The S tate Hornet March 24, 2010
C alifornia S tate U niversity, S acramento
E st . 1949
O ne C opy F ree
Hard work pays off for artists By Timothy Sandoval tsandoval@statehornet.com
One theme resonated among the winners of the 2010 Student Art Awards: none of them thought they would win. The Student Art Award gallery was displayed throughout the
month of February, and the reception was held on the Feb. 19. Of the 44 pieces that made it into the show, 16 awards were given. Each piece was judged on technique, content, message and the judge’s personal preferences. The pieces were judged before being accepted into the gallery. Of the 125 pieces that were submitted, fewer than half were accepted into the gallery.
Mark Lanning, graduate art student
Jennifer Ben, senior art major
Mark Lanning placed second for the graduate certificate award for his photograph titled “New Mexico, 2009,” which captures an oil refinery that he saw while traveling through New Mexico. He also received the Robison Award, a $1,000 prize for his photo “Carlsbad, 2009.” Lanning borrowed his father’s truck and traveled 6,000 miles - to Los Angeles, New Orleans, Memphis, Tenn., Oklahoma and Denver. Along the way, Lanning took shots of the scenery. Lanning said he will graduate this year and take a year off. He plans to apply to MFA programs after that. Lanning said he was happy to win the award. “I’m happy that for all the work and time I put into it, it was recognized and appreciated,” Lanning said. Yana Yaroshevich State Hornet
Kat Luna, senior art major Kat Luna won the Witt award, a $150 prize, for her untitled painting. Luna said while painting, she would step back to look at the painting and think of what move to make next. “It was just meditaTina Horton State Hornet tion. Nature calms me,” Luna said. “Then I would just dive into it, and explore all the different worlds.” Luna she eventually wants to sell her art to galleries and teach higher education. She will enter the art graduate program in the fall.
“I would say that it is fairly competitive,” said Catherine Turrill, assistant chair of the art department and an organizer of the show. “The work has to stand out. Just being accepted into the show was a kind of winning.” No one was more surprised by the results than some of the artists themselves.
Jennifer Ben placed first in the University Art Product Award for her sculpture “Modeled After Olympia, Modeled After Venus.” The sculpture was a remaking of French 17th cenYana Yaroshevich State Hornet tury artist Manet’s painting “Olympia.” It recreated the scene of a woman lying nude while a server brings her flowers; the nude woman is made entirely of magazine ads of female and male models. The server is also “fuller based,” which represents Ben herself, she said. Ben said the sculpture was intended to spark discussion of what it means to be beautiful in today’s society. Yana Yaroshevich State Hornet
Kari Breese, graduate art student
Tina Horton State Hornet
Alina Ozeruga, senior art major
Kari Breese said she lets the painting take over. “Usually I try to process everything,” Breese said. “Then I let the painting paint itself.” Breese placed first for Tina Horton State Hornet the graduate certificate award. She also won the Hazlitt award, a $500 scholarship donated by a former art student at Sac State. The untitled painting that won her the awards was a collection of abstract boxes and ladders, which she said represent boxes that society places people in. Breese said she was surprised to win the award. “I was happy just to get into the show,” she said. “But to win was just an added bonus.”
Tina Horton State Hornet
Lisa Franklin, senior art history major
Alina Ozergua won the Witt award, a $250 prize, for her photo, “Reading the New,” and placed second for the undergraduate certificate award for her photo “Ballerina.” The photos feature her brother in a suit and her little sister dressed as a ballerina. The suit and ballerina dress are entirely made of newspaper. Tina Horton State Hornet Ozegua said she was very surprised when she won. “I just thought, wow, I actually did it.” Ozegua said. Tina Horton State Hornet
Lisa Franklin won the Art Award’s essay contest for her essay “Wilfredo Lam: appropriating Picasso’s primitivism.” Frainklin’s essay explores Pablo Picasso’s influence over Cuban painter Wilfredo Lam, who learned under Picasso during the 1930s. Franklin currently works as an art docent for elementary schools, teachings students about art history and bringing art for them to see. She said she came back to school to become an art historian and eventually teach higher education. She had submitted essays for the Awards for the last two years, but had not won. “I was excited and glad I won,” Franklin said. “I felt that my writing was finally maturing.”
Yana Yaroshevich State Hornet
Obama honors Sac State ‘with distinction’ By Lauren Greenwood lgreenwood@statehornet.com Sacramento State was one of more than 700 universities and colleges that were recently honored by President Barack Obama’s Higher Education Community Honor Roll. The award recognized colleges and universities that show an exemplary amount of community service. The Office of the President defined community service as any kind of volunteering, service learning, field practicum and internships, said Sheila Macias, director of Sac State’s Community Engagement Center. Only 115 universities and colleges, including Sac State, received the title “with distinction,” which means these
schools demonstrated an extraordinary amount of community service. “We were able to identify a spectrum of community engagement at Sac State and the honor of ‘distinction’ means that we are doing something worth more recognition,” Macias said. According to the president’s website, the benefits of the honor roll membership include earning recognition as a service leader in the community, garnering additional community partnerships and fulfilling an institution’s civic mission. Macias said there are additional benefits. This award shows that students are doing more than just coming to school, taking their classes and leaving. This recognition could possibly help when applying for
federal grants to fund Sac State’s community service programs, she said. “This provides an opportunity for the region to have an idea of what the university is doing. This award speaks to many contributions the students are making and educates the larger region,” Macias said. A variety of projects and organizations, such as Project PLAY, Student Activities, College Assistant Migrant Program, Urban Education Teaching Center and the 65th Street Corridor Project, contributed to Sac State’s recognition. The Urban Teacher Education Center is a field-based program that provides graduate students with hands-on teaching experience in urban schools and communities, according to the
center’s website. The center differs from other teacher credential programs because of its strong emphasis on having student teachers engage with the community, said Jana Noel, a community engagement faculty scholar and coordinator for the center. Graduate students work with families that are on some sort of financial assistance and live in areas with almost 100 percent poverty. Students in most of the schools the center works with have free and reduced lunch. Some of these schools are Abraham Lincoln, Cesar Chavez, Earl Warren, Hollywood Park and Woodbine elementary schools - all are in the Sacramento City Unified School District. To become effective teach-
Julie Keefer State Hornet
Allison Cauton, junior government major, tutors a student with the 65th Street Corridor. Efforts of this group and others have earned Sac State national recognition. ers, student teachers need to
and families in urban neighbor-
be aware of the social, political and economic lives of students
see Honors | page A6
INSIDE THE STATE HORNET MARCH IN MARCH
Follow students who protested, and see what students who didn’t protest had to say.
News | A3
CENSUS 2010 Filling out your Census form is more important than you may think. Find out how you’re actually hindering your community by ignoring this piece of business.
Opinion | A7
THE KINGS’ BREAKERS
TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Find out which Sac State students are part of this break dancing group.
School history was made at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Features | B1
Sports | B3
MARRIAGE & DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP Are they different or not? Find out what students and professors think on statehornet.com.
Online News statehornet.com
The State Hornet Issue 9 | Volume 62 | No. 23
A2
Wednesday - March 24
News Section
NEWS ROUNDUP Sac State’s weekly news briefs and campus events Campus administrators host Alpha Phi Alpha awards forums on graduation initiative $10,000 in scholarships An open forum about the California State University graduation initiative will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. today in the Hinde Auditorium. Academic Affairs is hosting the forum to give specific details about the initiative, answer students’ questions and seek students’ feedback. Another forum will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on April 8 in the University Union’s Lobby Suite. In January, the CSU Board of Trustees launched a system-wide graduation initiative that’s expected to raise graduation rate from 46 to 54 percent in the next six years. For more information, contact Academic Affairs at academicaffairs@csus.edu.
Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity awarded $10,000 in scholarships to 10 Sacramento high school students Sunday during its 56th Annual Alpha Phi Alpha Founders’ Day & Scholarship Award Brunch held in the University Union. As part of the celebration, Michael Drake, the first black chancellor of the University of California, was invited to be the keynote speaker. For more information, go to statehornet.com.
The Student Health Center will be hosting a human trafficking conference from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday in the University Union Ballroom. The conference aims to explore the issues and stories about human trafficking and how it affects the lives of its victims. For more information, contact Jessica Heskin at heskin@csus.edu.
Editor in Chief Todd Wilson
(916) 278-6584
editor@statehornet.com Print Managing Editor Leidhra Johnson (916) 278-7300
ljohnson@statehornet.com Online Managing Editor (916) 278-5590
online@statehornet.com News Editor
Brittany Bottini (916) 278-5567
news@statehornet.com Assistant News Editor
State Hornet Publications Board open for applications
The State Hornet Publications Board is accepting applications for two student representative positions in 2010-11. The Publications Board is the governing body of The State Hornet, the student-run campus newspaper of Sac State. Applicants must be enrolled in at least six Sac State units and in good academic standing (GPA of at least 2.0), and they cannot concurrently hold any elected ASI office or position at the Hornet newspaper. Applications are available at the Hornet office. The deadline to file is noon April 6. ▶◀ ▶◀ ▶◀ Contact Kristine Guerra in the News department at (916) 278-7248. ▶◀ ▶◀ ▶◀
Conference to explore human trafficking
The State Hornet | Staff
Adalto Nascimento
Sac State professor gains honorary professorship
Mechanical engineering professor José Granda has been named an honorary professor at Wilhelm Büchner Hochschule, the largest private university in Germany. The honor was awarded to Granda for his research in mechatronics, which is a combination of mechanics, electronics and robotics. Granda is a NASA faculty fellow and campus director for the California Space Grant Consortium. In the past three years, NASA has funded student projects through Granda’s involvement with the space grant consortium, which provides NASA scholarships and fellowships in California.
statehornet.com
Correction Captions that ran with “Puppets, stilts and props, oh my!” in issue eight should have identified the actor as John Young. The State Hornet apologizes for this error. Please contact Leidhra Johnson, print managing editor, for corrections at (916) 278-7300 or ljohnson@statehornet.com.
Kristine Guerra
(916) 278-7248
kguerra@statehornet.com
Assistant Features Editor Amber Wertman (916) 278-5148
awertman@statehornet.com Photo Editor Nallelie Vega
(916) 278-5500
nvega@statehornet.com Assistant Photo Editor Mia Matsudaira (916) 278-5500
mmatsudaira@statehornet.com
Graphics Editor Megan Harris
(916) 278-5590
mharris@statehornet.com Multimedia Editor Edson Guillen
(916) 278-5590
eguillen@statehornet.com Copy Chief
Opinion Editor
Benjamin R. Schilter
(916) 278-7567
bschilter@statehornet.com
David Loret De Mola opinion@statehornet.com Sports Editor Dustin Nosler
(916) 278-5145
sports@statehornet.com Assistant Sports Editor Ross Coleman
(916) 278-5585
Advertising Manager Diane Kauffman (916) 278-6583
ads@statehornet.com Advertisement Designer Matt Erickson
(916) 278-6583
(916) 278-5145
ads@statehornet.com
Features Editor
Professional Journalist in Residence & Adviser
(916) 278-4155
(916) 278-5612
rcoleman@statehornet.com
Katrina Tupper
features@statehornet.com The first copy of this newspaper is free. Additional copies cost $1. All views expressed herein are the responsibility of The State Hornet and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sacramento State Journalism Program, the Communication Studies Department, administration, student body or ASI unless otherwise noted. The State Hornet is copyrighted, and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of The State Hornet. Signed articles, letters and artwork express the opinions of the authors and illustrators. Unsigned articles are the responsibility of The State Hornet. The State Hornet reserves the right to reject or edit all submissions.
