November 20, 2012

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serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915

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volume 131, number 113

tuesday, november 20, 2012

Graduate Student Association Local baker wins prize for holds Nov. 18 open mic raisin bread forum on the Quad Bread judged on taste, look and price

Students and faculty discuss pepper spray incident, campus community By JESSICA GRILLI Aggie News Writer

On Monday, an open mic forum was held on the Quad in commemoration of the pepper spraying incident that occurred last Nov. 18. Organized by the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the event was held in hopes of reflecting on last November’s protest and discussing changes that need to be made in order to prevent such problems from arising again. Jordan Carroll, GSA vice chair and a Ph.D. student in the English department, said that while discussion regarding the Nov. 18 pepper spray incident was on the agenda, the open mic event was also meant as an opportunity for students to discuss other issues that they felt pertinent. “We hope to provoke dialogue and critical discussion about the Nov. 18 pepper spray incident, the decisions and actions that led to it and the response in its aftermath. Additionally, we seek to invite ideas and comments

on broader issues of free speech, student fees and policing on campus,” Carroll said. Speeches were given by both students and faculty regarding the pepper spray incident, as well as other issues. Ian Lee, a student who was involved in last year’s protest and was pepper sprayed, gave a speech in which he discussed the importance of fighting the privatization of campus. “The regents are selling our university without our consent. [Last year’s] incident was ultimately caused by university privatization plans,” Lee said. Topics discussed throughout the event varied, including the pepper spray incident and incidences of racial discrimination on campus. While many points of view were heard at the open mic forum and some opinions clashed, many speakers called for awareness and mobility in order to enact positive changes within the campus community. Speakers also discussed politi-

cal awareness about conflicts in the Middle East. Andrew Nelson, a third-year psychology major who attended the open mic event, said that he appreciated the student involvement. “I like the activity on campus … and the political awareness,” Nelson said. Phil Jones, a second-year economics major, explained his hesitation to stand on one side of the issue. “I don’t think that any speaker brought in is going to represent everyone at the same time. [Anyone] is going to be a little bit radical on either side of the issue, because they want to fire people up,” Jones explained. “I don’t think anyone should take a 100 percent stance on either side of this issue.” A protest about the Israeli-Gaza conflict took place later in the afternoon on the Quad and led to a short occupation of Dutton Hall. JESSICA GRILLI can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

courtesy

Maurice Kalisky of Davis’ Upper Crust Bakery won the California Prize in the Raisin Bread Contest for his multigrain walnut-raisin bread, Birdseed.

By JULIE WEBB Aggie News Writer

Protesters disrupt Thursday’s UC Regents Meeting The University of California Board of Regents meeting at UCSF Mission Bay was briefly disrupted Thursday morning by protesters. The protest followed an all-night encampment on the UCSF campus to call for increased accessibility and reduced tuition. Protesters were also protesting the possibility of a tuition increase for students in 61 graduate programs systemwide. The

vote on this action item was postponed at the request of California Gov. Jerry Brown, allowing him more time to learn about procedures and policies that surround fee and tuition decisions. According to the Daily Californian, during the meeting, about 10 protesters stood up from the audience in the conference building and began chanting, bringing the discussion to a temporary halt. After a few minutes,

the demonstrators moved outside to join the larger group of protesters after campus police threatened to arrest them. The group then marched through the streets surrounding campus, shutting them down, before disbanding and migrating to the UC Berkeley campus by evening. —Stephanie B. Nguyen — Photo by Brian Nguyen

From Oct. 12 to 13, Maurice Kalisky of Davis’ Upper Crust Bakery participated in the fifth-annual Raisin Bread Contest, winning the California Prize for his multigrain walnut-raisin bread, Birdseed. The contest was hosted by the California Raisin Marketing Board (CRMB). This year there were 104 entries, and 36 were chosen to come to the competition. Thirteen finalists were chosen in the end. There were three categories of bread baking: artisan, commercial and breakfast. Each category had four prizes: a grand prize, judges’ prize, idea prize and student prize. “Our whole goal is to pay honor to the American baker,” said Larry Blagg, vice president of the CRMB. “The typical baker works in the back room and a lot of them have a tremendous [amount] of creativity.” Kalisky made his bread with Sacramento County wheat milled in Woodland, raisins from Fresno and Yolo County honey. The bread is sold at the Farmers Market. Fresno is the raisin capital of the nation and where the CRMB was conceived. The California Raisin Advisory Board, CRMB’s predecessor, was abolished in 1994. Raisin farmers started the CRMB in 1998 in order to popularize raisins. “The California Prize was also awarded to recognize an honorable effort,” said a CRMB press release. The CRMB held the competition at the American Institute of Baking (AIB) in Manhattan, Kan., which offers one of the only graduate programs in cereals in the nation. At the competition, each contestant baked, sautéed and cooked in their own area in the AIB’s lab for an hour, cycling through to make small batches of their bread, pastries or breakfast dishes. “All the people who enter[ed] the contest turn[ed] in a written application and the photographs. All the judges [came] together in Chicago to decide,” Blagg said.

See BREAD, page 2

KDVS receives $36,000 loan from ASUCD for new radio tower Tower raises concerns among Woodland residents By MENGSHI SHAO Aggie News Writer

Madison Dunitz / Aggie

KDVS received a $36,000 loan from ASUCD to purchase a new radio tower. The tower will be built near the Yolo County Central Landfill.

