Spring 2011 - Issue 7

The S tate Hornet March 9, 2011

C alifornia S tate U niversity , S acramento

E st . 1949

O ne C opy F ree

Bilingual play sells out premiere

Upcoming show times Tonight 6:30 p.m.

General admission and students: $8 Thursday 6:30 p.m.

General admission and students: $8 Far left: Marianne Gaona, John Dryden, Layla Oghabian and Joe Perales star in “No Se Paga.” Top right: Dryden, Perales and Meza perform a scene from the play. Bottom right: The characters act out a scene from “No Se Paga.”

Photos by Chris Chiang State Hornet

By Sean Keister skeister@statehornet.com “No Se Paga” opened Thursday night to a sold-out crowd in Sacramento State’s Playwright’s Theatre.

The slapstick comedy revolves around two couples struggling financially when the local supermarket begins to double the price of food, and the lo-

cal factory begins laying off employees.

The audience was engaged and laughed throughout the two-hour production, pleasing director and drama professor Manuel Pickett.

“No Se Paga” is a bilingual play, with the actors alternating between English and Spanish from line to line.

“The audience really un-

derstood the political message which was one of my big concerns,” Pickett said. “They laughed at most of the stuff, a lot of the stuff I thought they were just going to giggle at. The show definitely went well, and it worked.”

Sophomore theater major Jose Perales plays Gerardo, a working-class guy who panics when his hours are cut back

at work; he said after weeks of rehearsals, opening night was their best run so far.

“Energy, timing, everything worked out, the audience really helped,” Perales said. “It’s a good thing we had a good audience because sometimes an audience is here more because they have to and not because they want to attend and that really brings us down.”

Perales said the cast was not sure what to expect prior to the night’s performance, since before they had only done the play in front of a few people.

“When I stared out in the audience during the play I didn’t see anyone bored,” Perales said.

“They were all really into it and would laugh where they were supposed to laugh you know.

Just that they enjoyed the show,

that’s awesome.”

Layla Oghabian, who plays Margarita, wife of Gerardo’s friend Luis who has a lot of physical comedy, said her first comedy performance made her feel anxious.

Her character’s anxiety comes from her pretending to be pregnant when concealing stolen see Comedy | page A4

Women awarded for Math Mini-Conference influence on campus helps students, teachers

By Yvette Villasenor yvillasenor@statehornet.com

Jesse Charlton State Hornet

Macellina Amonoo, Shakshi Sharma, Esther Hattingh and Sherrie Carinci, received Women of Influence awards at the ceremony held in the American River Courtyard on Thursday.

The 2011 Women’s Herstory Month Committee held its second annual Women of Influence award ceremony Thursday, recognizing influential women at Sacramento State in honor of Women’s Herstory Month.

Women’s Herstory Month was established in 1987 to celebrate and reflect on the women who have made significant contributions to the growth and strength of our country.

Sac State’s Women’s Herstory Month focused on the “Power of Expression” which features speakers, musical performers, a gallery show and a celebration of influential women who have made a difference to the Sac State and Sacramento communities.

Presented in partnership with Housing and Residential

life, the event celebrated and honored Sac State’s female students, faculty and staff who have provided a leadership role and positive influence to the Sac State community.

“No individual can succeed on their own,” said Nicole Anderson, senior international relations major.

Before announcing the women of influence awards, Anderson spoke about the importance of having influential figures to help live a successful life and no one person can become a leader on her own.

Although many women were nominated, four women were awarded during the Women of Influence event, all of whom were surprised and honored to be recognized for being influential in someone’s life.

“You are only as good as the see Impact | page A6

By Matt Harrington mharrington@statehornet.com The Sacramento Area Mathematics Educators and CSU Sacramento Mathematics Project held its 11th annual Making Math Meaningful and Mini-Conference on Saturday in the University Union.

These two groups worked in cooperation with the Center for Mathematics and Science Education at Sacramento State to hold the conference.

The conference invited Sac State students working toward becoming math teachers and educators from school districts around the Sacramento region.

The districts included San Juan Unified, Sacramento City Unified, Elk Grove Unified and several others.

Director of the CSU Sacramento Mathematics Project and Sacramento Area Mathemat-

Courtesy Photo

Teachers from the area and students pursuing a career in teaching gather for the Making Math Meaningful conference. vide a network for area teachers ics Educators President Debra Stetson said the conference is to share their ideas that have a great way of learning new been working inside the classconcepts and techniques that room. This includes Sac State can help students learn. see Learn | page A6 “The goal of S.A.M.E. is pro-

INSIDE THE STATE HORNET MOTOCROSS CLUB

THE PURPOSE OF COLLEGE

How has the Motocross club made an impact in the Sacramento area?

What do students really go to college for? Is it for the education needed to pursue a career in the field of students’ dreams? Or do they go to college for the certificate future employers will look for when students aim to land a job?

Sports B3

Opinion A5

BUNKY ECHO-HAWK

Bunky Echo-Hawk will be showing an exhibit of his live art at Sac State.

Features B1

FREE UNIVERSITY IN SAN FRANCISCO Free University in San Francisco has no tuition fees, no paid teachers, and no diplomas. Would Sac State students ever go to a free university? Sac State teachers and faculty give their input of the university.

News A2

PODCAST

Sports writer Joe Fleming discusses why the Sacramento Kings shouldn’t move.

Online News statehornet.com

The State Hornet Issue 7 | Volume 63 | No. 21

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Wednesday - March 9

News Section

NEWS ROUNDUP Sac State’s weekly news briefs and campus events Sacramento State Construction Management team wins six awards

The Sacramento State Construction Management team took home three national awards, while winning three regional awards during the Open Problems and Associated Schools of Construction Region 7 competitions on Feb. 19 in Sparks, Nev. Electrical, Mechanical and Determining Project Risk teams won the National awards, placing first, second and third respectively.

Thomas Gilbert, Paul Lau, Ted Puntillo, Tina Treis, Patricia Clark-Ellis and Krista Bernasconi were picked as this year’s recipients.

Gilbert is the litigation and valuation services driector for Gilbert Associates Inc. Gilbert graduated Sac State in 1980.

Lau works as the assistant general manager of customer, distribution and technology at SMUD. Tries is an employee for Perry-Smith, LLP. Clark-Ellis works as the dean emerita College of Health and Human Services.

Bernasconi currently works as the director of SureWest.

The awards will be presented Thursday, April 14. Tickets are sold at www.sacstatealumni.com and attendees need to RSVP by Monday, April 4.

For more information, visit www.sacstatealumni.com. ▶◀ ▶◀ ▶◀ Contact Marshall Hampson in the News department at

statehornet.com

The State Hornet | Staff Editor in Chief

Assistant Features Editor

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Leidhra Johnson editor@statehornet.com Print Managing Editor Katrina Tupper

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online@statehornet.com News Editor

Marshall Hampson

Distinguished Service Award recipients

Five Sacramento State alumni and an honorary alumna were announced as recipients for the Distinguished Service Award on March 4.

Corrections

In Kayla Oliverio’s article about the Camellia Dance Festival last week, Toba Goddard is part of the Sacramento International Folk Dance and Arts Council, not president.

In Alex Grotewohl’s article about Beer Week last week, Lagunitas’ beer was called “Paradime Sac.” The name was changed to “Sac Fusion” before the event.

The State Hornet apologizes for these errors. Please contact Katrina Tupper, print managing editor, for corrections at (916) 278-7300 or ktupper@statehornet. com

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rlinggi@statehornet.com Assistant Photo Editor Brittany Bradley (916) 278-5500

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Graphics Editor Megan Harris

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Assistant News Editor

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Cassie Kolias

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sports@statehornet.com

In Alex Grotewohl’s review of Dive Bar on Feb. 16, the fish in the aquarium did not come from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

akenyon@statehornet.com

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Sports Editor

The Electrical team has now won backto-back national titles.

Individual Sac State students also took home awards at the competition. Stacy Wilson, Max Hardy, Courtney Wetsell and Michael Kumar for their performance in Alternates Problem event.

For the regional awards, Heavy Civil, Multi-Family and Design-Build teams all won awards.

The Heavy Civil and Multi-Family teams won first place, while the Design-Build team won second place.

April Kenyon

Assistant Sports Editor Dave Mason

(916) 278-5145

dmason@statehornet.com Features Editor

Alexandra Poggione (916) 278-4155

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.

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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 9

News Section

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First Year Experience helps Free University will provide to transition new students no tuition fees for students

By Mallory Fites mfites@statehornet.com The First Year Experience program at Sacramento State fosters retention of freshmen and transfer students through Sac State student mentors, freshmen seminars and learning communities.

First Year Experience is a nationwide program on individual campuses. Sac State mentors and faculty welcome freshmen and transfer students to acclimate them to campus. However, the program is mainly geared toward freshmen.

In February, Sac State mentors Vance Jarrard, John Kanemoto, Kiersten Hansen and Haylee Crowley attended the 30th annual conference on the First Year Experience, which gave the mentors information and tools that they could bring back to the program.

Kanemoto, a Sac State student and mentor, was chosen as a fellow to the First Year Experience National Convention in Atlanta. Kanemoto earned a $400 scholarship to cover the conference fees.

“Those of us that are peer mentors understand the importance of a positive experience and a good first year,” Jarrard said. “We do all we can to make sure our mentees are comfortable at Sac State and that they get as much out of their college experience as possible.”

First Year Experience President Diondra McClendon said students in transition should take advantage of the program.

“Getting involved in First Year Experience is more important for freshmen than transfer students because the program is designed to specifically walk them through the first years as they transition from high school to the university level,” McClendon said.