Holly Heyser
hheyser@statehornet.com The appearance of an advertisement in The State Hornet does not constitute an endorsement by the newspaper of the goods and services advertised therein. The State Hornet reserves the right to reject any advertisements deemed inappropriate. An advertisement is not considered accepted until publication. Further, The State Hornet shall not be liable for any omission on an advertisement ordered to be published. By written request, The State Hornet will reschedule and run the advertisement at the advertiser’s cost. In no case shall The State Hornet be liable for any general, special or consequential damages. Claims for adjustments of any error must be made no later than three days after publication date upon which said error occurred.
Wednesday - March 24
News Section
statehornet.com
A3
Newest CSU student trustee inspired by grassroots effort By Kristine Guerra kguerra@statehornet.com The march to the Capitol on Monday reminded student trustee Nicole Anderson of why she joined student government. “I think it was just seeing the passion behind it all and all the students out there together. I hadn’t really seen any sort of grassroots organizing in a while,” said Anderson, junior international relations major and one of two students appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees. Anderson was part of the first batch of students who took the bus from Sacramento State to Raley Field, where nearly 3,000 protesters from other universities and colleges were waiting to march to the Capitol. She said being on the Board of Trustees sometimes hinders her from realizing what students actually experience. Seeing her fellow students at the rally, hearing their chants and listening to their personal stories gave her a different perspective of how budget cuts are actually affecting students. “One of the problems as a trustee is looking at the general picture … sometimes you forget to listen to the individual voices,” Anderson said. “Here at the rally, you listen to what students are saying directly.” At the beginning of the protest, students were playing gongs and tambourines. Others showed up with skull face paints
Mia Matsudaira State Hornet
CSU trustee Nicole Anderson and ASI members gathered before marching to the Capitol from Raley field. to depict what they call the “death of higher education.” Familiar chants, like “Students, united, will never be divided,” “Education is a right,” and “Yes we can,” were heard throughout the protest. A few students expressed their animosity toward Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, holding up signs that say “Terminator terminates school, police, health.” Assemblyman Marty Block, D-San Diego, was one of the few legislators who came out to join the students. “If Congress was brave enough to support health care, then the Legislature should be strong enough to support higher education,” Block said. Anderson, who stood near the podium throughout the 90-minute long protest, said the whole event revitalized her feel-
Why didn’t you protest?
ings about the CSU and about being a student trustee. “It’s just the idea that together students can make a difference and collectively we are all about getting funding and having the opportunity to get a good education,” Anderson said. Sophomore anthropology major Vanessa Zamora was one of nearly 100 students from Modesto Junior College who missed their classes on Monday to join the march from Raley Field. “I’m here because I want to be a body amongst the body,” said Zamora, who is the first in her family to attend college. “I’m here to show that people actually care about education and we’re not going to be passive.”
Students share their objections to the March in March rally.
Caroline LeDoux State Hornet
Protesters marched from Sacramento State and Raley Field, then met at the Capitol to listen to guest speakers and continue rallying state legistors for a funding solution.
Mia Matsudaira State Hornet
An estimated 3,000 students, faculty and community members rallied at the Capitol for the March in March to protest budget cuts and fee increases for higher education.
Students cheered on march from campus to the Capitol By Kalie Barnes-Young kbarnesyoung@statehornet.com
Dante Oliver
Sarah Abendschein
Vincent Jiron
junior kinesiology
junior public relations
sophomore business
“It seems that people are rallying, but they don’t know what they’re really rallying about.”
“I’ve got a lot of studying to do and midterms and essays. I support the protesting because it’s for the good of all students but I’m not very politcally active in any way, shape or form.”
“I guess I’d chalk it up to laziness. I’m not much of a protester; people don’t protest the way they used to, opposed to the way it was in the ‘60s. It used to be a lot bigger and I guess my not attending contributes to that.”
Photos by Robert Linggi Reporting by Cahil Bhanji State Hornet
Caroline LeDoux State Hornet
A protester waves a California flag as he marched on the Capitol Monday afternoon.
Mia Matsudaira State Hornet
Frustrated students crossed the Tower Bridge as they made their way to the steps of the Capitol.
Walking along J Street with a purpose, Angela Balta was one of the many students who marched Monday from Sacramento State to the state Capitol in the latest protest event against higher education cuts. The senior anthropology major joined more 100 students in the march lead by the Sac State Student Coalition. The students carried toy horns and signs handed out by the coalition prior to the march. Students were encouraged to introduce themselves and share their reason for participating. Balta’s frustrations over the budget cuts have caused her to delay her graduation for another year, she said. By the time she eventually graduates, Balta will have been at Sac State for six years. “I have a small major, so it’s difficult to get the classes I need, since those are the ones being cut,” Balta said. After informing her professors she would be missing class to participate in the march, she said one of them had told her: “March for me.” And march she did. During the nearly five-mile march, she carried her sign high and proud, shouting at passing cars to honk their horns. The chanting and horns would only grow louder whenever a car obliged to their requests and honked back. “I hope people pay attention to what we’re doing,” Balta said. “We need people to see this, see what’s going on, and maybe then they’ll be inspired to help.”
The march also got the attention of people not participating. People walked out of their businesses and homes to watch the students march along. Some watched with smiles on their faces, while others asked students why they were protesting. A few faculty members from nearby Sutter Middle School walked out of their classrooms to cheer on the marchers. At one point, Balta volunteered to pull a wagon that had been filled with water bottles, a job she described as “not fun,” but she wanted to help in any way that she could. The marchers’ enthusiasm grew as soon as the Capitol building came into view. The shouting grew louder and the horn blowing was more frequent. Balta said of the march, “It was a little tiring, but I’m glad we kept the energy all the way through.” During the rally on the steps of the Capitol, Balta had found a place near the front of the sea of more than 3,000 people. She held her sign in her hands, forgotten as she gave her attention to the speakers. Reid Milburn, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges and one of the speakers at the rally, said, “We are tired of our fee increases, we are tired of our classes being cut. We need to send the message to the Legislature that if they throw us out of our campuses, we’ll vote them out of office this November.” Sac State’s Associated Students Inc. had a presence at the rally with two of its senior members making speeches. During her
speech, ASI Director of Undeclared Students Yeimi Lopez said, “This is the human right of our time. Education is a right, not a privilege.” Balta, who attended the March 4 higher education rally at the Capitol, noticed a change of tone as she compared both events. “This one seemed a little more serious,” said Balta. “The one before had singing, and today felt a little more formal, a little more structured.” After the rally, Balta picked up several signs that had been discarded on the ground and moved them out of the way of those walking by. “The turnout was amazing, the speakers were great, it was awesome,” Balta said, finishing up her sign cleanup. “I really hope that we did today makes a difference.”
Julie Keefer State Hornet
Angela Beta was among those who marched from Sac State to the Capitol.
A4
Wednesday - March 24
News Section
statehornet.com
Wednesday - March 24
News Section
“(Goethe) was very upfront about his beliefs. He was an avowed eugenicist, and really held to a profound commitment to racial inequality.” Chloe Burke, professor of history
Donor’s past prompts many to engage in campus history By Timothy Sandoval tsandoval@statehornet.com Money from a controversial Sacramento State donor is still in use today, prompting some to question the university’s engagement with its past. The university honored Charles M. Goethe after his tens of thousands of dollars in donations, which began in the 1940s and continued until his death in 1966. Goethe was a leader in the California eugenics movement, a scientific movement popular in the 1920s and ‘30s, which sought to breed a “master race” through selective breeding of classes deemed “unfit.” Tony Platt, professor emeritus at Sac State and researcher into Goethe’s relationship with the university, said the university has not engaged in its past in a serious way. “They have just sort of stonewalled it and hoped it would go away,” Platt said. Goethe was the president of the Eugenics Research Association who funded prominent eugenicists in Europe, Southern California and the East Coast. In his 1936 presidential address, he hailed Nazi Germany’s “honest yearnings for better population.” Goethe was active in his role as a banker to racially segregate Sacramento. He stopped selling real estate to Mexicans because “they cannot grasp the theory of contracts, as do even the Negroes.” Chloe Burke, history professor, said the university knew about Goethe’s beliefs. “He was very upfront about his beliefs,” Burke said. “He was an avowed eugenicist, and really held to a profound commitment to racially inequality.” In the 1950s, Goethe was
Julie Keefer State Hornet
Charles Goethe, a major donor to Sac State, is honored as “friend of man and nature and a preserver of the best in both,”by a plague in the arboretum on campus. appointed to the university’s advisory board as its first chairman. Goethe had a new science building and an arboretum on campus named after him in the 1960s. Guy West, president of Sac State at the time, called Goethe “Sacramento’s most remarkable citizen.” When Goethe died in 1966, his will left $653,000, the Charles Goethe Mansion and most of his papers and personal library to Sac State, his primary benefactor. University Enterprises Inc. has handled the money and Goethe’s mansion since it was donated. Today, much of the money is still in use, funding mostly biology professors’ research. Ruth Ballard, professor of biology and director of the Goethe Committee, which handles the money from Goethe’s donations, said she saw no problem with using the money. “I see no downside in having the money and using it,” Ballard said. “But I’m not a expert on ethics.” Platt appealed to the pro-
vost and President Alexander Gonzalez, citing a violation of academic freedom, but no action was taken. Gonzalez was unable to be reached for comment. In his research paper on Goethe, Platt said Goethe’s wish for his home to be a “eugenic museum” was discarded by UEI, which sold of most his library and possessions to an undisclosed buyer. The C. M. Goethe arboretum was later renamed University Arboretum. The Charles Goethe Mansion was also renamed after its architect, Julia Morgan, in 2003. The city of Sacramento renamed some of its public spaces as well. After citizen protest, Goethe Park was renamed Riverbend Park, and C. M. Goethe Middle School was renamed Rosa Parks Middle School. History must be addressed, however, by the university as institution if it wants to understand who it is, Burke said. “History is who we are now,” Burke said. “Unless we engage with the past, we don’t fully understand who we are today.”