Today’s weather Showers High 66 Low 51

A $36,000 loan was made from ASUCD Capital Reserves to student-run UC Davis radio station KDVS earlier this month, allowing the purchase of a new radio tower to strengthen the station’s transmission signal and solidify its broadcast presence in Yolo County. The tower is set to stand at the Yolo County Central Landfill, northeast of Davis in Woodland. Community members have raised concerns that the light from the radio tower will be a disturbance and harmful to the birds of the area. “The tower will be placed in landfill and there are already five larger towers in that place,” said KDVS

Forecast Looks like the rain will clear up before Thanksgiving! Enjoy a few days off from class and some time with loved ones. Written by Amanda Nguyen Weather report courtesy of www.weather.com

general manager Renner Burkle. “I don’t know why they hate that tower … the light from the tower can be blocked by a thumb when you look from the bottom and nobody will notice that.” A supervisors meeting was held Nov. 13 to see if the project would require further environmental analysis and surveyance. The case was presented to the Supreme Court of California and final judgment will be announced on Nov. 27. Yolo County supervisors have already voted that no environmental review will be necessary to erect the tower. The new tower is estimated to increase listenership, which is expected to add two percent in fundraised income and allow Burkle to acceler-

Wednesday

Thursday

Rain

Partly cloudy

High 62 Low 41

High 63 Low 37

ate repayment to ASUCD. He projects reaching 500,000 potential listeners compared to the current 200,000 within the protected contour, in addition to millions of potentials in Sacramento County. Though the bill passed unanimously, it did not pass with ease. According to Burkle, the bill went through the Business and Finance Commission three times after being tabled, and was seen twice by the senate. After nearly 20 hours of discussion, the bill passed with an 11-0 vote during a Nov. 8 senate meeting. “The passage of this bill is important because it helped keep KDVS, a treasured hallmark of our

See KDVS, page 2

The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog. Imagine eating that for Thanksgiving! Amanda Nguyen


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2 tuesday, november 20, 2012

daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org

TUESDAY

(the Heart Sutra) For more information, call Sunny at (530) 756-2671.

Meet the author: Jason Mallory Noon to 1 p.m. The Lounge at The Bookstore, MU Listen to Jason Mallory talk about his new novel Proxy. The event is free and open to the general public. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A period and a book signing. You can view the book cover image and interviews with the author at jasnmallory.wix.com/ proxy#!author-interview.

Researching the Agricultural Literature Noon to 1:30 p.m. Shields Library Instruction Lab 165 Learn how to search efficiently in the OvidSP version of the three core agricultural databases: CAB Abstracts, Agricola and Food Sciences and Technology Abstracts. Researchers in the farm animal (including veterinary), entomological (pest), fruit and vegetable crop, farming systems, food sciences and technology, viticulture and enology and human nutrition areas will find these databases to be the most pertinent to their research needs.

WEDNESDAY Pre-Thanksgiving Market Noon to 6 p.m. Central Park, 4th and C Streets Find everything for your Thanksgiving table but the turkey! Over 60 farmers, bakers and crafters will be selling organic produce, farm-fresh fruits and veggies, dried fruit and nuts, fresh crab, bread and baked goods, pies, flowers, table decorations and more! There will be live music by the Putah Creek Crawdads at the Market Shed from 1 to 4 p.m.

Lama Gursam’s Meditation Class 7 to 9 p.m. The Lofts, 105 E St., #3G Tibetan Buddhist Master Lama Gursam will be teaching a class on Prajñāpāramitā (the Heart Sūtra). For more information, call Sunny at (530) 756-2671.

THURSDAY Thanksgiving Day

Music Events and Cultural Appropriation 7 to 8 p.m. 226 Wellman Unity Clap Theatre (UCT) is a student group at UC Davis dedicated to using the performing arts as a therapeutic tool to express our struggles, grasp our cultural roots and promote plays that have been written by minority playwrights. This workshop is the first in a series dedicated to exploring the relation between theatre and society. Some workshops to look forward to include: Movement and Dance, Forum Theater, Theater as an Educational Tool and more.

Lama Gursam’s Meditation Class 7 to 9 p.m. The Lofts, 105 E St., #3G Tibetan Buddhist Master Lama Gursam will be teaching a class on Prajñaparamita

FRIDAY Canned Food Drive 8 to 10 p.m. Davis Musical Theatre Co. DMTC has partnered with the Food Bank of Yolo County to bring you Food Drive Fridays. Just bring in four or more non-perishable food items and receive a ticket to see DMTC’s production of Alan Menken’s A Christmas Carol for half the price of regular admission. Offer valid for tickets purchased at the door only. To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, email 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 WEDNESDAY Auto-embarrassment Someone filed a report that her car had been stolen on G Street, but the report was unfounded because she had forgotten where she had parked it.

The Devil Wears Prada A known suspect was seen walking around with someone’s stolen $1,400 Prada purse on Barcelona Avenue.

SATURDAY

Then they bolted

Cult classic

Two males were carrying bolt-cutters and when asked what they were doing, stated that they had just found them; they then returned to their truck and promptly left the area on Bonnard Street.

There was a loud party where the individuals played the same song over and over again, while yelling and screaming the lyrics on Fifth Street.

THURSDAY

Someone kicked her mother out of her own room, so the mother called the police on Guaymas Place.

Come on A blocked number called a woman telling her he wanted to ejaculate on Lake Boulevard.

FRIDAY

Mother knows best

Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org.

“We’re making sure that the payback process is airtight and will be stepping up our fundraising efforts to help pay back the loan quicker than anticipated,” Burkle said. An additional $1,000 underwriting package, that includes 81 spots of broadcast time a year, will be given to ASUCD for the next 10 years; this will not be used to cancel KDVS of any debt to ASUCD. “We are just waiting for the final thing and we will be ready to go,” Burkle said. According to the Burkle, the tower will be built between Nov. 22 and Dec. 25. Broadcast from the tower is estimated to begin before Jan. 15, 2013 according to the Senate Bill.

KDVS

Cont. from front page ers because of this tower. If this bill failed, KDVS would have been on the path to fail as an ASUCD unit in the next five to ten years,” Kapur said in an email interview. The total allocation for the new radio tower is $120,184.41 — $84,184.41 from KDVS reserves, with the rest coming from ASUCD Capital Reserves. According to Kapur, the initial reluctance to pass the bill came from the concern that $36,000, which is 37 percent of the Capital Reserves, was too large of an amount. Burkle said that the loan is being paid back using the money the station is saving each year by no longer having to maintain the 30-plus MENGSHI SHAO can be reached at year old equipment. campus@theaggie.org.

