The S tate Hornet
September 15, 2010 HORNET INSIDE DAUNTE CULPEPPER
Former NFL star Daunte Culpepper brings heat to Sacramento State. Learn more about him in Sports.
Sports B3 ART EXHIBIT
C alifornia S tate U niversity , S acramento
E st . 1949
O ne C opy F ree
200 years of independence
By State Hornet Staff news@statehornet.com
On Thursday, the Mexican community will celebrate 200 years of independence from Spanish rule. Sept. 16, 1810, was the day of El Grito de la Independencia or The Cry of Independence in the small town of Dolores, Mexico. On that day, a priest involved in a revolt against the Spanish colonists, rang the church bells and gathered his people to join him in their fight for freedom, said Victor Pelaez, Mexican consul of political affairs in Sacramento. Mexicans from across the world and at home
commemorate this event by ringing church bells while chanting “Viva Mexico!” Pelaez said. The Mexican community will also celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the Mexican revolution that overthrew dictator Porfirio Diaz. The following Sacramento State community members have, in some way,
promoted their cultural heritage and will celebrate their homeland’s day of freedom. see Mexico|page A5
Award-winning Chinese artists visited Sacramento State last week. Catch a glimpse of Chinese art and culture in Features.
Features B1 WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? Students spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks each semester. Writer Cole Mayer shares his view on why this is ridiculous. Read more in Opinion.
Opinion A7 SPRING 2011 ENROLLMENT
Sacramento State closed transfer enrollment last spring. Is the university enrolling new students next spring? Find out what is in store for the nearly 3,000 transfer applicants.
News A3 MORE STUDENT DISCOUNTS?
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Counterclockwise from top right: Ethnic studies professor Eric Vega, Ethnic Studies Department Chair David León, Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez, senior liberal studies major Roxana Hernandez and senior digital media major Yeimi Lopez have each shared what Mexico’s 200th year of independence means to them and how they will celebrate their home country’s freedom.
Mexican general consul Bill to streamline visits Sacramento State transfer process By Laila Barakat lbarakat@statehornet.com
In honor of Mexican Independence Day, Mexican General Consul Carlos Gonzalez-Gutierrez will come to Sacramento State to give a lecture about the relations between California and Mexico. The lecture, titled “Mexico and California: Together 200 Years,” will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday in the University Union Ballroom. The event is free and open to Sac State students. As a general consul, Gutierrez’s role is to facilitate relations between Mexico and the country or locality where he is appointed, said Sheree Meyer, associate dean of undergraduate studies and academic affairs.
His lecture will focus on political and economic relations between California and Mexico, Meyer said. “Since we’re celebrating 200 years, he will explain what the future of that relationship will be,” Meyer said. “We need to have a broader context of what’s going on in Mexico. I really see this as an educational opportunity for all of us.” The relationship between Mexico and California has always been intense, said Victor Pelaez, Mexican consul of political affairs. The idea is to move forward and strengthen the relationship in terms of geography, economy and demographics. Pelaez said the event is relevant to Sac State students because of the number of people of Mexican descent living in
California. Aside from sharing a border with Mexico, California has nearly 10 million people of Mexican descent. This is almost one-third of the state’s population. In Gutierrez’s jurisdiction, which covers 24 counties in Northern and Central California and counties on the border of Oregon and Nevada, there are about 800,000 people of Mexican descent. Prior to being appointed general consul, Gutierrez has held positions serving Mexican communities, such as consul of community affairs at the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles, counselor for Latin affairs at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C. and execusee Consul| page A8
The first Associated Students Inc. board meeting discussed expanding One Card business partnerships. Could this mean more discounts for students? Find out on statehornet.com.
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The State Hornet Issue 3 | Volume 63 | No. 3
Carlos Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Mexican general consul based in Sacramento, will visit Sacramento State in honor of Mexican Independence Day. He will hold a lecture titled “Mexico and California: Together 200 Years.”
By Ken Paglia kpaglia@statehornet.com Transferring from a California community college to a California State University campus may become easier if a bill, now on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk, is signed into law. Senate Bill 1440, known as the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, aims to streamline the transfer process by creating transfer associate degrees at the community college level. Students who earn the 60-unit degree would be guaranteed admission to a CSU campus with junior status. “It’s just one of those things we can all rally around,” said Chris Chavez, president of the California State Student Association, the organization made up of the student governments of all 23 CSU campuses. “It’s going to save students and our colleges a lot of money – students don’t need to pay for similar courses, allowing other students who need those classes to enroll.” The bill has a good chance of becoming law, Chavez said. “(But) we don’t want to count our chickens too early,” he said. Many California community colleges already have transfer agreements with individual CSU campuses, but SB 1440 would create a standard curriculum that could be applied to most CSU campuses, said Sacramento State Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Ed Mills. “The transfer associates degree has a larger chance of gaining acceptance at the CSU campuses, making it easier for students to transfer,” Mills said. SB 1440 could end up saving the state millions, according to a press release from Padilla’s
Supporters of SB 1440:
- CSU chancellor’s office - California State Student Association - California Community Colleges chancellor’s office - Student Senate for California Community Colleges - Campaign for College Opportunity
office. The CSU chancellor’s office and the California Community Colleges chancellor’s office estimate that streamlining the transfer process could save the state about $160 million per year. This would allow the community college system to serve 40,000 more students per year, and the CSU system 13,000 more students per year, according to the release. The bill would also prevent community colleges from requiring additional courses for the degree, according to the release. Some people at the community college level were critical of the early versions of the bill, said Alex Pader, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges. “If the bill was not correctly implemented, the community colleges’ apportionments could have been taken away,” Pader said. “But the language was all worked out and now everyone is on board.” Pader also believed SB 1440 has a good chance of becoming law. “It’s something that saves the state money. It’s good for see SB 1440| page A8
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NEWS ROUNDUP Sac State’s weekly news briefs and campus events STEM Center begins scholar lecture series
The Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Center is hosting the first of its scholars lecture series from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Redwood Room in University Union. Featured speaker is Jose Macari, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Macari will discuss programs, such as power Courtesy of the College of the electrical Engineering and engineering, Computer Science communications networking, cyber security and clean energy technology. The event is free for all students, faculty, staff and community members. For more information, contact the STEM Center at (916) 278-2789.
Student organization to hold Peace Day
The United Nations International Day of Peace is on Tuesday in the University Union.
The State Hornet | Staff Editor in Chief
The Peace and Conflict International student organization will show a documentary, “The Day After Peace,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Hinde Auditorium The movie will be followed by a 30-minute Q-and-A period. A reception at 8 p.m. in the Orchard Suite will feature art about peace. This event is free for all students, staff and faculty. For more information, contact Joe Romero at Internationalpeaceconflict@ gmail.com or go to www.csus.edu/org/ pci.
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Sac State celebrates peace through yoga
On Tuesday, Sacramento State will join the rest of the world in celebrating peace by practicing yoga. Student Health Services and The Well are holding the Global Mala 2010 festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Library Quad. Students will practice yoga and 108 sun salutations. Student Health Services encourages everyone to participate for 10 minutes or an hour. For more information, call (916) 2783799, or go to www.globalmala.org.
Longtime Sac State professor dies
George W. Rich, former anthropology professor at Sacramento State, died Saturday of a brain tumor, his family said. He was 65. Rich taught from 1970 to 2007 and served as department chair for nine years. He is survived by wife Claudia, sons Eric, Bryan and Travis, daughter Brittany, siblings Fred and Penny and four grandchildren. Services will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento at 2425 Sierra Blvd.