statehornet.com
A5
Accusations of exploitation made against contributor missaries feeding workers at the time in California. In his first four years, Spanos made a 60 percent profit from A.G. Spanos, the largest the fee he deducted from workfinancial donor in Sacramento ers wages, and had made more State history, has been accused than $700,000, or $5,638,695 in of amassing his wealth by today’s dollars. exploiting Mexican workers, a With the money he made he claim that has been denounced went into the real estate busiby those close to Spanos. ness, then into apartment develSpanos, a real estate developopment, and eventually owned er and owner of the San Diego eight companies spanning 18 Chargers, pledged to donate states and worth billions of dol$10 million in 2004 for a sports lars. Forbes Magazine reports complex at Sac State named Spanos’s net worth at least $1 after him in his honor. billon. Spanos ran a catering comOfanos said Spanos has made pany in the 1950s that housed many charitable donations. and fed Mexican laborers “He is extremely generous,” during the Braceros Program, Ofranos said. “There isn’t a a contract between the United group out there that you can States and Mexican governthink of that we as a company ments to allow more than or as a family have not donated 400,000 Mexican laborers to to.” work in crop fields from the In addition to the $10 million early 1940s to the 1960s. He pledge for the Alex G. Spanos would eventually make his first Sports Complex, Spanos donat$1 million from his services, ed $1 million for the 2000 U.S. charging $1.75 a day for three Olympic Track and Field Trials meals. and $537,991 for the 2004 trials, Tony Platt, professor emeriheld at tus at Sac State. Sac State, “Maybe who men“I realize that abuses took place and that people were some tioned exploited, and still people are being exploited, but it people Spanos’s was not from Alex Spanos.” involveNatalia Orfanos, spokesperson for A.G. Spanos Companies would say, ‘Well ment with and co-author of Spanos’s biography Spanos braceros became in the a good guy, and this is fine, academic journal Social Justice, into the big leagues,” he wrote. From every $1.75 deducted and the university needs the said he believed that Spanos from the workers’ wages for money,’” Platt said. “But to do “price gouged” the price of his food, Spanos made a $1 profit. it without discussion about the food. Paul Lopez, sociology profesethics of it is to me the major Platt said charging $1.75 sor at Chico State who recently problem.” from workers for food, who on wrote a book interviewing Today, the university policy average were paid $7 day, was many braceros, said he believed regarding donors contains no exploitative. Spanos exploited the workers he ethical standards regarding who “It’s a huge percentage of served. can donate money to Sac State. your income going to food,” “I think that was an exorbi“The Spanos contributions to Platt said. tant amount of money for that Sacramento State complied with Platt said because braceros day,” Lopez said. all policies,” said John Kepley, had restricted access to travel, The contact between the U.S. special assistant to President did not speak the language and and Mexico stipulated the food Alexander Gonzalez, in an worked long hours, they were should be furnished at a cost email. “The University apprevulnerable to exploitation. ciates Alex and Faye Spanos’ Natalia Orfanos, spokeswom- to the workers. A charge of $1.75 was standard among most philanthropic contributions to an for A.G. Spanos Companies catering companies and comour campus and students.” and co-author of Spanos’s By Timothy Sandoval tsandoval@statehornet.com
biography, said she thought the allegation was frivolous. “I realize that later on that abuses took place and that people were exploited, and still people are exploited, but it was not from Alex Spanos,” Orfanos said. According to his biography, Spanos started to recruit Mexican laborers for farms, who had been asking Spanos if he knew where they could find workers. “I’ve always believed in supply and demand,” Spanos wrote. “If I can deliver sandwiches, why can’t I deliver laborers?” Spanos would recruit 350 workers to the farms on his sandwich route. He would house the workers in a building he rented out from the San Joaquin County Fair, which also housed a vegetable exhibit. He also rented out 350 beds, mattresses and pillows for the workers to sleep on. “The whole thing came together in less than 30 days, and the A.G. Spanos Agricultural Catering Service was headed
A6
Wednesday - March 24
Honors: Campus recognized for helping community Continued | page A1 hoods, Noel said. Graduate students spend three semesters in the program. During the first semester, they observe the teachers at Jedediah Smith Elementary School, located on McClatchy Way in Sacramento, where the student population comes from an underserved, low-income community. They also tutor the kids one-on-one. During the second and third semesters, they teach their own students in elementary schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District, Noel said.
Aside from the basic teaching duties, graduate students have to immerse themselves in the community by meeting with community leaders and getting involved with existing community organizations. Graduate students are also responsible for creating events for their students and working with the teachers at the elementary school, parents and the whole community, said Crystal Chodes, a student in the program. Recently, they put on an African-American history night for Jedediah Elementary School students.
“It was a beautiful celebration of ethnicity and culture. The students came together and performed a dance that they have been practicing for months,” Chodes said. “You get to see what it’s like at a school, when everyone gives themselves.” The Urban Teacher Education Center is only one of the many service-learning programs Sac State offers. The 65th Street Corridor Project is an undergraduate program where students work with youths in low-income areas and help them pursue college. Students in the program work with
Scholarships awarded to committed students By Benjamin R. Schilter bschilter@statehornet.com When she first received the email last year encouraging her to apply, then-junior psychology major Ague Mae Manongsong did not feel her academics-only background qualified her for the Faculty Endowment for Student scholarship. By the time she was given the opportunity to apply again, she was not only excelling in her classes, but also teaching one of her own. As one of four recipients of this year’s scholarship, Manongsong said her background in teaching beginning psychology courses and maintaining high grades played a major role in her being selected for the scholarship. The other three recipients are graduate history student David Schrumpf, senior geology major Megan Drinnan and senior biological sciences major Manveer Garcha. The Faculty Endowment scholarships are awarded each year during the spring semester and are funded by annual contributions from faculty. Despite a 2005 bequest by the estate of philosophy professor Jean Faurot and his wife Louise, the endowment still fell victim to the economic downturn. George Paganelis, chair of the Faculty Senate Scholarship Committee, said the scholarships are awarded to students based on academic achievement and the promise of continued academic success, service and contributions to their department, college, the university and community. He said the faculty is proud to be able to offer the scholarhips, which have awarded more than $100,000 to students since 1994. “It is a point of pride for the faculty to be able to recognize our most outstanding students who demonstrate not only high academic commitment but also service commitment to the university and community,”
Paganelis said. Schrumpf, the sole graduate recipient of the scholarship, said his interests in history seemed like a natural fit. While studying at UC Davis, he changed majors several times before settling on philosophy and carrying a minor in history. He started thinking about graduate school, but was not sure where to go because not many schools offered graduate philosophy programs. His interest in history, however, was growing. “You start doing a couple of research avenues, all of a sudden that becomes your focus without much intention,” he said. “I really have tended to focus on what interests me at the moment.” Sac State was the only school on his list for graduate school because he wanted to stay local, Schrumpf said. Schrumpf taught history at John Paul II Elementary School near Oak Park for a year, but soon realized he did not like working with junior high students. After graduating, he hopes to teach history at a community college or a university. Drinnan was unavailable for comment, but said in an e-mail she worked hard through college from the beginning. “I am very grateful to the Faculty Senate, and especially to the contributors of the endowment for student scholarships,” she wrote. “I am a very hardworking student and I need all the financial assistance, scholarships and opportunities I can get.” Garcha said he’s studying biological sciences with the hopes of practicing medicine one day. “I always knew I wanted to go into medicine, I love to help people and I have a passion for learning and teaching,” Garcha said. “Given that medicine is ever-changing and requires a lifelong commitment to study, I feel it’s a perfect match for me.”
South Sacramento schools Hiram Johnson High School and Will C. Wood Middle School. Both schools are along 65th Street, an area that lacks a lot of resources and serves socioeconomically disadvantaged families, said Gregory Kim-Ju, psychology professor and coordinator of the project. Each semester, 40 to 50 students volunteer 30 hours for 10 weeks to work as tutors and mentors for students from these schools. Students additionally help facilitate workshops for kids and their parents. These workshops provide information
Manny Carcha was awarded the Faculty Endowment for Student Scholarship. In addition to his achievements in the classroom, he is a member of the American Medical Student Association on campus, and he also volunteers for two local organizations dealing with children. He volunteers at the Sacramento Pipeworks, an indoor rockclimbing facility, and works as a volunteer for Project R.I.D.E, a therapeutic riding center for special needs children in Elk Grove. He will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences in May and will go to medical school. “If I wasn’t going into medicine, my second choice would be to become a professor,” he said. “But as it stands, I think medicine is something that fulfills my true potential.” Audrey Manongsong, graduate psychology student and Ague’s sister, said she takes note of the importance and effectiveness of caring for others. Since the scholarship Ague won is about people helping others, Audrey said her sister deserves it because of her hard work and her efforts to help Sac State students succeed. “I like to see that ‘light-bulb moment’ when students actually get it,” Ague Manongsong said. “It’s motivation for them to work harder and it tells me I did my job.”
2006, the foundation recognized fewer than 200 schools. The more recognition Sac State receives, the more it can showcase its community service programs and continue to encourage and recruit Sac State students to participate. “The Carnegie Community Engagement Classification is an award that is highly recognized in the education realm and is our next step, if you would,” Macias said. Sac State has a high level of community engagement, and it will only increase through time, Macias said.
“A lot of students don’t know what (the women’s movement) is trying to do; how they’re trying to change lives. It’s still a battle. It’s not done.” Leslie Denise, junior women’s studies major and member of WSSA
Club aims to eliminate stereotypes of feminism By Dustin Nosler dnosler@statehornet.com
Chris Chiang State Hornet
about the application process, financial aid and encourage students to apply for college, Kim-Ju said. Sac State’s strong community engagement programs, like the Urban Teacher Education Center and the 65th Street Corridor Project, can potentially enable the university to receive further recognition, Macias said. Sac State is hoping to be awarded the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, Macias said. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching gives out the award every five years. Since
The term feminism traditionally has a misunderstood connotation attached to it. Some hear feminist and automatically think anti-male and bra burning, among other stereotypes. However, the Sacramento State Women’s Studies Student Association hopes to change that mindset, as well as raise awareness about the women’s studies department at Sac State, thus raising interest in women’s studies as a whole. “We want to bring light to the fact that ‘feminist’ is not a bad word,” said Laura Coker, co-president of the association and senior women’s studies major. “We want to debunk that stereotype that feminists are terrible people.” Coker said she defines feminism as “women’s rights are human rights.” The club’s mission is to tackle women’s issues regarding reproduction rights, domestic violence and body image. Assistant professor of women’s studies Sujatha Moni said the club is something the department has wanted to do for some time and she made it a reality when she became a fulltime faculty member this fall. “It has always been the vision of Dr. Rita Cameron Wedding and the women’s studies department to have an active student body attached to the department and involved in various activities,” Moni said. Moni said one of the first things she did as a full-time faculty member at Sac State was to find students who had shown interest in forming a club. The result has far exceeded her expectations, she said.
Co-president of the WSSA and junior women’s studies major Ariana Lozano said Moni was responsible in getting the club off the ground. “Some of the other girls in the club had approached our professor asking her about women’s studies clubs and so she kind of said, ‘OK, you four get together and do it,’” Lozano said. The Feminist Majority Foundation is a national group based in Los Angeles that promotes women’s issues and helps groups on college campuses further its causes. Lozano said Moni helped to get the WSSA in touch with the foundation. “Their goal is to create activism within a community,” Lozano said. “They start by approaching campuses and finding who is interested in doing feminist active work on campus. Then they give the campus students the tools to go out in their community.” The group is trying to increase the number of members by hosting outreach events. “I am delighted to see these young students transform the knowledge they are gaining from their classes into organized events and activist work,” Moni said. As part of its outreach program, the WSSA went to different classrooms on campus to gauge interest in women’s studies, as well as raise awareness of the club. Junior women’s studies major and WSSA member Leslie Dennis said she joined because there was no club or organization on campus like it. “I wanted something specific to women’s studies and women’s
issues,” Dennis said. “I see these girls on a daily basis and I realize what they’re doing and I want to support and try to raise awareness. Some of these things just don’t have the recognition that it should have because they are truly problems in the community right now.” Dennis said the club is necessary to raise awareness and shed light on issues that are sometimes hidden, such as equality between the genders and sexual education. “If we don’t do it, it just feels like it’s not going to happen,” Dennis said. Dennis said education at the lower levels is a culprit in the lack of knowledge about these issues. “A lot of students coming out of high school don’t even know anything about the women’s movement,” Dennis said. “They don’t know what they stand for; they don’t know what they’re trying to do, how they’re trying to change lives. It’s still a battle. It’s not done.”
Robert Linggi State Hornet
WSSA co-president Ariana Lozano, speaks to club members at a meeting.
ASK A SAC STATE POLICE OFFICER
Despite popular belief, officers don’t have quotas Get answers to all of your questions about the Sacramento State Police Department affairs. This week, public information officer Scott Christian answers student questions about traffic tickets. Do police officers in the Sacramento State Police Department have quotas for the number of traffic tickets they have to write in a month? That is a question that police officers here on campus get asked quite a bit, probably because ticket quotas are an easy way to explain why police officers write traffic tickets. The question gets asked often enough that most police officers, regardless of their agency, probably know a joke or two about being rewarded with televisions, toasters and microwave ovens for tickets they write. All kidding aside, though, the simple answer is that officers in the department don’t have ticket quotas. A ticket quota means that police officers are told to write a certain number of traffic citations in a month, no matter how many citizens are committing traffic law violations.
