The S tate Hornet September 1, 2010 HORNET INSIDE BEE A HORNET
C alifornia S tate U niversity , S acramento
O ne C opy F ree
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Gonzalez urges optimism for 2010 By Micah Stevenson mstevenson@statehornet.com At his annual fall address Thursday, Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez said he will move forward with “cautious optimism” while trying to steady the university’s financial situation.
“The deep budget cuts of the past two years have been a nightmare,” Gonzalez told faculty and staff who filled the University Union Ballroom. “They forced us to make difficult decisions, including enrollment cuts, furloughs and campus-level impaction.” Sac State is required to lower
enrollment by about 3,000 students this school year. The university also recently declared impaction beginning in fall 2011 after enrollment officials projected more applicants than the university can accommodate. Gonzalez, however, said funding for the California State
University “appears to have wide support.” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s January budget proposal includes $365 million for the CSU. “This includes more than $60 million for enrollment growth,” he said. “And the sooner this budget is signed, the sooner we would be able to let more
students in for spring 2011.” Despite the university’s financial woes, Gonzalez congratulated the campus for its success at softening the blow of the crisis. He said Sac State hit its enrollment target squarely. “In fact, we ended up the equivalent of only three stusee Address| page A8
What happens when Hornets take baby bees under their wing on the football field? Find out in Sports.
Sports B4 BEST BURGERS
Want to find where the best burgers in town are? Read Assistant Features Editor Matt Rascher’s review in Features
Features B1 COLLEGE MEANS FAMILY TOO College is more than just going to class. Find out why you should build relationships on campus.
Opinion A9 5 PERCENT FEE INCREASE Where is all the money from the 5 percent fee increase is going? And how does Sacramento State’s student fees compare to other institutions? Find out in News.
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STUDENT AND FACULTY REACTION VIDEO Watch students and professor’s reaction to President Alexander Gonzalez’s annual spring address. Check out the video by staff writer Cayla Gales on statehornet.com.
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The State Hornet Issue 1 | Volume 63 | No. 1
GG raphic raphic byby MM egan egan HH arris arris
$71 million wellness center to open soon By Lauren Greenwood lgreenwood@statehornet.com After nearly six years of planning and two years of construction, Sacramento State’s $71 million recreational, multi-use facility will have its grand opening Thursday. The Wellness, Education, Leisure, Lifestyle Center, or The Well, is a 150,000 square-foot facility that combines recreation, fitness and health services. Building the facility is part of Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez’s Destination 2010 plan to change the commuter-campus reputation of Sac State. “About every campus has a recreational facility for students. We are
one of the last to obtain one,” said Mirjana Gavric, director of The Well. “We want our recreational center to be available to all and to be a place where students can get away from classes and jobs. Students need a place to relax and take care of themselves.” The daylong event will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m., followed by guided tours, demonstrations and a dodgeball game. “At the grand opening, we are attempting to break the record for the world’s largest dodgeball game and hope to get 1,000 people involved,” said Kate Costello, assistant director of fitness for The Well. The Well includes a fitness center with a cardio room and a weight
Funding for CSU gets support of Legislature By Kristine Guerra kguerra@statehornet.com The Legislative Budget Conference Committee recently approved Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to provide California State University with a General Fund support of $2.7 billion, which is $373 million above the 2009-10 funding. The governor, Senate and Assembly’s versions of the budget include $305 million to backfill one-time cuts made to the CSU in recent years, and $60.6 million for “enrollment growth.” “Essentially, in most ways, it restores a little bit of stability and restores the money for activities that were lost in the last couple of years,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joseph Sheley. About 8,000 FTES, or fulltime equivalent students, would be enrolled to the CSU if the $60 million funding is enacted.
“I think this year’s picture of the CSU is a little less grim than last year with the furloughs and classes being cut left and right,” said Associated Students Inc. President Terry Martin. “The
Source: Legislative Analyst’s Office
governor seems to be more committed to funding higher education this time around.” Since 2007-08, state supsee Budget| page A8
Graphic by Megan Harris
see Well| page A6
Remembering a friend, journalist By Lauren Greenwood and Kristine Guerra news@statehornet.com Christina Li, a former Sacramento State student, aspiring journalist and beloved member of The State Hornet college newspaper, died Aug. 19. She was 23 years old. Li died from complications during heart surgery, a procedure she was not looking forward to, according to her last Facebook post the night before the operation. She was born with a congenital heart defect and had previously undergone two heart surgeries, the first at the age of 2 and a second when she was 7 years old. For those who knew her, Christina Li was a wonder woman who excelled in writing, photography, editing and the arts. They will remember her as someone who lived her life to the fullest.
Courtesy Photo
Christina Li, 23 graduated cum laude in May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
“She packed a lot in her 23 years. She had to know that she might not have a lot of time here with us,” said Holly Heyser, Li’s former professor. Despite dealing with heart see Christina| page A10
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NEWS ROUNDUP Sac State’s weekly news briefs and campus events Baseball players and coaches help local youths Sacramento State recently hosted the fourth annual New Faze Youth Baseball Camp at the Sac State baseball field. Sac State coaches and players and former professionals taught 150 area youth about baseball, including pitching, hitting, fielding and base running techniques. Participants attended the camp free of charge and received a free lunch and sports bottle.
charitable purposes, and therefore should not have been paid for by the university’s charitable auxiliary organization. The audit noted that the renovations were made for Gonzalez’s personal benefit. The Attorney General’s office advised that UEI be more conservative and careful with spending.
Sac State student’s death sees justice 3 years later David Allen Falls, suspect in the 2007 killing of Sacramento State student, Kebret Tekle, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and gun-related charges. Falls was sentenced to 21 years in state prison last summer.
Sacramento State will be considered an impacted campus starting beginning in fall 2011. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joseph Sheley and Vice President for Student Affairs Lori Varlotta applied Sac State for impaction status with California state University Chancellor Charles Reed in spring 2010. Applicants outside of the local service area will be subject to additional admissions criteria.
Last summer, Mayor Kevin Johnson held his Greenwise green initiative meeting with leaders from the business industry, academia, nonprofits and government at Sacramento State. The initiative seeks to make Sacramento a leader in green technology and sustainability. President Alexander Gonzalez said he strongly believes that Sac State has a lot to offer making Sacramento a “destination for smart growth and green innovation.” Johnson will continue to hold monthly public meetings through December.
UEI spent funds inappropriately, an audit finds An audit by Attorney General Jerry Brown’s office determined on July 1 that renovations made to Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez’s kitchen made through the University Enterprises Inc. were not made for
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Sac State students struggle as fees continue to increase By Kristine Guerra and Lauren Greenwood news@statehornet.com Junior biology major Naeim Zamani just quit her job so she could qualify for more financial aid and take on more loans to pay for his increased student fees. “I have better options that
way,” Zamani said. “I would rather be out of work, but be able to go to school full-time and have a higher GPA than struggling to pay for school and getting bad grades.” Zamani is one of many students who are struggling to pay for their tuition this semester. In June, the California State University Board of Trustees
voted to raise student fees by 5 percent beginning this fall. “The board’s decision to limit the student fee increase to 5 percent is based on the Assembly budget proposal that provides additional state revenues. It will allow us to move forward with adding classes and sections this fall,” CSU Chancellor Charles Reed said in a state-
Source: California State University
ment issued after the decision. The Assembly’s proposed version of the budget includes an additional $75 million for the CSU to limit the fee increase to 5 percent, instead of the 10 percent proposed by the Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The state university fee for full-time undergraduate students is now $4,230 per year,
Graphic by Megan Harris
an increase of $204. Together with other campus fees, such as transportation and recreational sports, undergraduate students are now paying $5,194 annually to attend Sacramento State. Credential program and graduate students are paying an additional $234 and $252 every year, respectively. Alejandra Fuentes, graduate education counseling student, said apart from her grant, she has to take on a larger loan to pay for her tuition. “I am a student full-time and cannot be in the master’s program if I am a part-time student,” Fuentes said. “Either way, tuition is going up, and we might as well finish our education now and be full-time.” Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joseph Sheley said the revenue from the fee increase, coupled with state funds, will be spent on classes, services and facilities. However, even with a projected $50 million in revenue from the fee increase and the Assembly’s proposed budget increases, funding for the CSU is still roughly $14 million short
to restore resources to 2007-08 levels, according to a CSU press release. The governor, Senate and Assembly’s versions of the budget all include $305 million to restore one-time cuts and $60.6 million for enrollment. “It’s sad that we have to pay student fees in the first place, let alone student fee increases,” said Terry Martin, Associated Students Inc. president. “We just have to face the fact that we’re not being completely invested in.” CSU fees have continually increased in recent years to backfill budget cuts, but still remain low compared to other public universities. Over the last four years, the state university fee for CSU fulltime undergraduate students has increased by $1,506, or 60 percent, according to an analysis by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. At Sac State, tuition has nearly doubled, from $2,334 in 2004 to the current $4,230. However, CSU fees are the second-lowest among 16 other state universities in the country, according to analyst’s office.