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Spring admission uncertain until final budget is passed By Cayla Gales cgales@statehornet.com As of Monday morning, Sacramento State has received 2,794 applications for the spring semester and expects less than a thousand more by the end of September. In late July, the California State University system opened spring admissions so that the campuses will have eligible students ready to enroll if the proposed budget is passed, Chancellor Charles Reed said in a press release. The deadline for the applications was initially set for Aug. 31, but the CSU extended it until Sept. 27. Ed Mills, associate vice president for enrollment management at Sac State, said the university does not know how many applicants it will be able to accept until a final state budget is passed. The university is hoping for a final budget by the end of September. “We can’t really judge at this moment,” Mills said. ”But we’re optimistic.” If the budget is approved, the CSU will alert the qualified applicants of the status of their
applications shortly after Sept. 27. Otherwise, students can either withdraw their application or request for it to be moved to fall 2011. The proposed budget would restore $305 million in onetime cuts made to the CSU in previous years and provide $60.6 million in enrollment funds. The number of students admitted to Sac State has decreased last spring when the CSU closed transfer student admissions to adjust to the $625 million cut in state funding. In spring 2010, Sac State enrolled 424 students out of more than 700 applicants, a significant decrease from previous spring semesters. In spring 2008 and 2009, more than 7,000 students applied and an average of 3,600 students were enrolled at Sac State. If the budget is approved, the CSU will implement a systemwide impaction for spring applicants. This is slightly different from a campus-wide impaction, which will be implemented at Sac State next fall, Mills said. In a system-wide impaction, applicants will be ranked ac-
cording to their eligibility index. The CSU will give priority to applicants with the highest grade point average and test scores, Mills said. With the campus-wide impaction in place, Sac State will give priority to applicants who live within the local admission area. This includes high schools and community colleges in Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, San Joaquin and Solano coun- Source: Office of Institutional Research the real problem is California’s spring admissions. ties. budget process, which requires Lois Boulgarides, interim Boulgarides cited Proposition president of the Capitol chapter a two-thirds majority for the 25, which will be on the ballot of the California Faculty AssoLegislature to pass a budget. in November, as a solution. ciation, said the faculty union “The voters in the minority of If passed, the proposition will supports the CSU’s decision to the decision end up holding the remove the two-thirds majority open spring admissions. budget hostage,” she said. requirement, and a budget can “I think everything that we be passed with a simple majorWithout this requirement, a can do to keep access for the budget would have been passed ity vote, she said. students is good,” she said. Bernice Elizarraraz, junior earlier, and the CSU would Boulgarides, however, said biology major, said if she is have been more certain of
Graphic by Alicia Palenyy State Hornet
among the students who are applying for the spring, she would withdraw her application and attend a community college if the proposed budget is not approved. “It would be a waste of time for me, and a waste of money. I don’t have time for that, and my education is important,” Elizarraraz said.
POLICE LOG Sunday A male juvenile was taken from Jenkins Hall to Sutter Memorial Hospital for medical evaluation, following a welfare check involving drugs and alcohol. The juvenile’s condition was said to be non-life threatening. Saturday A woman reported her vehicle was stolen near Sutter Hall. Thursday Random Access Memory (RAM) was reported stolen from three computers in the Library. Sept. 8 A black Coach wallet was reported stolen at The Well. A woman reported she lost her ring after leaving it in the Academic Information Resources Center restroom. When she returned it was gone. Sept. 7 A black mountain bike with a flame design on the seat was reported stolen at Parking Structure I.
Sept. 6 RICHARD HORN, 19, was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence after officers stopped him at the Residence Hall parking lot for a vehicle code violation. Sept. 5 ANTONIO NAVARRO, 22, was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence after an officer stopped him on Howe Avenue for a traffic violation. Sept. 4 DAVID DEMOTTE, 53, was stopped by officers at the main bus stop and found to be under the influence of alcohol and unable to care for himself. He was booked into the Sacramento County Jail. Sept. 3 A black and silver Trex 24-speed mountain bike was reported stolen at the Residence Hall parking lot. - Compiled by Ken Paglia
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More students now opt for college assessment exams By Michelle Curtis mcurtis@statehornet.com The number of high school juniors taking the voluntary Early Assessment Program to evaluate their preparedness for college-level English and math has increased in the last six years. This year, 378,870 California high school students took the English test and 178,667 took the math test. When the program was created in 2004, about 150,000 and 115,000 students took the English and math tests, respectively, according to a California State University press release. Thirty-two out of 112 California community colleges have adopted the program, according to a report by the California Community College chancellor’s office. “More and more students are taking it because everyone involved has a benefit,” said Joy Salvetti, director of Sacramento State’s Early Assessment Program. Going through the program can exempt students from taking English and math placement tests when they enter the CSU system, said Erik Fallis, spokesman for the CSU chancellor’s office. Fallis said the program was created because students came to the CSU not fully prepared for college-level English and math. Students then had to take remediation classes that do not count toward a degree and can prolong their years in college, he said. Taking remediation classes delays a student’s identification
as a college student, Salvetti said. In Sacramento high schools, more students have also taken the English and math tests since 2006. About 12,000 students took the English test in 2006, compared to more than 13,700 students who took the test this year. A little more than 5,000 students took the math tests in 2006, and about 6,400 took the test this year. Of the students who took the English test this year, 20 percent demonstrated readiness for college, a 3 percent increase from 2006. For students who took the math portion this year, 14 percent demonstrated readiness for college, compared to 10 percent in 2006. The English and math tests are free for all high school juniors. Taking the tests can show students what classes to take during their senior year before entering the CSU system. “The reasoning behind giving it in the high school junior year was that students would then have their high school senior year to take specific courses to help them ready themselves,” Salvetti said. The optional Early Assessment Program exam takes place in May after the California Standards Test. The English and math tests consist of 15 multiple choice questions in addition to the standards test. If students opt for the program, they will take the 45-minute English essay portion in March to allow time for scoring. The English test is scored
in either ready or not ready results. If students are ready, they do not need to take the CSU placement test or take an English remediation course, Salvetti said. Fewer students are qualified to take the math portion because it is not required throughout all four years of high school, Salvetti said. When students take the math exam, they can receive a ready, not ready or conditionally ready result. Salvetti said a conditionally ready result means students scored close to a ready result. If students receive a conditionally ready result, they can take a math class with an Algebra II or higher prerequisite. If they get a C or better, they will not have to take a remediation math class at the CSU. Students’ senior year courses may differ after taking the tests. Students may take an expository English course to learn non-fiction and critical thinking before entering college. They may take a math class during senior year to put them at the college level. When the program was started, Salvetti was teaching Italian at Sac State, and saw first-hand the readiness students needed before coming to college, especially in English, she said. “I experienced how students did not feel totally rooted in their college experience,” Salvetti said. “What I have seen since its early inception has been proof to me that there is a benefit to this program, if only to bring all education segments together.”
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Source: California State University
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Mexico: Commemorating home country’s freedom REAFFIRMING MEXICAN HERITAGE By Michelle Curtis mcurtis@statehornet.com David León, chair of Sacramento State’s ethnic studies department, grew up after World War II and did not learn about his native country’s culture and language until later in life. “After World War II, there was heavy pressure on Mexicans living in the United States to be American—eat American food and speak English without an accent,” said León, who has been with the ethnic studies de-
Ashley Neal State Hornet
partment for 20 years. León said his parents did not want him and his older brother to learn Spanish because of the negative feelings toward non-English speakers during that time. Reflecting on his youth, León said he wishes his parents had spoken English and Spanish to him. That way, he could have had the accent and fluency of native speakers, he said. León did not begin to pick up on Spanish language and Mexican culture until he met his second wife in 1994. On Saturday, León celebrated Mexican Independence Day by attending an annual gala dinner hosted by the Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Downtown Sacramento. León said it is important for him to celebrate Mexican Independence Day because it allows him to feel connected to his heritage and reaffirm his Mexican ethnicity.
HELPING THROUGH ACTIVISM By Laila Barakat lbarakat@statehornet.com For Eric Vega, celebrating Mexican Independence Day is not about buying a burrito or drinking Mexican beer; it is about spreading awareness and educating anyone who is willing to learn about the true meaning of Mexican independence. Vega, an ethnic studies professor at Sacramento State, is a longtime political activist. He organized his first anti-war rally as a student attending Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento and went on to do the same anti-war rallying in the United States Air Force. He was involved in the Chicano Movement in the 1970s, focusing on issues, such as police brutality, pro-labor unions and support for United Migrant Farm Workers. Vega has also worked with the Human Rights Fair Housing Commission in Sacramento and played a significant role in the
KEEPING TRADITION AND FAMILY VALUES ALIVE By Kristine Guerra kguerra@statehornet.com Although she was born and raised in the United States, senior liberal studies major Roxana Hernandez has spent most of her college life promoting her heritage and helping fellow Latinas at Sacramento State.