The Sacramento State Police Department does not have such a policy, either officially or unofficially. However, all police officers take an oath to protect life, property and to uphold the law, whether they are police officers at the Sacramento State Police Department, a municipal agency, or a county sheriff ’s department. Moreover, at the most basic level, a police officer’s job is to keep citizens safe. Traffic enforcement qualifies on all of these counts, which is the primary reason officers conduct traffic enforcement stops. Statistics have shown that traffic enforcement prevents vehicle collisions, thereby reducing damage to both private and public property, and along with the reduction of traffic collisions comes a reduction in the number of injury collisions. Enforcement of traffic laws does this by making people more attentive to their driving
habits, due to the presence of a police officer in a marked patrol unit, regardless of whether the officer is directing traffic, engaged in a traffic enforcement stop, or simply driving on routine patrol. In most cases, the presence of an officer coupled with the mere possibility of a traffic enforcement stop, is usually enough to encourage a majority of citizens to obey traffic laws. The types of traffic enforcement stops that police officers make can be categorized into two major types, moving and non-moving violations. Moving violations address driving behavior, such as speeding, stop sign, red light, lane usage and failure-to-yield violations. Nonmoving violations deal primary with vehicle mechanical, identification and safety issues, such as vehicle lighting, license plate and registration display issues, loud stereo equipment and safety equipment violations.
Generally speaking, non-moving violations require citizens to take some corrective action after a citation is issued, such as making a minor mechanical repair or updating their vehicle registration information with DMV. One of the most common questions citizens have regarding traffic enforcement is what they need to do to resolve an outstanding traffic citation. Usually, what citizens needs to do depends upon the type of citation they were issued, as well as their past driving record. In some cases, the past driving record is also a factor in calculating the traffic citation fine amount, which is done by the traffic court. This is why police officers often cannot tell a citizen what the fine will be for a particular traffic offense, if the citizen asks. Typically, though, when the citation is issued, the police officer will give the citizen a
traffic court date, which will be listed along with the traffic court contact information at the bottom of the citation. If the citizen was cited for a correctable non-moving violation, it will be indicated on the citation, and the citizen will need to make the appropriate correction before the traffic court date. Regardless of whether the citation was for a moving or non-moving violation, the traffic court will usually send a reminder notice to the citizen within two weeks of the citation being issued. The reminder notice will indicate the fine amount and detail the procedure for the citizen to register for traffic violator school (if eligible), and how to pay the fine by mail, as well as detail the procedure to request a court trial. It is also important to remember that if the citizen fails to respond to the court by mail, or fails to appear in court on or before the court date, the citizen
could have his or her driving privileges suspended, and the court could issue a warrant for his or her arrest. Basically, keeping people safe while they are driving home, driving to work and driving to school is the reason police officers perform traffic enforcement and write traffic citations. So, if you see a Sacramento State police officer engaged in a traffic stop, please remember that the officer isn’t trying to meet a quota of citations for the month ... or win a new microwave oven. The officer is simply trying to make the daily commute a little bit safer for everyone. If you have a question for the police officers, dispatchers, and administrative staff members of the Sacramento State Police Department, email the question to asktheofficer@csus.edu, and your question may be answered in a future column.
A8
Wednesday - March 24
News Section
statehornet.com
Budding artists to be showcased in Union gallery By Kalie Barnes-Young kbarnesyoung@statehornet.com The finger paint murals, melted crayon decorations, and other art projects that are usually displayed prominently at the Sacramento State Associated Students Children’s Center will soon be available for all to see. For the first time, the children’s artwork at the Children’s Center will be featured in an exhibit at the University Union Gallery from April 5 to 15. The gallery show, titled “Young at Art,” came together through a parent from the center who works at the Union. The parent spoke with Denise Wessels, director of the Children’s Center, about the idea to showcase the children’s artwork at the Union’s gallery. “We are very excited about the gallery,” said Dannah Nielson, lead teacher of the Children’s Center and graduate counselor education student. “We are having it coincide with the Week of the Young Child as a big celebration.” The Week of the Young Child is a national event held from April 11 to 17. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, it is held each year to “honor young children and thank teachers and all those who make a difference in young children’s lives.” To celebrate the week along with the gallery, the Children’s Center on April 15 will also be hosting an outdoor program in the Library Quad. Wessels said that when deciding on the dates for the gallery exhibit, having them occur during the same time as the Week of the Young Child was perfect, because it allowed not only advertising for the Children’s Center, but awareness of what the week stands for. “We always like to highlight that we’re here on campus,” Wessels said. “This is a chance for us to do that, because I believe our center is the best kept secret on campus.” The artwork featured ranges from the finger paintings of the center’s youngest toddlers to the more elaborate work by its 3- to 5-year-olds, which includes a quilt and a tree made from recyclables and tissue paper. The tree’s branches and trunk are made up of falling pieces from the trees outside, and spiders made from egg cartons decorate the bottom. However, the butterflies capture the most attention from many of the girls, who said their favorite part of creating the tree was painting the butterflies. Maya, age 4, had a different perspective. “My favorite was the spiders because of the webs,” she said. The tree is just one of the many art projects that will be featured in the gallery exhibit. Nielson said the teachers provide art projects to the children every day. “We see art projects as a creative outlet for the kids where they can utilize and learn skills, such as fine motor skills and attention to detail,” Neilson said. Jim Hoch, who has two children at the center, also believes in the usefulness of art projects. “Children’s art really has something to say to people,” Hoch said. “Kids have less filters than they do as a adults. They have a different perception of how they see things and it makes a difference in their art.” Angelo, age 5, said he prefers drawing squares with black lines inside. “I make lots of things,” Angelo said, while circling the outdoor playground at the Children’s Center on a plastic toy bicycle. “I can
LITTLEST HORNETS | CHILDREN’S CREATIVITY DISPLAYED Children from the Sacramento State Associate Students Children Center will have their art displayed at the University Union gallery from April 5 to 15. Some of the children previewed their art for us. This is what they had to say.
Isaiah, age 4
Isabella, age 4
““I want to be a racecar driver when I grow up. This is a race track. There aren’t cars on it because I can’t be there yet.”
“When I think about painting, I think about music and the color pink - so I painted a picture of rocks for my mom.”
Mia, age 4
Ezrah, age 5
“I painted Nay Nay the lion. I painted her for my daddy because he likes rainbows and there’s a rainbow behind Nay Nay.”
“This is a cave. Rockclimbing monkeys live there, but you can’t see them because it’s so dark in the cave.”
Photos by Mia Matsudaira Reporting by Brittany Bottini State Hornet
also run around on this bike and I never fall off.” Isabella, age 4, prefers painting scenery rather than people. “Mountains are easy, so I do that,” she said. “I make them pink.” An artist’s reception on April 5 will kick off the opening of the gallery. To make the reception more kid-friendly, Wessels said the event will be in the afternoon when the kids are able to take a tour of the
gallery. Wessels said they also plan to feature items like juice boxes and rainbow Goldfish crackers on the menu for the reception. “It’s a celebration of the children,” Wessels said. “So, to dress down the reception and make it an event just for them was something that we wanted to do. This is their art. It’s for them and it should be a special time.”
State Hornet Classifieds
HELP WANTED Bartenders wanted. No experience needed. Earn $20 to $70 per hour. Call (916) 520-1757 ANNOUNCEMENTS
WhiteRoseAnaheim.com Great research tool for studying police misconduct and related legal issues. Follow active Anaheim police brutality case. Website includes city council video, public comments, actual police report and more!
A7
THESTATEHORNET
Opinion
www . s t a t e h o r n e t . c o m
M arch 24, Wednesday
| Spring Issue 9 | Sacramento State
Two political parties Get counted for can’t represent us all EDITORIAL
your community
It’s Census time, and 120 million return-postage-paid surveys are being sent to families across the United States. The government has to count the country’s population every 10 years, according to Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. This year, 70 percent of Americans said they are definitely going to fill out the form, or already have, according to the Pew Research Center. Gregory Roberts, spokesman for the United States Census Bureau, said collegeaged 18- to 25-year-olds tend to not respond to the Census. Census data determines how much the federal government divides $400 billion among cities, counties and states across the U.S. By not filling out these forms, people are short-changing their communities. The data gathered by this 10-question survey is used to find out how much, or how little, each state is represented in Congress. California has two Senate members in the federal government, like every other state. It has 53 members in the House of Representatives because of its population size. The point of this program is not to incriminate people or kick illegal immigrants out of America. The only purpose of the Census is to count who is living in America. On average, one survey being filled out for one person results in nearly $1,400 being given to his or her commu-
nity every year. That’s almost $140 per question, per person, per year on the Census form. This money is given to programs and institutions people use every day. That’s $1,400 per person Californians are losing out on by not responding to the census. “The Census information is used by federal government and state and local government for programs,” Roberts said. “Food stamps, construction, aid to women, infants and children - there’s an enormous list of fed programs that spend their money based on Census data.” It would be difficult to find many people who aren’t directly affected by the Census. Highways, hospitals and schools are just a small portion of what is assisted by the funding that comes from the Census’ numbers. By not filling out and
returning this survey, the Census Bureau is forced to send people out on foot to get your information, which is expensive for our government. “It costs money to send somebody out with a clipboard … something like $57 a pop (per person),” Roberts said. “If it (the amount of people responding) increased 1 percent, it would save $85 million.” After six attempts, the bureau has other ways of getting this information. That’s why Census field workers will go to your neighbors, and anywhere around your home to get your information, Roberts said. By not filling out this survey, Californians are losing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars. So fill out that Census form and get the representation you deserve.
McClatchy Tribune
Students in a Texas elementary school being handed a packet of information on what the Census is.
By Julia Baum jbaum@statehornet.com It’s amazing what an array of choices Americans have. This great nation has McDonalds, Wendy’s, Arby’s, Carl’s Jr. and Sonic to choose from if you’re hungry. The United States seems to be a land of options but most Americans are still affiliated with two political parties. After all, even the Republican Party was once technically a third party, formed from the Whigs and Free Soil Democrats in 1854 on an anti-slavery platform. “A two-party system is less representative of people’s beliefs and, in that sense, less fair,” said James Rae, government professor. “It’s really impossible for one of the third parties to beat one of the two main parties.” Government professor James Shoch said most Americans are well represented by either Democrats or Republicans because both parties have a variety of perspectives among their members. He said this spectrum of opinions is one of the reasons why Congress is divided right now on so many issues like health care reform. “There’s a pretty wide range of opinion within both parties,” Shoch said. “The principal problem compared to other countries is the nature of our
Matt Erickson State Hornet
electoral institutions.” The U.S. has a winner-takesall approach, unlike the European Union, where proportional representation determines how many votes to award each elected party within a district. Districts in the European Union have more than one representative. The number of votes allotted to each party within their district is based on the percentage of votes won in the election. For example, if the Social Democratic Party of Germany won 20 percent of the votes, they would get two votes in the EU. Americans are ready and willing for change. With the existence of the Democratic and Republican parties, there are still people whose values will not completely fit in with either group. If you’re a super-conservative Republican who would vote no on gay marriage and for alcohol prohibition, you’re probably better off switching over to the Prohibition Party, where you would share a similar agenda.
It doesn’t seem like a huge switch, but what if you don’t feel the Republican Party has done enough to help your cause? Rae said if America sees a third party become a serious prospect, it will probably come from a platform of more moderate Democrats and Republicans instead of an extremist stance. “People mix their ballot and are willing to vote for independents,” Rae said. “I definitely think there is a readiness to move beyond these two parties, but it would have to come from the middle.” America is about being free to make personal decisions based on what is right for you. Life is not black and white. We cannot have true representation of our citizens if we continue to treat our political system the same as always. Guaranteed third party funding would be a start in the right direction. If you are like me, you want to see a real alternative. Take a chance and vote for what you believe.
