Volume 8, Issue 20 by The Bottom Line (UCSB)

UCSB’s Weekly Student-Run Newspaper

Volume 8, Issue 20 | April 30 - May 6, 2014

@tblucsb / thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu

DANCE

EARTH DAY

BURRITO

Dance students use the human body as a canvas in their latest honors performance.

The IV community celebrated with musical performances and crafts in People’s Park.

Read our nearlypornographic review of Isla Vista’s selection of California burritos.

PHOTO / 4-5

A&E / 6

FEATURES / 3

ELECTIONS RESULTS

AS BEAT REPORT Impassioned Crowds Gather to Debate Divestment, AS Senate Votes Against Resolution

Photo by Lorenzo Basilio | Staff Photographer Elad Menna speaks on the issue of divestment during last Wednesday’s AS Senate meeting in the Corwin Pavilion. by Kelsey Knorp AS BEAT REPORTER

NEWS / 2 Photo by John Clow | Staff Photographer ELECTIONS: President-elect Ali Guthy claps as the amendment to the AS Constitution passes, starting off the announcement of results.

UCSB Students Commemorate One-Year Anniversary of Rana Plaza Factory Collapse

Associated Students Senate faced its most publicly contended issue this year in “A Resolution to Divest from Companies that Profit from Apartheid,” which failed to pass 8-16 at the AS Senate’s Wednesday, April 23, meeting. The resolution, put forth by student authors Katlen Abu Ata and Hani Tajsar as well as senator authors Scott O’Halloran and Ansel Lundberg, would have called for the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara (ASUCSB) to direct the UC Regents to dis-invest from any companies deemed complicit in the Israeli military occupation of Palestine. Such companies include Raytheon, Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, General Electric, and Northrop Grumman, in which the UC currently has holdings amounting to around $3 million, according to the resolution’s authors. Advocates and opponents of the resolution gathered in Corwin Pavilion to participate in that evening’s public forum, which was restricted to those who signed up to speak before 8 p.m. Nevertheless, 71 speakers made the list before the cut-off, and eight more late sign-ups were permitted to speak after the initial list was exhausted. Many opponents of divestment felt that the resolution would be a divisive force in the student body without making substantial progress toward peace in the region in question. Rabbi Evan Goodman of Santa Barbara Hillel, who works with several UCSB student groups, cautioned against such consequences. “I want a campus climate that is positive and is conducive to dialogue,” Goodman said. “Will [this resolution] bring peace this much closer [between] Israelis and Palestinians? No, it won’t. Will it make

See DIVEST | Page 2

IV BEAT REPORT Local Law Enforcement Holds Dialogue with IV Residents at Community Forum by Giuseppe Ricapito IV BEAT REPORTER Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer A United Students Against Sweatshops billboard displays flyers and posters opposed to sweatshops in the Arbor.

by Devin Martens-Olzman STAFF WRITER

ne year ago from last Thursday, April 24, over 1,000 people lost their lives in the catastrophic collapse of the clothing factory in Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The anniversary of the disaster has sparked international demonstrations appealing for increased safety standards, better wages, and superior working conditions. The University of California, Santa Barbara chapter of United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) organized a demonstration outside of Davidson Library to raise awareness of the Rana Plaza building collapse. Over the walkway, USAS hung shirts of clothing companies that were made in the Rana Plaza building in order to how many clothes people wear that are made in factories. “Some companies simply do not care about the safety of their workers,” said USAS member Clara Perez, a second-year English and sociology double major. The Rana Plaza building collapse was not an isolated incident. Since 1990, 50 major factory fires have been reported in Bangladesh, killing a total of around 400 people, according to the International Labor Rights Forum. Many companies have signed documents pledging to provide support to victims and their families, and the Bangladesh government has also promised to act. “The failures of the textile industry can be blamed on two things,” said Daniel O’Connor, a fourth-year global studies major. “Government corruption and corporations’ decisions to always move to the cheapest source of labor. This ‘race to the

bottom’ is a big problem globally.” Bangladesh’s economy relies heavily on the garment industry, which employs about 4 million people. Workers make around $37 monthly, according to Time magazine. Additionally, according to a 2011 study by the Department of Labor, over 10 percent of children aged 5 to 14 work full time in Bangladesh. Some of the workers who died in the recent collapse were, in fact, children. More than 1,100 people died in the Rana Plaza disaster, making it the deadliest building collapse in modern times. Sohel Rana, owner of the building, has been behind bars since the incident, but many still feel that the garment industry has not changed enough since the tragedy. According to The Guardian, thousands of demonstrators marched on Rana Plaza on Thursday, chanting, “We want compensation!” and “Death to Sohel Rana.” “Most of the clothing we purchase is connected to a sweatshop at some point,” said second-year global studies major and USAS member Kaylena Katz. “The solution is not just to be conscious of where you buy your clothes, but to force corporations who work with these factories to take responsibility and pay to make sure the factories are safe for the workers.” USAS is a national student labor organization with a presence on over 150 university campuses, according to their website. For more information on USAS and their practices, visit usas.org or facebook.com/usasucsb.

BY THE NUMBERS: ▶Bangledesh’s garment industry employs about 4 MILLION people. ▶Workers make around $37 each month. ▶Over 10% of children ages 5 to 14 work full time in Bangledesh. ▶Since 1990, 50 major factory fires have been reported in Bangledesh, killing around 400 people. ▶The Rana Plaza disaster killed over 1,100 people.

The Isla Vista Tenants Union held a Community Forum on Thursday, April 24, to answer questions from local residents. Participating law enforcement officials included University of California, Santa Barbara Chief of Police Dustin Olson, UCPD Lieutenant Mark Signa, and Acting Chief Deputy Sam Gross of the Santa Barbara Sheriff ’s Office. Student and non-student attendees alike made inquiries into law enforcement tactics surrounding Deltopia, the Festival Ordinance, and the recent controversy surrounding undercover, plainclothes officers entering IV homes. The forum, held at the new Associated Students Pardall Building, drew a total of about 30 individuals at its peak. Attendees included the police officials, students, IVTU volunteers, and one small news crew from local outlet KEYT. Before the forum began, Chipotle half-burritos, chips, and sodas were offered as refreshments. “We thank you for inviting us to your forum this evening,” Chief Deputy Gross said during the panel introductions. “We understand you probably have a lot of interesting questions for us, some of which, because of the investigating constraints, we may not be able to answer for you. Some of which we will answer to the best of our ability.” Olson, who has been UCSB Chief of Police since 2009, acknowledged the unique partnership held between the branches of local law enforcement—the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, Santa Barbara County Sheriffs, and the UCPD. Chief Olson also registered pride for his involvement with Isla Vista and the university. “It’s a real honor to work here, both on the campus and in the community,” he said. “Certainly I’ve made my career, from a law enforcement perspective, in higher education. So I really feel that I have a good handle on the age group and community that we work with each and every day.” Though some students made specific criticisms about the application of Isla Vista and UCSB police policy, the overarching majority expressed confusion over the intent of law enforcement initiatives. “The students of Isla Vista, the residents of Isla Vista, can have a good time,” Chief Deputy Gross said. “Act their age, but act appropriately. And that’s the balance we try to land there, but it’s a very difficult balance.” The very first student comment addressed what has become a local controversy—undercover officers entering residences and issuing tickets for underage drinkers. Lieutenant Signa reinforced that since the parties were of free