Correction On Monday The Aggie reported in the Senate Brief that Senators Anni Kimball and Joyce Han were absent at Thursday’s Senate meeting. Both senators were present. In the article “ASUCD election results announced Friday,” Senator Justin Goss was introduced as a former senator. Goss is a current senator. The Aggie regrets these errors.

Janelle Bitker Editor in Chief

Zenita Singh Opinion Editor

Hannah Strumwasser Managing Editor

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Jonathan Wester Business Manager Caelum Shove Advertising Manager

Brian Nguyen Photography Editor Janice Pang Design Director

Muna Sadek Campus Editor

James Kim Asst. Design Director

Claire Tan City Editor

Amanda Nguyen Night Editor

Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor

Allison Ferrini Asst. Night Editor

Devon Bohart Features Editor

Irisa Tam Art Director

Matthew Yuen Sports Editor

David Ou New Media Director

Hudson Lofchie Science Editor 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.

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The california Aggie

of their child’s character, then the school should. Ideally, school-administered character development would take the form of hired or voluntary adults acting as Derrick mentors. If this is not viable, Leu an alternative can also be older, well-behaved students. These mentors would be assigned troubled students, preferably one-on-one, or at least, one at a time. They would be the role models of their students, teaching them how to behave and what is right or wrong. here’s a thing with If the mentor is successful, schools about suspentheir student will no longer be sion and expulsion. disruptive in class and will be Oftentimes, these penalties able to focus and understand are their go-to punishments. the material in class better. As Schools don’t realize, howevan added benefit, the student er, that these punishments will have a helpful, supportare ineffective. ive adult from whom they can The problem is that many seek advice from. of the chronic trouble-mak In order for this to work, ing students place no value however, the mentor will on school access. They don’t need a strong bond with their want to be there. Telling them student. To facilitate this, the that they’ll be suspended or pair should meet at least evexpelled for breaking rules is ery other day, weekends inmeaningless. cluded. This way, the mentor Schools need to find a new can become familiar with the way of doing things that adstudent’s personality, issues justs or corrects a student’s and environment, allowing behavior instead of just the mentor to assist the stuthrowing them out. dent in their difficulties. Suspensions and I can already hear screams expulsions are very of horror. This system infringshortsighted methods. The es completely on the personstudents that get expelled al life and privacy of the stuend up without a high dent and impugns upon the school diploma, or are let authority of the parents, as back into school after a year. well as their familial bonds. In In the former case, they a way, it’s a merging of a stuwill have greater difficulty dent’s personal life with the finding jobs and may end public. up impoverished, taking But is that such a bad thing away from society and the in caseconomy such when they ... pointing a finger at parents es as these? could instead and asking them to pick up Without be productive, guidance, contributing the ball hasn’t helped troubled citizens. In the children latter case, they could easreturn to school, most likely ily slip into the multitude of unchanged, and continue to hamper the education of their the lost, becoming part of a growing horde of human befellow students. ings in terrible circumstanc Instead of suspension es. But that doesn’t have to and expulsion, which I happen. These people can be believe do more harm than saved before they fall through good, I advocate schoolthe cracks in society. administered character Simply hosting character development. development classes won’t Now, before somebody cut it. Neither will having regyells, “Big Brother is watchular teachers overseeing their ing,” yes, this is indeed a slipdevelopment; teachers will be pery slope that could potenmuch too busy with academtially slide into a nightmare ic material. of Orwellian propaganda and To actually affect the doublethink. But I think there character of a person, is a very good reason why this interaction must occur on needs to happen. a personal level, in a way Students who continuousthat appeals to the person’s ly break rules and disrespect wants, needs and fears. Many their instructors have a negatroubled students come tive impact upon their fellow from broken families, or are students. The actions of these students contribute to a more neglected or outright abused. However, this isn’t something unsafe school environment. that’s directly fixable on a They waste the time of their government level. Attempts teachers, and they negatively to address these issues have affect the learning experiencthus far had limited effect. es of their peers. A mentorship program Oftentimes, behavioral issues seem to stem from a lack or system can step in and reverse, or at least limit, the of parental guidance, as well as overexposure to media and damage to these children and adolescents. For that reason, peers. However, pointing a I propose mentorship, at the finger at parents and asking them to pick up the ball hasn’t very least, as something to consider. helped. There is a gap in responsiTell DERRICK LEU your thoughts about the bility that must be closed. If parents are not taking respon- viability or alternatives of a mentorship program at derleu@ucdavis.edu. sibility for the development