STATE HORNET OPINION ONLINE Breaking the bank to go Green Can California businesses afford the cost of going green? Opinion writer Paul Roundtree says the pressure to turn green should be turned down at statehornet.com
Hey! Turn off that cell phone!
Marcy Hendricks State Hornet
Drop the phone! Have a real conversation, says Paul Roundtree at statehornet.com
Guest Column: Defending higher education Congratulations. If you’re reading this, you have a copy of The State Hornet, which more than likely means you’re a current student or faculty member at Sacramento State. Either way, it took a lot of work to get where you are. You deserve it. Beyond the immediate benefits of expanding your intellectual horizons in a university classroom, research done by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that on average, you’ll earn almost twice as much annually with a bachelor’s degree than simply a high school diploma. Furthermore, an educated workforce is preferable to a non-educated one is common sense.
This is why it’s so puzzling that the government of California seems to take every opportunity to make it harder for the people of this state to get a high quality college education. In his newest proposed budget, released in January, Gov. Schwarzenegger claims to be restoring cuts made to the California State University budget last year. What he doesn’t say is that this is based on an assumption that student fees will increase by an additional 10 percent this year. If this increase is approved by the CSU Trustees, that would mean that since 2002, our fees have gone up an incredible 210 percent, 73 percent just since 2007. Already students through-
out the system are feeling the heat from the Capitol and the chancellor’s office. We’re graduating with backbreaking amounts of debt that hang with us for decades, in many cases complicating financial decisions down the line. In some cases we’ve even taken out new loans to pay for recent fee hikes. Some of us are working two or three jobs on top of school just to pay for things like books, food and gas. Professors have been laid off, decreasing the number of sections available. This means it’ll take us longer to graduate, and we’ll build up even more debt. But enough about us. Think about what this means for the generations
of young Californians who look forward to the opportunity to go to college just like we did when we were their age. If our fees have gone up by 210 percent in less than a decade, what are they likely to be when the aforementioned youth are applying to Sac State? How many jobs will they have to work? How many years will it take them to pay off their debt? This has to stop now. It’s going to take a group effort among students and faculty to convince the governor and the legislature that higher education must be respected. We have to demand a full restoration of classes cut due to budget constraints, without further raising of
student fees. This will require the rehiring of laid off part-time lecturers, as well as the hiring of new tenured faculty. We have to pressure the Legislature to pass Assembly Bill 656, which would use a new tax on oil extracted from California to provide steady funding for higher education in the state, as well as AB 1761, providing tuition and fee assistance to all Cal Grant B recipients. And we have to demand that fee hikes be frozen and rolled back, including a repeal of the athletic department fee increase imposed on us last year. The demonstration held at the Capitol on Monday was a small but important part of this process. It’s up to us
to keep the pressure on our elected officials. Sac State Coalition is a student-run organization dedicated to doing just that. We meet at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday on the first floor of the Academic Information Resource Center. The march alone didn’t get the job done, but it demonstrated that we are serious and that we are willing to do what it takes to protect higher education. ▶◀ ▶◀ ▶◀ Alex Grotewohl, junior, journalism and member of the Sac State Coalition
B1
THESTATEHORNET
Features
w w w . statehornet . c o m
M arch 24, Wednesday
| S p r i n g I ss u e 9 | S a c ra m ento S tate
Diversity on campus 2
4
3
1
Photos by: Ricky Afuang State Hornet
By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com Charlene Martinez, director of the Multi-Cultural Center at Sacramento State, believes that diversity is a necessity for any campus. Coming from a background of mixed heritage herself, Martinez is proud of the diversity at Sacramento State. “For students to be competent in the world, they need to not only be exposed but have the knowledge and skills to interact with people
Jason Sumi
junior business major
Jason Sumi, junior business major, is appreciative of the diverse campus at Sac State and does not feel different or segregated for having Filipino heritage. “I am proud of my Filipino background and I also enjoy being the first-born American citizen in my family,” Sumi said. “My favorite part of my culture is the food, especially lumpia.” Sac State’s campus is notable for being diverse, Sumi said, if a person were to look around, it is clear that everyone is different. Sumi, who is also a new student orientation leader, said the campus supports diversity through specified cultural groups. One group in particular, he said, is the Samahang Pilipino Club. Sumi was a member of the club and said because of it he was able to make a connection to other Filipino students on campus. “By being in a club that supports your heritage, you get to share your ethnicity and it is something that brings you together,” Sumi said. “I was able to create friendships just from the similarities of our heritage.”
2
of other races, ethnicities and backgrounds,” Martinez said. Diversity, Martinez said, is a complex topic that looks at the historically underrepresented groups and goes hand-in-hand with social justice, which she defined as the process and a goal where these minority groups seek equality. “This is a larger picture that is not limited to race,” Martinez says. “It covers issues from someone’s historical background to someone’s sexual orientation.” One of Sac State’s responsibilities when graduating students,
Ruchi Vasudev senior business major
Ruchi Vasudeva, senior business major, comes from a family with parents who had an arranged marriage in the state of Punjab in East India and then moved to New York to create a family. Following the original culture of her parents, Vasudeva speaks a small amount of Punjabi and Hindi and even practices the native religion - Hinduism. “My parents never forced my religion, we just practiced it together,” Vasudeva said. Vasudeva said she enjoys having her culture and background because it gives her a reason for her traditions. “Sometimes people in America don’t have customs and don’t know what culture is,” Vasudeva said. “My culture helps me connect me to my roots.” Sac State is accepting of many different cultures, she said, and that makes the diversity on campus enjoyable. “I would hate to go somewhere that didn’t have enough culture,” Vasudeva said. “At Sac State I can meet anyone from Irish background to an Asian background.”
Martinez said, is to equip them with cultural competency and with awareness for all cultures. She said that students should know the history behind the different people sitting next to them, rather than just knowing they have a different appearance. “We represent a small sample of our nation and it is important to understand the richness of our backgrounds to better service the world,” Martinez said. “If we are graduating students who have never interacted with someone who doesn’t look like them, then we are disservice to them as educators.”
Carolina Pena
Louis Wilkes
freshman criminal justice major
sophomore media cultures major
To ensure a better life for her family, Carolina Pena’s mother risked everything to come to the United States. Pregnant with Pena, her mother walked through the Tijuana desert in the search of better fortune. “There was nothing for my family in Mexico,” Pena said. “We came to the United States for more opportunity and hopes of a better life.” Pena is a freshman criminal justice major at Sac State and said she is not only proud of her mother’s feats to get to the states, but she is also proud to be of Mexican heritage. “I love my culture for the atmosphere that we carry - we are always loud and happy and most importantly united; we like to stay together,” Pena said. “I love my culture, especially the food.” By being from a different background, Pena said, her culture is what sets her apart from other people. “My culture is what defines me as a person,” Pena said. “Speaking a different language and being different sets me apart from others.”
3
1
4
Louis Wilkes, sophomore media and cultures major, is a transfer student from England who was somewhat unpatriotic about his heritage at a young age due to the negative stereotypes of British peoples. “One stereotype that I have easily removed would be that all Britains have bad teeth,” Wilkes said. “Here I am, 24 years of age and I don’t have a single cavity.” Wilkes said he is ultimately proud to be British and enjoys living in the United State and attending Sac State. “I am a fan of the American lifestyle, the country and the people,” Wilkes said. “I like everything American, except for the capitalist Protestant ethics and the government, which suck.” The downfall of Americans is their lack of world travel, Wilkes said. “If Americans went out there and explored a little bit more, it would expel a lot of myths and stereotypes,” Wilkes said. “America has everything but is lacking world knowledge - there is a whole other world out there.”
Sac State students break dance for Kings By Miriam Arghandiwal arghandiwal@statehornet.com From taekwondo mats and soccer fields to break dancing at the center court of Arco Arena, senior business management major Vince Horiuchi and senior communication studies major Jayson Shaw have come a long way in their journey of becoming break dancers. “Break dancing is like a rollercoaster ride; we get that adrenaline rush when we’re performing in front of thousands of people,” Horiuchi said. Shaw and Horiuchi, Sacramento State students and friends, are two of seven members of the King Breakers, the official break dancing team for the Sacramento Kings. The Breakers are one of the first official NBA break dancing teams in the nation. Horiuchi said the team came about in 2007, when the Kings organization was looking for new talent to entertain the crowds. “Break dancing is a very energetic dance and gets crowds pumped up,” Horiuchi said. He said the schedule for the Breakers’ performances depends on the progress the King’s basketball team. “If the Kings are leading the game we go out there, if the Kings are down then we don’t. You can’t dance for a crowd that’s not being entertained by the game,” Shaw said. “Our job is to help with creating an atmosphere where the fans can
appreciate entertainment along with the game itself.” Horiuchi said the Breakers perform freestyles as well as practiced routines during timeouts, quarter breaks or halftime. Keeping up with the hectic and fast-paced environment is a part of the team’s job, he said. Along with performing at games, the Breakers also perform for the Kings when the team goes out into out the community for events. “We’ll go with them to perform at places like high school rallies or a season ticket holder party and we even performed at an all-star game,” Horiuchi said. Before dancing for the Kings, Horiuchi and Shaw met each other while dancing in a series of different dance competitions. “Jayson used to live in Los Angeles and he’d come up here for competitions. We met each other on a number of occasions,” Horiuchi said. Horiuchi, a Sacramento native, began break dancing in high school after his twin brother, Kurt Horiuchi, and a few friends took interest in it. Vince Horiuchi’s father, Bobby Horiuchi, said both his sons were into martial arts before they began break dancing. “They used to practice handstands while waiting for their marital art classes to start,” Bobby Horiuchi said. “Soon, Vince came up to me and said, ‘We like dancing better because in martial arts you get beat up when dancing.’” Shaw also had his hopes set
on other passions before he began break dancing. Shaw’s mother, Anita Shaw, said before he discovered break dancing he loved playing soccer. “It was a big decision for him to leave soccer. He had traveled around the world because of it and had built so many friendships with it, but he loved dancing so he had to make a choice,” Anita Shaw said. Like Horiuchi, Shaw also began dancing alongside his brother, Devin Shaw. “We grew up in a family that loved music and dancing. So when I picked up break dancing, I wanted to show Jayson because, being the athletic person that he was, I knew he’d love it,” Devin Shaw said. With supportive families behind them, Shaw and Horiuchi have been able to explore a wide variety of opportunities, Shaw said. Anita Shaw, who lives in Los Angeles, said although she is far from Jayson, she is happy he is following his dreams. “Jayson lights up a room when he’s in it; everyone loves him,” Anita Shaw said. “It’s difficult not having him around, but we understand and we try to get together as often as possible.” Shaw said that time away from his family is a sacrifice but also that it was part of growing up. “During Christmas, the Kings play the Lakers and so the Breakers can’t miss that. My mom understands, though,” he said. Anita Shaw said her son does
a good job at sustaining a long distance relationship with his family. “He looks every obstacle as a challenge. Whatever it is he tries to figure out a way to break through it,” she said. Helen Plenert, Horiuchi’s mother, said she has no worries for her son. “He’s getting an education so he has something to fall back on. I told him, ‘Hey you can’t do this forever, so pursue it right now,’” Plenert said. Horiuchi and Shaw said maintaining all aspects of their lives is difficult but not impossible. They said they practice together with the Breakers once a week, but do dance outside of the team as well. “We’re part of other dance teams, so we’re really practicing anywhere from five times a week to everyday,” Horiuchi said. Horiuchi also teaches dance classes for a program called Very Special Arts, located in South Sacramento. “It’s a non profit program that brings art into the community. I teach at low-income, impoverished schools, where kids don’t have much and so break dancing gives them something to look forward to,” Horiuchi said. Shaw said given responsibility on the Breakers, other dance teams, school and his part-time job at Ikea, his biggest challenge is time management. “I have the craziest schedule, sometimes I even forget to eat. My passion is within dance and
Julie Keefer State Hornet
The offical Kings Break Dancing team, the King Breakers, warm up before a performance Friday. Sac State students Kurt and Vince Horiuchi (left; center) and Jayson Shaw (right) are members of the team. school so I find time to get my work done. If I’ve stayed up studying and have practice the next day, I’ll still be at practice
and be ready to help my team,” Shaw said. see Kings| page B2
B2
Wednesday - March 24
Features Section
Artwork by teenagers in the juvenile justice system exhibited on campus By Miriam Arghandiwal arghandiwal@statehornet.com On the farthest left wall of the Sacramento State Library Gallery Annex hangs a piece of art, a butterfly collage, with a young woman’s face in the background, and in the bottom right corner the words “fly away and never look back” are handwritten. The artist is a teenage girl who made the piece days before leaving Sacramento’s Assessment and Treatment Center for juveniles to enter a group home. This piece is one of many by students in the Juvenile Justice Chaplaincy art classes at the center, which are being showcased in the Library Gallery Annex this month. The Juvenile Justice Chaplaincy is a volunteer program that is a branch of Sacramento County’s probation department. The program sponsors volunteers to help rehabilitate students in juvenile detention centers by providing them with productive activities and positive outlets. The Chaplaincy is contracted with the Sacramento Assessment and Treatment Center to provide art classes once a week to these teenagers; this center also holds teenagers from juvenile hall who are referred through probation officers. Since the students at the center are minors, they are protected by privacy laws and could not be interviewed or discussed in detail, said Lisa Van Handel-Lane, an art teacher and volunteer at the center.
