Spartan Daily Vol. 161 No. 11

CSU increases tuition by 6%

By Nikita Bankar STAFF WRITER

The CSU Board of Trustees voted 17-2 in favor of a proposed increase in student tuition by 6% annually, at Glenn S. Dumke Auditorium in Long Beach, Calif. on Sept. 13.

The proposal, titled the “MultiYear Tuition Proposal,” will increase tuition each semester for undergraduate students by $342, and $432 for graduate students beginning in the fall of 2024 according to a 23 ABC Bakersfield article.

Daisy Navarrete, A.S. Student Government president from CSU Channel Islands spoke at the beginning of the public forum. Navarrete said the CSU is meant to be affordable, offer social mobility and allow students of all backgrounds an opportunity to succeed and access higher quality education.

“To say this tuition hike is a modest request is heartless to students who don’t have the opportunity to work, like student parents and undocumented students,” Navarrete said.

Protesters outside the auditorium could be heard yelling, banging drums, and using horns to make a stand against the tuition increase, according to the Long Beach Post. Karen Carrillo, Cal State Fresno A.S. president said an alternative approach to the tuition increase could be a series of 3% to 6% incremental increases over the span of three to six years.

“After extensive discussion with my fellow students it is clear to me that anything beyond the total of 18% will be financially detrimental to all of us,” Carrillo said. “If we were to continue to raise tuition of the five year assessment, how would we differ from the UC tuition rates?”

Tuition for CSU students costs $5,742 per academic year for undergraduate students, according to the 2023-24 the CSU website, while tuition at the University of California costs $14,436 per year for undergraduate students, according to the UC website.

Sarab Multani, public health junior and San José State A.S. President, said it was both intentional and

irresponsible of the trustees to allow this meeting to happen in the first two weeks of school.

“I leave the trustees with one question,” Multani said. “Will you be on the side of history that actually took the time to rightfully compromise with the student body and move this forward in November, or will you be on the side of history that neglected our voices, rushed the decision, and changed the CSU system negatively forever?”

The CSU Board of Trustees also discussed and voted on the 20242025 operating budget plan and the multi-year tuition proposal.

According to the 2024-25 CSU operating budget plan, the CSU proposes an $8.7 billion operating budget for 2024-25, with $5.4 billion from the state General Fund and $3.3 billion from tuition and fee revenue. The budget plan is an increase of $557.4 million over 2023-24.

Ryan Storm, CSU assistant vice chancellor, said the approval of the multi-year tuition proposal and the operating budget plan are critically

mission of the university,” he said.

Storm said these priorities include having increased funding for the State University Grant program, basic needs, academic and student services support and mental health services. He also said Title IX implementation, infrastructure, and compensation to attract and retain faculty and staff are also part of these priorities.

Board of Trustee member Lillian Kimbell said there were two options for handling the current CSU financial situation of a $1.5 billion deficit.

“The options are cutting services, which will affect all our students, otherwise a graduated and predictable tuition increase, which we are discussing today,” Kimbell said.

Kimbell said ultimately she was going to vote in favor of the tuition increase.

“I understand it is going to be hurting a substantial amount of people, and they will feel financial

important to placing the university’s fiscal footing on solid ground.

“This is to ensure that a balance will occur between raising the appropriate levels of revenue to meet budget priorities, and to continue to provide accessible and affordable education to California residents,” Storm said.

Storm said the additional revenue is necessary to pay for existing programs, services, priorities, and state and federal mandates.

“Additional revenue received from a tuition increase will be invested in budget priorities that reflect the values and

pain,” Kimbell said. “I just don’t think there is any other option.”

Board of Trustee member Leslie Gilbert-Lurie said she reluctantly supports raising tuition, since she does not feel there is a solution to the deficit.

“In all of the people who have spoken with us and said find another way, I haven’t heard one suggestion of another way,” Gilbert-Lurie said.

SCREENSHOT BY NIKITA BANKAR

The California State University Board of Trustees meets to discuss increasing tuition for students by 6% at the Glenn S. Dumke Auditorium in Long Beach, Calif. on Sept. 13.

