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volume 131, number 69
TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012
Students left homeless due to rising tuition, rough economic time
Groundskeepers speak out about their heritage
Resources on campus available for students with financial struggles
Sixty percent are first- or second-generation immigrants
Zach Land-Miller / Aggie
Grounds and maintenance workers at UC Davis are often firstand second-generation immigrants, according to data.
By CHELSEA MEHRA Aggie Features Writer
Madison Dunitz / Aggie
Some homeless students found refuge in the Occupy Davis encampment in the Davis Central Park.
By MICHELLE MURPHY Aggie News Writer
With rising tuition costs, students are facing tough financial decisions in order to maintain a UC education. For some students, the rising cost of tuition can even mean forgoing housing and daily meals in order to study at UC Davis. While a majority of the student population can afford to pay student fees, rent and everyday necessities with scholarships and loans, there is a minority of UC Davis students opting to struggle now without loans, in order to avoid paying back thousands of dollars after graduation. “I haven’t wanted to take out any loans, because I’ve always been against that. I feel like if I don’t have to right now, then I shouldn’t. I would rather be homeless than
taking out loans from the banks. I’d rather be struggling a little bit, than having to struggle a lot later,” said Sarena Grossjan, a sophomore art studio major and current homeless student. During her first year at UC Davis, Grossjan was able to live in the dorms with the dining commons meal plan thanks to scholarships and grants she received from the financial aid office. However, this year has been quite different. After Grossjan paid her tuition fees, she was left with only $1,000 for housing, food and books. Grossjan has been living off of the kindness of friends, with some stays at the Occupy Central Park and the Domes. She is currently couch surfing again, since even the rent at the Domes was too much. “I never really classified this as homeless, because anywhere I go
I’m home,” Grossjan said. “Like, if I have stuff I need, and if I have a place to sleep and food, I’m fine.” During the Occupy Davis movement, Grossjan was living in tents at Central Park while attending school. “I was kind of shocked when I would come and study. It would be freezing cold at night and there would be no lights, so we wouldn’t study at Central Park,” she said. Instead, Grossjan and another homeless student would wake up early and seek out open buildings on campus to study, away from the cold weather. “We were kicked out of buildings because we looked homeless,” Grossjan said. “This lady came up to us in Hunt [Hall], and she asked us if we slept in the building. We said no, we just came to study, and
See HOMELESS, page 2
A brawny mechanic in an oil-stained suit flings open the door of his boss’ trailer office. As one of the 58 UC Davis Grounds Maintenance employees, Enrique Garcia identifies himself with Dixon, Calif. rather than his home country, Mexico. Immigrants often work physical jobs such as groundskeeper or custodian. Thirty percent of the grounds laborers are first-generation immigrants, 30 percent second-generation and 40 percent a mix of generations and ethnicities. Superintendent Cary Avery said that while most of his employees are Hispanic and proud of their heritage, others do not want to be labeled as such. This disparity is probably most attributed to the greater diversity in age, Avery said. “If you went up and asked the 20-year-olds where they were from, many of them will say ‘California.’ I chuckle and say, ‘Really, are you?’ On the
other hand, the 60-year-olds would probably say ‘Mexico,’” Avery said. Though Avery guessed Garcia would say he is from Mexico because he is “a little bit older and more proud,” Avery also conceded that some of his workers, including Garcia, may be suspicious as to why someone would even ask and would therefore immediately respond, “California.” It is unlikely that UC Davis Grounds Maintenance has hired any illegal immigrants, according to both Avery and Director of Budget and Planning for Campus Planning and Community Resources Kim Rhodes. From a bureaucratic end, recruiters go through applications with a fine-toothed comb and quickly flush out any questionable candidates. To keep any job within the UC system, workers must constantly verify that they have a California driver’s license. “One thing that makes our
See WORKERS, page 4
Report shows UC, CSU Davis Joint Unified School enrollment rates decline District $5 million below operating costs due for California high to state budget school graduates State to fall one million college grads short by 2025 By EINAT GILBOA Aggie Staff Writer
The percentage of California high school graduates entering the state’s public higher education has fallen 20 percent in the last five years, shows a recent report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The report examined the impact of state disinvestment in higher education on the percentage of high school graduates enrolling in University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) and community colleges. It stated that enrollment rates at UC and CSU have fallen from 22 percent of high school graduates in 2007 to 18 percent in 2010. The number of students enrolling, unaccounted for by slight increases in community college enrollment, fails to keep up with growing demands for spots in
both systems. “For the past eight years, we have had record high numbers of applicants,” said Dianne Klein, media specialist at the UC Office of the President, in an e-mail. “The demand for a UC education is enormous. But because of the state’s disinvestment, we don’t have the funds to fulfill that demand. This is yet another sad validation of the costs, in real terms, of the state disinvestment in public education.” Hans Johnson, author of the report, is a policy fellow Donald Bren Foundation, which funded the research. Johnson reiterated that because of state disinvestment, the UC has been forced to severely limit enrollment through enrollment caps and deferral, in which qualified applicants who aren’t admitted to their prime-choice UC are granted admission to UC Merced. “UC Merced is the only campus still taking students from the deferral pool, and UC knows that the large majority of students that did not choose to apply to UC Merced but were then given admission will not attend,” Johnson said. Unlike the UC’s deferral process, CSU, originally not an exclusive system, limits enrollment by declaring campuses impacted, then limiting the number of out-of-area students admitted.