“Probation officers look at teenagers they think can be helped from juvenile hall, then send them here for us to evaluate. We look to find out where they are in life. By doing the assessments, we have a better insight on their problems and it helps us figure out adequate treatment to find out where they can go after their time is up at the center,” said Leonore Brito, counselor group facilitator at the center. Leslie Rivers, assistant to the gallery director at Sac State, said the Library Gallery Annex has a history of acquiring art pieces that tell a variety of stories. The gallery annex provides a room where various people and organizations suggest ideas for showcases to displayed, she said. “The art department has their own galleries; this one welcomes people from outside the campus community to come to us with ideas. We try to keep a variety of things going so Sac State students can see different kinds of art,” Rivers said. Van Handel-Lane said she took advantage of this opportunity and suggested the art of her students be placed at the gallery. Van Handel-Lane has been working at the center since 2006 and said she wanted to display their artwork was because it en-
Chris Chiang State Hornet
Upper right: An example of the work exhibited on campus, but because the artists are members of the Juvenile Justice Chaplaincy, they cannot be named. Below: Viewers discuss art made by students in an art class at the Juvenile Justice Chaplaincy.
couraged the students to focus on their work. It was also a good way for the students to rehabilitate from whatever experience led them to having to spend time in juvenile hall, she said. “Before the paintings were hanging here, we had them up at the center and they were so happy and proud to show their work. When I told them about posting their work at Sac State, they were motivated to the point where they were making things on their own time for me to hang,” she said. Van Handel-Lane said the art classes are beneficial because they provide students with an opportunity express themselves. “It’s good for them to take their ideas and feelings and to create something of value out of it. It’s something that they can be proud of and it creates a positive environment for them” Van Handel-Lane said. Brito said for some students, the process of art expression is new, while others are already familiar with it from prior classes they had at juvenile hall. She said art helps the students occupy their time and opens their eyes to a new world by exploring and discovering things they never had before. “It helps to widen students’ horizons and think outside their scopes, in the same way foreign languages help students. It teaches them something they don’t know,” Brito said. Van HandelLane said the students are sometimes surprised by the artwork they produce. “Their work looks like they could have been done by professional painters,” she said. Van Handel-Lane said it is particularly important for teenagers to have art as an outlet because they have so much to say and so much to think about due to their complicated lives. The students have all faced a disruption in their lives that has postponed them from reaching their full capability, she said. With the students just being at the center, it says that they have
faced some sort of altercation that led to them standing before a judge, Van Handel-Lane said. Nevertheless, being at the center also says that probation officers thought they could be helped, she said. “The students face the stereotype of lacking potential due to their troubled pasts, but they’re quite the opposite. They’re very smart and bright kids, they just need to be challenged and have something to work on,” she said. Van Handel-Lane said each of the students had all the same materials to work with, but each created art in contrasting ways. While teaching the students, Van Handel-Lane said, she tries to refrain from telling them what to do and instead gives them creative freedom. She provides art material and offers things for inspiration such as art books and flowers for the students to draw, but lets the students choose what they wish to create with it. “It has a lot more to do with them than it does with me; I just provide them the materials and they do the work,” Van Handel-Lane said. Brito said the showcase shares the positive efforts that are taking place in our community. These efforts are made possible by volunteers, like Van Handel-Lane, who commit to working with students who are not the easiest to manage, she said. “Them enjoying the experience of art makes them grow and become better people,” Brito said. In the past three years, four to five students from the center have pursued art in college, Brito said. Van Handel-Lane said she hopes this year will yield similar results. Brito said she thinks the program should be offered to more kids in juvenile detention centers by organizations like the Chaplaincy. “Kids in general now have too much technology and not enough things like music and art. Technology can’t help them the way art can. Art can change their lives and build character. It can help mold them into being upstanding citizens,” Brito said.
Kings: The Breakers are out to salvage hip-hop dance’s tarnished reputation Continued | page B1 Horiuchi said although their busy schedules are demanding, they would prefer to be busy and productive than not at all. “You have to put hundreds of thousands of hours of work into anything you do to be great at it. It doesn’t matter if it’s math or dancing, you need dedication,” Horiuchi said. For Horiuchi and Shaw those hours of work also consist of choreographing dance moves. “There’s a certain freedom to break dancing. It’s a street dance so there’s no limitation on it,” Horiuchi said.
Want to see the Breakers freestyle in Arco Area? statehornet.com
Break dancing is derived from hip-hop. Unfortunately hip-hop has a dark reputation and therefore break dancing has gained one as well, he said. “People think hip-hop and they think of violence and profanity. That’s not what we are. We’re college students that are trying to push a positive message,” Horiuchi said. Shaw said the King’s have helped the Breakers in delivering their positive message by giving them a warm welcome. “Our management really supports us. With us being a new group, they want us to be on the same level as the Sacramento King Dancers. The girls have been with the Kings for a long period of time and are highly recognized for their success,” Shaw said. “They (the management) push us, encouraging and funding us to go on competitions such as Americas Best Dance Crew and America’s Got Talent so we can get our name out there.” Looking forward, Shaw said that after he graduates he
plans to continue dancing and hopes to move up in the Kings organization as a stage director or entertainment director. To be part of a dance major dance company would be a big achievement, he said. “Even before the Kings, I was an intern at Radio Disney, so I’ve always been interested in the entertainment industry. I want to stay in that field and hopefully build my way up with
my resume,” Shaw said. Horiuchi also looks forward to furthering his career in dancing and teaching. “I had a 5-year-old that I teach win a break dancing competition while competing against 18-year-olds. That was an amazing feeling. People think what we do is impossible, and I want to show that anything is possible if you try. I want to do the impossible,” Horiuchi said.
statehornet.com
CLUB CORNER | PSI CHI
Tony Nguyen State Hornet
Brett Glines, vice president of Psi Chi, talks with potential members outside Amador Hall.
Psychology majors make connections By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com Members of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for Psychology, feel strongly about psychology because it is the study of the world’s largest machine – the human mind. “Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior, and how the two coincide,” said Del McCoy, senior psychology major and treasurer of Psi Chi. “Since the mind is so intricate, studying it makes psychology such a fascinating science.” Psi Chi was founded in 1929 and is a fraternal organization; therefore, offers a lifetime membership to participants. The requirements to become a member of Psi Chi are a 3.3 or higher cumulative grade point average, nine completed units of psychology at Sac State, and members must be declared a psychology major, said Brett Glines, senior psychology major and club vice president. “These requirements might seem intense, but we want our members to strive for the best,” he said. “This club offers you so much and you are a member for life.” McCoy said being a member of the society not only provides members with lifetime memberships, but also helps fulfill graduation goals. ”I got married and worked on my career before realizing I wanted to go to school for psychology,” McCoy said. “Being a member of this club is helping me achieve them.” One way Psi Chi is helping McCoy achieve his goals is through a research assistant
position in the psychology department. McCoy said being a member of the club helped him land the position because it showed he was serious about working in the psychology field. Sarah Collins, senior psychology major, recently turned in her application to become a member of Psi Chi. “Graduation is around the corner and I realized that it is kind of hard to get into some of the programs and I am trying to get involved as possible to enhance my resume,” Collins said. “Joining this club will definitely help me out.” Collins said the club will help her with future goals by networking within the psychology department. Psi Chi is currently accepting applicants from psychology students who meet the requirements, Glines said. ”Psychology is such an interesting field and we want people who feel the same way about it that we do to join and represent who we are,” he said.
B3 NCAA Sports Updates WOMEN’S TENNIS at NO. 9 CAL
MARCH 19
L 6-1
at NORTHERN COLO.
MARCH 20
W 7-0
at MONTANA STATE
MARCH 21
W 6-1
MEN’S TENNIS at TCU
MARCH 18
L 5-2
at UT-ARLINGTON
MARCH 19
W 5-2
vs. UC RIVERSIDE
MARCH 22
W 6-1
GYMNASTICS at UTAH STATE
MARCH 19
1ST PLACE TEAM ADVANCES TO WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY AT FULLERTON
BASEBALL vs. PACIFIC
MARCH 16
W 5-4
at ARIZONA
MARCH 19-21
L 5-0, 8-7, 10-6 SOFTBALL vs. COLORADO STATE
MARCH 18
L 8-6
at CAPITAL CLASSIC
TOURNAMENT vs. UTAH STATE
MARCH 19
W 10-2
vs. COLORADO STATE
MARCH 19
L 9-4
vs. IONA
MARCH 20
THESTATEHORNET
Sports
www . statehornet . c om
MARCH 20
W 3-0
Head coach Kathy Strahan, on her team’s injuries:
“With two starters out for a while, we need more individuals to step up and take leadership roles. Right now, since we are such a young team, we don’t have a lot of players that know how to do that.”