To say this tuition hike is a modest request is heartless to students who don’t have the opportunity to work, like student parents and undocumented students.

West Nile virus threatens Bay Area

By Melany Gutierrez STAFF WRITER

Santa Clara County’s Vector Control District has been conducting adult-mosquito control treatments to suppress the spread of the West Nile virus in Palo Alto, San José, Milpitas, Willow Glen, and the greater Santa Clara area.

Vector Control Community Resource Specialist Beverly Perez said prevention treatments have been happening since late August.

She also said the first case of a mosquito with West Nile virus was found all the way back in late July in Palo Alto. West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne disease that originated from the West Nile District in Uganda, according to a website from Santa Clara County Vector Control District. It was first detected on the East Coast of the U.S. in 1999 and arrived in Santa Clara County in 2004, according to the same source. California has had an average of 47 reported cases of West Nile virus for the past 5 years. In 2022 reported cases went down to 40, and now in 2023 cases are up to 98, according to a website from the West Nile virus California Department of Public Health. This virus usually spreads through getting bitten by an infected mosquito, but it can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or from mother-to-baby during pregnancies, according to the Centers for

Di se as e Cont ro l an d P revention ( CDC) we b site

T h e W est Nile virus is rarely fata l an d ab ou t 1 in 5 people who get infected e xp erience fever or other symptoms.

Most who are infected do not experience sy mptoms at all, according to t he CDC

Those who are 60 years old and above, children, lithdil

people with medical conditions or immune system complications are more likely to experience severe symptoms or illnesses that target their nervous system.

hand for mosquito control is genetically modified (GMO) mosquitoes, according to the CDC.

Genetically modified mosquitoes are being mass produced in laboratories to control a type of mosquito called “Aedes aegypti” mosquitoes, according to the same source.

Genetically modified mosquitoes are produced with a self limiting gene, preventing female mosquito offspring from living to adulthood.

The main purpose of genetically modified mosquitoes is to mate with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, spread and pass on the self limiting gene, decreasing the female mosquito population and decreasing the mosquito population overall.

Since 2019, 1 billion genetically modified mosquitoes have been released and have been successful in decreasing the number of West Nile virus

codes and interactiv e maps visually outlinin g the neighborhoods th at will be part of treatments each week.

same website

T h e Ni l e

Those who do grow ill from the virus, experience symptoms such as acute fever, headaches, body aches, joint pains, skin rash, diarrhea and other stomach related issues, or a more severe symptom, inflammation of the brain, according to the same website. The West Nile virus can not be cured with vaccines, medications or

b e cure d wit h vaccines, me dications or antibiotics.

The best treatment plans for West Nile virus are fluids, over the counter pain medication and rest, according to the

T h e b e st t re at me nt p l ans f or West Ni l e v irus are over t he counter pain me dication and rest, t he CD C.

A way to reduce

A way to reduce the risk of ge ttin g a nd contractin g the West virus is using repellent and pe sticides and sleeve shirts and pants, tlb

bitten and contracting the West Nile virus is by using insect repellent and pesticides and wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants, according to a press release webpage from the Santa Clara County Vector Control District.

Santa Clara County Vector District posts on Instagram a list of zip

Pe re z said t hat control treatments consist of tru ck mo un te d equipment expressed his concern definitely would be g reat if th ey

emitting ab ou t no t knowin g much about the West Nile virus onl y prompts more fear in him.

“I've heard of it, but I'm not familiar with it,” Franklin said. “It does concern me because what am I gonna do? How canIprotectmyse

heard SJSU or Santa Clara County announce anything about it,” Totah said. “I haven't received any emails or anything. It definitely would be great if they expanded on education about the virus.”

ab out Advertisin g ju nior

Advertising junior Kristen Bongco, currently living in the affected area of San José, said she views this news as reason for panic because you can not escape mosquitoes.

numb er West virus cases in places like Brazi l, Panama , and Indi a according to the CDC website. The CDC makes it clear that genetically modified mosquitoes are not intended to stop ongoing disease outbreaks, but to help prevent disease outbreaks and reduce the spreading of germs.

is considering using

genetically modified

mists of pesticides.