See CSU, page 2
Irisa Tam / Aggie
Today’s weather Partly cloudy High 82 Low 56
Forecast It may be a bit hard to study for those midterms outside this week as your papers will likely be flying all around; but don’t worry, textbooks serve as great paperweights. Tyson Tilmont, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
Special meeting addressed budget crisis, called for action By SARA ISLAS Aggie News Writer
While several Davis teachers turned their back on a meeting with the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) to show their outrage at a proposal to cut their salaries by 5 percent, other community members voted in Measure C. Others still discussed the potential of the Davis Schools Foundation launching a campaign to raise $500,000. These actions were the outcome of a special meeting the DJUSD held May 16 to discuss the impacts that the state’s slow economy are having on school districts and brainstorm possible solutions. During the meeting Yolo County Associate Superintendent Bruce Colby said the financial state of the schools was weak and identified the monetary ways in which referrals from the state have diminished the district’s fiscal position. In 2008, during Wednesday
Thursday
Mostly clear
Mostly clear
High 81 Low 56
High 83 Low 54
the early days of the state budget crisis, the district had $13 million in cash, but now its cash reserves are at $1.1 million, Colby said. The district needs $6 million in cash each month to operate, with most of that going to cover payroll, he added. “We are running dangerously low on cash,” Colby said. “The ‘add fuel’ light is on.” Davis is in the weakest financial position of any school district in the county because its cash reserve is so low, said Linda Legnitto, deputy superintendent with the Yolo County Office of Education. Legnitto reviews the budgets of all Yolo County school districts and insisted that the most important thing in this time of fiscal crisis is
keeping all information accurate and transparent. “The good news is that staff has articulated revenues and budgets to you every time there has been an update,” she told the audience, which consisted of teachers, parents, staff, administration and other community members. “ T h i s meeting aims to maintain such a transparency.” One of the results of the state budget cuts is augmented class sizes across the region and throughout the state, Colby said. DJUSD class Irisa Tam / Aggie sizes will increase in the 2012-2013 year because of reduced funding and reduced personnel, he added.
See BUDGET, page 4
R.I.P. Robin Hugh Gibb (December 22, 1949 - May 20, 2012) Your presence and talent was a blessing to all. Mimi Vo
page two
2 TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012
daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org
TODAY
facebook.com/events/362816877108668 or e-mail davis.sjp@gmail.com.
Spring Book Fair 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. WRRC, Front Porch, North Hall Each quarter the Joy Fergoda Library at the Women’s Resources and Research Center hosts a book fair where books can be purchased for under $3. Proceeds will be used to buy new books for the library. The event will continue at the same time and location through Friday.
H.E.L.P. Club Kickoff Event 6 to 8 p.m. 206 Olson Go to the kickoff event for “Empathy Not Apathy.” H.E.L.P. will be promoting the awareness of poverty in our community to hopefully inspire students to get more involved in helping the community.
WEDNESDAY H.E.L.P. Club Event “Empathy Not Apathy” 6 to 9 p.m. King’s Lounge This is H.E.L.P.’s annual event where they host a free banquet dinner and have guest speakers to inspire students and community members to be more involved in helping others within the community. The guest speakers will include a community leader who will discuss working with those in poverty and a currently homeless community member who will share his experiences being homeless.
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous 7 to 8:30 p.m. Davis United Methodist Church, 1620 Anderson Road Free yourself from excess weight and/ or obsessional thoughts about food and body image. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a 12-step fellowship based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Meetings are open and free to the public. Go to foodaddicts.org for other meeting locations.
UC Davis Concert Band and Campus Bands 7 to 9 p.m. Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center Watch the UC Davis Concert Band, Campus Bands and more at this performance. Tickets are $8 for students and children and $12 for adults.
Poetic Resistance 7:30 to 9 p.m. Olson 206 Students for Justice in Palestine is hosting an event titled “Poetic Resistance” with nationally renowned poet Remi Kanazi from New York. Join them for spoken word poetry and a discussion. The event is co-sponsored by the Asian American Studies department. For more information, go to https://www.
