-changing experience, it rained heavily for half of the night at the outdoor venue. Wobbleland was a great alternative to bring in the new year indoors, despite it being a few weeks “late”.

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, 2024

Birth control gave me depression

Maya Benmokhtar OPINION EDITOR

GRAPHIC BY MAYA BENMOKHTAR | SPARTAN DAILY

broke into tears explaining my experience with the Mirena IUD. Instead of listening to me and removing this device from my teen body, I was told to “reconsider” and “give it more time.” My doctor also told me I should consider seeing a therapist for my dark thoughts. I mean— what the fuck? I sat there in my most vulnerable state begging in tears for them to hear me out and take the foreign device out, but I was instead seen as a sensitive, depressed teenager. I remember looking the doctor right in the eyes and saying, “If you don’t remove this device today, I will take it out myself one way or another.” Thinking back, it might’ve sounded like a threat, but I was at my limit. At last, they finally took me seriously, and decided to follow through and remove the device.

Somehow that wasn’t my worst part of my experience with the Mirena IUD. After the doctor proceeded to remove the device, I sensed that something was wrong. This procedure was taking longer than expected. After 20 minutes, the doctor rose and said to me, “One second, I am going to bring in another doctor.” With my legs up and my feet still in the lithotomy stirrups, my mind was racing, thinking of the worst scenarios as I always do. The doctor came back with another specialist, who informed me that they could not find my IUD. What a damn nightmare. Thankfully, after days of stress and a new gynecologist, I successfully got the Mirena IUD located and removed. Birth control methods can have

CLASSIFIEDS 1

SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

1. Like most roads 6. Take --- at (attempt) 11. Wayne's word 14. Hispaniola part 15. Sour cream additive 16. "Shogun" sash 17. Hanging tapestry 18. Marathoner 19. Perch, at first 20. Famous TV ranch 22. Took out the king? 24. Two of nine? 25. Prepare to be shot 26. No-thing connector 27. Even the greatest men hail them 28. Obliquely 31. Luster 34. Type of charge 35. Word with bank or student 36. Country of Juan Carlos 38. Wallet stuffers 39. Teach 41. Short-tailed lemur 42. Groups of four 43. Type of deal 45. Noted Broadway debut,

DOWN 1. Project segment 2. Spelling or Burr 3. Computer illness 4. "L'--- c'est moi" 5. Descriptor for wrinkled hands 6. Opposite of this clue 7. Stock unit 8. Clock sound 9. Hail from the past 10. Famous triangle

JOKIN’ AROUND What did the flight attendant say to the 2x4 when it got on the airplane?

DECEMBER 5

SOLUTIONS

October, 1982 46. One of a ballroom couple 47. "--- was saying" 50. String instrument 52. Movie starring Yul Brynner 54. Sort or type 55. "Three Coins..." fountain 57. Bovine trademark 58. Position for Palmer 59. More fit for the task 60. Hotelier Helmsley 61. Jug handle 62. Appellation 63. Yearns

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ACROSS

hormonal contraception were associated with an increased risk of developing depression. This risk was higher in teens ages 15 to 19, especially for non-oral forms of birth control such as the ring, patch, and IUD. After my experiences with hormonal birth control methods, I have found that non-hormonal contraceptives are what is best for me and I will seriously never go back to anything else. I wouldn’t have had to come to this conclusion the hard way if my doctors had been more proactive in sharing the risks and side effects with me sooner. I made a promise to myself to never let any birth control make me feel like that again.

various side effects, and it’s essential to consider these side effects when considering or using contraception. I feel as if most of these side effects are not talked about enough, and that is something healthcare professionals should change. I would like to know if the birth control method I am considering is going to make me gain 20-plus pounds, cause intense acne and mood swings, or in my case, suicidal ideations. I find it disturbing that doctors push women to get on birth control without properly informing them of the risks and side effects. It was even more disturbing to see how my doctors made me feel like I belonged in a psychiatric hospital, especially after telling me they could not find a foreign object in my body. According to an article published by Harvard Health, all forms of

Welcome a board.

