May 3, 2012

serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915

www.theaggie.org

volume 131, number 59

thursday, may 3, 2012

Legislation plans to lower federal Stafford Loan interest rates Congress scrambles to resolve increasing student loan debt

By CLAIRE TAN

Associate City Editor

Adding to the increasing levels of student loan debt in the United States is the possibility of having federal, or subsidized, Stafford Loan interest rates double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1.

In a report, t h e

for five years.

According to the Stafford Loan website, federal Stafford Loans are one of the most common and inexpensive ways to pay for tuition.

Congressman Gary Peters, D-Mich., the first co-signer of H.R. 3826, is working with Courtney on lowering interest rates.

“He thinks college education is key to helping our country survive,” said Vicki Christner, Deputy Press Secretary for Congressman Peters.

“We have the most educated workforce in the country, and if college becomes unaffordable, then we won’t be able to sustain that.”

Christner said the bill now has over 150 co-sponsors. On

Federal Reserve Bank of New York said student loan debt has surpassed the nation’s credit card debt, fueling a nationwide debate on keeping college affordable.

Congressman Joe Courtney, D-Conn., introduced House Bill 3826 (H.R. 3826) on January 25. The bill potentially caps federal student loan interest rates by the July 1 expiration of the 2007 legislation that capped student interest rates

Irisa Tam / Aggie

Vandalism at Shields Library increases

Tuesday, Peters held a press conference at Wayne State University’s Farmington Hills campus in Michigan about lowering student loan interest rates. Three students — an upcoming graduate, a current student and a prospective student — explained the effects of increasing loan interest rates, and financial aid advisors and local community leaders spoke about the importance of keeping interest rates down.

“We don’t want to burden students more than they need to be,” Christner said.

Josh Zembik, communications director for Congressman Courtney, said H.R. 3826 is currently in the hands of the committee.

“What we’re looking at right now is competing proposals,

See LOAN, page 4

Queer (In)Security Conference to take place this Friday

Library staff and students notice more graffiti, other types of vandalism

By ADAM KHAN

Students will lead discussions about issues of security and militarization

Aggie News Writer

To the everyday Aggie, vandalism on campus is an all-too-familiar sight. Whether it is tagging in bathrooms or painting on hallway walls, the defacement of collegiate property for comedic relief or civil discontent is often to be expected.

Following the wake of the November protests, a flurry of politically oriented art cropped up in virtually every major hall on campus. This year, however, a new location has seen a dramatic increase in defacement: Shields Library.

On average, 8,000 to 10,000 people use the library every day. Misconduct within the scholarly walls ranges from immature to overtly sexual, but crime is mostly limited to electronic device theft.

The past two quarters, however, have seen the highest rates of tagging and other forms of defacement in the past five years. This year has also had the most extreme cases of such acts that have since cost the school thousands of dollars in damages.

Since January, there have been dozens of reported cases of graffiti on both the interior and exterior walls of the facility. In most instances, the writing is small and localized to easily targeted objects such as bathroom placards and book carts.

While many are attempts at sarcasm either aimed at the library or at fellow students, there are numerous examples of rhetoric and symbolism that many would find deeply offensive. According to incident reports from library staff, signs depicting images of women often fall prey to misogynistic doodling, and notes left behind for others

By LILIANA NAVA OCHOA Aggie News Writer

On Friday, the Queer (In) Security Conference organized by the Militarization and Gender Research Cluster and Queer, Feminist, Trans Studies Research Cluster (QFT) will take place at the Student Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Since 2007 the QFT has put on a conference that discusses different issues, but this year, the QFT worked in conjunction with the Militarization and Gender Research Cluster to create an interdisciplinary conference. The theme of the Queer (In)Security Conference is safety, security and surveillance in relation to militarization and queer studies. The pepper spray incident of last November was the inspiration for the conference.

“I think a lot of inspiration came out of the situation with the Occupy Movement in UC

Courtesy of Peter J. Shields Library

See VANDALISM, page 4 The vandalism in Shields Library has increased dramatically.

Davis, the pepper spray incident and this idea that the police force on UC campuses are more militarized than peacekeeping. That they have this pepper spray and guns and they’re university police and it seems like there’s a disconnect,” said sixth-year graduate student in the Cultural Studies doctoral degree program and co-chair of the QFT Tallie Ben-Daniel.

The conference is composed of a roundtable, panels, discussions and a performance at the end. The topic of the roundtable will be the Occupy movement. Individuals from the Occupy UC Davis, Davis and Oakland movements along with students not involved in them will discuss queerness and security.

According to co-chair of the Militarization and Gender Research Cluster and postdoctoral student in Cultural Studies Hilary Berwick, in

See QFT, page 4

News iN Brief

University releases proposed reforms in response to Reynoso report A series of proposed reforms were announced Wednesday in response to the Cruz Reynoso Task Force report that investigated the Nov. 18 pepper spraying of student protesters. The release offers steps to improve campus protest management, police response and communication between parties.

The University said that efforts have already begun in response to Reynoso Report recommendations. This includes a review of campus police operations and policy and the creation of a Campus Community Council which will serve as a medium for communication between university administration and university constituents, such as students, staff, alumni, emeriti and community members.

According to the action plan, expectations include recommendation implementation, the development of interim actions with the consultation of all parties involved and the

Today’s weather Chance of rain High 65 Low 52

evaluation of the effectiveness and intended outcome.

Recommendations that have been issued for the administration and leadership response include the establishment of an “agreement on policies regulating protests and civil disobedience,” to which the University proposed assigning a task force to discuss and edit campus policies concerning protest activity.

The report also suggests the development of “standardized policies for managing campus events and incidents.” The university has begun to update the Davis Campus Emergency Operations to bring them in accordance with the National Incident Management System/ Standardized Emergency Management System.

Officials also plan to “heal the campus and apply Principles of Community in a practical fashion” by reviewing the Principles of Community so that they are better implemented throughout the

campus, as suggested by the Reynoso Task Force.

Other recommendations include a review of the “protocols and procedures of the UC Davis police department” and the creation of a systemwide inter-agency support system that would call for the respect and support of campus procedures by responding parties. It was also recommended that all members of the campus community adhere to the Principles of Community.

Kroll report recommendations are also highlighted in the proposal, including systemwide changes to the policing at the University of California and the establishment of a clear decision making process by the campus community.

The University said it will continue to make changes to the action items in coming weeks. Responses to the proposals can be sent to reviews@ ucdavis.edu.

— Muna Sadek

Forecast There is a slight chance of rain on Thursday as a weak cold front approaches central California bringing colder temperatures and possibly moisture. Don’t get too discouraged though. The weekend looks bright and sunny; the perfect weather for procrastination.

Matthew Little, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team

Ron Paul campaign comes to UC Davis today Republican primary candidate Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is scheduled to speak today at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union West Quad during a campaign rally from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

According to Mike Pinter, the chapter leader for Youth for Ron Paul at UC Davis, this is the first time a presidential candidate has visited campus in about eight to 10 years.

“Ron Paul is a very polarizing political figure. Whether or not you agree or disagree with him, these rallies are really great in general and useful for anybody who lines themselves with any political par-

ty or political ideology,” he said.

“Generally, there is something for everyone.”

Paul has been appearing at colleges and universities across the nation, including California universities UC Berkeley, UCLA and California State University Chico, with a minimum of 5,000 people in attendance.

For early seating opportunities and to receive an early seating voucher, register at RonPaulatUCDavis-eorg.eventbrite.com. After 6:30 p.m., early admittance is no longer guaranteed.

— Michelle Murphy

Bike Auction this Saturday This Saturday, May 5 is the biannual UC Davis Bicycle Auction at the West Entry Parking Structure — located at the intersection of Hutchison Drive and Dairy Road.

Over 400 bicycles will be available, ranging in size, type and con-

Friday

Saturday

Partly cloudy

Sunny

High 69 Low 51

High 75 Low 51

dition. The bikes can be viewed from 8 to 9 a.m., before the bidding begins at 9 a.m.

For more information please call 752-BIKE (752-2453) or visit taps. ucdavis.edu/bicycle/auctions.

— Hannah Strumwasser

Kevin Richardson, the fifth member of the Backstreet Boys, is finally rejoining the group.

Yup, Kevin’s back, alright!

Mimi Vo

page two

2 thursday, may 3, 2012

daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org

TODAY Shinkoskey Noon Concert 12:05 to 1 p.m.

115 Music Watch this free concert as Joseph Abad plays the saxophone with Jenny Lee playing piano and Lucas Chen playing the cello.

Biomedical Engineering Distingushed Seminar Series 4:10 to 5 p.m.

1005 GBSF, Main Floor Listen to this seminar given by Dr. Steven Goldstein entitled “The Influence of Mechanical and Biological Factors on Bone Formation, Repair and Adaptation.”

Creating Your Own Educational Reform for Personal Growth and Success 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Community Center – Building 180, Center for Leadership Learning (housed at The Colleges at La Rue) Upon graduation, a truly educated student is not the one who simply learned facts, but the one who actually learned how to learn. The discussion, facilitated by Dr. Andreas Toupadakis, will focus on learning how to look within for the key to success.

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls 7 to 10 p.m.

1230 Science Lecture Hall Go see a free screening of a hardhitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery.

Find out what you can do through local agencies. The first hour is a pre-screening information session and the film begins at 8 p.m. This screening is sponsored by an interfellowship organization.

UC Davis Dance Team Tryout Clinic 7 to 10 p.m.

Upper Hickey Gym, Main Gym Clinics are highly encouraged for everyone who is interested in being on the 2012-2013 UC Davis Dance Team.

American Red Cross Club (ARCC) General Meeting 7:10 to 8 p.m.

119 Wellman Go to this meeting, as they will be taking spontaneous nominations for the open officer positions. For more information, check out the website at arccdavis.co.cc or the Facebook page, “American Red Cross Club at UC Davis.”

Poetry Night Reading Series: Carlos Reyes 8 to 9 p.m.

John Natsoulas Gallery The Poetry Night Reading Series is proud to welcome the poet Carlos Reyes.