Movie Night in the Arboretum 7:30 to 10 p.m. Mrak Lawn, Lake Spafford The Arboretum Ambassadors and UC Davis Entertainment Council present Movie Night in the Arboretum. Bring a blanket and enjoy seeing the epic Academy Award-winning movie Avatar in the Arboretum under the stars. There is no charge for the movie; parking is available for $7 in Visitor Lots 1 and 2 and the Mondavi Center parking structure. For more information, call 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
The 12th Annual UC Davis Film Festival 8:30 to 10:30 Davis Varsity Theatre, 616 Second St. This is an evening of unpredictable and exciting short student films including comedy, drama, animation, documentaries and more. The festival begins Wednesday and continues through Thursday at the same time and location. Tickets are $7 for each night or $10 for a two-night pass; available at Davis Varsity Theatre starting May 16. For more information, go to theatredance.ucdavis.edu.
THURSDAY Shinkoskey Noon Concert 12:05 to 1 p.m. 115 Music Watch this Undergraduate Composers Concert in honor of Grant Noda’s 90th Birthday.
BME Alumni Seminar Series 4 to 5 p.m. 1005 GBSF Join Dr. Alesha Castillo as she gives a talk titled “Skeletal Mechanobiology, Regeneration and Aging.” For more information, contact BME Alumni Seminar Series at bmealumniseminar@ucdavis. edu.
UC Davis’ LocalTones 2012 Showcase 7 to 9 p.m. Freeborn This event features UC Davis’ a cappella groups The Spokes, The Afterglow, The Liquid Hotplates and The Lounge Lizards, and will be hosted by UCD’s Birdstrike Comedy Theatre. Tickets are $5 presale at the Freeborn Box Office or tickets.com and $10 at the door. For more information, go to davisspokes.com. 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.
police briefs THURSDAY
Someone was stealing rocks from a yard on Cresta Court.
Too cool to stand Someone refused to get up and move their car because their legs were cold on Vista Way.
Stamping out crime Someone dumped garbage that included mail with their name and address on Cabot Street.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Knock on wood Someone uprooted a tree and put it in across a door on B Street.
Mow them down Several landscapers were up on the roof of a house on Waxwing Place.
There’s plenty to go around
guest Cont. from page 3 higher education opportunities for all students, especially those from marginalized communities. Students, we have been bickering among ourselves when the real enemies are the
Just say neigh Several people were believed to be under the influence while “horseplaying” on Radcliffe Drive. Police briefs are compiled by TRACY HARRIS from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact TRACY HARRIS at city@ theaggie.org.
ones with budgets thousands of times ours and have been making handsome profits off of our sweat and labor. Our opposition is the administration, UC Regents and state government. We should not be blaming our woes on each other when we did not cause these problems.
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
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around L.A. picking up buckets of soup for 30 or so film editors is nowhere on my resume, I treat it like a game that I need to win. Clean some dishes? Done in reJazz cord time. Wipe down chairs? Trice Cake. Work with the other PAs? Wait, I didn’t know there were other PAs. I’m not special? I’m assuming this is some sort of Battle Royale where a few eager, qualified, recent college grads ay is the worst are pushed to their limits time of the year. where one will get a coveted School’s ending, so spot with the company. How that means more finals and could I fuck this up? parties and less studying I fucked it up. Not entireand sleep than there should ly “fucked up,” but enough to be. Season finales do terriinspire that May panic-attack ble things like kill off my fa- I was hinting at earlier. I got vorite characters (Lexie!) behind on a computer softand keep me emotionally ware task I had to do for the unhinged for three months. day and I had no idea what For as long as I can remem- I was doing. It felt like being ber, my life devolves into punched in the gut when I tears, implodes with drama was told I wasn’t needed the and includes devastating, following day. That could not life-alterhave been ing changes. a test I just My financial stability relied on failed. Cue Or, I’m being dramata strict schedule of working all me orgaic and it’s all nizing the the time made up in crap out of my head and everything blown out of proportion — I could get my hands on and but I’m pretty sure it’s still smiling through the pain of happening. my stupidity. Just like that, a I just began working as a small mistake could keep me production assistant for a waiting on tables and scanprestigious company in L.A. ning patient charts longer By “just began,” I mean it’s than I’d like to be. been only two days. But for There are things you’re a dramatic art major waiting told when you fail at someon tables, this is the reason I thing you’ve been desperatemoved here. Rubbing elbows ly wanting. “It’s better to have with real movers and shakhad the experience than to ers in the entertainment innot have had it at all.” Bullshit dustry and having my face, it is! I don’t want a taste of the name and qualifications rec- pie, I want all of it! ognized has the potential to I eventually got asked open up doors for the career to come back to the stuI’ve been working toward. Let dio and had some tough dethe games begin, bitch! cisions to make. My finanAfter landing the job cial stability relied on a strict you’ve been waiting and wait- schedule of working all the ing for, do everything you can time. Quitting a job is difto keep it. If they need milk ficult. Especially if the new by noon, I will be there 15 one you’re leaving it for is minutes early (of course, this sporadic, pays less and has could lead to potential car ac- you doing more things you cidents in an attempt to get didn’t major in. Do I leave the sandwiches delivered, but the place with a set schedule they’ll get there, nonetheless). and pay periods for the unThe slick outfit and at-ease predictability of a freelance demeanor is nothing if the position that’s already makcharm is lacking. My mind ing me break out from the was clouded with nervousstress? ness on day one and made Of course I do. If you me forget to do human things