As a sexually active 22-year-old woman, birth control has saved my ass a couple of times. However, if I am being honest, it has also ruined a lot and the side effects followed by birth control are not talked about enough. My birth control journey started at the age of 12 for the sole reason of my unbearably painful cramps and heavy menstrual cycle. After taking the pill for a couple of months I suddenly stopped getting my period entirely. I also broke out with huge pimples all over my cheeks and forehead. My moods were like a roller coaster. One minute I was super happy, and the next minute I was ready to punch a hole through a wall. I was around 16 when I decided to change birth control methods, mostly because I started forgetting to take the pill every day. I started forgetting to take the pill every day and the pill is a serious long-term commitment that was really hard to keep up with. I switched to a hormonal IUD (intrauterine device), called Mirena. Within a couple of days I started to turn into an entirely different person and not in a good way. I began to think dark thoughts like, “Is life worth it anymore? Am I good enough?” I’ve never had these thoughts before in my life, but after taking this new birth control for a week I was ready to end it all. I went to my gynecologist and

11. Henry Moore creation 12. Reedy instrument 13. 10-10, e.g. 21. O. Henry gift 23. Paint remover or solvent 26. Aries or Taurus 27. New York City park 28. Six, in Siena 29. State vehemently 30. Sammy Davis Jr's "--Can" 31. Narrow opening 32. Use a whetstone 33. T. S. Eliot work 34. "Unforgettable" Cole 36. Soap bubbles 37. Many home computers 40. Sound heard in a parade 41. Live inside, as a spirit 43. Name of Tennessee's streetcar 44. Granola morsel 46. Carpenter's need 47. Firebug's crime 48. Broken arm support 49. Lightbulbs, in the comics 50. Contemptible 51. Pelvic parts 52. Fight reminder

S A M S N A R E S A C R E C P A H O L E U P L O O N H I G H A N D D R Y S N U G M A N O W A R C O D E R O N A NE M I S S O U R I O P E N P I T B A R B Q T S A R S A F T N I L E E T S I S M T O O C U D R O T C A I D B E E R S N A R R O W M A R G I N O U T S I D E R O B O E C A D E T S A U C E R S A W O L B R O A D S H E E T S A M E B I B L E S B O O E Y E R C O S T A R E S P

7 1 2 8 4 3 9 5 6

5 4 9 2 1 8 9 5 3 6 6 3 4 7 8 7 1 6 4 9 2 5 1 8 3 9 6 7 5 2 4 8 2 6 7 1 2 3 9 4 3 7 8 1 5

6 8 3 2 7 4 9 1 5 3 5 2 7 9 6 1 4 8 5 3 1 8 6 7 4 2 9

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2024

BASKETBALL ANALYSIS

NATHAN CANILAO | SPARTAN DAILY

San Jose State junior guard Myron Amey, Jr. takes a free throw against Cal State East Bay. The Spartans are 1-4 in Mountain West Conference play.

For Spartans, attention to detail is the key By Navin Krishnan SPORTS EDITOR

After flushing in a relatively new roster and losing significant firepower because of combo guard Omari Moore’s departure to the NBA world, the San José State men’s basketball team trekked its way through the Mountain West. The Spartans stand at 8-10 overall and 1-4 in the Mountain West. “I think our guys have given us everything they possibly could,” SJSU head coach Tim Miles said. “We’ve been a little short-handed with injury. (We) play hard but we’ve had four games that are just heartbreaking losses right at the buzzer.” Miles said the entire roster produced blood, sweat and tears when facing adversity against the Mountain West rivals. “I can’t ask for more effort and enthusiasm out of these guys,” Miles said. “We just got to keep staying with it so we can find a way to get over the top of these ball games.” While multiple players as well as Miles stepped up their game, the team’s chemistry has been the saving grace for SJSU.