The First Year Experience also incorporates 53 sections of freshmen seminars this spring

and they vary in subjects from child development to history.

University Learning Communities are for specific majors and have 34 sections this spring.

In the freshmen seminars and learning community courses; Twenty to 30 Sac State mentors present time management, study skills and general education information to students.

Jarrard said learning about his group of students is one of the best parts of his job.

“This semester I am mentoring about 25 first year students,”

get out. We provide someone they can listen to.”

Learning Communities allow students to learn over and involve students with big questions that matter beyond the classroom, Arnaud said.

First Year Experience Director Lynn Tashiro said some people who take these classes are suffering from the poor economy.

“Data shows that every time the economy tanks, people go back to school because there’s

File Photo

First Year Experience helps freshmen throughout their first year as new Sac State students.

Jarrard said. “They all have different majors, different interests and backgrounds which makes the job even more interesting.”

Mentors act as academic advisers helping freshmen and transfer students pick classes and direct them toward resources they need. Freshmen meet twice a semester; the first meeting involves getting to know each other and the second is for advising them.

“We act somewhat as a counselor for them,” Jarrard said. “Everything they talk to us about is confidential, which gives them an environment to talk about things they may be struggling with or just need to

not a lot of opportunities for good-paying jobs,” Tashiro said.

First Year Experience also holds free events to students.

Last year included a talent show and a movie screening of “Inception.” These events help students get involved on campus and make friends throughout the time at Sac State.

“We want to show our mentees that they don’t have to come to school to just go to class and then go home. We want them to know that Sac State has a lot to offer and there is always something going on for them,” Jarrard said.

Proposed summer changes allow for a ‘per-unit’ price

By Matt Harrington mharrington@statehornet.com Sacramento State will once again consider a move from the flat fee rate for summer session courses to a self support system, according to an announcement made during Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez’s town hall budget meeting.

Instead of paying a flat rate that was originally projected in the 2008-10 course catalogue, students will now be able to pay per unit.

According to the College of Continuing Education’s 2010 summer session webpage, undergraduate students paid $274 per unit.

Summer session proposed changes

•

Summer session would be offered at a set price per unit

•

There would be no funds used to support the summer session

No resources will be made available for the 2011 summer session from the general fund for the upcoming 2011-12 academic school year. Also, 2011 summer enrollment will not be counted into the new school year.

The switch to self-support will use no funds from the upcoming fiscal school year, making enrollment for the 2011 summer session stay the same. This will in turn allow the 2011-12 fiscal funds to be applied only to the upcoming school year for courses and enrollment.

Taking the lead for the summer session will be the College of Continuing Education, as it will facilitate the summer session, much as it did in 2010.

With the new budget still being worked out and growing concerns of further cuts to education, Joseph F. Sheley, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the CSU system extended this offer as a way of giving the campus’ flexibility with the numbers for the upcoming budget are being worked out.

“The chancellor’s office gave the campuses the option of offering a summer schedule on a self-support basis. Students will pay for courses on a courseby-course basis, as opposed to stateside support, mixed general funds and student tuition,” Sheley said.

If this option was not used, fiscal 2011-12 funds would have to be spread out over three terms: the summer session and fall and spring semesters. Under the proposal, all the funds can be focused on just the fall and spring semester for courses and enrollment figures.

Sheley said it is not a matter of how all this will impact resources, but rather the campus will have the ability to direct funding to where it is needed.

He also said if the change were not to happen, circumstances on campus could become grim.

In his budget briefing to the campus community, Gonzalez explained that the 2011-12 fiscal operating budget for the entire CSU system is being projected at $2.2 billion. This is down 18 percent, a $500 million cut to the budget, and brings the operating cost to the same levels as the 1999-2000 fiscal year.

Alice Tom, dean of the College of Continuing Education, said the new system should be more welcoming for students wanting to take classes.

“We have yet to conduct a consumer survey to see if students like paying for summer session classes in either a lump sum or in a pay as you go system,” Tom said. “But what we

hear from our other colleagues on other campus, that the per unit fee is more friendly from the student perspective because the student can pay for what they need.”

As of right now, College of Continuing Education does not have full details concerning the cost of 2011 summer session for Sac State. Tom said the CSU chancellor’s website suggests the price per unit for campuses conducting a summer session be $315 per unit.

This is up 15 percent from last year’s price of $274 per unit, a jump to match the fee increase passed by the CSU Board of Trustees back in November 2010.

For some students, the new pricing system will not be the sole attractor to attend. Junior social science major Josh Alvarez-Mapp said he needs to take into account several variables before he will commit his summer to extra learning.

“Generally whenever I consider going to summer school, I base my decision on how badly do I want to finish school on time. Sometimes my decision will also include if I have to retake a class to get a better grade,” Alvarez-Mapp said. “But most importantly, I look at my finances to determine where I am and if I can afford to go to summer school.”

With the summer session program returning to the College of Continuing Education after 10 years of being under general campus control, Tom said her department will take up the call for action and aid all those wishing to take classes.

“The College of Continuing Education is here to support student matriculation and student completion to graduation,” she said. “Because if our help with the summer session helps students get closure to graduation in a more timely way, then that is good for everyone.”

By Brett Johnson bjohnson@statehornet.com The Free University of San Francisco opened its doors to students seeking a cost-free alternative to traditional higher education, a concept that has piqued the interest of some Sacramento State students, and left others skeptical.

The university has no permanent classrooms, no administration buildings and no paid faculty. Students do not earn college credits or grades for the classes they take, and the courses have no prerequisites.

The university is not an official institution, nor does it plan to be.

“That’s part of the magic,” said Alan Kaufman, creator of Free University. “We’re a collective.

We’re a university that exists only within the heart of its members. We see teaching as a conversation between students and teachers, and we don’t need walls for that.”

Kaufman, an author and professor prior to the school’s beginnings, first conceived of the idea for the university in 2004 following his strike against his former employer, The Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Kaufman held freedom of speech seminars in his pop-culture class to protest the school.

When the administration restricted him from having guests come in and give free speech lectures, he took his classroom outside – onto the streets.

Kaufman said in that moment he realized being inside of a classroom was unnecessary to his teaching.

“We need to stand up to the colleges that are exploiting students,” Kaufman said. “I want to bring about the downfall of the capitalization and privatization of education, and have higher education reconsider their profit-seeking ways.”

The Free University has seven lecture courses taught

by volunteering professors and self-taught professionals in law, art, literature and history.

The first set of classes started Sunday and is scheduled to run until April 3. Classes are presently held at Viracocha, an antique store that has given the university permission to use its premises.

Free University facts

•

•

The school opened in San Francisco on April 3 with 13 classes.

All teachers are not paid and are volunteering professors or experts.

The university is featuring a course on American law and evidence taught by Matt Gonzalez, prominent San Francisco lawyer and running mate of Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader. Chuck Sperry, an artist renowned for creating posters for big-name rock bands, is teaching an art seminar.

“A university without tuition or fees could exist anywhere, including Sacramento,” Kaufman said. “We’re creating a model for free higher education that anyone can emulate. That’s our role, our purpose.”

Ethnic studies professor Timothy Fong supports the idea, but questions how realistic it is for a university to function without money.

“Higher education was originally intended to be available to anyone,” Fong said, “Education is supposed to be a right, not a privilege. The unfortunate truth is that instructors, buildings and technology all require money. It’s not really possible for anything to be free in today’s society. The Free University seems like a good cause, but

I just don’t see it working.”

Junior graphic design major Martin Mendoza said not having to take out loans and empty his bank account for an education is a foreign concept to him.

“I think that it’s an awesome idea,” he said. “I mean, we pay all of this money for what?

A piece of paper that says we learned something. There’s been times that I’ve paid money for elective courses just because they seemed interesting, and not because it was a requirement. If I could learn those interesting things for free, I would definitely do it.”

While a tuition-free college experience appeals to some, senior speech pathology major Stephanie Borja said not receiving credits for courses takes away from the purpose of going to a university.

“What student wouldn’t want to go to college for free?”

Borja said, “However, you need a degree for just about any profession. The option to take some free classes on the side would be nice, but I wouldn’t give up my Sac State education, however expensive it is, for a school that won’t grant me a diploma.”

Kaufman said that the Free University will continue to expand, and will do so without the help of any fundraising or donations. The university has another 13 planned classes to implement, with an additional 30 proposed courses still being evaluated.

“There’s been a lot of question about whether or not the Free University is sustainable,” Kaufman said, “I say that it’s sustainable as long as there’s enough people that care about it. I’ve seen students in terrible financial conditions, sleeping on dirty laundry and eating Ramen all day. If we can continue teach, liberate and empower students without any money being involved – we’ll sustain.”

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Wednesday - March 9

News Section

Press club scholarships near for students in Sacramento

By Yvette Villasenor yvillasenor@statehornet.com The Sacramento Press Club awards journalism, communications and public relations students in the Sacramento area with five scholarships every year, totaling $17,500 – which is among the largest scholarships given in Northern California.

Students compete for staggered scholarships: first place earns $6,000, second place earns $4,000 and then finally three $2,500 scholarships.

Sac State students have been awarded these scholarships in the past and the Sacramento Press Club makes money available to juniors, seniors and graduate students. Ten finalists are chosen out of the pool of applicants.

The Sacramento Press Club is a nonprofit educational organization and is composed of political reporters, columnists, new media journalists, public relations experts, press secretaries, political consultants and legislative staff.

Rich Ehisen, president of the Sacramento Press Club, said the club works with people who have a passion for writing.

