The S tate Hornet February 10, 2010
C alifornia S tate U niversity, S acramento
E st . 1949
SAC STATE CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR
O ne C opy F ree HORNET INSIDE
THE SULTAN OF SWISH
Photos by Tina Horton State Hornet
Basketball player Sultan Toles-Bey grew up in the rough streets of Los Angeles. Find out how he made it to Sac State.
The Chinese New Year Culture Association hosted an all-day event Saturday in honor of the Chinese New Year in the University Union. The event featured lion dancing, exhibits, children’s games, performing arts and ballroom dancing. The Chinese New Year is the longest festival in the lunar calendar. The festivities this year mark the beginning of the year of the tiger.
Sports B4 NO REGRETS Want to see more of the Chinese New Year event? Check out the audio slideshow at www.statehornet.com
Want to travel the world, have babies and jump out of airplanes? Find out how in Features.
Features B1 TIME TO END THE TRADE EMBARGO
Retired professor wins the gold By Cahil Bhanji cbhanji@statehornet.com Former Sacramento State professor, administrator and badminton enthusiast James Bosco recently won a gold medal for badminton in October at the Sydney, Australia, Senior World Masters. Bosco won the award for the 80-to-84 age group. Since retiring in 1995, James Bosco has become a leader in badminton tournaments around the globe with victories over some of the best badminton players in the world. “It’s overwhelming because you’ve got thousands and thousands of people in at least 26 sports,” Bosco said. “I was a little disappointed because there wasn’t much competition in my age group; there was extremely few in the 80-plus age group.” This win was not the first gold medal for Bosco but rather an addition to his already long list of accomplishments. Starting in 2002, Bosco has ranked in 18 different badminton competitions for the 75-to-79 age group.
He is undefeated in eight consecutive different men’s singles since 2008. Bosco’s passion has him travel not only all over the United States but around the world. Bosco has a doctorate in exercise science and said that knowledge is a strong factor for him staying in such great shape and becoming such a formidable badminton player. To stay in shape and put his knowledge into practice, he works out three times a week at a badminton club inside Paragon Mechanical. Paragon Mechanical is located in Santa Clara, Calif. Paragon’s primary function is a factory specializing in the manufacture of various industrial piping and architectural sheet metal. Steve Benakovich built the badminton studio inside the factory, he met Bosco through a mutual friend who came to play. There are about eight to 12 players on a given night. The player’s ages range from their mid-20’s all the way to Bosco standing firm in his early 80’s. Benakovich said Bosco keeps up with the younger crowd with no
problem. “I really like playing with the younger people because when I play against my age group I’m very competitive,” Bosco said. The age diversity and experience between the players offers a pool of knowledge that all members can use to improve their game. “Jim is a smart player, he really understands the game,” Benakovich said. “He’s an inspiration to all of us. He’s unbelievable.” A combination of his skill, passion, and etiquette has made Bosco popular with his peers at Paragon, Benakovich said. “He’s a great ambassador to the sport … he has a desire to go all over the world and play,” Benakovich said. Bosco began his career at Sac State as a division chair of health recreation and athletics but felt compelled to return to teaching. Associate Dean of the College of Health and Human Services Fred Baldini is a former student of Bosco’s. Baldini took classes from Bosco at Sac Sate from the
late ‘70s to the early ‘80s. It was Bosco that influenced Baldini’s career choice. Previously a math major, Baldini attended his first class taught by Bosco and changed his outlook on education. On the first day in that class to help illustrate specific language used to describe different anatomical positions, Bosco jumped up on his desk and began acting out the definition with such passion, Baldini said. Bosco’s passion for his subject inspired Baldini to change his major, he said. “The big thing I could say about him was he was all out. If he said he was going to do something, he did. If he said he was going to support you, he supported you,” Baldini said. “He was the kind of guy you wanted on your side in an argument or against a challenge you were facing. He was a tiger.” Baldini played badminton with Bosco back in the early 1980s while Bosco was teaching. “Nobody could play with him, he was phenomenal. He would just toy with you. He could play
It has gone on for too long. Opinion editor David Loret de Mola wants his father’s homeland to be free from free-trade oppression.
Opinion A5 LOVE ACTUALLY Courtesy Photo
Jim Bosco poses with his gold metal in badminton from the World Master’s Games in Sydney, Australia all day with people half his age” said Baldini. Bosco back then could keep his students running up and down the court tiring them out before he’d he would get out of breath. From an academic standpoint, Bosco is regarded as a pioneer in the sciences behind see BOSCO | page A3
Shining light One-time federal funds on auxiliaries to increase CSU classes By Cahil Bhanji cbhanji@statehornet.com
Sacramento State auxiliary organizations and foundations may be subject to increased scrutiny, should Senate Bill 330 be passed by the Assembly SB 330, authored by Sen. Leland Yee, is a reincarnation of SB 218, which was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in October. The bill focuses on auxiliary organizations and foundations not being covered by the California Public Records Act. The state Senate passed SB 330 on Jan. 28. According to the CSU chancellor’s office, the auxiliaries
see SB 330 | page A4
Matt Erickson State Hornet
By Kristine Guerra kguerra@statehornet.com
California State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed announced Thursday the allocation of the remaining $50.9 million in one-time federal stimulus funds for campuses to add courses for fall 2010. Systemwide, the funds will add more than 8,000 courses next semester. Campuses can also use the funds to retain and/or rehire lecturers for fall 2010, said CSU spokesman Erik Fallis. “Hopefully, this will help to alleviate some of the shortages in classes, and students will
be able to make faster progress toward their degree,” Reed said in a CSU press release. In fall 2009, the CSU received $76.5 in one-time federal stimulus funds, of which $25.6 million had been allocated to add courses for the winter and spring 2010 semesters. The chancellor’s office withheld the remaining $50.9 million to wait for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2010-11 budget proposal. According to a press release issued in October, the chancellor withheld the remaining funds because of the uncertainty in the state’s fiscal condition. Sacramento State’s share of the remaining stimulus funds is $3.1 million, according to a
memo from the chancellor’s office. “The funding is being allocated in proportion to the one-time state support reduction each campus sustained this year (2009-10),” Fallis said. Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez said the one-time federal funds would help the university add classes for fall 2010. The stimulus funds allotted for Sac State would add nearly 500 classes for fall 2010, according to a memo from the chancellor’s office. “This allocation comes at an ideal time, as the CSU and see STIMULUS | page A6
One sociology professor says more American couples actually stay married longer. Find out more on A3.
News A3 TOWN HALL Missed President Gonzalez’s town hall meeting on Tuesday? Get the low-down of what happened on statehornet.com.
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The State Hornet Issue 3 | Volume 62 | No. 17
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Wednesday - February 10
News Section
Liberal tendencies explored By Timothy Sandoval tsandoval@statehornet.com A recent study proposed a new theory that may explain why professors tend to be liberal. Authors of the study, “Why are Professors Liberal,” theorized that the occupation of professor has become politically typecast. According to the study, liberals are more likely to become professors because the position is perceived as a liberal occupation. “Professors are wrapped up with the identity of liberalism,” said Ethan Fosse, a PhD candidate at Harvard and author of the study. “It’s very difficult to separate being a professor with being liberal.” Typecasting occupations is common in many fields, Fosse said. Evidence from other studies indicate that occupations such as nurses and elementary school teachers are typecast, but typecast toward gender. “People sort themselves into certain occupations, in part, based on their identity,” Fosse said. “They think: ‘this is the kind of person I want to be.’” The study by Fosse and Neil Gross, associate professor of sociology at the University at British Columbia, is the first of its kind that questions professorial liberalism. Studies in the past have usually been tainted by political bias and the use of anecdotes or hearsay, Fosse said. The study finds that many factors contribute to professors being more liberal than the rest of the population besides typecasting. Factors such as higher degree attainment; the disparity between their level of income and education; identification as Jewish, non-religious, or nonfundamentalist Protestant; and professors expressing greater tolerance for controversial ideas, all contribute to professors being liberal. Ernest Cowles, director and professor of sociology at Sac-
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for non-intellectuals. Fosse said he had not encountered any evidence that this was true. “If anything, I suspect (professors) think knowledge and science should guide social policy,” Fosse said. The study also shows that there are differences in political ideology among disciplines. According to the study, professors in economics, engineering and business tend to be more conservative than professors in other disciplines. This happens because conservatives and liberals often have much different motivations. Liberals are often more interested in jobs that are meaningful and serve others, while conservatives are more interested in wages and prestige in their jobs, according to the study. In his lecture, Doren said all of America’s public schools, not just universities, were “leftists indoctrination camps.” Cowles said he believes professors probably do carry their political views into their classrooms, but said he believes most professors will make clear their opinion from what is fact.
