University of California, Santa Barbara || Volume XIII, Issue IV|| Oct. 24, 2018 || BottomLineUCSB.com
NEWS
FEATURES
OPINIONS
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
SCIENCE & TECH
PHOTO
ON STRIKE OCT. 23 - OCT. 25 PHOTOSTORY
Page 12
Photo by Dominick Ojeda | Digital Photo Editor
How Environmentally Conscious is UCSB?
Scientific Scuba Diving Program at UCSB
Outside the very classrooms that we advocate for the environment, in our beaches remain littered with beer-can reminders of the latest weekend dayger.
UCSB’s scientific diving program offers students a unique opportunity in distinctive and engaging research.
OPINIONS
SCIENCE & TECH
Page 10
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TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
2 | NEWS
UCSB Ranks Second Lowest-Paying UC The California State Controller’s Office Reports that UCSB Paid its Workers the Second Lowest Average Salary in the UC System JACOB WONG National Beat Reporter The California State Controller’s Office released the UC system’s 2017 payroll information last week, including the average salaries for employees at each UC campus, in addition to the Office of the President. Athletics coaches and medical staff were among the highest-paid employees in nearly every campus. All payroll data that the Controller’s Office released came from its Government Compensation in California (GCC) website, which provides information on public employee benefits and compensation data. UCSB ranked second to last in payroll among the 10 UC campuses, with an average salary of $29,152 for all employees, just ahead of UC Santa Cruz ($27,579). The university paid its 17,174 listed employees $500,657,996 in total wages and $116,184,823 in total retirement and health contribution, which amounted to an average of $6,765 per employee. The 2017 report reveals an overall upward trend in wage prices for UCSB over the past five years, with average wages increasing 14.6 percent since 2013. The numbers tell a similar story for the other UC campuses, with wage and employment numbers going up throughout the system. However, nowhere are the
wage increases as apparent as in the UC Office of the President (UCOP), which has seen the average salary for its employees jump from $79,190 to $94,918 since 2013, nearly a 20 percent increase. UCOP also had the highest average salary among all UC campuses listed at $94,918, paying its 2,125 employees a total $201,699,847 in wages. UCOP Chief Investment Officer Jagdeep Singh Bachher made $1,602,007 on his own. UC President Janet Napolitano had the fourth-highest salary in her office, bringing in $578,916 in 2017. A look at salary numbers across campuses revealed a curious trend: the highest-paid employees in the UC system were athletics coaches and medical professionals, not professors. The highest-paid employees at UCLA were two athletics coaches, bringing in a combined $6,427,948 between them. At UC Berkeley, three head coaches were the only university employees with salaries above $1,000,000. At UC San Francisco, UC Davis, and UC San Diego, the highest paid-employees are affiliated with their school’s medical centers, with the CEO of each center earning over $1,000,000. Meanwhile, at UCSB the highest-paid employee, a professor, earns $494,766. The fact that UCSB, a university without a medical center or a nationally-
TBL 2018-2019 STAFF Correction: In Volume 13 Issue 3, Jarod Ramirez was not credited as the writer of the AFSCME strike article
recognized athletics program, has no employees with salaries over $500,000 can be explained in large part by one significant factor: competition. “There is a supply/demand market for every job. We do not operate in a vacuum, particularly when other institutions are competing to hire or retain candidates for open positions on our campus,” said UC Berkeley spokesperson Dan Mogulof in a statement reported by The Daily Californian. “In that context, for every position there is a level of compensation that is required to recruit and retain highly qualified employees.” While there will always be a demand for Ph.D. holding professors in universities, reports show that the market for them has grown increasingly oversaturated in recent years. When it comes to athletics officials and medical professionals, this is not the case. Universities across the country are in constant competition with each other to recruit high-profile candidates at these positions, which has forced some UC schools to spend millions of dollars to keep up. However, since UCSB does not have a medical center or a nationally-recognized athletics program, it can afford to stay out of these bidding wars. For now, it appears that UCSB is an exception to the norm.
