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
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Volume 161 No. 35 SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
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TRACY ESCOBEDO | SPARTAN DAILY
Multiple police officers from the San José Police Department gather in the center of various emergency vehicles to discuss an incident near campus on Wednesday afternoon.
Threat reported near campus By Tracy Escobedo
because of police activity. Officers responded at 3:18 p.m. to an unverified Students received an report of a potential threat alert from the San José by East San Fernando State University Police Street between South 4th Department (UPD) on and 6th Street, according Wednesday at 4:04 p.m. to an email sent by San about a street closure José Police Department
ILLUSTRATOR
(SJPD) on Wednesday. The threat was an unidentified and allegedly armed individual in one of the nearby residences, according to the same email. Police sealed off the area with caution tape and
blocked off traffic with emergency vehicles. About a dozen SJPD and UPD cars surrounded the area as small groups of people scattered around the perimeter of the scene. People were evacuated from the surrounding
buildings, including same email. The area was Hugh Gillis Hall and the cleared around 5:30 p.m. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, according to film junior Mariela Ramos Armenta. Officers concluded that Follow the Spartan Daily there was no threat in on X (formerly Twitter) the area, according to the @SpartanDaily
A.S. moves to support CFA in potential strike By Joanna Chavez ILLUSTRATOR
The Associated Students Board of Directors approved a resolution to stand in solidarity with the California Faculty Association (CFA) in its potential strike. The A.S. Board represents over 35,000 students at San José State, according to its website. A.S. President Sarab Multani said the board is moving forward with this resolution in the hopes of boosting morale across the university.
TRACY ESCOBEDO | SPARTAN DAILY
Estevan Guzman (center), A.S. director of Legislative Affairs speaks during a meeting that addressed the potential CFA strike on Wednesday.
Simply put, if we want higher education to thrive and to continue being a career option for a lot of our students, we need more resources. Sarab Multani A.S. President
“Simply put, if we want higher education to thrive and to continue being a career option for a lot of our students, we need more resources,” Multani said. “I’m quite literally praying for an
agreement to be made.” Multani said the A.S Board stands with faculty in their demands for rights from the California State University. “It’s really expensive to live here,” Multani said. “They deserve a fair salary, living here especially with all the (educational) experience that they have.” Estevan Guzman, A.S director of Legislative Affairs, said he has worked closely with the local chapter of the CFA to advocate for fair wages and working conditions. “I believe that they have the students’ interest in their minds,” Guzman said. “They believe in our students, they want what’s best for us and it’s just
an unfortunate reality that they are getting paid as low as they are.” Its members demand a 12% pay raise in order to stay ahead of inflation, along with pay equity that would raise the floor for the lowest-paid faculty, according to a website from CFA. Katelyn Gambarin, director of Internal Affairs for A.S., said the allotted time of maternity leave the faculty is given needs to be negotiated with the CSU. “To only give 30 days of paternal leave is absolutely devastating,” Gambarin said. “You know that’s not anytime at all raising a kid. To see (faculty) only have 30 days to do that before they have to return
to work is asking way too much.” The CFA is also calling for the creation of safe lactation spaces for working parents at the university, according to a Nov. 2023 Spartan Daily reporting. Multani said this alliance between the CFA and the A.S. Board will bring in more resources that will benefit SJSU students, such as more psychological services on campus. “We are a top priority for them as well and they are seeking resources for us as well through this strike,” Multani said. “They do want more increased psychological services for us as well. I think supporting CFA
(internally), we’ll get both of our needs met.” The union proposed a 1,000 to 15,000 student to counselor ratio, according to a Aug. 2023 Spartan Daily article. If the CFA and the CSU are unable to come to an agreement, the strike will move forward. This strike will affect not only faculty members, but also students on campus, according to a Nov. 2023 previous Spartan Daily reporting. “That will most likely mean most of your classes will go off track,” Guzman said. “There’s a good chance that this will happen during finals.” Although the possible strike will affect students, Guzman said that
it’s important for students to learn about the CFA and to acknowledge that they are not working against students. “I think (the) main goal is that we market this and show them our (students) that this is the reality,” Guzman said. “They (CFA) are trying to work with us. They’re trying to support us and we’re just trying to give them the support back.”