See FORUM | Page 2

2 | NEWS

TBL | April 30-May 6, 2014

Community Members Unite at Take Back the Night Rally and March by Gilberto Flores STAFF WRITER Students and community members alike gathered at Anisq’Oyo Park on Tuesday, April 22, for a Take Back the Night rally and march. The rally began with a quick introduction before singer-songwriter Emily Wryn took the stage with her guitar and her voice. “Take Back the Night is such an important organization,” Wryn said. “The people who shared their stories and those who stayed and listened were an inspiration. I was happy that I could contribute in any way possible.” After Wryn’s set, the microphone was open to anyone who had anything to share. Several people performed poems they had written

about their experiences or of the experiences of people they knew. Alycia Nichole, another artist who performed at the rally, took the stage next. “With the music I am performing for you guys today, I hope to help you find courage,” Nichole said to the audience. “Even though it may be hard to find the beauty in something so horrific and so awful, there truly is.” The rally continued with Angie Epifano, a survivor who works to raise awareness, sharing her story with the crowd. “We should never think that it’s our fault,” Epifano said. Epifano was a student at Amherst College in Massachusetts when she was assaulted. After a series of frustrating events in which no one

believed her story, Epifano has decided to turn her anger into action by sharing her story and helping fellow survivors. “I felt very inspired to action and to think about how this affects everyone and how it could be anyone,” said Afton Abell, a rally attendee. “You never know who it could have happened to. It’s caused me to sort of put this to the forefront of my mind.” After Epifano retired the microphone, those in attendance gathered to carry candles and march in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault. “Break the silence! End the violence!” could be heard from marchers as they walked from Anisq’ Oyo Park to Del Playa. As they returned to the park, they walked in silence out

of respect to the survivors among them. Upon returning to the park, everyone sat in a large circle in the grass for testimonials in a safe and confidential setting. The rally additionally featured artwork by survivors, a t-shirt making area, a table set up by the Humyn Rights Board. The Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center also handed out backpacks at the close of the rally. “People said that it was depressing, but I thought it was inspiring,” Abell said. If you or someone you know has suffered from sexual assault, Take Back the Night can be found Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. in the EOP Conference Room 2228. Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center 24-hour Hotline Number: (805) 564-3696

AS Elections Results in Overwhelming OPP Victory for Second Year in a Row

Photo by Matthew Burciaga | Staff Photographer UCSB alum Marlene Moreno cheers in support for DP.

Photo by John Clow | Staff Photographer Off-Campus Sen. Andre Theus hugs Beatrice Contreras as it was announced that she will be next year’s External Vice President of Local Affairs.

by Alec Killoran STAFF WRITER The Open People’s Party (OPP) took all but three seats in last week’s Associated Students elections, which had a 37.16 percent voter turnout (6,684 students). Sweeping the partisan executive positions, OPP candidates also took a heavy majority in the AS Senate, joined by one independent candidate and one Democratic Process Party (DP) candidate. For the second straight year, OPP came away with almost every electable seat. Independent candidate Bailey Loverin was elected Student Advocate General, a position that cannot be pursued by a representative of any political party. OPP candidates Angela Lau, Beatrice Contreras, and Melvin Singh won Internal Vice President, External Vice President of Local Affairs (EVPLA), and EVP of Statewide Affairs, respectively. All lock-in fee reaffirmations passed, in addition to new fees for a composting program and Queer Commission (QComm).

–DIVEST

New fees for the creation of a sobering center, the expansion of the University Center, a university “senior book,” and “The Catalyst” literary arts magazine did not pass. Third-year psychology and sociology double major Ali Guthy was elected AS president, defeating DP’s candidate Navkiran Kaur, a third-year black studies and sociology double major. President-elect Guthy has already laid out some primary goals for her term. “One of the big projects I want to work on is establishing a student-run cafe to create more campus jobs, more 24-hour study spaces, and more affordable, healthy alternative eating options,” Guthy said. Additionally, Guthy plans to make AS more easily accessible to the common student. “I hope to implement a new budget display on our website that allows all students to view, line item by line item, how each facet of the association is spending their fees,” Guthy said.

Continued from page 1

our campus this much more of a place where people can get along, engage in dialogue, and have a civil climate? No, this one-sided resolution will not.” Others opposed the resolution on the grounds that the Israeli government puts militant measures into place for security purposes, in response to terrorist attacks by Palestinian groups. Fourthyear economics and accounting major Elad Menna spoke to the Senate of his experience growing up in Israel. “As an eight-year-old, I remember watching the news as they reported on attacks such as a suicide bombing at a nightclub… such events constituted a daily reality [for] Israelis,” Menna said. Andrew Farkash, a member of the Jewish Voice for Peace at UCSB, recounted his grandfather’s survival of Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp during Word War II, which he cited as part of his family’s long Jewish heritage. He said that after educating himself in recent years about the history of Palestinian occupation, he has come to stand against it. “I was taught that the decades-long occupation of Palestine was about security, and I know now that this is not true,” Farkash said. “I know now that the occupation is about the profit and exploitation of the people.” Second-year sociology major Mohsin Mirza also spoke in favor of the resolution, suggesting that Israel’s security-based justifications may not be valid. “There’s this ridiculous notion that human rights violations are not happening,” Mirza said. “Even after Israeli officials, like the senior advisor to [former] Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, admits that Gaza has been blockaded in ‘economic warfare against these people,’ people still deny that these things are happening.” Abu Ata responded to recommendations of alternate solutions by reminding opponents of the human rights violations the resolution sought to address. “When your home is not being demolished, you can dialogue,” Abu Ata said. “When you are not being herded through a checkpoint like animals, you can dialogue. When your culture is not