T h e di st ri ct d oe s not urge people to relocate durin g these treatments , but does encoura ge itb

community members to close all windows and doors.

Advertising senior Octavio Franklin lives in one of the affected zip codes of San José. Franklin

considered for publication.

Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Spartan Daily, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or SJSU. The Spartan Daily is a public forum.

can I myse lf against that?”

St ud io Ca my Totah lives in affe cted are a. Totah said heari ng the first time g ives

can I protect myself Studio Art senior Camy Totah lives in Willow Glen, another Totah said hearing this news now, for the first time gives her frustration. She said she has immune issues, and is afraid of how many people could get unknowingly infected.

“I feel like I haven't

escape mos quitoes. therearemosquitoes

“It concerns me because there are mosquitoes everywhere,” said Bongco. “Most people are allergic to just the regular mosquito bites, I can’t imagine how bad this would be now.”

Perez said eventually as mosquito season ends with summer, so will the possibility to contract the West Nile virus.

“West Nile virus activity tends to increase during the warmer months so it tends to start around spring and end towards the beginning of fall,” said Perez. “Last year, we conducted a total of 12 treatments. This year we are at 12 as of today with more possibly coming, but activity will die down.”

The larger picture at

“It's just an additional to ol t ha t wo uld be helpful to mit ig ate disease spreading in our communities,” Perez said. Perez said even if the future of mosquito control has potential the West Nile virus is in California and it’s here to stay. Shesaidthoughthe

She said though the virus is not very well known by many, there are steps residents can take to prevent the West Nile virus from spreading.

Perez said mosquitoes need stagnant water to lay their eggs.

“Mosquito control is definitely a community effort,” Perez said. “Checking your yard for stagnant water, broken sprinklers, or overwatered plants at least once a week is a big help to prevent breeding and prevent West Nile virus activity.”

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Crime Blotter

5TH St Inactive

Shoplifting

Sept. 9, 1:20 p.m. at Campus Village Market Cleared by Arrest

INFOGRAPHIC BY ALICIA ALVAR A EZ

Pante's 'Hardin' art gallery blossoms

By Aaliyah Roman STAFF WRITER

Art/studio practices

sophomore Loren Pante held an opening reception for her art exhibit where attendees were greeted into a dimly lit room decorated with earth tones and the sounds of guitar melodies playing on Wednesday.

Pante named the show “Hardin,” the Tagalog word for “garden,” and displayed her vision through incorporating dried plants and green strings hanging across the ceiling.

Tagalog is one of the most commonly used languages in the Philippines.

Pante included many aspects of her Filipino heritage in her gallery. The show featured a collection of drawings, sculptures and installations.

Though her art show conveyed serenity and peacefulness, Pante’s initial impression of her mother showed the opposite.

“Growing up as a child, you see your parents as these gods, but as you start growing up, you lose your religion,” Pante said.

Pante said the art gallery was inspired by a letter she wrote to her mother about coming to understand her.

She said she grew up experiencing “harsh Filipino parenting.”

“I accepted that she was just that way, but

nowadays, I feel like accepting it is another word for giving up for me,” Pante said. “I don’t think accepting is a conclusion. After accepting, you have to understand why she is that way.”

Pante said that others can relate to her experience and received praise on the first day of her show.

“If I share my experience, people can take stuff away from it,” Pante said. “People can understand themselves through this work which was just something I wanted.”

Animation and illustration sophomore Mai Rufino said that she and Pante connected with each other in experiencing generational trauma.

According to Indiana University Health, generational trauma includes the adverse challenges that one experiences and if not properly healed from that trauma, can pass onto future generations.

Rufino said confronting those issues sooner is important for young adults.

“It’s just really good acknowledging everything ... and people being more self-aware so (Pante) can heal,” Rufino said.