don’t go all in, then what’s like talk and smile. Tip: Make the point of spending all every person at a new job fall that time in class learnin love with you, even if they ing and then not commithate you already. ting? The other job you Spring also brings the leave behind will be fine. close of track season, creatThere’s no place for pleasing an overload of competantries and being considitiveness in me that would erate of every party’s feelflow beyond my athletic en- ings. The chance that they deavors. I do everything I have your best interests in can now to recreate this feel- mind is rare. And our best ing. Giving yourself an opinterests should lie on ponent or obstacle to overnothing but the prize. It’s come, be it co-workers, a set hard enough to get a first time limit on tasks or your chance these days. Better own weaknesses, unleashes not drop the ball. this crazy-useful energy that keeps us on our toes. I’ll do Share the insane scenarios you’ve created my damnedest to overcome in your mind, regardless if they happened or any challenge. not, with JAZZ TRICE at jazztrice526@gmail. com or twitter.com/Jazz_Trice. So even though running
Free-for-all
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HOMELESS Cont. from front page they accused us of sleeping in the building and kicked us out. I just couldn’t believe that even with our student IDs they just didn’t want us there. It felt really horrible.” Judith La Deaux, the student affairs officer in the Native American studies department, has encountered other students facing similar situations as Grossjan. “It’s a problem I’m quite concerned about,” La Deaux said. Even for students who aren’t homeless, the rising cost of a UC education is becoming more difficult to sustain, Grossjan said. “A lot of students who have jobs are living paycheck to paycheck, which is just as hard,” she said. “Having to always work and be in school and then only having enough for rent and food — it’s hard for a lot of people.” Resources such as The Pantry and We Are Aggie Pride are designed to help struggling students. The Pantry was created Winter Quarter 2011, after a survey revealed that some students skipped meals be-
CSU Cont. from front page “Each campus has a local service area except Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,” said CSU media relations specialist Erik Fallis. “Because we tend to have place-bound students, we give preference to local applicants. Students from outside that area will have to meet a higher bar.” The result of these enrollment caps is that while demand soars, fewer students are able to enroll. This result
location I will not share with you thieving undergrads. My free food, mine! Individual departments also provide avenues for talking to other humans, Matan though the extent of these Shelomi opportunities depends on size and funding. Most departments have seminars. Boring, foodless seminars. Others have events ranging from department-wide barbecues to nothing at all. I’m lucky to be in entomology, which is small enough that everyone knows everyone else but big enough to justify ear Professor large social gatherings, and Celestia: Today, I even a separate Entomology learned that, despite the depictions of ac- Grad Student Association ademics as introverts who that provides further chances to relax with your peers labor alone in the lab or over snacks and beer … I library, real research is mean, science and books. It a team sport. For a grad really makes a difference to student to succeed, they be in a highly social departmust make use of the ment, which is something to many mentors available to them. From the advisor consider if you’re applying to grad school who signs in the future. your paFan service aside, friendships While pers and keeps you are quite important for effective some professors inon track, graduate studies sist on beto the coling called laborators who trade you bench “Professor Last Name” when talking with their space for a co-authorstudents, these are rare. ship, to your labmates Professor-to-grad-student who keep you sane, and relationships tend to be the many others who will more informal, with many review your manuscripts on a first-name basis. Some and write you letters of professors invite students recommendation — the to their homes for parties or list is long, and there is celebrations, and vice vernever enough room on sa. It all depends on how the Acknowledgements social and outgoing everysection of your thesis for one involved is, and how everypony. nice their place is. In short, please send Whether grad students more money to cater the spend their free time with grad student happy hour. undergrads is also depenWe need sweet potato fries dent on personality, not to for Science. Your faithful mention age. The range of student, me. grad student ages varies There, I made a damn Pony column. Are you hap- wildly. Some are 20-somethings fresh out of college, py now? Fan service aside, friend- some are planning their weddings, and others alships are quite important for effective graduate stud- ready have grandchildren. ies. The Ph.D. is a long pro- The student writing a history paper about WWI who cess with many potential pitfalls, both research-relat- uses her own diary as a “primary source” is no myth. ed and personal. It’s helpI happen to be among the ful to have a strong social network to unwind or com- younger end of the spectrum: Several undergrads in my demiserate with as the case partment are older than me, may be, beyond your adwhich would make establishvisers. Also, research is ining a hierarchy difficult. Do I herently a collaborative effort strengthened with each respect my elders, or do I outrank them? Are you my senperson involved. Someone might know something you pai or kohai? Since we’re not in Japan, I find it easier to don’t, or be familiar with a be informal with everyone. technique or resource that I spend more time with unhadn’t crossed your mind. dergrads than grads, actually, You’ll never know if you because they’re closer to my spend all hours alone in a age and run most of the camwindowless room. pus clubs. I’ve got a few more It is with the heartless goal of improving efficiency years before I have to put up a professorship or marriagethat the campus provides shaped boundary between resources for graduate stumyself and the undergrads, dents to interact with each so I will enjoy their company other. For example, there and make the most of being is a Graduate Students in college again. Association, which is like ASUCD — only nobody cares about it. There’s also MATAN SHELOMI is aware of all internet the free Coffee, Bagels and traditions. Reach him at mshelomi@ucdavis. edu. Donuts day at a time and