Plans for housing project on hold because of economy By Michelle Curtis mcurtis@statehornet.com Specific development plans remain unknown for a $2.3 million property that Sacramento State purchased in 2005 to build Ramona Village, a faculty and staff housing community. University Enterprises Inc. provided funding to purchase the 25-acre site, located at Power Inn Road and Ramona Avenue, spokeswoman Kimberly Nava said. The site was formerly occupied and owned by the California Youth Authority, a correctional facility for underage offenders. Funds from campus business operations, like the Hornet Bookstore, provided the fund-
ing by UEI, said Gloria Moraga, associate vice president for public affairs. She said the economy is the reason for postponing the project. “There was a time when the economy was booming and it fell off,” Moraga said. The property, which used to have 21 buildings, has faced two fires within the last three years. One of which happened in June and the other in 2008. Nava said the first fire was arson-related, and the cause of the recent fire is still unknown. For safety reasons, Moraga said demolition of the California Youth Authority buildings is ongoing and will be completed in October. Today, the buildings are
marked with graffiti and surrounded by litter. Ashes from the June grass fire are still noticeable. Nava said there are no plans for the style of the homes and the amenities that would be included with a faculty and staff housing project. Mary Reddick, head of user services in the university Library, said that faculty and staff housing can be a positive aspect to working at Sac State. “I know many faculty and staff who would be interested: newer faculty and staff whose salaries are not as competitive, who are just starting their families, or have not started,” she said.
Ashley Neal State Hornet
Left: Two fires have occurred at the site. The most recent one happened in June. Right: The former California Youth Authority property is now filled with litters and graffiti. The site, now owned by Sacramento State, has been vacant for five years.
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Professors get $1.5 million to study effects of program By Ken Paglia kpaglia@statehornet.com A Sacramento State economics professor and two colleagues were granted $1.8 million in federal funds this summer to study college readiness of California State University students. Jessica Howell, UC Davis education professor Michal Kurlaender and University of Minnesota sociology professor Eric Grodsky’s research will focus on the effectiveness of California’s Early Assessment Program. The program offers a voluntary exam to all public high school juniors in California to test their readiness in college level English and math. Students who aren’t ready can take additional courses their senior year. The goal of the program is to lower remediation, the lowerlevel college preparatory classes that do not count toward a degree, Howell said. “We need to know if EAP works to achieve its goal,” Howell said. “If we know how well it works, and also have some good quantitative evidence for how it works, then policy makers are much better informed about where California’s scare resources should be directed, and how EAP could be tweaked toward the goal of increasing academic preparation.” The professors began collecting data for the study earlier this summer, Howell said. “When we have more information we can pass it on to policy makers and the education community,” said Kurlaendar, who’se heading the fouryear study. “If we show that EAP works, we can encourage teachers to encourage students to participate.” The professors applied for the grant in October 2009 through the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. The money will be used primarily for hiring research
assistants, and for reducing the professors’ teaching loads to allow time for research, Howell said. In 2007, the trio did a study of the effectiveness of the program at Sac State. They found that students who took EAP English had a 6 percent lower probability of needing remediation, and students who took EAP math had a 4 percent lowerprobability. Now the professors want to see if results of this study hold true across the 23-campus CSU system. “If those results hold across the whole CSU, then the Sac State results would scale up to an estimated system-wide impact that implies roughly 3,000 fewer remedial students in English and 2,000 fewer remedial students in math,” Howell said. In addition to testing for high school juniors, the program involves instruction for high school seniors who want to be better prepared for college, and professional development for 12th-grade English and math teachers, according to the CSU website. Their research will focus on three questions: Does participation in the program reduce the probability that a student needs remediation upon entering CSU? Does the effect ofthe program participation vary with student characteristics like gender, ethnicity and academic achievement? Do students who participate in the program use their senior year in high school to become better prepared for college? The research is a little bit personal for Howell, who has taught Introduction to Microeconomics since 2003, and has seen many of her students struggle with both math and reading. “If these students had a little wake-up call just a few years ago, they would be able to tackle the material in front of
Jessica Howell and two colleagues received $1.8 million for EAP research.
them,” Howell said. Howell and her colleagues will likely be sharing their research results with California Community College professionals, she said. This year, 32 state community colleges began accepting EAP scores from high schools as a way of exempting students from remediation courses, Howell said. About 50 of the state’s 112 community colleges could begin accepting scores by the end of the year, said state EAP coordinator Sonia OrtizMercado. “The more prepared we can get them as they come into our system, the better they’re going to do once they get here,” Ortiz-Mercado said. The professors also plan to share their research with college chancellors, school districts, superintendents and the state Legislature, Howell said. “Our findings will probably be useful to a wide array of policymakers, all looking for ways to increase academic preparation going into college and, thereby, student success,” she said.
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Vote Impact members able to keep elected positions By Cayla Gales cgales@statehornet.com
Julie Keefer State Hornet
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to hold Vote Impact meetings and store campaign materials. Gallo also testified that After a series of hearings Martin used his office for held over the summer, the campaign purposes and wore Associated Students Inc. his Vote Impact shirt inside the Elections Appellate Council ASI office, which is a violation decided the three ASI election of the Election Code. Arndt winners, who were recomsaid Martin had misapproprimended to be disqualified ated funds from the Dollars for by the Election Complaints Organizations and Clubs, which Committee, will retain their he chaired. positions this school year. After reviewing the comShortly after the election, plaints and the evidence precomplaints were filed against sented, the committee recomASI Executive Vice President mended that Smith, Gervase Rylan Gervase, ASI Vice and Menezes all be disqualified President of Finance Chris from their positions and be Smith and Director of Busireplaced by the candidates with ness Blake Menezes, all of the second-highest votes. whom are members of Vote The committee also recomImpact. mended that Martin be fined The Appellate Council $100, which would go toward decided to overturn the comthe Tanton/Lara/Ramo scholarmittee’s decision because the ship fund. This was in addition evidence presented against to presenting a workshop about them was not clear enough, Election Codes to spring 2011 according to a letter sent by ASI candidates, and serving the council to Lori Varlotta, as a guest speaker at Sac State vice president for student government classes this fall. affairs. On July 21, The Appellate The disqualification was Council reviewed the evidence based on complaints filed and from the committee hearings evidence presented by former and concluded there was not ASI presidential candidate enough evidence to diqualify Vince Vicari against Gervase, the Vote Impact members. Smith and Menezes. The committee’s recommenVicari testified at a hearing dations on Martin, however, held in May that Gervase, remained intact. Smith and Menezes wore their “At the end of the day, the campaign shirts while parright decision was made with ticipating in the Family Feud the Appellate (Council),” Smith event, hosted by KSSU and said. UNIQUE, on election Vicari said he day in the Univeracknowledges the Apsity Union. Vicari pellate Council’s deciconsidered this active sion and accepts that campaigning and is it is a “done deal.” He, against the Election however, stressed that Code. students need to know The Election Code what is going on at ASI. defines campaigning “It is in every student’s as “...making public best interest to keep speeches, displays, track of ASI,” Vicari or demonstrations said. “Their decisions in support of...any File Photo affect everyone. They’re candidate.’” held accountable. StuASI Vice President of Finance Chris “The materials predent’s should know that.” sented by the charging Smith testifies at a hearing last summer. parties to the ECC do not set forth sufficient evidence that the University Union was an absolute ‘no campaign zone,’” according to the letter from the Appellate Council dated July 21. Menezes said he was ecstatic about the Appellate Council’s decision. “Something that had been going on over a course of about two months was finally over and done. It was exciting to know that I was not in jeopardy of losing my directorship anymore,” Menezes said. Fifteen complaints, including Vicari’s, were filed shortly after the election held in May. Six were against Vote Impact members and eight were written by members of the party against other candidates. All but five of the complaints were deemed without merit and were not heard by the committee. “I felt like I was obligated to file a complaint,” said Vicari, who presented video recordings and photos from the Family Feud event. The other complainants were former ASI presidential candidate John Arndt, former ASI Vice President of Finance candidate Sandra Gallo and former ASI Vice President of Academic Affairs candidate Yeimi Lopez, all of whom filed complaints against Martin. Lopez said Martin had unjustly taken advantage of his vice president of finance office
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Well: Health, fitness, recreation together under one roof Continued | page A1 room, rock climbing walls, an indoor track, fitness areas, an indoor multi-activity center with stadium seating and big courts that can accommodate up to four games of basketball. Peak Adventures and Student Health Services are also housed in The Well. The Well provided the space for the health center to expand and update its facilities. The health center now has an optometry center, rooms for physical therapy, immunizations and lab services, a pharmacy and 22 exam rooms where students can see physicians. Costello said wellness goes beyond physical exercise, and The Well promotes Sac State’s seven dimensions of wellness: intellectual, emotional, environmental, physical, career/ financial, spiritual and social/ cultural. She said inclusion of the health center and Peak Adventures help give students an overall picture of what wellness and healthy living mean. Students pay $118 a semester to cover the upkeep of the facility, custodial maintenance, and programming costs for The Well. However, in order to have access to the facility, students need to turn in a registration form and sign a waiver, Gavric said.