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ramento State, said he thought the theory was interesting and probably true. “If it happens I don’t think it’s deliberate or intentional,” Cowles said. “I think it’s based on the characteristics of people and how those are packaged together.” Noam Chomsky, M.I.T. linguistics professor and political activist, said he disagrees with the description of professors as liberal. “True, professors tend to be liberal on social issues and civil rights, rather like CEOs,” Chomsky said. “But they tend to be strong supporters of state violence and repression, again like CEOs.” Fosse said he disagreed with Chomsky. “Based on our studies and others, compared to the rest of the population, professors are more liberal on just about everything you can imagine,” Fosse said. Lee Doren, a liberty activist for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said he believed the author’s theory, though valid, is incomplete. Doren, who recently gave a lecture titled “Avoiding Liberal Indoctrination in College,” said that inherent in intellectualism is the idea that intelligent people should make decisions
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Wednesday - February 10
News Section
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Sociology professor studies Oil tax for higher education long-lasting relationships removed from Assembly Bill By Nallelie Vega nvega@statehornet.com
overwhelming, but I think the research he is doing now would enhance the class and show a different perspective.” She said she felt that more professors should present their own research in classrooms and would have appreciated seeing a better balance in statistics. Migliaccio started his marriage project in January. He said he is not the only person who has researched the positive aspects of marriage, but wants to give his students the perspective of couples in the area. “One of the things I want (my students) to learn from it is hearing from these couples that successful marriages, long-term marriages, don’t just happen,” he said. “They take work, they take effort, they take focus.” He said his goal is to help his students understand that marriage doesn’t always end in divorce. Ray and Susan Tater, who are not part of Migliaccio’s research project, agreed. The Taters have been married for 25 years and said they have found that the key to a successful marriage is working on their relationship. Susan Tater said keeping their individuality keeps their marriage strong. “You just have to allow each
other to have your own philosophy in life,” Susan Tater said. Susan Tater is a coordinator in the Academic Technology and Creative Services at Sac State, while her husband, Ray Tater, is the owner of California Stage, a local theater company. “Because we are singular people, we have to set aside to do things together,” he said, adding that compatibility, communication and friendship are big parts of their marriage. Migliaccio said he hopes to use his videos to convey the obstacles couples go through and how they overcome them. Migliaccio has conducted six interviews. He is working with the Hart Senior Center in midtown, but said many of the participants have heard about the project through word of mouth, the media and fliers. He said he plans on conducting interviews through the summer and will interview up to 30 local couples. Migliaccio plans on publishing the research, but said for now he wants to focus on presenting the videos to his classes.
A Sacramento State sociology professor is conducting a video research project about the increase in couples married longer than 40 years to present to his Changing American Family class in the fall. The class, which has been taught by Todd Migliaccio for several years, analyzes the American family and focuses on child bearing, courtship, marriage and the family and society. According to Migliaccio’s research, where increased life expectancy balances out the divorce rate, there is a surprising new culture demographic: More Americans are reaching and passing their 40th wedding anniversaries. Migliaccio said many collegelevel family classes, including his own, often focus on the problematic aspects of marriage rather than the good parts. He said the majority of the research material used in classrooms is one-sided. “Students tend to take (Changing American Family) and only hear about the difficulties of family and all the obstacles and all the statistics,” Migliaccio said, adding that the research project was started because of the class. “Then they come to me and say, ‘I don’t know if I want to be married.’” He said he has to remind some of his students that the point of the class is to inform them of the difficulty of marriage, not to discourage them. Migliaccio noted that divorce statistics can be overwhelming for some young people. Former Sac State student Jayna Record took Migiliaccio’s class a couple of years ago and said the statistics were mindblowing at times. Nallelie Vega State Hornet “We talked a lot about marriage and divorce,” Record Ray and Susan Tater discuss the keys to a successful said. “The statistics were long-term relationship over lunch.
By Timothy Sandoval tsandoval@statehornet.com Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico and the California Faculty Association said they would not give up the fight to find a source of revenue for higher education. The most recent attempt to fund higher education came in the form of Assembly Bill 656, authored by Torrico and supported primarily by the CFA. The bill has made it through the state Assembly, but the Appropriations Committee removed the 9.9 percent severance tax on oil that would have been used to fund higher education, and replaced it with a reporting requirement. Under the revised bill, the Board of Equalization would only report the funds that would have gone to higher education if the severance tax on oil were in effect. “Finding a source of funding for higher education will go on,” said Lillian Taiz, president of the CFA and professor of history at CSU Los Angeles. “And this is a fight we will continue to wage with whatever mechanism we are able to develop to continue the fight.” Ryan Spencer, consultant for Torrico, said that Torrico would not abandon the issue either. “The issue is not dead in my boss’s mind,” Spencer said. The CFA and Torrico said they would still lobby to have the severance tax on oil added to AB 656 while it moves through the state Senate. Spencer said if AB 656 does not pass, Torrico is unsure if he will offer new legislation. The CFA also has no specifics on what it will do if AB 656 does not pass. “We have not given up the fight for AB 656,” said David Balla-Hawkins, legislative
director of the CFA. “656 is the horse we are riding, and we are going to keep riding it until we can get it signed off on.” The Assembly Appropriations Committee, controlled by Democrats, eliminated the severance tax on oil so the bill would not require a two-thirds majority vote - the threshold for any new tax to pass through the state Legislature. A two-thirds majority vote in the Assembly would have required Republican support, which the bill did not have. “We were forced to make that change,” Spencer said. “If we didn’t, it would have died in the Assembly.” The bill is now in the state Senate where it faces similar hurdles. Republicans control 14 seats, enough to block any new tax proposed by Democrats in the state Senate. “It’s definitely going to be difficult,” Spencer said. “But my boss is up to the challenge.” If the Senate amends the bill to include the severance tax on oil, then the bill would go back to the Assembly to vote on the amended bill. Ron Nehring, California Republican Party Chairman, said the bill was nothing more than a backdoor tax on oil. “The Democrats in Sacramento should stop promoting higher taxes and start working on more responsible solutions,” Nehring said. Nehring said the bill would add 17 cents to every gallon of gas purchased by California drivers. Many California Republicans have also signed a no-new-tax pledge as part of a national movement for GOP lawmakers. The bill was met with much opposition from oil interests, Balla-Hawkins said. “They really didn’t want this legislation to get passed,” BallaHawkins said. “They don’t want an oil tax that will cut into their
profits.” In the last committee hearing on the bill, about 200 oil employees rallied and testified against the bill. Their complaints mostly were that it would hurt smaller oil refineries and would eliminate jobs. Spencer said most of the complaints were untrue. “It is not like we are going after the mom-and-pop oil refineries,” Spencer said. The Big Four, Chevron, Shell, Occidental and Exxon, own 70 percent of the oil in California and have made record profits in the past few years, Spencer said. California is the only state that does not tax oil. Taiz said the bill has been extraordinary for higher education. “I have never seen anything quite like this,” Taiz said. “I don’t think that we have ever had the opportunity to really talk about the need for serious public funding for higher education in my lifetime.” Taiz said she is unsure if higher education would have been a high priority for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his state budget proposal had it not been for the attention generated by AB 656. “If it wasn’t for AB 656, who knows,” Taiz said. Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal contains a $305 million increase in funding to higher education, as well as $62 million for new student growth. Balla-Hawkins said the money for student growth is contingent on federal funding, which he believes is unlikely to come through. Schwarzenegger, in his State of the State Address, also proposed a constitutional amendment that would mandate that spending on prisons would never exceed spending on higher education.
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Wednesday - February 10
News Section
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DUI suspect’s bail SB 330: Vetoed bill gets new life increased, posted Continued | page A1
By Brittany Bottini news@statehornet.com The driver who was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and felony hit-and-run on Jan. 31, had her bail amount increased to $175,000 and was released from custody on Monday. Sacramento State graduate student Sanjay Patel was identified as the victim of the crash on Folsom Boulevard near the south side of campus. Patel was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center immediately after the crash and is now in fair condition. The driver, Amira Fakira, is being charged with four felony charges, including two counts of driving under the influence and two counts of hit-and-run where a person is injured. Fakira was also charged with two misdemeanors for hit-and-run where property is damaged and a dangerous drug offense. Patel, an international electrical engineering graduate student, was riding his bicycle when the suspected driver allegedly weaved across two lanes of traffic into the bike lane, hitting Patel and dragging him a quarter mile. “The guy was under the vehicle. He was looking back, his bike split in half. He couldn’t do anything,” said Johnathan Hobson, a bystander who stopped
Fakira at a red light by reaching in an open window and grabbing her keys. Hobson and his wife, Lupe Zavala, received a certificate of commendation Feb. 3 at the California Highway Patrol area office in Rancho Cordova, according to News 10. “I thought he was dead,” Zavala said of the accident scene. “He wasn’t moving. I came closer and I heard him trying to talk.” Preetham Kumar, interim graduate coordinator of the engineering department, visited Patel at the hospital last week. He said Patel has already had back surgery and will be undergoing surgery on one of his legs. “We were very happy he was able to make it,” Kumar said. “I was really shocked. The nature of the accident was pretty bad.” Kumar said Patel’s family in India were notified of the accident by the Office of Global Education at Sac State. Some of his family members are expected to visit him soon. The next hearing for Fakira will be on March 15 the Sacramento County Courthouse. Timothy Sandoval, Kristine Guerra and David Loret de Mola conributed to this report.