Photo by Juan Gonzalez | Print Photo Editor
Opinions expressed in TBL do not necessarily represent those of the staff or UCSB. All submissions, questions or comments may be directed to editors@bottomlineucsb.com
Editor-in-Chief | Alex Yam
Features Editor | Victoria Penate
Digital Photo Editor | Dominick Ojeda
Web Editor | Docean Park
Managing Editor | Mable Truong
Arts & Entertainment Editor | Addison Morris
Print Photo Editor | Juan Gonzalez
Layout Editor | Natalie Dye
Executive Content Editor| Lauren Marnel
Science & Tech Editor | Hannah Maerowitz
Campus Beat Reporter | Minh Hua
PAGES: 4, 5, 6
Shores
Opinions Editor | Jessica Gang
Isla Vista Beat Reporter | Alondra Sierra
Layout Editor | Chrissy Cho
Senior Copy Editor | Spencer Wu
Video Editor | Fabiola Esqueda
National Beat Reporter | Jacob Wong
PAGES: 7,8,9
Co-News Editor | Arturo Samaniego
Advertising Director | Tanya Gosselin
Copy Editor | Sheila Tran
Layout Editor | Vivianna Shields
Co-News Editor | Annette Ding
Marketing Director | Erica Kaplan
Copy Editor | McKinsey FIdellow
PAGES: 10,11,12
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
3 | NEWS
Photo by Juan Gonzalez | Print Photo Editor
UC Librarians in Negotation with UCOP
UC librarians are currently engaged in intense negotiations with the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) over matters concerning pay increases, affordable housing, and development funds that are all said to impact UC librarians’ livelihoods and ability to perform their jobs. One of the main issues at the center of the negotiations is pay increases for UC librarians. An article released by UC-AFT, the union which represents Unit 17 librarians and Unit 18 non-Senate faculty working throughout the UC system, notes that the UC has rewarded university librarians and other library administrators with an average pay increase of 32 percent over the last five years. Meanwhile, the last contract for rankand-file librarians only guaranteed an eight percent pay increase. According to the report, on the same day the UCOP approved an 8.9 percent pay increase for University Librarian M. Elizabeth Cowell, it only offered Unit 17 librarians “meager pay raises” spread over four years that only increase at the rate of three percent for the first year and then two percent for
subsequent years. UC-AFT states that these pay increases “won’t keep up with inflation and will exacerbate the existing pay gap with CSUs and community colleges.” “Rank-and-file, the most normal librarians, are dramatically underpaid. They are paid less than librarians at Cal states or community colleges,” Greg Hillis, a continuing lecturer in the department of Religious Studies at UCSB and a member of the UC-AFT Local 2141 Executive Board, told The Bottom Line. “They would like to have parity with other state universities like the Cal state system,” Hillis said. In 2017, the minimum monthly salary for an assistant librarian who has worked one year at a CSU is $4,547, while it is only $4036 at a UC. In addition, the minimum monthly salary for an associate librarian is $6,249, in comparison with $4,492 at a UC. In a statement to The Bottom Line, Danielle Smith, Media Communications Specialist for UCOP, said, “As negotiations with UC-AFT proceed, the University of California has presented a number of proposals that are very favorable to UC librarians, including enhanced wage structures.” Smith also added that the
“UC’s goal is to reach a long-term agreement that our dedicated librarians deserve, including competitive pay.” Another point of contention in the negotiations concerns UC librarians’ access to affordable housing. “Many librarians have special living circumstances and long commutes so they could live in communities with lower rents. This is particularly true at Santa Barbara, but this is also true across the UC system,” Hillis said. The UC-AFT article notes that Unit 17 librarians are not eligible for the UC campus housing assistance program, a program that assists faculty in the purchase of homes and provides rental units for faculty on some campuses. In order to be eligible for the program, a faculty member must be a senate member or hold a title in an equivalent rank. Hillis said that if the program was offered to UC librarians, it would go a long way towards helping them obtain affordable housing and ensure that they continued to work at UC campuses. “We lose librarians frequently, not because they don’t like UCSB, but because they simply cannot afford to stay,” said Hillis.
The zero increase to professional development funds is another point that UC-ATF would like changed in the upcoming contracts, along with giving academic freedom to UC librarians. The professional development funds are used to finance UC librarians’ special projects and attendance at conferences and workshops where they can develop their professional skills. “The conferences keep librarians up to date on the latest trends and practices in their field, it allows them to be better librarians and be able to merit increases in pay,” Hillis said. In Smith’s statement to The Bottom Line, she noted one of the proposals it has presented to UCATF is “the establishment of a policy workgroup on the privileges and responsibilities of non-faculty academic personnel.” Smith concluded by saying “UC remains committed to working diligently and in good faith with UC-AFT to reach an agreement as soon as possible.” The next bargaining session between UC-ATF and UCOP is scheduled for Nov. 2 at UCSD.