STATE HORNET ATHLETE OF THE WEEK VOTE NOW AT STATEHORNET.COM
Sport Club Updates WOMEN’S RUGBY vs. BYU AND OREGON
MARCH 19-20
L 88-0, 17-5 MEN’S RUGBY vs. ST. MARY’S
FEB. 20
L 38-15
Wednesday
| S p r i n g I ss u e 9 | S a c ramento S tate
‘Regional Treasure’ honored By Sergio Saldana ssaldana@statehornet.com
The Sacramento State Aquatic Center and Boating Safety Center was recognized as a “regional treasure” during an award ceremony Friday night. The California Park and Recreation Society’s District 2 inducted the Aquatic Center into its Hall of Honor, marking the first time a facility has received such recognition. “The Hall of Honor committee felt that we needed to have an award for a place or maybe even a program or more of a thing that has impacted the community recreation,” said Barry Trute, former president of the California Park and Recreation Society. “The Aquatic Center has been a major impact in the community of Sacramento.” This is the first year of the Regional Treasure category and the Aquatic Center was its first inductee. Etablished in 1981, the Aquatic Center at Lake Natoma has serviced the community with water sport activities and recreation. The center offers university kinesiology classes and leisure classes for the general public. The Aquatic Center is an eight-acre piece of land that en-
File Photo
The California Park and Recreation Society District 2 inducted the Sacramento State Aquatic Center, pictured above, into its 2010 Hall of Honor on Friday night. The honor recognized the Aquatic Center’s contributions to recreation. compasses many state agencies. The agencies work together to help run a venue that services the surrounding community. The facility is on federally owned land located within a state park. Within that, there
is an interagency agreement between California State Parks and Sac State. The university also has an agreement with Associated Students Inc. to run programs at the Aquatic Center. The California Department
of Boating Waterways is the major funding source for the Aquatic Center. The department is responsible for much of maintenance and construction of the property. Its mission is to provide access to the public to
the waterways. The award ceremony began with opening remarks followed by the presentation of scholarships. The presentation see Honor| page B5
Big Sky recognizes Popularity of Hunt for second time soccer to rise in WEST COAST BIAS
By Ashley O’Con aocon@statehornet.com
Senior forward Charday Hunt of the Sacramento State women’s basketball team was selected to the Big Sky All-Conference team after her successful and final season as a Hornet. She started her career at Sac State as a sophomore, and was the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 8.9 points. She was one of two Hornets to start in all 28 games. Head coach Jamie Craighead said Hunt’s accomplishment is not only an individual matter but recognition for how well the team performed this season. “She is very deserving of this honor and has worked hard to achieve this,” Craighead said. “These types of awards also reflect the success of your team. No individual can win this
award without their teammates help.” Junior guard Jasmine Cannady said she is grateful for having a dependable teammate like Hunt. “As a person, Charday is really outgoing and fun,” she said. “She’s really lively to be around. As a teammate, she’s more of a leader by example. She’s never been too much of a verbal leader. Cannady said she and her teammates can always depend on Charday during a game. “We never have to worry about her scoring,” Cannady said. “She’s always gonna score. She’s one of those types of players that whatever you need done, gets done. That’s what she does, she’s real simple.” Leading the conference in scoring average, Hunt was the first Hornet to be named to
coming months
By Ross Coleman rcoleman@statehornet.com File Photo
Hunt’s 1,222 career points is the eighth-best mark in the school’s history. see Hunt| page B6
L 5-0
vs. UTAH STATE
M arch 24,
Soccer has had a difficult time gaining an audience in the United States. But I am going say this once: Start paying attention to soccer now, because with the World Cup coming in June, it is the perfect time to hop on the
bandwagon. The World Cup will bring soccer to the forefront of people’s minds starting June 11. We find out on July 11 which country is the best in the world, and soccer will take its place as the fourth sport in America. Let’s look ahead to the future of American sports. In 2011, we could be facing a year without the NFL or NBA due to potential work stoppages over financial compensation. Because of the potential stoppages, soccer will become one a dominant sport in America. The NFL work stoppage is not nearly as likely as the NBA see Soccer| page B5
Wallace earns NCAA All-American honors at indoor track and field national championships By Marshall Hampson mhampson@statehornet.com Three indoor track and field athletes from Sacramento State competed March 12-13 and one was named an NCAA AllAmerican at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Fayetteville, Ark. Juniors Lea Wallace, Renisha Robinson and Ronald Brookins all made their first appearance at the indoor meet after making it to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field championships during the outdoor season last year. Wallace became the first female Sacramento State athlete to earn NCAA All-American
indoor honors at the championships, placing eighth overall in the 800-meter run. Athletes are named NCAA All-Americans in track and field by the NCAA and the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. If the athlete places in the top eight of his or her event, he or she will automatically be named an NCAA All-American. The eighth-place finish of 2:13.97 also put Wallace down as the first Hornet to ever score points at an indoor championship meet. Wallace was one of the top eight finishers who were awarded points. “I’m really happy with my
performance even though I didn’t make it onto the podium. Making it into the finals was my goal,” Wallace said. “Everyday in practice you always have (making the NCAAs) in the back of your mind.” Wallace finished with the fifth-fastest time in the opening heats on March 12 and said she had to deal with a quick start at the finals. Head coach Kathleen Raske said the pace of the race started faster than expected and Wallace had to move up from the back of the pack. Wallace performed well despite missing the Big Sky Championships. Wallace faced adversity and
family matters at an inconvenient time in the season. She found out her father had a heart attack and took time off school and track for two weeks in late February to be with her family. Wallace also missed the Big Sky Championship meet, which would have given her a chance to automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier on in the season. “I was at risk to get knocked off,” Wallace said. “When I came back from school, it was more just mental and getting the confidence back. You can’t just run like an All-American see Track| page B5
Photos Courtesy
of
Hornet Sports
Lea Wallace made school history at the competition.
New players make solid impact on men’s hoops By Ashley O’Con aocon@statehornet.com The Sacramento State men’s basketball program improved by seven wins over last season, from a 2-27 record to a 9-21 record. With a determined coach and talented incoming and
current athletes, the team plans to keep the basketball program moving forward. Head coach Brian Katz said although the team improved from last season, the Hornets’ ultimate goal was not fulfilled. “We certainly showed a lot of improvement,” he said. “We got
to nine wins and beat a Pac-10 team, Oregon State, and a team like Seattle Pacific, who had a lot of great wins and UC Davis. We would have liked to have made the conference tournament, which we didn’t do.” The team will lose seven seniors heading into next season:
guard Domineek Daniel, center Justin Eller, guard Antonio Flaggs, guard Jonathan Malloy, guard Mike Marcial, forward Michael Selling and guard Jared Stigall. Three of the team’s top five scorers will return: guard Sultan Toles-Bey (10.3 points per game), swingman John
Dickson (9.7) and forward Duro Bjegovic (7.4). With the help of Toles-Bey’s game-high 17 points, the Hornets ended a 39-game road losing streak with their 65-63 win at Oregon State University see Recap| page B6
B4
Wednesday - March 24
Sports Section
statehornet.com
Weightlifting club not just for Olympic-sized bodybuilders By Sergio Saldana ssaldana@statehornet.com Olympic weightlifting is not a sport in which the competitor aims to get bulky and ripped. The goal is to lift as much weight as possible into the air. The Olympic weightlifting team is a Sacramento State Recreational Sports club and is fully student-run. The students pay dues to maintain the club, which allows them to pay for competitions. The national governing body is USA Weightlifting. Every college that has a weightlifting club is under USA weightlifting. The club is open to anyone who is interested regardless of experience level, gender or body type. The only requirement is the desire to learn the sport. There is no fee to be a
member. The only fee is if the member wants to compete in collegiate events, which is $40 annually. Every event carries a charge, ranging from $30 to $35 to enter. Club President Arlette Marenco said the weightlifting team has about 15 club members who do not participate in competitions and five members who pay to compete. Marenco said the club is open to anyone who is interested in joining and not limited to men. “There is a giant misconception that girls don’t do this or do it well,” Marenco said. “There are a lot of girls.” Lifting heavy amounts of weight in the air may seem like a feat that only big muscles can do, but this is far from the truth. “They will work with you no
matter where you are psychically and get you going,” said weightlifting member Anthony Martinez. “They teach you the basics, the technique everything you need to know.” The coaches carefully help structure the proper lifting technique for each individual member so he or she will not hurt himself or herself. This allows the lifter to fully utilize their strength to full potential. “Even if you’re the new guy and never had any experience they all are very supportive and try and teach you and give you tips,” said weightlifting member Joshua Salazar. Everyone is here to get stronger.” Learning technique is a process that takes time. The coaches do not want students to jump into weights too early and end up hurting themselves.
Martinez said he is on a 12-week program to help him prepare to lift without injuring himself. The sport of weightlifting is year-round. Local events are usually once a month. The last event Sac State held was in November. The events tend to last all day. Competitors are put into a specific weight category for competition. The events have two specific lifts: the snatch and the clean and jerk. The snatch is one single movement to get the bar above the head. The clean and jerk is when the competitor brings the bar up to his or her chest then above his or her head in two motions. In each lift, the competitor gets three attempts to lift and lock out the desired weight he or she chooses. The
winner is determined the highest combined weight totals. Weightlifting member Ben Claridad said competing is the best part of the sport is looking how he has improved since he began lifting at the club. To qualify for Nationals the competitor needs to lift a set amount for his or her weight class. Nationals are in April and lifters go to represent their individual schools from around the nation in hopes to win their weight class. Weightlifting member Marco Montano Jr. said we are all competing and hopefully we all make nationals. Compared to other schools that have Olympic weightlifting sport clubs, Sac State is small. Usually, schools have an average of 10 to 15 competing members. Constantly looking
Tina Horton State Hornet
Student Marco Montano Jr. does squats during weightlifting club practice. see Lifting| page B6
On Second Thought: Fantasy sports edition Sure it’s nerdy, but some members of The State Hornet sports staff enjoy fantasy sports
By Marshall Hampson mhampson@statehornet.com There is no fantasy for me in fantasy sports. Why? I don’t care who can make the best allstar team for a sport – especially not basketball and baseball. I tried it for two years with random people I did not know, and there was no reward. So I definitely am a little harsh on the concept because I’ve never
done any leagues with friends or with betting. I did it for the first two years because I just wanted to win. Football was the only sport I did it in because I follow the sport pretty closely. Now that there is fantasy baseball, basketball, NASCAR, referee and anything else you can create a team for, it is getting slightly ridiculous. Even when I played fantasy football, half of my team was players from the Pittsburgh Steelers because I wanted to support my favorite team. Would I do it with friends’ betting money? Sure. But not all of my friends like sports that much to follow it constantly. I definitely do not think I would do it again. But if I did, my goal would be to create the worst team possible just so I can set a record for the lowest points scored in a season.
By Ross Coleman rcoleman@statehornet.com Playing fantasy sports is like dating a stripper. Yeah there are some fun parts of it but in the end, you just end up feeling dirty. If there is one thing about me that will never change, it is my loyalty. So how can I consciously select players from teams I
hate and hope they do well? My fantasy football team is always littered with San Diego Chargers and former UCLA Bruins because I always enjoy rooting for those guys. I also feel like I have more of a connection with the guys on my teams. In fantasy baseball, I tend to take risks on guys who are role players for the Angels. I always buy into the hype of guys who have not earned anything. It is fun to win the leagues, especially against guys who actually play the entire season. In every league you can usually count on about half of the guys to forget they have a team. I guess I see the point and draw to fantasy sports, but I am not a sports atheist. I guess I haven’t reached a level of cynicism where I can consciously root for guys that I do not like.
By Dustin Nosler sports@statehornet.com I have played fantasy sports since for more than 10 years. I don’t know exactly what the draw is, but I know it helps me to stay interested in sports if my favorite teams are eliminated from championship contention. I am an avid sports fan, but I’m a more knowledgeable
sports fan because of fantasy sports. Who actually knew who Jamaal Charles was before he ran for 259 yards and two touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in week 17 of the 2009 NFL season? One of the only reasons I knew who he was is because of fantasy sports. I had picked him up when former Kansas City Chief running back Larry Johnson was released, helping my team to the playoffs. I play three kinds of fantasy sports: Baseball, football and basketball. Baseball is my favorite sport and it’s probably my favorite fantasy sport. However, I’ve found quite the niche with basketball. After starting the season poorly, I just clinched the No. 3 seed in my league’s playoffs, which started Monday. Is fantasy sports for nerds? You bet. Am I a nerd? No doubt. What of it?