Because The Well is funded by student fees, the facility is primarily for the students. Alumni who paid the fees for The Well when they were students between 2004 and 2010 care called “pre-paid” alumns and are invited to return and use the facility, said Leslie Davis, executive director of The Well, in an interview with KCRA 3. Davis also said members from the outside community cannot use The Well because the facility is a nonprofit corporation whose affiliates are directly related to the campus. Faculty and staff can use The Well at a fee slightly more than the student fee. However, everyone is invited to use The Well for free during the opening week from Sept. 3 to 10. Other services offered are equipment training, kinesis equipment training and circuit training to help familiarize students with the different equipment and exercise regimens. Students will also have access to Mindbloom, a free gaming software that focuses on wellness and goal setting. It allows students to work on healthy lifestyles in a fun, interactive way, Costello said. Moving into the spring semester, Costello and Gavric said they hope to offer more opportunities to students. Gavric
Becky Bell State Hornet
A view from the back terrace of The Well, located on the second floor, shows the Hornet Stadium. The Well, a 150,000-square-foot facility will have its grand opening Thursday. It now houses the Student Health Services and Peak Adventures.
said she is working with the kinesiology department and the recreation and leisure studies program to set up internship opportunities in the spring. “We hope that the students take advantage of all of the opportunities at The Well,” said Tad Mackey, coordinator of information recreation and facility. HOW THE WELL STARTED
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Becky Bell State Hornet
The Well includes clinics for students and rock climbing walls for fitness and recreational purposes.
The idea of The Well was cemented in spring 2004 when students approved a measure to update Sac State’s recreational facilities by building a new Wellness Recreation Events Center to provide recreational activities, health care and facilities for events. Gonzalez promised to raise $25 million for the center, and the remaining costs would be funded by student fees. The measure increased stu-
dent fees to fund The Well. Fees went up by $10 the following semester, and then once construction began in 2008, student fees went up by $110 for each subsequent semester. When the students voted on the measure in 2004, they were told the facility would have basketball courts, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a bowling center, child care facilities, a multi-purpose arena and a movie theater. It would also have a health service center that provides physical therapy, dental and optical care and therapeutic massages. The Well has most of these features except for the indoor pool, bowling center, child care facilities and a dental care center. The Well originally partnered with the athletics department, Student Health Services, the university and the University
Union, but as time passed, it lost the athletic partnership. This resulted in a smaller budget. “We had to cut back on some of the features, staff and services, like child care, that we were going to offer, due to budget cuts. The university’s decision to cap enrollment made us cut back on a lot of the programming,” Gavric said. Gavric said the university board of directors and The Well advisory group, both of which have student representatives, were consulted before making the changes. Even though The Well faced some setbacks in funding, Gavric said The Well administration did not cut of the employment opportunities set aside for students. The facility employs 200 students and might have a few openings mid-semester, Gavric said.
The entire project ended up costing $71 million instead of the original $73 million, Gavric said. The Well received no private or corporate funds, and the actual construction costs were $52 million. The remaining costs were paid for through the issuance of bonds. Spokeswoman Kim Nava said Gonzalez promised to raise $25 million for the Alex G. Spanos Sports and Recreation Complex, which includes a field house and The Well, but could not comment on how much money has come in and how much has gone toward The Well. Senior interior design and biology major Bebe Keonongtes said she is excited about the opening of The Well. “We’re so stoked,” she said. “They’ve been building it for years and it better be worth all of the wait and money.”
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Address: Plans to make Sac Budget: Funding could open State a destination campus more classes for students Continued | page A1 dents above target,” he said. Gonzalez said if the proposed funding for the CSU is not signed and finalized soon, the campus is preparing to make sure that the least damage is done to the students and faculty. Some of these preparations include not filling vacant positions, delaying equipment purchases and maintenance and transferring employees to nonstate funding when possible. “The worst-case scenario is happening right now, and we will still persevere,” Gonzalez said. Throughout his speech, Gonzalez talked about the progress of Destination 2010 and thanked everyone behind the project. He said because of the physical improvements at Sac State as part of Destination 2010, there will be more students staying on campus throughout the day, “… creating a vibrant campus life that belies the commuter campus perception.” “In other words,” he said, “students will live here, study here and succeed here like never before.” He said Sac State’s transformation into a destination campus has provided community support and private funding for the university. Not everyone was as enthusiastic as Gonzalez about Destination 2010. Kevin Wehr, president of the Capitol chapter of the California Faculty Association, said Destination 2010 has misplaced priorities, such as the construction of The Well, a multi-use facility, which he said focuses too much on recreation. “We have a new fitness center, but where are the new classrooms?” Wehr said. “That’s what they need to be spending money on.” Wehr also criticized Gon-
Continued | page A1
Julie Keefer State Hornet
A limping President Alexander Gonzalez chats with members of the audience before his spring address.
zalez for not mentioning the recent 5 percent fee increase that was passed in June by the CSU Board of Trustees, or the furloughs and layoffs that have affected faculty and staff. “I now have students falling asleep in my morning classes because of these fee increases forcing them to pick up second jobs with late shifts,” he said. “I think he’s really out of touch with student life.” Stephen Garcia, vice president for administration and business affairs, said otherwise. “He’s made a vision to improve student life on campus,
and he’s met that vision very well,” Garcia said. Gonzalez said the Legislature will ultimately decide how much students will have to pay for higher education. Gonzalez and Wehr encouraged students, who are unhappy with the budget cuts, to inform the Legislature by assembling at the Capitol as soon and as often as possible. “Nothing is easy about this,” Gonzalez said. “To you students: please bear with us and remain in good spirits about things to come.”
port for higher education has declined by $1.6 billion, or 14 percent. Public universities, whose share of the General Fund has declined by about 20 percent, absorbed most of the reduction, according to a Legislative Analyst’s Office report. CSU’s share of the General Fund, for instance, decreased from $2.9 billion in 2007-08 to about $2.2 billion the following year. Kevin Wehr, president of the Capitol chapter of the California Faculty Association, said the governor’s proposed budget is “not really enough.” “But it’s a very important step forward,” Wehr said. “It’s brings us back to a point where we can start thinking about offering a reasonable amount of classes that are hopefully enough for students to graduate on time, and hiring back faculty who have been laid off.” In a statement issued after the budget committee’s approval of the governor’s proposal, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed said timely passing of the budget would open doors to an additional 29,000 students. The budget, however, is not likely to be passed anytime soon. “They haven’t sent a signal that they’re ready to pass the budget.” Sheley said. Meanwhile, the CSU will remain conservative in admitting students for spring 2011 and assume there will be no increase in state support until a final budget is passed. A memo sent by Reed to campus presidents stated that each campus can exceed its enrollment targets for spring 2011 by no more than 2 percent.
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE SAYS PROPOSED INCREASES ARE TOO MUCH In its report on the budget published in February, the Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended a $148 million increase in state support to the CSU. That is roughly half the amount proposed by the governor. Steve Boilard, director of higher education for the analyst’s office, said the governor’s proposal is a “pretty significant increase in state funding” during a year when the state has cover a $20 billion budget hole. The analyst’s office’s recommendation would also save the state $298 million, Boilard said. “We need to find a reasonable place to restore some of the services on campus, and at the same time be more careful about how much money we spend,” Boilard said. The analyst’s office’s analysis of the budget proposal was based on per-student funding at the CSU. According to data compiled by researchers, perstudent funding actually went up from $11,289 in 2007-08 to $11,722 under the 2010-11 budget proposal, a 3.8 increase.
Source: Legislative Analyst’s Office
The analyst’s office recommended that the state should restore per-student funding rates to 2007-08 levels instead of increasing them as proposed by the governor. “Rather than saying we’re going to give all the money that the governor proposes, let’s instead come up with some kind of target and see how it would cost,” Boilard said. The office also recommended that the Legislature reject Schwarzenegger’s proposal to provide $60.6 million for “enrollment growth.” Boilard said calling it can be misleading because the governor’s budget proposal actually calls for reduced enrollment for 2010-11. The money would instead fund students who were previously turned away from the CSU due to budget cuts. “The governor includes money in there for enrollment growth, but it doesn’t really fund new students,” Boilard said. Sheley agreed. “I wouldn’t call it enrollment growth,” he said. “The $60 million opens doors to the number of students that we haven’t been able to accommodate.”