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and foundations systemwide use 20 percent of the CSU budget. Their funding, their sources and their uses are not open to the public. If the bill is signed by the governor, all that information will have to be disclosed. “Enacting this bill would result in a loss of private donations and volunteer activities supporting California public institutions of higher education,” the governor wrote in his veto message. To accommodate the governor’s concerns, SB 330 has been revised from SB 218 to let donors keep their philanthropy anonymous. The bill would prevent auxiliaries and university foundations from quid pro quo agreement. Examples of auxiliary misuse are if donors receive luxury seating to a sporting event as compensation for a charitable donation or if a contracting company makes a donation then receives a contract to develop a new building for the university
California Faculty Association is sponsoring the bill and urging Sen. Yee to move forward with legislation. “Somebody should be asking questions,” said John Travis, chair of the CFA political action committee. “What is the fiscal justification for auxiliary actions?” Travis said the bill is not aimed at donors who receive gifts as tokens of appreciation, but rather exposes donors who hope to gain fiscally from the university. “A current concern facing supporters of the bill is even though the bill passed through the senate with minimal opposition, because of the governor’s previous veto there’s a chance that the opposition has picked up support in the house,” Travis said. Leslie Davis, president of the CSU Auxiliary Association, is opposed to the bill. “It doesn’t make any sense. The bill is not clear,” she said. Davis said the language used in the bill doesn’t make clear whose records become transparent and whose records are
protected. “We’re not government agencies,” Davis said. Davis said that auxiliaries are treated as charities and private interest groups for the benefit of the university. “Auxiliaries affect the public institution, the university, and should be held accountable,” said Adam Keigwin, spokesman for Yee. Keigwin said if there was more transparency among the auxiliaries and their funds, donors could see their money is being put to good use. Despite auxiliaries being separate entities from the university, Keigwin acknowledged the growing trend that university administrators are shifting their responsibilities to auxiliaries. By shifting duties to the auxiliaries, their fiscal records are no longer covered by the California Public Records Act. The CPRA makes university records public. “Auxiliaries are already subject to extensive oversight and hold to strict accountability and transparency standards, including the public’s right to inspect
or otherwise have access to a wide range of information.” said John Keply, assistant to Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez. “Sac State’s auxiliaries are governed by independent boards, which hold open meetings. UEI’s board, for example, includes students, non-university community members, Sac State faculty members, as well as university administrators.” he said. Sac State’s auxiliaries include the University Foundation at Sacramento State, the University Union, Capital Public Radio, University Enterprises Inc., University Enterprises Development Group and Associated Students Inc. “The auxiliaries have a lot of power and impact on the university, and the university is controlled by the state so the same rules apply” said Jim Cox, government professor and master’s program coordinator. The bill has been sent to the Assembly where a vote has not yet been scheduled.
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Wednesday - February 10
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“The CFA is going to pay very careful attention to make sure that the administration spends this money in the wisest way possible,” Kevin Wehr, president of the Sac State chapter of CFA
Stimulus: CFA says funds need to be distributed in responsible manner Continued | page A1 Sacramento State are eagerly hoping for a state budget that restores crucial funding for higher education,” Gonzalez said in a written statement to the State Hornet. Kimberly Nava, interim director of news services, said it’s too early to predict how the administration will manage the stimulus funds. Kevin Wehr, president of the Sac State chapter of the California Faculty Association, said he is hoping the university would prioritize adding courses needed by graduating seniors and rehiring some of the hundreds of lecturers who have lost their jobs within the last two years. According to data provided by the chancellor’s office to CFA, 185 part-time professors in fall 2008 were not reappointed to
come back in fall 2009. This number includes retirements and voluntary resignations. “The CFA is going to pay very careful attention to make sure that the administration spends this money in the wisest way possible,” Wehr said. Wehr said faculty members from across the state had sent messages to Reed, urging him to release the remaining stimulus funds. Nicholas Burnett, chair of the communication studies department, said that what the stimulus funds would do is minimize the effects of the budget cuts for academic year 2010-11. “The president is projecting that things could be so bad that the cut could be as high as 18 percent (for academic year 2010-11), and that would translate into a very large cut probably on part-time teaching,” Burnett said. “It provides
a cushion to that blow, but it doesn’t wipe out everything.” Fallis said although the stimulus funds would help add classes for fall 2010, funding beyond fall 2010 is still dependent on state support. “We’re still going to need the state of California to invest in higher education,” Fallis said. “We have no reason to believe that we’ll have that one-time money available in the future.” SB 330 would affect the following organizations at Sac State: • University Enterprises, Inc. • University Foundation • Associated Students Inc. • Capital Public Radio
Bosco: Professor aims for national championships Continued | page A1 exercising and a vocal advocate of the importance of health science, said Baldini. Bosco is still connected to the university through the CSU Sacramento Emeritus Association and the scholarship he founded, the James S. Bosco Underrepresented Incentive Graduate Endowment. Bosco is an active member of California Faculty
Association and his professional records are maintained in the library archives. After winning many competitions Bosco still has a desire to compete and play the sport. In 2013 he hopes to travel to Turin, Italy, for the Senior World Masters. The Italian location is an added bonus for Bosco. “We can’t miss it because I’m an Italian American. If I go to the world masters, I’ll definitely
look up some relatives. (Italy) is a tremendous place to visit,” Bosco said. Above all else, Bosco attributes his accomplishments to being fortunate and blessed. Bosco has been married to his wife Mariana for 56 years. He has one son, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. In March Bosco plans to compete in the Senior National Championships in Tucson, Ariz.
Megan Harris State Hornet
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Refocus weed legalization
By Julia Baum jbaum@statehornet.com The first of three initiatives to fully legalize marijuana use in California went up in smoke on Jan. 15, 2010. Written by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Assembly Bill 390 would have legalized marijuana use and sales for adults 21 years or older and imposed a $50 per ounce tax for drug education and rehabilitation. Opponents of AB 390 cheered the failure as a victory for the safety of our state’s children, but proponents of the bill still intend to bring the issue to the November election ballot. I honestly could not be any happier that AB 390 has failed for now. This would not be an unusual thing to say if I didn’t ever smoke pot, but that isn’t the case. I enjoy pot; it’s one of life’s simple pleasures. So why, am I happy to see AB 390 fail? Because we don’t need it. Pot already is legal in California, albeit thinly veiled courtesy of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, also known as Proposition 215. I fail to see why anyone would want to pay an extra $50 per ounce toward a system that will likely squander it under the guise of drug education and rehabilitation programs, instead of going into the state’s general fund where it might actually be put toward for something useful. The medical marijuana system has already been assaulted by the imposition of sales taxes. Dennis Peron, one of the co-authors of Prop 215, drafted it with the intention of making marijuana accessible to basically anyone. Anyone that is 18 years or older can go see a doctor and get a medical marijuana recommendation for pretty much anything. Peron said the war on marijuana should have already
Opinion
ended when Prop 215 was passed by voters and shares my belief that Ammiano, who is also a longtime friend of Peron, needs to refocus his efforts. “It makes a great headline but doesn’t give any real substantial change to California,” Peron said. “I think it’s a bad idea because you have to pay taxes. It’s feeding the beast.” Aaron Smith, state policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said AB 390 would protect the general public and medical marijuana patients even more than existing laws. “People who use marijuana and are healthy shouldn’t have to go to the doctor and come up with a bogus excuse to use it legally,” Smith said. “Most reasonable people would rather pay taxes than worry about going to jail or losing their job.” But are we the people of California really so naive to believe the federal government would respect the voters’ choice legalizing marijuana for recreational use when we have been endlessly fighting the same battle for 13 years? Despite the Obama administration’s promise to not raid dispensaries that are in full compliance with state and federal laws, that does not mean the DEA’s marijuana tolerance will extend into the realm of recreation. A state appeals court is deliberating whether or not dispensaries may be prohibited from operating by the cities in which they seek to operate. We should not bother creating new marijuana laws when we can not even get our government to respect the ones that already exist – and we certainly should not be rewarding our government with more money to waste when it can’t even pass a budget on time. Until we can make our government respect the laws we voted for, AB 390 will only create a new set of controversial laws that are just as likely to be challenged or ignored. But Peron did have a suggestion for Ammiano. “Tom would do better if he smoked pot,” Peron said. “He’s for us, but he’s not ‘us,’ and I’ve never minded telling him that to his face ... Tom, smoke a joint, y’know so you get it.”