Wednesday - March 24
Sports Section
Track: Juniors hope to repeat performance next season Continued | page B3 overnight. That takes seasons of training, so for me it was just getting my confidence back.” Raske said she was impressed with Wallace’s composure at the NCAA Indoor Championships and the last two months of the season. “Lea is certainly a nationalclass athlete and this experience for her was a good one, even though things didn’t quite go her way,” Raske said. “Lea is very special. She didn’t go to the conference championship meet and she’s able to overcome quite a bit this season.” Robinson finished fifth in her heat in the preliminary round with a time of 2:08.71. The time was her second fastest mark in the 800-meter run this season and placed her 16th overall in the meet. She was just three and a half seconds away of the last qualifying time of 2:05.27. “I was disappointed I didn’t make finals and I should’ve done better,” Robinson said. “I guess I don’t take it for granted because many people don’t make it to the NCAAs. Next year, I want to make the finals and be in the top five.” Despite not making the finals in the 800, Raske said she was pleased with Robinson’s run and her growth over the season. “She definitely made a step forward and she’s able to control her race,” Raske said. “She races with a lot of strategy and it’s good to see her finally doing that after a couple years of struggling.”
Wallace said she was happy that Robinson was able to qualify and travel with her to the NCAA Indoor Championships. “It’s a lot of fun having a teammate every step of the way with you and having both of us qualify for the meet instead of just me,” Wallace said. “We’re kind of like sisters. We literally spend every day together being track athletes and having the same schedule.” On the men’s side, Brookins was the only male from Sac State to make the NCAA championships. Brookins broke his own school record in the 60-meter hurdles, which he previously set at the Husky Classic meet on Feb. 13 (7.97) with a time of 7.84 seconds. This was also the 13th fastest time in the meet. However, a new school record was not enough to move him into the finals, as he missed out by .04 seconds. “It was a great experience competing with great athletes this meet,” Brookins said. “I expected it to be tough and that I had to perform my best. I was glad I broke the school record again. I was just glad to be at the NCAAs.” With one of the top 15 times in the nation in the 60-meter hurdles, Brookins said he has mixed feelings about being considered a top runner. “I like that everybody is watching me now but there’s a lot more pressure to do your best,” Brookins said. “I like being the underdog a lot more
Photos Courtesy
of
Hornet Sports
Renisha Robinson made her second appearance at the NCAA Championships. because you don’t have all that pressure on you. It’s a bittersweet feeling.” Raske said Brookins ran his best at the biggest meets. “He made up his mind that he was going to execute his best at the end of the season,” Raske said. “Ronald just continues to improve every race and wants to be on the podium.” The Hornets are focusing on the outdoor season and are trying to get back into the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second year in a row. Raske said the last meet of the season was important for the three athletes, all whom made an impact on a national level. “It was a great representation of our program and it put the program on the board,” Raske said. “All three of them handled themselves really well at the meet.”
Soccer: United States could make noise in World Cup Continued | page B3 work stoppage due to the poor economic climate. Also, the NFL is the most profitable sports league in the world. If there are stoppages, it will be the first time for the NFL since 1987; the NBA had a work stoppage in 1998. ESPN purchased the broadcast rights to the English Premier League, the top soccer league in the United Kingdom. The deal was for the 2009-10 season and, along with ratings for the Fox Soccer Channel, the ratings for the games in the last year have grown 1 percent, or roughly 220,000 people. On Aug. 22, ESPN2 set the record for most-watched EPL game in U.S. history, according to Nielsen ratings. The match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United was watched by 374,799 people in the states. However, that lasted two days before being surpassed by the Liverpool-Aston Villa match on Aug. 24, with an audience of 398,391. The jump to nearly 400,000 is astounding, especially since the season before, the average viewership for the EPL was just 90,000. During the 2011-12 sports calendar, ESPN could be in a position to broadcast a lot of soccer due to these work stoppages, and if the growth in viewership and interest in soc-
cer continues at the same pace, it would allow them to get away with putting soccer on their network in a greater volume. ESPN also has the broadcast rights for the 2010 World Cup, and if the recent Winter Olympics taught us anything, it is that Americans enjoy watching a national team, even if it is for a sport people don’t necessarily watch on a regular basis. Hockey benefited greatly from the interest garnered during the Olympics. However, the NHL has failed to keep that interest because international hockey is different than the NHL. The only difference in soccer between the nations is their
styles of plays. This summer, Americans will have the chance to give support to another national team, this time during the World Cup in South Africa. And this U.S. National Team has a chance to make some noise. Players on the U.S. team have been playing in top European leagues and have garnered name recognition because of the success they have had playing against a higher talent pool. The first chance to hop on the bandwagon may not be until May, but once the World Cup comes in June, soccer will be well on its way to being taken seriously in this country.
McClatchy Tribune
Landon Donovan, far right, leads U.S. Men’s Soccer.
Honor: Aquatic Center is first of its kind to be inducted Continued | page B3 of individual awards was for people who were recognized for contributions they made in the community. “When we look at something in recognition and you can provide recreation, we can service the community and we can service Sac State,” said Brian Dulgar, director of the Aquatic Center. The induction into the Hall of Honor acknowledges the Aquatic Center’s past awards and its service to the community as a whole. “The Hall of Honor is recognizing facilities and people who have given to the profession,”
said Lisa Rudloff, president of the California Park and Recreation Society. Each year the California Park and Recreation Society’s District 2 Committee Board votes and inducts one person into one of three categories: Professional, Leisure and now, Regional Treasure. The Aquatic Center is the first to be inducted in this category. District 2 is the only one of 15 districts in the society to have a spot in the Hall of Honor. Trute said the Hall of Honor blends the past, present and future in recognizing individuals or facilities and bring it all together.
For the third consecutive year, the Alumni Center hosted the awards and honor banquet. An application to the Hall of Honor must be completed to garner consideration. After the individual awards came Hall of Honor inductions. Paul M. Hagan, who was first administrator of the Cordova Recreation and Park District, was posthumously inducted. Next came the Aquatic Center’s Regional Treasure. “We truly have become now a part of the Sacramento community,” said Cindi Dulgar, youth programs director and operations director of the Aquatic Center.
statehornet.com
B5
B6
Wednesday - March 24
Sports Section
statehornet.com
Lifting: Technique Recap: Despite some close losses, team is vital for success shows ability to compete with the best Continued | page B3
Tina Horton State Hornet
Student Ben Claridad lifts the barbell during Sacramento State’s Olympic weightlifting practice. Continued | page B4 for new members, Sac State weightlifting is always welcoming of new faces. Marenco said legs and core are the most targeted area during this type of exercise. The workout would benefit anyone regardless of athletic experience. “It’s a great way to get into
shape and have fun,” Montano said. “It’s a different approach to working out. Not everyone does this type of workout. It’s a total body workout.” Anyone who has an interest in weightlifting but has no prior experience is encouraged to attend a practice, which are held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Solano Hall, Room 1020.
on Nov. 21. The win was the second win for Sac State against a Pac-10 program and the first since the Hornets defeated Washington State University 45-44 on Dec. 17, 1953. The team won three games away from home, including wins over Causeway rival UC Davis and conference rival Idaho State University. The Dec. 19 win against the Bengals ended a 27-game Big Sky road losing streak. Dickson said leadership and talent helped improved this season’s record from last year. “I think we had better players than we did last year,” he said. “We had different talented players that could do different things. We also had better leadership than they did last year with (Antonio) Flaggs, (Mike) Marcial and (Justin) Eller being our team captains. Flaggs always was good at communicating with us and was always calm. Eller is a good captain through examples. He works with us and works hard all the time.”
Flaggs finished his two-year career with a 38.5 percent mark from 3-point range; fourth best in Hornet history. Freshman guard Brad Johnstin said recognizing the team’s issues was the first step to getting the team prepared for a better season. “The best thing that happened this year was that we identified exactly what we need to work on this off season,” he said. “Our weaknesses were exposed and all of us that are coming back next year know what we need to work on throughout the spring, summer, and fall.” Although the team’s diversity brings a variety of talent to the court, Johnstin said it also has its disadvantages. “As a team we are working on coming together as a group and we are improving everyday at it,” he said. “We have guys from so many different backgrounds that it’s taken some time for all of us to get on the same page.” Because the team is still a growing, Dickson said the team is still adjusting to playing together. “Last year when I was getting
recruited it seemed like they didn’t really have no one to show them how things needed to be done,” he said. “It was a new program, and Katz was new. For the team next year, it’ll be easier because we know how things should be done and we won’t waste any time. I think for everybody the goal is to grow as one and have better chemistry on the court. As individuals, everyone will work on the weak points in their game, like ball handling and decision making. Just become better players and better as one.” As the Hornets strive to keep the basketball program moving forward, Johnstin said they plan on fixing one problem at a time rather than jumping the gun. “We are not focusing on a specific number of wins for next year. Our goal right now is just to work out every day,” he said. “If we get better every day, we will put ourselves into a position to be successful for next season.” Katz said he is not going to establishing a victories goal for next season. “We’re going to work hard
Julie Keefer State Hornet
John Dickson, Sac State swingman, averaged 9.7 points per game this year.
this offseason for our returning players to become better,” he said. “I never put a number on anything saying, ‘Well our goal is to win 20 games.’ Our goal will be to continue to improve. Now if you said next year we win 10 games would I be real happy with that? Probably not. But we won nine and we want to keep improving. We want to just keep moving upward.”
Hunt: Senior was first Hornet named to team since 2005-06 Continued | page B3 the first team since 2005-06. She has an outstanding ability to score, with an average 18.6 points per game. Hunt ranked second within the Big Sky play with a 19.1 average and led the conference in free throws made (173-200) during the season. Cannady said Hunt devotes herself to every game with her committed attitude. “There’s not much she has to say because she’s doing it. That’s the type of person she is. She doesn’t just talk the talk - she walks it, too,” Cannady said. A second team selection last
year, Hunt earned second team all-Big Sky honors after averaging a team-high 14.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She also improved her performance during conference play last season by ranking third in scoring. With her strong shooting ability, Hunt has made a name for both herself and the team, as the Hornets won 15 games this season and went to the Big Sky tournament. “She’s came in and broken a lot of scoring records,” Cannady said. “She’s been a part of the team and has won the most games in school history. Her ability to score is definitely huge.”
Hunt posted two of the four best scoring efforts in the conference this season, scoring 32 points against San Francisco State on Jan. 5 and at Northern Arizona on Feb. 25. She reached double-figures in 27 of the team’s 29 regular season games. Hunt was the eighth player in school history to score over 1,000 career points, finishing 1,222 points in career. Senior guard Ashley Garcia said Hunt’s attitude toward the game has made her a successful. “She is very outgoing, and determined,” Garcia said. “Being the leading scorer in the conference wasn’t too bad, not to mention all the records she
has set. Her ability to be such an all around offensive threat created opportunities for the other four people on the floor to score as well, helping us set a bunch of records a team.” Even though she plays her heart out at every game, Garcia said Hunt always finds a way to strive to do better. “Charday always does her best in practices and games,” she said. “She played a lot of minutes this year, and it’s extremely difficult to play the way we play without a sub due to our shortage in guards. I think Charday did an excellent job performing and putting forth a great effort. In some of the games I would
look over at her and see that she was tired, knowing we didn’t have subs I just told her to ‘suck it up.’” Garcia said Hunt’s affiliation with her teammates and coaches have made basketball a true bonding experience for the entire team. “I think Charday and Coach Craighead have a very good relationship despite the fact that coach is young and this is her
first year,” Garcia said. “I know Charday has the upmost respect for J.C. and is very confident in her as a head coach. Her relationship with the team is great. We love her, and she loves us, I can’t put it any other way. She’s always getting us together to do stuff as a team and it never feels like an obligation, we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. I’m going to miss her, that’s for sure.”
Charday Hunt 2009-10 Statistics G PPG RPG APG BLK SPG MPG 30 18.6 5.7 1.5 13 1.7 33.6