FRIDAY Queer (In)security 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Student Community Center Attend this interdisciplinary conference, organized by the Militarization and Gender Research Cluster and the Queer, Feminist, Trans Studies Research Cluster of UC Davis. The conference will feature panels, discussions, workshops, and two keynote lectures on the relationships between queerness, security, and surveillance.

“Controlled Dreaming” 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Art Annex Attend this talk “Controlled Dreaming,” given by composer Mika Pelo and made possible by the Davis Humanities Institute.

Drive Go to the auction to bid on over 400 bikes.

Call 752-BIKE for more information.

Your Sustainable Backyard: Rose Day 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Arboretum Celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year at Rose Day, an all-day workshop for rose lovers.

Enjoy talks, tours and a rose sale starting at 2:30. The fee for the workshop is $45 and includes morning coffee and scones and a gourmet boxed lunch. The event is sponsored by the California Center for Urban Horticulture. For more information or to register, please visit ccuh.ucdavis. edu, or contact Missy Gable at 752-6642 or mjborel@ucdavis.edu.

StarCraft II Open Tournament & Book Drive 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center The purpose of this event is to provide entertainment for the StarCraft II gamers of the Davis community and at the same time help kids around the world who don’t have access to books. Bring in books in exchange for a huge discount on the food provided.

The Art of Being an Artist with Tony Natsoulas 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Norton Hall, 70 Cottonwood, Woodland Learn with Tony Natsoulas about what it means to be an artist. Learn how to engage your audience, build a resume, communicate your vision and create your own mask, with tips and instruction from the master himself.

Senior Recital 1 to 2 p.m.

115 Music Go to this free performance and listen to soprano Jennifer Adler.

Senior Recital 3 to 4 p.m.

115 Music Go to this free performance and listen to soprano Emily Murakami.

Senior Recital 5 to 6 p.m.

115 Music Go to this free performance and listen to mezzo-soprano Hilary Hecht.

SUNDAY Davis Dollars Craft Fair 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

G Street Shopping Center, Sixth and G streets There are do-it-yourself crafting activities available for all ages, and a multitude of unique and interesting crafts from a diverse set of vendors. Enjoy a funfilled day supporting your local crafters with your local currency, with delicious food from Monticello Seasonal Cuisine.

Admission is free, and all vendors will accept Davis Dollars.

Talk and Tour: In Search of Native Ants 1 to 3 p.m.

Arboretum Gazebo, Garrod Drive UC Davis entomology professor Phil Ward will lead a tour exploring the refuges of native ants in the UC Davis Arboretum.

He will highlight interesting features of the natural history of ants and talk about the interactions between our local native ants and the invasive Argentine ant. All ages are welcome. The program will begin at the Arboretum Gazebo on Garrod Drive on the UC Davis campus. For more information, please call 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

Yoga and Stress Relief Workshop 6 to 7 p.m.

Meeting Room E, Second floor of the SCC Join the ladies of Sigma Alpha Zeta and Sigma Pi Alpha to learn how to deal with stress and how to not let it affect your daily life. Learn the benefits of exercise through the magical, stress-relieving powers. This is a free event.

SATURDAY UCD Bike Auction 8 a.m. to noon West Entry Parking Structure, Hutchison

7 to 9 p.m.

Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center Attend this concert given by the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra with music director and conductor Christian Baldini. Tickets are $8 for students and children and $12-17 for adults.

To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@theaggie. org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.

accuracy The California Aggie strives to ensure that all of its facts and details are accurate. Please bring any corrections to our attention by calling (530) 752-0208.

Jason Alpert Editor in Chief

Amy Stewart Science Editor

Becky Peterson Managing Editor

Melissa Freeman Opinion Editor

Alex Tervo Business Manager

Joey Chen Copy Chief

Grace Sprague Advertising Manager

Jasna Hodzic Photography Editor

Hannah Strumwasser Campus Editor Angela Swartz City Editor Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Erin Migdol Features Editor Trevor Cramer Sports Editor

Michelle Huey Design Director Janice Pang Asst. Design Director Mimi Vo Night Editor Amanda Nguyen Asst. Night Editor Irisa Tam Art Director

One Shields Ave. 25 Lower Freeborn, UCD Davis, CA 95616 Editorial (530) 752-0208 Advertising (530) 752-0365 Fax (530) 752-0355

The California Aggie is entered as first-class mail with the United States Post Office, Davis, Calif., 95616.

Printed Monday through Thursday during the academic year and once a week during Summer Session II at The Davis Enterprise, Davis, Calif., 95616.

Accounting services are provided by ASUCD. The Aggie is distributed free on the UC Davis campus and in the Davis community. Mail subscriptions are $100 per academic year, $35 per quarter and $25 for the summer.

Views or opinions expressed in The Aggie by editors or columnists regarding legislation or candidates for political office or other matters are those of the editors or columnist alone. They are not those of the University of California or any department of UC. Advertisements appearing in The Aggie reflect the views of advertisers only; they are not an expression of editorial opinion by The Aggie.

The Aggie shall not be liable for any error in published advertising unless an advertising proof is clearly marked for corrections by the advertiser. If the error is not corrected by The Aggie, its liability, if any, shall not exceed the value of the space occupied by the error. Further, The Aggie shall not be liable for any omission of an advertisement ordered published. All claims for adjustment must be made within 30 days of the date of publication. In no case shall The Aggie be liable for any general, special or consequential damages. © 2009 by The California Aggie. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form whatsoever is forbidden without the expressed written permission of the copyright owner.

The California Aggie is printed on recycled paper

The california Aggie

fans in a matter of minutes.

In a certain respect, music blogs have more power over what we listen to than any record company ever did — especially in the age of free mixAndy tapes and single releases.

Verderosa While this is a really great way to distribute music cheaply and relatively fairly without muddling with suits, there are still flaws in the system. Because music blogs are in the business of both sharing and editorializing, there can be a conflict of interest.

Lets say, for the sake of arhere was a certain gument, that Drew Verderosa point in my life where is a popular underground Bay I thought I could run Area rap sensation with mad a successful music blog tumblr followers and he’s and distribute the latest about to release a new mixand greatest to the masstape. Drew’s mixtape is going es in a simple, exciting to get “mad hits” because he and #based way. My origis popular, so he doesn’t realinal goal was to make it to ly need to do much, besides The Hype Machine, a music tweet the link. The only probaggregator website which lem is the new mixtape isn’t compiles the best music really his best work. Now if a blogs, but blog bashin the end es or “pans” Ultimately, music blogs are the majorithe alty of my page where most of the organic music bum, Drew views were is probadiscovery goes down from my litbly not gotle brothing to grant ers’ friends (shout out that blog interviews or sneak Burlingame High School’s peaks in the future. They are post-prom playlist). left with a choice: dap up And while my blog even- the album as something that tually died like 90 percent should be listened to and try of blogs on the internet, it to stay in good grace with the led me to a lot of research artist, or tell the truth to the on what it’s like to run a fans and readers. music blog.

While magazines have At this point there are faced similar issues in the three ways people actively past the circumstances were find new music: Apple quite different since blogs iTunes’ Genius, friends can be updated throughout with good music taste (your the day. We now live in an acdefinition of good taste), celerated culture which puts music blogs, Pandora or a crazy emphasis on the proother recommendation duction of content, news or services. In 2012 I’d say most buzz. people use a combination Magazines like Rolling of the three in their quest Stone did not accrue the for musical truth, with same kind of relationship some relying heavily on bloggers have with artists — one method, and swagsters sure, maybe some writers did, relying mostly on the Avicii but never the brand “Rolling Pandora station (hope Stone” itself. The creators of you’re down for 12 different the majority of music blogs “LE7ELS” remixes). are also the writers and edUltimately, music blogs itors themselves. It’s a very are where most of the ortransparent process and you ganic music discovery goes can follow the writers of each down. New artists can catch blog on Tumblr, Twitter and fire or, as we in the busiInstagram to see what show ness call it, “buzz” on a few they are backstage at, or find blogs and next thing you out what they are listening to know they are featured on at that moment. the new “LE7ELS” re-work.

Bloggers and musicians Watching an artist go from are almost equally dependent obscurity to the stage is a on each other in today’s mubeautiful thing. I’d call it sical landscape, and if the edthe “American dream,” but itorial wall wasn’t already fall“Swedish dream” is probing, most of them are actually ably more accurate at this friends with each other, as evpoint. idenced by Twitter.

These music bloggers beWhile I spend the majorcome the taste-makers of cul- ity of my computer battery ture. From deciding what checking the blogosphere, I songs should be featured on have to remember to take evtheir spring must-have list to ery good review with a grain breaking down the best new of salt. Music blogging is now Canadian artists from the first a business — and businesses half of 2012, these blogs dicare in business to keep doing tate what is buzzworthy and more business. deserves the attention of music fans. There’s practically ANDY VERDEROSA is just a bro trying to get no trickle down effect as the mad hits on this digital content farm of ours, news is handed right from and you can contact him at asverderosa@ the artist to the blogger to the ucdavis.edu.

Business of buzz

T

as any of those mentioned above over undistorted facts. Why? I think it’s mostly because stereotypes are comforting — they automatically portray your Kristina own kind in a better light.

Simonaityte But it’s also much more interesting that way, isn’t it?

As foreign exchange students we are representatives of our countries. This also means that we might unintentionally start new mericans are stereotypes among our unintelligent and international friends or overweight while among the community Europeans are loose, pretentious druggies. We’ve that welcomes us. I’ve recently learned that Davis all heard something like restaurants really don’t that about each other. like international students TV, movies and, most because we don’t leave an importantly, general adequate tip. ignorance (Amsterdam, Now, it would be anyone?) foster many of the most prevalent stereotypes courteous to do it properly, but we all come from about foreigners. Either countries with different accurate or questionable, tipping practices. When it but always effective and comes to blunt, money, no stereotypes We like to think in stereotypes one wants can be because they let us put everyone to spend flattering more than but more in these neat little boxes they think often are they have simply to.

And boom, a stereotype offensive.

And yet they still influence is born — exchange our attitudes towards people students are very cheap!