By David Loret de Mola ddemola@statehornet.com I am a first-generation Cuban-American. My father, Enrique Fausto Loret de Mola, was there to see Fidel Castro take over his home country. He heard the gunfire, the troops of Fulgencio Batista, the dictator of Cuba at the time, fleeing his hometown of Cama-
McClatchy Tribune
Children playing baseball on a street in Havana, Cuba.
Wednesday
| Spring Issue 3 | Sacramento State
EDITORIAL
Why can’t we get help with graduation now? While The State Hornet supports the California State University system’s initiative to increase graduation rates, we are not completely convinced nor satisfied with the proposal as it is now. The systemwide initiative is expected to raise CSU graduation rates from 46 to 54 percent by 2016. Each of the system’s 23 campuses will make individual changes to meet this plan. “Of all of the groups discussing this issue on the 23 CSU campuses, ours probably has the largest number of faculty involved,” said Anthony Sheppard, Sacramento State Faculty Senate chair. Sac State plans to address this initiative through a series of changes including reforming General Education requirements. Provost and vice president of Academic Affairs Joseph Sheley said the current system is “mainstream” and used by most American universities, but that it no longer works.
“The problem is that the mainstream has now hit the wall in institutions throughout the country,” Sheley said Jan. 21 at President Alexander Gonzalez’s spring address. “In this vein, I’ve asked the senate executive committee to help me begin serious discussions about revising GE. I’ll be asking them as well to assist me in initiating similar discussion about structuring the size of major requirements, the breadth of major requirements and GE such that our students have far more flexibility in selecting courses under a broader electives category. It’s about giving them more options.” And that is exactly what it should be about: giving students as many options as possible. But that’s the problem with this initiative; it seems to forget about current students. How is an initiative to increase graduation rates in 6 years going to benefit students that can’t even get
into required classes? Some of us can’t even find enough classes to meet financial aid requirements of at least 12 units per semester. “For assorted reasons, the chancellor’s designated timeframe is arbitrary, a little strange, and somewhat misleading.” Sheppard said. “Any discussion that focuses on improving student success has potential implications for currently enrolled students. When new requirements are put in place, they tend to take years to be fully in effect because of things like catalog rights.” And this is understandable. Change takes time, but let’s stop planning and start doing. Six years is too far away to be considered a viable solution. Most of the current students at Sac State won’t even reap the benefits of this initiative. Students need to get their voices heard and fight for themselves, for their education.
Sheppard said students are invited to attend and speak during an open forum at senate meetings. “It’s also worth noting that the faculty aren’t any happier about reduced classes and increased class sizes than the students are. Class sections that disappear also represent faculty members who are disappearing – we’ve lost hundreds of lecturers because of the state budget crisis,” Sheppard said. “Don’t just question your professors and your advisers, question your politicians, register to vote and remind them that they work for you too.” We cannot just sit around like lab rats hoping that experiments will benefit future students. We are students now, and we need help. This initiative is certainly a worthwhile cause, but it is not complete. It will not be complete until we are taken care of and guaranteed the quality education said to be offered by the CSU system.
Marcy Hendricks State Hornet
It’s time to end our embargo with Cuba guey one night. By morning, Fidel had taken over the area. About two years later in 1961, my father was flown to Florida by the United States government. He was 10 years old. It was part of the Catholic Church’s cooperation with the American government. They called it “Operation Pedro Pan.” Thousands of children were brought to America. It was during a time just before relations between our two countries had taken a turn for the worse - just before America put forth a trade embargo that pushed the Cuban economy to ruins. Originally, the embargo had
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been a statement made by our government in protest of Cuban cooperation with Soviet Russia. Access to Cuba had remained highly restricted until President Barack Obama came into office. Recently, Obama began allowing Americans to visit the island, provided they have family in the country. At a news conference April 16 in Mexico City, Obama said this ease on travel restrictions was a first step toward restoring good faith between Cuba and America. “A relationship that has been frozen for 50 years is not going to thaw overnight,” Obama said. “Having taken the first step, I think it’s very much in our interest to see if Cuba is also ready to change.” The goal of our government is to change Cuba from being communist into a more democratic nation. We are trying to impose our governmental structure - which, given our economy, clearly has its own problems. And to those who would say the imposition of democracy could only help the country, look at Russia. Even after democracy was put in place, Russia is still suffering. My father worked there in the 1990s, after the Cold War ended. He saw how people
had stripped buildings bare of anything metallic and sold the stolen scrap metal to buy food. This is why the embargo is wrong. We are forcing an imperfect government onto a smaller country; a form of government that cannot guarantee prosperity for the country. “I’ve always believed that (the embargo was wrong), since I was young,” he said. “It always kept me at odds with other Cubans who thought it would hasten Fidel’s fall.” But it only has given Fidel and Raul Castro - the current dictator - an excuse for their country’s failing economy. They never have to blame communism for their poor state of affairs. And if we hate the idea of communism enough to throw an entire island of people into destitution, then I have one question. Why are we doing business with China? It’s hypocritical to be against communism, and yet pick-andchoose the communist countries with which we do business. Perhaps we still are bitter about Cuba turning to Soviet Russia during the Cold War. You know, almost 50 years ago. Why do we seem to have so much contempt for this little
island? In a lot of ways, Cuba already has exactly what America is pushing toward. Cuban citizens all have a right to health care and education, should they choose to get it. But both of these have taken cuts because the country is running out of money. Fareed Zakaria, columnist for Newsweek and host of “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on CNN, wrote that our 45-year struggle with Cuba has not even accomplished its basic goal of causing change in Cuba. “Instead, Fidel Castro is now the longest-lived head of government in the world,” Zakaria said. “Every tightening of the Cuban embargo has resulted in further repression and isolation.” I know it is strange for me to be so enamored with a culture I have never experienced, since this is a country I have only seen in documentaries and photographs. And I will admit that I have over-romanticized my father’s homeland. But I know that lifting this embargo would help this country get back some of the wealth it has lost. Traiga libertad a mi Cuba; bring liberty to my Cuba. End this embargo.
STATE HORNET OPINION ONLINE Don’t say no to me!
Losing weight starts with one easy first step: you have to be willing to say “no,” like opinion editor David Loret de Mola does, at statehornet.com
We’re begging you Please send your letters to the editor to opinion@statehornet.com
I’ve had it with these “Nice Guys”
Since when did being “nice” mean that you have to be a pushover? Opinion editor David Loret de Mola wants you to respect yourself at statehornet.com
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| S p r i n g I s s u e 3 | S a c r a m e n to S t a t e
Avoid regrets, utilize your youth
Megan Harris State Hornet
By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com
Kelly Cotter, psychology professor, said college is a very important and time-sensitive part of a person’s life; get as much adventuring into those four years as possible, she said. Cotter said some life goals can only be completed at a young age. She said if an individual waits until it is too late to complete these goals, the psychological effects on the person would definitely be damaging. “Once we reach old age, we tend to reflect on our lives through the process of ‘life review’ and the people who cannot let go of the things that they did not accomplish end up feeling more depressive or anxiety symptoms and a less of a sense of fulfillment,” Cotter said. Cotter said any time in life is the perfect time for people to do what they want – time depending. There are opportunities that present themselves throughout life, she said, but some are limited to the younger years. “Some goals are going to be more feasible in younger life while others more feasible in older life,” Cotter said. Clearly, the goals created in young adulthood will be differ-
ent from those we create as adults, Cotter said. She said the most effective way to achieve goals would be to set up a plan and try to make sure to follow the steps necessary to complete these goals. For example, when a person is older and more financially stable, that person might be ready to fulfill goals related around travel, Cotter said. Whereas having a goal like having children is not biologically possible for an older woman and is time-sensitive, she said. “A woman cannot conceive when she is 65, so that might be a better goal achieved when you’re younger,” Cotter said. Lisa Jorgensen, parks and recreations professor, agrees with Cotter and said she believes that completing goals should not be limited to college years. Nonetheless, she said college is a time to achieve a number of goals given that the amount of opportunity at this age is endless. However, Jorgenson said, completing goals during this timeframe depends on the individual and the ways in which that person attempts to achieve them. “There is not a time frame for this list (of goals),” Jorgenson said. “As we go through life experiences, we know that our thoughts, experiences and our values evolve and change our
goals.” Cotter suggests that coming to terms with the decisions that we have made and being happy with them will provide a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment no matter what sense of trajectory was taken. Jorgenson suggests using personal instinct to “seize the moment” when it comes to decisions regarding life goals. “When you get to the end of the road and it is what you are supposed to do, keep traveling. If it is not, there are always other roads to continue on,” Jorgenson said. Jorgenson said recognizing achievements is also an important aspect of achieving goals. It is important to recognize what has already been done and to be proud of such feats - if students recognize accomplishments they will go far, she said. She said even mundane goals like getting a degree should be rewarding; simply working toward a degree, she said, is an accomplishment in itself and to be proud of the all that was done to get in one’s current position. “Regrets do not do us any good overall,” Jorgenson said. “We worry more about having regrets than actually having regrets to worry about - which can be avoided altogether by a little bit of proactive behavior early on.”