“We go out of our way to try to connect journalism students with the journalism community,” Ehisen said.

Students who want to apply must live in Sacramento, be enrolled in a Sacramento college or university or plan on reporting news or state political coverage.

Sac State public relations major Kimmy Selberg said the Sacramento Press Club is a great way for students to meet people and make connections that could help them further their career.

“Personally it is valuable. The members are good at mentoring students, they give first hand on experience and help with what’s important for a student’s career,” Selberg said.

As a student, Selberg said she

believes the Sacramento Press Club has helped her to see the connection between public relations and journalism and how to work together to further careers.

Opportunities with the Sacramento Press Club include free evening seminars, trainings, mixers and also hosts students at the club’s luncheons. At these events students are able to meet lawmakers and network with industry professionals.

Sebastian Moore, senior communication studies major, said he had a great experience so far with Sacramento Press Club.

Sacramento Press Club Scholarship requirements

•

• •

Must be a junior, senior or a graduate student for the 2011-12 academic year Must have a connection to the Sacramento Region To fill out an application, go to www. sacpressclub.org/ application

“I attended one of their luncheon meetings and saw how the press club operates and runs,” Moore said. “It’s an incredible thing to be in a room of accomplished journalists.”

The Sacramento Press Club encourages students from different fields to become members. The yearly student membership rate is $20.

Cameron Partridge, senior public relations major, became a Sacramento Press Club member a few months ago.

“The most valuable part of Sacramento Press Club is being able to network and learn from people in public relations and journalism in the field is the biggest advantage for me,” Partridge said.

Partridge said he encourages journalism students to apply to the scholarships because not enough do. He and other student members of the Sacramento Press Club are organizing a campaign to bring awareness to the scholarship opportunities.

Candidates must demonstrate ability, have an interest in the journalism field and have a clear need for financial support.

Students who have an interest in covering news at their schools or in the region are encouraged to apply.

“It’s free money. It’s awesome because not only do you get the free money but you are able to be recognized by the whole entire club which in itself is an achievement.” Partridge said.

“There are working journalists and people on the board that have been around for a long time. If you are able to be a recipient that says, ‘You’re ready to make something great out of your career.’”

Todd Wilson, Sac State alumnus, journalist and scholarship winner, in 2009 earned the largest scholarship offered – $6,000.

“The scholarship let me stay on at Sac State to be editor in chief at The State Hornet, which got me into a master’s program in Illinois,” Wilson said. “Now I’m reporting on state government at the Chicago Tribune.”

Wilson said he could depend on the journalists he met at luncheons and through covering stories related to the Sacramento Press Club.

Edie Lambert, co-chair of the scholarship committee, said the need for scholarships has never been greater with the current budget cuts.

“Journalism as a field and career is really coming under fire with newsroom and newspapers folding,” Lambert said. “The model of journalism is changing as a business with people trying to figure out how to make money and get out accurate information.”

Comedy: Perfomance features relatable satirical characters Continued | page A1 groceries.

“I was a little nervous when I came on stage, so I let that nervousness kind of feed my character,” Oghabian said.

She said the balance between such a serious subject and comedy makes it more accessible to the audience.

time around so I felt really good about my performance.”

Marianne Gaona, who plays Gerardo’s wife Antonia, did not know any Spanish going into the production said she relied on her co-stars to help get her through some of the dialogue up until that night.

“It’s an entirely different thing to memorize a different lan-

Chris Chiang State Hornet

Characters from the play, “No Se Paga,” perform a renovated, comedic version in the University Theatre on Saturday.

“It has such an impact on people, and it’s funny at the same time,” Oghabian said.

“Political satire, like comedian Stephen Colbert is my favorite.

It ties into what’s going on with the economic downfall.”

Erik Meza, a sophomore who portrays Luis, Gerardo’s co-worker and friend, said there is a whole new energy every time you step up in front of an audience.

“When I go on stage there is always something I do differently as an actor. You go up there and you can only hope for the best, you know as an actor if something isn’t working out,” Meza said. “I know for myself, I put a lot more energy into it this

guage you don’t know,” Gaona said. “Harder than performing Shakespeare.”

Pickett said he decided to lower the price on opening night and sell to groups to get a full audience and who end up being their advertisement for the remaining performances until Sunday.

Pickett said the themes of struggle and getting through the day are timeless, particularly in difficult times.

“Especially now because of the economy people are losing their jobs, putting up with furloughs, surviving with no work, gas is going up, people are losing jobs it’s just insane,” Pickett said. “That’s what we’re

trying to show in this play, when people are desperate to a point, it’s almost anarchy.”

He said one of the reasons he thinks it works is that the play can be adapted to any city in which people live.

“It will be relevant because the whole nation suffers, when one state suffers, most of the nation suffers,” Pickett said.

“People can adapt if to their own situation and relate to it, and say, ‘That’s exactly what’s going on.’”

Shel Hurni, a writer who was in attendance, said “No Se Paga” with the comedic chemistry of the two couples it reminded him of “I Love Lucy.”

“When you are living on the edge you have to be really resourceful,” Hurni said.

Pickett said he hopes the play’s relevance in the current recession will make a difference.

“Even when we watch something on television that talks about a factory closing all of a sudden the play comes up in our mind,” Pickett said. “We get to see their personal hell, and I think you’re living that life up on stage. That’s the power of the theatre, that’s the power of the arts.”

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Wednesday - March 9

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Impact: Four winners known for their vision at Sac State Continued | page A1 people around you,” said Sherrie Carinci, associate professor of teacher education and winner of the Women of Influence award.

Jesse Charlton State Hornet

Macellina Amonoo receives a Woman of Influence award.

Carinci has been part of Sac State faculty since 1994 and has helped Sac State during her years as a faculty member.

Carinci taught and helped expand the undergraduate teacher education program, helped coordinate 10 freshman seminar sections, and helped establish a graduate master of arts education gender equity program.

“I am honored and humbled

to have been nominated and awarded to be a woman of influence. I truly believe the people you work with influences a person the most,” she said.

Although faculty members received nominations for their role of influential figures, students were also recognized for their dedication and passion to make change happen for the Sac State community.

Macellina Amonoo, senior health science major, brought awareness to Sac State about topics related to chronic diseases African American women face, and negative body images due to media perceptions.

Amonoo’s passion for raising health care awareness lead to her program called “Not My Hair.” The event involves positive body image and wellness for the women of Sac State.

Amonoo’s efforts to present her “Not My Hair” campaign was not regionally successful this time, but she said it takes small steps to make a difference and hopes she will have another chance to nationally represent her campaign.

“People will acknowledge your passion and will see your commitment as a leader to make a change as long as you stay dedicated,” she said, “And if you are passionate to do it for free, then people will start paying you for it.”

Influential figures of the “Women of Influence” ranged from different ethnic backgrounds and strive for different goals. However, the nominees all were passionate about their ambitions.

Women’s Herstory committee member Shakshi Sharma, sophomore biology major, became more involved in college when she became a resident adviser in the Sac State residence halls.

She established many programs to help create a fun atmosphere where everyone would participate and learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships, how to get over a breakup, and when is the right time for a relationship.

Sharma said her college experience has been fun, but has most importantly taught her the different ways of communication.

Although Sharma believes she is a passionate leader, she was surprised to be a winner of the Women of Influence award.

“This award has opened my eyes to what I have provided to my community. I used to consider myself to be a passive person, but this award has showed me that is not true,” she said. “I now believe in myself more and it makes me want to do be even more involved with my community and to do it for them.”

Learn: Workshops aimed to create new ways of teaching Continued | page A1 instructors serving as presenters in the break-out sessions,” Stetson said.

The conference held three 50 minute break-out workshops for teachers to attend information sessions on what has been working in the various classrooms and lecture halls in the Sacramento area.

There were a total of 15 topics shared throughout the conference. Such topics included “Exploring Fair Sharing, Parts, and Wholes,” a lecture by professor Stephanie Biagetti on how to use story problems and pictorial representations to solve fractions.

The conference also had a total of eight exhibitors sharing various techniques and information that could be used inside the classroom. Stetson pointed out that most important piece of information being shared at the conference was new California education common core standards for mathematics that had just been adopted by the state in August 2010.

Beyond the informational booths for teachers, there were also national vendors that provide the education system with necessary curriculum materials.

The five vendors included

were Resource Area for Teachers, McGraw-Hill Publishing, Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt Publishing, Holt-McDougal Publishing and Pearson Education Publishing.

Cynthia Powers, sales representative for Pearson Education, said many resources were available for attendees to use at the conference.

“We are here to show the educators that we have some pretty dynamic and interactive textbooks,” Powers said. “Also that we offer digital media that students can access at home and features help options, instructive tutorials and work examples.”

Mira Loma High School math teacher Paul Burger said the conference helped him discover techniques he could use in his own classroom.

“I wanted to look for a few more ways I can work with my students effectively and find ideas that will help me reach more students in the classroom,” he said. “I wanted to learn how to work with underachieving students and one of the sessions dealt with this topic and how to help these students perform better.”

He said will keep coming back to the conference for as long as he can. He feels the more he learns the better equipped he will be when he encounters students from all backgrounds.

“I want to be able to reach the kids that are harder to reach through conventional means. A lot of times, it seems that teachers don’t want to deal with the lower end classes. But for me, I want to be able to help those kids,” Burger said.

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EDITORIAL

Commenters Students value degree are cowards more than education

Look to your left. Now back to me. Now gaze at yourself in this mirror. You are wearing a cap and gown. Now back at me.

What is in my hand? A degree.

Now review your college experience. Did you actually learn anything in getting this degree?