A social education
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cause of financial reasons. The Pantry provides students with basic essentials like food and sanitary supplies, and it is completely anonymous. “The main goal of The Pantry is to ensure that no student ever has to skip a meal for financial reasons. The Pantry is a resource offered to students, and is our response to the greater need created by the economic downturn and rising tuition prices over the past few years,” said senior human development major and Pantry Director Rosa Gonzalez. In addition, We Are Aggie Pride is a student-run program with the motto “Students helping students.” The program provides emergency funding to students to cover food, rent and other essential costs not covered by other programs, in order to give a temporary boost to those who are trying to make it on their own. “The purpose of [We Are Aggie Pride] is to help students in emergency situations. When you’re in an emergency, you don’t always have the right resources, and We Are Aggie Pride is there to step in and help students stay in school,” said Zena Brown, We Are Aggie Pride program director and senior textile and clothing major.
is especially prevalent in highly prepared high school graduates, where enrollment rates have fallen from 67 to 55 percent, stated the report. If these trends continue, PPIC projected that California will fall one million college graduates short of economic demand by 2025. “Now is the time to increase educational opportunity for students in California, to fill the jobs of the future and ensure that our state remains on the forefront of innova-
For more information about We Are Aggie Pride, visit weareaggiepride. ucdavis.edu. While the exact number of homeless students at UC Davis is unknown, the Financial Aid Office also offers assistance for students facing extreme financial problems. “We have not put a special program into place, as our experience is that these cases are extremely rare,” said Financial Aid Director Katy Maloney in an e-mail interview. “Whenever situations of this nature are brought to our attention, we work directly with the student on a case-by-case basis to help them in every way possible.” Moreover, students can find information about financial aid opportunities on their website. “We have money management information on our website, which includes financial literacy materials, tools and advice. We have also partnered with CashCourse.org to provide helpful financial planning information tailored specifically for UC Davis students,” Maloney said. “We are hoping to further expand information and tools in this area in the future.” MICHELLE MURPHY can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
tion and opportunity,” Klein said in the e-mail. “California needs to immediately reinvest in public higher education.” Johnson also expressed that state reinvestment is the most obvious solution, but not necessarily the most attainable. “Given the fiscal realities, ongoing budget crises and uncertainty about whether voters will be willing to increase taxes to pay for K-12 as well as higher education, it’s not clear that money will be available anytime soon,”
Johnson said. “In absence of that money, I think it’s important to try to figure out ways to improve efficiencies.” According to Johnson, improving efficiencies will not be enough because reversing enrollment trends will still come down to general fund support from the state. “Those efforts are nibbling at the edges: The major problem is the decline in state support for public education,” Johnson said. EINAT GILBOA can be reached city@ theaggie.org.
OPINION
The california aggie
tuesday, may 22, 2012 3
editorials
safe boats
Sink or swim At the 2012-13 ASUCD budget hearings, senators agreed to give $500 to fund Safe Boats, a houseboat that provides first aid and contraceptives during the annual Memorial Day weekend celebration on Lake Shasta known as Houseboats. Three hundred seventy dollars will go towards Safe Boats itself and $130 will fund Safe Boats education, down from an original proposal of $1,120. There are certainly valid reasons for ASUCD to not fund Safe Boats. It seems unfair for ASUCD, which is funded by all UC Davis students, to pay for a service that only a few thousand of those students will actually use. Houseboats primarily attracts those involved in the greek system, meaning that ASUCD is essentially funding an organization that many students have, for financial or personal reasons, made a conscious choice not to participate in. Safe Boats may also unintentionally promote unsafe partying by providing an easy refuge for the reckless and irresponsible. Distributing condoms, granola bars and water bottles will not necessarily discourage attendees from making the decision to participate in unsafe sex, drinking and boat-hopping. The money spent providing these basic items would be
better spent on services that will help improve students’ education, not their partying. Rather than ask ASUCD to donate student fees to Safe Boats, it would be more fair for those who actually attend Houseboats to each donate a small amount, thereby eliminating the need for students who don’t even attend to pay, via ASUCD. However, by funding other special-interest events such as ethnic graduations, ASUCD has set the precedent that it will not limit its funding to only services that all students participate in. If ASUCD is willing to donate money to small groups that do not necessarily service all students, then it naturally follows that it would fund an initiative like Safe Boats. Ultimately, ASUCD opted to allot Safe Boats less than half the amount originally proposed, making it more of a symbolic support of safe partying than a burden on the ASUCD budget. If Safe Boats does prevent students from returning to Davis pregnant and suffering from alcohol poisoning, then it has proven itself useful. Students will rush to Houseboats this weekend regardless of the safety procedures in place. They might as well be able to enjoy a free snack and condom during the festivities.