viewed as backwards, you can dialogue. Dialogue is easy when you don’t bury your children every single day.” At around 1 a.m., Senate ended public forum to continue with the orders of the day. When it came time to discuss the resolution, senators offered a variety of perspectives. Several senators felt that the terms of the resolution conveyed a one-sided view of the situation. “I am incredibly uncomfortable with having a resolution that explicitly targets a very large part of our community,” said off-campus Sen. Derek Wakefield. Collegiate Sen. and current President-elect Ali Guthy suggested that if ASUCSB were to take an ethical stance on such an issue, divestment should target other causes in addition to the one at hand. “I believe that a more effective means of going about this issue would be to divest from all companies that violate certain ethical standards,” Guthy said. “I believe that we shouldn’t be investing in anyone who violates our ethical standards, not particularly [focusing on] this specific issue.” Collegiate Sen. Lupe Zelada took a favorable stance on the resolution, interpreting the university’s stance on the conflict in a different way than Guthy had. “As it stands now, we are actively funding a violation of human rights and taking a stance on this issue,” Zelada said. “We, as a Senate, are not equipped to begin to try and solve century-long conflicts, but to represent and defend human rights and human life. In what way does our investment in these companies achieve this?” The resolution failed after an 8-16 secret ballot vote. The Senate also voted on “A Bill to Officially Withdraw ASUCSB membership from the United States Student Association,” which had been tabled a week earlier, and it failed to pass as well. “A Resolution to Create and Encourage Transparency and Socially Responsible Investing at UCSB and the University of California,” also authored by O’Halloran and Lundberg, was tabled and will be discussed at the Senate’s April 30 meeting.

WRITERS THIS ISSUE: Giuseppe Ricapito, Kelsey Knorp, Bailee Abell, Sam Goldman, Andrea Vallone, Gilberto Flores, Madison Donahue-Wolfe, Devin Martens-Olzman, Alec Killoran, Robert Wojtkiewicz, Léna Garcia, Judy Lau, Peter Crump, Maddy Kirsch

PHOTOGRAPHERS THIS ISSUE: Lorenzo Basilio, Diane Ng, Gianna Dimick, Madison King, Benjamin Hurst, Matthew Burciaga, John Clow, Beth Askins

Despite her loss to Guthy in the election, Kaur vows to remain involved at the university. “I will continue serving students as I have during my last three years here,” Kaur said. “I will probably continue some form of student affairs work alongside campus organizing.” Kaur had a negative assessment of the elections, citing the near sweep and a lack of complete representation. “I think we should, as students, be very critical of Associated Students and this elections process,” she said. “I also think it is unfortunate that voter turnout was so low this year.” Guthy viewed the voter turnout differently. “It was really great seeing a strong voter turnout this year after all the candidates’ tireless campaigning and outreaching for two weeks straight,” she said. Additionally, Guthy “hopes the enthusiasm for Associated Students doesn’t end with this election cycle, but rather continues to grow.”

–FORUM

Continued from page 1

access to the public, “these events are actually considered consensual entry.” He noted as well that residents with open parties “have the same exact responsibility as an actual bar or bartender. You have to follow the same laws in regards to providing alcohol to minors.” Chief Deputy Gross also denied that the undercover operation had any connection to the civil unrest at Deltopia. “Its one more tool in the tool kit,” he said. “It’s not new to what’s happening in Isla Vista. It hasn’t been done on a regular basis, its been done on a sporadic basis.” Other community inquiries included requests for clarification regarding the Festival Ordinance, review status of the Del Playa camera footage, the perceived vagueness of enforceable laws and expanding breadth of police enforcement, and the possibility of an interdisciplinary, collaborative culture change. The officers acknowledged that the footage from the various Del Playa cameras are still being reviewed, noting that the laborintensive process requires viewing each of the five-to-six cameras on each individual stand. “The campus did put up surveillance cameras and feels that that’s going to help in the prosecution of these types of crimes,” Olson said. “And hopefully send the message that this isn’t the place to come here out of town and particularly prey on young people, or local residents.” Another student aired a specific grievance, having been issued a $400 dollar ticket for a violation of the Music Ordinance at 12:03 a.m. “What does that protect and serve?” he asked. By the conclusion of the evening, each of the officers had given recommendations on how to better protect and safely rehabilitate the community. “One thing I try to stress with people to realize is that law enforcement is not the answer to the problems in Isla Vista,” said Lieutenant Signa. “It’s merely part of the solution, and part of leading us to that solution, and it has to be a part of the community coming together.”

The Bottom Line provides a printed and online space for student investigative journalism, culturally and socially aware commentary, and engaging reporting that addresses the diverse concerns of our readership and community. This is your community to build, share ideas, and publicize your issues and events. We welcome your questions, comments, or concerns at bottomlineucsb@gmail.com, or call our office phone at 805-893-2440.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

ILLUSTRATORS THIS ISSUE: Hector Lizarraga, Alexandra Dwight

The Bottom Line is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff, AS, or UCSB. Published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (genprogress.org). All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to bottomlineucsb@gmail.com or content.tbl@gmail.com.

Our web magazine offers hard-hitting journalism, analysis, and multimedia on issues of the greatest concern to young people; gives young writers, reporters, artists, and others the chance to publish nationally; and builds a community of progressives interested in issues, ideas, and activism.

TBL | April 30-May 6, 2014

FEATURES | 3

Honors Dance Project Shows the Artistic Side of the Human Body by Bailee Abell STAFF WRITER

Students Charlie Schnitzer and Jessica Stucke premiered their Honors Dance Project, “The Body as a Metaphor,” on Thursday, April 24. The contemporary dance performance took place in the Performing Arts Building at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Schnitzer and Stucke choreographed the show on their own, drawing inspiration from their observations of the world around them in order to personify the raw emotion, violent tendencies, and beauty of the human mind. “Charlie and I have lots of talks, and our interests come from our shared experiences,” said Stucke, a fourth-year dance major. Consideration of each movement is crucial to understanding the performance itself. Schnitzer describes the show as an “artistic experience and a view into one way an artist can work to create a piece, painting, or work of art.” “Walking down the street, how you walk, what you wear, who you talk to–it’s all an expression,” said Stucke.

Though Stucke has only been dancing since high school, her skills are far from lacking. After collaborating with Schnitzer for their fall show, she was happy to have gotten the chance to work with him again. Schnitzer, also a fourth-year dance major, has been dancing since the age of 5 and choreographing since high school. “Jessica and I had many ideas about what the show could look like, and from the beginning we knew there would be paint,” said Schnitzer. “The other elements–like the flour and the canvas floor–came much later in the choreographic process.”