What do you want to do before you finish college?
Kassandra Meneses freshman graphic design 1) Road trip the states. 2) Throw an amazing house party. 3) Design a logo for Sac State.
Sydney Alexander senior accounting
Levi Bryant junior computer science
1) Go to Scotland. 2) Go to the Olympics. 3) Be on “The Price is Right” and see Drew Carey.
1) Internship for robotic company. 2) Wants his motorcycle repaired. 3) Find the best roomie.
Mark Jabines freshman photography 1) Travel internationally. 2) Help my family financially. 3) Meet Lady Gaga.
Students at Sac State share what three things they want to do before they graduate.
Shanel Tate senior child development
Carlo Dionisio freshman graphic design
1) Go to Jamaica. 2) Join a sorority. 3) Buy a house.
1) Cruise the Bahamas. 2) Be on billboard outside of Sac State. 3) Design Sac State apparel.
Photos by Yana Yaroshevich
Reporting by Erin Rogers
Four boys, 100 things to do Regrets 100 things they want to do before they die. their attempts at these goals were filmed and are now aired on mtv every monday. four boys created a list of By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com There are too many people in the world who do not think about what they want out of life until they are retired and on their deathbed, said Jonnie Penn, a cast member of the new MTV show “The Buried Life.” He said people should not wait until they are 60 years old to discuss their regrets. Instead, he said, young people should be proactive and avoid regrets at all costs. “Figure out what you want to do when you’re young. Now is the best time to experiment and go try things, make mistakes and learn things about the world,” Jonnie Penn said. “Do it with your friends. Go out and do crazy stuff.” Which is why the cast members, brothers Duncan Penn and Jonnie Penn, Ben Nemtin and Dave Lingwood, decided to create the show at a young age. “We started this because we were in college looking at our own lives, as well as our friends’ lives, and feeling like something was missing,” Duncan Penn said. “We started to have some philosophical discussions about life and came up with the question: ‘What do you want to do
before you die?’” In response to their own question, the boys made a list of 100 things they would like to do before they die. From this list, they have created a show in which they travel the country and attempt to cross off as many items from their list as possible. In the most recent episode of the show the boys attempted to “ask out the girl of their dreams” – Megan Fox. Jonnie Penn said the cast understands not everyone can have a list of 100 goals that they can devote their lives to fulfilling; nonetheless, he said, it is not about the quantity of goals, it is about fulfilling the most important ones. “Just complete the most important ones because otherwise you turn around, look at your life and realize that you spent a lot of time and put a lot of hard work into something that you are not truly passionate about,” Duncan Penn said. Jonnie Penn said he admits that even their list is not set in stone. “Things are added to the list and things fall of the list – it is kind of emblematic of something bigger. It changes and evolves with us as we grow up.” Whether it is 100 goals or 50,
it all comes down to the main question of ‘What you want to
do before you die,’” Jonnie Penn said.
Remembered sac state professors and alumni recall three things they whish they would have done before they graduated college. Reporting by Erin Rogers
Jackie Paradiso, CAD operator
1) I would have gone to France and Italy to study abroad. 2) I would have been on “The Price is Right” before my man, Bob Barker, retired. 3) I should have followed my dream to become a hip-hop backup dancer.
Kerri Hatfield, academic adviser 1) I would have studied abroad. I played tennis throughout college so that held me back from every taking a semester to just study abroad. 2) I always wanted to join the Hawaiian Club because they had the best parties - with lots of food and leis. I always felt awkward because I myself wasn’t Hawaiian but I realize now it was stupid to let that hold me back. 3) I would have taken my academics more seriously.
Susan Ott, 3rd grade teacher
Courtesy of Jamie Cary
Cast members of MTV’s “The Buried Life” clockwise from top left: Duncan Penn, Ben Nemtin, Dave Lingwood and Jonnie Penn.
1) I would have lived in the dorms my first year to have a better opportunity to meet more students. I lived at home and felt like it was just a commuter campus. I never made the close “college” friendships that I hear about. 2) I wouldn’t have changed my major so many times. I went in as a business major, then changed to journalism, and finally became a child development major. At that time it was so easy to change majors, and we didn’t get much counseling advice. 3) I definitely wish I would have traveled more, either through a college program, or just with college students.
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Wednesday - February 10
Features Section
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Valentine’s Day is more than candy hearts and teddy bears The history of Valentine’s Day
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Valentine’s Day is a special day every year for people to
ate
share feelings of love and friendship, said Grace Ogata, freshman
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fussy cards, overcommercialization and overbearing romantic gestures.
By Katrina Tupper ktupper@statehornet.com
Ha
the Victorians the Victorians.” Gregory said it was the Victorians who made Valentine’s Day the schmaltzy holiday that it is today with the
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Historically, Valentine’s Day became popular and wellknown around the same time that romantic love became popular in the 1800s. Candace Gregory, history professor, said although popularity of the holiday can be traced there is no historical event or time period that Valentine’s Day grew out of. Gregory said one connection to Valentine’s Day is rooted in a Roman festival called Lupercalia celebrated in mid-February. “Lupercalia is a fertility festival,” Gregory said. “Unlike our Valentine’s Day, it wasn’t about
love, it was just about sex - very explicit sex.” True to pagan tradition, she said, sacrifices were made at each festival. She said at Lupercalia a dog was sacrificed. “Young men would take bloody strips of hide from this dog and whip their favorite women, in a flirtatious way, with the hide - as a kind of marking mechanism. Similar to, ‘Hey, you’re my valentine,’” Gregory said. The real distortion of Valentine’s Day, she said, occurred because of the Victorians. “The Victorians just kind of over did everything,” Gregory said. “Their books are too long, their clothes are too much but that’s okay - that’s what makes
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By Katrina Tupper ktupper@statehornet.com
Student opinions on Valentine’s Day
Artist puts himself at risk to tell story By Amber Wertman ewertman@statehornet.com Wearing a tattered “I love New York” shirt and baggy blue jeans, Andri Tambunan could easily be mistaken for a Sacramento State student, but when he shares his experiences photographing terrorist attacks in Mumbai and orphans sleeping on wooden doors in Indonesia, that stereotype quickly fades. Tambunan, who graduated from Sac State in 2006 with a degree in photography, once had a lucrative job and owned his first house by the age of 22, until one day he decided he was unhappy with his life. He quit his job and took off to see the world for a year. Tambunan’s book, “Growth,” which he dedicated to his mother, encapsulates his experiences within that year which include experiences from China to Nepal. Tambunan said one of his most cherished photos is of a woman fixing her veil. “I just noticed her small figure in the distance and it was like she was lifting her arm in a triumphant way,” Tambunan said. “For me, it’s something
very optimistic and hopeful, despite all the negative things going on in your life.” Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tambunan moved to California with his family and was raised a poor immigrant. Tambunan said in high school he realized he wanted to tell stories through photographs. “People ask me if I was afraid of being right in the middle of a terrorist attack and say, ‘No, if I’m not there to capture that moment, who will?’” Tambunan said. “I have to be there to tell a story.” Tambunan’s latest exhibi-
tion, “Growth,” housed in the University Union’s gallery, is spiritually significant for him. “I believe that growth is the seeds of happiness. I think change is inevitable, but growth is intentional,” he said. “I truly believe we stand in the way of our own happiness, so if you step out of your own realm, and just go and experience life for yourself - you will be happy.” Jonathan Pearson, Tambunan’s friend of 13 years, said he is deeply moved by his friend’s dedication. “He does a great job showing people and making them
Julie Keefer State Hornet
Photographer Andri Tambunan shares his exhibit, “Growth,” located in the University Union’s gallery.
socially conscious of what is going on in other parts of the world,” Pearson said. “His work is a great medium for that.” Tiffany Ruiz, undeclared freshman, said Tambunan’s photographs are beautiful works of art. “Everything looks so effortless, even though he is capturing hard times in other people’s lives,” she said. “I really like the one of the two prostitutes.” Tambunan said the two girls live in a country where they may be physically beaten or even killed for having AIDS because they are considered a disgrace to society. “My job is to tell their story but at the same time not endanger their lives,” he said. “It’s what these girls have to do to get by.” In the end, Tambunan said keeping a positive attitude is what drives him toward success. “The good things are good, but the bad things also have some good in them too,” he said. “My favorite quote is ‘it’s not what happened, it’s what happens next.’”
mathematics major. “Even if I’m not in a relationship,” Ogata said. “I still take the time every year to share with my friends and family how much I care for each of them.” Ogata said she remembers how important Valentine’s Day was to her as a child in elementary school. She remembers buying candy hearts and animated valentines to hand out to classmates on the big day. Aaron Singh, junior computer science major, said he tends to disagree with Ogata’s stance. “Valentine’s Day is overrated. I think that if you love somebody then you should love them everyday - not just one day a year,” Singh said. Singh said he prefers to
remain single on Valentine’s Day so that he can take out whomever he wants. He said he has had romantic Valentine’s Days in the past that did not end up being worth his time. “It’s these social constructions that set people up for failure,” Singh said. “I’ve had plenty of girlfriends who expect way too much out of me just because all the Valentine’s Day commercials would get them all hyped up.” Alex Wion, junior mechanical engineering major, agrees that Valentine’s Day should not be a bitter holiday for singles. “If you’re comfortable being single then you will be comfortable on Valentine’s Day - no matter what,” Wion said.