Graphic by Megan Harris
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Wednesday - September 1
News Section
statehornet.com
Christina: Former Hornet’s passion leaves others inspired Continued | page A1 complications since an early age, Li never let her health problems prevent her from obtaining her goals, said Vicki Li, her older sister, in an e-mail to The State Hornet. “She would accomplish anything she set her mind on. She was strong, determined and had a beautiful spirit,” Vicki Li said. Christina Li, who graduated cum laude in May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, worked as a writer and editor for The Hornet for two semesters. She wrote for Sacramento Magazine and freelanced for San Francisco neighborhood newspapers like The Portrero View and The Richmond Review. After she graduated, she was offered a copy editing position at a paper in the town of Visalia. Vicki Li said her sister was not only a brilliant writer who could capture the essence of stories through her words, but she was also a talented photographer. “It was in 2009 when I first picked up a Nikon D40. Little did I know what to make of such a thing considering the package never came with a manual. I have always had a love and passion for art and self expression. I guess you can say my burst of creativity drew me
into this world full of imagery,” Christina Li wrote on her website where she was selling her photos. She was donating 10 percent of the proceeds of her sales to the American Heart Association. “For someone who’s never taken photography classes, she’s taken amazing photos. She’ll take a shot of something random she happened to see and turn it into an amazing photo,” said her friend Mitchell Wilson. Those who who have worked with Christina Li said she had an impeccable eye for capturing beauty and she was capable of seeing the beauty in everything. “She was very clear about her heart condition and did not let it stop her. She showed her determination and strong work ethic at the Hornet,” said Leidhra Johnson, friend and former colleague. “She found the beauty and shared the beauty.” In her blog, she wrote about the need to recognize beauty and opportunities at all times. In one of her entries, Christina Li wrote about taking a 30-minute study break to appreciate her surroundings. “At the end of the block I saw some sprinklers going off. Since I wasn’t able to get photographs of the rainbow last week after the rain, I decided this was my
“Christina Li touched many lives while she was here with us. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, and friend.” - Vicki Li, Christina Li’s sister
chance,” she wrote. After capturing the rainbow in the sprinklers, she just had one question: “Where is that pot of gold?” Close friends and family spoke about Li’s writing and passion for the arts and what a good person she was. Wilson said when he and Li worked as editors in fall 2009, she always supported and encouraged him, reminding him of how hard he was working and what he was accomplishing. Benjamin Schilter, who worked with Li as the copy chief during her time at The Hornet, said he will always remember the time Li befriended him when he felt that no one else would. It was during the paper’s annual spring banquet when Schilter was sitting by himself at his table and Li, who barely knew Schilter at that time, joined him. “Before she sat down at my table, I definitely wanted to leave. When she came by, I started mulling over it again,” Schilter said. “When she told her friends that she was fine sitting where she was, I figured that maybe staying wouldn’t be so bad after all.” Schilter said that kind gesture changed his perception about working for the campus paper. “Christina touched many lives while she was here with us. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, and friend,” Vicki Li said. On Sunday, more than 100 family and friends remembered and celebrated Li’s life at her funeral service. They are sure she is in a better place and she has found that pot of gold.
Courtesy Photos
Bottom left: Christina Li poses for a friend at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Top right: Christina Li, who immediately developed photography skills, takes a picture of the Ocean Beach while wearing a San Francisco Giants’ hat, her favorite baseball team. Bottom right: Christina Li, sits at her desk at The State Hornet. She worked as a features writer and features editor for two semesters at the paper.
State Hornet Classifieds FOR RENT 2 rooms available for a 4 bed 2 bath House. Bathroom is shared, fully furnished house, rent includes all utilities. DSL Internet. Close to CSUS shuttle and lite rail. No smoking, drugs. Email edman_melissa@yahoo.com HELP WANTED Tremendous income-earning potential awaits through part-time or full-time work related to marketing of legal services. This NYSE-listed company has been featured in Forbes, Money and US Today. You can grow your business working hours you choose - perfect for Sac State students, workers and others looking to bolster monthly income. Contact Brian at (530) 304-4371 or by email: brianm4ppl@gmail.com.
Thursdays and Fridays 8:30 to 4:30. Need commitment until end of June. Must have childcare experience. Send resume and 3 references to LLEJAN6@gmail.com
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THESTATEHORNET
Opinion
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S eptember 1, W ednesday
| F a l l I ss u e 1 | S a c r a m e n t o S tat e
EDITORIAL
Find a support system on campus While it has become somewhat of a State Hornet tradition to write our first editorial in the form of a response to the university president’s address every semester, certain recent circumstances have prompted us to take a different route this time around. The recent death of a former editor, Christina Li, has made all of us here at the Hornet realize just how important friendships and relationships are, especially during the college experience. Li, who died Aug. 19 due to complications during surgery, worked on the Hornet in spring 2010 as a features writer and fall 2010 as the features editor. She was a gifted journalist,
a hard worker and most importantly, a great friend and member of the Sacramento State community and Hornet family. While losing a friend can seem unbearable, those of us here at the Hornet have agreed that we would rather feel the pain of loss than to have lived life without ever meeting such an amazing human being. The death of our friend has urged us to encourage the community of Sac State to reach out, find friends and find a family here on campus. Yes, Sac State has a very large student body and is a commuter campus full of diverse students with different lifestyles, but it is also home to thousands
of people with at least one common goal: education. A college education is not easily achieved. For those of us lucky enough to be here, we constantly face the challenges of fee increases, budget cuts and impaction. However, if we work together to create an educated mass, we are all more likely to succeed. As part of Destination 2010, Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez has made it clear that he would like this campus to be a place where students choose to spend their free time. He would like students to feel like this campus is another home. By building a friend base, we are all more likely to help Destination 2010 become a
reality. One of the more obvious ways to find a school-based family is by joining a sorority of fraternity. Sac State sororities and fraternities can be easily explored during the first couple weeks of school as they urge and recruit students to participate in Rush from Sept. 10-14. Our campus also offers a number of different clubs and organizations. From major-related organizations to hobby- and interestfocused clubs, something is available for everyone. Thursday’s opening of The Well will also offer a way for students to interact and bond as students are welcomed and encouraged to become healthier and happier together under one
roof. Even for commuter students who do not choose to join organizations, Sac State is set up in a way that students tend to take their major-related classes in one general area so that they are close to others in the same field. Something as simple as finding a study partner within a major can mean the beginning of a friendship. While college system may seem to fuel competition, we should work harder to compete as a whole rather than as individuals. We should all work together to make Sac State a better college – to make us all better students. This should not be a competition to outdo each
other, but rather a common fight to make our generation successful and the college experience better for each of us. If you have an interest in journalism and are looking for your niche on campus, the Hornet does not close enrollment or its doors to anyone.
To read more about Sac State clubs and organizations, check out www.isacstate.com Also see the article about Christina Li in NEWS
Remodeling right on track
By Matt DeStefano and Daniel Vasilchuk opinion@statehornet.com
Marcy Hendricks State Hornet
We need your opinion, we know you have one. Give us your best shot! Please send your letters to the editor to opinion@statehornet.com
Need less fees, more education
By Daniel Vasilchuk dvasilchuk@statehornet.com
Fee increases, which deeply and negatively impact Sacramento State students’ lives, were not directly mentioned Thursday at Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez’s annual fall address. In his spring address, Gonzalez had said that there would be another increase later in the year. Fair enough, but he should have mentioned something that affects the students so much in the fall address as well. The State University Fee was increased once more in June, by 5 percent, according to a California State University Public Affairs press release. Student fees, which are already ridiculously high, are expected to jump even higher in the midst of an unapproved state budget and a rising demand for university funding.
The governor is required by the state constitution to submit a budget to the Legislature in January. The Legislature then works to approve the budget by June. Gonzalez said education at the CSU is still affordable, despite the rising fees. Gonzalez also said there is a solution to stop the fee increases. “California has to make a decision to support higher education,” Gonzalez said. Even if the current proposed $365 million budget is approved by the Legislature, the students might not get their old, relatively low fees back. In 1979, the fees amounted to only $144. With the recent increase, these fees are nearly 3,000 percent more than what they were in 1979. Gonzalez said if the funding keeps falling through, it will have to be reconciled somehow. “More of the financial responsibility for quality instruction will fall to our campus, our supporters and our students,” Gonzalez said. A greater financial burden can only mean further cuts to faculty and more fee increases, which decreases the quality of our education
experience. Kevin Wehr, president of the Capitol chapter of California Faculty Association, said because of fee increases students often need to get second jobs and work late-night shifts. It is unacceptable that in times of financial hardship the CSU forces fee increases upon its student population. Many students end up sleeping in class and doing poorly on their homework assignments. While increases in fees do help the campus fund its processes, the students end up suffering. Because of second jobs, students have less time available for homework and studying. This leads many students to lose sleep in order to finish up assignments. Wehr said while it is great that Gonzalez’s focus during the fall address has largely been on Destination 2010, that focus should also have been somewhere else. “Sure, we have the new athletic center and bookstore,” Wehr said. “But can we have new classrooms?” We not only need new classrooms, we need them to be bigger and “smarter.” It would be nice to see the fee increases go toward remod-
eling these aging rooms, or building new ones. The classrooms are often overcrowded and some students have to sit on floors at the beginning of each semester due to small classroom sizes. We need more class sections. We need more of everything that would make this institution conducive to a better educational experience. It is probably not a bigger gym or a hangout location that would make our educational experience the best it can be. Commuter school or not, most of us enjoy the campus the way it is, without its fancy add-ons. “We’re here for the minds, not just to get our students buff,” Wehr said. Most of us are here to get ahead in life. We are here to get a good education. Yes, the campus may look nice, but the appearance is canceled out by us having to spend so much money on fees. Wehr said it is important for students to go to the Capitol and rally against the fee increases. The only way the administration is going to know that we are hurt is if we show that we are. Fee increases are ridiculous. Make your voice heard.