trivia night
Don’t discriminate It was a sad day for Aggie employees when Woodstock’s Pizza announced it would be segregating Thursday trivia night. Like many regular participants of the trivia night, we developed a routine of showing up early and quickly pooling our knowledge of possible trivia categories. Some of us bought soda, some of us bought beer. But whether or not our drinking options were limited by the law, we all consumed massive quantities of pizza. Yes, some might say we were the perfect trivia team: a group of students of many ages and disciplines, hungry for knowledge and hungry for Woodstock’s. Well, that’s all over now. Since Woodstock’s has gotten a full liquor license, those under 21 can only participate in trivia from an isolated loft. Questions are delivered through a speaker. Like many places in Davis, Woodstock’s has opted to stratify its customer base. You either go out to the bars, or you go to bed by 10 p.m. But Woodstock’s is not a bar. It is a college town staple, invited into cities like Davis in order to draw people together. While alcohol licenses bring in profits, and profits are tempting, local business should
never fail to remember the community they are serving. It is disappointing that what is essentially the pizza joint of UC Davis (have you ever been to a department event that wasn’t serving Woodstock’s?) would choose exclusivity over community. (Not to mention, the drinking age in the United States is ageist and arbitrarily discriminatory.) College towns contain a great deal of people of many ages, and there is a decreasing amount of places opting to host heterogeneous social groups. And while there are some options, with all due respect, we do not want to host late-night staff bonding at the Taco Bell. It should be acknowledged that de Vere’s Irish Pub has an all-ages round of trivia at 7 p.m. on Mondays. Additionally, The Graduate hosts their all-ages Pub Quiz at 7 p.m. on Sundays. And KetMoRee has all-ages trivia on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. We mixed-aged teams do have options, albeit early ones. Nonetheless, the local night scene is limited and exclusive. So open your doors, Davis businesses. Sometimes we just don’t want to bother with the fake IDs.
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
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Letter to the editor brilliance of Carly Rae Jepsen’s breakout hit, “Call Me Maybe.” I spend a As a fellow Davis student and great deal of time finding obscure reader of The Aggie, I would just like artists and new music genres for to thank you for your column pubmy own enjoyment as it seems Mr. lished last Wednesday on “the crown- Verderosa does, but I believe he was ing achievement of the human race.” correct in saying that this song “tranAs a heterosexual, 6’5”, well-built scends pop, music and mainstream male, I agree with Mr. Verderosa 100 culture.” I think his column did the percent on the musicality and overall song justice and set the record clear
“Call Me Maybe”
for the Davis community on where this song stands in the music world. I will now become a weekly reader of Mr. Verderosa’s column until forever and will be cutting out the masterpiece to post in a public place somewhere in my home.