Steven Turner State Hornet
Since her freshman year, she has been an active member of the Mujeres Ayundando la Raza, a campus organization that promotes cultural awareness among Latina students. “We get involved in the community … and we instill that value of going back to your roots,” Hernandez said. The organization is also building a high school library at a migrant camp in Madison, 10 miles west of Woodland. Hernandez’s parents moved from Mexico to California when they were about 20 years old and raised three daughters, Hernandez said. “My parents really reinforced our Mexican heritage, from
food, to culture, to religion to holidays,” she said. Her family celebrates traditional Mexican holidays, like the Dia de Los Santos Reyes or the Three Kings Day, which is when Mexicans exchange Christmas presents. To celebrate her home country’s independence, she said she attended a Tamale Festival with her sister on Sunday at Cesar Chavez Park in Downtown Sacramento. “I think it’s just a good way to go out and celebrate once in a while what your parents did and what your grandparents did,” she said. “You know where you come from and you’re not ashamed of it.”
fight against Proposition 187, the proposal to make California an English-only state. “Unfortunately the other side won, but I am very proud to have been a part of the fight against the effort,” Vega said. When he is not in the classroom, Vega works at Sol Collective, a community center and art gallery that portrays social justice and activism through art. “I love my family, but if you’re going to talk about me, I am a political activist. That’s who I am,” he said.
Steven Turner State Hornet
CELEBRATION OF SHARED HISTORIES By Lauren Greenwood lgreenwood@statehornet.com Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez celebrates his cultural ties to Mexico’s 200th year of independence, but he also sees Thursday as more than just a celebration of Mexican history. The bicentennial celebration is more about the linkage between Mexico, California and the Southwest, Gonzalez said. “History didn’t begin when the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was signed between Mexico and United States that gave the United States essentially the Southwest,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez’s parents were born in Aguascalientes, Mexico during the Mexican revolution. They immigrated to Los Angeles and raised seven children. “My family had very traditional and conservative values,” he said. “My mother never worked outside the home.” It was not until he entered
Pomona College in the late 1960s and majored in Latin America and United States history that he really understood its significance. While at Pomona College, Gonzalez was one of 12 students of Mexican descent at a school of about 1,200. He worked with fellow students to start the first Chicano studies program, which is still in place today. He said will remember Thursday as a celebration of Mexico, but also as a celebration of shared histories.
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HONORING COLLEGE-EDUCATED IMMIGRANTS By Ken Paglia kpaglia@statehornet.com Sacramento State senior Yeimi Lopez will be celebrating more than just her ancestors’ freedom on Thursday. For Lopez, digital media major, Mexican Independence Day should honor any immigrant who has found liberation through higher education. “Higher Education is the equalizer of our society for the dream that our parents initially brought us here for,” she said. Lopez was born in the small Mexican town of San Bernardo and moved to Southern California when she was 8 years old. As an undocumented student,
she cannot get a driver’s license and does not qualify for financial aid. But a mentor through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program loans her tuition money, giving her the chance to go to college. In 2009, Lopez founded the campus group, Scholars Taking Action for Nationwide Dream, which raises money for undocumented Sac State students. Lopez’s father worked in construction and her mother had various odd jobs in Mexico, she said. “When I see my dad wake up at 5 a.m. and return at 8 p.m. just to eat and go to sleep, it gives me the strength to keep the doors open for my commu-
nity,” she said. Lopez has now made it her goal to help other undocumented students. She will think about them on Thursday while attending a potluck with several student activists, other in celebration of her native country’s 200th year of freedom.
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Consul: Giving legal advice to Mexican community Continued | page A1 tive director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad. Gutierrez, who could not be reached for an interview, has
had extensive experience and is well-prepared to handle issues related to the Mexican and Mexican-American communities in the United States, Pelaez
said. Gutierrez’s three main missions are to serve the Mexican and Mexican-American communities, as well as U.S. citizens
who travel to Mexico, to give legal advice and assistance to Mexicans and to handle relations with each level of government, Pelaez said.
What: “Mexico and California: Together 200 Years” Who: General Consul Carlos Gonzalez-Gutierrez When: Noon to 1:30 p.m., Monday Where: University Union Ballroom
SB 1440: Incoming transfers to benefit from bill Continued | page A1 students because there will be more degrees out there. There are not many things to dislike about this bill,” Pader said.
Though transfer enrollment was restricted earlier this year due to budget cuts, future transfer students will benefit from the bill, Mills said. Sac State typically takes 4,000
Source: California State University
transfer students in the fall and 2,000 in the spring. Last spring, Sac State closed transfer enrollment. This semester, the university cut overall enrollment by 2,000 students, Mills said.
“Right now transfer enrollment is more affected by budget restrictions than anything else,” Mills said. “But that won’t last forever. SB 1440 will make it easier for future students to
Graphic by Megan Harris State Hornet
transfer. It will provide avenues for community colleges to really streamline the process.” Sac State is accepting transfer applications next semester. But until the state budget is passed, it is unclear whether any transfer students will be enrolled, Mills said. Padilla’s office did not respond to The State Hornet’s requests for comment on the bill. But in a press release, Padilla said the average transfer student completes 20 more units of coursework than what
is required. Only 25 percent of community college students who intend to transfer to a four-year university actually do, partially due to repetition of courses and changing transfer requirements, the release said. “Students shouldn’t see coursework and transfer as moving targets, the requirements should be clear and the rewards should be certain. SB 1440 provides that clarity and certainty,” Padilla said in the release.
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S eptember 15, W ednesday
| F a l l I ss u e 3 | S a c r a m e n t o S tat e
EDITORIAL
Secured funding needed for CSU
In his revised 2010-11 budget for California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made some great propositions concerning the funding of higher education; however, one of these propositions should be rejected. Of all of the propositions made by the governor, the most ludicrous is the suspension of Cal Grant awards. Financially needy students could suffer if their Cal Grant awards are suspended. The Legislative Analyst’s Office, which provides nonpartisan advice for the Legislature, has recommended a rejection of Cal Grant cuts and to instead raise the minimum Cal Grant B GPA for obtaining the award. Steve Boilard, director of higher education at the Legislative Analyst’s Office, said it has simply recommended a less harmful option in place of the governor’s proposition. Erik Fallis, California State University spokesman, said financial aid is incredibly important to the students, but had no comment on the governor’s proposed Cal
Grant cuts. Not all of the governor’s propositions would hurt higher education. One good proposition is the additional $305 million into the general funds of the University of California and CSU systems. This is great in that it would help both systems return to their previous funding levels. Face it -- college students of today will be making the decisions of the future. Without money the CSU system cannot fully function to serve its students. The Legislative Analyst’s Office instead recommends smaller augmentations. Boilard said the augmentations proposed by the governor are not justified. “We’re just trying to balance the desire to restore funding to the universities against the need to balance the overall state budget,” Boilard said. Fallis is hopeful that these funds make it to the CSU system. “The $305 million can go towards student academics
and services and providing some additional access,” Fallis said. But even with the proposed $305 million, the CSU system still will not be able to serve all of its students without additional solutions like cuts to its programs and faculty. The student enrollment has increased since 2009; more funding than before is needed to serve the students. Having more money in the CSU system, though, is better than remaining at the level of current funding. Another good proposition by the governor is the augmentation of enrollment funds by $112 million; of which $60.6 million would go to the CSU system. The Legislative Analyst’s Office has rejected this proposition because it claims enrollment is not growing. Boilard said the reasoning behind the Legislative Analyst’s Office rejecting this proposal is that a lot of state programs are getting significant reductions to their budgets. “The universities are being
treated better than a state agency in this year’s budget,” Boilard said. But what other state agencies are educating the workers of the future as vigorously as the public universities? The Legislative Analyst’s Office is right about this: enrollment is not growing. But this is only based on the data from the last two years. Fallis said enrollment has been on a downward trajectory since 2009, but it is partly because there has been no funding to support additional enrollment. It is almost like a vicious cycle. Enrollment decreases because there is no funding; funding is not provided because enrollment is not increasing. Data from the CSU system clearly shows a steady increase in the numbers of students enrolled. In 2000 there were more than 360,000 students enrolled in the CSU system, according to the 2009 CSU enrollment report. By 2009, there were more than 430,000 students enrolled. Student enrollment will
Key proposals for the California State University • Augment the CSU and UC General Fund by $305 million • Additional $60.6 million to fund enrollment • Constitutional amendment
likely increase in the future and more funding will be needed to serve the students within the system. “It would be great to have the restored funding,” Fallis said. “We can begin to restore some of the classes and services that have been challenged with the latest couple of budgets.” Boilard said he agrees that enrollment has been growing generally every year, but he said there is a real disconnect in what the governor is proposing. “The governor is claiming to fund growth, while at the same time decreasing enrollment,” Boilard said. The governor has also proposed a constitutional amendment that would allocate at least 10 percent of annual state general funds to spend on public universities.
to appropriate at least 10 percent of annual state General Funds to public universities • Suspend new Cal Grant awards
Boilard said it makes more sense for the legislature to budget each year according to where the needs are, and not be constrained with another requirement such as this. Although it makes sense that this constitutional amendment would restrict the overall state budget, the students do need the secured funding in order to get a good-quality, consistent education. Aside from the proposed Cal Grant cuts, the governor wishes to help public universities rise from their financial ruts with his proposals. The CSU system desperately needs all the funding it can get. The legislature should work to incorporate those proposals that help higher education, not the other way around.