Walking around campus this semester, students may recognize the ongoing construction projects. With the recent fee increase, one might question why Sacramento State is spending money on remodeling at a time when faculty is getting cut. And the first guess might be that funding for these projects is coming from our fees - it is not. Let us back up a bit. California, along with the rest of the nation, is in the midst of difficult economic times. Sac State recently declared impaction for the fall 2011 semester, meaning the university could not financially provide for the increased number of applicants. While Sac State is suffering at least the campus looks more inviting to everyone and, thankfully, at no increased cost to the students. General library funds provided for the remodeling in the library, and Java City fully funded the construction of its new coffee shop in the University Union. Setting the financial situation aside, beautifying the campus and creating more accessible amenities to students can attract students to spend more time here, at Sac State - which is the idea behind Gonzalez’s Destination 2010. Destination 2010 is an initiative designed to transform Sac State from
a commuter school to a welcoming campus bustling with student activity. Remodeling activity is certainly helping promote that destination campus image to the community and to current students. Java City remodeled its Union station, and the library received a facelift, in addition to other projects. Brett Zugnoni, director of marketing for Java City, said the Union coffee shop remodeling was funded entirely by the company. “Java City wanted to provide something new and exciting for students,” Zugnoni said, referring to the new Eco-Grounds in place of the old Java City. “Sac State had no part in providing funds for this project.” The Eco-Grounds coffee shop provides regular coffee and organic coffee, and features an improved water process for decaffeination. Kimberly Nava, interim director of news services, said the remodeling projects in the library were all undertaken to benefit the students. “The library received no extra funding for the projects paid for with general funds, and implemented them via the normal budget,” Nava said. A new air handler unit was installed on top of the library, and Mary Reddick, department head of user services, said the library’s first floor now consolidates patron services to a single desk, called User Services. Projects such as this make the campus more userfriendly and easier for the public to navigate. Sure, we might not enjoy these changes right away, but future generations of students will definitely appreciate a this good-looking campus.
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Before and after images of the new Eco-Grounds coffee shop in the University Union.
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THESTATEHORNET
Features
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S eptember 1, W ednesday
| F a l l I ss u e 1 | S a c r a m e n t o S tat e
Megan Harris State Hornet
Residence halls welcome students for fall 2010 semester By Miriam Arghandiwal arghandiwal@statehornet.com Leaving their homes and comfort zones behind, students began moving into their dorms for the fall semester as Sacramento State opened its residence hall doors Friday morning. Traffic in the residence parking lot started early as students arrived in heavily packed cars, along with their families and friends. They were greeted by members of various Sac State campus clubs, who stood by in uniform shirts. The volunteers were ready to help by directing parents to the right halls and lending a hand in unloading cars. Lauren Wagner, freshman kinesiology major, was one of the new faces on campus who arrived to settle into the residence hall on Friday. Wagner drove 400 miles the night before from Camarillo, a small town in southern California. “Lauren grew up in a very quiet town,” said Lauren’s
mother, Mary-Lynn Wagner. “She’s been in school with the same kids since preschool till she graduated.” Lauren Wagner said one reason she is looking forward to living in the dorms this semester is because it will be a change of scenery for her. “I’m excited just to be somewhere where no one knows me, I’m looking forward to living with someone I don’t know and learning to be with different people and coping with different attitudes and opinions,” Lauren Wagner said. She chose to live the dorm life because of the opportunities that it offered. “I want to be involved in sports and clubs on campus, and living in dorms makes that easier because I can just walk down to campus,” she said. Mary-Lynn Wagner said although she is happy for her daughter, moving day was still an emotional roller coaster. “She’s our first child moving out, and while we’ll miss her to death at home, we’re still very
excited for her,” she said. “She wants this more than anything, so we want it for her.”’ Lauren Wagner and other students who moved in spent the majority of their morning checking in, receiving parking passes and situating their belongings in their new rooms. After saying goodbye to their families, students went to the Dining Commons for their first dinner together. Rachel Ripley, sophomore English major and student assistant to the university’s Housing Department, assured living in the residence halls is an experience that will offer students something that cannot be found living off campus. “Students living in the residence halls not only experience individual freedoms from family and close relatives, but they also get to meet other students from different backgrounds,” Ripley said. Student’s feelings about moving in vary immensely, Ripley see Dorms | page B2
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Student volunteers, parents and friends helped incoming students move into the resident halls on Friday. Right: Student volunteers from the Greek system as well as other student organizations lifted miniature refridgerators and bins of clothes up flights of stairs.
UNIQUE offers Students endure fasting to free concerts in gain appreciation, empathy between classes By Miriam Arghandiwal arghandiwal@statehornet.com
The University Union’s UNIQUE Program works hard to produce entertainment and educational events for Sacramento State students. Despite the organization’s hard work, one of its more frequent events, “Nooners,” tend to go unrecognized by students on campus. Since 1980, UNIQUE has regularly held Nooners, which are small one-hour concerts. The concerts take place at noon on Wednesdays inside the University Union. Justin Randle, senior psychology major and student assistant for UNIQUE, said a Nooner usually showcases a musician or band, but is not limited to just that. Nooners can also showcase plays or comedy stand-up acts, he said. Zenia LaPorte, UNIQUE programs adviser, said Nooners offer a chance for students to see the bands they would otherwise see at local clubs. However, at local clubs, students are likely to pay a cover charge and many places do not welcome all ages. At Nooners, anyone can watch them for free, she said. “Usually people don’t know the artist playing too well, so there is not a big turnout at first,
but as people walk through the Union, they stop by,” Randle said. Shaina Sanchez, senior psychology major, said she has not heard of the Nooners. “I love all types of music, and Nooners definitely sound like something that would be of interest to attend,” she said. LaPorte said she believes the majority of students do know about Nooners but choose not to attend because they are not personally familiar with the band. “That’s part of the point of going to these shows; getting to know new music for free,” she said. “Unfamiliarity with the band is just another reason why students should go, though.” UNIQUE focuses their recruitment on acts that are appealing to students. Randle said members at UNIQUE do this by searching for local and upcoming artists that have some sort of following or a connection with students on campus. LaPorte said when Nooners first started, bands used to send in or drop off their press kits, which consisted of a CD or cassette, a photo see Nooners | page B2
By Jamie Ramirez jramirez@statehornet.com
Fasting for an entire month, all month, from sunrise to sunset does not seem easy and for many Muslim and nonMuslim students at Sacramento State; it is not. Students are taking it upon themselves to hold Iftar dinners to break fast for the holy month of Ramadan in the University Union. According to the website History.com, Ramadan is the most holy time of the year for Islam. It is the ninth month of the Islamic year when all Muslims over the age of 13 years old fast for the entire month. During Ramadan, Muslims fast beginning from the rising of the sun and breaking fast at sunset. Iftar dinners, which are daily rituals to break one’s fast for the day, will be held Monday through Thursday until the end of Ramadan near Burger King in the University Union. Sabil Khan, senior business marketing major, said he is like most Muslims and enjoys having meals with family and friends. Potlucks and dinner parties are in abundance during Ramadan, he said. Saman Tariq, junior biology major, said students hold these dinners every night to break
fast with the company of other students observing the holiday on their own accord and nonMuslims are welcome to observe and join in. “I find (Ramadan) a time to test my own self,” said Sonum Saeed, a Cosumnes River College student and president of the Muslim Student Association for the Los Rios Community College District. “It is also a time for self-discovery, we spend most of our time praying and reading the Quran ... A time to test one’s self-control as well.” IslamiCity is an educational organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of humanitarian and social justice issues. According to the organization’s website, the month of Ramadan is when Allah
revealed the first verses of the Quran, the Islamic holy book, to the prophet Muhammad. In honor of this revelation, one-thirtieth of the Quran is read each night of Ramadan, so by the end of the month, the whole Quran has been read, according to the organization. Before the first fast, Muslims look for the new moon. If it is sighted, Tariq said it marks the beginning of Ramadan. She said Muslims who participate in Ramadan begin fasting the next day for 30 days. Ramadan ends by looking for the new moon in the last couple days of the holy month, Tariq said. “In my opinion, Ramadan is when Muslims prove to God that we are not selfish and un-
File Graphic
Iftar dinners will be held inside the University Union during the holy month of Ramadan. Above: Artist representation of mosques, which are holy places for worship.
derstand how it feels to not be able to afford food or water for long periods of time,” Tariq said. Khan said the holy month is more than just a time for abstaining from food. “Muslims refrain not only from foods but also from all the bad habits they may have,” Khan said. “Instead, they perform good deeds in abundance for the blessings that are multiplied for this month. That is what I try to do as well.” According to IslamiCity, bad habits include vices like smoking, or simple things such as gossip. Muslims also try to perform good deeds like donating money as a means of giving back and growing spiritually. There are some mental and physical struggles with fasting for Ramadan. However, Saeed said, through the struggles the outcome is worth facing the challenges. “I am always running around so (it) can become a challenge,” Saeed said. “It is always worth it to know I didn’t give up or give in to my temptations.” Khan said he likes getting the opportunity to see relatives he does not see often. “Ramadan is a time where family is your best friend,” Saeed said. “Usually everyone is busy, but Ramadan lets us break fast together everyday at the same time.”