Pante said creating the piece “It Ends With You” was her first step in accepting and understanding her mother.

Pante said she held the

“Mano Po” piece as her own personal favorite because creating it allowed her to explore a medium outside of her normal field of drawing.

In Filipino culture, people say “mano po” and bow while pressing their elder’s right hand to their forehead as a gesture that offers blessing and respect, according to an article by Asian Customs EU.

The piece is an installation of a brown antique table with a sewing machine sitting on top. Pieces of dried flowers, tied ribbon and strings of yarn dress up the sewing machine with two photo frames hung above.

The drawings in the frames are photos of visiting her grandmother in Oakland.

Pante said the sewing machine shows significance to her grandparents’ sacrifices in raising her family.

“Her and my Lolo were seamstresses before coming here and they made my mom’s uniforms. That was how they made her living,” Pante said.

In Tagalog, “Lolo” means grandfather whereas “Lola” means grandmother.

Pante said she admired her grandparents’ resilience and compared it to her own experience growing up.

“Even though it’s two

different experiences (and) two different worlds, we’re still together,” Pante said.

Strings of yarn intertwine the different pieces of the gallery, which represents the “togetherness” Pante intended to portray, she said.

Pante’s friends and housemates supported her in the process of planning and curating the gallery.

Graphic design sophomore Caden Chang said Pante worked on pieces for the gallery during the summertime, and constantly worried people would not get the message. However, Chang said he helped her remain confident about her art.

“Having faith in yourself and their artistic vision was super important (in) reassuring (Loren),” Chang said. Pante said creating the gallery tested her abilities as an artist.

“I make pieces because I’m uncertain about things and this was a topic especially that seemed unapproachable to me,” Pante said. “But making this gallery, kind of just let all of that go.”

La Bienvenida greets SJSU students

By Melany Gutierrez STAFF WRITER

The San José State Chicanx/ Latinx Student Success Center, otherwise known as Centro, hosted its annual fall semester welcoming event, La Bienvenida, in the Student Union Ballroom on Wednesday night.

La Bienvenida is an event Centro holds to introduce themselves to freshman and transfer students who are new to campus and to welcome back all returning students to SJSU.

Centro staff presented information about themselves at the beginning of the event, such as where they are located on campus and what resources they have available to students.

SJSU chicana/ chicano studies professors Christina Vega and Johnny Carlos Ramirez and MLK librarian Essy Barroso-Ramirez spoke to the audience about how the Centro community works.

Ramirez has been an assistant professor at SJSU for 3 years and specializes in areas of research concerning the paradigm of youth of color being labeled as “troubled” in the educational and criminal justice system.

Ramirez has been connected with Centro since his first year at SJSU in 2021.

“La Bienvenida is so important because it creates a space of community and connection at the university,” Ramirez said. “It’s a way for us to say we’re gonna come and claim this space, and feel like we’re a part of SJSU, unapologetically. We’re gonna play salsa music and serve comida cubana [cuban food], it’s us bringing our cultural identities and being accepted.”

Student Success Leader and chicana/chicano studies senior Carolina Archundia-Medina was the emcee of the event and has been with Centro for a year. Archundia-Medina said her experience with Centro has been positive and has prompted her to grow her social, academic and leadership skills. She was introduced to Centro through a previous La Bienvenida.

“I think La Bienvenida is just one of those events where we put our name out there, especially for a lot of first year and transfer students that don't really know about us yet,” Archundia-Medina said.

“I’ve had people that have come to our space and they’re like ‘I didn’t know about you guys until I came to La Bienvenida and just because of La Bienvenida I’ve been able to make a ton of new friends,” she said.

Adriana Sanchez, also a student success leader at Centro, is a transfer student and experienced her first time at La Bienvenida by being a part of Centro.

“I found it really difficult to find clubs because I came at such a weird time,” Sanchez said. “But I signed up for the Centro newsletter, and I saw that they were hiring people for my position. So my first thought was I want to make friends and be a part of my community. I also want to help other students who are in the same position as I am, who don't know how to get around campus, don’t know about organizations here, or don’t have friends.”