Photos by Gianna Dimick | Staff Photographer The use of flour, canvas, and paint help bring to life Schnitzer and Stucke’s message that everything is artwork, even the human body. While the show blended contemporary dance with modern art, it also involved the audience as well. In the Performing Arts lobby, people were encouraged to paint on a “human installation” as an expression of their own thoughts about how the body is a metaphor, particularly for a

canvas, landscape, and weapon. “Having a human installation at the beginning before members of the audience even got to see any movement or dancing was a way to get people into the mind-frame that everyone is a creative and artistic person,” said Schnitzer. Schnitzer and Stucke are two of the 11 members of the UCSB Student Dance Company, which they were asked to join at the end of their third year. Essentially, students involved take a year-long course in which they are able to collaborate on several projects, as well as meet guest choreographers. Over the next two weeks, the Dance Company is touring the Czech Republic and Italy, performing the pieces the members have been working on all year. “This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us, and this is what makes our dance program incredibly unique,” said Schnitzer. “This trip is going to help us understand what it is like to be traveling constantly while dancing constantly.” Schnitzer and Stucke, along with the rest of the Dance Company, will be returning to UCSB on May 12, when they will undoubtedly begin envisioning their next work of art.

(Left) Grace Burdick dips her hands into paint before deciding what to add to the canvas above her. (Middle) Nathan Burdine holds Jane Hamor in one of the final scenes of the dance. (Right) Maura Harris gazes at the audience.

StudySoup Provides an Educational Platform for Students to Connect by Andrea Vallone STAFF WRITER If you’ve been in any large lectures lately, you probably noticed clipboards circulating throughout the first weeks of the quarter headlined with “StudySoup.” Sign-up sheets are not uncommon on our campus, but this is one you may want to take a look at before passing along. StudySoup is a Santa Barbara-based startup that promotes peer-to-peer education through buying and selling personal study guides and notes online. The educational platform was founded by University of California, Santa Barbara’s own alumnus Sieva Kozinsky in 2012 and, according to their press release, has reached about 8,000 students across 15 campuses in the country. At the end of winter

“

quarter 2014, UCSB had 100 note takers for StudySoup. Marketing interns Lexi Lim and Clarissa Calderon explain the process of maneuvering the StudySoup website, where students can type in the name of their institution and the course number of the class for which they would like notes. The website will then produce all of the materials that have been uploaded by contributing students for that particular course. If one wants to become a contributing note taker, he or she can contact StudySoup to begin their vetting process. The student will be interviewed with questions pertaining to what kind of writing style he or she has and what program or software is used. StudySoup is not limited to those who carry laptops to class. If a student writes notes by

hand and includes things such as hand-drawn graphs or color-coding, then they can scan their notes and upload them as an alternative. Ultimately, all documents are converted and saved in a Portable Document Format. There isn’t just one note taker per class, either. If you are approved as a note taker, you are free to upload your notes for whichever lectures you wish, at whatever time you wish, for whatever price you want. In this way, note takers have complete agency with respect to their work and how they wish to market it. “This is a sort of quality assurance in itself,” said Calderon. “If you have a lot of note takers in one class, you, as a student, are going to want to buy the best notes–and that keeps everybody else [the note takers] on their toes.” This dynamic illustrates the company’s distinctiveness in being “an online marketplace,”

according to Lim. “We encourage peer-to-peer learning,” said Calderon, “so I think it just really connects students more than anything.” Lim, who works as a note taker in addition to being an intern for the company, said that when she emails students in lectures informing them of the sale of her notes, “I’ve gotten people emailing me back to ask to study together. So it’s a good way to meet students.” StudySoup’s ingenuity has not gone unnoticed; it was announced as a finalist for the Cool Tech category in the 2014 EdTech Digest Awards Program, recognizing it as an original technology solution for education. “By providing a platform for people to connect,” said Kozinsky in a press release, ”we are helping top students make money while helping their classmates.”

By providing a platform for people to connect, we are helping top students make money while helping their classmates.

-Sieva Kozinsky, UCSB alumnus

”

The Divine Touch of Terri Anton: Relieving Stress Since 2007

by Madison Donahue-Wolfe STAFF WRITER Feeling stressed? Does your back crumple under the weight of all those textbooks in your bag? Need a little relief from the stress of midterms, work, and athletics? Not to worry. A solution awaits you right on campus–and her name is Terri. Many may be familiar with Terri Anton, the massage therapist who helps dozens of students a week during her sessions. Anyone who walks through the Student Resource Building, Davidson Library, or the UCen from 12 to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday will see students sitting in comfortable chairs, eagerly awaiting their free three- to five-minute massage. They will also witness those same students, approximately three- to five-minutes later, departing with a dreamy look in the eye as their now stimulated lymph nodes drain away excess fluid in their muscular tissue, allowing them to momentarily forget the many worries that plague college students. A University of California, Santa Barbara alum herself, Anton is happy to return to her alma mater to help students push through the stresses she once experienced herself as a Gaucho. After graduating from UCSB, Anton worked in New York until she realized life as a saleswoman wasn’t her calling.

Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer “I did a lot of sales jobs and things that I hated, and realized what I didn’t want to do,” Anton said. “It was kind of like an epiphany one day when a friend of mine went to massage school, loved it, and talked me into it. I went and loved it. That was 14 years ago.” Since joining UCSB’s then-infant Health and Wellness program in 2007, Anton has helped hundreds of students with her massage

stations all around campus. Second-year psychology and Spanish double major and Health and Wellness student employee Cynthia Giron reveals exactly how many students Terri helps. “Stats on average show that Terri attends to about 23 people per day,” Giron says. “We have three massage centers plus two other times she attends, so that’s over a hundred students per week.”

Giron also stresses the importance of Terri’s services, as well as the symbolic nature of other Health and Wellness programs on campus. “I think that even if people don’t get a massage with Terri or they don’t go to CAPS, these services stand there very symbolically,” Giron says. “If students can’t make it to a massage, they know CAPS and these other services will be there for students seeking advice.” Anton says that being around UCSB students makes her job all the more enjoyable. “One of the things I hated about sales was nobody wants to see you,” she said. “They’re all grumpy and angry and close the door in your face. Here, everyone’s happy to see you, they’re happy when they leave, and it’s nice to make people feel good. And it’s different–everybody has different things going on. And because I went to school here, I feel like I’m at home.” Anton’s sunny disposition will put anyone in a good mood even before their free massage. In addition, healthy snacks, pens, buttons, and pamphlets filled with helpful information on wellness tips or campus organizations lay on the adjacent Health and Wellness table, free for anyone’s taking. No matter how stressful your week has been, you can be sure a short trip to Terri’s Massage Parlor will make any tough day a little bit brighter. Terri Anton can be found at the SRB on Monday, Davidson Library on Tuesday, and the UCen on Wednesday, all from 12 to 2 p.m.