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Wednesday - September 1
Features Section
statehornet.com
Dorms: Encourging Burgers taste better with cheese skirts students to build new relationships MATT ABOUT FOOD | HAMBURGERS
By Matt Rascher mrascher@statehornet.com
There have been many great eaters in the history of mankind. From Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, who ate 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, who ate 62 Krystal Burgers (palm-sized burgers) in eight minutes. Not all of us decide to embrace our more gluttonous side, but food is something I am a pretty big fan of. I do not claim to have the most refined palette or the biggest appetite, but one thing I do know is where to find good food in Sacramento. I have lived here for 22 years and enjoyed more than my fair share of delicious breakfasts, snacks, lunches, brunches and dinners, and maybe a few more meals in between. This column will provide some weekly insight into three of Sacramento’s best restaurants
- whether it be burgers, Ethiopian or Chinese food. I will span the city limits looking for the best of the best. And while I can’t reasonably visit every burger shack or sushi place in a week, three of the best, based on word of mouth recommendations, will be chronicled here. For this week’s mouth-watering marathon I decided to indulge in a classic: the hamburger. This staple of the American diet has been featured in backyard barbecues and fine dining alike and has taken on many interesting variations over the years. The burger has been placed in between everything from lettuce to a Krispy Kreme doughnut, and through it all the burger has maintained its place in our hearts and in our stomachs. Now onto the competition! This week’s participants offer bountiful proportions and interesting takes on the traditional burger.
SCOTT’S BURGER SHACK Scott’s Burger Shack is exactly me, a three-patty, one-and-awhat it sounds like, a shack. half pound burger covered in Don’t let the small building fool toppings and awesomeness. I you though. Scott’s offers some downed the behemoth, I was big burgers including my choice, breathing heavier afterwards the Triple Fat Boy. You heard too, but I would visit again.
WILLIE’S Simply known as Willie’s, Willie’s famous Slammer Sauce this downtown eatery offers (a chili-cheese concoction), a delicious burgers and more. The thick tomato, mustard, pickles reason anyone comes to Willie’s and onions, this burger will though is for the Hammer or leave you in a food coma. Add the Slammer. The Hammer is a on a mammoth side of chili burger that you can get with up cheese fries and a thick milkto three patties. The Slammer shake and worry about hitting however, is where it’s at. With the gym tomorrow. SQUEEZE INN The Squeeze Inn is a Sacthird pound beef patty. When ramento staple for burgers. It they cook the burger, they pile has been awarded “Best Dive” on a ton of cheese and the porby Sacramento Magazine for tion that hits the grill hardens to five straight years. The reason form the crunchy and heartfor the accolades? The “Cheese stopping cheese skirt. I was in Skirt.” Oh yes, a halo of heavburger nirvana. Definitely check enly cheese surrounds the onethis place out.
And our winner is…The Squeeze Inn! If I could attach a cheese skirt to all of my food I would do it. Do yourself a favor and get the “Squeeze with Cheese,” and prepare for your life to be changed. This isn’t the end all or be all of burgers in Sacramento, so write in and let me know what I’m missing. If you know of a great place to eat or want to see a certain food covered write in and tell me.
Nooners: Bringing new talent to campus Continued | page B1 and a biography. These days, UNIQUE gets electronic press kits through e-mails, she said. It also get electronic press kits through a site called SonicBids, which is a way for bands to see local promoters and venues and send their kits that way, LaPorte said. Randle said UNIQUE then pays the artist through funds it receives from the Union. “They’re not expensive, if an artist has a strong following they will cost a little more than other Nooners; it varies between bands,” he said. Randle said UNIQUE tries to bring different types of artists to Sac State.
“Two semesters ago we had a band that played with an electric xylophone and that was something new for a lot of people to see,” he said. “Mostly we focus on what students would want to see.” UNIQUE has booked a Concord-based rock band named Stomacher for the first Nooner of the semester. The band will perform today at noon in Serna Plaza, outside the Union. Stomacher, which was previously known as In Reverent Fear, has been together for 10 years, said Ryan Thornberry, the group’s manager. He said the band is familiar with playing at small venues like Sac State. Nooners are also opportunities for artists to build their
followings. “The band definitely picks up fans from these kind of things, we get a lot of new sign ups for our email listing,” Thornberry said. “We get new fans from every show we play in.” Living up to UNIQUE’s mission to bring new sounds to Sac State, Thornberry said Stomacher offers students a musical performance unlike any they have seen before from a band of this size. LaPorte said UNIQUE is constantly evolving the way it promotes events to students, so bands like Stomacher do not go unnoticed. Over the past year, UNIQUE has used Facebook and Twitter to send out invitations and reminders.
Both networking sites have given UNIQUE positive results, she said. Bands like Deftones and Cakes were among past performers who also became commercially popular. “That’s a great reason to go, you might be seeing a band just before they blow up and you can say you ‘knew them when..’,” Laporte said. If nothing else, LaPorte said Nooners were a great way for students to take a break and enjoy themselves for a while. “We sometimes have outdoor Nooners, where students can bring their lunch, hangout under the sun and just chill out between classes listening to music,” she said.
Continued | page B1 said. From her observations, she said it appears that freshmen students anticipate the move more so than transfers or returning students. “Older residents may be excited, but they also know how the semester will feel and, for better lack of terms, ‘how the system works,’” she said. One returning resident, Ally Lodwig, sophomore speech pathology major, seemed just as excited as the new freshmen. Lodwig lived in Jenkins Hall her freshman year where she made friends quickly. “I made a promise to myself on the first day that I would go and introduce myself to four girls in my hall and today I consider all those girls my best friends,” Lodwig said. The Housing Department set up an ice cream social and activities in the quad and offered music and dancing to ensure other students would make new friends, she said. Students from every hall participated in the quad activities but as the day came to an end,
Julie Keeper State Hornet
Lauren Wagner (holding boxes) unpacked items for her new dorm room on Friday with her father.
they reported back to their own halls for their “in-hall events.” Lodwig lives in the American River Courtyard residence halls, which Ripley said are in high demand. “The dorms are more like apartment style suites where each resident has their own room and connecting living rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom,” Ripley said. “The other halls share bathrooms, kitchens and living room areas.” Lodwig said her old dorm had one bathroom that was placed in the middle of the hall. “It’s exciting not to have to share a shower with like 28 other girls this year,” she said. The ARC’s in-hall events consisted of root beer floats, dancing and air hockey. The agenda for the next two days would follow the same routine as students continued to move in, and other activities such as making s’mores and scavenger hunts are still lined up for the students. Lodwig enjoys the time she has spent with her hall mates. She said they encouraged her to do things she would not normally do, like join the Salsa Loca Club and campaign for ASI. “Last year for the first football game of the year the entire dorm gathered and walked down to the game together,” she said. “That’s what’s great about dorms, if you’re ever scared to socialize or participate by yourself, they kind for force you - so, it’s a great way to meet people.” Lodwig said movie nights, Friday night journeys to clubs and midnight snacks with a friend were some of the few things that make dorm life special to her. “You’re meeting strangers who are just as scared as you to meet new people and try new things, and you go through it together,” she said. “I definitely recommend dorm life to everyone..”
Wednesday - September 1
Features Section
statehornet.com
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B4 NCAA Sports Updates
THESTATEHORNET
Sports
www . statehornet . c o m
S eptember 1, W ednesday
| F a l l I ss u e 1 | S a c ra m ento S tate
Kids swarm Hornet Stadium By Marshall Hampson mhampson@statehornet.com
VOLLEYBALL vs. ILLINOIS STATE
Kids dream big and the Sacramento State football program made some dreams come true on August 21. Hornet Stadium hosted the first Bee a Hornet event, which gave the youngsters in attendance a chance to play with their favorite Hornet players before the season begins. The event started off with Sac State football’s first scrimmage, followed by kids rushing out of the stands and out onto the new turf field to do drills with the Hornets. Dozens of kids participated with the players in drills throughout the afternoon as Hornet alumni, parents, coaches and Hornet Girlz dance team cheered them on. Keith Lombard, 6, said he was out there with all the football players in hopes of fulfilling his dream of playing professionally. “I’m gonna play football,” Keith said. “I wanna play for the Raiders!” One of the kids, Hayden, attended the event because he used to play football a few years ago. “We’re just kids running around on a turf football field. It’s fun to hold the football again,” Hayden said. “I’ve played football before and I think it’s really fun.” In previous years, the football program had a meet-and-greet
AUGUST 27
L 2-3
vs. OREGON STATE
AUGUST 28
W 3-2
vs. PORTLAND
AUGUST 28
W 3-2
vs. SANTA CLARA
SEPTEMBER 1
7:00 P.M.
at SAC STATE INVITATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 3-4
WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. UC DAVIS
AUGUST 20
L 0-1
vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
AUGUST 22
L 1-2
at SAN JOSE STATE
AUGUST 27
W 2-1 2OT vs. PACIFIC
AUGUST 29
L 0-1
session after the first scrimmage, but with the new turf field and new facilities like surrounding Hornet Stadium, this year was an expansion of what the program has done in years past. Center John Taylor said he wished he had an opportunity in his youth to be on the field with players he looked up to. “I never really had something like this as a kid,” Taylor said. “My father actually pushed me to do football. But I never had any outside support from the community.” When the drills came to an end, the kids were able to get autographs from their favorite Hornets and left with an autographed Sac State sports poster for the kids to put up on their wall. Holly Macriss, wife of Deputy Athletic Director Bill Macriss, said she was thrilled how comfortable the children felt with the players and dancers during the event. “The coaches are so great at getting the young kids involved,” Holly Macriss said. “But the players are really cool and will always come over and try to help the kids and bond with them. It’s a great family feel with this event and I appreciate this.” Her son, John Macriss, 13, participated in the drills and said he enjoyed being with the players even though we does not want to become a football player. see Bee| page B7
MEN’S SOCCER vs. CAL BAPTIST (EXHIBITION) AUGUST 21
L 1-2
vs. FRESNO PACIFIC
(EXHIBITION) AUGUST 28
W 3-1
vs. NC STATE
SEPTEMBER 3
2:00 P.M. at DUKE
SEPTEMBER 5
11:30 A.M.