Textbooks are too expensive
By Cole Mayer cmayer@statehornet.com
Let us say someone had just told me I won the lottery. I would ponder all the new, fantastic things I could buy, like a new computer, a TV or video games. Instead, my first purchase will be textbooks, a serious yet necessary drain on my bank account. The average cost of textbooks per college semester is $900, according to a recent study from Investopedia, a financial and investing website. The same study said publishers have increased prices by 186 percent since 1986. Prices are far too high for a typical college student to afford, while publishers are getting rich -- something I cannot stand. Students should buy used books from popular websites or rent from the Hornet Bookstore. If I had paid full price for my textbooks this semester, I would have been out of $550. “There’s so many other places you can buy for cheaper, it’s ridiculous,” said Carrie Mabie, senior liberal studies major. Some professors offer alternative money-saving options to their students. John Clark, English professor, said students should share textbooks and buy old
Graphic by Megan harris
editions when possible. “I encourage students to hunt down earlier editions of (the) text,” Clark said. Mark Ludwig, journalism professor, explained that some majors, such as journalism, cannot use older editions of text efficiently. “It’s better to use current editions, although old editions might get you by,” Ludwig said. It is ridiculous to ask students to buy the newest edition with a few changes. This is, of course, what publishers expect us to do. After comparing two editions of the Associated Press Stylebook, I hate to admit it, but I might need to get the newer edition soon. Clark circumvents the need of new editions of books by creating his own text. “I help keep students’ expenses down by writing my own material for them,” he said. Doing this drives down costs for students even further. Clark’s idea is an excellent one and professors should go that route instead of forcing students to spend hundreds of dollars on a new edition of a textbook. Spending $20 on a ream of paper is far better than $120 for a book. Ludwig, on the other hand, has a different policy. He does not look at the prices of books when deciding what should be used in class. Instead, he said, he looks at what best suits the need of the class he is teaching. While I can see the advantage of this method, getting the best, up-to-date information, the con is students lose more money each year. Both professors, regardless of money-saving method, will soon feel my pain of buying expensive textbooks; both of them have kids who are about to start college. Maybe I will take pity and sell their kids my old textbooks and save them the pain other professors are causing me.
Marcy Hendricks State Hornet
Program helps students face academic probation
By Talecia Bell tbell@statehornet.com
Getting bad grades sucks, especially when you have had extenuating circumstances hinder you from maintaining academic success. Hi, my name is Talecia Bell and I am a student recovering from being academically disqualified. I began my academic career at Sacramento State in the summer of 2006, eager and full of energy. The first two years were my interpretation of academic success. Around the end of my sophomore year, I stopped prioritizing academics. I was not well-equipped with the tools I needed to stay motivated. I was chasing after my boyfriend, working fulltime, taking too many units
and not studying enough. No one I associated with was in school. My interest dropped and the eagerness became anxiety. My education was no longer a goal, but a task to accomplish. My aspirations to graduate had not changed, but I subconsciously convinced myself that regardless if I studied or not, I could still pass. But my GPA plummeted below 2.0. There are certain academic standards students have to fulfill while studying at Sac State, and I failed to fulfill them. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 areplaced on academic probation; however, these students are still eligible to enroll in the following semester. If a student has been on academic probation for two consecutive semesters, this student is academically disqualified and will be dismissed from the university. I was so scared when I received notification that I had become academically disqualified. I shut down socially and became offensive
about discussing my grades with professors, friends and especially family. I was embarrassed and ashamed that I had not succeeded in maintaining a higher GPA. I did not want to discuss my personal issues or ask for help. Leticia Perez, Educational Opportunity Program adviser, said she deals with approximately five to seven students a year who face academic probation or disqualification, just like I had. “It is so important that students do not try to deal with academic challenges alone,” Perez said. Lisa Nguyen, sophomore biology major, said students who are in trouble academically should use counseling and study groups. Having gone through the ordeal, I know the anxiety, fear and embarrassment associated with academic probation. “We are here to support students and their goals,” Perez said. You need to do whatever it takes to succeed in school. Even if it means admitting failure along the way.
STATE HORNET OPINION ONLINE Buying textbooks is painful
Where would students spend that money instead? Opinion editor Daniel Vasilchuk finds out at statehornet.com.
Guest Column Read what President Alexander Gonzalez has to say at statehornet.com.
Can social networks help you land a job?
The opinion staff shares its views on the issue at statehornet.com.
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| F a l l I ss u e 3 | S a c r a m e n t o S tat e
Art displays culture of Yunnan, China
By Leia Ostermann lostermann@statehornet.com
In an attempt to share their culture with the world, four award-winning Chinese artists brought their ethnic art to Sacramento State on Thursday, as a part of their California art tour. “Art is an organic part of Chinese culture,” Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez said. “Chinese people often make friends and renew friendship through the bridge of literature, calligraphy and painting.” The artists, Hekun, Chen Hongling, Hu Xiaoxing and Yinxin, only spoke Chinese. This was their first time in the United States, Hekun said through a translator. They came from the providence of Yunnan, the origin of art and humanity in Chinese culture, Hekun said. Yunnan is home to 26 minority groups, which the artists purposed to capture through their art, Hekun said. The artists wanted to speak to the minorities and to give them a voice through their artwork, Hekun and Xiaoxing said. Art comes from the blending of culture and nature, Hekun and Xiaoxing said. The whole exhibit shows emotion, local culture and diversity, personality and the clear beauty of China, Xiaoxing said. Xiaoxing used watercolors to paint the relationships between people and their environment. Pointing to his favorite piece, “Fellow of Mt. Alias,” Xiaoxing said the 70-year-old man in the painting had ran the whole way down the mountain to greet him when he visited their village. The old man was an oat farmer from a self-sustaining minority group, the Yi, Xiaoxing said. The pink shirt and wool cap he wears was hand-made by his wife for special occasions, Xiaoxing said. The old man was proud of what his wife had made and their mountain culture, Xiaoxing said. “People are really lucky who live in Yunnan. It’s what you would call a paradise,” Xiaoxing said. “Yunnan has the most flowers and the most traditions and the most art. When you
visit China you usually go to the big city. But in Yunnan you see culture and the clear sky. As blue as the California sky,” Xiaoxing said. Their culture also revolves around hard work, Hekun said. Hekun is a traditional reduction woodcut artist who averages 17 hours a day, working on his art. Woodcut prints are pieces of wood that have been gouged out and painted to create a 3-D effect. This particular style of art originated in Yunnan Providence about 50 years ago, said Hekun. Yinxin, the photographer featured at the exhibit, said that his art is very aesthetic and a taste of life. His images capture nature and feelings, they are parts of his soul, he said. The art gives us a window into
the stories of traditional culture, calligrapher Chen Hongling said. This exhibit was purposed to share this taste a traditional culture and to show the character of Yunnan and the Yunnanese people. Harmony, environment and creativity, are the themes the four artists wished to express. Shao Wei, consultant general of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, explained that his country and community
were committed to cultural exchange and sharing art. “We want you to look at this art and to see our culture, to hear our culture and to feel our culture,” Wei said. The combination of the traditional calligraphy and wood cuts alongside the water colors and photography gave this exhibit a wide lens view into Chinese culture in the Yunnan province, Hekun said. Yinxin, Xaioxing, Hongling and Hekun have all won awards
for their contributions to the art society and have been featured in museums in China, England and multiple countries across Europe. This exhibit fulfilled the dreams of many; Sac State’s passion for cultural awareness, Hekun’s desire to visit the United States, the desire for art students to experience non-western art and all four artist’s passion to introduce the traditional Chinese culture to the states.