Open-mindedness is who are different from us. the key when dealing Yes, stereotypes do not with stereotypes. Not come from nowhere — it’s all Lithuanians are usually the truth that they exaggerate. But despite being quiet like me and not all Americans think that the only crude generalizations, Berlin Wall was in Israel! they are often treated as A big chunk of people facts. That grain of truth might conform to the is often enough to justify stereotypes, but a large far reaching assumptions proportion don’t, and and that’s what makes they do that in various, stereotypes at all worth completely different ways. talking about.

We are all unique, and Narrow-mindedness, that shouldn’t be lost for fake smiles, ginormous the sake of stereotypes. By everything, familiarity, being ourselves, we help loving everything but really straighten out the beliefs nothing, arrogance. But that are definitely wrong, also: the American Dream, even though it often feels independence, freedom like fighting windmills. to be yourself, patriotism, Will I go back home adventures, lightheartedness. with the same stereotypes These are all stereotypes of of Americans? I don’t Americans that I brought know. Davis is as from back home and from different of an American my friends and family. I experience as you can haven’t lived here long ever get, being a college enough, though, to have town and all. But through any of these validated or my travels I have been unquestionably dismissed. able to see a fair share of I’ll let you be the judge then. that stereotypical land, We like to think in too. I hope, though, that stereotypes because they I at least learned how let us put everyone in these not to judge anyone neat little boxes. Thus in by stereotype and I’m the eyes of many people thankful to my American I simply cannot be from Lithuania (or Eastern Europe, friends for helping me do that. in general) because I don’t Stereotypes are a tricky drink, I am not a tall skinny blonde, I don’t speak Russian business. By assuming some things you can offend and I can’t stand the cold. people. But you also can But nothing is that simple! learn a lot about those same Stereotypes might be born people from stereotypes from the truth, but believing about them. As long as you them blindly is just stupid.

Stereotypes can be nasty know when to keep quiet, you should be just fine. and it’s normal to want to disagree with them.

In public, at least. But If you’re not afraid of your personal try as much as you want, information being leaked to some Eastern stereotypes won’t go away European mobsters, you can reach KRISTINA that easily. People prefer SIMONAITYTE at ksimonaityte@ucdavis. audacious statements such edu.

Stereotypes

A

Campus judicial report Wikipedia A math major was referred to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) for allegedly plagiarizing an essay she submitted for an ethnic studies class. A TA for the course noticed that significant portions of the essay were copied from various Wikipedia articles. In her meeting with a judicial officer, the referred student admitted to the plagiarism and agreed to the disciplinary action of Deferred Separation. This means that if the student is again referred to SJA, she waives her right to a formal hearing and if found in violation by a judicial officer, she may be suspended or dismissed from the University. In addition, the student agreed to complete eight hours of community service.

a student to SJA for supposedly copying from another student’s test during an examination period. The referred student denied copying from her neighbor but did admit that her eyes wander when she is nervous during exams.

However, the professor and teaching assistant for the class were not persuaded and continued to insist that they had observed several instances of copying. In the end, the case was resolved based on the student’s admission that her eyes did wander during the test, which is a violation of University policy even if a student has no intention of cheating. As a result, the student agreed to be placed on Disciplinary Probation through Winter Quarter 2013 and to complete 10 hours of community service.

Keep those eyes down!

Identical and incorrect answers

A professor in an evolutionary biology class reported

A sophomore in a mechanical engineering class was

referred to SJA for submitting a problem set that the instructor believed to have been copied from the solutions manual. The reporting party explained that the student’s answer to one of the problems and the answer from the solutions manual were both identical and incorrect. The referred student stated that she did not have the solutions manual. She declared that after realizing that her answer was wrong by checking in the back of the student textbook, she altered her work to make it correspond to the correct answer. The student was issued an Administrative Notice, which, although not a disciplinary sanction, serves as formal notice of university policies regarding student conduct. Because the student was not found in violation of the UC Davis Code of Academic Conduct, she will not have a disciplinary record.

Thirsty (for knowledge) Thursdays Cool study spots Looking for an interesting place to study while on campus? With over 5,500 acres of grassy fields and buildings, there are numerous known locations to spend an afternoon hitting the books — if you know where to look.

If you’re like most Davis students, you’re probably on a tight schedule during the day and you often need to multitask eating and studying. Look no further than Griffin Lounge in the Memorial Union (MU), conveniently located adjacent to the ASUCD Coffee House (CoHo). Furnished with many tables and a classy fireplace, Griffin Lounge is an excellent place to study while grabbing meals and

is separate from the bustle and noise of the rest of the MU. When the weather is as nice as it’s been this past week, you may feel cooped up studying indoors.

Luckily, the East and West Quads offer plenty of space for spreading out with your books, computer and friends, with the added benefits of vitamin D and fresh air.

The Student Community Center (SCC), recently opened to students, offers a wide array of study spots, from the tables outside CoHo South and inside the main lobby to the comfy armchairs tucked around the corners of the second floor. The SCC, while not as large as the CoHo, has the benefit of being far

quieter while still providing delicious food.

While the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) isn’t generally thought of as a place for students to log study hours, it can be an excellent place to hit the books in addition to hitting the gym. Located on the first floor, behind the athletic shop, is a large study lounge for those seeking an extra-quiet environment; in addition, comfortable armchairs line the hallways leading to the ARC Ballroom. There’s also a small courtyard with a few benches that are perfect for some reading.

Last, but certainly not least, is Shields Library, doubtless the most popular study spot on campus, and for good reason. Shields

offers by far the most space to study, with multiple floors of desks, stacks and private study rooms — all in total silence.

When you’re on campus and looking to cram before a midterm or catch up on reading before class, no matter where you are, you’ll be able to find a comfortable place to study, whether out in the warm Davis sunshine or in the quiet corners of a building.

The Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) is an advisory board to the ASUCD Senate on all academic matters at UC Davis and throughout the UC system. Each week the AAC will give you tips about academic success!

OPINION

The california aggie

thursday, may 3, 2012 3

editorials

Aggie cash

No, thank you Next year, dorm residents will be required to buy Aggie Cash with their normal meal plan.

This new rule is unfair and could end up costing dorm residents up to $200 more, according to this year’s pricing. Meal plan prices are going up next year, so it is unclear what the exact increase will be.

While Student Housing said this new plan was implemented to allow for more “flexibility” when it comes to eating options, this would in fact constrain students and probably waste their money.

Aggie Cash can be used at the Silo and a few restaurants downtown, and it comes with a 10 percent discount on campus. However, most dorm residents do not have the time or desire to go downtown, and usually just go to the Sodexo-run Dining Commons (DC). Adding this requirement will not be helpful to students and is taking advantage of the fact that incoming students do not have enough information to make an informed decision.

Furthermore, this new rule

is unfair to businesses downtown who don’t accept Aggie Cash, as they could potentially lose a quarter of their customers to restaurants that accept Aggie Cash.

Perhaps Student Housing really does want students to explore downtown and other eating options, but it seems that the main reason they are implementing this requirement is to make money. This new rule would give people an incentive to use Aggie Cash at Sodexo-run companies such as the Silo, the Dining Commons and Starbucks at the ARC. Sodexo is a French-based international company. There will be many students who buy Aggie Cash and never use it, which will also be a gain for Student Housing.

Students already have the option to buy Aggie Cash and they should not be forced to buy something that is not necessary and that they probably will not use. Student Housing should not force students to buy Aggie Cash, especially when room and board is already expensive.

Editorial Board Jason Alpert Editor in Chief Becky Peterson Managing Editor Melissa Freeman Opinion Editor

Hannah Strumwasser Campus Editor Angela Swartz City Editor Erin Migdol Features Editor

Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Trevor Cramer Sports Editor

Amy Stewart Science Editor Jasna Hodzic Photography Editor

Editorials represent the collective opinions of The California Aggie editorial board. The Opinion page appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

GUEST OPINIONS

The California Aggie welcomes letters from its readers. Letters must be typed and no longer than 200 words. As The Aggie attempts to represent a diversity of viewpoints on its letters page, we reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed, and letters become the property of The California Aggie.

All correspondence must be signed with the author’s name and telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication, although names may be withheld upon request.

The California Aggie welcomes guest opinions from its readers.

Guest opinions must be typed with an approximate word count of 400 to 600. The same standards of letters to the editor apply to guest opinions.

Guest opinions may reflect a variety of viewpoints. Any member of the campus community is eligible and encouraged to highlight issues regarding UC Davis, regional or national issues.

Address letters or guest opinions to the Opinion Editor, The California Aggie, 25 Lower Freeborn, UC Davis, CA 95616. Letters may also be faxed to (530) 752-0355 or sent via e-mail to opinion@theaggie.org.

feeling strongly about something? submit a letter to the editor to have your opinion printed in

The California Aggie.

editor@theaggie.org

courtesy newsday.com

guest opinion

Aggie Spirit

By MATT CRAWFORD

Facility manager, Schaal Aquatic Center

Not every great team wins a championship. Just ask any member of the 1997 or 1998 Utah Jazz.

Sometimes great teams run into a juggernaut and simply fall short.

This was the case for the UC Davis Women’s Water Polo Team this past weekend. They made it to the championship game of the Big West Conference Championship and lost to a monstrous UC Irvine team that will undoubtedly give MPSF champion UCLA a lot to consider at the NCAA Championship in a couple weeks.

But that’s not to say that the Aggie Squad that finished second this weekend isn’t a great team. They don’t necessarily boast a squad of superstars; rather, they play as a cohesive unit whose strongest attribute is their outstanding senior leadership.

Of the four victories that preceded the loss to UCI, three were decided in the final seconds of the game by two goals or fewer.

The first of these came on April 14 against UCSB when senior captain Alicia Began netted the game winner with just nine seconds re-

maining, after a Gaucho player fouled her beyond the 5-meter mark. A week later, on Picnic Day and Senior Day, two events that the Aggies have traditionally struggled on, another senior captain, Dakotah Sturla, put in a shot that went off the cross-bar to snatch an upset victory over San Jose State. And in the semifinals of the Big West Tournament, once again battling UCSB, a third senior captain, Ariel Feeney, highlighted the stat sheet with two goals and three assists in a game that went to overtime. Senior Lindsay Sutterly scored the go-ahead goal that ultimately sent the Aggies to the championship game.