Mentorship for students

T

hoard it all to yourself? Are you going to build on it and share the wealth with those who helped you achieve it? As UC Davis stuJhunehl dents, we are constantFortaleza ly striving to become better versions of ourselves. As one of the top universities in the nation, it’s only natural for us to continuously push for excellence in every facet of our lives. But in that constant struggle to build up our ith academic and social Thanksgiving strengths, we someupon us and times forget the many fall graduation appeople who contributproaching, I‘ve been reed to the process. flecting upon my time With that in mind, at Davis and what it our success here at took to get here. Davis transcends this My graduation day, moment. Our success is the day I’ve long ana tribute to those who ticipated, is less than a month away. As I’m sure helped us get here as well as a light for those many of you can agree, who will come after us. it has not always been We are engaged in an easy journey. I invite an endless cycle of you to take a moment contributing to each and remember what it other’s growth. That’s took for you to get here. how our school became My great-grandma what it is — all the dropped out in the sevstudents and faculty enth grade to help raise her siblings. When I was who have worked tirelessly with their own little, my dad worked all-nighters to get us to three jobs to provide this moment, and all for us, and my mom the students after us for worked as a full-time whom we are setting secretary and parent. the bar, laying the To this day I ask myfoundation. self — how do I repay When I was little, I something like that? could always look for In the Philippines, we have a term called “Utang ward to a hot, homecooked meal from my na Loob” — don’t worgreatry if you can’t pro- As UC Davis students, we are grandma after nounce constantly striving to become school. it. “Utang better versions of ourselves Even now, when na Loob” I visis the init home, ner determination to the first thing she says pay someone back for is “Have you eaten?”, the good that they’ve “What do they feed you done for you. It literalat school?”, “Why aren’t ly means “debt of gratyou wearing a sweatitude.” It’s more than er in this weather?” And just wanting to repay a though we do everyfavor, it’s the desire to thing we can to make make a positive contriher as comfortable as bution to that person’s life because they helped possible, she still likes to get up and help evyou in some way. eryone else. Think of the family and friends who’ve con- That’s the kind of tributed to your success mindset that I hope we can all engage in once thus far. it’s our turn to graduate I know I’m not alone and step into this big in my gratitude. bright world — a heart Whatever your perof ceaseless giving. sonal trials and strug Davis produces some gles, we have all arrived of the best students in at this moment as a the nation. When we are community. None of us all alumni, each and evcould’ve done it withery one of us should out the other. look back at Davis and Though the paths to be able to say, “This our success have been school is better because laden with midterms, I was a student there.” papers that seemed to As the UC emblem never end, late night states, “Let there be runs to In-N-Out and light.” I know that we Old Tea House and will be that light for the all-nighters which we students who will come promised never to do after us just as we were again — we have approached this milestone inspired by those who came before us. together. Now I invite you to JHUNEHL FORTALEZA wishes she envision what you will could have more graduation tickets be doing with your curfor her gigantic family. She can be rent success. Are you reached at jtfortaleza@ucdavis.edu. going to bury it and

Utang na Loob

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Ask EPPC Doin’ it green for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is about more than football and food comas. It’s also about giving thanks — and what better way to thank the planet than to do it green for Thanksgiving? If you’re travelling by car to get home, you can carpool with friends or sign up with zimride.com to ride share. If you live nearby, or if you don’t mind a long ride, you can take the train (with free Wi-Fi!). A train ride down the coast is cheaper than a flight, and the train has a smaller carbon footprint. However, if you go with the plane option, be sure to take Yolobus route 42A or the Unitrans shuttle, which can take you from the MU to the Sacramento Airport on Wednesday hourly from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Once you’re home and shopping for food, aim for local, seasonal and organic when possible. You don’t have to give up your turkey for tofurkey, but the bird makes up 60 percent of a typical holiday meal’s 44-pound car-

BREAD Cont. from front page During the competition the judges asked the participants to describe their bread. The judges then gave the bread and other baked goods scores. Scores were based on taste, look and price. “We really hope that they’re going to make a product that’s reasonable to make in their own bakery, if they’re making a product for show or if it’s something they’re actually going to sell,” Blagg said. After the judges decided on the winners, contestants brought out their food to share with others on a banquet table. “I made 20 loaves. For the actual judging I used two of the loaves. The rest of the bread was given out to other people,” Kalisky said. Larry Blagg awarded Kalisky’s prize himself. “If I see something that is a little

bon footprint. Whatever you choose to make, be mindful of how much food you actually need. If there is extra food, embrace the leftovers! Leftovers are great for dinners and lunches (and breakfasts) and food can be frozen or sent home with guests. When you sit down at the table, sit down to real dishes and cutlery. Paper and plastic, used for convenience and alleged cheapness, are worse for the environment, since the materials must be salvaged, processed, shipped and then (usually) placed in a landfill. It’s better to use the real deal and then wash them in an efficient dishwasher or by hand. Enjoy the food, the good company and time off from school, but don’t forget to give thanks to the environment and do it green! Ask EPPC questions or tell us how to live green every week. Submit to margaret.link@ gmail.com and win a green prize worth your effort.

unique and the judges didn’t give it a great score, I get the honor of saying I think this is pretty cool. This is only the third time I’ve done that,” Blagg said. Winners earn a tour of California, the San Joaquin Valley and the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena. Since Kalisky is already in California, he’ll be part of the group in the spring. Although Kalisky is a certified master baker, bread making was not Kalisky’s chosen profession when he moved to California in 1970. He started his bakery in 1986, even though he was already working in a different business. “I had a construction business, which was already a second career, because I had come to Davis in 1970 to study geology,” Kalisky said. Kalisky said he was inspired by Julia Child’s second book to start his own bakery. Julia Child was an American chef known for bringing French cui-

sine to America. However, Kalisky’s humble beginnings have found a long trajectory. “Besides winning this award, for the last 15 years, I’ve been an international bakery consultant,” Kalisky said. Kalisky was introduced to Julia Child during her visit to Northern California to popularize one of her books. He knew someone at the radio station Child stopped by, and called in. “We were told it was a good thing we called because she had missed breakfast, and they hadn’t done anything about it. So if I brought breakfast, I could meet her,” Kalisky said. After Kalisky met Child, she invited him back to her house in Cambridge, Mass. Kalisky and his daughter flew out to see Child’s famous kitchen. “It’s been an interesting journey. You only live once, and you’ve got to try different things,” Kalisky said. JULIE WEBB can be reached at city@theaggie.org.