Software engineering senior Catherine Hernandez and the co-chairman of the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES). She, with other group members, had their booth up and ready at La Bienvenida to meet

and connect with students and potential group members.

“We get a lot of students who overlap with being visitors and participants of Centro,” Hernandez said. “But I think this is my first time actually tabling at this event, we’re really trying to reach out more to students outside of STEM too.”

Jacqueline Bergman is a professor from the nutrition department at SJSU and is the faculty advisor of Luna.

Bergman said Luna is a new club that focuses on holistic wellness and community engagement of the Latinx community. She also said Centro was instrumental in the formation of Luna.

“The thing I love about the Centro community is you can have a vision or desire to start a club or want to go out to the community,” Bergman said. “Your first stop should be Centro because they

are already very connected to the community. They know the resources, and can help.”

One of the performers of the event was music group Mariachi Oroazul de SJSU.

Juan Ramos, Member of the mariachi group and business administration junior said he felt overjoyed to see big crowds of Latinx students while he performed.

“I’m really happy to see so many Latinx and Hispanic students here,” Ramos said. “Normally when we’re out on campus, no se ve la Raza [I don’t see many people of my culture]. So it's good to see that there are people like us here on campus.”

Business administration senior Xochilth Aceves is a music director for Mariachi Oroazul de SJSU. Aceves said she thinks La Bienvenida could bring more community support to Mariachi Oroazul de SJSU.

“I think this event will help spread the word and encourage people to come out to our performances,” Aceves said. “We work really hard to prepare for our big performances. So it would be nice to get a lot more support from students and the community.”

Ramos said the event offered a safe space for Latinx and Hispanic students to bond with their culture and helped increase visibility for the community.

“It’s a good way for us to stay strongly connected to our roots,” said Ramos. “A way to spread our culture to those that don't see it because they don't know where to find it.”

AALIYAH ROMAN | SPARTAN DAILY

Show coordinator Loren Pante and her grandmother Claire Larguna view her piece 'My Hedgehog's Dilemma'

MELANY GUTIERREZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Music group Mariachi Oroazul de SJSU performs for attendees of the event in the Student Union Ballroom.

MLB needs to retire Clemente's No. 21

Major League Baseball players will gather tomorrow to celebrate the 22nd annual Roberto Clemente Day and it’s time to finally retire his number throughout the league.

Clemente was a Puerto Rican outfielder who spent his entire 18-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates between 1955 and 1972. He was a 15-time All Star, 12-time Gold Glove award winner and a two time World Series champion.

When the Pirates retired his No. 21 in 1973, it sent the message to any future player on the team that they could never fill the hole Clemente left.

He was the very first Latino player to ever join the 3,000 hits club and to be inducted into MLB Hall of Fame.

While Clemente was a super athlete on the field he spent his time off the field in humanitarian efforts. Clemente would offer free baseball clinics to underprivileged children in Puerto Rico.

Three months after Clemente had his 3,000th hit, his life was cut short

after his plane crashed off of the coast in his home country while attempting to deliver aid to Nicaragua after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the country’s capital of Managua. His death sent a shock throughout the world as Clemente was only 38-years-old.

“Pittsburgh lost a heck of a man,” said teammate Willie Stargell in a Jan. 1973 New York Times article. “Clemente’s work with the relief effort was typical. Roberto was always trying to help someone.”

Although he was not the first Latino baseball player in MLB, he was the first to prove that not only he could keep up with his white teammates, but be better than them.

Despite his heroics on the field, Clemente faced adversity off the field as journalists would refer to him as “Bob Clemente” in articles to Americanize his name. Clemente insisted on being referred to Roberto and thought it was disrespectful to his heritage to shorten his name.

Although I never got to watch him play, Clemente is one of my favorite players of all time as his ties hit close to home for me.

My mother was born in Managua, Nicaragua just three years prior to Clemente’s death. When I was able to visit the country for the first time in 2018,

many of my cousins would refer to him as their favorite baseball player of all-time.