The general consensus seems to be that students are coming to college to get a degree and graduate, all in the name of getting a high-paying job. And sometimes the education part takes a back seat.

Who cares if you learn anything in your general education classes when you are learning how to do things specific to your job field? Does the War of 1812 matter if you are learning how to draft a structurally sound house? Do you care about the intricacies of government if you are learning how to make beautiful art? It works switching it around, too: Do you care about how to draw when you are learning exactly how government works?

Be honest. You probably have already forgotten half the classes that do not relate to your major or even the specific job field you are looking to break into. Your future employer, looking back at the architect example, could care less if you know that the War of 1812 is a misnomer; he will care about whether you can produce accurate blueprints.

“You need something to show for the work you’ve done,” said

Ashley Gibson, senior theater major. “You need to get a degree, unless you are taking the risk of getting in a profession that doesn’t require a degree.”

Then why should you care about learning things other than what your chosen profession demands? Why do we feel our knowledge has to have a beginning and an end? Why not keep learning, and learn as much as we can?

We should be well rounded.

You have probably heard of the term “jack of all trades,” but how would you like to be known as a “renaissance man/ woman” or a “polymath?”

A modern day Leonardo da Vinci?

Impress your friends with your wide range of knowledge, adaptability in many situations and partial mastery of different disciplines. Or be a polyhistor, where pure knowledge takes precedent over actual skill, and be able to pull seemingly random fun facts out of thin air.

Instead, students seem to have tunnel vision when it comes to higher education.

They forsake knowledge and cool titles for a piece of paper.

Granted, this piece of paper might get them a job, but think about what this means for society.

What if, instead of getting a degree, you could get educated, and do it for free? You might think this is impossible, or at the very least insane, but the Free University of San Fran-

COLUMN: What is Halal, and why should you care? Here’s a hint: It has to do with food. Find out more in Nadiah Niazi’s column at statehornet.com

cisco would beg to differ.

FUSF is not accredited, nor is it even a real university, meeting in Viracocha, an antiques shop, on Valencia Street.

Classes are held on Sundays and Mondays, and enrollment is the very definition of open: Show up, and if there is space, you are in the class.

While you may call shenanigans and dismiss this as some hippie collective, bear in mind that the classes are taught by people entrenched in their fields. Among the teachers are a former professor at Columbia University, an attorney, and the former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. There are seven classes offered this “semester” which began on Saturday and runs for five weeks.

Kyle Hubert, junior film and video production major, thought the concept was “cool,” especially for people who can’t afford to get into college.

“It’s like a daycare for adults, or an after school program for adults,” Hubert said.

Rebecca Huston, junior liberal arts major, disagreed with Hubert’s assessment.

“It’s annoying,” Huston said.

“I don’t see the point. In today’s society, it’s not good enough, you need to get a degree. (The idea is) great, but no one will accept just saying you learned something.”

Ask yourself if you would rather have a degree and pay tuition, or get a traditional

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education for free. Would you take the opportunity? Would you ditch the student loans and forsake that piece of paper, possibly at the expense of being ridiculed and not getting a better job? Now pull back to reality and remember why many students go to college.

We want to take the easiest route to whatever we deem our goal to be, regardless of consequences. If we learn less overall but get a job, mission accomplished. Maybe we are not well rounded, but the goal of having a job has been reached.

If that is what you really want, go for it. But if you would rather not be a dull worker drone, take a step back, take some fun classes that sound interesting and focus on getting an education. A real education, not a profession-specific one.

Take a course on the history of rock music, or a class on Asian cinema. Having an interest in the topic makes it easier to learn.

When it comes time to graduate, ask yourself whether you really learned anything from college, or if you were only preparing for a job. If, like most students of our generation, you took the easy way out and just got a degree, you may want to consider taking more classes, just to work your brain.

Which would you rather have on your business card: Renaissance Man/Woman, or plain old Architect?

By Dante Frattini dfrattini@statehornet.com The power of communication is one of the human race’s greatest strengths. Thousands of years of evolution have granted us the gifts of language, writing and speech.

Now, with numerous technological advances, humans have increased the efficiency and speed in which they are able to communicate with friends and strangers alike. But at the same time, we also caused devolution in interpersonal skills.

Texting, email, instant messaging and more have all contributed to the depersonalization of interaction, but they alone are not responsible for the greater offense: the slow death of respectful human discourse.

I often email, text and instant message family members, friends and professors in a very respectful and proper manner.

But I know those people.

Whether or not they like what I say, at least they know who is saying it.

considered forums for art, it is expected that comments of both praise and criticism will be submitted.

But what passes for criticism online is often not criticism at all, but spineless defamation.

In 23 years of living, I have received less than a handful of letters from secret admirers.

In just a semester and a half of writing for this paper I have received at least five times that amount from secret readers who feel that I have no business doing what I am doing.

Perhaps they are right. I often question my ability, worth and future. But when I doubt myself, I understand why, and it is usually constructive. Same as when I am critiqued by an editor or a peer.

These types of criticisms allow people to grow; however, they are found in short supply on the Internet.

I recently heard someone say Las Vegas isn’t visited by actual people, but by the alter egos of those people.

I think the Internet is basically a much larger, digital Las Vegas.

Visitors routinely lose their conscience, moral compass and lots of money. But if asked, prior to their trip, whether they would wish for that to happen, the overwhelming majority would say no. And rightly so.

PODCAST:

This week, Buzzed takes on the road rage-inducing topic of bad drivers on the highway. Listen in as Cole Mayer and Alex Poggione rant about drivers who go 40 mph in the carpool lane.

Graphic by Alicia Palenyy State Hornet

E-readers destroy tradition

By Kelly Walters kwalters@statehornet.com I have a love affair with books. The musty smell of old pages is comforting, like spending the evening with a long-lost friend. The crisp, clean excitement of a brandnew book is like a present waiting to be unwrapped.

Paperbacks become tattered, pages torn, with little notes written in the tight margins to remind me later of the thoughts and feelings I had the first time I read it, like a journal hidden among the words of others. Hardbacks sit on the shelf, stoic in their enduring nature, yearning to be opened, explored and loved.

So it was a sad day when Borders Group, Inc. announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closing more than 200 stores nationwide.

Borders, like many other companies, is struggling to survive in the bleak economic climate that has already claimed the life of so many other businesses.

It has fierce competition from online retailers like Amazon. com that don’t have the brickand-mortar overhead of the traditional bookstore.

However, price competition is not the only enemy of the bookstore. E-readers are moving into the market, forcing booksellers to rethink their strategies to keep up with technology.

Now, instead of leisurely browsing the shelves of a bookstore and admiring the colorful and creative covers, people can instantly download a book to a device such as a Kindle or an iPad wherever they are.

Tony Gragg, a Borders employee, has seen an increasing interest in e-readers over the last two years.

He said older people buy the devices most often because they like the convenience of the light weight and portability. Also, a lot of them just don’t have room for more books, he said.

E-readers can certainly be convenient.

Most of them can hold 1,000 or more books.

They are great for traveling and for those who enjoy having content at the drop of a dime.

But, some people don’t want to stare at a digital screen for any longer than necessary.

“I’m already on the computer all day, every day, so if I’m going to read for pleasure I’d rather have a traditional book,” said Ivania Enriquez, senior psychology major.

E-readers also take away the enjoyment of spending an

moving very quickly to make the change.

“The impermanence of textbooks makes them the best candidate for electronic versions,” Parsons said. “It wouldn’t just be a convenience, but a benefit.”

Textbooks are constantly being updated, forcing students to purchase the newest editions at a higher cost than used books. If they were offered in an electronic format updates could be done automatically, saving students money, Parsons said.

Parsons hopes the push toward e-books in the general market will be like a vacuum, sucking the textbook market in with it.

There are clearly benefits to having your entire library neatly packaged into one little device. But scrolling through the pages of an e-book just isn’t the same as flipping printed pages, and it can be devastating to lose Graphic by Jonathan Krebs State Hornet everything if your device is broken or stolen. to instill in him the pleasure of As I browse the overflowtaking your time, enjoying the ing bookshelf in my room, adventures hidden within the reminiscing about where I pages. was in life when I acquired The transition to digital each of them, I realize future books is also entering the textgenerations may not know the book market, albeit at a slower pleasure that comes from the pace. tactile experience of holding a Pam Parsons, director of the book in your hands.

Hornet Bookstore, said textIt makes me sad. I’m sure books are a better candidate for there’s a book in the self-help electronic versions than general section of the bookstore to get books, but publishers aren’t me through it. afternoon at the bookstore, sipping coffee and discovering new authors.

When my son was little, we would spend Sunday afternoons at Borders, reading and giggling over the funny pictures in the children’s section. It was a time to bond and

Online, however, strangers are given the opportunity to contribute to ongoing conversations, or to inject their opinion on various works of creation, while remaining anonymous.

The ability to hide behind a proverbial curtain encourages those who would otherwise remain silent to speak with grandeur and authority, two qualities they likely lack in reality.

The act of appearing tough when there is absolutely no threat of consequence is one of the most blatant signs of cowardice. It’s easy to write a hatefilled, profanity-laden diatribe when you know you cannot be held accountable.

If websites are going to allow scathing and unproductive comments to remain posted, then they should at least require the authors to give their name.

Even if it is just an account name or email address, it gives some identity and hopefully limits the amount of anonymity-fueled power trips that occur online.

Realistically though, the size and magnitude of the Internet severely impairs the abilities of regulation and policing.

It is not that criticism, feedback and insults aren’t expected.