4-5 | PHOTO

Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer

Photo by Diana Ng | Staff Photographer A man dressed in gorilla suit tables at IV’s Earth Day Festival.

Better Day

Photo by Diana Ng | Staff Photographer Third-year sociology and dance double major Maura Harris hula hoops.

Photo by Benja A papier mâché most about the e

by Julian Levy STAFF WRITER

Photo by Matthew Burciaga | Staff Photographer Sun Daes start off IV Earth Day by taking the stage first. From left to right: Gabe Poissant, Max Goldenstein, and JD Severino.

Isla Vista’s most rocking bands performed at People’s Park in honor of Mother Earth on Saturday, April 26, for the IV Earth Day Festival. The festival was organized by the Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board and featured local vendors, environmental activists, and impromptu yoga instruction, all backed by performances from Naked Walrus, Yancellor Chang, All Mixed Up, and standout sets by Sun Daes, That’s What She Said, Platform Holly, and The Olés. The festival began with the self-described “intricate surf rock” renderings of Sun Daes. Their unabashed West Coast charisma rallied the crowd while their brightly reverbed tunes matched the weather with a sunny style that whirled moods up higher than the day’s gusty winds. The band burned it up with their performance of their original song “Pyro”; the wipeout wailing of second-year biology major Max Goldenstein tuned in perfectly with the reverbed strummings of guitarist Gabe Poissant, a second-year art major, and the temperate bass lines of JD Severino, a second-year environmental studies major. The group’s cohesion and musicianship was unmistakable throughout their set as the deft drumming of Jared Payzant, a second-year film and media studies major, set an upbeat rhythm for the day. The festival continued with the female frenzy of That’s What She Said. The harmonious pop-punk dynamic of the all-girl group made a truly worthy offering to Mother Nature with the mesmerizing vocals of Marie Stassinopoulis, a third-year psychology and sociology double major, and the tastefully subdued lead guitar of Angelica Baird, a third- year com-

munication major. The band wasn’t afraid to temper the atmosphere with their original song “One More Night,” a wonderfully harmonious slow-jam, smoothed out by the powerful bass of third-year psychology major Devon McNaughton. After the performance, Stassinopoulis commented that “the crowd was mellow,” a state most directly attributable to That’s What She Said’s naturally engaging presence. The character of the festival was envisioned in the performance of Platform Holly; a charming composite of classic rock, reggae, pop, and indie style. The band bridged the gap between Hendrix and Sublime with an unmistakable intent to deliver for the Earth Day crowd. The tie-die ensemble of lead singer Patrick Fitzpatrick, a fourth-year environmental studies major, reflected the attitude of the music while the group’s performance of their original song “Live it Up” proved their sureness to jam out in the happiest way possible. The day built up to The Olés’ standout performance, which definitely got people standing up. The Isla Vista powerhouse blasted out the border between funk and reggae while the sunshine faded and the excitement grew bolder. Dance moves were declared as bare feet stomped out the tempo and kicked up the excitement. Nothing trumped the trumpet solo on 2Pac’s “California Love,” and the rollicking ratio of brass to bass punctuated the Earth Day Festival like a biodegradable bullhorn. People’s Park held a great festival, and with the performances nearing their end, the booths boxed up and the crowd diminished. All that remained was the necessary reflection on the earthly eminence of Isla Vista’s local bands.

TBL | April 30-May 6, 2014

ys Yoga provides a free yoga lesson at IV Earth Day on Saturday, April 26.

amin Hurst | Staff Photographer earth displays what all the participants and attendees love earth.

Photo by Diana Ng | Staff Photographer

Lead singer Patrick Fitzpatrick of Platform Holly.

Photo by Diana Ng | Staff Photographer

Fourth-year biopsychology major Deana Falge shows off moves learned from the hula hoop leisure review classes.

Photo by Diana Ng | Staff Photographer Second-year environmental science major Catalina Azcarraga enjoys the music and shows off her face painting.

Photo by Matthew Burciaga | Staff Photographer Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s What She Said guitarist Marie Stassinopoulos takes the stage backed by bassist Devon McNaughton.

First-year philosophy and literature double major Alana Hollander dancing with a hula hoop to the music at IV Earth Day Festival.

TBL | April 23-May 6, 2014

6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

Photo by Beth Askins | Layout Editor

The mighty California Burrito with chicken from Rosarito is the best the Isla Vista has to offer.

One Man’s Search for Isla Vista’s Finest French Fry Burrito Combo by Robert Wojtkiewicz SENIOR LAYOUT EDITOR

rease is an important part of many foods. Some run from it, others embrace its delicious, lubricating properties. As the grease gushes from the burrito and down the side of my hand on a sunny Isla Vista afternoon, not a moment of hesitation passes through my mind as I eagerly lick it off, returning to the chaotic concoction of fries, chicken, sour cream, cheese and–most importantly– grease. In my hands is what I believe to be the pinnacle of human achievement, the tortillawrapped unicorn, the great white whale of stuffed foods, my Holy Grail: the California burrito. The logic isn’t difficult to understand. There are burritos. There are French fries. But not all combinations of the two are created equal. I grew up in Southern California, so I have had my share of some of the most authentic Mexican food this side of the border. That being the case, my views on what should or shouldn’t go inside a burrito approach the militant. In its simplest form, the California burrito, which is widely regarded to have originated in San Diego, is meat (either pollo

or carne asada), cheese, fries, and sour cream wrapped in a tortilla. In our own little nugget of foodie heaven, there are three options to fulfill your starchy burrito desires: Super Cuca’s, The Cantina, and Rosarito. Strap in, kids, we ain’t going to Freebirds. SUPER CUCA’S French Fries, Guacamole, Cheese, Sour Cream, Pico de Gallo, and Choice of Meat – $9.25 + tax Super Cuca’s California burrito is easily the best value burrito in IV. It’ll hurt your wallet a little more, but these things are huge. Also, it is the only stop on our Tour de Burritos that gives you additional meat options to the standard chicken and beef. The carnitas is fantastic, but for the sake of fairness, I went with the pollo at each restaurant. On a good day, the fries are crisp and fresh. More often than not, however, they tend to be a bit soggy and undercooked. But if you’re going for size, Super Cuca’s is the way to go. THE CANTINA Choice of Chicken or Steak with Cheese, French fries, and Sour Cream – $7.25 + tax

The Cantina’s California burritos fall on the minimalist end of the spectrum. But don’t let the consistent lack of a line fool you–The Cantina has the real deal. Hot, fresh fries; juicy chicken seasoned to perfection; and a big scoop of cream. If you like your California burritos without any nonsense, vamos a la Cantina.