CLUB CORNER | AFRICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Club educates on African culture By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com Banke Odubela, junior pre-nursing major, said as treasurer of the African Student Association she aspires to educate people in the Sacramento community about African culture. The African Student Association was founded in 1991 by a group of African Sacramento State students. These students were concerned with the under-representation they experienced as a group, said Fely Sita, senior biology major and club vice president. Sita said, in the past, the African population Sac State received little to no recognition, but after the club’s establishment they began to be noticed. She said because African students began to be represented by the club they noted this establishment as a success. Sita said the result was not only the formation of a group
with extreme pride, but also the creation of a common acceptance of African students within the Sac State community. “The African culture is here (at Sac State), we just need to educate people about this culture and remove the common stereotypes that Africa is only an impoverished nation,” Odubela said. There are some bad parts of Africa, Odubela said, but that does not mean the whole continent is bad. “We do not live in huts - there are houses, skyscrapers and shopping malls, just like what we have here,” Odubela said. The main strength of this group, Odubela said, is the club’s sense of unity. Odubela said the club is open to all students. The association will host an event this month to appreciate African art, music and dance in celebration of Black History Month. The event is at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in the University Union Redwood Room.
Fulbeck inspires students to be proud of their heritage By Jennifer Siopongco jsiopongco@statehornet.com
Courtesy of Suzanne Bernel
Kip Fulbeck will launch the Multi-Cultural Center’s mixed-heritage series at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Sac State’s University Union with his lecture titled “Race, Sex and Tattoos: The Kip Fulbeck Experience.”
Kip Fulbeck is a professor, slam poet, filmmaker and author who focuses on being in tune with heritage. The MultiCultural Center at Sacramento State will host a lecture by Fulbeck as the premiere of their mixed-heritage series this spring. Fulbeck himself is of English, Welsh and Chinese descent. In his lecture he will be speaking about race, sex and tattoos, while exploring the issues of mixed race and identity. Liz Redford, junior psychology major and newsletter and marketing intern at the MultiCultural Center, who is proud to be a quarter Japanese, came up with the idea for a focus on heritage this spring. “I never really thought of my-
self as multiracial until recently when I was brainstorming and thought up this series up as a possibility,” Redford said. “So, I started looking at what other schools did, and noticed that Sac State doesn’t have anything or any resources for mixed students.” Redford said with the mixedheritage series her ultimate goal is to create a conversation and interaction between mixed students on campus. “It’d be great if a student group came out of this,” Redford said. “This is really a first of its kind at Sac State.”
Charlene Martinez, MultiCultural Center director, brought Redford’s idea to life by introducing Fulbeck, her former Asian American Visual Media professor at UC Santa Barbara, into the picture. Zenia LaPorte, UNIQUE programs adviser, agreed that co-sponsoring Fulbeck’s performance “will be both entertain-
ing and educational.” “We really haven’t done many events that address issues of multiracialism,” LaPorte said. “We’ve done events to celebrate specific cultures and ethnicities, but this is a little bit different.” LaPorte said Sac State is a diverse campus, and students can relate with a lot of what Fulbeck has to say.
“He adds comedy, spoken word, multimedia and among other things to make the event that much more dynamic,” LaPorte said. Identity is something that Fulbeck said “you’ve got to claim.” “People love to put a label on you no matter what it is,” Fulbeck said. “Only you get to define who you are.”
Wednesday - February 10
Features Section
Theater group dances to depict love and dependence By Megan Sanders msanders@statehornet.com The dance production “Cafe Lorraine” portrays in-depth emotions such as love, control, dependence, independence and reliance. These emotions together in one performance are meant to depict relationships around the world. The play is put on by the dance theater group Dangerous Lorraines, a non-Sacramento State affiliated dance company that has been given the opportunity to perform at Sac State. The show is co-directed and choreographed by Melissa Wynn and Lorelei Bayne, both assistant professors at Sac State. Wynn said the production is broken down into smaller sections. “It’s little vignettes,” Wynn said. “About reliance and dependence and what it means to rely and depend on something, or what it is like to have somebody rely or depend on you.” Wynn said the theater group explore beyond dependence in relationships and also focuses on dependence in addictions. Wynn said the fact that people rely on each other to a certain extent seems obvious. The actual question the show explores is when that reliance is too much. Wynn said the production takes a lot of preparation time. “We want the dancers to become comfortable with each other so that they will be able to take risks,” Wynn said. “Some-
Cafe Lorraine will be showing: 8 p.m. Thursday 7 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 2 p.m. Sat. and Sun. The performance will be held in the Playwrights’ Theatre, Shasta Hall.
Courtesy of Wendell Yacur
Members of the Dangerous Lorraines Theater Group rehearse a section of the performance “Cafe Lorraine.” thing they wouldn’t normally do in a regular dance class.” One of the dancers, Inertia DeWitt, a recent graduate of Sac State, has been with the Dangerous Lorraines Dance Theater since fall 2007. She said outside dance organizations offer more than oncampus dance classes because it provides extra experience to put on a resume and it helps to be a part of a company. DeWitt said she appreciates that Bayne and Wynn have an idea of what they want the performance to be like but also they use the dancers as inspiration and allow for some improvising. “They are open to input, allow us to use our creative minds and allow us to be intelligent dancers who are active in the process,” DeWitt said. Bayne said the performance and how experimental they can be with the choreography hinges on whom the performers are. “Each time we do the performance we get different sparks and little things that go pop,” Bayne said. This year, Dewitt said, all dancers in the company are genuine performers and the
audience will see and appreciate that when they attend the show. In particular, the format of the dance will consist of modern dance and improvisation. “The whole piece is an exploration of what is dance theater, (more specifically) what is American dance theater,” Wynn said. Wynn said although it’s an exploration of American dance theater, it is still much different than American dance theater. She said it may not be considered dance at all because it is different than German dancetheater as well and even different than musical theater. “It’s a blend of those things,” Bayne said. “It’s kind of stepping on the shoulders of your ancestors and seeing what you make of it.” Bayne said the audience will see reflections of themselves within the piece. “We hope that it touches people and is open enough for each audience member to have their own experience and to read between the lines of the piece and have some thoughtful moment and some joy,” Bayne said.
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February 10, Wednesday
| S p r i n g I ss u e 3 | S a c ra m ento S tate
Young softball team picked to win
By Ross Coleman rcoleman@statehornet.com
Despite being picked to win its division, Sacramento State’s softball team enters the 2010 season with some uncertainty. After graduating quite possibly the best senior class in school history, head coach Kathy Strahan must replace six
starters from last year’s team. Nine players on the 19-player roster will make their Hornets debut this spring. “We lost a huge core of veterans over the last two years,” Strahan said. “Megan Schaefer and Desiree Beltran are key to the success of this team this year.” However, the Hornets have
had great success in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, finishing no lower than second place in each of the last five seasons. But Strahan said she knows it is not going to be an easy year. “With so many new players, we are full of youth and inconsistency, we had have to get the new players ready through trial
by fire,” Strahan said. The new Hornets will have to recover from the losses of five All-Conference selections, including first-team members Jamie Schloredt, Izmena Cabrera and Whitney Loomis. The Hornets return four members who earned allconference awards last season. Among those returning are
right fielder Jenice Bartee, Schaefer, Beltran, and first baseman Alyssa Nakken. Beltran, the starting shortstop, returns after being named All-PCSC freshman of the year and was also a member of the all-region team. Schaefer, who was the team’s ace last season, returns to lead the pitching staff. She had a
15-7 record with a 2.20 ERA. However, Schaefer did have offseason wrist surgery so it may take time for her to get back to her all-conference form. Shelby Volez returns this season, but will take on more of a starting role instead of coming out of bullpen as she did for a lot of last season. Volez had an 8-8 record with 3.62 ERA.
Right fielder Jenice Bartee leads the outfield group. Joining her in the outfield are freshmen Kelly Frye and Nicole Frayn in center field and left field, respectively.
The infield is the most stable area of the team heading into the season. Beltran is the headliner on offense after batting .413 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs.
The Hornets’ biggest question mark is at catcher. Freshman Molly Smith was slated to be the starter but is unable to play due to injury. That leaves the position up for grabs by junior Ashlee Adkins, sophomore Marissa Navarro and freshman Amber Roszkos.
Along with Nakken, who will be playing first base, freshman Erin Jones will start at second base. Third base has been locked up by freshman Emily McCormick.