Most artists and writers welcome criticism. Even in the world of blogs and message boards, which can be hardly

So why do people in these two realms consistently act in ways they, themselves, deem undesirable?

Because by way of lax regulations, these two unique environments encourage what is elsewhere considered unacceptable human behavior.

But away from these places, reality still exists. And it is a place where actions generate consequences, respect is rewarded and the cowardly are either the quietest or the loudest, but never the greatest.

Everyone, including the cowardly, should have the right to freedom of speech. And the victims of verbal attacks should have the right to know who is attacking them, and be able to respond accordingly.

It is unreasonable for someone responding to an idea to believe they are immune from whatever reaction they incite.

Rarely are people afforded the chance to give monologues.

Human expression is a twoway street.

The news that is delivered in the dark of night is much more likely to be bad than good. And while this kind of “bad” is nothing compared to the atrocities on the nightly news, it is also subject to a much simpler solution.

A little common decency.

Or have we devolved that from our DNA as well?

Do you want your name in the paper?

Send your comics or letters to the opinion editor at opinion@statehornet.com.

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Disproving stereotypes with art

Bunky Echo-Hawk, ‘proactive artist,’ comes to Sacramento State

By Kayla Oliverio koliverio@statehornet.com This generation has been exposed to negative images of Native American people in the media and in general, not much has been available in mass media to undermine such stereotypes, but Bunky Echo-Hawk is coming to Sacramento State to hopefully do just that. “(There are) stereotypes where our people are onedimensional and it has an effect on the mainstream culture in America that adds to the lack of education about our culture,” Echo-Hawk said.

Echo-Hawk, a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts, is a contemporary artist who uses a broad array of mediums in his artwork. Echo-Hawk is a Native American “proactive artist,” meaning he uses his art to create a dialogue and raise awareness about an issue. He also supports non-profit organizations involved in helping developmentally disabled community members and juvenile justice leagues.

He is a fine artist, graphic designer, photographer, painter, writer and traditional singer and dancer from the Pawnee and Yakama tribes of Oklahoma. Recently, he signed a contract with Nike to design shoes for Nike’s N7 line to promote healthy lifestyles within the Native American community.

The shoes are designed with tribal symbols and colors in mind and Nike’s website says “the step pattern represents different stages in life and is prevalent in many southwestern tribal arts.”

“I use my art for social commentary but also as a means to not only convey ideas to confront stereotypes, but also as an educational tool,” Echo-Hawk said.

Echo-Hawk’s goal is to educate his audience on Native American culture by converting old stereotypes created by the mass media into a more positive perspective.

Echo-Hawk sometimes uses the media in his work as a vehicle to deliver his messages.

“For example, I used images of Yoda from Star Wars and I converted him to a Native (wearing) a war bonnet and at first people will laugh, as it is an amusing image, but it forces the viewer to consider Natives as the good guy for a change. In movies, Natives are usually the bad guys. This

country accepts Indians were the bad guys. By making them heroes, it reverses the effect,” Echo-Hawk said.

The Media Awareness Network of Canada website has observed the negative portrayals of Natives in the media, displaying Natives as “the wise elder, the aggressive drunk, the Indian princess, the

loyal sidekick, obese and impoverished.” Echo-Hawk feels that these stereotypes are damaging to Native people because of their insulting and outdated nature.

“I think (media) has a profound effect (on Native American culture). There is a lack of representation of Native American culture and when there is a representation, it is misrepresented.

For our Native youth, it is sad we don’t have positive role models.

We don’t have our heroes in the movie screens or on TV and music,” Echo-Hawk said.

Echo-Hawk said he became motivated to begin his career as a proactive artist from “just seeing the lack of an honest, contemporary, artistic voice coming from Indian country.”

Echo-Hawk’s appearance at Sac State will not be a typical lecture.

“I am actually performing. I am doing an interactive art with the audience. The audience is actually going to conceptualize a painting and I will paint it for them on the spot,” Echo-Hawk said.

These interactive paintings and more will be available at a live auction, starting at $10. EchoHawk’s paintings typically reach

two to three thousand dollars at auction. All proceeds from this auction will go to Sac State’s Ensuring Native Indian Traditions club.

Chrissa DeRosiers, president of Ensuring Native Indian Traditions club, is looking forward to Echo-Hawk’s lecture to bring about awareness of Native Amer-

Art and photos courtesy of Bunky Echo-Hawk

Clockwise from top right: Bunky Echo-Hawk paints on a large canvas; a live portrait of Nike CEO Mike Parker painted at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.; Bunky Echo-Hawk displays his tattoos and piercings; one of Bunky Echo-Hawk’s paintings titled “If Yoda Was An Indian.”

ican art, culture and tradition.

“He and his family are pretty well known in Indian country in regards to political activism (and) working in the tribal community in Washington DC. Basically, in Native American country, he is a pretty big deal,” DeRosiers said.

Echo-Hawk’s father is a civil

rights attorney who battles for Native American rights and also wrote a book for which EchoHawk provided the illustrations.

Vanessa Esquivido, Ensuring Native Indian Traditions club member, is glad to see her organization, as well as the MultiCultural Center and the Native American studies department come together to make Echo-

Hawk’s event happen.

“I am most excited about the campus and community coming together. There has been a really big disconnect in the past,” Esquivido said.

Echo-Hawk’s lecture could bring awareness and education to the campus about positive Native American images.

Bunky Echo-Hawk’s live art and mini-lecture is at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the University Union Ballroom.

District 30 falls short of claimed excellence

By Alex Grotewohl agrotewohl@statehornet.com

For those who feel like they have not spent enough money lately, District 30 is now here to meet their needs.

The nightclub, which opened in January, is the brain child of George Karpaty. Karpaty also owns Ruby Skye, a well-known club in San Francisco.

Manager David Brattmiller, who also runs the adjacent Pizza Rock and Dive Bar, said many of the things that make Ruby Skye a respected name in the industry are also present at District 30. “(They were designed) with the same creative imagination,” Brattmiller said.

Brattmiller referred mainly to the sound system, which is loud, to say the least. It is modeled after the one in Ruby Skye, which has allegedly won “best sound” at the prestigious Winter Music Conference, an annual summit where awards are handed out for virtually every aspect of the dance club industry.

Brattmiller is very proud of this system. He said the space was designed around it, rather than the other way around. The ceiling features “clouds” of acoustic material similar to that used in Carnegie Hall in New York City.

While District 30’s website boasts an impressively long list of sound system specifications, I did not find the result to be any better than other upscale dance clubs. The bass still pounds in your chest, just like you would expect it to.

Face-melting dance beats may be the same no matter where you go, but one area where District 30 stands out is its look. Walking down K Street towards the club, the first thing I noticed was the set of giant screens towering over the entrance. Partier and former Sacramento State student Adam Weil said the sleek facade complete with ambient blue lighting reminds him of clubs in more glamorous locations.

“I like the club atmosphere. It is very flashy,” Weil said. “I mean, the sign just screams L.A. or Miami.”

The sophisticated visual design continues inside, where busy, 3-D paintings hang above the highbacked VIP booths, and artsy chandeliers light the granitetopped bar.

On the Wednesday night I visited the club, the weeklong Mardi Gras celebration was just getting underway. The interior was well-decorated, with New Orleans-style light posts placed throughout the room, and a giant

archway reading “Bourbon St.” leading to the dance floor. The club’s website claims that “over $10,000 in decorations” were used.

Brattmiller said celebrations at District 30 are “Hollywood theatrical events.”

“I do not think Sac has seen anything decorated like we do it,” he said.

While it looks good, District 30 is like the neighboring Dive Bar in that it is way too small.

Customer Alyssa Davies, who said she is a veteran of Southern California club scenes, aptly described District 30 as “small and sweaty.” She said she does not like the dance floor, which is also very small.

I definitely agree with her assessment. It is hard at times to find paths through the writhing crowd to the bar. Once I got to the bar, I practically had to force my way in.

Another thing I really dislike about District 30 is that there is no real outside area. In most bars and clubs, there is a patio where partiers can get a breath of fresh air, or even just sit outside with a drink. There is no such section of District 30, with the only outdoors area being a tent covering a section of the K Street sidewalk with a couple floor-standing ash-

trays. For those unfamiliar with laws concerning public alcohol consumption, this means you cannot have a drink outdoors anywhere on the premises.

That said, I had a much better experience with drinks at District

30 than at Dive Bar. The drinks themselves were strong enough, and the prices were standard for a nightclub; mixed drinks with well liquor cost $7, but a bottle of Corona ran me a laughable $5. Brattmiller said drinks

cost the same at both places. It seems weird to me to charge the same for drinks at a bar and a nightclub.

Brattmiller said the cover

see Review| page B2

Steven Turner State Hornet

Last week District 30 celebrated Mardi Gras with festive decorations, beads, and masks.

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Sacramento Taiko Dan to bring the beat to Sac State All students can gain dance experience with CSUS club CLUB CORNER | WITHOUT BOUNDARIES DANCE ALLIANCE

By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com

Taiko drumming has been a part of the Japanese culture for centuries, originally used for the separation of towns and the setting of boundaries amongst villages, but today at noon Taiko drumming will be played in the University Union Ballroom solely to entertain and educate the Sacramento State community.

Three members of the group happen to be Sac State graduates, alumnae happy to return to campus and perform to the students of today.

“I was walking in San Francisco when I first heard Taiko drumming,” group member Kris Marubayashi said. “You hear the pounding and your body just automatically tunes into it, I knew I had to be a drummer.”

Marubayashi, who received her master’s in education from Sac State, started playing musical instruments at an early age and has been a part of Taiko drumming for over 18 years.