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“Certainly it hurts to lose the Mountain West Player of the Year (Moore),” Miles said. “I think when you look at our top returning guys, Alvaro Cardenas, Trey Anderson, Tibet Goerner (and) Myron Amey, Jr. — those guys have really prospered for us.” Miles said with injuries and lack of interior defense and physicality, SJSU no longer has the edge it had in the 20222023 season to bang down low. He said right now, the Spartans lack physicality and athleticism inside. He said they still need to keep their guards in front of them when on defense. He said SJSU doesn't have as much shot blocking as they’ve had in the past. Junior guard Alvaro Cardenas has evolved his game over the offseason and returned as team captain for the blue-andgold. Cardenas from Granada, Spain was upgraded to starter in the 2022-2023 season and played in all 35 games while putting up averages of 10 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game. “I definitely made a big improvement from last year,” Cardenas said. “The game is kind of slowing down for me. I’m playing with a lot more confidence and taking up a bigger

responsibility.” As the face of the team this year, Cardenas grasped his steady improvement and finished 2023 with a bang, recording a doubledouble in three of the final four games of 2023. Cardenas said the title of captain doesn’t mean as much to him, despite being the leader following the departure of Moore last season. Juxtapositioned to the

skilled Spaniard is his right-hand man, junior guard Myron Amey, Jr. Amey is an explosive scorer, notching a season high of 30 points against the Boise State University Broncos, but struggled to see significant time on the floor to make an impact in-game and couldn’t showcase his talent for his first two seasons. “Last year, I wasn’t able to play due to injuries,” Amey said. “Just getting back in the mix (and)

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balance. Amey said his goal is to do whatever his team needs from him and he is willing to evolve his game. “One of my best abilities that people know is my scoring,” Amey said. “I’m just trying to improve my defensive game as well. Whether it’s diving for loose balls, grabbing rebounds or putting points on the board.”

short. “Coach Miles always preaches to us that if we do the little things, do as many things as you can do right,” Amey said. “The thing (coach Miles) preaches to us right now is defense. Defense is going to be the reason we win games. Getting key stops down the stretch.” Cardenas said the game is slowing down for him and he has taken over the task of being a vocal leader by keeping everyone responsible. Cardenas said that the Spartans need to keep believing in themselves and put up a fight every game. “It’s been like seven games that are really close,” Cardenas said. “We’re right there. We can play with anybody in this conference. We’ve just got to learn to finish Myron Amey, Jr. games.” SJSU Junior guard Cardenas said the next step for the team is to However, Amey has win as many conference developed into a decent games as possible and defensive player who hope for a fortune steps up when his team when the Mountain needs him. West tournament comes Amey has found his around. rhythm with his work “We can beat anyone ethic at the collegiate in this conference so we level. He said his can go to the National leadership isn’t something Collegiate Athletic he came into SJSU with. Association tournament,” Amey said in times of Cardenas said. adversity, coach Miles kept his team motivated because he knew his team had been in many close Follow Navin on X games that resulted in (formerly Twitter) the Spartans coming up @NavinKthespear

I’m just trying to improve my defensive game as well. Whether it’s diving for loose balls, grabbing rebounds or putting points on the board. The thing (coach Miles) preaches to us right now is defense. Defense is going to be the reason we win games. Getting key stops down the stretch.

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being with the guys is a blessing.” Amey has also had shining moments in the 2023-2024 season such as the game-winning dagger at the buzzer he hit to beat the Air Force Falcons. With the departure of Moore, Amey and Cardenas have had to pick up the slack not only on the offensive side but on defense. “We come in as a team,

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we do a lot of hard stuff in practice,” Amey said. “We feel like we practice harder than anyone in the country and make sure we pay attention to detail.” Amey tallied a seasonhigh of four steals against Santa Clara University and recorded three steals against Hampton University. Amey is known for being an explosive athlete and a player who can beat defenders with quickness and a low center of

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