“
We lose librarians frequently, not because they don’t like UCSB, but because they simply cannot afford to stay. - Greg Hillis
“
ARTURO SAMANIEGO Co-News Editor
4 | NEWS
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
Judicial Council Chair Appointment Confirmation Suspended in Partisan Votes
Senate Adventures: The Case of the Judicial Council Appointment MINH HUA Campus Beat Reporter
Slander allegations and an incomplete Judicial Council are two of the hottest buzzwords of Associated Students government these past three weeks. In light of the critical appointment of an A.S. Judicial Council Chair, Nawar Nemeh’s petition indicting Campus United (CU) of “engaging in slander” during the 2018 A.S. Elections haunts A.S. Senate like a specter, resulting in a bifurcated Senate and an uneasy atmosphere as the fate of half the senators hangs on by a thread (but not really). The council received Nemeh’s petition in May, where he wrote that CU candidates allegedly “engaged in practices that gave them disproportionate advantages in securing seats.” The petition claims that CU candidates told voters that the Isla Vista Party (IVP) wanted to raise the noise ordinance to 10 p.m., campaigned during Environmental Affairs Board’s Earth Day, and promoted their campaigns on social media without a direct disclaimer, amongst many other charges. “After an extensive deep dive into our records, and after talking with many of my staff members from the festival, I can confidently say that CU did not campaign at the I.V. Earth Day Festival that took place on Earth Day of 2018,” said Alexis Beatty, an Earth Day coordinator who participated in the event in question. “We’ve never been contacted or approached by anyone from CU about campaigning and never would have allowed them to,” continued Beatty. “No one on my staff recalls seeing anyone from CU at the park that day in any official capacity. However, hundreds of people attended the festival and it’s possible that some CU candidates attended the festival as private citizens.” The petition castigates A.S.
Photo by Minh Hua | Campus Beat Reporter
Elections Board for not taking “measurable action” when confronted with these violations of legal code and calls for the Judicial Council to investigate and issue a disqualification against CU candidates. Some sources have interpreted the petition as “calling for the removal of all CU senators and executives.” In response to the petition, Attorney General Zeina Safadi said, “Currently, there is no precedence for the removal of Senators of Executive members based on the grounds of slander.” Additionally, any violation of elections code based on slander only has future repercussions. Specifically, if an individual were to break one of the bylaws of elections code right now, then they would be banned from running in the future. Regardless, Judicial Council is currently unable to make a ruling on Nemeh’s petition due to its inability to meet its three member quorum. After Matthew Lanthier and Roshni Sopariwalla graduated and left their place at the council, Raymond Alonso currently resides
as the council’s only member. Consequently, A.S. President Brooke Kopel nominated Justin Nilsen, who served as solicitor general last year, as chair of Judicial Council. The legislative cogs were supposed to be churning smoothly except A.S. Senate still hasn’t confirmed Nilsen’s appointment after three weeks of discussion. Nilsen’s appointment failed three times with a 12-11-1 vote all three times, raising concerns about Senate’s partisanship. “It’s basically just partisan politics that’s taking place right now,” said College of Engineering Senator Alex Funk on Oct. 10. Five hours into the meeting, University-Owned Senator Anthony Hernandez added, “I could be doing a lot more for my community and constituents right now rather than discussing this.” Though Senate can choose to not approve Nilsen’s appointment, at this point, Kopel would be unable to appoint a new chairperson. According to A.S. Legal Code, the Judicial Council chairperson can only be appointed within
two school weeks of vacancy. If Nilsen’s appointment is not approved, Judicial Council will operate without a chair for the rest of the school year. In the end, conceding to OffCampus Senator Christian Ornelas’s suggestion, Senate has agreed to hold off on Nilsen’s appointment until a newly created special committee reviews the remaining applicants for the Judicial Council Chair position. Ornelas cited transparency versus “internal bias” and Nemeh’s petition as motivations for this intensive process. When asked about the petition, Nilsen explained that he has deliberately avoided reading it or rendering an opinion toward the outlined allegations. “When you’re on Judicial Council, there’s a very formal procedure about hearing evidence and hearing testimony,” said Nilsen. “If I was to read it now, without all of the evidence, without formal procedure, then it colors the way you view a case. Given that there’s always a possibility that we can see the case, I can’t really say which
way we’d decide to rule or whether we’d decide to hear it.” Furthermore, Nilsen stated that he wouldn’t be the one deciding whether Judicial Council will decide whether to consider the case. The affirmation of only two members of the Council are needed to determine whether a case is heard, which is a minority of the five person council. Until then, the Committee on Committees will interview the remaining Judicial Council applicants and send their recommendations to Kopel, who will then conduct her own interview and recommend four nominees to Senate. Her appointments will then require a two-thirds majority approval by Senate. As of now, Nilsen’s appointment is still fair game and has been slated to appear for review in conjunction with Kopel’s four additional nominees. For the full story, go to TBL’s website to read the unabridged version of this article. Lauren Marnel Shores contributed reporting.