Brittany Bradley and Robert Linggi State Hornet
Top: Artist He Kun talks with visitors about his artwork. Bottom Left: Featured artists of “Art Tour in California -The Colorful Yunnan” (from left to right) He Kun, Hu Xiaoxing and Chen Hongling chat with reporters about their home province of Yunnan, China, and the inspiration that it provides for their art. Bottom Right: A close up of artist He Kun’s, “Mid Summer Village,” part of his Rural Landscape series.
Interactive play educates students on history By Jennifer Siopongco jsiopongco@statehornet.com In celebration of Mexico’s Independence day, UNIQUE programs and Tearto Espejo, a Chicano theatre company, are working together to correct the mistake many make when confusing Cinco De Mayo for the day Mexico was liberated from Spain. Mexican-American direc-
tor and retired Sacramento State professor, Manuel Pickett, strives to bring the story of the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s independence in the audienceinteractive play, “El Grito De Dolores,” at noon this Thursday in the University Union Ballroom. In this play, Pickett said his main goal is to educate others. “Lots of people point to Cinco De Mayo as the historical day
of independence, but it’s not. It‘s Sept.16,” Berman Obaldia, as Sac State almunus who plays the main charcter of Miguel Hidalgo said. “(Cinco De Mayo) is a fabrication of the market place and is really for partying.” For the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s independence, Pickett said he wanted to put on a production that was not only relevant to the community, but to educate younger people about
Mexican history. “We felt the urgency to show what happened during that period and to celebrate it,” Pickett said. Pickett said he incorporates the audience into the play by having actors communicating to the audience either by getting them to dance on the stage with them or to stand up and raise their fists in the air as everyone yelled “Viva La Mexico” in uni-
Becky Bell State Hornet
Sac State alumnus Berman Obaldia, far right, leads the cast of El Grito De Dolores in a powerful performance.
son at the end of the play. “We wanted to feel like the people were a part of the history--part of the event instead of a passive audience,” Pickett said. In bringing the audience into the set of the time, Obaldia said Pickett uses his way of “breaking the traditional pristine mode of theatre” by having the actors involved with the audience. “With this type of theatre, it engages (the audience) and brings them into this third dimension,” Obaldia said. “The audience becomes some what like extras.” A large amount of the dialogue was is a mixture of English and Spanish - Spanglish. Obaldia said because the play is in both Spanish and English it will be interesting for audience members who only speak English to watch. “It’s a way to draw audiences in to be ‘simpatico,’” Obaldia said. Obaldia said the word “simpatico,” means that it is drawing people closer to recognize the characters. “This is a play where little kids six years old and older can be interested,” he said. Loosely translated, Pickett said, “El Grito De Dolores,” means the cry of pain for the Mexican village of Dolores. The play opens up with the history of how Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic priest is brought Mexico into a revolution. Pickett says that Hidalgo himself was born from Spanish parents who lived in Mexico and he was considered a “Creole.” “In that time in Mexico, there was a distinction be-
tween Spaniards born in Spain and those born in Mexico,” Pickett said. “They (Spaniards born in Mexico) were called Creoles.” For 300 years, Pickett said the Spanish Mexicans and the indigenous people for Mexico were exploited as slaves. “The Spaniards tried to convert them (natives) into Christianity and used them as a cheap labor force--not even allowing them to own a horse or have any rights,” Pickett said. “They controlled food rations and didn’t let them start their own businesses.” In Hidalgo’s childhood, he had a real connection with the poor people in the village, Pickett said. “He grew up in the same area as the poor people in uppermiddle class, but his father raised him to be free of any racial distinctions,” Picket said. “He played with the natives and learned the regional languages; Nahuatl, Otomi and Tarascan proficiently.” Pickett said the Creoles were treated like second-class citizens and the natives were treated worse. “They wanted to be liberated from Spain--they felt that they could win in masses of people fighting with what they had: clubs and rocks,” Pickett said. “Hidalgo was the chosen leader because the masses followed him and the Creoles needed him.” Obaldia relates to the oppression of the people in Mexico with his own cultural backSee Pickett| page B2
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Wednesday - September 15
Features Section
MATT ABOUT FOOD | SUSHI
Fried sushi is better sushi
Pickett: Teatro Espejo portrays a story of Mexican Independence Continued | page B1 ground. “The ironic part is that I’m Puerto Rican, but it’s very similar because we (Puerto Ricans) declared our independence from Spain around the same time,” Obaldia said. “Given what was happening to Spain and it losing a lot of its power to the French and British--others saw that as a way to break away and declare their independence.” Pickett said Hidalgo fought to lead the people of Mexico because he believed deeply in their struggles. “He (Hidalgo) helped pave the way, he had a dream he sought out to liberate his country from the grip of Spain,” Obaldia said. “This was
Graphic by: Megan Harris Photos By: Matt Rascher State Hornet
Left: Sushi Hook’s California Special. Center: Tokyo Fro’s Godzilla roll. Right: Arigato Sushi’s Golden roll. By Matt Rascher mrascher@statehornet.com I see my life in two parts: the first 21 years where I didn’t eat sushi and the following three where I have. Sushi is one of those foods that if you’ve never had it, it sounds kind of gross. Three years ago if someone had offered me raw fish, which I rarely eat cooked, seaweed, which I never eat and rice, I would have offered them the back of my head as I walked to a Taco Bell.
So, what eventually drove me to try sushi? Probably a girl or something, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I did try it, and loved it. Whether it’s been the California roll, the PEETA, the 49er or a Tarantula, I’m head over heels. For this week’s competition I broke out the chop sticks and soy sauce and downed some rolls in my journey to find the best sushi in Sacramento. The three establishments I visited were chosen on the basis of friend’s referrals, proximity to Sacramento State and of course, their happy hours.
SUSHI HOOK
ARIGATO SUSHI
TOKYO FRO’S
Sushi Hook is a quaint little restaurant in the Howe Avenue Plaza. They offer half-priced rolls all day, every day, which made this competition a little easier on my bank account. I ordered the California Special, which came out to $3.75 plus tax, and was simple yet delicious. The traditional California roll consists of crab meat and avocado, the California Special had the extra ingredient of Tobiko. Tobiko looks like those sprinkles you get on some cupcakes that nobody likes because it has the consistency of sand. These small orange fish eggs that are used to top certain types of sushi added a little extra flavor though, and definitely tasted better than they looked. I liked how this roll offered a little more than your everyday sort of roll. What did it, not surprisingly, was the Tobiko. It gave the roll a bit of a smoky, almost saltier taste and helped me concentrate on that taste rather than the idea of shoving bite after bite of fish egg into my mouth. Sushi Hook is definitely worth checking out, everybody could use a little Tobiko in their life.
Displaying a new interior design, Arigato’s has a nightclub feel to it. When I walked in I was afraid the guy at the door was going to kick me out for not wearing nice enough shoes. I made it in though and got my hands on some awesome sushi. I decided to go with the Golden roll, which is the California roll, but deep fried. Seriously, deep fry anything and it will be better. Twinkies, chicken, ice cream, ‘Gigli’ starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, all better after deep frying. And to top it off, a Philly roll. Arigato’s offers the always half off sushi as well and both of these rolls put me at $11 with tax and a tip out the door. First up the Golden roll: The crunchy texture mixing with the creamy avocado and crab meat did it for me. The Philly roll: Talk about creamy, this roll had avocado, cream cheese and the smoked salmon was a nice change from all the crab meat, but I found myself finishing it as fast as I could to get back to the Golden roll. I’ll definitely be back to Arigato’s and I won’t be worrying about what shoes I’m wearing.