They are a team marked by resilience and character, and this can no doubt be attributed to head coach Jamey Wright and his assistants, Kandace Waldthaler and Larry Bercutt. The Aggies struggled at the beginning of the season, trying to find their identity and put marks in the win column.

But by midseason, the Aggies certainly hit their stride. The aforementioned victories were born out of perseverance and hard work. They are the product of a team that has faith in its leaders and who have committed to

one another. Rather than lament their loss this weekend, I hope they hold their heads high and are proud of what they accomplished this season. Watching them grow and improve over the season and then seeing the end product that competed this past weekend made me proud to be an Aggie for the first time since the sports cuts in 2010.

They may graduate a great deal of leadership, but the Aggies are ripe with young talent and will look to juniors like Rianne Woods, Carmen Eggert and Jessica Dunn to fill the shoes of the seniors who defined this season. I’d encourage them to remember the leaders of the 2012 season: their poise, their optimism, their work ethic, and to carry that into next season, to make it an expectation and a tradition for their program. It’s their turn to carry the torch and to set the standard for years to come.

Most importantly, they should know that they went above and beyond. They exceeded expectations. While only one team can win the championship, two great teams competed this weekend, and the UC Davis Women’s Water Polo team truly defined what I consider to be Aggie Spirit.

she does so in a druggedly conpercent of adults live with their fused moment and immediateparents and we can be sure that an ly second-guesses herself. Even as even greater number depend on the show pulls us into the charac- them for financial assistance. ter’s lives, it works to maintain an Some have called the Millennial Jordan S. ironic distance. generation a “Lost Generation” or Carroll A particularly telling moment “Generation Limbo.” Locked in a comes when Shoshanna (Zosia holding pattern, many graduates Mamet) tries to give Hannah adremain suspended between adovice about her hideously awful lescence and adulthood, college non-boyfriend using a vapid selfand a career. help book titled Listen Ladies.

“Girls” dwells on this feeling of Hannah’s bein-betweenness mused response — the inabiliFor some, “Girls” strikes too close to ty to fit anywhere to this is, “Who are the ladies?” home, but for others it calls up a free- or cleanly inhabfter only a few episodes, Other programs it an accepted floating hatred toward the young HBO’s new series “Girls” has like “Sex in the position. That’s kicked up a flurry of controCity” seem to dewhat makes the versy, criticism and (appropriately mand audiences fit themselves show so unpleasant for some viewenough) navel-gazing. By The New into an offered character categoers. As Noël Carroll points out, the York Post’s estimate, one in five ry, an exercise Shoshanna ridicu“category-jamming” hybrid has “Girls” viewers tweeted about it on lously tries to rehearse in the pilot. long inspired laughter, uneasiness its premiere night. And, it seems, (“I’m definitely a Carrie at heart, and even disgust. Privileged yet they haven’t stopped. but sometimes Samantha kind of penniless, educated yet clueless, Debates about the show range comes out. And when I’m at school Hannah and her misfitting friends from whether it adequately repI definitely try and put on my speak to the emotional and finanresents women to whether it’s too Miranda hat.”) “Girls,” however, cial insecurity of a declining class white to whether the leads are portrays young women as resisting of young professionals and, by exgood “role models.” What’s striking or falling out of any given role or tension, an entire age-group still to me, however, is not so much the position. As Hannah’s friend Jessa deep in the recession. questions raised but why this show (Jemima Kirke) puts it, “I’m not the In other words, the awkwardhas hit such a nerve. ladies!” Asking the characters to ness viewers feel when they are “Girls” follows a group of postrepresent the audience then exact- unable to immediately identify college, twenty-something womly counters the ethos of the show. with some of the “Girls” only proen living in New York City. In the But the show’s refusal of viewvides a taste of what it is like to be pilot, the protagonist Hannah er identification isn’t just the mark a member of Generation Limbo.

(Lena Dunham) finds herself of heightened realism or character This explains the ferocity of the without an income after her parcomplexity. backlash against the show. For ents cut her off and she discov“Girls” goes further to delibersome, “Girls” strikes too close to ers that she is unable to parlay her ately make audiences squirm by home, but for others it calls up a year-long publishing internship rendering the protagonists unlikfree-floating hatred toward the into a paying gig. able. Many reviewers have stopped young. Blaming the victim, as alThe show, created by Dunham, there, condemning the cast as a ways, more trollish political eleportrays life as a young wombunch of vacuous hipsters. But ments brand Millennials as paraan in an unglamorous and often I would argue that this strategy sites, work-shy and infantile. uncomfortably realistic way. We of revulsion shows us something This controversy shows us the watch as Hannah deals with body about what it’s like to be in early genius of the show which is its anxieties, bad sex, an emotionaladulthood after the financial crisis. ability to uncover these seethly abusive relationship and worThe unemployment rate for ing tensions and presenting us ries about sexually transmitted Americans ages 18 to 29 is 12.4 an aspect of young women’s diseases. percent — considerably above the lives that is all too often ignored.

While these are all certainly “re- national average of 8.2 percent.

Even if they were to aspire to be latable” problems, “Girls” refuses Many of those lucky enough to ladies, Hannah’s cohort is forced to allow audiences to easily iden- have a job have found themselves to remain girls. tify with the characters. It’s true underemployed — unable to find that Hannah proclaims herself the a career position or even a job that JORDAN S. CARROLL is a Ph.D. student in English who “voice of [her] generation,” but pays the bills. Now, more than 21 can be reached at jscarroll@ucdavis.edu, point blank.

Who are the Ladies?

A

4 thursday, may 3, 2012

The california Aggie

Put that phone away when driving “When on the phone, you are not paying enough attention.”

Unsafe driving habit

By ERIC C. LIPSKY Aggie Science Writer

A new survey study from UC San Diego shows that distracted driving is highly prevalent among college students. Researchers found that along with frequent cell phone usage while driving, college students overestimate their driving abilities in comparison to their peers.

About 5,000 participants

courtesy

from nine colleges in the San Diego area completed the study. The study found that 78 percent reported using a cell phone while driving.

Linda Hill, a clinical professor in the department of family and preventive medicine at UC San Diego, said that both the overinflated college students’ confidence in their driving abilities and the high frequency of cell phone usage were

vandalism

both quite high. “Students think that they are better multitaskers than other people,” Hill said.

She said that 46 percent of students think of themselves as capable or very capable at using their phone while driving, but these students considered their peers equally skilled only 8.5 percent of the time.

Hill said that 76 percent of students reported not knowing that using a cell phone while driving has an equivalent delay in reaction time to driving with a Blood Alcohol Level of .08 — the legal limit.

“We have to look at it like other health problems; like drinking and secondhand smoke,” Hill said. “Your behavior affects other people.”

Hill said that we need to get away from the social norm of responding as quickly as possible to others when they call or text.

“People need to fight the temptation of appearing to not be socially respon-

“The budget comes from state general funds set aside for building maintenance and repair,” said Senior Public Information Representative Andy Fell in an e-mail regarding the budget for such damages.

Currently there is not a definitive figure of how much has been spent this year compared to the past, but this information is reportedly being gathered.

“Facilities Management is in the process of collecting data so that it can be included in the maintenance budget for next year,” Fell said.

Even though the budget for building repair is not directly correlated to the library, Kautzman feels that the two are inherently linked.

“I would like to think that if we didn’t have to spend as much for maintaining the buildings, that could be money toward the collections,” she said. “It takes away from the greater budget, and the greater budget could trickle down to us.”

Kautzman is also worried about the potential long-term damages from library mistreatment.

“I think it’s the broken-window effect.

If someone starts writing on the wall of the bathroom, then somebody else does, and it causes degradation of the whole atmosphere. It’s not productive, intellectual, and that’s what we pride ourselves on being — a place for intellect.”

On Feb. 27, dried fecal matter was discovered on a pillar on the fourth floor.

Taylor Burt, a senior genetics major, agrees with Kautzman.

“It definitely takes away from the atmosphere. It’s not unexpected; it just makes the whole campus look kind of trashy,” she said about the second floor of Shields, which is home to some of the more notorious instances of graffiti. “We’re supposed to be adults, and it doesn’t seem like something adults should do.”

In the end, it is up to the compassion of every Davis student to protect the beauty and integrity of our campus, Kautzman said.

Cont. from front page can demonstrate a deep intolerance of race and sexual orientation.

Recently, artwork relating to the Occupy movement has been seen most frequently. The highly detailed nature of the pieces often make them the most difficult, and subsequently expensive, to remove. A life-sized blue stenciling of UC Davis police officer Lt. John Pike on the outside of the library had to be power-washed away and has since caused permanent damage to the stucco. Paintings found in the restrooms require heavy solvents to remove, which forces the facilities to be shut down for hours at a time. Popular messages include “Destroy what enslaves you — capitalism!” and “Anti-capitalista!” as well as “RSC kills babies.”

Amy Kautzman, the Associate University Librarian for the Humanities and Social Sciences and Head of Access Services at Shields, is concerned with the new trend.

“It doesn’t have the positive effect that people want,” she said. “We understand that the students want to put up their messages. But when they put them up in such a way that it damages the building, you end up harming not the powers that be, but taking money away from the students who are already protesting that they are having money being taken away from their education.”

Kautzman’s frustration does not lie with the Occupy movement’s sentiments, but rather the immediate damage to the building.

“It’s not against the politics — that’s not the issue. There’s many options of doing things, and we’re open for all sorts of discussions. But we have to have discussion on political art that doesn’t harm the building,” she said.

The second contention lies with monetary ramifications. The money required to fix the damages does not come from library funds directly.

ADAM KHAN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

native Cont. from page 5 currently self-promoting. After the EP arrives, the band wants to see if smaller labels will pick up their project.

“When people listen to our music, I want them to think about what’s important to them and to pursue what is important to them,” Williams said.