5 | FEATURES
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
Daniel Newman-Lessler,
Newest Conductor of UCSB’s Chamber HANNAH MAEROWITZ Science & Tech Editor Freshly graduated from the University of Southern California with his master’s of music in sacred music conducting, Daniel Newman-Lessler has already established himself as a force of innovation as the new conductor of UC Santa Barbara’s chamber choir. At only 27 years old, Newman-Lessler has been drawn to music his whole life — which may explain his high level of success at such a young age. “My mom claims that it started while she was still pregnant with me. She was driving to a doctor’s appointment and, at this point, there hadn’t been a whole lot of movement or kicking. But she happened to turn on some Elton John and apparently she felt kicking that was in tempo with the music,” said Newman-Lessler in an interview with The Bottom Line. Newman-Lessler’s fascination with music continued as he grew up. At the age of one or two years old, he was already banging around on the piano, fascinated by the creation of sound. At four years old, he had begun piano lessons and was tapping out made up rhythms in class — a habit that drove most of his teachers crazy. Although he had a stint as a performer in a progressive metal band in high school, classical piano remained his love, influencing his decision to study composition and piano at USC’s Thornton School of Music as an undergraduate. Daniel Pollack, a professor of piano at USC, was one of Newman-Lessler’s formative influences during his time as an undergraduate. “I quickly realized being in his studio that I was not going to be a solo pianist because the rest of his students were just at a different level,” said Newman-Lessler. “It was very humbling be-
cause I was very much a big fish in a small pond growing up, but then I went to L.A. and realized that, although I love piano and I’m never gonna give it up, it’s not gonna be my career.” Despite that realization, Newman-Lessler describes Pollack as a mentor who made him a better pianist and human being. After beginning to focus on conducting, Newman-Lessler decided to stay at USC to complete his master’s degree — during which he worked with Nick Strimple, a well-known scholar of Jewish sacred music. For his graduate conducting recital, Newman-Lessler conducted music exclusively composed by Jewish women. “I feel a certain duty as a conductor — since one of my biggest duties is to decide what music the choir I conduct for is going to perform — to make sure that the voices of these composers [are] heard,” said Newman-Lessler. “Whether it’s making sure more women are getting programmed or whether it’s making music in response to the environmental movement, music and social justice are going hand in hand. That’s a big thing I took away from my time in Los Angeles.” Newman-Lessler’s passion for programming innovative classical music, especially music by living composers, has influenced his vision for the chamber choir at UCSB. Inspired by UCSB’s place in the modern environmentalism movement, he designed a set of pieces for the choir that tell the stories of environmentalism and nature through music. The pieces he has designed for the choir are diverse and thematically oriented — some are warning pieces, while others are musical tributes to awe-inspiring places in nature. “I rely on themes to help me parse some other stuff away because there is an overwhelming amount of repertoire to be programmed,” said Newman-Lessler.
Photo by Charles Stock | Staff Photographer With an excellent regard for all aspects of teaching, Daniel Newman-Lessler eloquently conducts his choir.
“At the same time, for these pieces about the environmental movement, I focused on representing everything from trees to the sun to the ocean.” Newman-Lessler is passionate about his position at UCSB, for which he discovered he was a finalist only five weeks before
fall quarter began. He describes mentorship as contributing to his decision to apply for the position. Newman-Lessler sees potential at UCSB and feels “very humbled and flattered to be teaching alongside [its] incredible vocal faculty.” He is currently focusing on
using his creative energy to build a thriving program at UCSB and on working with the university’s high level choral students, all of whom bring different sets of musical and life experiences to the table.