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NEWS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
CSU talks potential faculty strike By Dominique Huber & Nikita Bankar SENIOR STAFF WRITER & STAFF WRITER
The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees held a meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in Long Beach, Calif. to discuss the California Faculty Association’s (CFA) authorization to strike and Title IX services. CSU vs. Labor Unions Across all 23 California State University campuses, CFA members voted over whelmingly to authorize a strike — if necessary — to secure a deal to address different systemic issues, including low pay, large class sizes and a lack of access to mental health counseling for students, according to its website. The CFA members also rallied with Teamsters members to demand a fair contract at the meeting since the end of the statutory process is coming near, according to the CFA website. Teamsters Local 2010 represents more than 1,100 skilled trades workers, including electricians, elevator mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, locksmiths, facilities workers and other trades workers in the CSU system, according to its website. The Teamsters are also calling to have a oneday unfair labor practice strike on Nov. 14 with its members, according to the same site. Jason Rabinowitz, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 2010, said members of the union are 23% behind other comparable employees who work for the University of California (UC) regarding a step increase in pay. “The proposals that the CSU have on the table continue to be insulting and inadequate,” Rabinowitz said. “You’re proposing takeaways to emergency pay which is particularly insulting to our members who are there on the front lines through pandemics, hurricanes, earthquakes — our members are there.” After five months of negotiations, including recent efforts by a neutral state-appointed mediator and a fact-finding panel, the CSU and the CFA have yet to reach agreement on compensation and other issues, according to a website from the CSU. Amy Parker, a representative and board officer for Cal State Fullerton, said she was at the meeting to express her utter disgust towards the Board of Trustees for what they are doing to the CSU. “You could write your
SCREENSHOT BY DOMINIQUE HUBER
The California State University Board of Trustees meet to discuss the recent approval of a potential strike from the CFA on Tuesday and Wednesday.
wrongs, stop suppressing our speech and protect the people’s university, but this retirement home for film executives has chosen to swell the multibillion dollar reserves of the CSU and enrich their administrative cronies instead of providing for our student faculty and staff,” Parker said. Between 2022 and 2023, the CSU has gathered an $8.5 billion reserve, according to another website. The CSU has also proposed an $8.7 billion operating budget for 20242025, with $5.4 billion from the state General Fund and $3.3 billion from tuition and fee revenue, according to the 202425 CSU operating budget plan. Matthew Armis, assistant director at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and chief steward for Unit 5 in Academic Professionals of California, said she raved about the CSU in the new chancellor’s message a few weeks ago, saying it is oneof-a-kind. “I have to agree,” Armis said. “The CSU, the nation’s largest university system, is one-of-a-kind when it comes to its refusal to adequately pay its faculty and staff, and bargain in good faith.” The salary for junior administrators working for the CSU system is an average of $100,000. For senior managers it is an average of $200,000 and for presidents, $300,000$500,000, according to a website by Transparent California. The newly appointed CSU Chancellor Mildred García will earn $795,000 in base salary, deferred compensation of $80,000 yearly, a monthly auto
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allowance of $1,000 and a monthly housing stipend of $8,000, according to a July 12 article from Cal Matters. Matt Mason, steward and automotive mechanic at Sacramento State, said the CSU has walked away from the bargaining table again while there is still work to be done for a fair contract. “They have failed to negotiate and make impossible cuts, taking away our rights and our work despite our sacrifices and contributions to the CSU including working through a pandemic,” Mason said. “We’ve received no salary structure steps for nearly 30 years.”
students, staff and faculty will come together to form implementation teams at each CSU campus. She said each team is putting together a project plan for meeting the recommendations and will present their plan in December. Freedman said these implementation teams have been struggling with budget constraints and a lack of exposure on CSU campuses.
We need to also think and consider how we are going to be helping them Title IX in overcoming The Board of Trustees whatever difficult also dedicated time to situation they had talk about updates on civil rights programs and to be put through. services, including Title IX and others concerned with nondiscrimination. The California State Auditor and the Cozen O’Connor law firm each released reports in July assessing the CSU system’s nondiscrimination programs and it’s procedures on complaints of sexual harassment. Over 150 changes to the way universities in the CSU system operate concerning Title IX and nondiscrimination were recommended in Cozen O’Connor’s report in light of its findings. Leora D. Freedman, CSU vice chancellor for human resources, spoke thoroughly about the work that’s been done to meet these recommendations so far and what steps it is taking next. Freedman said groups of
Letters to the Editor may be placed in the letters to the editor box in the Spartan Daily office in Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209 or emailed to spartandaily@gmail.com to the attention of the Spartan Daily Opinion Editor. Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, year and major. Letters become property of the Spartan Daily and may be edited for clarity, grammar, libel and length. Only letters of 300 words or less will be 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.