Growing up watching baseball, many of the players I loved to watch were a majority white as I wasn’t really aware of the important history that Latinos had on baseball.

This year, Nicaragua qualified for the World Baseball Classic for the first time in the country’s history.

As Nicaragua played a game in Miami, a Nicaraguan fan made a sign in Spanish that read,

six months ago, I still think about how even though Clemente was not from Nicaragua, his efforts to help the country are appreciated by Nicaraguans to this day.

Clemente opened the door for all Latino baseball players in MLB, there is no Pablo Sandoval hitting 3-home-runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series without Clemente. Today, Hispanics and Latinos make up the second largest demographic among baseball players in MLB with 30.2% according to an April MLB.com article.

number on the same day as well.

Winners of the award are given a trophy of Clemente and are able to wear a No. 21 patch on the back of their hats for the rest of their careers.

It would be a better way to honor a player who is widely admired throughout the league if MLB retired his number across the league.

When asked about the possibility of retiring the No. 21 in an 2016 ESPN Radio interview, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said that the league honors Clemente’s legacy by naming the league’s humanitarian award after him.

On the back the fan wrote, “

Even though the tournament ended

MLB has honored Clemente by naming their humanitarian award after him and allowing those who are nominated to have the opportunity to wear his No. 21 on Roberto Clemente Day. In 2021 MLB expanded the rules up by allowing any player to wear the

The No. 42 is currently the only retired number throughout MLB after the league retired it in 1997 to honor Jackie Robinson. Every season on April 15 every player wears No. 42 to commemorate Robinson’s major league debut.

Although I appreciate the gesture from MLB, it’d be more efficient to just have every player and coach to wear his number tomorrow to celebrate his legacy.

In an April 2019 New York Times article, then Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said in Spanish that no Puerto Rican MLB player will wear Clemente’s number. “ ,” Correa said in Spanish in the same article.

In 2016 Puerto Rico retired the number from its winter league all the way down to the youth level.

“We do not think that we should have a one size fits all approach to honoring our stars, we think we should tailor the awards to reflect their career,” Manfred said in the same interview.

I’d argue that for an icon such as Clemente there can be two separate awards for him, he can have his number retired throughout the league and have a separate humanitarian award named after him.

After all, MLB named their Rookie of the Year award after Jackie Robinson as well as retiring his number.

If there’s anything that Manfred could do to re-earn my respect as a lifelong baseball fan it would be to retire Clemente’s number.

This would send a message that MLB truly recognizes the greatest Latino baseball player of all time with the utmost respect and honor.

Mat Bejarano

SPORTS EDITOR

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GRAPHIC BY MAT BEJARANO

Spartans look to ground Rockets

By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San José State faces another tough test this season when it hits the road to face the University of Toledo on Saturday afternoon.

The Rockets (1-1) are the reigning Mid-American Conference champions and are coming off a week 2 performance in which they beat Texas Southern University 71-3.

“They are a very good football team,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan. “We’re going on the road to their place which is a hard place to play. It’s an incredibly challenging ballgame for our football team . . . They’ve got great personnel, they’re very well coached and their staff has been there a long time.”

The Spartans (1-2) won their first game of the season last Saturday.

They defeated Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo 59-3 at home in what was their biggest win since defeating the University of Mexico 103-0 in an international match.

Senior running back Kairee Robinson returned from injury and rushed for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns. SJSU will have a full running back room on Saturday with Robinson and junior Quali Conley expected to suit up.

Toledo’s defense has performed well in the team’s first two games.

The Rockets held Texas Southern to just 3 points and 238 yards of total offense. In Toledo’s week

1 loss to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the defense

forced 2 turnovers.

But the backbone of Toledo’s team is on the offensive side of the ball. The Rockets’ offense runs through their All-Conference quarterback Dequan Finn.

Against Texas Southern, Finn completed 16 of 17 passes for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Spartans have struggled against mobile quarterbacks this season. Against 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, the Spartans gave up 278 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. Many of Williams’ passes came from outside of the pocket and improvisation plays.