You too can craft your very own Isla Vista California Burrito. You’ll need the following ingedients:

ROSARITO Choice of Chicken or Steak with Cheese, Lettuce, French Fries, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and Salsa – $7.45 + tax

TORTILLAS: As big as you can get them from IV Market. And for the love of burritos, make sure they’re flour.

I like variety. And I like big burritos. Rosarito has both. Every time I go, the fries are crispy and salty, the pico de gallo and salsa are fresh, and the burritos are monster-sized. The lettuce adds a crunch that complements the rest of the burrito perfectly. When I’m really craving a California burrito, I go here. There you have it, Gauchos: the complete rundown on your California burrito options in IV. Are there better California burritos in the state? Probably. But when your stomach is craving the smartest combination of foods since bread and butter, you know where to go. It’s been fun, now somebody please roll me home.

IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW:

CHICKEN & CHEESE: If you haven’t learned how to cook chicken yet, go buy it pre-cooked. FRIES: IV Deli Mart (it’s OK to cheat sometimes). SOUR CREAM & GUAC: Freebirds. Fine.

His Feet Are Still Loose Screenwriter Dean Pitchford Joins Pollock Theater for 30th Anniversary Screening of ‘Footloose’ by Léna Garcia

The Carsey-Wolf Center’s “Script to Screen” film series presented a 30th Anniversary screening of “Footloose” on Thursday, April 24, in the Pollock Theater. The film was followed by a Q&A with the film’s screenwriter and Oscar winning songwriter, Dean Pitchford, who spoke about what the movie is actually about. The theater’s top-notch audio and visual capacities provided the best possible environment to experience the film’s blast from the past, 80s disco soundtrack. “Footloose” stars a young Kevin Bacon, who plays Ren McCormick, the witty, sexy, David Bowie-esque newcomer in a small Midwestern town. Actor Lori Singer, whose classic American beauty look bares a striking resemblance to that of Lana Del Rey, plays Ariel Moore. Ariel is a firecracker, a straight-shooting teenage daughter rebelling against her conservative father, Minister Moore ( John Lithgow), and his efforts to ban pop music and dancing among young people in the town. Ultimately, Ren and Ariel become the film’s high school lover protagonists, and they end the irrational ban on dancing and music with a Senior Prom. Immediately after the screening, Pitchford joined host Matt Ryan on stage for the Q&A portion of the evening. Pitchford is an eloquent, soft-spoken, and well-dressed writer. He said he had not watched “Footloose” in a movie theater since its debut in 1984 when, Pitchford recalled, he piled out of a taxicab with

Photo by Benjamin Hurst | Staff Photographer Dean Pitchford talks about his experience as the screenwriter for “Footloose” at the Script to Screen event on April 24, 2014. songwriting partner Tom Snow and snuck into the back row seats of a theater, where the pair anxiously watched for the audience’s reaction. Pitchford is invested in Footloose in the way that a writer becomes invested in a large project. He said he wrote 22 drafts of the script, spent time researching in Elmore City, Ohio, and worked with director Herbert Ross and the crew throughout the shooting and editing process. Additionally, in collaboration with musician Tom Snow, Pitchford wrote the lyrics to multiple songs from the film’s soundtrack, such as “Let’s Hear it for the Boy,” “Dancing in the Sheets,” and “Somebody’s Eyes.” After watching the film on its 30th anniversary, Pitchford said, “I was having a hundred flashbacks a second!” Pitchford elaborated on the film’s themes

of grief and familial loss. In the movie, Ren’s father abandoned the family, and Minister Moore deals with the death of his teenage son in a tragic car accident, supposedly the result of disco music and lascivious teenage spirit. Despite the general conception that “Footloose” is a movie about a town that cannot dance, Pitchford said, “I’ve always described it as a movie about a father without a son and a son without a father.” He said the script is about human nature and Ren and the Minister’s mutual healing of one other. Although his colleagues pressured Pitchford to change the scripts’ setting from a temporal 1980s town to a small American town in the 1950s, he chose to remain true to a newspaper clipping inspiration. Pitchford said that in Elmore City, “dancing was outlawed for 88

years.” In 1980, a group of high school students lifted the ban and revived prom for generations to come. In his research of Elmore City, Pitchford talked to the minister’s daughter, one of many young women “who danced on the edge” after being constrained by a seemingly unbreakable tradition barring dancing for 18 years. As the night drew to a close, Pitchford humbly acknowledged that his screenplay helped launch many successful actors’ careers, including those of John Lithgow and Sarah Jessica Parker. Pitchford has fond memories of working with Bacon, who was only 23 at the time of production, and whose street-kid Philly style worked well with the character of Ren. Pitchford chuckled and said, “I run into Kevin Bacon in airports.”

TBL | April 23-May 6, 2014

SCIENCE & TECH | 7

Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | Staff Illustrator

NASA Launches Ambitious Twin Study to Discover Effects of Space Flight by Judy Lau STAFF WRITER