“What’s different about drumming is that it is so physical, you’re not just sitting down when you play,” Marubayashi said. “Taiko incorporates both dance and movement.”

A very important part of Taiko drumming is form, she said, or what the drummers call kata.

“How you stand and how you move your arms is very important,” Marubayashi said.

“Performing really helps us work on our form and makes us stronger drummers.”

The Sacramento Taiko Dan group has performed internationally, she said, stopping in Europe and Japan. Locally the group visits different festivals, including the state fair, Marubayashi said.

“We also perform to a lot of schools, which ties into the educational component of our

work, Marubayashi said.

For drummer Loretta Lew, who received her bachelor’s degree in education from Sac State in 1962, Taiko drumming helps her stay physically fit.

“Drumming is creative and a good form of exercise, definitely keeps you in shape,” Lew said.

“This art is considered weight bearing, which is good for your bones.”

Being one of the older members of the group, Lew said her involvement has kept her young.

“I started drumming pretty late in life, I joined the club when I was 65,” Lew said. “We teach to people of all ages, from children

peaceful, good for the mind and body.”

Being a part of the club for 18 years, Takeuchi, who graduated with a degree in physical education in 1982, says she loves performing.

“The drums make a really big pounding noise, I love the sound it makes,” Takeuchi said.

“It really feeds your heart and I enjoy seeing the reaction people get when they see us perform.”

Lew said returning to the campus allows her to see just how the campus has changed since she graduated in 1962, with new buildings and a better student union.

Courtesy Photo

A Taiko sensei beats on a drum at a past Taiko Dan performance.

to people of my age.”

The group offers several different classes at their “dojo”, or practice hall.

“We meet a lot of different people, some take a one-time class or others take the eightweek session,” Lew said. “People who haven’t seen this before think it’s simply amazing.”

Besides the physical aspect of drumming, another alumna Kuniko Takeuchi said Taiko helps her relieve stress.

“When you are upset, you can beat the drums,” Takeuchi said.

“This makes you feel better and

“We didn’t have any of that when I went, nothing like it is now,” Lew said.

Marubayashi said she is proud to perform to the campus, a place she calls home.

“Many of us are graduates of Sac State, these are our roots,” Marubayashi said. “We love performing and sharing our passion among the students.”

Visit www.sactaiko.org for more information

By Erin Rogers erogers@statehornet.com On a campus facing budget cuts left and right, the dance and theater departments at Sacramento State have created a student-run organization that hopes to promote these forms of art amongst all majors.

“Anyone in or outside the department can join, it just serves to foster an interest in this art and get dance out onto the campus and into the community as much as possible,” said club adviser Lorelei Bayne.

The Without Boundaries Dance Alliance, previously named the Sac State Dance Alliance, is composed of members looking to further their experience in dance and theater, even if that is not their focus in school.

“Almost all of the members of the organization have performed at least one production put on by the theater department,” Bayne said. “Even if they are not majors or minors in dance, that they can come together and be members of this organization.”

Being a member of the club helps these students outside of the classroom, said club president Danielle Massaglia, junior dance and computer engineering major.

“Being a part of this club is important because you get closer to people and it is always good to have those relationships,” Massaglia said. “This allows you to be involved - you get to know your faculty and fellow students outside of class.”

Besides friendship, Massaglia said the dance alliance also helps students pursuing careers in dance.

“This clubs allows members to travel to dance conferences so

Photo courtesy of Tung Nguyen

Kinesiology major Christine Crooks (center) and graduate student Claudia Stafford (back left) flex their hands in unison for the Senior Dance Concert showed in Solano Hall, Room 1010 last spring.

they can showcase their work and represent the dance and theatre department here at Sac State,” Massaglia said. “Not only does this get our school out there, it also helps the dancers gain experience and exposure.”

During spring break, some of the students of this club will be representing Sac State by performing at the American College Dance Festival at CSU, Long Beach.

To help with their travel expenses, the Without Boundaries Dance Alliance is hosting a fundraiser from 5 to 6 p.m. on March 15 in Solano Hall, Room 1010.

“Some of the organization members will be performing some of their work that they are showcasing at the festival,” Bayne said. “This is really important to them and our campus, they are representing what we do here at Sac State.”

Students interested in being a member of the dance alliance are encouraged to e-mail the club president for further information and future meeting times at damnielle01@gmail. com.

“Dance is a very important asset to the community and the campus,” Bayne said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for students to be involved in something and have a voice.

Review: New K Street dance club expensive, overcrowded Continued | page B1 charge is usually $15, which is comparable to other local clubs like The Park Ultra Lounge.

The day I was there the combination of the special Mardi

Gras event and celebrity guest DJs LMFAO ran the cover up to $20.

District 30 is not the best dance club in Sacramento, and being the new, hip place to go will only last so long. While

more time and money may have been spent designing the look, it is just too small. Nothing else about it distinguishes it from the competition; I am over it.

B3 Sports Updates BASEBALL vs. UC SANTA

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| S p r i n g I ss u e 7 | S a c ramento S tate

Men’s basketball misses playoff spot

By Anthony Honrade ahonrade@statehornet.com Though the Sacramento State men’s basketball team is out of playoff contention for this season, the team still feels like it had a successful season and also a bright future moving forward.

“We’ve just been trying to get better every year,” said senior guard Sultan Toles-Bey. “Unfortunately, we can’t make the playoffs. We worked hard everyday.

There was just a couple of games we didn’t show up, didn’t compete because of a lack of energy.”

Sac State’s overall record is 7-21, and the men are 4-12 within the Big Sky

Conference.

“We definitely wanted playoffs,” said freshman guard Jackson Carbajal. “It’s a little bit of a disappointment, but we just try to get better everyday. We started to play better at the end of the year, and we played more like a team. We definitely improved from the beginning of the year.”

When asked about his thoughts on the season, head coach Brian Katz simply said, “We were so close, yet so far.”

No matter how cliché the saying may be, this was the theme throughout most of the season for the Hornets.

“If you were going to run a headline, we were so close to many games,” Katz

said. “We lost four (games) in overtime and I think we lost seven or eight on the last play of the game. You look at the record, 7-20, and it is deceiving from that point of view.”

Losing that amount of close and contested games would not only hurt a team’s standings, but it can also hurt the players’ confidence in future competitions as well.

“When you lose a couple of those, it affects you mentally,” said senior forward Duro Bjegovic. “It could have easily been a good season. If we got half those games, we would be in good shape.”

Toles-Bey emphasized that that the team’s main focus this season was to

improve on the court, both as individuals and as a team.

“We’re gelling, getting better everyday, even at this point,” Toles-Bey said.

“We just had a lot of growing to do, this season.”

Coming into the season, the Hornets were the most inexperienced team in the Big Sky Conference, which may have hurt them in terms of their win-loss totals this season, Katz said.

“Heading into the league, we only had three guys with Division 1 experience,” he said. “Next year all these guys will have experience, which is a real plus.

see Men| page B5

Moto Club hits Arenacross

By Joe Fleming jfleming@statehornet.com

at UC IRVINE

MARCH 13

1 P. M.

vs. MINNESOTA

MARCH 15

2 P. M.

GYMNASTICS vs. SAN JOSE STATE

MARCH 6

2ND PLACE 192.125 vs.

BOISE STATE, UC DAVIS MARCH 13

2 P. M.

ROWING vs. SACRAMENTO STATE INVITATIONAL

MARCH 12 8 A.M.

SOFTBALL at PACIFIC

MARCH 9

1 P. M.

Top: Moto Club president Stenson Womack (No. 831), takes off during a preliminary heat at Feb. 27 Arenacross.

at LONG BEACH STATE

TOURNAMENT FEB. 27

L 5-2

MEN’S TENNIS at

ARIZONA

Left: Womack races through the track to a first place finish.

MARCH 4

L 4-3

vs. MONTANA STATE

Right: Womack went on to finish third in the final race.

MARCH 11

4 P.M.

WOMEN’S TENNIS at CAL

MARCH 4

L 6-1

at UC IRVINE

MARCH 11

1:30 P.M.

MEN’S RUGBY vs. STANFORD

MARCH 5

W 17-14 at SANTA CLARA

MARCH 12

1 P.M.

Photos by Steven Turner State Hornet

The Sacramento State Hornet Moto Club is still in the early stages of its establishment, but its goal is to change the culture of the motocross community.

The Moto Club began last semester with a few guys that were enthusiastic about riding dirt bikes. In August of 2010 the group was officially deemed a club by the sports club program on campus.

The members meet twice a month at different locations on Sac State’s campus. The club’s president Stenson Womack, along with a few other guys, created it because they use riding dirt bikes as a break from the rigors of college.

“During the week it’s study, study, study,” Womack said.

“When you’re riding you don’t think of anything else, it’s a stress reliever.”

One major agenda of the club is to get young kids that are serious riders to consider college as a place to advance their careers in the sport and earn a degree at the same time.

Young riders who are trying to make it as professionals in motocross are often home schooled because of the constant traveling throughout the country, Womack said, and by creating this club it’s laying the foundation for future riders to compete at the college level.

“Most of the guys who take it really serious are home schooled in junior high and don’t even dream of going to college,” Womack said. “Many kids miss out on their childhood because they are gone so much.”

Womack said college basketball is a “breeding ground” for NBA recruitment and he hopes that one day motocross can be just as recognized in college. He hopes to establish a community of riders in college that could help etch a route to the professee Moto| page B6

Women search to break Women win final second place win streak game of season DOUBLE COVERAGE

By Stacey Adams sadanse@statehornet.com

The Sacramento State women’s golf team has high hopes to overcome its secondplace streak with the spring 2011 season.