“This guy [Finn] is amazing,” Brennan said. “He reminds me a lot of [Caleb Williams,] probably not

with the same fanfare and accolades but this guy is an awesome player. He can make every throw, he runs around. He’s a fantastic player.”

SJSU will be playing in one of the rowdiest environments the team will see all season. Glass Bowl Stadium, a venue that usually sells out its 20,000 available seats, is notorious for having a loud atmosphere that makes it tough for opposing teams to function.

Linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Scott White said a big emphasis of SJSU’s preparation this week has been how to deal with the pressure and noise of the Glass Bowl.

“We’ve been building confidence in them by preaching to them and giving them a process that gives

them clarity, so they can do things fast while avoiding the external factors,” White said. “At the end of the day, the field is 53 and a third wide and 100 yards long. You could put us in a parking lot, put the ball down and say ‘let’s play.’ We’re excited for the opportunity. We love playing in rowdy environments and going on the road to try and create that silence.”

Saturday’s game is scheduled for 4 p.m. PDT Saturday at the Glass Bowl Stadium in Toledo, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and on KTRB 860 for radio listeners.

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San José State junior wide receiver Nick Nash (black) lines up for practice at CEFCU Stadium on Wednesday as the Spartans prepare for their first Group of 5 matchup.

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DYLAN NEWMAN | SPARTAN DAILY

The VMA performances were disappointing

more impatient with these half-baked performances.

Alicia Alvarez PRODUCTION EDITOR

Award shows prove over and over again that they’re a waste of my time.

MTV hosted its annual Video Music Awards (VMA) yesterday evening and it was an overall lackluster and disappointing experience.

I don’t have enough of a dissociative ability to sit through a three-hour long show to see my favorite artists lose once again to an overrated pop star with a teenage cult following. I only tune in afterwards to watch the performances.

MTV now owns 40 minutes of my wasted time after scrolling through YouTube to watch what felt like a low-budget concert thrown together by a company you’ve never heard of before.

Olivia Rodrigo’s performance was the biggest letdown of the night. I expected a killer performance after the recent release of her new album “GUTS.”

My expectations were both readjusted and shattered.

Rodrigo’s opening song “vampire” had shotty vocals and the laziest performance I’ve ever seen. I understand the song is slow and emotional, but her laying on the stage made me want to lay down for a nap.

The rest of her set was more high energy but only for the camera. I would have been so upset if I was in the audience, with Rodrigo only putting full energy into her choreography when the camera was in her face.

I want to give her a bit of grace because shes still young and new to the entertainment industry, but I’m growing more and

I feel like the VMAs have been deteriorating in quality and relevance for years, and these performances didn’t help. Most shows now need to have captivating imagery and interactive sets to keep the audiences in the crowd and at home engaged.

After seeing veteran performer Shakira on the lineup, I hoped she’d school these pop-star wannabees. I was once again proven wrong.

Shakira’s performance was a mixture of nostalgia and apprehension for me. I grew up listening to her music and would consider myself a casual fan.

minutes isn’t an easy task, but when all she does is bounce around and rub herself against her backup dancers, it’s easy to lose interest.

Lil Wayne’s performance almost gave me whiplash. I have no idea why a nowirrelevant rapper from the mid ‘90s was given a slot to perform.

His set was stuck in the early 2000s with the vocals, backup dancers and wardrobe. The only time I could imagine enjoying this set is if I was drunk off of cheap tequila at a houseparty, and why were the backup dancers in workout sets? They weren’t even cute outfits either, the clothes looked like they

white-girl-dancing the entire way through.

I adored her mixture of old Hollywood glamor and sexiness. She, unlike other performers, dominated the stage with her incredible vocals and presence.

Carpenter threw herself into her choreography. She danced the entire way through while keeping a steady voice, attesting to her immense skill as an artist.

The theming and design of the set dripped in elegance and seduction while keeping it fun.

If Sabrina Carpenter is looking for a terribly amateur backup dancer, I’d sign away my rights to do it.

twerk on stage as I poorly imitate it in my mirror.