Diana Aguilar-Cruz student trustee
Another improvement to CSU’s civil rights programs and services that was included in the presentation is the creation of a dedicated Civil Rights Division in the chancellor’s office. Freedman said the new division will include people who are qualified to work with Title IX and nondiscrimination work, and are specialized in prevention programs, data analytics, investigations and resolutions. She said under the new rules, any report containing sexual violence allegations or complaints having to do with the campuses’ president, vice president athletics director or police chief
must be shared with the Chancellor’s Office. After Freedman’s presentation, the floor was opened for comments and questions, and a number of attendees shared their thoughts on the new plans. Student Trustee Diana Aguilar-Cruz said work needs to be done with certain people in mind, especially those who have had negative experiences when bringing forward their concerns around assault, harassment and discrimination. “We need to also think and consider how we are going to be helping them in overcoming whatever difficult situation they had to be put through,” she said. “How do we bring back the trust of those who stopped trusting in our system?” Annual Systemwide Report on Hate Incidents on Campus In another portion of the meeting, Trustee Julia I. Lopez introduced the topic of hate incidents on campus and said it's important to create space for discourse on the topic. “We live in a time right now where there’s a lot of hate and prejudice and intolerance and so we wanted to go beyond just a report and the statistics,” she said. “Really talk about what we do on our campuses and as a system to address this issue.” Melinda Latas, a director for Systemwide Clery and Campus Safety Compliance, presented the Annual Systemwide Report on Hate Incidents on Campus, which included results from data gathered in 2022. Latas said there were a total of 13 hate crimes and six incidents of
hate violence on CSU campuses in 2022. She said physical assault was the most common type of incident reported and bias based on sexual orientation was the most common of its kind, according to her report. Cynthia TenienteMatson, president of San José State, said a lot of effort is being put in at SJSU to combat and prevent these incidents. Teniente-Matson said the campus has been “responsive to all reports of fearfulness and safety,” and has made efforts to share resources and express care to the SJSU community. She said among others, the campus’ efforts have included keeping an eye out for online threats or hate speech. Teniente-Matson said the administration is reminding people to be open and civil, and to do their part to maintain the university as a safe place. Trustee Jack McGrory said there needs to be another way for students to report incidents that should still be looked into even though they may not technically meet the federal definition of a hate crime. “There’s four hate crimes, and 510,000 students and 55,000 employees? I’m not buying it,” McGrory said. “There's gotta be something more going on on the campuses. If we had some lower tier of reporting on incidents that are like this — that don’t get to the threshold of the federal definition — I think that would be helpful for us.” Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily
Crime Blotter Possession of Marijuana while Driving Nov. 5, 9:31 a.m. at S 4TH St/E San Salvador St Cleared by Arrest
Remaining on Campus without Consent Nov. 6, 8:10 a.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Cleared by Arrest
Possession of person identifying information with intent to defraud Nov. 6, 2:07 a.m. at N 4TH St/E Santa Clara St Cleared by Arrest
Annoying Phone Call - Obscene and Threating Intimidation Nov. 6, 2:09 p.m. at San Jose State University Active Investigation
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NEWS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
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SJSU observes Veterans Day By Angel Santiago STAFF WRITER
The Veterans Resource Center at San José State held a Veterans Day Celebration to honor those who served in the military on Wednesday afternoon. Veterans Day is a holiday honoring American veterans of all wars, according to Govinfo. SJSU celebrated Veterans Day on Wednesday, ahead of any weekend celebrations, to give the campus community an opportunity to get to know who serves in the service. The celebration started with the singing of the national anthem to show recognition and appreciation. On Seventh Street, there was an information table, a toy drive and a game of cornhole for anyone to play. Veterans came together both inside and outside San José’s community to share their experiences from their days in the military with the campus community. Kimberly Thornburg, program coordinator for the Veterans Resource Center, said SJSU has been celebrating Veterans Day for more than 10 years. “It’s been nice to have the center be able to recognize this and have a moment festival to students that are recognized and also participate with other students on campus,” Thornburg said. Thornburg said she often sees a majority of events like these on social media, not in person. “I’m going to Santa Clara (University),” Thornburg said. “I don’t really see a lot
ANGEL SANTIAGO | SPARTAN DAILY
The Veteran Resource Center at San José State University held a Veteran's Day celebrationat Seventh Street on Wednesday.
of this and there’s not even this much of a presence even for veterans.” Maggie Morales, a director for the Veterans Resource Center, invited students to pack some toys in a small box which the Veterans Resource Center has provided. Morales said she not only wants to learn about the veterans service, but an opportunity to learn about the background of their personal journeys. “It doesn’t always mean people have served in combat – but serving in
the military – they’ve had a life before coming here to be a student or to be a staff or faculty,” Morales said. Jackson Le, one of the guest speakers, a student veteran and a representative for the Veterans Resource Center, said it’s important for veterans to be together and show their presence on campus. “We’re ambitious and we’re driving for the best that we can meet in general, whether in uniform or as a student,” Le said. Guillermo Luna, a veteran student liaison for
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, said he is a proud Marine Corps veteran and that he is happy he got the opportunity to experience hard work in the military service. Luna said he served for four years as a Marine Corps veteran before coming to SJSU. “When I was in the Marine Corps, I was able to get all the fundamentals and the tools to do so. Came out here on the cusp of graduation as a computer engineer next semester, so really
excited,” Luna said. Luna said when he was living in East Los Angeles, he wanted something different and challenging. “I wanted something bigger and bigger, (a) better calling,” Luna said. “I wanted something that was something (inside) of me that was always attracted me to the harder path.” Luna, who is also a computer science senior, was elected by his fellow veteran comrades as the president of the Veterans Resource Center.