6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Psychedelic Cumbia Punk with Tropa Magica SORAYA LUGO Tropa Magica, a psychedelic cumbia-punk band who played at Coachella in 2017, visited the Multicultural Center (MCC) on Friday, Oct. 19, filling the theater with its cinematic Colombian rock sound and filling the room with excited fans. The band originally began as Thee Commons in 2012 as a trio made up of the Pacheco brothers and a bassist from east Los Angeles. Co-founders David and Rene Pacheco collaborated and experimented with new musicians as they evolved their music into what it is now. The brothers have been working on this new sound for some time, rebranding their music as they incorporate magical and carni-
valesque traits to their original psychedelic cumbia music. Joined by violinist Kaitlin Wolfberg, electric keyboardist Esteban Flores, and bassist Jason Juarez, the Pacheco brothers filled the MCC with moody, upbeat cumbia songs. The band has structured its vocals to complement its music, careful not to overpower it. David’s raspy voice and jazz-like scatting adds to the band’s punk influence, while features like guitar-picking keep the latin roots strong. Tropa Magica radiated free-flowing positive energy. Throughout the show, the band cracked many jokes, smiling and enjoying the liveliness of the venue. As they got lost in the moment, David played the guitar behind his head, Flores brought his keyboard to the floor, and all gave each other time for solos to
highlight each talent. While the audience members were humbly dancing at the beginning of the show, the band escalated the energy so that, eventually, they couldn’t hold back from rocking out too. By the fourth song, Tropa Magica had the majority of the crowd dancing along to a ranchera song with psychedelic qualities, filling the aisles with jumping and dancing for the rest of the night. During the performance, David shared a song written for the band members’ future selves; the song is intended to remind them, when they’re old, of the great times they had when they were young. The song begins slow, with a jazzy feel, but quickly turns upbeat with lyricism that discusses the the great memories and happiness that life and the band brought to each
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
band member. For one of the final songs, the group performed a Westerninfluenced cumbia, “La Flor,” written by Rene. While David writes the majority of the group’s songs, Rene helps brainstorm, structure, and finalize them. David has taken Rene under his wing as they both write songs now and continue to experiment with new collaborative processes that transition them to their new sound. Rene expressed his excitement as he continues to work on the songs he’s currently brewing. Fourth year sociology and environmental sciences doublemajor Diana Vazquez and fourth year communication major Isabel Pena both enjoyed how enthusiastically the band played. Vazquez mentioned that it was a lot of fun, and described the band’s style as having “Growlers vibes.” Isabel comment-
ed, “there’s incredible charisma between the band. They really have so much fun together ...there was no way I’d be sitting down.” Tropa Magica’s next show will be in Long Beach on Nov. 3 as part of the Tropicalia Festival where artists like Morrissey, Cardi B, and Mac DeMarco are also performing. The band has announced this past week that they will be going on tour with artist King Tuffy this upcoming spring. As part of the tour, they will be returning to Santa Barbara on Feb. 15. Fans at this show will likely be excited to hear the news that the group will be visiting Santa Barbara again soon, performing at Velvet Jones.
Photo by Charles Stock | Staff Photographer Tropa Magica poses playfully for a group photo following the show in the MCC on Friday evening.
7 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
No Indoor Voices Smart and Diverse Stand-Up in Santa Barbara
“You are going to hear different things at my show. If you are brown, Muslim, Jewish, Syrian, Lebanese, Latina, black, gay, trans, white … there is always gonna be somebody on the show that you can relate to.” - Kimmie Dee, producer of NIV
ANTHONY GIUSTI SHINDELUS
No Indoor Voices (NIV) will continue to produce comedy shows locally with upcoming events from their fall 2018 series coming to the Brasil Arts Cafe on select Saturday evenings this November. Their primary focus is to present provocative stand-up comedy shows featuring experienced comedians. In an interview with TBL, producer Kimmie Dee said, “Everybody is pretty much a headliner. They’ve all had a Netflix special — or something to that degree — or they’ve all been on television.” Dee emphasizes that NIV has a focus on diversity, saying, “You are going to hear different things at my show. If you are brown, Muslim, Jewish, Syrian, Lebanese, Latina, black, gay, trans, white ... there is always gonna be somebody on the show that you can relate to.” Shows in NIV’s fall series certainly feature a wide range of comedians. NIV is currently midway through their fall series of five shows — the third just completed Oct. 20. Two shows remain and will be held Nov. 3 and Nov 17. On Nov. 3, Julie Goldman will bring her 10 years of experience in comedy and the perspective of a