Ben Molinari
Sophomore year, materials science and engineering
guest opinion
ASUCD Budget By JONATHAN YIP
Sophomore, economics major
Last week, ASUCD held its annual budget hearings, which ran for a total of 33 hours. The $10.7 million budget is up for contention and debate on where money should be allocated. However, only 20 percent of the budget is really maneuverable, as the other 80 percent is locked into Unitrans, Cal Aggie Camp and the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). Unfortunately, due to an operational change in the UC President’s office, there is now an operational tax of 0.5 percent on UC Davis and ASUCD which will increase to 1.5 percent in 2014-2015. In order to find the necessary cuts and revenue sources to fulfill that tax obligation, senators debated, name-called and yelled over their philosophical and political opinions. As a dedicated servant of ASUCD, having served unpaid since the first quarter of my freshman year, my perspective on the budget is that it
should be one that benefits the student body and makes effective and efficient use of every dollar. It is saddening to see senators, the management and the public have to use low tactics against each other. While many advocate self-respect and mutual understanding of each other, as said in the Principles of Community, those ideals were hypocritically not put into practice at the budget hearings. My understanding of the arguments presented was that they all revolved around fairness. Some senators believed fairness to be an equal distribution of funding for every unit and service, because that allows a diverse, wide-ranging impact of ASUCD on students. Some senators believed that fairness meant supporting services that did not have the corporate sponsors or established foundations to take a cut. While both sides had valid arguments with purposes for benefiting large constituencies, it is best that a compromise be resolved. Regrettably, “compromise” was
another word that was thrown around and not taken seriously. Compromise to a few senators meant “meet me halfway.” Compromise to another few senators was “my way or the highway.” This conflict is absolutely ridiculous and embarrassing when more important student issues are on the line, like soaring student fees or soaring student debt. A few senators couldn’t reach a compromise because they had prioritized their own agenda over the rest of the student body. While their agendas are sincerely valid and heartbreaking, it is important to remember that the budget is not about emotions and politics should not be about pride, or else the person with the loudest and most aggressive argument would win every time. ASUCD, do not get distracted and do not waste any more time from the most important student issues at hand, which are the skyrocketing tuition hikes and the decreasing
See GUEST, page 2
Obama says that he was never in the porations can pour unlimited sums audience when Wright was making of money into these PACs. his incendiary comments, which I Democrats and the President’s can believe given the President’s decampaign are running scared at cidedly low-key religiosity. the reality these PACs present. They Jonathan The man who commissioned and readily acknowledge that conservaNelson funded the campaign is a billionaire tive interests could outspend them named Joe Ricketts, a conservative this election and make it that much connoisseur who has donated over harder for Obama to get reelected. $3 million to right-wing causes and It’s a good feeling to know I live in a politicians in the past. Joe Ricketts country where the most important says that he never intended for the election in the world is decided by attack campaign a handful of old veryone knows that politics is to be used and that conservative men. Can we just ban contributions that Go, America. an ugly business. Vicious barbs, it was “dead on blatant distortions and charac- arrival.” The second isare higher than, say, five grand ter attacks are almost expected, part That excuse is sue is the very naor so? of the game in the same way that tax- rather hard to beture of the ad es are a part of life. Civil, cooperative lieve and appears campaign. It is abpolitics is an ideal from another era, a to be little more than a desperate efsolutely nasty. The memorandum ingolden age that may or may not have fort to save face. The author of the at- troducing the campaign talks about existed but is held on a pedestal and tack campaign is famous for his visfinding an “extremely literate conserlonged for by many in the middle of cous, below-the-belt work. It should vative African-American” who would the political spectrum. have been no surprise that the final be the spokesman and face of the Yet the news that a billionaire product would be less than pretty. campaign and thus inoculate against from Wyoming apparently commisThere are a few issues that are recharges that the campaign is engagsioned an attack campaign directly ally striking about all this. The first ing in dirty, racial tactics. tying President Obama to Reverend is the fact that one man can and still Can we just ban contributions Jeremiah Wright in the most blatant plans on funding an entire campaign that are higher than, say, five grand way possible raised eyebrows even against the President. That is a disor so? Oh, wait, we had laws like that among those who make a living in turbing notion — if you have enough on the books up until a few years this nasty art. money, you can saturate the airways ago. The Supreme Court made a big For those who may have forgotwith negative messaging and pomistake in striking campaign finance ten, Reverend Wright was President tentially sway an election if the votand political contribution laws off Obama’s former pastor and was an ing is close (and most pundits and the books in their sweeping Citizen’s incredibly polarizing figure during political experts say that it will be). United verdict, a law that established the last presidential campaign. He Imagine that you could live in a limits on the amount of financial made derogatory, race-charged com- country where a single man has the influence individuals and businesses ments about his country and was power to decide who your next presi- can have in the political realm, suitably denounced by figures on all dent will be. back in 2010. This law needs to be sides of the political establishment. Or, rather, a group of men could restored, or else our country will end An effort to tie Obama to Wright possibly determine the outcome. up being run by a handful of rich old was considered off-limits by the There have been several rich conright-wingers — not exactly a vision McCain campaign during the 2008 servative figures who have donated of the democratic ideal our country election simply because Wright was millions of dollars over the last few is supposed to represent. considered to be too far out there. months to entities known as “Super Democracy? A civil, serious and Any linkage between Obama and his PACs” that are little more than marrespectable dialogue about the issues old pastor is certainly a negative one, keting shops churning out partisan in this election? Good one. however, and might cause many vot- messaging to a living room near you. ers to question Obama’s judgment Thanks to our lovely, conservative You can contact JONATHAN NELSON at jdnelson@ucdavis. for being a member of his church. Supreme Court, individuals and cor- edu. So go do it.
Nasty politics
E
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GUEST OPINIONS
The California Aggie welcomes guest opinions from its readers. Guest opinions must be typed with an approximate word count of 600 to 800, or character count around 3,000 to 4,000. 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.
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.