FOOTBALL at STANFORD
SEPTEMBER 4
3:30 P.M.
Photos by: Robert Linggi State Hornet
Kids ranging in age from toddlers to eighth grade were able to meet and do drills with Sac State’s football team on Aug. 21. This “Bee a Hornet” event was held at Sac State’s new terf field. Above: One determined kid takes his best shot at a tackle dummy during drills. Right: One youngster prepares for the sprint drill. Far right: Kids getting autographs from their favorite Hornet players after the drills.
CROSS COUNTRY vs. EXHIBITION MEET
SEPTEMBER 4
See how Janelle Currey is already making an impact for women’s volleyball as a sophomore. More on B5
Which college football team will be crowned the BCS Champion? Find out who we picked. Will Alabama repeat? Will a team from a non-BCS conference win it all? More on B6
Causeway Classic QB City embraces returns as a starter new UFL team By Cassie Kolias ckolias@statehornet.com
By Marshall Hampson mhampson@statehornet.com
Senior quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson is still carrying momentum from last season despite an array of changes throughout his college career. Bethel-Thompson, who attended UCLA his freshman year, will start the season as the starting quarterback for the Hornets on the road at Stanford University on Saturday. Thanks to an excellent finish to his junior year, Bethel-Thompson earned the job as he threw for 635 yards and four touchdowns in his final three starts. In arguably one of the most exciting games in Sac State football history, Bethel-Thompson threw the game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandyn Reed with 20 seconds remaining in last year’s Causeway Classic against UC Davis. “It was a great game; pretty much a tale of two halves,” Bethel-Thompson. “We all just came out and played well. Everything just kind of fell together. It was a little bit of magic and a fun night.” He went 19-29 passing for 223 yards and two touchdowns against the Aggies in the Causeway Classic.
Ashley Neal State Hornet
Senior quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson throws a pass in a scrimmage during training camp. Bethel-Thompson attended Balboa High School in San Francisco, a school at which the football team had little funding. In his senior year, he finished the season with 22 touchdowns and threw for 2,100 yards. Bethel-Thompson attended UCLA in 2007 to play football for the Bruins, which had a lot more funding for the football program. “It was absolutely amazing,” Bethel-Thompson said. “Coming from that and then going to UCLA was an absolute shock. I was loving the whole experience and kind of amazed at it all the
same time.” In his first year after being redshirted as a freshman, he played five games as quarterback and got the start in the Las Vegas Bowl against Brigham Young University. Bethel-Thompson threw for 154 yards and a touchdown, but the Cougars edged out UCLA 17-16. The Bruins dealt with a head coaching change at the end of the 2007 season and UCLA made changes. Rick Neuheisel became the new head coach see QB| page B8
There are Mountain Lions taking over Sacramento and those same giant cats are taking over Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State. This year the school will play home to Sacramento’s professional football team. The up-and-coming professional football league, the United Football League, rooted its latest franchise in Sacramento and is bringing some wellknown names to the campus including former NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper. The fans turned out in dozens to a meet-and-greet on Aug. 20, held at Hornet Stadium to buy their season tickets, buy Mountain Lions gear and meet the players and coach Dennis Green. The UFL is an independent American league that started in October 2009. The UFL has five teams, and each team consists mostly of players that have been in the NFL at one point or another in their careers. “They are going to non-NFL cities and building up fans,” said Mountain Lions Fan Club President Andrew Skwara. “And for me I want to go out
and watch my team play, and when the Hornets aren’t playing here, guess what? I can watch the Mountain Lions.” One of the Sac State’s greatest former football players, wide receiver Otis Amey, will come home for the season and play for the Mountain Lions. Amey made appearances with both the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons, as well as in the Canadian Football League before joining the new league of
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Mountain Lions players greeted a Sacramento crowd at Hornet Stadium. see UFL| page B7
Wednesday - September 1
High expectations for cross country By Brad Schmidt bschmidt@statehornet.com Optimism is the word surrounding Sacramento State’s men and women cross-country teams this year. At the Big Sky Championship last year, the women finished in fourth place and the men finished sixth. Kathleen Raske, director of track and field/cross-country, is entering her seventh year with the program and is excited to see how the men’s team comes together. “I’m pleased with the development of the men’s team,” Raske said. “The men’s team has a lot of key runners that were freshmen last year and the improvement they make will greatly influence this upcoming season.” Junior Myko Lucas is one of the few upperclassman on the men’s team and said he needs to establish himself as a leader. “Our team is extremely close and that’s something we use to our advantage,” Lucas said. “Although we are young, I feel I can
Graphic by Megan Harris State Hornet
lead this team to a successful 2010 season.” Lucas has Raske’s support on the matter. “Myko has been here the longest and knows that it’s his turn to step up and he's trying to do so,” Raske said. Assistant coach Scott Abbott said he is pleased with the upside his youthful men’s team shows. “We are very young on the men’s side, and obviously that is exciting in terms of projecting forward,” Abbott said. “The question mark, however, is whether some of this potential will rear itself this year, and I believe that it can and will.” Freshman Reesey Byers from Santa Rosa High School has caught the attention of his coaches and teammates as someone who will make an immediate impact on the men’s team. “Reesey is a very special athlete with a very determined work ethic,” Abbott said. “We were so excited that he made the decision to come to Sacramento
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State and we are excited for him to kick of his career as a Hornet.” The men’s team is eager to show everyone the strides that have been made and cannot wait for the season to start, Lucas said. “This team is full of guys who have high hopes and are very enthusiastic,” Abbott said. “There is a very ‘fresh’ feeling to start this year, kind of a clean slate, and it appears that our men don’t really have expectations or limitations right now, they are just excited to get after it and see what kind of team we can be.” Unlike the men's team, the women have plenty of leaders for the upcoming season. “Seniors Renisha Robinson, Erin Lewis and Lea Wallace are all proven leaders,” Raske said. Last year at the Big Sky Championship the three women finished eighth, 23rd and 28th. Even with the leaders established on the women’s team, other variables will determine this year’s success. “We are only going to be successful this season if we can get some significant contributions
from some of our younger women.” Abbott said. “The experience and leadership of our veterans will definitely provide a solid framework that should create a comfortable and pressure-free environment for the younger runners to really go for it.” There is a high level of confidence surrounding both groups as they approach the season’s first race. “Our main goal is to get better as a team everyday and to put ourselves in a competitive position in every race to give ourselves the opportunity to have a good result,” Abbott said. “We have the opportunity to have one of the best cross country seasons in a long time for this program.” The season opens with an exhibition meet in Davis on Friday. The following weekend is the Hornet Jamboree and will be a great measure of where both teams stand.
B5
Currey spices up volleyball team By Cassie Kolias ckolias@statehornet.com Janelle Currey's last name is fitting. Watching her eyes and her demeanor on the volleyball court, the spiciness is evident - and no doubt she's got kick to her game. As the co-captain of Sacramento State's volleyball team, the only thing more savory than Currey's skills is the fact she is only a sophomore. The reign of Currey, who has already set Division I records, begins this fall; coaches are licking their chops anticipating what is in store. “I don’t even know how I would equate it,” said head coach Ruben Volta. “She is going to continue to get better and better. She had a really good first year. I think it’d even be hard to put a limit on (what she can do). And it’s so cheesy to say the ‘sky is the limit’ but (it’s true).” Currey, a math major, comes from a family that lives and breathes volleyball. It came as no surprise when Currey picked the sport up for herself in the seventh grade and continued her volleyball career at Rocklin High School. It seemed inevitable. Her mother, Jana ten Pas, played high school volleyball, and her younger brother picked up the sport as well. “They are really happy (about her playing at Sac State),” Currey said. “They like that I’m close, so they can come to a lot of games.” Currey not only spent all four years playing at Rocklin High School. By her senior year, she was a captain, earning herself a full-ride volleyball scholarship to Sac State. She went from being at the top of her game in high school to a being a record-setting col-
Julie Keefer State Hornet
Sophomore Janelle Currey was named co-captain of the volleyball team this season. lege freshman. “I always knew Janelle would be successful in college volleyball,” said Dave Muscarella, Currey’s high school volleyball coach. “She has an extremely high volleyball IQ and is very competitive. However, I never imagined she would be this successful this early.” Last year, Currey set Division I records with 385 kills and 429 digs. Currey started in all 32 matches and all 129 sets last season. She was named cocaptain, which makes it the first time in recent history that an underclassman has earned the title. Currey will share the captaincy with senior Maddison Thivierge, and is one of only three players with a locked-in starting position. “She is just such a model player for us,” Volta said. “She has such a great attitude. Her teammates really like her, she’s really funny and fun to be around. But yet she’s really intense and really competitive. She’s just really well balanced.” It’s pretty easy to see there is more spice and kick to Currey than just her last name.