Jewish lesbian to the stage. She has performed stand-up on Comedy Central, as well as written for comedy productions like E!’s “Fashion Police.” Goldman has also made appearances on TV shows, including “Bones” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” On Nov. 17, stand-up comics and comedy writers Laurie Kilmartin, Jackie Kashian, Steven Lolli, and Mark Brazill will perform. Kilmartin is a current writer for “Conan” with 31 years of experience in comedy. Kashian released a top-selling comedy album, “Comedy Central special,” and performed stand-up sets on “Conan.” Lolli is a stand-up comic who has collaborated with, and earned the praise of, Kat Williams. Brazill is a cocreator of “That ‘70s Show.” Kimmie Dee and NIV also have other comedy programs in production: a podcast, TV show, and play. The podcast is named “Elbows and Bellybuttons: The Way I see It.” Dee stated that her podcast will have interviews with Amy Stiller, the daughter of comedy-duo Stiller and Meara; famed musical comedian Mark Russell; and New Yorker cartoonist, Liza Donnelly. The interview with Donnelly is part of
a free, public writing salon at the Oreana Winery in Santa Barbara on Nov. 11. “The Laughtavist” is NIV’s hybrid TV show of comedy and activism. “Waste Management” is a dark, comedic play written by Dee about a comedian and survivor of sexual abuse. “The Laughtavist” and “Waste Management” are both still in production and do not yet have determined release dates. In the meantime, Kimmie Dee welcomes all UCSB students to see the remainder of the NIV fall 2018 series shows, saying, “[Young people and students are] the voice of the future.” She encourages all to attend her eccentric and inciting events, stating, “We intend to make you laugh.” But with all of the diverse and highly qualified talent she’s bringing to the table this season, Dee probably also intends to make people think differently and learn something new. Tickets to the stand-up shows are offered for $15 at NightOut.com or $20 cash at the door. More on No Indoor Voices can be found on their website at NoIndoorVoices.com
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
8 | SCIENCE & TECH
Image Courtesy of UCSB Marine Operations
Scientific Diving Certification Allows Students to Explore New Depths HANNAH MAEROWITZ Science & Tech Editor
Although UCSB is well-known for its scenic surroundings, it is also proximate to some of the best diving sites in the country, which have contributed to its robust scientific diving program. In 2017, 148 divers logged scientific dives. Another 37 new divers became scientific diving certified through UCSB’s scientific diving program, many of whom have described the program as lifechanging. “There have definitely been quarters where I spent more time underwater than I spent in class and I don’t regret it at all. It’s so worth it,” said Jordan Gallagher, who recently graduated from UCSB and will soon begin a masters program at UCSB’s Marine Science Institute. Gallagher became scientific diving certified the summer after his freshman year at UCSB and estimates that he has logged around 350 dives since. Through the scientific diving program, he has conducted surveys of organisms and kelp at dive sites in Carpinteria, Gaviota, and the Channel Islands;
traveled to French Polynesia to dive; and launched an independent research project that analyzes how marine reserves contribute to a symbiotic relationship between lobster populations and fisheries. “The scientific diving program here is one of the major reasons I got an offer for graduate school right out of undergrad. There are so many opportunities through the program,” said Gallagher, who also serves as the Associated Students Coastal Fund Chair. Due to his passion for diving and a desire to engage more students in the program, Gallagher and the A.S. Coastal Fund Board have created a scholarship that allows one student every fall and spring quarter to complete the scientific diving certification program free of charge. According to Gallagher, two students have already been certified via this scholarship program. “The costs can be a deterrent, but there are resources out there for people, particularly for people that are underrepresented in the field. And once you do it, there are so many opportunities out there. There are tons of [UCSB affiliated] labs that will let you dive for
free and if you stay with them long enough, may hire you full time as a technician,” said Gallagher. Gallagher is far from being the only student to benefit from the ample opportunities available to students in the scientific diving program. “I have seen many students go on to enjoy successful, professional careers using their diving experience and credentials,” said Scott Simon, the Director of Research Experience and Education Facility (REEF) at UCSB. Simon has seen some students go on to become aquarists for prestigious public aquariums including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the L.A. Science Center. Other students have moved onto well-known research programs after graduation at organizations ranging from the Partnership for the Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to Simon, divers trained at UCSB are given opportunities to log dives all over the world, from the tropical waters of Mo’orea to the polar oceans of Ant-
arctica. There are also opportunities to do freshwater diving in rivers and lakes. To enter the program, students only need an open water certification (which can be acquired through the recreation center at UCSB), some prior diving experience, and an interest in working in a dive lab. “Many students we train are very new to diving and a number have only dived in tropical waters for vacation/family trips,” said Simon. One concern new divers may have is safety. However, UCSB’s diving program maintains a high level of safety, with zero serious dive safety incidents reported in 2017. “The dive safety program here is amazing and very supportive. They want you to get the work done that you need to get done and also be safe,” said Katrina Munsterman, a second year graduate student at UCSB who works in the Burkepile Lab. For students who want to seize some of the university’s underwater opportunities, applications for scientific dive certification in spring 2019 open on Nov. 1.