When Williams isn’t working on music with The Native Sibling, she works at a local farm because she likes the idea of

sustainable agriculture. She is also involved in playing music at church and loves all different genres of music from Rascal Flatts to classical music to Blind Pilot.

“You get to a place like college and decide if [church] is what you want to believe,” Williams said. “And to me it’s important.”

This self-reflective aspect of Kaylee shines throughout the band’s song “Follow Trees,” with lyrics such as “How long to wait for a light to take as our guide / The setting sun collapsed it sure-

sive,” Hill said. “They have to train themselves not to drive distracted, even if it means keeping phones out of reach while driving.”

Hill said that one troubling factor is that handsfree devices do not appear to be much better than using cell phones. Although drivers may be less likely to move their heads with hands-free devices, they still do not pay enough attention on the road, however, more research needs to be done on this.

Jill Rybar-Waryk, research program manager at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, said they were not surprised with the results.

“Maybe the willingness of students to text while on the freeway was surprising, but I think it just validated what we personally see on the roads,” Rybar-Waryk said.

Rybar-Waryk said that more needs to be done to change the belief that it is OK to drive distracted. She

qft Cont. from front page previous years panel speakers were graduate students, but this year undergraduate students will also be speaking.

“We’re devoted to having a space outside of the classroom that’s still in an academic setting where we can talk about these issues that are affecting us everyday,” Berwick said.

The focus of the panels are the issues of security and safety in queer studies. According to third-year Spanish literature graduate student and co-chair of QFT Emily Kuffner, the first panel will include a presentation on the LifeTime series “Army Wives” and the homosexual legislation in Uganda, and will focus more on personal security. The second panel is oriented toward issues around national, social and cultural security.

Alongside panels, discussions and a performance at the end of the conference, there will also be two keynote speakers: Liz Montegary, a postdoctoral Cultural Studies

Spring Cont. from page 5 likes of which include The Shins, Florence + The Machine, Steve Aoki, Explosions in the Sky and others.

“A brilliant staff, motivated individuals, creative ideas, hard work, and a little bit of luck,” Chin said, explain-

said that society needs to take precautions and get others to do the same.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize that it’s why officers stop people while driving distracted; they’re exhibiting the same symptoms of a DUI,” RybarWaryk said.

Sergeant Danny Sheffield, a UC Davis police officer, said the police department receives daily complaints from both pedestrians and bicyclists reporting distracted bikers on campus.

“They [electronic devices] have become a very big distraction,” Sheffield said. “It’s very dangerous, and it seems to be extremely prevalent in the younger generation.”

Sheffield said that on one occasion a student almost ran their bike into his police car because they were sending a text message while biking.

Along with this, Sheffield said that though it is cur-

raise patriotic children with bodies fit to support the war machine?”

The Militarization and Gender Research Cluster and QFT have been working on the conference for approximately three to four months.

In order to attend the conference, all students need to do is show up to whichever part of the conference they wish to see. This event is free for all.

Organizers of the interdisciplinary conference hope students gain a new way of thinking about issues of safety, security and militarization.

“We’re hoping that it will generate more conversations and taking into account more of a diversity of viewpoints when people are talking about issues of safety and security; that people just don’t look at it from the mainstream point of view because there’s other angles to take into account,” Kuffner said.

For more information on the Queer (In)Security Conference and a complete schedule of events, visit qftcluster.ucdavis.edu.

ing how the Entertainment Council has managed to create UC Davis’ entertainment scene.

On another note, who is the Entertainment Council excited to see?

“I am really excited to see Marlene Marlene because I’ve heard really good things, but I’ve never actually seen them perform,” Burnstein said.

Chin, on the other hand, was unable to single out a specific performer. “It’s hard for me to choose,” he said.

ly will rise / With a ticket to dispense for all of our lives.”

“We [the band] have a joking dream about where we want the band to be in the s,” Williams said. “We want a VW bus, we want to travel, play shows and camp. Right now we want to try and spread our songs along the West Coast.”

The Native Sibling’s Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/ TheNativeSibling.

KARINA CONTRERAS can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Currently, the researchers at UC Davis are working to repurpose current drugs to find a cure for FA, and Cortopassi said that they have been successful thus far.

Bryant has given $250,000 overall to the research for FA at UC Davis. He said that when he first met Cortopassi, he was given a newfound hope in a cure.

“It was the first time I really heard anyone talk about that this is a curable disease and we actually can get this,” Bryant said.

FARA and the fight for a cure for FA has become a large part of Bryant’s life, and Bryant said he hopes that Ride Ataxia continues to grow and raise money for the cause.

“I know that I can change the world,” Bryant said. “And I am hopefully showing other people that they can too by spreading this program around and having them be involved.”

Ataxia

Cont. from page 5 As an acclaimed songwriter, what’s the most interesting songwriting workshop you’ve ever led?

It’s hard to pick a single example as I’ve been lucky enough to do work with some really diverse groups.

One of the most interesting was a center for aphasia patients in New Jersey. Aphasia is a language disorder that is often the result of a stroke or brain injury that renders people unable to speak (and sometimes unable to write as well). With the help of a friend of mine, Bruce Kalter, who regularly volunteers at the center, I led a three-hour workshop in which they wrote not one, but two songs, one of which (“Tip of My Tongue”) was all about what it’s like to have aphasia. It was a very challenging, slow process, but incredibly rewarding.

Cont. from page 8 his deteriorating condition.

“The Ride Ataxia is so very important to me because it is part of the solution to solving Friedreich’s Ataxia,” Bryant said.

“The focus of our organization is research. Research is going on all over the world including UC Davis. It’s something we can solve and something we can find a cure for and our scientists are confident of that. This is something we know we are going to get.”

Gino Cortopassi, professor of molecular biosciences, is one of these scientists who has been researching FA at UC Davis since 1997. He said that the research done here has made a large contribution to a cure, which can be seen in the future.

“I think that there are multiple experimental therapies for FA that are very promising and I think that in the next 10 years we DEVON BOHART can be reached at features@ will have an effective therapy for theaggie.org.

FA,” Cortopassi said.

WEF is free for all. The show at Luigi’s will be $10 for adults and free for kids.

MICHELLE RUAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

ERIC C. LIPSKY can be reached at science@ theaggie.org.

UC Davis graduate who is now a professor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Yale University, and Elizabeth Povinelli, professor of anthropology and gender studies at Columbia University.

According to Ben-Daniel, Povinelli will be speaking about different forms of suicide, including social suicide.

Montegary says that her talk will focus on Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign that encourages children to be healthier through exercise and improved eating habits since it deals with the problem of childhood obesity as a national security issue.

“Recently, the First Lady has reached out to lesbian and gay families and is trying to include them in ‘Let’s Move’ initiatives. In my talk, I ask how the incorporation of lesbian and gay families actually works as a way of regulating familial relations, bodies and desires,” Montegary said.

“Why might queer activists who have lots of experience critiquing bodily regulations want to challenge fatphobic, anti-obesity rhetoric rather than trying to

Nachmanoff

I’m really grateful for the chance to play at WEF once again and for the great musicians that are coming to join me. There is a ton of stuff on YouTube, and if people want to hear some samples of the music, or read more details about what I do, I’d encourage them to visit my main site, davenach.com. Thanks for helping to spread the word. Go Aggies!

rently not illegal to bike while on a cell phone, it is a “nuisance to the public.” He said that students should be educated that legislation might be coming that will make it illegal to bike while on a cell phone.

“The peer support and peer pressure component are the best things that can be done right now,” Sheffield said. “Peers need to encourage friends and others to stop.”

“In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction and an estimated 448,000 were injured,” according to distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving. More specifically, texting “creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.”

“Don’t drive distracted.

When on the phone, you are not paying enough attention,” Hill said.

LILIANA NAVA OCHOA can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

For more information, check out the Facebook events as well as the Entertainment Council’s website at ec.ucdavis.edu.

JAMES O’HARA can be reached at arts@ theaggie.org.

loan Cont. from front page including one that was voted on by the full House last Friday,” Zembik said. “The fixes we see being proposed, the ones being voted on, are one-year fixes.”

The bill voted on by the House was a Republican bill that called for a one-year fix.

“The money that is used for preventative care, instead of being used toward health care, would then be used for education,” Christner said. “[Congressman Peters] doesn’t believe you should pit education against public health.”

Christner said since the bill passed the House, it is now being looked over by the Senate. She said President Obama would veto the Republican bill if it passed.

Zembik said Courtney’s bill is the only bill that is bipartisan with a plan for a long-term permanent fix to the rate. He said Courtney is also a cosponsor of another bill that is a one-year fix offered by Democrats.

“The pressure is big,” Zembik said.

“Congressman Courtney is committed to seeing this rate not double. He’s been on the floor talking about this, and enlisting colleagues to support this bill and talk about it nationally.”

In addition, Zembik said 130,000 letters from college students were delivered to House and Senate leaders encouraging action.

“We’ve got data from nonpartisan outside groups that show that [an increase can] over the course of a 10-year repayment plan, cost students up to $5,000 more, and over a 20-year repayment plan, cost $11,000 more,” he said. “We’re talking about a situation where people are graduating with $80,000 in debt already; with another $11,000, it’s huge.”

The UC Davis Financial Aid Office also expressed its concern over rising student loan interest rates.

“Hopefully, they extend the time for the interest rate to be lowered,” said Joyce Cleaver, data analyst for the UC Davis Financial Aid Office. “That would be fabulous.”

CLAIRE TAN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

volume

6, number 14

thursday , may

the california aggie ’ s arts and entertainment magazine

The Native Sibling

Elizabeth Orpina

An introduction to a UCD student’s band

Pretty wild

A

s of last week, Alexis Neiers is married.

The 20-year-old onetime reality star and “Bling Ring” member got hitched in Mexico to Evan Haines, a Canadian business owner. When I found this news out, not only did my jaw drop, but also my entire weekend turned into a marathon of her reality show.

Now, if you didn’t spend March through May of 2010 watching “Pretty Wild” on E! then I highly suggest you log on to your Netflix account and watch all nine captivating 22-minute episodes right this minute.