4 TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012
The california Aggie
workers Cont. from front page program unique is that our laborers consider themselves, and actually are, professionals. They know their jobs entail making this campus special,” Rhodes said. Avery agreed with her statement, but believes his professional workers are in the minority. “We have several people that have great educations and really just like landscape, but that’s not the majority,” Avery said. Facilities Management Grounds Supervisor Tyson Mantor, who has supervised the laborers for the past year and a half, said that while all positions have certain requirements, there are a few exceptions. “Any classification, no matter where it is on campus, has required skill sets. That said, my laborers are not highly educated,” Mantor said. There are probably three out of five that would never admit they cannot read or write very well, he said. Some were custodians, and through opportunities within the system, Grounds hired them. Mantor, however, appreciates the te-
BUDGET Cont. from front page Another might be that programs supported by the Davis community through local parcel taxes must be examined for efficiency, the intent of the parcel tax and the needs of students, Colby said. “Your parcel tax measures have allowed you to keep programs that other districts have reduced long ago. The parcel taxes have greatly benefited students — they have programs that other districts just don’t have any-
nacity of his team. He himself started out as a casual employee with Grounds and then joined full-time upon graduation, now supervising a large group. Many workers under his wing dream of rising the ranks just as quickly as their boss. “I have one employee who came in as a laborer and has expressed over and over that he’d like to become a groundskeeper. I have provided him with opportunities to work with our seasoned groundskeeper of 25 years. He has now been able to develop that skill set to apply, and have a good chance at getting that position,” Mantor said. Those that are immigrants, despite age, are quite proud of their citizenship, in fact. A 48-year old grounds employee, for example, had been traveling to and from Mexico every week he could just to visit his bride of two years. Only two weeks ago did he walk across the border with her and show their papers so that she too could become a citizen through proof of marriage and eligibility of naturalization. After finally and literally reaping the fruits of his labor, his greatest complaints weren’t so much about the U.S. immigration laws, but about the Mexican government. All the
red tape wasn’t here, but there, he said. A couple of his co-workers shared his sense of achievement and honor in acquiring their citizenship. They said they would not appreciate someone who is an illegal immigrant only because they themselves worked so hard to gain residency. “If you asked them who the second president of the United States was, they would thank you for asking them because I’m sure 90 percent of their peers couldn’t answer that question,” Avery said. UC Davis grounds employees actually do not make minimum wage, which is $8 an hour in California. Rhodes and Avery report that the laborers who pick up and dump trash make about $2,500 to 2,700 per month, groundskeepers about $2,800 to 2,900 per month and garden specialists around $3,000 per month, all including benefits like retirement, medical and dental. “Like any employee, they probably complain that they’re not paid enough,” Avery said. The workers are represented by a union, which about half of them like and the other half do not. In California, they are required to pay Fair Share to the union, which comes out of their checks. Whether or not they are a union member or not,
they are represented. “We certainly do take care of them and treat them well,” Rhodes said. About 25 percent of the workers, though, still have second jobs. Of the 25 percent, 20 percent run their own businesses. One of the laborers is a woodworker — an artist, you could say. If you approach him about his creations, he will start showing you his latest work in progress and maybe even attempt to write down your order. Garcia, the mechanic, is an accountant and bookkeeper in his spare time. A few others work at restaurants and some will work with family members at a construction site on the weekend, pouring concrete or attending to general labor needs. When asked if there was anything he’d like to see change on campus, Garcia was surprised by the enormity of the question. He wasn’t aware he could incite the least bit of transformation. “Do I even have the power to change anything? Change is always hard and always an issue especially at the University, but still I’ve been here for 29 years doing various jobs. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Mexico. Life is good in the U.S.”
more, a very rich program,” Legnitto added. But because parcel tax funds are earmarked for specific programs, “it does not solve the overall problem” that the district faces, Legnitto said. However, Davis residents voted to continue parcel taxes by passing Measure C, which funds classroom programs, key school-based personnel such as librarians, programs such as athletics and drama and class-size reduction. It has been continued for a period of five years and is not to exceed the Base Annual Tax of $150 per unit for multi-dwelling parcels and $320 per
parcel for all other parcels. “Measure C is just a way for the school board to hold teachers’ jobs hostage for one more year and then place them in a position where they must adhere to all things they are told to do,” said Roger Moyer, a 54-year-old Davis resident. “It is a scare tactic and we shouldn’t have let it pass, but instead find our own way out of this hole.” Other residents disagreed, saying keeping the schools at a high functioning level was the priority and they weren’t going to risk that. “This will work for now and we will figure out something else more long-term later,” said
Sharon Homes, a 49-year-old Davis resident. The need for additional financing was met by the Davis Schools Foundation (DSF) starting off a $500,000 fundraising drive with the goal of restoring funding for junior high vice principals and high school counselors, as well as providing funding for elementary school classroom aides to assist teachers as they deal with larger class sizes. DSF aims to raise enough money to fund these positions for the 2012-2013 academic year.
CHELSEA MEHRA can be reached at features@theaggie.org.
SARA ISLAS can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
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SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES DO NOT WORK