9 | SCIENCE & TECH
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
An App That Can Get You Into Parties: Zab Zab Profile CARMIYA BASKIN Staff Writer Zab Zab, a new app that connects party-goers with party hosts, is coming to UCSB. Derived from the Polish word “zabawa,” meaning party, the app was launched in Poland at the end of last year. Martin Switalski, one of the co-founders of the application, said that it boasted 10,000 users within six months of its launch. Sign-up is simple. Users use their Facebook account to sign up for the app and turn on location services to see events happening near them. Users can also access event details, including number of guests attending, a host rating, price of entry, the distance from their current location, and a short event description. Within 30 minutes of requesting an invitation to an event, users will receive the event’s address and a QR code to be scanned upon arrival. When asked what makes Zab Zab unique, Switalski noted that it offers a more personalized partying experience compared to larger corporate companies and booking agencies that only host parties
at clubs and festivals. Zab Zab is a new app that allows people to quickly create and invite people to an event with the touch of a button. All of its functions are built in, decreasing the amount of time users spend trying to locate parties. Switalski was inspired to bring Zab Zab to the United States after it became a success in Poland. When he first arrived in Santa Barbara about a month ago, some of his friends who attend UCSB introduced him to the university’s party culture. Switalski felt that the university’s penchant for parties and Santa Barbara’s natural beauty would make UCSB an ideal place to grow and promote his app. “When my friends mentioned that Santa Barbara is a party town, I started doing research on the university. I also have friends studying here, so I have a personal connection that will make it easier to set up the app here,” said Switalski. He also has plans for the app that are bigger than just parties, eventually planning to expand to promoting other types of events as well. Switalski came up with the idea for the app while on a walk. “I saw this really huge house party
taking place right next door and I thought, maybe I will go to the host and give them cash so I can get into this party,” said Switalski in an interview with The Bottom Line. After realizing that doing so would potentially be awkward, Switalski began researching applications that would allow guests to get into parties without the embarrassment of initial face-to-face confrontation. Switalski found that no apps existed for this purpose in either Europe or America. Filled with ambition and excitement, he set to work, coming up with features for the app and consulting with his IT friends all in one night. “I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. I just thought this would be the coolest thing ever,” said Switalski. Zab Zab was initially one of his side projects, but as the app gained traction, it became Switalski’s main focus. Zab Zab gives a phone-centric generation access to a novel partying experience. Opportunities to host parties or become brand ambassadors are currently available (by contacting contact@zabzab.com) as Zab Zab begins to find its footing in Santa Barbara.
Images Courtesy of Martin Switalski | Zab Zab
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
10 | OPINIONS
Photo by Jessica Gang | Opinions Editor
It’s Not Easy Being Green — But We Have to Try STELLA DELGADO At UCSB, every eco-friendly student confidently totes around their sticker-covered Hydro Flask and metal straws that tell the world that they care about the environment and know they look cool while doing it. But what doesn’t look cool is having to go for a walk on the beach alongside oceanside Del Playa Drive amongst the abandoned red solo cups and beer cans following the latest game of Gaucho Ball. As a home of Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, dozens of environmentally focused organizations, and thousands of environmental studies majors, UCSB is one of the most environmentally conscious colleges in the country. Just this past month, alumni Kim and Jack Johnson broke ground on a student farm in west campus that will bring fresh, local produce to the A.S. Food Bank as part of the Edible Campus program in order to further expand UCSB’s on-campus sustainability.