B6
Wednesday - September 1
Sports Section
On Second Thought: Next BCS Champion Which team will win the BCS National Championship game? The NCAA College football season begins Sept. 2. Will Alabama repeat? Members of the sports staff chime in.
Cassie Kolias ckolias@statehornet.com
Alyssa Huskinson ahuskinson@statehornet.com
Brad schmidt bschmidt@statehornet.com
It’s all about the Broncos. Boise State University is going to win the BCS Championship this season. Aside from the fact Alabama is atop the preseason polls and won the National Championship game last season, Boise State is ranked third in the AP Preseason rankings behind Alabama and Ohio State. Plus, the Broncos have a blue field. How can you not be a champion when you play on
Smurf turf? That stuff is seriously legit. The Broncos finished their last season with a win in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl against Texas Christian University, and made them the second team in major college history to finish a season 14-0. With quarterback Kellen Moore leading the team, they can’t lose. In 2009, Moore was named first-team All-American by CBS Sportsline, and in his
In the recent 2010 AP Preseason College Football poll, Alabama is ranked No. 1. Although this might lead people to believe that Alabama will become the Bowl Championship Series National Championship again, I am not swayed so easily. Don’t get me wrong, Alabama has a great team. That being said, my prediction for the winner of the BCS is Tex-
as Christian University. With TCU fine-tuning in the offseason and the majority of its players returning from last season, the team is ready to step up. If the No. 6-ranked Horned Frogs can go undefeated in the Mountain West Conference, they will definitely have a shot at the title. This is the school’s best ranking overall and the first time it has been in the top 10 since 1958.
Quarterback Andy Dalton led TCU’s offense with 23 touchdowns and threw for over 2,700 yards while maintaining a 151.83 passing rating in 2009. If that’s not motivation, then I don’t know what is. The Horned Frogs are worthy of the BCS attention. So look out for this strong contender. We will see a new BCS winner other than Alabama.
It is time that we give Boise State University the respect it deserves. Boise State has won more games than any other team in the country over the past 10 years and expectations are as high as ever coming off a huge year last year. Boise State returns 21 of 22 starters from the team that a year ago achieved a Fiesta Bowl victory with an undefeated season. The Broncos are led by junior
quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore is 26-1 as a starter and threw for 3,536 yards, 39 touchdowns and had only three interceptions last year. Moore has never lost a regular season game in his career. The No. 5 Broncos will face the No. 10 Virginia Tech Hokies at a neutral site in their season opener. Due to Boise’s highest preseason ranking in school history, a win against Virginia Tech would give the Broncos great
leverage in the argument of get-
first two seasons as a starter, he didn’t lose any regular season games. Moore also finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting and in July, Moore was named Western Athletic Conference’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Moore is a total stud. There is no doubt in my mind that Boise State will win it.
ting into the National Championship game. History shows that the stars must align for a non-BCS conference member to get into the National Championship game. However, if Boise runs the table, I see them getting a title shot and winning the 2010 BCS championship game.
WILL THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS MAKE THE POSTSEASON? TUNE IN NEXT WEEK.
statehornet.com
Wednesday - September 1
Bee a Hornet: Coaches evaluate players and get prepared for season opener
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Kids participate in a throwing drill to the Hornet wide-receivers. Continued | page B4 “It was nice out there trying to be a football player,” John Macriss said. “On the third time around, I actually made a field
goal. It was fun.” While Bee a Hornet was all fun and games, the football team had work to do on the field earlier in the day. The offense racked up six touchdowns throughout the 72-play scrimmage, while the defense ended the day forcing three turnovers and had several sacks. Head coach Marshall Sperbeck and the coaching staff rotated players every few series so they had a chance to look at everybody during the game. “The first scrimmage for us is just the kids’ first test,” Sperbeck said. “They get to get out and be evaluated for the first time in a live environment. There was good and bad and we have a measuring stick now to work from.”
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Sports Section
Senior quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson went 1427 passing for 140 yards and threw the first touchdown of the scrimmage to wide receiver Chase Deadder. “The offense did a great job and the defense did a good job holding us down,” BethelThompson said. “It was overall a great scrimmage. I mean, both sides were competing and it was the first time live going at each other.” With leg injuries to receivers John Hendershott and Brandyn Reed, Morris Norrise, Ronald Richardson and Chris Broadnax filled in and combined for 14 catches for 193 yards and three touchdowns. “We realized we had a lot of things to work on. We did well with our snap counts,” Taylor
said. “We just have to practice on coming out faster. We had a really nice passing game going on with a lot of deep balls and nice catches. We obviously set our expectations high and we always strive for the best.” As the team looks ahead to the season opener against Stanford, the Sac State community was able to share some fun, lighthearted time with the football program. “We figure it’s a good time to get the kids out here and get the community involved,” Bethel-Thompson said. “And for the kids, hopefully they’ll be coming here when they get older.”
B7
UFL: Alumni plays again at Sac State Continued | page B4 football. “It feels great to be back home, especially with last year being in Canada,” Amey said. The Mountain Lions will play their first home game at Hornet Stadium on Sept. 25 against the Florida Tuskers. “On Saturdays when Sac State has an away game, we have a home game,” Amey said. “So, it gives students the opportunity to come every Saturday and see some football. They are going to see a professional brand of football play at a high level with some big name players that they have seen before.” Culpepper will be leading the Mountain Lions, along with former NFL head coach Dennis Green.
“We look forward to it,” Green said. “I think that Las Vegas plays at University of Las Vegas, Hartford plays at the University of Connecticut, so a lot of the colleges programs are having the pro teams. We are excited about it. We think the field is excellent, it’s new. It’s going to be good.” Green is encouraging students to come out and watch. “I think (the students) will like to see some exciting football,” Green said. “College football is exciting, but we are bringing a brand of excitement in pro football too. I think that we have the best quarterback around in Daunte Culpepper, and I think we’ll play exciting football.”
B8
Wednesday - September 1
Sports Section
QB: Bethel-Thompson proves to be star on and off the turf Continued | page B4 and things ended up not working out for Bethel-Thompson. “He was re-evaluating everybody in the program and unfortunately there wasn’t a place for me,” Bethel-Thompson said. “I played in the bowl game and I did well in the bowl game. I earned so much and worked so hard for two years to get myself established in the program that I didn’t feel comfortable restarting at the same place.” After the season ended and Neuheisel did not keep Bethel-Thompson’s scholarship at UCLA, head coach Marshall Sperbeck went after BethelThompson and he was given a scholarship. His sophomore year was a year that no athlete wants to deal with. After playing four games, he injured his knee and added on to his already crazy college experience. “My whole career has been a huge roller coaster,” BethelThompson said. “Going from an inner-city school to UCLA was a spike up and then not playing so well was a downfall. Then getting back to playing well was another spike up and then having to transfer was another downfall. Then I got hurt again, lost my starting job and then last year ended the season well.” However, Bethel-Thompson’s life is steady in the classroom. As a student-athlete, he’s also shining in both areas. He took advantage of an opportunity to become a legislative assistant and a member of the state Assembly. “I want to do everything after Sac State,” Bethel-Thompson said. “I started out as a math major at UCLA and then moved to a history major when I came here. I actually had an internship at the state Capitol this last semester and it inspired me to do law school. It all depends on how the season goes, of course. I’d love to keep playing football if I can.” Athletic Director Terry Wan-
Ashley Neal State Hornet
McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw for 140 yards and one touchdown in the Hornets’ first scrimmage. His first start this season will come at Stanford on Saturday. less said Bethel-Thompson is a role model for the other athletes to follow. “He represents what we really feel a student-athlete should look like,” Wanless said. “If you combine the energy he brings into the classroom and the energy he gets from the field, it’s exactly what you want to see happen.” Being a senior quarterback, Bethel-Thompson also is a leader on the field. His teammates have somebody to rely on to command the offense. Junior running back Curtis Shaw said he appreciates how his experience coming from a bigger conference is helping the team. “He’s a leader,” Shaw said. “He takes pride in leading the team in the right direction. He steps up and takes control like a quarterback should.” Bethel-Thompson said he has grown throughout his experiences and is looking forward to a great senior year. “I’m ready for this season to play 11 games and keep enjoying it,” Bethel-Thompson said. “It’s been a long road and I’m ready for it to pay off this season.”
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