OPINION

The california aggie

tuesday, november 20. 2012 3

editorials

senators-elect

Welcome and good luck The Aggie Editorial Board would like to congratulate and welcome the newly elected Fall 2012 ASUCD senators: Armando Figueroa and Alyson Sagala of the SMART slate, Tal Topf and Felicia Ong of the NOW slate, as well as independents Liam Burke and Maxwell Kappes. Overall, we were impressed by this year’s candidates and campaigns. We applaud all who ran and appreciate their commitment to encouraging students to vote. At 22 percent, voter turnout was the second highest it’s been for a fall election in the last 10 years. While it’s still pretty pathetic, we are impressed by the candidates’ ability to garner votes. We’d also like to extend our welcome by offering some advice that we’ve learned from the past. 1. Go to every senate meeting. We understand that the meetings can be long and grueling. But as an elected senator, going to meetings is a required part of your job. You have the responsibility of being the intermediary for

UC Davis students. 2. Get to know campus committees and organizations. Be aware of what occurs in them and how you can help. These committees and organizations are part of the association’s backbone and are vital to students. 3. Hold office hours. Students chose you for a reason, be it your experience, platforms, personality, looks or all of the above. So be proactive and make a point in assisting these students who voted for you. Make it clear when your office hours are and invite students — don’t expect them to come to you. 4. Avoid petty politics. When there’s a room full of senators, there’s bound to be disagreements. We understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions; however, we’d like it if you could be SMART and Independent NOW. Since there’s equal standing – two senators from each slate – we hope to see less polarization on the table and more impartiality. We can’t wait to see what you’ll bring to UC Davis.

uc davis football

Bigg win Coach Bob Biggs had control over the battle we call ‘The Causeway Classic’ and, as he has for the past 20 years, he did his part. This past weekend, UC Davis engaged Sacramento State in the annual rivalry battle that consists of both a football game and the blood drive. The Aggies entered the game with a 3-7 overall record that included a 2-5 Big Sky Conference record, compared to the Hornets’ 4-3 conference record and 6-4 overall. Despite the fact that UC Davis had won the past two Causeway matchups, odds were definitely stacked against them in the game against Sac State. Still, the Aggies pulled out a 34-27 victory and provided thrilling entertainment along the way. Since beating Sac State has become a ritual, it is easy to write off the victory as a game that we should have won anyway. On the contrary, UC Davis played possibly its best game this season and pulled out an upset over our crosstown rival. As the rain began to pour in the third quarter, the optimistic spirit of game-goers

wasn’t dampened. This was a game of prolific significance. First off, this was the Causeway Classic. UC Davis had a very underwhelming record entering the game. The Aggies had beaten Sac State twice in a row, but statistically, the streak probably should not have continued. Second, this was senior day, a celebration of the many colorful careers of graduating players. This is always an emotional game for players and fans alike, and it would have been a huge disappointment for them to lose the last game of their careers. Finally, the occasion that dwarfed all the others; this was the final game of head coach Bob Biggs’ career. Biggs has been associated with the Aggies’ football program for 39 years as a player and coach. He has seen 40 Causeway Classics and is 30-10 in them, with a 16-4 record as head coach. So congratulations, UC Davis football. Forget the win-loss record, the statistics and numbers. The victory was a unique one that honored the deserving players, the coaches and the students of a school rich with tradition.

Editorial Board Janelle Bitker Editor in Chief Hannah Strumwasser Managing Editor Zenita Singh Opinion Editor

Muna Sadek Campus Editor Claire Tan City Editor Devon Bohart Features Editor

Elizabeth Orpina Arts Editor Matthew Yuen Sports Editor

Hudson Lofchie Science Editor Brian Nguyen Photography Editor

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

guest opinion

Re: ‘Scruff, rough and ready,’ Oct. 13 While I appreciate Mr. Collins’ attempt to lightly interpret masculinity in the opinion piece, “Scruff, Rough and Ready,” I believe that he is sadly misguided in the true meaning of No-Shave November, or as it has come to be called, Movember. No-Shave November is not, as he suggests, emblematic of a rite-of-passage for the testosterone-challenged — it is a month in which those who wish to grow facial hair do so for awareness and charity. Movember began in 2003 with a group of 30 Australian men who agreed to grow facial hair in the month of November in order to raise awareness for men’s health,

specifically prostate health. Since then, it has grown worldwide and now covers a broad range of men’s health issues. There are even Mo Sistas, women who work to promote the issue of men’s health throughout the month of November. What saddens me about Mr. Collins’ opinion is that he somehow makes a cursory correlation between facial hair and masculinity without getting at the root of the issue: Men are less likely to visit a doctor for health reasons and men are less likely to engage in proactive health measurements. The correlation between facial hair and Movember is deeper than bravado and superhe-

roes, it is through the societal masculine marker of facial hair that Movember hopes to spark conversations about something not traditionally masculine — health. I hope that Mr. Collins and those students growing facial hair throughout the rest of the month of November take this to heart and start growing with a cause and not just to lightheartedly perpetuate archaic norms. To find out more about Movember in the United States, visit us.movember.com. Meagan Hume Program Assistant Center for Poverty Research

Letters to the editor

Re: ‘Campus STDs,’ Nov. 14 Health Education & Promotion (HEP) would like to thank Katelyn Ringrose for her continued focus on the topic of sexual health, especially the Nov. 14 column focusing on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While it is true that there are a variety of STIs, it is important for students to be aware that the most common bacterial STI among UC Davis students is chlamydia. Studies show that approximately 50 percent of men and 75 percent of women will not show symptoms

for chlamydia and, if left untreated, this infection can cause long-term consequences for both men and women. The good news is that chlamydia is easily curable with antibiotics and can be detected with a simple urine test. In fact, Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) offers a low-cost combined chlamydia and gonorrhea test that can be easily requested online through Health-e-Messaging (shcs.ucdavis. edu/hem). This online option allows stu-

dents, in most circumstances, to drop by the SHCS Laboratory and complete the process without making an appointment with a provider. For students with questions about SHCS STI testing services, visit shcs.ucdavis.edu/sti. Jason B. Spitzer, MPH Sexual, Social & Stress Health Educator Health Education & Promotion UC Davis Student Health & Counseling Services

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 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.

RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE RECYCLE THE AGGIE

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Employment Youth Basketball coaches (4-8 hrs/ wk, $8.82-10.31/hr) and officials (5-10 hrs/wk,$8.40-9.82/hr). Applications and job description available at City of Davis Community Services, 600 A Street, Suite C, 757-5626, or online at www.cityofdavis.org. Deadline 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 21, 2012. EOE.

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FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 19, 2010

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle The california Aggie Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Unceremoniously breaks up with 6 1996 film that won Best Original Screenplay 11 Pro bono TV ad 14 As a friend, to François 15 Greg Evans comic strip 16 Pumpjack output 17 Newly certified coroner’s assignment? 19 Wash. Nats’ division 20 Daffy duo? 21 Generation 22 In pursuit of 24 Lord’s ointment? 29 Isn’t wrong? 30 Flood deterrents 31 Words spoken with a yawn, perhaps 33 TV palomino 34 Mutt with a conscience? 35 Annoying negotiator 38 Sitting Bull telling raunchy jokes? 42 Cops may keep them on suspects 46 Rabbitlike rodents 47 Gulf War reporter Peter 49 Peddle 50 Taxi with no empty seats? 53 Disappointed postgame comment 55 Back muscle, for short 56 Nest builder 57 Seventh-largest st. 58 Topping for schnitzel? 63 Legal ending 64 Bugs once sought by cops 65 Havens 66 Old map inits. 67 Steamed 68 Take forcibly DOWN 1 Stand up for 2 Combat outfit

By Dan Naddor

3 Candy “whose success is out of this world” 4 Downing St. bigwigs 5 Pose 6 Botanist’s study 7 Hearing-related 8 Wiper 9 Migratory African critter 10 Fit to serve 11 Firebird maker 12 Guest letter? 13 Siren, for one 18 Predicament 23 Pride follower, so they say 25 It’s not true 26 Breaks up 27 Baroque stringed instrument 28 Raison d’__ 32 “No Exit” dramatist 34 Half of MMCXX 36 “What I look forward __ continued immaturity followed by death”: Dave Barry 37 Hung. neighbor 38 Coulees

2/19/10

Monday’s Thursday’spuzzle Puzzlesolved Solved

(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

39 Eternal, and a hint to this puzzle’s phonetic theme 40 Convinced 41 Brewski 43 Furthermore 44 Unsatisfying response to “Why?” 45 Positions 47 Aqua Velva competitor

2/19/10

48 Exam given intradermally, for short 51 Like the nerve near an arm bone 52 Rear 54 “South Park” rating 59 H+, for one 60 Work unit 61 Plant 62 Rhine feeder

Sudoku

Medium

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.


TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2012 5

The california Aggie

Protesters occupy Dutton Hall A rally on the Quad yesterday segued into an occupation of Dutton Hall, which resulted in protesters ejecting four students who held alternative views. Protesters were in solidarity with the people of Gaza, bringing awareness to the escalating violence in the region. A banner outside Dutton read “Davis + Gaza Are One Fist” while a banner inside read “End the Genocide.” The group of 40 discussed oppression and zionism in the U.S., saying people who support zionism support genocide. Chants included “Davis to Gaza, Long Live the Intifada!” At around 2:30 p.m., a protester noticed

SWIpe Cont. from page 6 the years and has contributed a lot to Yolo County and the food bank. “[FBYC] serves approximately 20,000 people in Yolo County each month,” Kramer said. “We are very fortunate that we have a warehouse that is not empty. It is based on how quickly we go through some of our products.” Kao said she was surprised to learn that a very large number of people in the county are hungry, specifically within Davis. “So many people tend to think that hunger is somewhere else, but really, hunger is all around us, in our community,” Peiper said. “A lot of times, students don’t even realize that hunger is in our backyard.” Both Peiper and Kramer said that any contribution is helpful to the cause, and that several small contributions can add up quickly. “[People] really don’t understand how all of the little gestures do add up and they are really important,” Kramer said. “Someone who can donate one swipe is just as important as someone who can donate 10 swipes.” The program is continuously growing and Kramer said there is always a new audience to make aware, which she attributes to the new students moving into the residence halls each year. “The health of a community is dependent on all the facets of that community being healthy, and we can only help everyone by helping those people who have a need,” Peiper said. “It makes for a stronger community when we reach out and help those people who have need and it connects us to the world around us.” RITIKA IYER can be reached at features@ theaggie.org.

a student filming with her camera phone. Members of the crowd then confronted her and two neighboring Israeli students, yelling “Death to Israel” and “Fuck Israel” until they left. About 15 minutes later, a student who asked to remain anonymous vocalized disagreement with one of the signs in the room. A protester grabbed him by the shirt collar and raised a fist. “Not only was I an enemy, I was a racist, a bigot, ignorant, inflammatory, and my opinion didn’t matter,” the student said in an email. “Any person, be they speaking for religion, science, women’s rights, animal rights, or any topic, who

attacks someone simply for disagreeing with their point of view is demonstrating a dangerous kind of close-mindedness that should disqualify an applicant from admission to any university, especially one as prestigious as ours.” Protesters said that because they overtook Dutton Hall, they could decide who had a right to be present, and zionists were not allowed. Protesters left the building shortly after 3 p.m. — Janelle Bitker Brian Nguyen contributed to reporting — Photo by Brian Nguyen

Aspiring entrepreneurs get help from ASUCD Entrepreneurship Fund helps fund business ideas