Your practices implemented here go beyond just campus or I.V., they move up and down the coast with the current. This Earth is gorgeous and should stay that way. But the problem is not with the environmental infrastructure on campus, it’s with individuals who don’t take the extra step in order to do their part. Throwing a beer can on the ground in someone’s backyard during a dayger is not responsible. Throwing trash on the curb is not responsible. Driving three blocks just to get food is not responsible, because it all adds up. As announced by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, humanity has only 12 years to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable level before it is too late to prevent significant damage to the atmosphere. As such, on-campus
groups such as AS Recycling or the Environmental Affairs Board can only do so much to educate willing Gauchos on how to do their part to save the planet. Most of the environmental legwork needs to be done by the students of UCSB and the residents of Isla Vista. Being a friend of the environment extends beyond just listing “hiking” in your Tinder bio. Get involved, even if that means just starting at home. Start with pulling out an actual recycling bin for those red solo cups, because being drunk doesn’t exempt one from littering. Part of the problem is excusing the problem. Although col-
lege only lasts a few years, the sustainable habits you cultivate during your time here extend far beyond that. Your habits here go beyond just campus or I.V. They move up and down the coast with the current. This Earth is gorgeous and should stay that way. If you want to become more environmentally conscious, there are lots of resources available to you. A.S. Recycling has a lot of information on recycling on and off campus in I.V. The website also goes into local e-waste, hazardous waste, and composting. Another great online resource is the UCSB Sustainability website, which lists ways to get involved and fun, informative events. Last-
ly, one of the easiest ways to make a difference is to vote for politicians and legislature that promote a sustainable California. Regardless of whether individuals feel motivated to help reduce climate change, everyone will be affected. Last year, the campus became deserted for fall quarter finals due to the Thomas Fire, which was followed by the tragic Montecito mudslides. These disasters destroyed houses, families, and large portions of the Los Padres National Forest. Devastating environmental disasters of this magnitude are only becoming more frequent across the state of California and across the world. So, Gauchos and mapaches on and off campus, it is time to raise those metal straws and call on your neighbors and families to start leading environmentally friendly lifestyles that go beyond what’s trendy, because if you don’t change, nature will.
11 | OPINIONS
TBL| Oct. 24, 2018
UCSB Faculty vs. Technology
Illustration by Natalie Dye | Layout Editor
SABRINA BUI With the start of the new school year, the debate over whether electronics should be allowed inside the classroom has become a relevant topic of conversation yet again. With current studies still supporting the idea that electronic devices in the classroom are detrimental to students’ ability to learn, professors have taken it upon themselves to ban electronics in class. Professors have stated different reasons for not allowing electronics in the classroom, like claiming the devices are a distraction or citing studies that say handwritten notes lead to better retention and understanding
of learning material. They are all spouting variations of the same fundamental assumption: students are not engaged when they are using electronics in the classroom. But it’s not the technology itself that causes this lack of engagement from students; it is the way the technology is being utilized, or rather the lack thereof. As it currently stands, most professors are teaching in a way that makes it easy for students to become distracted. Long lectures with hundreds of students being talked at is not conducive for hands-on, interactive learning. The problem is that professors are teaching in an archaic way that does not best utilize the new technology
that is currently available. The majority of studies justifying electronic bans have a very narrow view of how electronics can be used in class. Namely, they are seen as an alternative to traditional, handwritten notetaking. They disregard other educational uses for technology, and its potential benefits. For example, technology can be used as a way to facilitate discussion in class, and can make certain students who are uncomfortable speaking about certain topics more willing to speak up. The anonymity of the device can encourage students that would not otherwise speak to do so. One professor from Dal-
housie University wrote in The Chronicle of Higher Education that electronics were a way to enable and ensure every student had an equal opportunity to participate in his human sexuality class, which delves into topics some students may not be comfortable openly speaking about. It is true that studies have consistently shown handwritten notes lead to better performance on tests. But, testing is not the only way to measure learning, and can be an unfair metric for those who suffer from test anxiety. The result also fails to account for other circumstances that could allow for higher test scores outside of the classroom, such as par-
ticipating in study groups, online help resources, etc. College is supposed to be a time where students are able to have agency over their education, which includes how they choose to take notes. Professors may be banning electronics because they have the students’ interests at heart, but the lack of handholding is what makes college a unique experience. Banning electronics in class disregards the immense benefit that technology can bring to a student’s educational life and professors should think twice before trying to control their students’ learning experiences.
12 | PHOTO
TBL | Oct. 24, 2018
AFSCME 3299 Protest Photos by Dominick Ojeda | Digital Photo Editor
Protestors gain support from cars passing through Henley Gate.
AFSCME protestors call for “Justice Now� as they march towards Henley Gate.
Student activists march together in solidarity with AFSCME union members.
Gerardo Lopez, a student volunteer, chants and drums in order to bolster AFSCME protests.
Student activist Dylan Kupsh leads chants for protestors in the Arbor.