Sgt. Chris Zonsius said he is proud to be a veteran and glad to have the opportunity to serve alongside others in uniform. “I’ve had the opportunity and pleasure of serving with men and women that made the decision to put patriotism in their country called all else for a portion of their life,” Zonsius said. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily
Students destress with dogs on campus By Aaliyah Roman
Clara Animal Services. Donations were gathered from homemade dog treat sales or items picked from In the midst of a busy the Amazon wish list made school day, San José State for the dogs, according students were able to lighten to SJSU’s website. up their moods and spend Cerrutti said her group some time with animals at made the treats out of the Pet a Dog Fundraising organic ingredients. She event on Wednesday at said she let her own puppy Tower Lawn. taste the treats first to make The event was sure they were good for the organized by business other dogs. entrepreneurship junior She also said some of Akane Ali-Winfrey, the ingredients used were business analytics junior turmeric, black pepper, Belen Cerrutti, business coconut oil and more. management junior “It’s really not that Kevin Arriola and expensive to just make it business administration yourself,” Cerrutti said. Cerrutti said her community college had dogs to pet during finals week and she thought it would be a good idea to bring that idea to SJSU. She said the event was also good for the dogs, as they are from the County of Santa Clara Animal Services shelter. “They don’t get as much time in fresh air and exposure to people so it’d be good if they could also get adopted today,” Cerrutti said. Cerrutti said volunteers from Santa Clara County Animal Services traveled from Morgan Hill to SJSU to help out at the event and escort the dogs. AALIYAH ROMAN | SPARTAN DAILY She said there were A shelter dog jumps on SJSU students on Thursday originally supposed to be STAFF WRITER
junior Tobias Haemmerle. Ali-Winfrey said the event was for their fundamental management’s organizational behavior class in which her group was tasked to organize a fundraiser for a non-profit organization. She said her group chose a dog fundraising event because they all loved dogs. “Seeing these puppies are like the highlight of my day right now,” undeclared freshman Jasmine Angeline Tejano said. In the event, students petted dogs and donated to the County of Santa
at fundraising event on Tower Lawn.
AALIYAH ROMAN | SPARTAN DAILY
SJSU students feed a local shelter dog with homemade, organic dog treats.
more than two dogs at the “Maybe sometime in the it was comforting event but since her group future it’d be cool to have to see the dogs because had issues getting a parking more dogs on campus,” it reminded her of her dogs back home. She said she enjoys being around the animals. “They’re (dogs) just fun to be around,” Mendoza said. “They have attachments to you which gives you a sense of Jasmine Angeline Tejano happiness.”
Seeing these puppies are the highlight of my day right now.
Undeclared freshman
permit for a big van to hold Cerrutti said. more dogs, they were only Pictorial art freshman able to have two. Malaya Mendoza said
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
MOVIE PREVIEW
‘The Hunger Games’ is about to enter a new Renaissance era By Alicia Alvarez PRODUCTION EDITOR
It’s finally time for me to break out my near decadeold mockingjay pin once again. “The Hunger Games” is having a renaissance with the upcoming release of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” book to movie adaptation and I’m living for it. The movie is set to release on Nov. 17 and I already have a countdown set. I read the 2020 novel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins earlier this year in preparation for my most anticipated movie of the year. “The Hunger Games” franchise now consists of four books, with movie adaptations for each. As an avid fan of all things Katniss Everdeen, my heart soared when Collins announced that she would be adding another installment to one of my favorite childhood book series. I was distraught when I first heard the newest book would be about one of my least favorite characters, President Coriolanus Snow. I thought the book would be tired, another young-adult novel about an over-privileged kid becoming a terrible dictator. After reading the far too short 528-page novel, my opinion was swiftly changed. Book Review In the novels, the Hunger Games were originally created as a punishment for the rebellion that the 13 districts of the fictional country of Panem led against the oppressive government, the Capitol. The games consisted of 24 randomly chosen “tributes,” a male and female victim from each district between the ages of 12 and 18. These children were thrown into an annuallymodified arena each year and fought for their lives as the brutality was broadcast to the country, serving as entertainment for the wealthy elite and brewing fear for those within the districts. The original trilogy followed the main heroine Katniss
Everdeen as she volunteered for the annual bloodbath in place of her sister, Primrose. The newest installment follows the previously mentioned dictator, President Snow, as he grew into his tyrannical role and cast his immortal influence over the games. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is set about 60 years before the first book in the franchise, recounting Snow’s social and political impact starting with the 10th annual Hunger Games. I truly doubted that I would enjoy the book when I picked it up. President Snow was a deeply-hated character I’ve despised since I first read the series at 12 years old. There was no way in hell that he wcould be a compelling main character for me, I would build no emotional connection to him. I was only reading the book out of obligation to my inner Hunger-Gamesobsessed child. Collins smacked me over
addresses the horrors of the aftermath of conflict, which broke my heart even more. Rubble, trauma and uncertainty plagues the entire previously immortal Capitol. Reading how Snow tries to forget seeing a formerly well-off family resort to cannibalism just to survive the war was a jarring image that I wasn’t expecting from our soonto-be tyrant. The emotions continue to ride the highs and lows of a sickening rollercoaster as we’re introduced to how Snow becomes involved in the infamous Hunger Games. His assigned tribute to mentor, the starring lady Lucy Gray Baird, was from District 12, the poorest of the remaining 12 districts after the 13th was supposedly destroyed during the war. This juxtaposition between the two characters, one that comes from wealth and the other that struggles to afford a meal, sets the scene for the
ILLUSTRATION BY TRACY ESCOBEDO
adult-audience, is still captivating. Her expertly crafted commentary on issues such as classism, racism and economic struggles made me want to pick up the entire series and read it all over again.