In March 2015, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Scott Kelly will partner up with cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko on a one-year mission to the International Space Station in hopes of exploring the effects of long-term space flight on the human body. What separates Kelly from the other astronauts is that he has a twin brother named Mark, who is a retired astronaut. In this experiment, Scott will serve as a test subject, spending one year circling Earth at 17,000 miles per hour. Meanwhile, Mark will remain behind as the control variable, according to NASA. “We will be taking samples and making measurements of the twins before, during, and after the one-year mission,” said Craig Kundrot of NASA’s Human Research Program at the Johnson Space Center. “For the first time, we’ll be able two individuals who are genetically identical [sic].” The study plans to focus partially on the comparison of the blood samples that are collected from Scott and Mark before, during, and after the one-year mission. Physiological and psychological testing will also be conducted during these intervals. Living in space is known to have effects on the human body such as muscle loss and decreased bone mass. However, scientists are unsure of the effects of space on the human body at a smaller scale. Scientists believe that it could affect our DNA or alter how we age, according to Mirror. This experiment also harkens back to Einstein’s “Twin Paradox” theory, which posits that the traveling twin should return younger than his brother. “We already know that the human immune system changes in space. It’s not as

strong as it is on the ground,” explains Kundrot. “In one of the experiments, Mark and Scott will be given identical flu vaccines, and we will study how their immune systems react.” The 12-month study will mark the first time two humans have stayed abroad the International Space Station for such a long period of time; normally, each mission lasts no longer than six months. Scientific and technical experts reviewed 40 study proposals submitted in response to the announcement and have selected 10 proposals. The 10 different institutions across seven states will receive a combined $1.5 million over a three-year period, according to NASA. “These will not be 10 individual studies,” says Kundrot. “The real power comes in combining them to form an integrated picture of all levels from biomolecular to psychological. We’ll be studying the entire astronaut.” NASA hopes that by discovering the effects of space travel, it will open the door to further exploration and study of the cosmos. Space is slowly evolving into a new resource that is being explored in hopes of enhancing human life and survival. For example, NASA chief Charles Bolden outlined a series of stepping stones to Mars, including obtaining an asteroid and “bringing it into the Moon’s orbit by 2015, growing plants in space and using 3D printers for onboard repairs,” according to Metro News. These steps in advance of a three-year return trip would bring scientists new samples as well as a valuable testing ground for technologies necessary for manned missions. Bolden stated, “If this species is to survive indefinitely we need to become a multi-planet species. We

We already know that the human immune system changes in space. It’s not as strong as it is on the ground... In one of the experiments, Mark and Scott will be given identical flu vaccines, and we will study how their immune systems react.

–Craig Kundrot, NASA Human Research Program

need to go to Mars, and Mars is a stepping stone to other solar systems.” Additionally, Bolden revealed that there were more plans under development, including NASA’s Solar Electric Propulsion System, which uses beams of electrically-charged atoms to navigate deep space. In order to make these plans a reality, the space agency chief stated that increased funds would be needed from the White House. NASA’s planned twin project, set to launch in 2015, may be the first step in finding an alternative source of life and survival outside of Earth. With increased research and financial support, further exploration of the universe may not be far away.

Microsoft-Nokia Merger Brings New Competition to Smartphone Wars

Illustration by Hector Lizarraga | Staff Illustrator

by Peter Crump STAFF WRITER Tech giant Microsoft recently merged with Nokia in an effort to leverage its position in the smartphone market–though perhaps the term “merger” may be a bit misleading. Last Friday, April 25, Microsoft’s essential acquisition of Nokia’s handset business was finalized after a seven-month-long process. The former smart phone company will now be incorporated as a subsidiary of Microsoft and renamed Microsoft Mobile, according to the

Daily Gadgetry. In light of this deal, current smartphone leaders Apple and Samsung may have a new competitor to look out for in the future. Microsoft first announced the merger in September of last year, and after jumping through some legal hurdles in Nokia’s Asian markets, the deal was finalized last Friday, according to The Register. PC Magazine reports that Microsoft purchased Nokia’s smartphone business for 3.79 billion euros ($5 billion) as well as the companies existing patents for an additional 1.65 billion euros ($2.18 billion)

for a grand total of about $7.2 billion. Then-CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer called the merger a “bold step into the future” as well as a “win-win for employees, shareholders, and consumers of both companies.” He continued on to say that the deal will “accelerate Microsoft’s share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services.” Current Executive Vice President of Devices and Services at Nokia and former CEO of Nokia Stephen Elop explained it as “bring[ing] together the best of Microsoft’s software engineering with the best of Nokia’s hardware engineering,” according to PC Magazine. This move does not come as much of a surprise, given that the two companies have already established a business relationship with one other. Since 2011, Microsoft and Nokia have worker closely together to produce the Nokia Lumia line of smartphones, which runs off the Windows mobile operating system. Unsurprisingly, the majority of all smartphones running the Windows operating system were produced by Nokia. Still, despite this marriage of Nokia hardware and Microsoft software, the Lumia series continued to lag considerably behind the more popular Apple and Samsung mobile products.

Besides the potential for mobile success, the merger was also partly motivated by the troubled financial state of Nokia’s mobile market. Microsoft not only provided an out to save Nokia but had also proven to be a trusted and reliable business partner. No other company would be more qualified to carry on the work of Nokia. Given this already close relationship, will consumers see a significant difference in the smartphone market at all? At this point, it is too early to make any conclusive predictions about the effects of the merger and whether or not there will be any effects on Microsoft’s other non-mobile markets. Undoubtedly though, Microsoft hopes to reinvigorate its mobile brand against Apple and Samsung. Like Apple, Microsoft is consolidating its mobile hardware and software under one company in the hopes to create “faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing,” Ballmer stated. The promise is there, but time will only tell if Microsoft’s business transaction will influence their role on the mobile market. As for Nokia, though the mobile phone entity may be now dissolved, the company will continue on with its many other projects. This includes its innovative mapping system Nokia HERE and its telecommunication service Nokia Solutions and Networks, according to The Register.

8 | OPINIONS

TBL | April 30-May 6, 2014

The BuzzFeedification of News

Illustration by Alexandra Dwight | The Bottom Line

The Unfortunate Necessity of Infotainment by Sam Goldman STAFF WRITER Among its links to advertisements and other sites’ articles, Yahoo News has a photo “story” on South African elephants getting drunk on native fruit. The Huffington Post has been introducing BuzzFeed-esque articles such as “10 Couples Who Need Their Facebook Privileges Revoked.” CNN’s Headline News Channel brought in a psychic to discuss the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (but whether or not she could confirm anchor Don Lemon’s suspicion of it being a result of a black hole, I’m not sure). All of these news sources have been heading down the “infotainment” road as they try to lure in more readers and viewers in a way that is appealing to the modern media consumer. There is so much stuff on the Internet that people naturally look for the content that will most easily convey the material they wish to see. This is where sites like BuzzFeed and The Huffington Post succeed—readers can update themselves on much of what is going on in the world while simultaneously being entertained. The combination of short, simple news bits peppered with things like GIFs, top-