Tokyo Fro’s was my final stop and it did not disappoint. This place had the nicest setting out of all the competitors, featuring a bar, a sushi bar and lots of indoor and outdoor seating. There were six big screen televisions scattered throughout, which is nice if you’re on a boring date. The service could’ve been better. My waitress was seldom seen but I can’t blame her, it was happy hour which runs here from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday as opposed to all day everyday. I hadn’t eaten all day and had a monstrous appetite so I ordered the aptly titled, Godzilla roll. This roll consisted of tempura prawn, avocado, crab, with sweet soy sauce and sesame seeds drizzled over the top. What did it for me was the tempura prawn. Having some real meat instead of the crab paste I had been eating was a delight. The crunchy, deep fried meaty taste put me over the sushi edge. With my Coca-Cola, a drink is required to get the half off roll, my bill still only came out to $10.50. I left satisfied and even though you can only get the discount in the middle of the day I would make the effort.
I am finding out in all of these competitions good food runs rampant in Sacramento. It’s always hard to chose a winner for this reason. For this week’s winner I have to choose Arigato’s. With an all day happy hour, an improved interior and delicious sushi it wins over Tokyo Fro’s and Sushi Hook for best sushi. I may garner criticism for
this decision. If someone proposed to me the idea of raw fish, seaweed and rice I would forget about Taco Bell, for at least one night, and go to Arigato’s. If you don’t agree or want to share with me your own sushi adventure comment or write me at mrascher@ statehornet.com. For next week’s challenge, Sacramento’s best sandwiches!
statehornet.com
a time when Spain saw Mexico as an ATM -- just for gold.” Pickett’s daughter Marisol Ramirez, a senior at Sac State, said a lot of people do not know the real history of Mexico’s independence. “I really liked this play because I admire the fact that he wanted to share the history with not only the audience, but the younger generations,” Marisol said. Odalia said he hopes college students will recognize that there is a correlation between Mexico’s independence and the United States’ independence. “Both (countries) were under tyranny,“ Obaldia said. “This (play) is an understanding of historical aspects and to differentiate between Cinco De Mayo and Sept. 16th.”
Becky Bell State Hornet
Cast member kneels for prayer during an early performance of “El Grito De Dolores” on The California Stage.
B3 NCAA Sports Updates FOOTBALL vs. WESTERN OREGON
SEPT. 11
W 31-17 vs. WEBER STATE
SEPT. 18 @ 6:05 P.M.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL vs. SAN JOSE STATE
SEPT. 7 W 3-0
(25-15, 21-25, 15-4)
COMCAST CHALLENGE
SEPT. 10-11
(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) at NEW MEXICO
SEPT. 10 L 1-3
(25-22, 25-15, 25-10. 25-20)
at UC SANTA BARBARA
SEPT. 10 L 1-3
(25-22, 25-20, 29-31, 25-18)
at SMU
SEPT. 11 L 1-3 (25-22, 25-20, 29-31, 25-18)
FRESNO STATE TOURNAMENT (FRESNO, CALIF.) SEPT. 17-18
MEN’S SOCCER vs. UC DAVIS
SEPT. 10
W 2-1
at STANFORD
SEPT. 12
W 1-0
vs. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
SEPT. 17
@ 4:00 P.M. vs. UC IRVINE
SEPT. 19
@ 1:00 P.M. WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. NEVADA
SEPT. 10
L 3-4
vs. MENLO COLLEGE
SEPT. 12
W 9-0
vs. FRESNO STATE
SEPT. 19
@ 3:30 P.M.
CROSS COUNTRY HORNET JAMBOREE SEPT. 11 MEN FINISH SECOND WOMEN FINISH THIRD
MEN’S GOLF GRANT RAPPLEYE WINS CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR MEN’S AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP @ HAGGIN OAKS SEPT. 6
WOMEN’S GOLF @ COUGAR CUP SEPT. 20-22 (PULLMAN, WASH.)
INSIDE: Senior forward Leah Larot scored four goals over the weekend and is now the leading scorer for the women’s soccer team. Find out what makes her a force. Story on B4.
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Daunte Culpepper ready for UFL By Brad Schmidt bschmidt@statehornet.com Daunte Culpepper’s life did not start as well as most would expect. However, Culpepper has used hard work, determination and raw athletic ability to persevere on and off the field. Culpepper’s mother gave birth to him in a Miami jail while serving time for an armed robbery conviction. His mother-figure, Emma Culpepper, adopted him and raised
him through high school. “My mom was 62-years old the day I was born, adopted,” Daunte Culpepper said. “She raised me with tough love and taught me right from wrong.” Emma Culpepper had also served as a mother-figure for Daunte Culpepper’s biological mother before he was born. Emma Culpepper raised Daunte Culpepper in Ocala, Fla., where he attended Vanguard High School. Daunte Culpepper participat-
ed in football, baseball, basketball, track and field and weight lifting while at Vanguard High School. He was named Mr. Florida in 1994, which is awarded to the top high school football player in the state. Duante Culpepper met his wife, Kim, in high school and has been with her ever since. They have three girls, two boys and another child on the way. Daunte Culpepper was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1995 Major League Baseball
Draft, but chose to pursue a career in football instead. Daunte Culpepper was recruited by many top football college programs coming out of high school. Notre Dame University, University of Florida, Florida State University and University of Miami, Florida all showed interest in the young quarterback. However, most schools lost interest due to poor grades, which is something Daunte Culpepper wishes he could do over again.
“I was a pretty good student; sort of a jokester,” Daunte Culpepper said. “I didn’t apply myself as much as I should have academically, and that is something I stress with all of my children.” The University of Central Florida believed in Daunte Culpepper and made him become academically eligible. Mike Kruczek, UCF’s offensive coordinator at the time, was see Culpepper| page B6
Hornets win home-opener
By Marshall Hampson sports@statehornet.com
Transfer quarterback Jeff Fleming led the Sacramento State football team to its first win, scoring twice as the Hornets won 31-17 on Saturday. The home-opening win gives the Hornets a 1-1 record on the season. Fleming was acquired on Aug. 30 after transferring from New Mexico State University. He started his first game as a Hornet on Saturday. He was added to the roster and played in the game against Stanford University on Sept. 4 after starting quarterback Mcleod BethelThompson injured his ankle in the second quarter. In his first start on Saturday, Fleming went 10-22 passing for 209 yards, throwing for one touchdown and also had a rushing touchdown of his own. Fleming said his first start was a lot to take in for only being in the offense for two weeks. “It was tough. I just got in there and started working really hard with (Hornets’ head) coach Sperbeck,” Fleming said. “Not only did I have to get coached by them, but I also had to re-coach it back to make sure I actually understood what I was doing. They gave me a small package of plays to work with and we slowly added more plays as time went on.” Fleming connected with running back Curtis Shaw for a 49-yard gain on the first pass of the game. In the second quarter, Fleming ran from eight yards out for his first touchdown of the game. “I’m just really excited to start it off on such a great foot and start the season off the right way,” Fleming said. “I think I did OK for not being in the offense too long. It was an eyeopening experience. I came out really well in the first half and I also made some bad mistakes in the second half that I learned from.” Despite throwing two interceptions in the second half, the Hornets had 391 total yards for the game. Fleming said he stuck to a limited amount of plays in the playbook and his touchdown pass came in the second
Photos By Julie Keefer State Hornet
Above: Linebacker Peter Buck tackles Western Oregon’s wide receiver. Buck had three sacks in the game. Far Left: Quarterback Jeff Fleming dives into the endzone, scoring his first touchdown of the game. Left: Quarterback Jeff Fleming scrambles out to pass. Fleming threw for 209 yards on his first start as a Hornet. half as wide receiver Chase Deadder caught a 28-yard pass from Fleming. Fleming said taking the role of a leader in his first start was difficult because he did not know everybody on the offense. “The thing is, they didn’t really get to know me as a player when I got here so it was tough,” Fleming said. “I had to come out and give them my all and running the offense in a way that can produce. That’s what it’s going to take for me to
be a leader.” Fleming also found support from Bethel-Thompson. BethelThompson had surgery earlier this week on his ankle and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. But Fleming said Bethel-Thompson has showed him the way of the Hornet offense. “Mac has been really helpful to me. Ever since I first walked out on the field, he was like, ‘When this happens, this is what you have to do’ or ‘This is your read for this play,’” Flem-
ing said. “At Stanford, he was on the sidelines telling me what I had to do. He’s been great and I’m really, really glad to have him.” Many other players had a successful game on Saturday. Running back Bryan Hilliard became the primary back as Shaw left the field in the second quarter with a concussion. Hill-
iard finished the day with 107 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The 100-yard rushing game moved him to fifth alltime in school history for most 100-yard games with nine. Hilliard said he was impressed with Fleming taking advantage of his first start. “It was a great experience for him and he did well for only being a part of the offense for 10 days,” Hilliard said. “It just see Football| page B5
Big Sky brings Best and worst of uniforms Davis, Cal Poly DOUBLE COVERAGE
By Marshall Hampson sports@statehornet.com The Big Sky Conference has been extended to 11 schools for 2012 as UC Davis and Cal Poly accepted invitations from the conference to become members for football.