to-be-released movie as the first released over a decade ago. While this fact makes me feel incredibly old at only 21, I greatly appreciate that the studio appears to be maintaining some continuity within the series.
I could list a dozen more reasons for my excitement building up to the release of ‘The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes,’ but it would be my 12-year-old self just rambling about fan theories and lore that no one really needs to know.
the head with emotion and character depth which forced me to change my mind. Snow is introduced to the audience as a star student at the Capitol’s prestigious high school. The opulent wealth that the viewers always associated with the Hunger Games’ elite Capitol are replaced by rations and struggling in the aftermath of the war. I immediately felt a tug on my heart strings. I began to relate to Snow, struggling to fit in and hoping to carry on the family name. Collins
moral conflicts that the book later presents. Unsurprisingly, Collins creates an intricate tapestry of moral dilemmas and internal struggles that left me rooting for a man that I knew would commit war crimes in the future. She also had me rooting for the most toxic relationship I have ever seen in a novel. The relationship between Gray Baird and Snow has a terrible power imbalance and is
doomed from the start, but I still held onto that slight ray of hope until I closed the book for good. I now remember why Collins had such a chokehold on my childhood. The writing, which is still juvenile enough to appeal to the young
Movie Expectations After such an incredible novel, it’s hard to not hold high expectations for the upcoming movie adaptation. With how true to the original texts the four other movies are, I expect the “Ballad of Songbird and Snakes” to be the same. The movie studio Lionsgate did a fantastic job with the original four screen adaptations, bringing to life the little dialogues and characters that danced around my head when I was a child. The casting for the nstallment is spot newest installment on, with each character looking exactly how I imagine them. While I’m not familiar with any workk from the majority of the cast, ind faith in I have blind sions of the the decisions casting directors. They did so well finding the perfect Katniss and Peeta, it can’t ard to find the be too hard hing young Snow best dashing and Lucyy Gray Baird. From the short clips I saw, the aesthetic of the eflects the first movie reflects ent of the film installment e. franchise. The moody, muted hy tones of the and earthy districts in contrast with aturated colors of overly-saturated thy Capitol still the wealthy rong in the soonholds strong
When movies within the same franchise are released so far apart, it becomes difficult to connect them back to each other with the aesthetic choices. Lionsgate appears to have overcome this, at least judging by their trailers. Another aspect of this upcoming release that has me counting the days until I can use my opening night tickets is the upcoming soundtrack. The newest rendition of “The Hanging Tree” sung by Rachel Zegler fits with the narrative of the novel so well, just as the original sung by Jennifer Lawrence. This version has a more
emotional reflection of the event told in the song as Gray Baird was there to witness the distraught lover calling out for her man as he was publicly executed. Olivia Rodrigo only adds to this excitement with the release of her song “Can’t Catch Me Now.” The beautiful melody brought me to tears as I drew parallels between Gray Baird and her fanspeculated relative Katniss Everdeen. I’m looking forward to seeing what other intoxicating ballads appear throughout the movie. The general soundtrack seems to be much softer than what the previous films featured, which is a refreshing change. I could list a dozen more reasons for my excitement building up to the release of “The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes,” but it would be my 12-year-old self just rambling about fan theories and lore that no one really needs to know. My inner child is squealing in excitement and hopefully still will be after opening night.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
5
MOVIE REVIEW
GRAPHIC BY CHRISTINE TRAN
‘Priscilla’ exposes Elvis Presley
By Christine Tran OUTREACH EDITOR
I will be the first to admit I have always glamorized old school love. For me, it’s hard not to want true love blossoming over a shared milkshake when I see what modern dating looks like now. I know I’m not alone because Elvis and Priscilla’s wedding photos on Pinterest are the epitome of this “vintage it couple” idea. American filmmaker and actress Sofia Coppola forces the audience to open their eyes to the brutal reality of their love in “Priscilla,” a film based on the 1985 biography “Elvis and Me,” written by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley and Sandra Harmon. The film premiered on October 27th, 2023 and was produced by A24. My father loves Elvis Presley’s music and frequently played it for my sister and I growing up. Naturally, I had to watch “Elvis” starring Austin Butler in the titular role last year, which I enjoyed hearing those songs on a big
movie review “Priscilla” Rating:
Directed by: Sofia Coppola Starring: Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi Genre: Drama
screen. Although the film did show that Elvis first met Priscilla when she was underaged, it seemed to gloss over the nature of their relationship – just like how everyone forgets Elvis married Priscilla when she turned 21 years old because he was regarded as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” I guess showing that he was a groomer would ruin the narrative of the 2022 film. “Priscilla” however showed us the reality behind a dream
Watching Priscilla become nervous and fidget in a childlike manner when she and Elvis act out their first interaction made my skin crawl. I couldn’t seem to sit still when Elvis learns she is a freshman in high school, calls her a “little baby,” and still proceeds to kiss her. I really sympathized with Priscilla when Elvis finishes his military service and goes back to the United States. Given his stardom and Priscilla’s young age, it’s understandable why she
in the first place? It’s clear to everyone around Elvis how young Priscilla is and yet no one does anything about it. When he takes her to Vegas with the rest of his goons, we feel for Priscilla and how eager she is to keep up with his world. This results in her taking pills to be awake for high school every morning while he is sleeping in. The audience can see for themselves how miserable Priscilla becomes over the course of the movie,
I had never seen Spaeny in previous roles, but she is absolutely captivating in ‘Priscilla.’ I forgot she was acting out a role and not living through this herself.
most teenage girls had during that era. The film introduces Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Beaulieu, a 14-year-old living in West Germany, where Elvis happens to be completing his military service. Jacob Elordi plays Elvis, and those who have seen him as Nate Jacobs in the HBO television show “Euphoria” can attest to his raw talent in playing abusive boyfriends. I thought this casting choice was only because of Elordi’s looks and nothing more, but his demeanor and the fact that he towers over her realistically portrays their 10 year age gap. The movie was successful at showing how much older Elvis was, and the power he had over Priscilla.
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spends her days writing him long letters he never seems to return. When Elvis finally calls Priscilla to visit him, I wanted to immerse myself into the film and beg her parents not to let their 17-year-old daughter go. Of course, they do anyway. We finally get to see Priscilla in Graceland, Elvis’ home estate in Memphis, Tennessee where he doesn’t protect her from the heavy use of drugs and alcohol. In fact, he encourages it and gives her pills that ultimately leaves her unconscious for two days. During this scene, we hear his grandmother telling Elvis he can’t give her something she’s not used to. What about the fact that he has no business courting a teenager
OUTREACH EDITOR CHRISTINE TRAN PHOTO EDITOR ALEXIA FREDERICKSON COPY EDITOR GILLIAN BROWN SENIOR STAFF WRITERS BRANDON NICOLAS NATHAN CANILAO STAFF WRITERS DYLAN NEWMAN NAVIN KRISHNAN NIKITA BANKAR MELANY GUTIERREZ JULIA CHIE ANGEL SANTIAGO VANESSA REAL AALIYAH ROMAN MAYA BENMOKHTAR
LAMAR MOODY ILLUSTRATORS JOANNA CHAVEZ TRACY ESCOBEDO PRODUCTION CHIEF MIKE CORPOS NEWS ADVISER RICHARD CRAIG
and it’s sad that she had to grow up so fast. I didn’t know that Elvis made her dye her hair jet black and wear clothes that he only approved of. It broke my heart when she put on lashes before giving birth to Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only daughter. This was just another thing Priscilla did for his approval and probably because she knew paparazzi would be invasive. Kudos to Coppola for only having Elvis and Priscilla look happy in front of cameras and when their moments were captured on film. I had never seen Spaeny in previous roles, but she is absolutely captivating in “Priscilla.” I forgot she was acting out a role and not living through this herself.
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My only quarrel is that the last scene was too brief between Elvis and Priscilla where she tells him she’s leaving him. I understand Coppola’s take on it was that Priscilla is finally done with Elvis and wants to live her own life, but making this scene so short does a disservice to Priscilla Presley’s love for him in reality. The couple separated in 1972 but Priscilla currently keeps Elvis’ legacy alive since she opened Graceland to the public as a tourist attraction, according to a March 2023 E! News article. The film’s soundtrack was curated with so much intention and it even let me rediscover old songs I’ve always heard, but never added to my own playlist. The film’s final scene with Priscilla leaving Graceland as a grown woman paired perfectly with “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton. “Priscilla” explores a side of Elvis behind the curtain that only Priscilla saw and the shocking lengths she went to for his attention. I think it’s necessary to see people for who they are, even a music legend like Elvis Presley. I applaud Coppola for having the courage to tell this story at the expense of die hard Elvis fans who refuse to admit he groomed Priscilla.