The 20-year-old onetime E! reality star and “Bling Ring” member serves as my spirit animal of sorts and has resurfaced into my life at the most pristine time. Not only am I living as a spoiled Hollywood brat abusing drugs and robbing celebrity homes, but I, too, aspire to be a centerfold in Playboy magazine.

My reasoning for dedicating this column to this great celebutante is because I want to remind the world that this show existed. And I truly believe it was fate that I had already started re-watching the show days before the announcement of Alexis’ wedding appeared.

The video of Alexis screaming at Vanity Fair’s Nancy Jo Sales via telephone while her mother encouraged this immature and ridiculous behavior has taken yet another viral route through the internet and prompted me to reintroduce myself to their lifestyle of fame.

Another reason why this is the perfect time to talk about this Emmy-award-winning television show is that Emma Watson’s new movie Bling Ring is filming right now. As much as I glorify these upstanding women and their social lives, it even took me a while to put two and two together to realize that this movie is based on our very own Alexis Neiers.

It makes me so happy that my favorite reality television show is being brought back to life in the form of one of my favorite actresses (and I’m not being sarcastic with this one).

Hopefully the fame from this show will spark a second season … or a spin-off show. Hey, since Khloe and Lamar are taking time off from their show, why not give back this time slot to this dysfunctional family?

I encourage everyone to watch this short-lived show — actually, I’m going to start a petition. I want a Season 2, goddamnit. I want to know what happened after Alexis Neiers spent a month in jail next to Lindsay Lohan for robbing Orlando Bloom’s home and proceeded to spend part of the next year in rehab.

I want to know how to meet my future husband in Alcoholics Anonymous. I want to learn how to burglarize celebrities and basically get away with it. I want my own television show where I strut around naked, crying every five minutes because the journalist said I was wearing sixinch Louboutins instead of little brown kitten heels with my tweed outfit to court!

I believe that all of us would be able to live positive, beneficial and successful lives if we were home-schooled and worked with a curriculum based on The Secret and the metaphysical concepts developed by Ernest Holmes in the early 20th century.

We all need an ex-lingerie model as a mother who manages our careers and simultaneously directs us in nude photo shoots in our home bathroom with a Canon Powershot while our 16-yearold sister controls the lighting.

I would like to conclude this column by quoting this inspirational mother of Alexis Neiers, Andrea Arlington: “And so it is.”

Did ELIZABETH ORPINA steal your Gucci handbag and Louis Vuitton sunglasses? Too bad. She’s going to cash in on your loss by starring in her new reality television show — send in your suggestions for the name of the show to arts@theaggie.org.

3, 2012 5

The Native Sibling

courtesy

By KARINA CONTRERAS Aggie Arts Writer

Kaylee Williams, 22, is a senior hydrology major at UC Davis. She and her brother Ryan, 24, make up the band The Native Sibling. Their

new EP, titled Follow Trees, is a soothing “folkAmericana” song.

Williams studied abroad from August 2010 to July 2011 in Ireland and said that she found some type of identity while away from her home in Santa Cruz. It was in Ireland that she

learned about Irish music and about what she really values. “[The song ‘Follow Trees’] came from traveling in Ireland,” Williams said. “The concept is home and to not take home for granted.”

Unlike her brother Ryan, who attended and graduated from the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles, Kaylee didn’t know that she wanted to pursue music seriously until her Ireland trip.

She says she has always loved piano and took lessons at UC Davis until her sophomore year, but stopped due to her heavy class load.

“I want to get music out of my system,” said Williams about her future after Davis.

At UC Davis, Williams started off as a civil engineering major because she thought it would suit her love of numbers, but after switching to hydrology, she realized that what she is most interested in is conservation and music.

“I learn from both,” Williams said.

“Hydrology and music work together for me [and] I feel that my major chose me.”

Both Kaylee and Ryan came from a home where appreciation for music was instilled in them quite early. Their grandma played the piano, and their parents signed them up for music lessons.

“It’s a joint effort for the writing of our songs,” Williams said. “We share ideas with each other.”

The Native Sibling consists of Kaylee, Ryan, a drummer, a fiddle player and a mandolin player, but this band has no manager and is

See NATIVE, page 4

An Interview with Dave Nachmanoff Acclaimed Musician to perform at Whole Earth Festival in 1997 or 1998 soon after my first CD was released and several times in the years right after that. I’ve played on the kids stage, the acoustic stage, and then for a number of years I didn’t apply for the festival, as I was usually on the road somewhere when it was taking place.

This will be the first time back on the quad stage in quite a few years, and I’m really looking forward to it.

MICHELLE RUAN Aggie Arts Writer

Dave Nachmanoff is a busy man. He’s a prolific singer-songwriter, the father of two, with a doctorate in philosophy from UC Davis who also tours with Al Stewart and plays a variety of instruments. In addition he has just released his new album Step Up, nearly five years after his previous release. Despite his busy schedule, Nachmanoff still somehow manages to find time to not only perform at the Whole Earth Festival (WEF) at 11 a.m. on the main stage on May 12 but to also play at Luigi’s on May 10 with Hardwater, a local band. The Aggie caught up with Nachmanoff to learn more about his new CD and upcoming performances.

MUSE: Can you give a quick introduction about yourself?

NACHMANOFF: I am a longtime Davis resident, a UCD alum and a professional musician. Most of my gigs are actually out-of-town, though, so I haven’t been as much a part of the local music scene as I’d like to be. I grew up in Virginia, but moved to London and New York City in my late teens. I had been a big fan of Al Stewart for years and through a mixture of luck and being prepared I became his lead guitarist and touring partner around 2001. I’ve toured as a solo acoustic artist, and have nine CDs out (plus nu-

Dave Nachmanoff

courtesy

merous side projects). But I really enjoy playing with a full band, and since my new CD, Step Up, is less folk and more rock/adult-contemporary, I’m starting to do more full-band shows, including the two Davis shows in May. How many times have you played at the Whole Earth Festival?

This will be my fifth or sixth time over the years. I played a set on the quad stage back

Will you be performing with anybody else (because Hardwater is performing with you at Luigi’s)?

This set (as well as the show at Luigi’s) will be a full-band show, with some wonderful musicians who are all longtime friends of mine. The guitarist, Martin Lewis, used to play with me in the late 80’s when we were students at Oxford University and then in New York City. Jeff Simons (bass) is pretty well-known both as one of the owners of Watermelon Music, but also as a phenomenally talented bassist and guitarist who has played with many different artists. The drummer, Graham Roggli, grew up in Davis and brings the average age of the band down considerably (yay Graham). We will also have my good friend Donna Lemongello (a.k.a. the “harmony machine”) joining us for some of the set on vocals. So, it should be a nice big sound.

See NACHMANOFF, page 4

Entertainment Council presents: The Spring Quad Shows Music will be in the air in May Oak Grove Cipher: May 8 Oak & Gorski: May 15 Souterrain: May 21 Plastic Villains: May 24 Marlene Marlene: May 30

By JAMES O’HARA Aggie Arts Writer

Throughout May, just outside the Coffee House, West Quad will be host to a series of performers as part of Entertainment Council’s spring “Quad Show” series. Music will be in the air through much of May, as roughly every week, a new

performer, including UC Davis students and alumni, will be gracing the stage.

Kicking off the series will be Oak Grove Cipher, a local rap group from Davis, on May 8.

“Oak Grove Cipher is a group who meet once a week in the courtyard of the Shields Library and freestyle over beats,” said Tim Chin, Entertainment Council assistant director. “They’re very cool and have a very chill vibe. They will also be asking members of the audience to come up and perform with them, so that should be fun.”

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine.

Following Oak Grove Cipher will be Oak and Gorski on May 15.

Not to be confused with the former, Oak and Gorski are a selfdescribed “cello rock” duo with a soulful sound that resembles something like indie with a kick.

After that, it will be Souterrain on May 21, a “lounge-folk” outfit with a soft, vocal-heavy vibe. Then it will be Plastic Villains on May 24, a rock group out of San Francisco.

Lastly, Marlene Marlene will be performing on May 30.

“We have a great line-up for our upcoming quad shows,” said Danielle Burnstein, Entertainment

Council production coordinator. “Many of the bands are local Davis artists, some of which are students and some of which are alumni. Quad shows are a great way to enjoy the great spring weather while listening to all different styles of music. It’s always a really fun time.”

The Entertainment Council has lassoed together a potent string of performers that is nearly impossible to ignore, as they’ve been managing to get exceptional performers to come to Davis, the

Carlos Reyes

consultant and dancer, where you can learn steps and contribute choreography.

Tonight at 8 p.m., free John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 1 St.

Focus on the Figure April 27 - June 1 Pence Gallery, 212 D St. This show examines the work of nine California artists’ work in clay, graphite and oil paint. This exhibit is running concurrently with the 23rd Annual California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art where both examine art from those who work from the human form in a personal manner.

Craft Fair by Davis Dollars Sunday, May 6 at 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., free G Street Shopping Center, 7th & G streets With DIY crafting activities for all ages, this event serves as an opportunity to spend locally while browsing unique and interesting crafts from vendors.

Davis Dollars are accepted and food will be from

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

The Poetry Night Reading series brings poet Carlos Reyes from Portland, Oregon. He’s been published in several notable journals and anthologies and is the author of five books of poetry. Reyes was also a finalist for the Oregon Book Award and has had fellowships across the world.

Sunday, May 6 at 7 p.m., $17(general)/$8(student) Jackson Hall, Mondavi Christian Baldini, music director and conductor leads this show put on by the UC Davis Department of Music.

Dance Dance Davis free classes Saturday, May 5 at 4 p.m. and May 6 at 1 p.m.

Davis Art Center, 1919 F St. This community dance project invites you to join in on the preparations for a surprise dance performance on May 9. Take free classes from Shelly Gilbride, Ph.D, a UC Davis Theatre and Dance alumnus and local arts

See SPRING, page 4

Two Man Gentlemen Band Tonight at 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 9), $5 (ages 21+) Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St. As former street performers, expert instrumentalists and songwriters, The Two Man Gentlemen Band have been traveling from coast to coast for half a decade already. These two men limit themselves to two instruments: a 4-string electric tenor guitar, played through a vintage 1937 Gibson amplifier, and an upright bass. They’ve developed a reputation as a must-see live act on the roots and retro-music circuits.