Bob Solorio/Sac State Athletics
Defensive end Christian Clark rushes the passer.
On Sept. 7, Cal Poly announced the move at a press conference weeks after UC Davis and Sacramento State were speculated to move into the Western Athletic Conference from WAC Commissioner Karl Benson. The moves to the Big Sky Conference will start at the 2012 season because of the lack of openings in the current Big Sky schedule for 2011. Both Cal Poly and UC Davis will remain in the Big West Conference for every sport besides football. Big Sky Conference Associate Commissioner Ron Loghry said bringing these two highpowered Football Conference see Big Sky| page B5
right ugliest uniforms ever. Here are the good, the bad and the ugly of sports uniforms. THE GOOD
By Cassie Kolias ckolias@statehornet.com U-G-L-Y. You ain’t got no alibi, you ugly. When those cheerleaders chanted the infamous song that was written by Daphne and Celeste, they were probably talking about the players’ uniforms. Over the years, sports franchises, whether pro or not, have come out wearing some of the coolest, strangest and down-
Los Angeles Lakers: Nothing says bow down to basketball royalty quite like gold and purple. Basketball’s greatest have donned these famous colors, and they have won 15 NBA Championships—so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they wear uniforms that practically scream swagger. New York Yankees: Pinstripes have always been a symbol of professionalism and sophistication. The Yankees dawn the navy blue pinstriped white uniforms at home games, and with their Tiffany-designed NY logo, they practically define
the term champions. With their classy outfits, they are like those popular kids in school who get everything they want because they look the part. That could also be why they have brought home 27 World Series titles. THE BAD Cleveland Cavaliers: Before LeBron James became the face of the Cavs, they did not have a good look going for them. Dull, boring and uninspiring are just some of the words that come to mind when looking at the Cavs early 1990 uniforms. First, the entire uniform is plain white. Ew. Second, the only form of embellishment on the uniform see Uniforms| page B6
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Wednesday -September 15
Sports Section
Senior forward prospering as starter By Matt Harrington mharrington@statehornet.com If a college athlete is of superior talent, it is expected that they would be a starter for his or her respective team. This is not always the case when there are 24 other athletes of equal talent all jockeying for a chance to step on the playing surface. And if this athlete has an unselfish nature and would do anything to help their team win, even better. The Sacramento State women’s soccer team has such a player. Senior forward Leah Larot has played a total of 62 games coming into this season. Out
of those 62 games played, she has started a total of 29 at the forward position. So far this season, she has
started all seven games for the Hornets and currently leads the team with 11 points and five goals.
Brittany Bradley State Hornet
Forward Leah Larot leaps past Menlo Keeper to score one of Sacramento State’s nine goals during Sunday’s match. Larot had two of the nine goals in the game and is now leading the Hornets in scoring with five goals.
She also leads the team with 11 shots-on-goal and holds the second highest percentage of .647. Head coach Randy Dedini said she is not the kind of player who will demand playing time over her teammates. “She’s never complained about not starting,” Dedini said. “I think she has also understood that she was going to get her time, whether it was coming off the bench or starting.” She ranked 10th on the team with 1,063 total minutes played last season. Larot said it is tough not starting, but that it works to the teams advantage later in game as she is able to come off the bench and have an immediate impact. “Personally, it is sometimes a struggle when I don’t start, but I know that coming off the bench I have the ability to shake up the game for my team,” Larot said. “I can be something new and be something the defense doesn’t expect.” Friend and teammate, midfielder Cori Shreve said she saw Larot’s giving nature coming in as a freshman. “She puts her teammates before herself. She always makes sure that everyone on the team is taken care of. If we ever need to talk, she will talk with us. If we ever want to work out, she we will work out with us,” Shreve said. “She is always out here supporting us.” “I saw it when I first met her. She has always been really unselfish. She is a great friend, teammate and a hard worker,” Shreve said. Dedini said Larot teaches others on the team through her body of work. “She leads by example. She has never been that outspoken type of leader, but she has always been a super hard worker,” Dedini said. “She comes to practice every day with a smile on her face. I think she has inspired players around her just because of the attitude she carries around with her.”
statehornet.com
All-American set for second season By AJ Taylor ajtaylor@statehornet.com Cross country runner Nathanael Litwiller is beginning his second season at Sacramento State and he has opened eyes around campus and throughout the nation. Nathanael, or Nano as his teammates call him, earned the title of Junior All-American while competing in the United States Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. “That’s the highest level in our sport, and he was there
Steve Turner State Hornet
Nathanael Litwiller runs at practice to prepare for the next cross country meet. competing and he was competitive,” said assistant coach Scott Abbott. “He made the final, he finished sixth place. I think he could’ve been even better than that.” Litwiller ran against the top runners in the 800-meter event, and placed sixth with a time of 1:50.82. What truly sets him apart from the rest is not seen on the track. Litwiller described his experience at the United States Track and Field Championships. “It was eye-opening in a
couple of ways. Some of the guys you meet, they’re really nice,” Litwiller said. “One of them actually seemed genuinely interested in how my season went, so that was cool. But you also got the guys who you see with their head in the clouds, and it makes you realize that it’s just as important to stay humble as it is to stay fit.” He received offers from both Sac State and UC Berkeley and he admitted he chose Sac State because he felt wanted here. “I sat down with my parents to make my final decision,” said Litwiller. “We laid out the pros and cons between here and Berkeley and a lot of it was coach Abbott, the comradery between the team and I felt that I was definitely more wanted here.” After only one season in college Litwiller has already enjoyed his fair share of athletic success and he attributes most of his success, if not all, to his strong faith in Christian Science. Don’t confuse Christian Science with Scientology, though. “It’s the same thing as Christianity,” said teammate Cameron Mitchell. “Except they don’t believe in medical practice for health problems, so they don’t take medicine. They don’t see doctors unless its for surgeries or really drastic.” Litwiller is always the quiet leader in the gym, the silent example on the track and is never one to brag. “He’s a very humble person,” said teammate Myko Lucas “He’s obviously really good but he never brags about it. He always cheers us on. I’d say he’s a great teammate.” Litwiller takes his role as a Hornet athlete seriously. “I give 100 percent effort when I’m out there representing my school and helping out my teammates,” Litwiller said. “It’s a family when you’re out there on the race course and you should treat them like one.”
Wednesday - September 15
Sports Section
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B5
Freshman setter excelling in place of injured teammate By Alyssa Huskinson ahuskinson@statehornet.com There’s no doubt the latest force to be reckoned with under the net is Katie Aprile, a freshman setter for the Sacramento State Hornets’ volleyball team. Coming off what some would call a successful high school career, Aprile came to Sacramento State and is now the first starting freshman setter since 2005. And while some players have difficulty transitioning from being a high school star into a freshman starter, Aprile has taken the changes with ease. “She’s a freshman and she’s a stud,” said junior outside hitter Eryn Kirby. “It’s a really big job she’s coming into and I think
she’s doing a great job. She’s only going to get better.” Aprile graduated this summer from Escalon High School where she reigned as team captain her junior and senior years. Her senior year she was second team All-District. Aprile is the fourth best in the Sac-Joaquin Section with an average of 8.5 assists. With these accolades she is hopeful to find a balance between her educational and athletic career. “Studying and playing volleyball -- it’s my life,” Aprile said. Over her final three seasons with the team, Escalon had a combined overall record of 68-21 and a conference mark of 34-11. Aprile started her college career, as a four-year
scholar-athlete award winner after maintaining a 3.0 GPA in high school. Aprile, who was a member of the Impact Volleyball Club for eight years, comes from a family that bleeds volleyball, where it is not just a sport -- it’s a way of life for the Aprile’s. Not only did her two older sisters play college volleyball, but her stepfather used to coach volleyball as well. “She keeps getting better and better,” said head coach Ruben Volta. “She’s getting adjusted to the college game. She’s been running our offense really well.” She is getting the chance to show her skills as a starter after a knee injury sidelined sophomore setter Hannah Hettigna.