10 lists, and quizzes–slated alongside pictures of bunnies that look like Miley Cyrus and nostalgic images archetypical of the ‘90s– provides us with this. In this model, we get our news quickly, simply (in more ways than one), and with a convenient dash of humor and “aww”s. Infotainment lacks many of traditional news’ long, sophisticated words and plentiful paragraphs that often lack any visual component. We don’t have to think to get these entertaining bits of news. One obvious problem with this is that these sources don’t provide us with the in-depth critical reporting and analysis needed to be more than superficially informed about what’s going on. The briefest of summaries and a handful of random Twitter reactions don’t capture of the complexity of a story or bring home its significance. On top of that, significant, serious news stories–because they can be relatively boring or hard to relate to–end up, ironically, being sensationalized and overanalyzed to the point that we often end up with Don Lemon’s absurd Malaysian-airlines-psychic-blackhole-let’s-ask-a-Twitter-fan segment that only strives to grab and hold our attention rather

than provide us with anything meaningful. Although there are so many important events and developments in the world that deserve our attention, the 24-hour news cycle often opts for melodramatic coverage of a handful of exploitable stories so it can keep viewers coming. It’s tabloid journalism made into TV. Unfortunately, many people are disinterested in what’s going on in the world or don’t find being adequately informed worthwhile. The BuzzFeedification of the news helps to bridge this gap and, for the people who normally aren’t interested, provides at least a half-decent injection of news. Additionally, it gives people somewhat of an escape from the more sad or disillusioning stories while still being able to remain somewhat informed. And even though I do often enjoy discovering how Pope Francis differs from his predecessors through the use of one-liners and side-by-side photo comparisons with Kevin Durant, it’s lamentable that we often need these kinds of content in order to inform ourselves. Ideally, we should all be concerned and interested enough in what’s going on around us to not need simple amusement peppered with only bits of news as our primary sources; professional news sites shouldn’t need to spice

up their articles with links to semi-relevant BuzzFeed quizzes in order to stay competitive and keep readers within their folds. If it helps people stay informed, some entertaining or luring additions to the news is fine, but they should be accurate and constructively contribute to or enhance what’s being reported. Rather than turn to sensational conspiracy theories or subtitled GIFs of people saying what could easily be printed out and analyzed, the infotainment aspect of the news should contain things like relevant photos and insightful diagrams that accompany an informative and in-depth story and won’t mislead or distract from what’s being reported. Infotainment formats can work with relevant, secondary extras and asides, but they should contain enough edifying content for the reader or viewer to come out informed. Properly done infotainment could very well entice more people to become better informed and would leave out the non-stop sensationalist coverage that unfortunately accompanies tragedies. There’s nothing wrong with perusing and enjoying what sites like BuzzFeed have to offer, but we should also make sure that we don’t let that kind of content take the place of truly informative news.

Are Our Political Parties to Blame for Low Voter Turnout? by Maddy Kirsch Voter turnout for this year’s Associated Students Elections was plain dismal. A lone 6,684 students voted out of an undergraduate population of over 19,000. That equates to only a little more than one third of the student body, or exactly 37.16 percent– down from 39.73 percent last year and 41.78 percent in 2012. It is difficult to claim that students simply forgot to vote, and almost impossible to claim that they were unaware of campus elections entirely. The elections-related signs lining the bike path were unmissable,

drenched bells and whistles did not attract students to the polls; they repelled them. I picture the University of California, Santa Barbara student body as the crying little girl who went viral leading up to the 2012 national elections: “I’m tired of ‘Bronco Bamma’ and Mitt Romney!” she wailed while her mother assured her that it would all be over soon. Replace “Bronco Bamma” and Mitt Romney with OPP and DP, and I think you’ve pretty much captured the mood around campus these past few weeks. Students got tired of it. We got tired of feeling bombarded by

after witnessing their petty, unprofessional rivalry. It’s hard to even take the candidates seriously after 10 senators resigned midterm during the 2012-2013 school year–especially considering that there were only 25 total senators to begin with. Do these student candidates even realize that the weekly Senate meetings they are committing to have the potential to be long and tedious? I set out to write an article about student apathy surrounding campus elections. My plan was to scold students for their laziness and accuse them of not caring about the future of their university–a crime that seems especially reprehensible as we work to

I’ve seen wildly inappropriate booing and cheering, complete with floor banging and jumping. After the announcements, OPP and DP usually huddle separately to chant and strategize as if they were opposing football teams...

THE MESSAGE SEEMS CLEAR: THE SUCCESS OF THEIR PARTY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS THEY REPRESENT. the party affiliated t-shirts and wristbands ubiquitous, and the flyers unrelenting. The majority of students clearly knew that elections were going on, and made a conscious decision not to participate. Far from proposing that we did not do enough to encourage student voting, I think that it is more accurate to say we did too much. All of the Open People’s Party (OPP) and Democratic Process Party (DP)

all the elections noise, but starved for legitimate information. Apart from repeating certain buzzwords–like the fact that OPP brought us the skateboard lane and dining commons take-out boxes–nobody could seem to articulate a meaningful, philosophical difference between the parties, which only visibly exist to us for two weeks out of the year. It’s hard to take OPP and DP seriously

recover from the Deltopia fiasco. But upon further reflection, I found myself becoming oddly sympathetic to the motivations of the student non-voter. I think that our dysfunctional and obnoxious two party system is just as much to blame for low voter turnout as the students themselves. Having attended elections results announcements for the past three years as an observer, I’ve consistently been embarrassed

how some of the candidates conduct themselves. I’ve seen wildly inappropriate booing and cheering, complete with floor banging and jumping. After the announcements, OPP and DP usually huddle separately to chant and strategize as if they were opposing football teams. The message seems clear: the success of their party is more important than the interests of the students they represent. Given all this, I can see why students have become disillusioned with the system. After all, it’s not like UCSB students just don’t care about democracy; we’ve consistently broken records for national voter registration, winning the Ultimate College Bowl competition in both 2008 and 2012. It is unfortunate that our own silly campus politics have prevented us from replicating this enthusiasm at the university level. Next year, we need to do a better job of informing students not just about the parties and the candidates, but about what is at stake. Our student government handled about $2.5 million this year–that’s our money that comes from our student fees. And apart from choosing representatives, we also have the opportunity to vote directly on whether or not we want to fund certain programs, such as Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the Food Bank, and Campus Learning Assistive Services (CLAS). Without our support, these services could disappear in the future. So while I share in the frustration with the structuring of elections at this school, I refuse to give up completely. We need to shift the focus away from party interests and back toward student interests. The future of UCSB is too important not to.

Want to get involved with the Bottom Line? Apply to join our editorial board! Email bottomlineucsb@gmail.com with questions, or come to our meetings on Tuesdays at 7pm in the Annex.