Having finished in second place the last two years, head coach David Sutherland said he knows the team could go all the way because it won a conference just four years ago.

Last year, the team was close to pulling it off, missing first place by only two strokes.

“I believe in three things in our program: we have to be committed, confident and competitive,” David Sutherland said.

“It won’t be too difficult to get the kids motivated and fired up because we’ve been so close.”

Having a small team is a challenge the team faces this season.

By Cassie Kolias ckolias@statehornet.com

Courtesy of Bob Solorio

Julie Shutler practices her swing during a practice at Valley High Country Club.

There are four returning players: senior Samantha Saffold, junior Julie Shutler, sophomore Kercia Brakel and sophomore Hayley Holloway. This season will see

one new player, freshman Ellese Dias.

“We may not be playing with see Green| page B6

Women’s basketball finally won a game. And it was possibly the most important win of the season.

After having a Big Sky record of 0-14 going into their final game of the season against Weber State on Saturday, the young team needed this win.

The win gave the senior lady

Hornets a positive note to end their college basketball careers with.

Despite having a young team, it was extremely surprising that the team couldn’t win a game. To have a 14-game losing streak couldn’t have done anything for the women’s confidence.

But one thing that can’t be denied is the team’s outer optimism throughout the season remained.

Although it’s silly to think that the players or coaches would openly say negative things about the season, or about being torn down, it seemed like the losses fueled them to keep playing each game to try and secure a win.

After overall just winning see Basketball| page B5

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Wednesday - March 9

Sports Section

statehornet.com

Senior relief pitcher acts as a role model for young players

By AJ Taylor ataylor@statehornet.com

UC Davis for the first time since 2002.

A non-scholarship, recruited walk-on, Chamberlin could have pitched somewhere else

going to have a chance to play,’” Chamberlin said. “I said, ‘If you give me a fair shot, I’m down.’

He gave me a fair shot just like he said and I’ve been here ever

Senior relief pitcher James Chamberlin has earned a particular reputation amongst his teammates.

Commended for his positive energy, and model work ethic, Chamberlin, or Chambo as he is called, is acknowledged as a strong presence in the weight room, clubhouse, and especially on the mound.

But this was not always the case. When Chamberlin came to Sacramento State from San Mateo City College as a junior, he “had a lot of work to do.”

“He was kind of out of shape,” said head coach Reggie Christiansen. “His arm wasn’t in shape. He has worked really hard to get to where he’s at today.”

Today, Chamberlin serves his Hornets as the main set-up man to closer Brandon Sandoval. In that role Chamberlin owns the teams best ERA (1.46).

“James is one of the biggest parts of our team,” Photos by Jesse Charlton State Hornet said starting pitcher Dallas Above: Senior pitcher James Chamberlin pitched Chadwick. “He’s a guy who the sixth and seventh innings against UC Davis comes in and shuts it down for and only gave up one run. Left: Chamberlin warms us.” up for a game against UC Davis.

Sandoval’s first save of the season came against UC Davis, to earn a scholarship. Instead since.” and was set up by Chamberlin. he came to Sac State, looking Chamberlin had Coming in and shutting it for nothing more than a fair plenty of good times down, Chamberlin pitched in chance to play. in San Mateo, but relief for starter Karl Maas. “(Christiansen) basically he is happy to be Those two allowed Sandoval to told me, ‘You’re going to have pitching in Sacramento.

Had earn a two inning save, clincha chance to compete, you’re he chased a scholarship out of ing the season series against

state, his parents would not have been able to watch him pitch as they do every game.

Christiansen and his staff

debated the topic of converting Chamberlin to a starter this season, but the decision was

eventually made to save Chamberlin’s experience for the late innings.

“The older guys are more mature,” Christiansen said, “They’re more experienced, and the last nine outs of a baseball game are probably the hardest nine outs to get. They did a really good job in understanding, they kind of took one for the team so to speak because anybody wants to be a starter, but they understand what we want to do.”

Christiansen said he has implemented this theory of winning and players like Chamberlin, among others, are key agents of that theory.

Working hard, leading by example, and keeping an even keel are just some components of this theory.

“I’m not really that outspoken, but I feel like I lead by example,” Chamberlin said. “I try to do the right thing every time. Everyone can see that I compete my ass off on the mound. No matter what the score is no matter who I’m facing I’m going to get him out.”

Chamberlin holds that contributing to a winning team is all he is interested in. Whether it be out of the bullpen or starting the game.

His competitive energy acts as a catalyst for the Hornets.

His teammates say his energy is “infectious.” His head coach says he is “always doing the right thing on the baseball field.”

“He’s one of those guys who’s always talking,” said catcher Derrick Chung, “He’s energetic in the clubhouse. Just being around him makes us feel better. He’s one of those guys.”

Chamberlin, now beginning his second season as part of the Hornet pitching staff, continues to do his part in helping the younger members of the staff.

Dallas Chadwick, Tanner Mendonca and Sam Kyukendall, all freshman, make up the Hornets starting pitching staff.

In all of the Western Athletic Conference there are two other freshman starting pitchers.

“He’s a great leader for those younger pitchers,” Chung said.

“He’s been a great leader for every single one of them.”

Chamberlin has embraced that role. He prides himself in setting the bar, and setting the bar high.

“At certain situations I say, ‘Hey bro, this pitch would have been better you can understand why,’” Chamberlin said.

“Just give them a little bit of my knowledge, what I’ve been through. I’ve been through it all pretty much.”

But at the end of the day, Chamberlin says he is just a simple guy. “(My biggest struggle is) just giving up runs,” Chamberlin said. “That’s what really pisses me off. I hate giving up runs.”

Senior forward leaves with record three-point percentage

By Anthony Honrade ahonrade@statehornet.com In his time at Sacramento State, Duro Bjegovic of the men’s basketball team has become a significant contributor for the Hornets with the different skills he brings to the court.

“He’s a very skilled offensive player,” said head coach Brian Katz. “He can shoot the three, put it on the floor, post up, and he’s definitely a match-up problem for the opposition.”

After joining the team in his junior year, Bjegovic has been a solid offensive option because of his versatile style of play, Katz said.

In the 2009-10 season, Bjegovic was able to average 7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game – shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 46.8 percent from the 3-point line.

Bjegovic’s three-point percentage last season was the best on the team, and also allowed him to hold the best single-season 3-point percentage in Sac State’s Division 1 history.

He also put together double figures games in 10 of the last 15 games last season. Dur-

ing those 15 games, Bjegovic averaged 9.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 51.9 percent from the field and a staggering 53.1 percent from the three-point line.

“I played really good on the road towards the end of last season. These people didn’t know I could shoot cause I’m a big guy so I had to a lot of open shots,” Bjegovic said. “This year, people know I can shoot so they key in on me, double me, so it’s hard to get shots off.”

In Sac State’s previous two games against Weber State and Northern Arizona, Bjegovic was able to lead his team in points after failing to shoot on a more consistent basis throughout the season.

“I tried to stay positive,” Bjegovic said. “I got into a slump, so I just tried to get out of it. In the last two games, it was better and my shot was falling.”

In their time with playing with Bjegovic, some of the players on the team have come to admire his ability to score the basketball.

“He’s a good player inside, outside, he can shoot, dribble,

pass,” said senior guard Sultan Toles-Bey. “He can do it all.”

Freshman guard Jackson Carbajal even noticed something about Bjegovic that he wishes he could incorporate into his game.

“Duro is a great shooter,” Carbajal said. “Every time he gets the ball inside, he gets it, then bangs and bangs against the dude and he scores every time. I don’t know how he does it.”

After living in Drnis, Croatia for most of his life, Bjegovic, the 23-year-old senior forward, moved to the United States in 2006 and has been playing basketball since he was 8 years old.

“I actually played soccer first – like all of the European kids,” Bjegovic said. “But then winter came and it was snowy, so I just kind of quit and started going to the gym.”

He never would have played basketball if it was not for his mother.

“My mom actually signed me up for it,” Bjegovic said. “I went to a couple of practices, I liked it, and I just kept going.”

In his time with Sac State, Bjegovic has been in the top

Chris Chiang State Hornet

Surrounded by opposing players, Hornets foward Duro Bjegovic pushes through for the lay up in a Feb. 25 game.

five in minutes logged and has also worked on his defense to better contribute to the team, Katz said.

Bjegovic has also been a go-to guy on the offensive side of the basketball in late game situations.

“He’s a guy that our guys can count on to score baskets because they know he can score, and because of that, when the game matters, our guys look for him a little bit,” Katz said.

Bjegovic added that whenever he is on the court, his main focus is to help team in any way that he can so they can come out with the win.

“I just try to rebound, play defense, do hustle plays and whatever coach asks of me,” Bjegovic said.

Bjegovic’s presence and leadership on the court is something that the Hornets are going to lack after his departure from the team this season.

Without Bjegovic’s contributions on both ends of the floor next season, Carbajal said: “We’re definitely going to miss him.”

Wednesday - March 9

Sports Section

statehornet.com

B5

On Second Thought: Battle of the Athletes Which two athletes would you want to see battle it out?

By AJ Taylor ataylor@statehornet.com In today’s American society, raw, bestial, bloody sports are gaining popularity faster than any other. With the sudden explosion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship onto the media scene, the public is being exposed to the basest of human competition on a massive scale.

And now, apparently, watching men contend on a playing field lacks a certain appeal it once

had. Entertainment must come in the form of hammer punches to the face, and choke holds.