Meet the softball team at statehornet.com
Photos courtesy of Bob Solorio, Graphic by Megan Harris State Hornet
Outfield: Nicole Fryan, left field; Kelli Frye, center field; Jenice Bartree, right field. Infield: Emily McCormick, third base; Desiree Beltran, shortstop; Erin Jones, second base; Alyssa Nakken, first base. Catcher: Amber Roszkos. Pitcher: Megan Schaefer. Kathy Strahan is entering her 18th season at Sacramento State.
Football lands former BCS-bound athlete By Sergio Saldana ssaldana@statehornet.com The Sacramento State football program announced the signing of 17 new recruits and five midseason signings during the Hornets’ National Signing Day party Feb. 3 at the Broad Fieldhouse. The signing class of recruits has a mixture of talent from all around California. The 2010 class of recruits is highly regarded as one of the best recruiting classes of head coach Marshall Sperbeck’s tenure as Hornet head coach, he said. Sperbeck said the coaching staff is extremely excited by the choices they have made. Sac State was able to fill much needed holes on both sides of the ball. Due to the loss of key players to graduation, such as defensive linemen Bill Sherman and Kevin Moore, the defense was a
top priority when the coaching staff was searching for players to recruit. “Offensive and defensive line we felt, were important area’s we needed to address” Sperbeck said. The Hornets are also losing Peter Lenz, Matt Lemley and Clint Lessard, all of whom were key members of the offensive line. They are also losing tight end Brian Heath, who scored two touchdowns in 2009. Sac State signed six offensive linemen, one quarterback, two wide receivers, one running back and one athlete, a player who has yet to be given a position by Sac State’s coaching staff because the ability to play multiple positions and on both sides of the ball. On defense, the Hornets picked up four defensive backs, three defensive ends, two linebackers and one defensive tackle. “We have some players that had the opportunity to go to
some bigger schools, some BCS schools and we got the players to go to Sac State” said defensive backs/special teams coach Anthony Parker. “Our coaches have really done a good job.” Sac State generally searches for recruits within the state. The football team is granted a certain amount of scholarships to give out, depending upon how many players they lose due to transfers or graduation. Recruiting out of the state of California costs Sac State more than one scholarship, hence its desire to recruit within state. Football recruiting for Sac State is a year-long process. When recruiting begins, the team actively pursue players who stand out as people and football players. Sac State seeks players with great character and academic history to go along with superior football talent. “We do a thorough investigation of their academic history to make sure they succeed
MEN’S B-BALL vs. PORTLAND ST.
Sports Updates
FEB. 5
L 76-62 vs. EASTERN WASH. FEB. 7
W 74-67
Domineek Daniel, guard:
“I think everything just came together today. Once we got our defense going, our offense just flowed. Just moving the ball helped us a lot.”
academically as well as on the field.” Parker said. Players are evaluated on multiple scales, from football talent to academic excellence. The process is rigorous and necessary to weed out the best of the best, as Sac State recruits student-athletes who have little to no character issues. Of the 22 total players coming in to fill the roster spots, 17 are coming straight from high school. The other five are transferring from junior colleges. Sac State lost a total of 17 seniors to graduation and a few other underclassmen, who transferred out of Sac State to other schools. One of the recruits, Nate Devan, a 6-foot-6-inch offensive lineman from Temecula, Calif., said he is eager to get on the field and compete. Devan was a two-sport athlete while he attended Chaparral High School. Devan said he is excited to start the season and has some
WOMEN’S B-BALL
MEN’S TENNIS
vs. PORTLAND ST.
at TULSA & OKLA. ST.
FEB. 5
FEB. 5 & 6
W 83-78
L 4-3 & 4-3
vs. EASTERN WASH.
at OKLAHOMA ST.
FEB. 7
W 78-69
FEB. 6
L 4-3
Julie Keefer State Hornet
Klayton Adams, left, tight end and offensive line coach, goes some new recruits at the National Signing Day Party on Feb. 3 at the Broad Field House. goals in mind. “My personal goal next year is to start, to become a four-year starter.” Devan said. He also said he has an academic goal to obtain a 3.7
Sport Clubs Updates
grade point average for the current school semester. The pursuit of success starts from head coach and trickles see Signing Day| page B6
MEN’S RUGBY
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
at ST. MARY’S
vs. SONOMA ST.
FEB. 6
L 37-18
FEB. 6
L 3-2
Wednesday - February 10
Sports Section
statehornet.com
B5
The Sultan of the Nest By Ashley O’Con aocon@statehornet.com
Mia Matsudaira State Hornet
Hornet junior guard Tika Koshiyama-Diaz has stepped into the starting role. She is having a breakout season and has helped lead the team on a six-game winning streak.
Asian basketball league at the root of player’s success By Jules Ramzy jramzy@statehornet.com At a young age, Tika Koshiyama-Diaz knew she wanted to play college basketball. Her family has always influenced and encouraged her athletic aspirations. Her mother, Debbie Koshiyama-Diaz, played for the Asian Basketball League, a league of boys and girls of Asian-Pacific Islander heritage, located in the San Francisco area. Tika Koshiyama-Diaz also played in the league. Both were coached by Tika’s grandfather. Debbie Koshiyama-Diaz said basketball has always been a dream of Tika’s. “Tika did gymnastics and karate while playing basketball, but she was always much more enthusiastic about basketball,” Debbie Koshiyama-Diaz said. Tika Koshiyama-Diaz became a starting guard for the Sacramento State women’s basketball team this season after starting sparingly in her first two years as a Hornet. Because of the season-ending injury to teammate Jasmine Cannady, Tika Koshiyama-Diaz has been forced to play more minutes and both guard positions. Jamie Craighead, women’s basketball head coach, said Tika Koshiyama-Diaz is a great asset to the team. “She can play multiple positions, she is a good person and has always maintained a great grade point average,” Craighead said. Tika Koshiyama-Diaz said her most memorable basketball moment came in high school. “My high school team, Pinewood High School in Los Altos, won back-to-back state championships,” Tika Koshiyama-Diaz said. “We pushed ourselves and it paid off. We played at the highest level of high school women’s basketball possible.” Tika Koshiyama-Diaz carried that same attitude with her as she began playing with the Hornets. During her freshman year, she pushed herself in order to play more minutes during the game. She played a career high
of 29 minutes that year against Montana State University as well as competing in 23 games that season. She also started her career that season with scoring nine three-point shots Craighead said Tika Koshiyama-Diaz has improved significantly since her freshman year. “She doesn’t even look like the same kid,” Craighead said. “She has tremendous athletic ability, great hang time, her foot speed has increased and she is just an all-around stronger player.” Junior guard Sami FieldPolisso said Tika KoshiyamaDiaz has become a threat on the offensive end of the court. “Tika is able to score as well as distribute the ball and make great plays” Field-Polisso said. “She took advantage to play as much as possible and ever since last year’s game against Idaho State University. That was the point when Tika decided to become a star.” Field-Polisso also said Tika Koshiyama-Diaz has benefited the team. “Koshiyama-Diaz has played more than she has ever before in order to make adjustments, due to injuries,” Field-Polisso said. “She has also dominated more than one position while on the court.” Field-Polisso said she is privileged to play alongside Tika Koshiyama-Diaz. “She has been there to help me through my injury and I am just happy that I am able to play with her,” Field-Polisso said. Craighead praised Tika Koshiyama-Diaz’s play on the court. “She is a pretty tenacious player, a good teammate and always holds other players accountable,” Craighead said. “She is a complete player. She can drive into the key and knock down the three.” As a child, Tika’s mother tried to point her into the direction of various different sports. “When she was younger I tried to get her to play soccer, but she always wanted to play basketball,” Debbie KoshiyamaDiaz said. Tika Koshiyama-Diaz said she plays basketball for a number of reasons. “I am always striving to
improve my game, I play basketball not only because I have been playing my whole life, but because I have found success in it,” Tika Koshiyama-Diaz said. “Basketball has motivated me become a better student. I enjoy playing the game.” She still remembers growing up in San Jose and playing for the Asian league with her mother, her grandparents and other members of her community. Although she has become a better player, Tika KoshiyamaDiaz said she has not forgotten where she came from. “My mother is my biggest influence off the court and, in my opinion, she is the hardest working person alive,” Tika Koshiyama-Diaz said. After her basketball career is over, she said she would like to be a chief financial officer for a business. Tika Koshiyama-Diaz, like all players, has progressed so much since she first started playing basketball. She has matured into a dominant player on both ends of the court and is always reminded how much she improved by Field-Polisso. “Tika, you are a threat on the court,” Field-Polisso said. Craighead said Tika Koshiyama-Diaz’s future is bright. “Tika Koshiyama-Diaz has the chance to be a great player in this program,” Craighead said. “She can do great things. The sky is the limit.”