By SASHA COTTERELL Aggie Campus Writer

Student entrepreneurs looking for funding for their start-up businesses can get help from ASUCD’s Entrepreneurship Fund (E-Fund), which was created last Winter quarter. The program, which has two selection periods throughout the year, grants up to $1,500 to winning students to develop their business ideas. A selection committee is responsible for reading applications and choosing the winners while a student-run advising committee helps students develop their projects. The program was founded by Kate Lin, senior environmental policy analysis and planning major and current chair of E-Fund, and Phillip Chu, a fourth-year economics major and last year’s chairperson. E-Fund became an official organization on campus during Winter quarter 2012 and announced the first round of students that would receive funding the following spring. Part of the program is that the proposed business ideas should aim to solve a social problem or benefit the greater society. Lin said that applicants have to have a business idea that contributes to some kind of social good, but must also be able to define what

they think that means on their own. Although students can certainly look to outside sources to fund their business endeavors, this program is special in that it allows students to be able to support their peers, according to Emre Titizer, a fourthyear managerial economics major and member of the E-Fund advising committee. “It’s an undergraduate version of a business startup, where the idea is [that] somebody has a business idea and we provide them some monetary support through ASUCD funding. So it’s actually students funding students’ ideas,” Titizer said. Past winning ideas have included the development of a phone app that allows you to keep track of your class schedule, as well as events on campus. Another idea that received funding is a T-shirt company that chooses a social issue, creates a design incorporating the issue and then sells the shirts with a portion of proceeds going directly to charity. Ben Trinh, junior sociology and statistics major and E-Fund director of business development, said that E-Fund is helpful on campus in that it also teaches about business, which UC Davis has no formal major for. “I think E-Fund is important because it brings an aspect that UC Davis lacks. Since we

don’t have a business major, E-Fund makes up for that,” Trinh said. Organizers said that the program is not specifically intended for students who are studying to become entrepreneurs. “We really want to reach out to engineers, computer scientists, people who are usually never thinking about being entrepreneurs but they have such unique knowledge because of their fields. Davis is an interesting place to have this, because the students that we’re helping aren’t business students,” Lin added. The program also caters to those who have no plans of applying for funds. According to Mike Li, second year economics and food science major and a member of the E-Fund advising board, it fosters business ideas within students. “It encourages students to think about business. I’ve talked to people that didn’t know that E-Fund existed and when they found out that there was E-Fund, they all of a sudden started thinking about business ideas,” Li said. The next application cycle will begin February 2013. To learn more, visit the E-Fund Facebook page. SASHA COTTERELL can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.


6 tuesday, november 20, 2012

The california Aggie

Aggie Digest The UC Davis men’s water polo team placed fourth at the Western Water Polo Association Championships this past weekend to end their 2012 campaign. The Aggies brought a fourth-place standing into the conference tournament and played to their seed, winning a quarterfinal matchup against the fifth-seeded Santa Clara team before falling to top WWPA team UC San Diego. UC Davis finished the season with a 14-18 record and an impressive 12-7 in the conference. The Aggies were 5-17 against top-20 opponents this year. In the first round of the WWPA tournament, the Aggies stopped the Broncos in a battle of top-20 teams. Ranked 16th and 19th, respectively, both teams were prepared for a battle. The Aggies emerged victorious in both of the previous contests with Santa Clara this year, but, like those past two games, this one came down to the fourth quarter. The teams were tied entering the fourth period of play and exchanged blows until senior Anders MacCarthy scored with 5:12 remaining to put the Aggies ahead. UC Davis would hold on to the lead for the victory.

In the next round, the Aggies faced off with the top team in the conference, UCSD. The Tritons were ranked 10th in the nation and proved to be too much for UC Davis to handle. The Aggies got four goals from senior Matt Vowell in the game to help UC Davis overcome a deficit and tie the game in the fourth quarter at 9-9. Unfortunately, the Aggies could not get any further and fell 11-9 to their top-seeded opponents. In the next and final game of the season UC Davis was taken down by Loyola Marymount by a score of 12-7 to close the season. In the consolation for third place between the two teams that fell in the semifinals, the Aggies came up short. UC Davis got on the board first when senior Jared Clapham scored less than two minutes into the game, but once LMU scored a couple minutes later, it was all downhill for the Aggies. The Lions put up four goals in the first and fourth quarter, with four more scores in the middle two quarters to bring their total to 12. The Aggies put up seven goals in the game, but were unable to score in the fourth quarter. The tournament was held at Slade Aquatic Center and was hosted by Whittier College.

Aaron Juarez Kong / Aggie

Senior Colin Hicks (No. 21) scored two goals against second-seeded Loyola Marymount at the Western Water Polo Association Championships. The Aggies had two players gain all-conference honors. Vowell’s four goals against UCSD earned him first-team honors on the WWPA All-Tournament team while senior Colin Hicks got second-team honors for his performance over the weekend. Hicks proved to be a strong offensive threat for UC Davis, contributing two assists, two steals and three goals over the

tournament. Thus concludes the season for the UC Davis men’s water polo team, which will lose several players to graduation. Clapham, Hicks, Vowell, MacCarthy, Russell Hampton, Hank Dickey and Kevin Meisel were all seniors on the team. — Matthew Yuen

Evolution of Pokémon UC Davis students, researchers create Pokémon phylogeny

Courtesy

Three UC Davis affiliates published a Pokémon phylogeny in the July/August issue of the Annals of Improbable Research magazine. The full phylogeny can be found in the Bohart Museum of Entomology at 1124 Academic Surge.

By MARIA MARCELINA CRYSTAL VEGA Aggie Features Writer

Congratulations! Your Seaking evolved into ... Pidgeot? The phylogeny of the animal kingdom is an evolutionary tree, something many students are well aware of. A Pokémon phylogeny, however, is not something one comes across everyday. Three UC Davis affiliates have recently published this phylogeny in the July/ August issue of the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) magazine.