I have little experience with these types of competition, but in my own imagination a fight to the death between Giants closer Brian Wilson and Dodger’s catcher Jean “Russel” Martin would catch the most buzz.

A catcher from L.A. duels the craziest flame thrower this side of the Atlantic. It’s a good old American match-up: pitcher versus catcher, Giant versus Dodger.

These two will battle within a fitting stage, a more fitting shape, I should say. A diamond, dirt around the edges, clean-cut blue grass in the center. Bare knuckle bar fight rules, no discussion necessary.

Maybe they will find reason to fight. But waste no time deliberating over who would win, not because the subject is not worth your time.

Because, it is written that no man shall know.

Men: Season ends with an away loss Continued | page B3 We’ve only been blown out two games all year and the bottom line is with us competing and being close in so many games, we can build on the experience and success we had late in the season.”

All but two seniors will be returning. Bjegovic said the team next year will be much more cohesive as a unit and hopefully improve from this season.

“We had a lot of freshmen this year so it was a year of experience for them,” Bjegovic said. “I think they’re going to

be a good team because they already know how to play with each other. Just incorporate some new guys and they can get rolling.”

Carbajal learned a great deal this season he can use to benefit the team moving in forward.

Aside from getting stronger in the weight room and working on his handles on the court, Carbajal said playing in this type of division requires a significant amount of demand.

“We have to deal with not only physical pressure, but a lot of mental pressure as well because every one is up on you,” Carbajal said.

By Stacey Adams sadams@statehornet.com Two athletes that I would love to see battle it out in the ring would be Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

A fight between these two would prove to be entertaining and comical.

With a basketball player and a golfer in the ring, it would be a quick fight.

I would like to see these two

battle it out because they are both the top-dogs in their sports and they have the have similar endorsements.

Michael is easily known as the greatest basketball player of all time, while it wouldn’t be hard to categorize Tiger as the best golfer of all time.

I think that between the two, Michael would be the victor.

No disrespect to Tiger, but I don’t think he could hold his own up against Michael.

In my mind, Michael is tougher and would not allow himself to lose.

He is the more popular of the two, and would have a lot more support on his side.

In this case, Michael would be the heavyweight champ – that is if Tiger doesn’t use his 9 iron.

By Dave Mason dmason@statehornet.com If I’m putting two athletes in the ring, octagon, or in the middle of the street, I need athletes who are flat-out crazy.

Sure, you could say Shaq and Kobe or Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent ... that’s original. I get it, they once had a feud.

Whatever.

I need someone whose behavior is unpredictable and is close

to being certifiably nuts.

Like “I’m going to go in the stands and punch some fans, and then a few years later I’m going to fire my gun in the air outside a strip club” crazy.

Of course, Stephen Jackson perfectly fits that description because, well, he did all of that.

But whom can you pit against the craziest man in all of sports?

Adam “Pacman” Jones? He is definitely a little crazy but is too small to fight Jackson.

Ron Artest? Yes, he is nuts.

However, Jackson and Artest are former teammates who fought fans in Detroit. Cross him off the list.

How about, no one?

I give the edge to Jackson against any athlete in professional sports. Yes, even a trained fighter.

Why? You can’t teach crazy.

Basketball: Team went 1-14 this season Continued | page B3 four games of this season, the women were able to hold onto a 15-point win against Weber State in their last game.

Although there were few games to celebrate, there were personal victories of the season.

Sophomore Kylie Kuhns finished her season with a game-high 15 rebounds to secure a league-leading 13th double-double. She had 321 rebounds this season, which put her at second place for most rebounds in a single season in team history. With Kuhns on the court, they should have won more games.

Senior Tika Koshiyama-Diaz ended her season one assist

short of tying the Sac State record for assists in a singleseason. She also owns the second place all-time record for assists in school history, with 381. With KoshiyamaDiaz on the court, they should have won more games.

This season Natasha Togerson earned seventh in school history for blocks in a single season with 42. With Togerson on the court, they should have won more games.

After three seasons, Sami Field-Polisso holds the school record for career 3-point field goal attempts with 563. Of the 563 attempts, she has sunk 201. With Field-Polisso on the court, they should have won more games.

Despite the obvious fact that the team should have won

File Photo

Hornets’ forward Shanti Smith goes up for a shot.

more games, this isn’t the first time women’s basketball has had this many losses.

In 2001-02 the women went scoreless in conference, and went 1-15 in 1998-99, 2000-01 and again in 200607.

Next season the team won’t have the youth excuse anymore; it will be the freshmen players’ time to rule the court.

At least the women secured their last win of the season, because now they can take some optimism into the offseason, and come back next year with a vengeance. They need to.

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Sports Section

statehornet.com

Moto: Club aims to show riders the importance of education Continued | page B3 sional level.

Sophomore mechanical engineering major Matthew Brunstein, a member of the club, feels this is a great opportunity for young riders and has plans to take the sport’s popularity to new heights – along with a message to get an education.

“I really want to get it nationally recognized, so kids understand you can still ride and race in college, and have that community still while you’re in school,” Brunstein said. “I want people to know about Sac State’s club.”

The club is trying to set up a race against Chico State’s moto club, which has been

around since 2008. Brunstein said there is definitely a rivalry between the two clubs.

“We’ve already been talking loads of crap to each other,” he said.

The club’s leader, Womack, a junior biology major, grew up in Jackson, Calif., and went to Argonaut High School. He said his grandpa bought him a dirt bike for his fifth birthday and he has not stopped riding since. He built his own track at his parent’s house in Jackson, where the club practices. Even after all the crashes and injures he has endured in the sport he said the passion to ride outweighs any fear he has.

“When you start racing it’s addictive, you just want to keep going,” Womack said. “I’ve got

a list of injuries, its part of the sport.”

Brunstein said he’s suffered a broken collarbone, broken fingers and has been knocked out as a result of crashing on his bike.

Womack on Feb. 27 raced in the Arenacross Series at the Power Balance Pavilion.

Mounds of dirt were hauled into the stadium to build a small track that had several sharp turns and a large jump at the finish. Professionals raced on Saturday and amateurs, such as Womack, on Sunday.

At one turn Womack flew headfirst over his handlebars and into the dirt incline. He got up as if nothing happened and finished the race. He then went on to win the next race.

“I went from crashing in last (place), to smooth riding and winning,” Womack said.

Womack’s father, Roland Womack, was there to watch his son. He said he gets nervous sometimes when he watches him.

“It’s more of an adrenaline rush watching him race,” Roland Womack said. “But it’s a great family sport and its kept (Stenson) out of trouble.”

At one point during the races a young rider crashed into the scaffolding underneath the temporary seats. Twisted against the dirt and metal bars, the boy was stretchered off the track. With baited breath in the stands, the rider gave a “thumbs up” as the medical team carried him away.

“You can’t go out there thinking, ‘Oh my God I’m going to crash,’ (because) you’ll never win and most likely you will crash,” Womack said. “You’ve got to have that mentality that you think you can win and ride with as few mistakes as possible.”

Despite the dangerous nature of the sport, the club is trying to bring in new members that have a passion for racing and riding as they have, but said even if you do not have any experience they will teach any new comer how to ride.

Currently there are 60 to 70 people on the club’s emailing list, but only 15 to 20 members actually ride on a consistent basis and are committed to the group.

Green: Team hopeful for season despite key injury Continued | page B3 everyone we had hoped this season,” Shutler said. “But I’m confident that we can win.”

Another challenge that they face is an injury within the team.

Brakel fractured her wrist over the winter break.

She is not well enough to be put on the line up so she will be missing the first few tournaments, but Sutherland said she will be healthy by conference.

“I feel that there is that pressure for everyone to step up and play the best they possibly can under any circumstance because there aren’t any extra players to fill in if someone is struggling,” Saffold said.

To overcome having a small team, Sutherland said he keeps the players focused.

“It’s just making sure our kids are mentally confident, focused and expecting to be champions,” Sutherland said. “The difficult part is getting everyone to peak at the right time to be confident

in their abilities.”

Having a small team has been beneficial for the team as well, creating camaraderie within the team. Both Saffold and Shutler are looking to improve this season and use last season as a lesson.

“Golf is all about how you deal with your bad shots,” Saffold said. “Anyone can hit great shot after great shot, but if you can’t bounce back from a bad one, you’re pretty much screwed.”

Shutler said she has been

working with a new swinging coach to improve from last season, and feels she is getting back on the right track. The team is focusing on getting injured players healthy and getting its best players to go out and play well at the conference, Sutherland said.

Sutherland said Shutler and Saffold are at the top of the team’s line up and are the best two players, but they are expecting great things out of Ellese Dias as well.

Dias struggled in the fall,

which is not unusual for a freshman, but as of now she has been playing the best golf she has ever played for Sac State, Sutherland said.

After coming close to winning last year, the team is hungry to win the conference this year, Saffold said.

The women are moving in the right direction in terms of

getting ready for the conference, they just have to have the mindset that they are going to win, Sutherland said.

“My biggest hurdle is getting the girls to believe that we’re going to win.” Sutherland said.

“We’re not wishing, we’re not hoping. We’re going to achieve that goal.”

One of the benefits of becoming a member will be having a place to lock and store their dirt bike. Brustein, who is an officer and co-founder, said there are students from out of town, or who live in the dorms and do not have a place to store their bikes. They are currently looking for a good storage facility large enough to store the club’s bikes.

Another major benefit the club is trying to give to members is receiving a discount at local tracks – because dirtbiking can be an expensive sport.

“Our goal is to eventually have sponsors that will give you discounts anyway they can,” Brunstein said.