Despite being on his own since he was 17, Sultan TolesBey’s humble yet courageous personality has been recognized on the court since he joined Sacramento State. Sultan Toles-Bey, a junior guard who transferred from Fresno City College, was born in Los Angeles and spent his childhood split between New Orleans and South Central Los Angeles. He started playing several sports at a young age, but from the start, he knew he wanted to play basketball. “Around the age of 3, I picked up a basketball and just fell in love with it,” Sultan Toles-Bey said. “I played football and other sports, but basketball stuck. It just came natural to me.” Sultan Toles-Bey has no athletes in his family, causing his inspiration to come from himself. His father supported him 100 percent of the way. “This is the first time my dad’s ever missed any of my games, since I’m so far away,” he said. “But he’s always been there every game. He’s been there every step of the way.” Sultan Toles-Bey said even though his family is far away, it doesn’t affect his game. “I’m cool with it cause I’ve been on my own since I was 17, when I moved out to go to a JC. So I’m used to it now,” he said. Sultan Toles-Bey attended King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science in LA. Growing up in the rough streets of LA, Sultan Toles-Bey said the choice to isolate himself from trouble was the best decision for him and his future. “It’s not like the movies and how everyone makes it out to be,” Sultan Toles-Bey said. “It’s a pretty rough neighborhood where I stay at, but if you just separate yourself from it, you’re fine. If you just keep yourself away from the gangbanging and all the dumb stuff, you’re good. That’s why I just focus on basketball, my grades and handling my business.” He has accomplished a lot in his basketball career and he gives a lot of credit to his dad. “My dad is a single parent, so he’s been there for me my entire life,” he said. “He’s taught me everything from work ethic to respect, and just being a man period. I’ve spent every second of my life with my dad.” Sultan’s father, John Toles-Bey,
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Hornets’ junior guard Sultan Toles-Bey drives against Portland State University guard Chris Harriel on Feb. 5. is an actor who, despite his busy work schedule, still has been able to play the most important role of all – a father to Sultan. “He’s had a lot happen in his life and he’s handled it very well,” John Toles-Bey said. “After it’s all said and done, if I could have done anything I want to have taught him how to be a good human being. I want him to treat people like he wants to be treated.” Sultan Toles-Bey reflected on the times he joined his father on the job. “When he goes for auditions, I’m with him. When’s he’s on the set making movies I’m with him,” he said. “He’d be running from the set to my games trying to get me there on time, to practice and to school. He’s always been there and always went out of his way to give me anything I needed.” Sultan Toles-Bey’s achievements and awards as a college basketball player have also helped motivate him to be a
better athlete. “I appreciate being recognized cause I try to play my best every time I’m on the court,” he said. “I just want to win. This year and next year I want to help turn this program around.” Junior guard/forward Walter Jackson, who is redshirting this season, said he has learned a lot just from watching Sultan Toles-Bey play during practice and in the games. “The game just comes to him,” Jackson said. “Some people will be on the court and just be so scared. He’s taught me how to be calm on the court.” Freshman guard Brad Johnstin said when it comes to team players, Sultan Toles-Bey is one of a kind. “Sultan is one of the people you want to have on your team when going into a game and feeling confident with who’s around you,” he said. “There’s not another point guard I see Toles-Bey| page B6
B6
Wednesday - February 10
Sports Section
statehornet.com
WEST COAST BIAS
What’s next, recruiting toddlers to play college football?
By Ross Coleman rcoleman@statehornet.com I am going to be up front about this; I am an addict. My drug? College football. My team? I live and die
for the UCLA Bruins, which means I have an extreme level of disdain for the University of Southern California. Last week was an unofficial holiday for all college football addicts. It was National Signing Day – a day when every team gets its incoming freshman class to sign National Letters of Intent, binding them a school to play college football. As a UCLA fan, it was a great day. But the day after, USC made a headline-grabbing move that sent shockwaves around the nation. They got a verbal commitment from David Sills, a Delaware resident. Why is this
headline-grabbing? Sills is 13 years old. I don’t know about anyone else, but I was an awkward 13-year-old – tall and skinny and extremely uncoordinated. I also had a friend who was a great 13-year-old athlete. What happened when we got to high school? I grew into my body and became a better athlete, he stopped growing and became bored with sports. Who’s to say this isn’t going to happen to David Sills? I will say this once; I have a better chance of starting for the San Francisco 49ers next year than David Sills has at ever
playing at USC. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Offering young kids scholarships is not a new thing. When Indianapolis Colts’ head coach Jim Caldwell was Wake Forest’s head coach, he offered a scholarship to a theneighth-grader, Chris Leak. Leak went on to play at the University of Florida, where he won a national championship. But there is something about Sills that makes me feel dirty. It could be Sills’ father who gives me a bad feeling. His father also hired renowned quarterbacks coach Steve Clarkson. Clarkson is a
lifelong USC fan who mentored former and current USC quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley. Clarkson has also taken Sills to USC games and brought in Leinart and Barkley to work with Sills. Is this legal because the Sills family is paying Clarkson to help David improve? Probably. Just look at Todd Marinovich, a former USC quarterback. He had all the talent in the world, but he also had a father who was unrelenting when it came to pushing his son to be an NFL-caliber quarterback. So what happened to Marinovich? After a one-year stint in
the NFL, he fell into drugs and alcohol and never played for an NFL team again. I guess I am just worried about where college football recruiting goes from here. Are we going to see Sacramento State head coach Marshall Sperbeck out recruiting at a preschool? Is “plays well with others” going to become a recruiting term? What should the NCAA do about this situation? I can see it getting out of hand. College football recruiting is already out of control, but if 13-year-olds are the new battleground, it is going to be a scary world soon for us college football addicts.
Signing Day: Coach Toles-Bey: Adjusting to the Division I is eager to start up schedule has been ‘ kind of rough’ Continued | page B4 down to the coaching staff and players with in the football organization. Sperbeck said Sac State is extremely confident with how
they stacked up in its conference, as it is not as big as other schools but truly competed in the recruiting process making for an exciting year for the upcoming 2010 football season.
Hornet Football Recruits 2010
OL Jaren Harrell
OL William Fukofuka
DB Aaron Martinez
DB Eddie Gillies
DB Kyle Monson
LB Duane Hanna
QB Kyle Murdaca
OL Lars Hanson
WR David Black
OL Devonte Martin
WR Chris Broadnax
LB Randey Peterson
ATH Kyle Brooks
OL Julio Regla
DE Ben Cowger
DB Corey Sims
DE Todd Davis
OL Derek Stickney
OL Nate Devan
DE Marques White
RB Ronald Douglas
LB Keenan Coogler
Continued | page B5 would ever want to play with just because I know no one is going to play harder than him and he’s going to try and do everything he can to win.” Sultan Toles-Bey is proud of himself for the progress he has made since joining Sac State, but he admits the hardest thing to overcome was adjusting to a new schedule. “It just requires a lot more of you,” he said. “This past semester was kind of rough, I passed all my classes and it took a little getting used to but I was able to do it. Being on the road is tough too, it weighs you down a little bit but I enjoy it.” Head coach Brian Katz said he feels Sultan Toles-Bey’s focus on the game and hard work has helped him to be successful this season. Since Sultan Toles-Bey has been able to adjust to the faster pace and busy schedule, he has also become more
prepared for his future. “Everything gets you mentally tough,” Sultan Toles-Bey said. “To fly or be on a three-hour bus ride, then wake up early or sometimes playing back-toback. In the future, at a regular job, I’ll be ready cause it won’t be nothing compared to what we do now.” Like many athletes, Sultan Toles-Bey would like to continue his career in basketball after college, but said he plans to walk the stage before running on the court. “If it happens, it happens. I’ll jump on it if I get the offer,” he said. “But for now, I just plan on graduating and getting my degree and taking it from there. I want to play basketball because it’s my dream, but if you get hurt anything could happen. It’s always good to have a backup plan.” This season is Sultan TolesBey’s first playing Division I basketball. He has noticed the dedication and preparation it takes to be a team player. “Basketball demands a lot
out of you. At this level, the competition is better,” he said. “The next team your playing is always ready for you and know what you’re about to do. So every night you’re in for a fight. You have to always be on top of your game and ready to play.” Sultan Toles-Bey has learned a lot about growing up in the game of basketball but has learned lifelong lessons as well. “Anything you want in life you have to work for. Basketball has gotten me ready for life and every aspect of it,” he said. “In the workplace you have to respect your boss. In basketball, you have to respect your coach. You have to take orders. You have to be responsible. You have to be a leader. It teaches you how to be a man. If you can’t cut it on the basketball team, then I don’t think you’re going to cut it in life.” Along with the progress Sultan Toles-Bey has already made this season, Katz believes his knowledge of the game and dedication will keep him successful during his basketball
Robert Linggi State Hornet
Toles-Bey has started 15 games for the Hornets. career at Sac State. “I like his feel for the game and his ability to make the game easy. I think he’s very competitive,” Katz said. John Toles-Bey spoke highly of his son. “I’m proud of him. I’m proud of who he is and I know he has aspirations to go further with his athletic career,” he said.