The duo twerking side by side wasn’t the only groundbreaking occurrence last night though.

Peso Pluma was the first Mexican artist to perform for the VMAs, and I’m not disappointed.

I love seeing my culture represented through music, especially on a world stage. While I don’t listen to his music often, I loved watching the live band to back him up. It was a beautiful touch and reminded me of the mariachis and bandas my family would hire for gatherings.

His crowd engagement

surprise. She won nine awards this year and I don’t think she deserved any of them.

While I respect her artistry and attention to detail, I view her as an overhyped singer that is better suited to create tracks for a poorly written teen-romance show on the CW.

She has won various awards that other artists were more deserving of throughout her career. I think everyone keeps stroking her ego because they’re too afraid to cross the Swifties cult. I appreciate her music, but it isn’t worth as much as the VMAs claimed it was.

A group who was deserving their award was Stray Kids. Stray Kids won best K-Pop and I’m happy to see an underrated group be given their flowers.

I appreciate seeing a new name being awarded the category since all I ever see in American media about K-Pop is BTS and BLACKPINK.

Despite my inherent bias, her performance failed to entertain me. The choreography seemed lazy and slow with the only highlight being her crowd surfing for a moment.

As attractive as she is, I can only stand to watch her writhe against the floor and wall for so long. It’s been the same three dance moves for decades, but ay dios mío I think it’s time to learn some new ones.

I didn’t feel like I could jump up to sing and dance with her since her song choices lacked energy.

Her performance of “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie” made my inner child squeal with happy nostalgia, but the rest almost put me to sleep.

Performing for 10

were ordered straight from SHEIN.

His four-minute set could have gone to a newer artist with a larger following. I would have loved to see another Latin artist perform instead of a rapper stuck whose fame peaked in 2008.

After these atrocities I needed a shot of adrenaline to keep me conscious enough to watch the rest of the performances, luckily sets from Sabrina Carpenter, Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion and Peso Pluma were able to somewhat make up for an overall underwhelming event.

Watching Sabrina Carpenter sparkle across the stage was a dreamy experience. The entire performance was cohesive, beautiful and had me

Cardi B exemplified what it means to be a great performer. Bright colors, skilled backup dancers and energy exuded an inescapable aura of sexiness and allure the moment she stepped onto the stage.

Megan Thee Stallion made the entire performance into a work of art. Every aspect melted into the perfect show, the coordinated outfits, the constant dancing, strong vocals and the stunning set sent this performance to the top of my list for the night.

Megan thee Stallion and Cardi B were a match made in music-industry heaven. The choreography and the lyrics, while not my style, were a joy to watch. I’ll never complain about watching these two

and choreography were lacking, but I was still enthralled. The grito “arriba Mexico” at the end of his set had me screaming along in pride for my culture.

His set was short, but I hope this opens the door formore Mexican artists to perform at events like the VMAs.

Whether or not Peso Pluma is on the top of your Spotify playlist, he deserves the support.

These performances kept me satisfied, and I was quickly brought back to a state of dismay when I saw the winners of the show.

The category awards were just as disorganized as the performances.

Taylor Swift dominated various categories yesterday to no one’s

SZA won best R&B for her song “Shirt” and I’m incredibly happy. I’m a SZA stan through and through. Oxford English Dictionary defines a stan as an obsessive and overzealous fan, and for SZA, I will gladly assume the “stan” title. I don’t care to go over the rest of the categories, because half of them went to the undeserving blondie anyway.

Though, my favorite part of the whole debacle was Taylor Swift acting like a teenager that got drunk for the first time. If I get to see Hollywood’s golden girl in a drunken stooper every time I watch the VMAs, I’ll be back to watch next year.

ILLUSTRATION BY TRACY ESCOBEDO

Megan thee Stallion and Cardi B were a match made in music-industry heaven. The choreography and the lyrics, while not my style, were a joy to watch. I’ll never complain about watching these two twerk on stage as I poorly imitate it in my mirror.