This season began with Aprile as the only setter on the roster, but since then the coaching staff have moved Anna Schoener to the setter position as well. Constantly adjusting to her starting position, Aprile continues to have her family as a support system. “They have really supported me by having me go to camps and joining club volleyball teams,” Aprile said. Not only does she have her family for support, Aprile has her new teammates as well to help with the transition. “I’m transitioning pretty well,” Aprile said. “Everyone has taken me in and shown me what to do. The team has been really good about my transition.”
While Aprile knows setting is her main strength, she is not just relying on her talent. She said she could work on her defense skills and that is one thing that the coaches are working on with her. Aprile is optimistic about her college career. So far, the setter has shown she is capable of playing Division I volleyball. She has set goals for herself for her first college season. “If I mess up just blow it off and go onto the next point,” Aprile said. “I want to keep my play up throughout the season, keep my sets the same and help out everyone else. I want us to win our conference and do really good in the Big Sky Tournament.”
Brittany Bradley State Hornet
Freshman Katie Aprile sets the ball for her teammate. Aprile is the first freshman setter since 2005.
Football: Offense and defense Big Sky: Conference rivalries step up in the second half soon to flourish in football Continued | page B3 shows that he can be a great contributor for us this whole season.” Hilliard capped off the first drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Hilliard missed all of last season after having surgery on both shoulders. “It felt good playing in front of the home crowd again,” Hilliard said. “It felt like I’m back home. I just was battling with my teammates, everybody was doing what they were supposed to do and executing the plays.” Wide receiver Morris Norrise caught four passes for 41 yards. Norrise said he felt practicing hard throughout the week with Fleming showed up on Saturday. “He led the team. He found the open receiver and all we had to do was run our routes,” Norrise said. “In practice you could tell that he had a good arm and that he was a great quarterback. For him to pick up the offense in 10 days is great.”
Defensively, linebacker Peter Buck had six tackles and an interception while defensive lineman Zack Nash tallied three sacks and four tackles-for-loss. Safety Evander Wilkins had his first career interception. Fleming will be the starting quarterback for the next game this Saturday against
Weber State University at 6:05 p.m. Fleming said he enjoyed the fans’ appreciation after his transfer from New Mexico State University. “It was really just a great feeling to get out on the field again with new fans and a new crowd,” Fleming said. “It really just felt great being a Hornet.”
Julie Keefer State Hornet
The offense lines up against Western Oregon University. The Hornet offense put up a total of 391 yards.
Continued | page B3 Subdivision teams will help competition. “For one, it strengthens the football in our conference,” Loghry said. “This also protects the conference with all the rumors and the talk out there about some teams wanting to go to the WAC.” Now that the conference has 11 teams, thoughts of breaking the conference into two, six-teams divisions have been taken into consideration once the 12th team is in the Big Sky Conference. But Loghry said discussions regarding divisions will not be held until the Big Sky Conference President’s meeting in October. The biggest change for Sac State’s football program is the school’s rival, UC Davis, is now in the same conference. “It takes our game against UC Davis from a non-conference game to a conference game and it’s something that our fans will like because it takes on more
meaning,” said Sac State’s Athletic Director Terry Wanless. Like Sac State, Cal Poly also has a rivalry with UC Davis in the Big West Conference. Cal Poly’s Athletic Director Alison Cone said she believes the Big Sky Conference made the right decision taking in the university. “What was so appealing about the Big Sky was the opportunity to play really good competition in the western part of the United States,” Cone said. “And also, it’s good competition on a week-to-week basis. Everything about it was the right fit.” Cone said she is glad that the decision was made to bring both them and UC Davis into the conference. “UC Davis is our No. 1 rival in football,” Cone said. “I know UC Davis already has a huge rivalry with Sac State, so it was really important for us to maintain the rivalry because we have such a healthy one with UC Davis.” UC Davis Assistant Athletic
Director/Media Relations Mike Robles said the new conference is also helping the university beyond the rivalries. “It also helps us from a cost-containment standpoint,” Robles said. “If we’re playing a far away team, it’s going to be hard for a lot of our fans to travel. But now, our fans have an opportunity to travel with us.” The Hornets and Aggies battle for the Causeway Cup every year. Last year, UC Davis won the Causeway Cup, but the Causeway Classic football game held every year will now be a conference game starting 2012. Sac State won last year’s Causeway Classic 31-28. Robles said the move allows UC Davis for a better competition in the new conference. “It’s nice to have a good conference schedule built in,” Robles said. “We’re having to find a lot of non-conference games each year and that’s difficult to do.”
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Wednesday -September 15
Sports Section
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Uniforms: Teams should be Culpepper: Quarterback set concerned about its fashion with familiar coaching staff Continued | page B3 is a baby blue stripe diagonally smeared across the chest with “Cavs” written in gold above it. They are extremely horrendous. Double ew. Golden State Warriors: Apparently the 1980s Warriors thought the fans needed a geography lesson on their jerseys. Along with the style of short-shorts for men back then, the tank jerseys were the most hideous mustard shade of yellow. The yellow was complimented with a dull blue circle-globe-like graphic and a cut out of California, with a star near The Bay, in case their loyal fans didn’t know where the heck they were located. Calling their fans dumb? Kind of seems like it.
THE UGLIEST Houston Astros: The 1980 Houston Astros wore jerseys that someone puked orange, yellow and red stripes on. If that is not enough of a visual for you add a giant star on the left side of the front, and you have one of the ugliest uniforms. Of all time. Maybe the game plan when creating these uniforms was to blind their opponents. That seems pretty logical to me. Pittsburgh Pirates: Now Sacramento State knows how to rock the Bee style, but 1976 Pirates could have used some lessons. They rocked the yellow and black, and it did not work for them. Seriously though, the hat—black with gold circles wrapping around— alone should have been burned
and never seen again. They didn’t seem to understand just how ugly these uniforms were though, because they tried to rock that wretched uniform for 10 years. Denver Nuggets: Simply put, whoever thought it would be a fashionable idea to silhouette a skyline against a rainbow on a basketball jersey was seriously mistaken. One thing that can’t be denied is the designers of athletic uniforms have plenty of creativity, although it is not always executed properly. Those cheerleaders had the right idea when they took to that song and turned it into a cheer. U-G-L-Y. Seriously ugly.
Continued | page B3 responsible for bringing in Daunte Culpepper. Kruczek and the rest of the staff at UCF knew how lucky they were to get a talent like Daunte Culpepper. “Just him being on our team allowed us to recruit other athletes to instantly be competitive at the 1A level because when he came, we were still 1AA,” Kruczek said. Kruczek is currently the offensive coordinator for the Mountain Lions and reunited him with his prized quarterback. “Daunte is the same guy I remember from UCF which is amazing because the NFL has a tendency to change people,” Kruczek said.
He joined two other players in the history of NCAA football to pass for 10,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career. The Minnesota Vikings selected Daunte Culpepper 11th overall in the 1999 NFL draft. He led the Vikings to the 2000 NFC Championship Game in his first year as a starter. In 2004, he lead the NFL in passing yards with 4,717 and set the Vikings’ team record with 39 touchdowns. Daunte Culpepper’s knees began to slow his career down. He had injured his ACL, PCL and MCL on Oct. 30 against the Carolina Panthers and was eventually traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2006. Daunte Culpepper was asked by the Mountain Lions’ head
coach Dennis Green to join the team. Green was Daunte Culpepper’s coach in Minnesota and said he is excited about the opportunity to coach Daunte Culpepper. “Daunte is one of the best pro quarterbacks around.” Green said.”
Ashely Neal State Hornet
Quarterback Daunte Culpepper throws a pass to his receiver during Mountain Lions’ traning camp.