ELIZABETH ORPINA can be reached at arts@theaggie. org.

classifieds

6 thursday, may 3, 2012

Drinking Games

wifivecomics.com

by J. Stanford-Carey

Notice to Readers 25 Lower Freeborn Hall, UCD One Shields Ave. Davis, CA 95616 Editorial: (530) 752-0208 Advertising: (530) 752-0365 Fax: (530) 752-0355 Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

CLASSIFIED AD RATES* Students: 20¢ per word/day General: 25¢ per word/day * Minimum 5 words LOCAL OPEN AD RATES $10.00 per column inch DEADLINES Publication Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Personals OVERPOPULATION IS SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED. http://motherlode.sierraclub.org/population/

Apt. for Rent 1x1 apartment available for Fall. Less than 1 mile from UCD. Call The Arbors Apartments. 530.756.2424 2x2 Apartments. Available for July.

Less than 1 mile from UCD. Call The Arbors Apartments 530.756.2424 2x2 Apartments. Available for August or September. Less than 1 mile from UCD Spacious. Comfortable.

Affordable.

Call The Arbors Apartments. Call Today! 530.756.2424 www.thearbors.com

Display Ads 4 p.m. Wed 4 p.m. Thu 4 p.m. Fri 4 p.m. Mon

Classified Ads 1 p.m. Thurs 1 p.m. Mon 1 p.m. Tue 1 p.m. Wed

House for Rent

The California Aggie reserves the right to, without notice, classify all advertisements, delete objectionable words and phrases, and edit or refuse advertisements. Categories will be strictly adhered to. The Aggie reserves the right to change, without notice, deadlines for advertising copy, rates, rules, and regulations. The advertiser will not hold The Aggie liable for any claims resulting from publication of the advertisement.

Further, the Publisher will not be responsible for any claim resulting from an agreement made between the consumer and advertiser.

Copy should be checked for errors

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid Survey Takers Needed in Davis. 100% FREE to join! Click on Surveys.

HOUSE FOR LEASE FIVE BEDROOM $2600/M AVAILABLE SEPT. 1ST CALL (530)753-4770 CLOSE TO UCD.

Egg Donors Needed. Healthy females ages 18-30. Donate to infertile couples some of the many eggs your body disposes monthly. Compensation $6,000.

Call Reproductive Solutions (818) 832-1494 donor.eggreproductive.com.

Reproductive Solutions abide by all federal and state guidelines regarding egg donation as well as all ASRM guidelines.

Everyone on campus is getting cheap eats, movie-tickets, 2 for1 and free stuff.

Get yours too. text GoAggies to 69302.

Services GRADUATING Spring? Take your senior portrait at our studio in Davis now!

Cap and gowns provided. www.vipportraits.com

Wednesday’s puzzle solved

BY THE ADVERTISER following the first insertion. Errors in advertisements must be reported before 1 p.m. for correction in next issue. Credit for Publisher error(s) will only be given for the incorrect portion of the advertisement for the first publication date.

All phone numbers appearing in classifieds will be in the 530 area code.

Only area codes outside the 530 area will be printed.

For placement or questions e-mail classifieds@theaggie.org.

There are no refunds/credits for cancellations.

Help Wanted

4 Bedroom 2 Bath house on Sycamore Lane. Please call 415-305-8278 for more information.

Notices

The california Aggie

Sudoku

EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS participants needed for easy 60-90 min. experiment. Perform group decision-making task. Must be 18 years or older to participate. Register: www.experimetrix2.com/ ucdesp. One time participation only. You will be compensated $10-20. Payment determined in part by individual success in task.

Very Hard Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit.

So must every column, as must every 3x3 square. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

thursday, may 3, 2012 7

The california aggie

Aggies repeat UC Davis tallies second straight Big West title Men’s Golf

By Trevor Cramer Aggie Sports Editor

It was the Big West Conference Championship Tournament and it came down to a single stroke.

The UC Davis men’s golf team has struggled at times this season, but when it came to the biggest tournament of the year, the Aggies came through in a big way –– defeating Long Beach State to take the conference title.

The key for the Aggies was composure.

UC Davis found itself tied for second, eight strokes behind Pacific after the first day of action. Despite the sizeable deficit, the Aggies battled back to take the lead on the second day.

In the tournament’s final round, the Aggies held off a late run by the 49ers to secure the Big West title.

“From start to finish, they just believed they could do it,” said head coach Cy Williams. “They were amazing. They had great focus, they never got down if things didn’t go their way.”

SOFTBALL PREVIEW with an 11-4 Teams: UC Davis vs. conference Pacific record, hope Records: Aggies, 20-26 to separate (10-5); Tigers 32-16 themselves (11-4) at the top Where: Bill Simoni this weekend Field — Stockton, when they Calif. play a threeWhen: Friday at 1 p.m. game series and 3 p.m.; Saturday Rachel Miller against (7-8) at 10 a.m.

Cal State Who to watch: Rachel senior Fullerton.

Miller is making the most of her final sea On the son at UC Davis. The senior other hand, both the catcher from Costa Mesa, Tigers and Aggies are aimCalif. continues to lead the ing for a series win in orAggie offense with 30 hits der to remain in contenon the year along with her tion for the league chamteam-high 21 runs batted pionship. in.

An interesting wrinkle In relation to her Big West that may favor UC Davis’ Conference counterparts, championship hopes is Miller’s offensive numbers the fact that Long Beach demonstrate why she is State and Pacific face each one of the top catchers in other in the final weekend of the year. If the Aggies the league.

Miller’s four doubles in pull off a couple victories league play are the second over the Tigers this weekmost in conference, while end and follow up with a her two sacrifice flies tie solid performance against her for the regular season Cal State Fullerton, they could be in prime position lead.

To have a shot at this to claim the Big West title. year’s conference champi- “We believed from the onship, UC Davis will need beginning that we should Miller to continue to make be right where we are,” big contributions to its of- said head coach Karen fense.

Yoder. “[Now] we just want Did you know? UC Davis to come out and battle.” trails Big West leaders Preview: In a clash of past Long Beach State and champions, 2010 league University of Pacific by champion UC Davis travonly one game. The 49ers, els to nearby Stockton,

By Betsy Swanback

The debate of organic versus conventional agriculture continues as a new study published by researchers at McGill U. and U. Minnesota concluded that while organic agriculture may not be able to produce enough food for the world, it will play an important role in minimizing environmental damage for the future.

The study found that certain crops like legumes and perennials, which include soybeans and fruits, have a similar output through both organic and conventional farming.

Overall, the study found that organic farming produces approximately 25 percent fewer crops than conventional farming. However, the study found that organic farms can produce just 13 percent less than conventional farms under the best circumstances.

Verena Seufert, one of the researchers from McGill U., said that perennial crops can do better organically because they grow more slowly and are less dependent than annual crops on external factors.

Conventional agriculture is seen as a threat because it can harm the environment by taking up water resources and by releasing greenhouse gases. People on the other side of the argument say organic farming on a large scale would be less productive because it would make food unaffordable for those with lower incomes around the world.

The world is currently producing enough food, Seufert said, but starvation continues because of distribution issues.

“The problems that we have today with so many people not having enough food is more a food access global system,” she said. “It does not depend on increased food

with a score of even par while sophomore Matt Hansen and freshman Luke Vivolo both tied for 16th at three-over.

UC Davis did not bring a single upperclassman to the tournament.

The Big West championship is the Aggies’ third league title in four years.

With the tournament victory UC Davis qualifies for the NCAA Regional — which will begin May 17. The Aggies will find out which of the six regionals they will compete in when the tournament draw is announced on Monday.

TREVOR CRAMER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

TRACK AND FIELD PREVIEW

Calif. to face last year’s conference winner, Pacific.

The Tigers, who have won 11 of their last 14 games, are coming into the series strong with solid pitching and fantastic hitting. Pacific leads the Big West in almost every offensive category, including team batting average (.371), runs scored (72) and hits (30 more than second-place Fullerton).

Nikki Armagost received her third Big West Player of the Week recognition of the year, and leads the Tiger attack with 17 doubles and a .427 batting average.

Fans at this weekend’s games are in for a treat as UC Davis counters Pacific’s prolific offense with its great starting pitching duo consisting of freshman Justine Vela and junior Jessica Thweatt.

Together, these pitchers have cemented UC Davis’ status as a pitching powerhouse. It is due in large part to their performances that the Aggies are at the top of numerous pitching categories in the conference, such as earned-run average (1.28) and strikeouts (107).

— Doug Bonham

World’s population too large to accomodate urban farming, new study finds Oregon Daily Emerald (University of Oregon)

Overall the Aggies finished six-under par for the tournament.

Sophomore Matt Seramin led the team with a score of three-under, placing him tied for fourth overall. Freshman Mike Brockington trailed Seramin by a single stroke, shooting two-under and tying for sixth.

“Seramin and Brockington both did really great at our last tournament and they carried that over,” said Williams.

“Seramin was just a monster all week and some of the shots he hit were really incredible.”

Sophomore Jonny Baxter placed 13th

production, but increased access to food.”

U. Oregon’s Urban Farm class educates students about the advantages of local farming and how they can get involved.

The farm is led by Harper Keeler, a longtime advocate for organic food.

People need to be more connected to their food to understand where it comes from; Lane County residents only eat about four percent of their food from local sources, he said.

“There’s no appreciation for the problem,” he said. “We need people on the land to start understanding where it comes from. Until then, we won’t have the political willpower to make the changes that we need to make.”

Keeler spoke of the advantages of farming for the future health of the population.

“Working outside and growing stuff is going to have health benefits, mental benefits, environmental benefits,” he said. “All those things were lost with the unsettling of America upon industrialization.”

Tom Bettman, a longtime Urban Farm instructor, said organic farming could be plausible if there were a significantly smaller population.

“You need a population of about a billion. Right now, we’re feeding people on petroleum,” he said. “We’re burning fossil fuels to crank out enough food to feed about seven billion people.”