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OPINION
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
College life has taken away my sleep Nikita Bankar STAFF WRITER
right? I was coughing, and had constant headaches from last Thursday to Saturday. I knew that while sickness was floating around the house, part of my illness was because of my lack of proper sleep.
Why was I doing this to myself? I quickly realized there is something pushing me from making my way to my dorm room to join my sleeping roommates: FOMO. FOMO, or the fear of missing out, has become
emotional health, according to the same site. As I constantly glance at the clock in the bottom right corner of my laptop, the discussions and jokes being tossed between my friends in the house are something I can’t pull myself away from.
Even though it means we get a bit more sleep, I still feel like an irritated, angry and sleep-deprived monster and the world must suffer my wrath because of it.
I did not fully realize the consequences behind lacking a strict sleep schedule for myself until a few days ago, when I fell incredibly sick over Halloween weekend. I know. Perfect timing,
Rather than partying and spending time with my closest friends on Saturday, I sat locked up in my room, napping for almost the entire day. I felt absolutely miserable.
all-too prevalent over the last couple of decades, according to Cleveland Clinic. While it’s directly related to selfesteem and self-worth, it also has a direct effect on physical, mental and
One of my biggest fears before transferring to San José State from De Anza College was not making close relationships with other people. However, now that the people at the
GRAPHIC BY NIKITA BANKAR
I still remember stepping into my fuzzy pajamas, switching off the lights and sliding into the fresh linen sheets of my twin bed by 9 p.m. at the age of 10. Oh, how I dream of still having an existing sleep schedule. I still remember purchasing a brand new calendar from the school supplies section of Target in August, using my purple ink pen and mapping out my schedule for school. Underneath the timings of all my classes was something written in bold: sleep by 12 a.m. I think of this now, and sigh in disbelief. Even when my eyes are shutting and my brain is going fuzzy in the dining room of the San José State International House, I still do not end up in my room until 3 a.m. Instead, I stay chatting with my friends and typing away on my laptop like there is no tomorrow. Why am I letting this happen to me? Why do I continue to beat myself up both physically and mentally when I know I should be showered and asleep at a reasonable time? Seven to nine hours of sleep are recommended for young adults, according to the CDC. However, at least 60% of college students have poor quality sleep and garner, on average, seven hours of sleep per night, according to the same site. It almost feels as though this statistic is taunting me
and my five hours of sleep every night. If my mom knew of my deteriorating lifestyle here in college, she would be absolutely furious. I can almost hear her talking my ear off, lecturing me of my poor decisions.
International House have become my family, I don’t ever want to miss a moment. So, I stay up later than I should, dozing off in my 9 a.m. anthropology class the next day. Daytime sleepiness, sleep deprivation and irregular sleep schedules are highly prevalent among college students, as 50% report daytime sleepiness and 70% attain insufficient sleep, according to the National Library of Medicine. The consequences of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are especially problematic for college students and can result in lower grade point averages, increased risk of academic failure, compromised learning, impaired mood and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, according to the same site. I haven’t been able to go a day in the week without needing a two hour nap, promptly at 4 p.m. I could be finishing an assignment this time, and instead, I’m passed out under my dark gray comforter on my twin bed. I know that I need sleep. If I continue down this rabbit hole, I think I might collapse at some point. While I may miss out on a few late night conversations, I will get the rest that I need, making me more productive as I continue to pursue my education as a result. Disciplining myself will not be easy. However, I know it is something I need if I want to remain both sane and successful during the remainder of my time in college.
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Daylight saving time drains my energy Melany Gutierrez STAFF WRITER
When daylight saving time ends I become an old withering grandmother, in bed at 4 p.m. after eating some warm cinnamon rolls, staring at my laptop and phone laying at the edge of my bed mocking me for not doing anything more productive with my time. I spend six full months in utter bliss with the sky.