“It’s similar to entomology and how we approach things, so I wanted to apply the science to the fiction,” said Matan Shelomi, a graduate student working under professor Lynn Kimsey in the Bohart Museum of Entomology. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the website hosting this magazine (improbable.com) is one dedicated to making people “laugh and then think,” as dictated by their homepage. “[AIR has] had similar papers in the past in this vein, like the phylogeny of Chia pets and the scientific description of Barney the Dinosaur, so I figured they might be inter-

ested in something like this,” Shelomi said. “Plus, I’ve seen online some people trying to do phylogenies, and it was always either take a real phylogeny and replace the animals with Pokemon or it wasn’t very quantitative, and I wanted to do something using real science.” One of Shelomi’s colleagues on the project was Andrew Richards, a junior specialist for the Bohart Museum. Richards assisted in the input of data into the computers. “Matan needed someone with phylogenetic experience, and I took a few courses in it and it sounded really interesting. I wanted to see how it would turn out,” Richards said. “I thought the makers of it had just made it all up; there was no way something reasonable would work out at all. I tried it, and it came out really well.” It took about a month for Shelomi to collect the data on the weekends when he was not conducting his own research for the museum. Once that was completed, Richards used phylogenetic programs to simulate the data into the evolutionary tree, which only took a few days, and then Shelomi wrote the research paper. After a clear phylogeny was created with all 649 Pokémon, Richards was surprised by how well the finished product turned out. “I was pretty interested in whether the phylogenetic tree would make sense, and it did. I feel like it brought out the work that the creators put into making them,” said Ivana Li, fifth-year entomology major, student researcher at the Bohart Museum and president of the Entomology Club. Shelomi and Richards needed an artist to illustrate all of the Pokémon characters for the phylogeny, which was when Li joined the project. She said she credits Pokémon for inspiring her to keep drawing. “I have always been a fan of the Pokémon games. I’ve been playing the games and watching the TV show since I was ten,” Li said. “To be able to do something extra nerdy like this, I was like ‘Why not?’”

After sending the phylogeny to AIR, Shelomi said it was accepted fairly quickly, though it took a couple of months to put it into the magazine. Since word has started to spread about their research, Shelomi said there has already been talk about using the phylogeny for teaching biology. “I would be very happy if this was being used to teach evolution and biology to children,” Shelomi said. There has also been an attempt by a linguist in Japan to make a new phylogeny using the researchers’ data. After contacting Shelomi, the linguist ran his own data analysis. “He used a different procedure than we had and ours was pretty simple. To do anything more complicated, you’d have to make a lot of it up for this to be in the real world. For example, we don’t know the rates of evolution or the things that we would just have to completely make up out of thin air and I think he may have done some of that,” Richards said. Shelomi posted the research on some Pokémon forums online and found that some fans had arguments against his data. However, Shelomi saw this disagreement as an opportunity to encourage others to create their own Pokémon evolutionary trees. “I’d like to see more people try to make these massive trees for all the Pokémon and argue for different sides for what they think is appropriate,” Shelomi said. “If you don’t like the tree, make your own and try to justify which is better.” The full phylogeny can be viewed in the Bohart Museum of Entomology at 1124 Academic Surge during its business hours. The magazine issue which includes the paper, “A Phylogeny and Evolutionary History of the Pokemon,” is downloadable for free via low-resolution .pdf on the website or can be purchased online. MARIA MARCELINA CRYSTAL VEGA can be reached at features@ theaggie.org.

Donate swipes to feed thousands Through Swipe Out Hunger program, students put dining commons meals toward hunger relief efforts By RITIKA IYER

Aggie Features Writer

When most UC Davis students are hungry, picking up a sandwich at the ASUCD Coffee House or swiping into one of the three on-campus dining commons is a natural response. But for over 34,000 Yolo County residents, satisfying an appetite is not as accessible. To help prevent local hunger, UC Davis Dining Services, in conjunction with the Food Bank of Yolo County (FBYC), are hosting the annual Swipe Out Hunger program that runs from Nov. 12 to 21. “The program is set up as a way for students who have meal plans in the residence halls to give up some of their meals in order to support the hunger-relief efforts of the FBYC,” said resident dining operations director Kyle Peiper. Last year, the campaign raised over $6,000 to feed poor families in Yolo County. In 2010, about 700 cases of food were purchased through the program, directly helping 10,000 families in need. “We act as a clearinghouse for large-scale food donations,” said FBYC community relations manager Shawn Kramer. “Programs tend to highlight a response to the community’s needs.” The Swipe Out Hunger campaign was started in the early ’90s as a collaboration between university dining and housing services and the local food bank.

Irisa Tam / Aggie

“There were students who asked, ‘How can I play a part in helping hunger?’” Peiper said. “This is giving them the ability to do their part.” For many college students, making time to volunteer with a humanitarian organization is difficult. The program was made with this in mind, allowing students to contribute to their community. “It’s a very easy way to donate. It’s quick and simple and has a huge impact,” Kramer said. “I think it’s a feel-good thing for students to do — it’s a passive way of donating.”

Students can donate up to 10 meal swipes at the entrance of any of the dining commons. When the program ends, dining services tallies all the meals given into a single monetary amount. Sodexo Incorporated, the company under which dining services is a part of, then purchases all of the food with the money raised. “We focus on [purchasing] protein items; we are really focused on nutrition,” Kramer said. “We want to feed them [families] healthy items.” Some food items that have been purchased in the past include fruits, vegetables, tuna,

peanut butter and Cup Noodles. “We like to get things that hold well, and are high-nutrient,” Peiper said. “It’s a focus on getting food that stretches the dollar as much as we can.” Many UC Davis students, including first-year managerial economics major Jessica Kao, have already donated dining commons swipes for the cause. “I walked into the [dining commons], and someone asked me if I wanted to donate to the homeless,” Kao said. “I thought that it would be a nice thing to do. It’s easy and I have a lot of extra swipes.”

The FBYC is partnered with over 60 nonprofit organizations that help to distribute the food purchased through the program. Since a large portion of the food collected is non-perishable, not all of it is given to families during the holiday season. “We use it all over the place, across the board,” Kramer said. “It’s a win-win situation. We have the space to accommodate these donations and organizations that are spread out to Yolo County [that] help us distribute food to those in need.”

See SWIPE, page 5


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