The study concluded that there should not be a mindset of either/or, but that a combination of organic and conventional farming will be the most beneficial for the world’s population.

“I think the solution that will feed the world more sustainably will not be only organic crops or conventional crops but will be a mixture of the two ideas,” Seufert said.

Event: Big West MultiChampionships Where: Irvine, Calif.

When: Friday; Saturday, All day Who to Watch: Sophomore Alycia Cridebring has rallied to a new level over the last few weeks and the women will be counting on her to have another strong performance this weekend.

The Pleasant Hill, Calif. native has run some fantastic long-distance races lately and UC Davis will need every point possible as the team heads into championship mode.

Did you know? UC Davis has two more weeks of competition before the NCAA Preliminary Meets begin. The Aggies are hoping to qualify a few athletes for the NCAA meets this year including standout seniors Jonathan Peterson and Sarah Sumpter.

Preview: The Aggies are

headed down to has been a clutch Irvine with some performer for the serious momenAggie field athtum. UC Davis’ letes. He has been athletes have clearing close to been breakfive meters every ing records on week in the pole a weekly basis vault. Sophomore lately and they B r a n d o n hope to stay on Greenberg has that trajectory Alycia Cridebring been climbing through the next Sophomore the ranks in men’s few weeks. shot put.

The track These athletes athletes have been run- are only a few of UC ning exceptionally well. Davis’ core group. In orThe women have been der to win the big titles strong in the sprint events in the coming weeks the with junior Melanise Aggies will need to pull Chapman spearhead- in points from every asing the crew. Sumpter pect of the sport. has been leading the dis- Head coach Drew tance events with team- Wartenburg has been immate Cridebring right on pressed by his team lateher heels. ly.

The men are led by “You have to like the Peterson and newcom- performances that are ers sophomore Nathan getting toward peak levStrum and freshman els at season’s end.”

Trevor Ehlenbach.

–– Kim Carr Senior Ethan Ostrum

8 THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012

The california Aggie

UC Davis graduate fights Friedreich’s Ataxia Ride Ataxia fundraiser in Davis on Saturday

UC Davis graduate Kyle Bryant

courtesy

By DEVON BOHART Associate Features Editor

You live in Davis. You own a bicycle, or at least have ridden one recently. You were probably just riding it or are about to ride it somewhere. But what if gradually you lost that simple ability?

2005 UC Davis graduate Kyle Bryant did.

At the age of 17, Bryant was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a disease involving degeneration of the muscles and oth-

er structures within the body that gradually make activities such as riding a bicycle difficult and eventually impossible.

“I rode a two-wheeled bike to school everyday, but FA is progressive,” Bryant said. “By the time I [graduated] in 2005, I knew that it was time to stop riding a two-wheeled bicycle.”

Despite this setback, Bryant does not let this disease prevent him from doing anything.

In 2005, Bryant bought a tricycle that allowed him to continue to

ride his bicycle without the difficulties and insecurities that he had before. This led him to create and participate in Ride Ataxia, a fundraiser for FA that will be held in Davis on Saturday. The event will begin at the Veterans’ Memorial Center.

“I absolutely fell in love with the freedom that came with my trike because I could finally ride around without feeling like I was going to fall over,” Bryant said.

With his new mode of transportation, Bryant and his family rode 2,500 miles across America and raised $360,000 to put toward research for FA. “We felt so helpless, but when my family and I knew we were stuck with FA, we knew we had to take action,” Bryant said.

This success led Bryant to continue the pursuit of this cause.

In 2009, he was employed by the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) as the national spokesperson. “[Speaking] is one of my passions, other than raising money,” Bryant said. “It has given me the ability to share my story.”

Since then, he has created a thriving fundraiser for FA called Ride Ataxia that he also participates in, which people can help

raise money for by riding their bikes.

“It’s been very successful and grown tremendously just over the past couple of years,” Bryant said.

“It’s been the main focus of my life, just staying fit so I can perform on a bike and participate in all these rides. It’s very important to me because it’s mine, I built it.”

There are six different rides located throughout the United States that each occur annually, including one in Davis called Ride NorCal which will occur this Saturday. There will be about 350 people riding, an increase from last year, who will contribute an estimated $100,000 to FARA. Riders can participate in routes of varying skill level, from 15 to 68 miles long. All routes begin at the Veterans’ Memorial Center but will start at different times so they can all finish together.

“The bottom line is empowerment; that’s the reason why I ride, to feel empowered, to be in control of my health and wellbeing and to contribute to the cause that I care so dearly about,” Bryant said. “I think the ride is an opportunity for others to get involved and contribute to something really great and that’s going to help a lot of people.”

One of these people is 11-yearold Izzy Penston, who was diagnosed with FA three years ago.

Izzy, her mother and her younger brother will be stationed at a pit stop along the ride while her father and 22 others for Team Izzy will be riding to support her. Izzy said she likes participating in the event.

“I get to say thank you to everyone supporting me,” she said.

“It’s a good way to support FARA and it’s good exercise too.”

Izzy’s mother, Zoe Penston, said that this ride was the first time she had met others who were affected by the disease.

“It brings our community together but also brings awareness and raises money, so it’s a great thing,” Zoe said. “I just think that people should participate because we need people on our side. It’s one of those diseases where there aren’t a lot of people that are aware so the more awareness we get, the more funding we can get and the more clinical trials and research can be funded.”

The funding for a cure is Bryant’s main drive for the continuation of these rides and his persistence to participate despite

See ATAXIA, page 4

News iN Brief

Davis Dollars Craft Fair is Sunday May 6 will mark the Davis Dollars May Craft Fair in Downtown Davis. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the G Street Shopping

Center will feature crafting activities and crafts for sale.

The Seventh and G Street event is free and run by Davis Dollars —

a group that aims to localize the economy to positively control the social and environmental effects of trade. Davis Dollars are also

a community currency that encourages people to spend locally.

Monticello Seasonal Cuisine will be selling food at the event.

The theme is strawberries and there will be about 30 local vendors present. All vendors will accept Davis Dollars.

Downtown streets to be closed Saturday and Sunday Streets around Davis’ Central Park will be closed this Saturday afternoon following the Farmers Market and Sunday to make room for the first annual “The Legends Gran Fondo” bike ride.

According to a press release from City of Davis Public Relations Manager Bob Bowen, drivers are encouraged to avoid C Street along the side of Central Park between Third and Fourth Street between 2 and 9 p.m. on Saturday. This recommen-

Davis foundation provides youth with a hopeful future The Davis Bridge Foundation offers kids additional tutoring and guidance free of charge

By ANI UCAR JA Aggie News Writer

The Davis Bridge Foundation is an after school program located at five schools in the City of Davis that offers K-12 students more than just help on their homework.

Established in 2004, the after school program provides students of low-income families, or who are considered to be academically at-risk, a chance to catch up free of charge.

By combining homework with enrichment activities such as choir, dance, athletics and art, the Davis Bridge staff members try to motivate students through nonconventional avenues.

“We make an effort to engage students in activities that celebrate their cultural background and honor their families,” said former program director Celina Rodriguez. “This creates an environment where students, parents and tutors feel valued and see school in a more positive light.”

Aside from the tutoring, computer access, school supplies and after school snacks that the program provides, “the most important part of Bridge is the relationships that are built and fostered between the students and staff,” Rodriguez said.

“Even though Bridge is supposed to be a time to help the students with their homework, it’s a time for the kids to get some extra attention that they may not get at home,” said lead tutor Nadia Mulji.

Each tutor is typically paired with one to two students with whom they share similar experiences.

“Having someone that understands their struggles creates an instant bond,” said Janet Boulware, exec-

utive director and founder of the Davis Bridge Foundation.

“For most of our students, English is not their first language, so they are having to learn a second language while also having to learn content; they are responsible for double the work,” Boulware said.

Although the majority of students that attend are 95 percent Latino/a, Bridge is open to students of all backgrounds.

The program is geared towards making higher education a realistic goal for these students.

“The tutors are always talking to them about college, even at a young age,” Boulware said.

Many of the tutors are first generation college students themselves, which makes them even more relatable, “because they were once that child,” Boulware said.

For the state of California, students that come from a family at a certain income level or below are eligible for free or reduced lunches at school. In the Davis Joint Unified School District, 22 percent of students K-12 are considered to be of lowincome.

“Unfortunately, in order to receive state funding, you must be at a 50 percent low-income level or higher to qualify, which makes raising money very challenging,” Boulware said.

Currently the program provides for 275 students and employs 170 UC Davis students.

With 1,500 students in Davis that qualify for the program, “We still have a long way to go, but because of funding issues we are being held back,” Boulware said.

The Davis Bridge tutors come from all backgrounds and are not re-

quired to speak Spanish.

They are able to receive internship credit through the Chicana/o Studies department or, if they are eligible for work-study, can receive a salary of $12 an hour.

“We are the largest employer at UC Davis,” Boulware said.

The program encourages students who have had any type of experience with kids to apply in early July through the UC Davis Student Employment site.

“All the tutors support each other,” Mulji said.

“And although it may be a job, each tutor is truly invested in the success of the students and the program.”

Because the program is at the end of the day during seventh period, many of the tutors face the challenge of keeping their students on track.

“We want to talk to them about their lives outside of school, but it is difficult to straddle the line between mentor and tutor,” Mulji said.

Although homework completion is the ultimate goal of the program, the relationships that are established hold a higher value, according to Rodriguez.

“Our philosophy of the program is to value relationships above all else — above academic achievement and grades and test scores; because the belief is that when you know someone genuinely cares about how are you doing, you do better,” Rodriguez said.

Homework clubs are currently located at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary, Patwin Elementary, Fred T. Korematsu Elementary, Francis Harper Jr. High School and Davis Senior High School.

ANI UCAR can be reached at city@theaggie. org.

dation also applies all day Sunday until 7 p.m.

Additional street closures on Sunday include C Street between Fourth and Fifth Street and Fourth Street between C and D Street from 5 to 11:30 a.m.

The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame created the event. It will begin and finish Sunday next to Central Park at the corner of Third and C Street.

— Angela Swartz