ends and it’s a deep, sad, often unbearable break up. I’m left in the dark, literally. I don’t always start to notice when it gets darker earlier in the day, it just gradually happens once autumn arrives. Then, one day I’m home, it’s dark outside, and I think to myself “I haven’t done
Daylight saving time ending is just another aspect of autumn that makes my skin boil. As the blazing, bright yellow, orange, red and pink sunsets make ugly, chaotic places like my hometown of Los Angeles look like it came straight out of a painting until about 8 p.m. when nighttime falls. When that time ends every year in the first or second week of November, my romance with summer
much, it should still be early,” I turn to the clock and it reads 4:50 p.m. Daylight saving time is the practice of moving clocks forward by one hour in the summer so that daylight lasts longer into the evening, according to an article by Reuters. This means that when daylight saving time ends,
our clocks must be set back by one hour, allowing us an extra hour of sleep, and more sunlight in the morning. I honestly think this kind of change to any person’s sleep patterns will take a mental toll and hinder sleep schedules. I certainly know that when I wake up at 8 a.m. now, I think, why is it not 9 a.m.? Why am I up so early? Daylight saving time and the modern idea of clock changing with the season can be traced backk to the late 19th century and was initially proposed as a way to conserve energyy and ours in extend daylight hours rding to the summer, according the same article byy Reuters. Daylight savingg time is still a contested topic today as there is a current tates push by United States lators Government legislators nent, to make it permanent, rticle by according to an article Time Magazine. ly I wholeheartedly am in support of making daylight saving time permanent, but it wouldn’t fix my ldn’t problem, we wouldn’t ur clocks have to change our ould still anymore but it would get dark out by 5 p.m. n the Every year when nd it seasons change and starts to get darkerr earlier,
I think, why would the universe be so spiteful? It would curse us with this annoying change that we put up with every year. It forces us to be sad, tired and confused as some of our clocks try to deceive us or make us late because some of them don't automatically change when daylight saving time ends. Even though it means we get a bit more sleep, I still feel like an irritated, angry and sleep-deprived monster and the world must suffer my wrath because of it. Daylight saving time ending is just another aspect of autumn that makes my skin boil. During summer, it feels like the nights are long and will never end and I have all the time in the world to go have fun and watch the
sun escape the sky on the beach. I have that fulfilling feeling you get when you’ve had a great, long, wellspent day and you didn’t miss out on anything. During fall and winter, I wake up and in the blink of an eye, the sun is gone. I feel lazy and lethargic and I feel like I get absolutely nothing done and the imminent darkness tells my brain it's time for bed. It just sucks! Is it sometimes nice to have a relaxing night in? Yes, but not consecutively.
When daylight saving time ends I feel like I'm a bear forced to go into hibernation. That would honestly be fine, if I actually felt well rested, but no! They call the end of daylight saving time a “fall back” because you have to change your clocks to fall back an hour. It’s definitely a fall back for me, fall back into my yearly cycle of emotional gloom awaiting the arrival of summer.
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GRAPHIC VIA CANVA
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SPORTS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
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FOOTBALL
SJSU seeks upset over No. 25 Fresno State By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER
UPCOMING GAME SJSU vs. No. 25 Fresno State Nov. 11 @ 7:30 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network
LAMAR MOODY | SPARTAN DAILY
San José State junior running back Quali Conley catches the ball in a Spartans’ practice at CEFCU Stadium on Tuesday
game. Senior defensive back Dean Clark leads Fresno State in tackles with 58. “I think it’s everything because you never know when your block is going to spring something loose,” said SJSU wide receiver Nick Nash about blocking against Fresno State. “Run blocking is all about effort. So all I’m doing is trying to get in front of somebody and make sure that’s not my man that’s making the plan.”
Q u ar te r b a ck C h e v an Cordeiro could be in for a big game if the Bulldogs stifle the run. Cordeiro is 1-2 all time against Fresno State in his career with his only win coming in 2020 when he was the quarterback at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs have one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Led by sophomore
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SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE 1
quarterback Mikey Keene and junior running back Malik Sherrod, Fresno State averages 34 points per game, third best in the Mountain West. Last week against Boise State, Sherrod rushed for 132 yards and recorded a rushing and a kick return touchdown. “When the run game is going well and you’re trying to stop it, you’re gonna be more aggressive but we can’t do that against this team because they will see that
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and make you pay for it,” SJSU safety Tre Jenkins said. The 86th annual Battle for the Valley game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at CEFCU Stadium.
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JOKIN’ AROUND What is Beethoven's favorite fruit?
Ba-na-na-nas.
The annual Battle for the Valley Trophy will be on the line when San José State hosts Mountain West Conference rival No. 25 Fresno State on Saturday night. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 44-38-3 and have won nine of the last 13 games. This game will be big for the Spartans (4-5, 3-2 MWC) as bowl game implications are on the line. SJSU will need to win two of its remaining three games (Fresno State, San Diego State and University of Nevada, Las Vegas) in order to become bowl game eligible. “This is an extremely good Fresno State team,” SJSU head coach Brent Brennan said. “They’re extremely well coached and have veteran players everywhere that have played a ton of football. This is a huge challenge for us.” The Spartans offense has morphed into a more run-heavy attack behind senior Kairee Robinson and junior Quali Conley. The Spartans are averaging 167.4 rushing yards per game and have scored 24 rushing touchdowns this season. But the Bulldogs (8-1, 4-1 MWC) have a formidle rushing defense. Fresno State has the fourth-best rushing defense in the Mountain West, allowing just 126 rushing yards per
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SOLUTIONS
NOVEMBER 8
R A P S G A R B B I D E D E L L E O L E O A C U R A A L A S L U N G S E D A N C A T A N D M O U S E E S E T H E M E S S P H E R E S E X T O L A I D A H E M T A L E S T E N T S I R A S R E A P S N C A A P A N E L S P E W S H B O H E E L S C A L P S T A N D O N P A R I A H W I N G U Y L O M B A R D O A D D L E L U K E N E M O B A L E R O G R E K N I T S L E D S N E A T S E T S
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